The Youngling

Change of plans

Ezra felt a disturbance in the force. It woke him up. He walked out onto the observation deck of his tower and looked up. A star destroyer hovered just above his tower. It was still a couple of days before the others were supposed to pick him up, but this was distributing enough to make him check it out.

"Guess it's time to head into town." He said as he watched TIE fighters launched from the ship.

He headed into town. After fighting though the crowd he found a gotal being harassed by the head of the local imperial academy. He really could stand this.

"I remember what it was like before your ships showed up, before you imperials ruled Lothal like the rest of the Galaxy." The old goat said.

Ezra didn't care what the imperials said next. He never cared what they said. It wasn't worth the memory to even care what they said. It wasn't going to stop him from standing up to them. He decided to stick to his cover for this.

"Hey, mister, spare a few jogan?" Ezra asked as he passed by the two imperials unclipping Aresko's com in the process.

Grint told him "scram, urchin, those jogan sate imperial property".

"Sorry, sorry. Not looking for any trouble, sir." Ezra said. "But it sure has a way of finding me." He added under his breath as he got just out of sight. He set the com to loud speaker broadcast and impersonating an imperial officer said into it. "All officers to the main square. This is a code red emergency!"

He watched as all the imperials took off leaving the gotal alone before he come out.

"Thank you!" The gotal said handing him a jogan.

"No, thank you." Ezra said grabbing a few more.

"Hey what are you doing?" The gotal asked.

"Hey, a kids got to eat." Ezra replied. 'Plus the others would kill me if I didn't bring them back anything. Besides you offered.' He added in his head.

Ezra then stuffed the fruit in his backpack and took off to the main square. He was watching the chaotic show he started when he sensed someone.

"Kriff! What are they doing here?" Ezra asked himself as he looked down from the rooftop to see Kanan, Chopper, Sabine, and Zeb. The familiar ring of Kanan's force signature whistling to him. He knew Kanan could hear his as well. He ducked out of sight as his master looked up in his direction. Luckily he didn't see him, but Ezra couldn't help feeling guilty for giving them more trouble than they expected.

Kanan looked up swearing he could sense Ezra on the rooftop. He didn't see him, but the force was telling him he was there. 'Maybe I'm mistaken. Ezra wouldn't break cover early unless something was wrong.' Kanan thought. He tapped his thigh twice as Zeb passed by.

Zeb turned the corner.

Ezra watched from above as Kanan repeated the signal with Sabine. She replied by repeating it back to him. This quid Ezra in that she was the distraction on the opt he unintentionally complicated. He was going to have to do something quick and could only think of one thing.

He let Sabine plant her explosives while he identified the main crates. As soon as they went off he jumped off the roof and landed on the bike with the larger two crates. Kanan and Zeb were both on the other two bikes.

"Ezra?" He heard Sabine say.

"Thanks for the heavy lifting?" Ezra told his roommate and master as he passed by them.

"Kareabast!" Both of them said as they realize what the kid was doing.

"If the kid's keeping his cover, but helping us out…" Zeb started.

"There's something wrong. Guy's catch up with him. Find out what's going on." Kanan ordered.

Ezra took off down the speed way. The others chased after him.

"So it is you Ezra. What's up? You go crazy or what jumping off a roof like that?" Sabine asked when she managed to get on one of his crates.

"Sorry I had to. Somethings up I need to talk to Kanan." Ezra said. He winked at her telling her to take one of the crates. She detached it and signals Hera.

"The big guy's going to kill you if he catches you." Sabine warned him. Then she com Kanan once Hera picked her up. "He wants to talk to his master."

"On it." Kanan said. At this point they were dogging shots from imperials while chasing Ezra. Kanan signaled to Zeb that he was dropping his crates and to stay behind for Hera to pick him up.

"I'm killing the kid for messing up the opt." Zeb said.

Kanan managed to get ahead of Ezra and blocked him off.

"What's up?" Kanan said.

"I sensed something last night. There's a new threat. They increase imperial presents." Ezra explained.

"That's why you made our opt harder?" Kanan asked.

"No, That was an unintentional effect of saving a vendor from Aresko and Grint." Ezra replied. "Right now I'd watch out."

Ezra took off. Kanan had just enough time to jump off the bike before a blast hit it and set it ablaze.

"Spector 2, I'm going to need a pick up & we're getting Spector 4 back a little earlier than expected." Kanan said into his com.

"I'm on my way." Hera replied

Ezra had been hit twice & wrecked the bike before the chase ended. Lucky for him he was able to detach the crate, and the Ghost showed up first.

"Need a ride kid?" Kanan asked form the open ramp. Ezra didn't know why he hesitated. "Got any better options?" Kanan says gesturing to the TIE now shooting at him.

Ezra grabbed the crate before jumping.

"Leave the crate you'll never make it!" Kanan yells. Why was beyond him. He knew Ezra was capable of making a jump like that. He had seen him do it before. It just came out though.

Ezra jumped. The crate landed in front of Kanan with Ezra still holding on. Kanan let out a sigh of relief when Ezra pulled himself up.

"Thank the force your alive!" Kanan said pulling his Padawan into a hug. He then ran to the top gun to fight off the TIEs. "Zeb keep an eye on him."

"Welcome home." Ezra mumbled to himself.

•This was actually hard to write. Those of you I let in on what I have planed keep quiet. For everyone else, you'll understand later what's going on. The next chapter is a continuation of this one. I'm sure a lot of you can figure out what's happening next.

May the force be with you always.

•Cass