"Okay, so there's this prison on Lothal with data plans on the advanced TIE fighters. You guys will bust in there, probably get the prisoners to start a riot or break out as your distraction, get the data plans, and get out. Any questions?" Clyde informed.
"Yeah, Like where this prison might be?" Luca said with his arms crossed.
"Now, now, Luca. After working with Clyde for so long I can speak from experience when I say that he always informs on the location after you ask your questions." Dhara said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Precisely, Dhara!" Clyde said as he gave Dhara a thumbs up, "The prison you are attacking is the only one around that location. And the location... Frawost, located in Lothal's southern hemisphere it is the coldest city on Lothal. In fact, there are rumors that it is so cold it cancels out the tiny bindings in the force there so force usage is restricted." Clyde explained as he paced in front of the group of rebels.
"Okay, so basically we do an operation without using the force and hope that we don't run into the Inquisitor while we're down there." Ezra said with a doubtful expression.
"The Inquisitor is in Capital City right now, you are in Tarkin Town. If you both were to leave right now then you could complete the mission and get out with about two hours to spare." Clyde smirked, "You may see nothing but trouble in this mission, but I see nothing but success. You seem to have forgotten that I have already tested you, I wouldn't send you in there is I didn't think you could handle it."
"Fine," Ezra said standing, but he still wasn't happy...he had this...feeling, that something was going to go wrong, "but if we get caught you better rescue us before we're killed."
"Done. But you're not going to get caught." Clyde agreed and he and Ezra shook on it.
Ezra took off towards the Aelita with Dhara and Luca close behind him, Star and Mersaides had stayed on the ship, one to watch it and two to get to know each other better.
"Oh, hey Ezra," Star blushed, "How'd it go?"
"It went fine." Ezra grinned, obviously forgetting the fact that he was mad. Star just made him feel...happy? Was that it?
"That's good. So I'm guessing we have another mission?" she continued, "Oh, and Clyde's guys filled the Aelita up with fuel."
"Yeah, we have another mission." Ezra said as he shook his head, "There's just no bargaining with Clyde. Anyway I'll fill you in on the mission on the way."
Mersaides and Dhara disappeared to their room and Luca went to his after Ezra explained the mission, leaving just Star and Ezra in the control room.
"You look tired." Star said as she approached Ezra from behind.
"Yeah, but I don't think I could fall asleep even if I tried. I've just got this feeling that something is going to go wrong." Ezra sighed.
"Well, I think we'll be fine as long as you are with us." Star said as she began to massage Ezra's shoulders, "By the way, I meant to thank you for saving Luca and I. How's your arm feeling?"
"Better than it did yesterday, but still a little sore. I'm guessing it'll be good in a few more days." Ezra said slightly tensing under Star's touch.
"Do you not want me to massage your shoulders? I just thought that you might like it since you were tired and all..." Star said nervously.
"No, no. It's fine. I just...I don't know." Ezra admitted with a sigh.
"Oh, okay. I think I understand." Star replied with a yawn, "Well, I think I'm going to get some shut eye. Goodnight Ezra."
"Goodnight Star." Ezra sighed. Star was...Star was beautiful like Sabine, but she actually seemed to like him back. I mean sure every now and then Sabine would hang out with him or want to talk with him, but she never blushed when she talked to him. Yeah, he wouldn't mind admitting to Star after the mission tomorrow that he had feelings for her...wait, she had a brother who has shown signs of being really protective...Now Ezra was reconsidering telling Star that he liked her...maybe he could find a chance to tell her in secret.
The next day Ezra, Luca, Mersaides, Dhara, and even Star were going on the mission. Mersaides and Dhara would get the data chip while Ezra, Luca, and Star would get the prisoners to rebel.
"Alright let's move!" Ezra whispered urgently as the troopers on guard moved positions.
The two groups split ways as they entered the prison. Dhara and Mersaides headed to the main office and Ezra, Luca, and Star to the cells.
The boys and Star were reaching the last cell when the Ezra started feeling uneasy again. What if there was a trap behind this door? But...what if there wasn't?
Ezra unlocked the door, but it still wouldn't budge.
"Maybe we should try using the force?" he suggested.
"It's worth a try." Luca shrugged.
"Don't you remember what Clyde said though?" Star whispered, "The force use here is restricted."
"Restricted, Star, not completely blocked. I think if we try together then we might be able to get it open." Ezra said. He no longer thought that this could be a trap, but he still felt like something was wrong.
"Okay." Star replied.
The three padawans stood in a row, each picturing the door in their mind and focusing on opening it. And it did, it opened! Revealing a dark room, with...no one inside?
"Well, that was a waste of time." Luca blinked in surprise.
"Yeah, well, the others have probably gotten the chip by now so we should get going." Ezra said as he turned to leave.
"Wait!" Star said as she entered the cell, using the force to guide herself to the far left corner.
"Star!" Luca warned, obviously worried that his sister would get hurt, and pulled out one of his lightsabers to light the cell up.
