Star Wars Rebels: Crisis and Consequences Part 10
Grider Outpost Tavern: Shock
When Ezra heard the name he froze, his eyes bulged and his breath became shallow. "Tantooine." He mumbled as, Sabine looked at him with concern. Han Solo and Chewbacca noticed it as well. "Hey kid, you alright?" Han asked siting up to really look at Ezra's expression. When Sabine squeezed his hand he slightly came out of his shock.
"Yes, yes I am fine. It is just I know someone on Tantooine and he is someone that I really do not like to think about." Ezra said as he looked at Sabine and smiled reluctantly at her. "I am okay." He said to her as she at stared at him not really believing that. She knew what had happened to him on Tantooine with Maul and it had not gone well. He had returned to Chopper Base and after some time confided what had happened. She leaned closer, her mouth a centimeter from his ear.
"He can't be alive, he would have come after you by now if he was." Sabine whispered and hoped that Chewie did not overhear her. "If he is we will deal with him together." This caused Ezra to suddenly stiffen.
"No if he is alive, I will deal with him. You are not to get within a mile of him." Ezra whispered back sternly as he gripped the mug tightly in his hand. It began to crack and he slowly released it. "Is there any chance we can come along? We both have done some work on Hyperdrives and Navigation systems. Perhaps we can trade some work for a ride." Han glowered at the suggestion and shook his head negatively.
"Sorry kid no one but me and Chewie do any repairs on the Falcon." Han stated as he considered just bringing them along for some company. Even though Sabine was Married, she was still nice to look at. He would look but that was all, he was not Lando. Han knew if he was anything like Lando; he would still try to impress Sabine and try to get into her pants no matter the fact that she was married or not. His old friend had a serious flaw in his personality, any girl any time. "What do you think Chewie? Want some company along?" The Wookie nodded, grunting and barking. "You two can come along, no charge. I just have to drop something off for an old friend and once that is done we are heading for Tantooine."
"Thank you." Sabine said as she smiled warmly at Han and he shrugged. Silently wishing that Sabine was not married, she had the type of looks and spirit that he always wanted.
"No problem, say an hour meet us at the Falcon." Han said as the young couple thanked them again and made their way out of the Tavern. Han watched Sabine admiring her strut. Even with the long shirt covering her down past her thighs, he could just make out her nice ass swaying back and forth. Chewie barked and growled and Han frowned. "No I am not, I am not Lando. Especially since I suspect she would slip a vibro-knife into my ribs if I even hinted at that. Mando's take those Vows seriously. You know that." Then he thought of Lando, his old friend had conned him again and now he and Chewie were shipping a New Generator to Lando's place for free. An easy job, but it grated Han to do it.
Walking towards the Merchant Store, a sizable building. Ezra hoped that they carried his size underwear. Going Commando was getting more and more uncomfortable. Due to the material of his pants it felt like a breeze was blowing across his bare ass, that and the position of the Zipper made him worry about his Manhood. Inside he went immediately towards the men's wear and after a few minutes of searching he exhaled sharply. "Shit they have one size smaller and three sizes larger, none in my size." Sabine had come with him and she had spotted his size almost immediately, taking the package of three she hide them over to one side. Wanting to tease him further. Grabbing an extra large package of panties.
"These might fit you. Honey." Sabine held up a package of three Purple and Pink Panties, smirking slightly. He grimaced as he looked at her and grimaced visibly.
"I rather go Commando. I cannot believe that they do not carry any normal sized, all that is here is skinny and fat." Ezra said in aggravation, searching again and Sabine decided to stop teasing him. Picking up the package she had hidden and holding it in front of his nose. "That was mean." He said taking them, checking the size and then walked over to the clerk to pay for them. Sabine watched him, smiling. After paying, he ducked into the Stores Refresher to put on a one. Stepping back out a minute later he inhaled with pleasure and comfort. "That is so much better."
