ICE PALACE
The minor dispute between Shamous and the stormtrooper in charge quickly went from a friendly debate to an all-out fire fight. Hera and Kanan had to take cover behind an up-turned table. Surprisingly, the thick glass deflected the energy back to their attackers, and vice versa for the Imperials.
"This wasn't how I thought our night would turn out," Hera commented as she shot a trooper point-blank.
Kanan shrugged. "Like I said: Dex's Diner."
The pair laughed, despite their circumstances.
"I take it you two get into problems like this often?" the second trooper, Marco, asked.
Kanan shrugged as he fired several blasters in rapid succession at their attackers. "This is normal for us. How about you two?"
"Actually, this isn't too bad. I've been in worse. That happens when you travel with the Bridgers."
Kanan stopped. "Did you say Bridgers?"
Before Marco could answer, several bolts whizzed between the two, one of them glancing off of Kanan's shoulder.
Kanan winced. Pulling out his commlink, he keyed it on. "Spector 4? We need a pickup."
COCKPIT OF THE GHOST
"Spector 4?" Zeb's commlink buzzed. "We need a pickup."
"Copy Spector 1," the Lasat acknowledged. "Did the date not work out and you need a quick getaway?"
"I guess you could say that…"
Zeb laughed. "On my way, Spector 1." He banked the Ghost to the side, temporarily throwing the pirates off their trail and giving Sabine several clear shots. To out of the three transports were disabled and forced to make an emergency landing in the ice. The third pulled away from the skirmish and shot into hyperspace.
Satisfied with his work, Zeb turned to face the large ice caves looming at the other end of the planet, where the Ice Palace was located.
GHOST, NOSE GUN
Sabine sighed, relaxing her tense muscles as she watched the other pirates' ship blast into hyperspace. That had been close. Too close.
She climbed out of the nose gunner's chair and walked over to the common room. Inside, she could hear Chopper and Ezra arguing about…something. She couldn't quite tell what. The Mandalorian girl couldn't help but smile. Thankfully Ezra was feeling much better.
When she walked into the common room, she realized that they were arguing about whether Chopper had cheated at holochess.
"Feeling better?" Sabine casually asked as she took a seat next to Ezra's shivering form.
Ezra nodded. "Why'd you a-ask?" he couldn't help but shiver.
Sabine shrugged. "Just wondering." Secretly, she was worried about Ezra, but it would be too awkward to admit it.
Chopper beeped a reply that made Sabine turn bright red. Before Ezra could ask, Sabine had gone to find a blanket.
Chopper just laughed.
ICE PALACE
"What do you mean you worked with the Bridgers?" Kanan asked.
Shamous shrugged. "Who wants to know? Besides, it's not like it matters anymore after his Padawan killed him."
Kanan shivered.
Another bolt bounced off a nearby table, causing Kanan to flinch. "Where is Zeb?" he half asked half yelled.
As if to answer his question, a familiar hum was heard outside the Ice Palace. Kanan smiled at the familiar noise. Exchanging a quick glance with Hera, he and the Twi'lekk, followed by the two stormtroopers who helped him, rushed to the door. They all made it out unscathed (mostly), except for Shamous. He had three or four blaster burns on his armor, most of them smoking.
Marco started to giggle, then started to laugh. Before he knew it, Marco was in a fit of hysterical laughter, all the while staring at Shamous. "I won't lie," he managed to say between giggles, "but you SO deserved that!"
Before Kanan knew it, he was laughing along with the Stormtrooper, unable to get over the sight of Shamous standing awkwardly next to Hera while trying to smother one of the smoking shots.
Zeb rather awkwardly landed the Ghost next to Marco and Kanan (who were still giggling). It took Hera some time, but she managed to shoo the others onto her ship and get them to stop laughing.
The Ghost took off just as one of the stormtroopers ran out of the restaurant. She removed her helmet and let her short, black hair shake loose. She grabbed her commlink and keyed it on.