What they saw surprised them. A boy was curled up in the corner Star had gone to, he seemed small and malnourished, as well as possibly sick. He wouldn't even look at them, just hid his face and kept his head down.
"Go away!" The boy said in a hoarse voice.
"We're here to help." Star said extending her hand to him.
"I said go away! I don't want help I want to die!" the boy whined.
"Look kid, we can help you, we are each padawans who ha.." Luca started.
"No! I don't want anything to do with the force!" the boy screamed, "It just causes pain and loss for me!"
Star turned to her brother and Ezra.
"Please help him, help me help him! We can't just leave him here." she cried giving them a look that neither boy seemed to be able to say no to.
Luca picked up the boy and slung him over his shoulder. Doing his best to hold down the flailing legs and arms.
"Let me go! You can't do this!" the boy said as he squirmed.
"Yeah, yeah, buddy, yeah, yeah. But you don't seem to have a very independent will so get over it." Luca replied, patting the kid's back then continuing to follow the others out.
They got back to the Aelita as fast as possible. Mersaides and Dhara were already there and waiting.
"What took you so long? And who is he?" Mersaides asked with her arms crossed and a foul expression on her face.
"We ran into some difficulties and ran into him. Star wants to help him and she gave us 'the look' that all girls give a guy when they want something. There was no saying no to her. So we're apparently going to help him." Luca explained grimly.
"Yeah, and we might want to get out of here. I've got a bad feeling times twenty." Ezra said nervously as he quickly entered the ship after Dhara, Mersaides, Luca, and Star. He quickly closed the door and jumped in the driver's seat and took off. Turning to sneak a glance back he saw the Inquisitor come out of a TIE that had just landed and look their direction. Ezra frowned and shot the TIE then headed back to Tarkin Town where they would give the data chip to Clyde.
Putting the ship on auto pilot he turned to face Star, Luca, and the kid, Mersaides and Dhara were on the other side of the room working on their blasters or making bombs or something like that.
Ezra looked at the boy, this time trying to sense what he was feeling instead of just looking at what he could see like with the cell. He felt...loss, a feeling he was all-too-familiar with. Then an idea came to mind. This kid was connected to the force, and while Ezra didn't know much about him he had a feeling there was about a 75% of him once being a padawan too.
"Hi,...I'm Ezra. I lost my parents to the Empire when I was seven. Then a few months ago I met this Jedi who took me in and made me his apprentice. I came to really like him, he was a lot like my dad, but I had a vision where he died and no matter what I did the vision wouldn't change. So I left, it hurt me so much to leave, but I didn't want to see him die. Now here I am, still using the force and still fighting the good fight...What's your name?"
The boy looked up slightly at Ezra with a soft gaze. "I...I'm Max. My master and I were caught by the Empire a few years ago...they killed him and a lot of my padawan friends,...and," Max's voice cracked and he looked down again as tears formed in his eyes, "and they turned my sister to the dark side."
Ezra knelt down next to Max and put a hand on his shoulder. Both boys now looking each other eye in eye.
"Max, you know what my master told me when I told him I didn't want to risk losing him?" Ezra paused, "He told me that all of us have lost things and we'll all take more losses before this is over, but we can't let that stop is from taking risks. We have to move forward, and when the time comes we have to be ready to sacrifice for something bigger. It's not easy, and its hard to understand, he didn't understand it till he tried to teach me, and I think now I finally understand it too. We can learn together, all of us." Ezra finished as he stood, noticing that everyone was looking at him. "I, uh, I'll be in my room. Let me know when we get close to Tarkin Town." Ezra blushed shyly and hurried to his room.
Max looked after him, wonder and amazement in his eyes. Here was thus padawan much like him and yet he was still...still moving forward.
Okay, so here's some info on the other characters that kind of got left out.
Luca has two lightsabers, one on each side of his belt most of the time and both are blue. He has no blasters and prefers his sabers to any other weapon. Star has a purple lightsaber that she uses only for defending as she doesn't like to fight because it requires her to concentrate more than usual and stresses her to the max. Dhara has one blaster but no saber when she trains with Clyde she uses his blue lightsaber, Dhara is kind of like Sabine only she prefers to fly rather than fight.. Mersaides has two blasters and also trains with Clyde's lightsaber, she has the personality of Sabine she's just not artistic. Max doesn't have a saber or a blaster, he doesn't fight period but he is great when it comes to fixing things like ships, blasters, droids, exc.
I think that's it, now...
Sits crosslegged, closes eyes, and pretends to start meditating, "I sense this chapter will get the most reviews with it's length and the sad Ezra fluff."
Also, what's with everyone saying Ezra x Sabine last chapter? I just said that more people voted for Star and besides, Sabine made the comment of Ezra smelling like the sewers. I think she only likes him as a friend not as a boyfriend.
Hmm,.I of any good questions to ask you then pound answers out of you so I'll let you slide this time. Wait did I say that out loud?"