Walking over towards the Y-1300 Freighter, they spotted Han and Chewbacca doing an outside routine check of the Ship. At closer inspection, Sabine frowned. The Ship looked like a piece of junk, she wondered if it could actually fly. "This thing actually flies?" Ezra could not help but ask out loud. As he compared the Han's ship to Hera's and shook his head negatively.
"Yes she flies and she is fast!" Han stated firmly defending his beloved Falcon. "She made the Kessel run in 12 parsecs." He gloated and both of them seemed impressed. Then Sabine realized what Han and Chewie were.
"You are smugglers!" Sabine stated accusingly as she pointed a finger at Han, then over at Chewie. "This is not a Kessel Guild Runner and it is not an Imperial Supply ship, so you have to be Smugglers." Han shrugged and smiled.
"Still want a ride?" Han asked as Sabine and Ezra nodded. "Then after we drop of Lando's Generator we will be on our way." That did cause a serious reaction.
"LANDO CARLISSIAN!" Ezra and Sabine said together in shock and somewhat disgust. They both had reasons not to like Lando.
"I take it you know him." Han asked as he chuckled, seeing their combined expression he could tell that Lando had not left a good impression on the young couple. Knowing Lando, Han suspected that Lando had tried to use his charm on Sabine and that infuriated Ezra. "You do not have to worry, old Lando is not on Lothal. If he was I suspect that I would not being doing him this favor." Han explained as he saw them both visibly relax. That made him curious. "Your reaction to him is understandable but it does make me somewhat curious."
As they stepped up the ramp with Han in the lead and Chewie behind her and Ezra. Sabine explained. "Let us just say we met him, this was before me and Ezra connected. Lando was charming at first, showing interest in my art. Really frustrating Ezra. It was not until a little later I found out that his main interest was what would get me to go to bed with him. This was what Ezra about two years ago?" Ezra nodded and scowled.
"That sounds like him. You must have been on to him from the start. Usually Lando can charm anyone, especially much younger women into going to bed with him. You were what about sixteen then, he targets young ladies about that age because they are generally naive enough to believe him." Han explained, then smirked. "But he is one of my closest oldest friends, though I would not trust him as far as I could throw the Falcon." Stepping into the Cockpit, he switched the ship on. It did not start up until Han smacked the counsel and the lights came on. The Generator run only took a few minutes and soon the Falcon was off Lothal and heading to a point to calculate the Jump to Tantooine. As the ship streaked into Hyperspace, Ezra and Sabine went back to the Main Cabin. The estimated time of arrival was seven hours.
Lothal: TIE Interceptor Testing Grounds
Laying on the ground five hundred meters from the edge of the New TIE Interceptor testing area, Hera, Kanan and Ryder Azadi looked down at the Three Prototypes that the Empire was testing. There were five a day ago. One had exploded on take off the other lay a half a mile away impacted into a Mountain. That one was the TIE Fighter Pilot that Hera was able to gleam information from. "The way things are going, I doubt that we will have to worry about those New Fighters." Ryder said as he pointed towards the three Prototypes that sat on the Field. "Eventually the Empire is going to run out of test Pilots."
"I doubt that, Ryder. The Empire wants these Fighters to work, so they will send more until it actually works. After all they have Pilots to waste." Kanan remarked as he blindly looked down at the Field. In the time that the last two met their untimely end, the Empire had sent three more replacements to Test the New Fighter. One of the workers at the Factory, an actual Ship Mechanic had confided in Ryder, Hera and Kanan. That the Fighter was a good design, the problem was that the engines were too powerful for the Pilot to compensate. Even at minimal power it still either vibrated the Frame of the Fighter or it would overheat and explode. If the Pilot was able to keep Minimal Control and fly off, it was impossible to completely control the Fighter. The Empire wanted Speed and Firepower and the New TIE Fighter promised that.