"Stella? Get the ship prepped. I have a feeling the Bridger boy is on that freighter."
COMMON ROOM OF THE GHOST
"What in the galaxy happened to you, Ezra Bridger?!" Hera exclaimed when she saw Ezra's frail form wrapped in a thin blanket and shivering violently.
Ezra shrugged. "I fell."
"Where?"
"In an ocean."
"What ocean?"
Ezra pointed to the sea below them.
Hera's expression turned from annoyance to pure horror.
Kanan and Marco took cover in the kitchen while Hera half babied-half scolded Ezra for not calling her about the incident.
HALF AN HOUR LATER
Zeb walked into the common room only to see Hera gently stroking Ezra's hair while muttering words of comfort (or swearing, he couldn't tell which) in her native tongue. Ezra lay slumped against her thin form, half asleep, and only shivering occasionally.
"Is he okay?" Zeb asked, almost afraid to hear the Twi'lekk's reply.
Hera jumped slightly, and looked up in surprise. Her expression softened when she saw the gruff Lasat. She patted the cushion next to her and Zeb sat down and repeated the question.
"He's fine," Hera reassured. "Just a bit shaken." She paused, her expression darkening. "Why didn't you call me?"
Zeb avoided her gaze. "We…uh…ran into some trouble picking up that supplies you listed."
Hera glared at him. "Didn't you read the note I wrote? I told you to NOT pick it up until AFTER we came back!"
The Lasat scratched his head, ears drooping. "Right. I notice that."
KITCHEN
Kanan winced when he heard Hera's yelling.
Marco shared the expression. "This normal?"
Kanan nodded.
Marco let out a little laugh as he stirred a boiling pot. "I understand that the Twi'lekk you were with is the captain. She seems like the only one ordering everyone around."
"Her and Chopper, yea."
Another laugh.
Kanan took the chance to bring up a topic that had been eating on him for a while. "Did you know the Bridgers?"
Marco paused to look up. "What do you mean? How do you know?"
"Earlier, during the fire fight, Shamous mentioned that you two used to work with Mira and Ephraim Bridger. Did you know them?"
Marco sighed. "Yea, I knew them. I used to fight alongside Ephraim, blowing up Sepies' bases. Or at least that's what he used to call them. We got along together pretty well. It was me, Shamous, a teen we all called Rebel, a Chatniss known as Shalimar, and Zora. I never really knew much about Zora. Anyway, we'd spend a lot of time sabotaging Separatist's bases and plans, taking supplies to remote worlds, and inspiring people. Ephraim always use to say that all the galaxy came down to was people. The only way to win the war was to win the people. He used to say lots of things like that. He acted a lot like a clone trooper, come to think of it. At one point, he told me that he was."
Kanan's eyes widened. "Ezra's father was a clone? How? They aren't allowed to have families."
"Probably why he ran away. Said that he was a deserter. The only reason he ran away was to get away from all the fighting and have a family."
Kanan was about to ask another question when Marco set a steaming bowl of soup in his hands. The Jedi looked down at the meal. "What's this?" he asked.
Marco smiled as he balanced six more bowls on his arms and shoulders. "Dinner," was his reply before he left to the common room.
COMMON ROOM
The crew of the Ghost (and Shamous) were sitting around the Dejarak table when Marco and Kanan walked in with the soup. Zeb sniffed the air and licked his lips. Ezra stirred from underneath the blanket.
"Hungry?" Marco asked as he placed the steaming bowls in front of each member.
Kanan smiled as he took a seat next to Hera. "This is my kind of food," he commented. "Not gourmet."
Hera made a face as the others laughed.
Ezra looked around the table. For once in his life, he felt like he belonged. Truth was, he did belong. He was part of one mis-matched family.
CUE STAR WARS REBELS THEME And that ends my first fanfic novel. YAAAAAYYYYYYYY! Success! Anyway, sorry I didn't post this very soon. I had a busy weekend!
But the story doesn't end there! Stay tuned and I'll post the first chapter of my next story, POISONED!