"Look at that, we are just in time to watch a test flight." Ryder said pointing down at the Field, Kanan could not see but he did feel something. Fear, apprehension and slight anger. Down below Hera and Ryder watched as two Elite Black Armored Stormtroopers escort a TIE Fighter Pilot to one of the Prototypes. "It seems that the Pilots are no longer willing volunteers. The Stormies are making sure that the Pilot does not change his mind." Hera noticed that as well; the Stormtroopers rifles were not pointed in a guard position, instead they were pointed right at the Pilot.
"Guess they do not want the Pilot to run off or refuse to fly." Hera suggested as they watch the Man through Micro-Binoculars climb up nervously into the Cockpit and after inside the Elite Stormtroopers moved off to join the Officers that were watching the Test Flight. The Fighter immediately started to vibrate as it lifted off the ground. As it climbed it began to really shake and parts that were not fully secure dropped off, raining down unto the field. When the Fighter reached fifty meters in the air, everyone including those down on the Field knew there was a problem. Looking up at the Fighter Hera could see the Pilot struggling to bring the ship under control and land. But it was too late, the engines flashed and suddenly the whole thing exploded in a fireball. "There goes another one." Glancing over at Ryder who held a Micro-binocular recorder, smiled.
"Got it recorded. We better leave before the response team shows up for clean-up. Good chance we might be spotted." Ryder said as they slipped back down from the hill and made their way to the two Speeder Bikes that sat hovering. Hera looked back and wondered if she could fly the New Fighter. Flying a ship took more skill and being able to feel how a ship flies. Then that of Academy Training and unpractical skill. Someone has to be able to know how to fly before they can fly.
The Millennium Falcon: Two Hours to Tantooine
Having a few moments of relaxation, Chewbacca wanted to show Sabine around the Falcon. While Han and Ezra played a game of Dejarik which was usually Chewie's favorite game. It involved strategy and cunning to win, but sometimes even a novice can get lucky sometimes. Leading Sabine around and pointing towards what He and Han had added, including the Secret Cargo holds. He spoke to Sabine in his language. It was pleasant to talk to someone else that spoke Wookie. He had asked Han about keeping Ezra and Sabine around for a few days then taking them to Knownest. But Han had other things on his mind. Mainly the debt that they owed Jabba the Hutt. If they did not repay the Hutt soon, the big slug might put a bounty on them or worse take the Falcon. Grunting, howling and barking he spoke to Sabine. (Translated for readers). "This is the Hyperdrive Motivator, we cross wired it so that we can increase the sublight thrust." Chewie said as Sabine shook her head.
"That is not actually wise is it? It gives you a push in Sublight but it could burn out the Motivator. But on a ship this rundown anything could do that. Even turning on the Sonic Shower." Sabine said smirking and the Wookie laughed in a Woofing sound. Then he stopped and glanced down at Sabine's stomach. Barking and growling.
"So how long are you along, I can tell that you are carrying?" Chewie asked as Sabine's eyes widened. Then went back to normal, she smiled at him and shrugged.
"Three weeks or so, I have not seen a doctor yet. Please do not tell your partner or Ezra, I want it to be a surprise." Sabine asked Chewbacca as he shrugged and then chuckled in a woofing sound. Imaging the expression on Ezra's face when she told him. Humans usually took such news in two ways, they were shocked into being speechless or they became so excited that they either fainted or they start talking and asking really idiotic questions. Any of that would be entertaining to observe.
"I will keep your secret." Chewbacca said then moved along towards the main cabin and heard Han protesting that Ezra had cheated and wanted a rematch by playing Sabbacca. Luckily the warning chime that the Falcon was approaching Tantooine interrupted any rematch. The sight of Three Star Destroyers made her and Ezra a little nervous.
Landing on Tantooine,and after saying farewell to Han Solo and Chewbacca. Ezra was tempted to rent a Speeder Bike and go out to the Dune Sea and locate Obi-Wan Kenobi. Find out about Maul. Ezra wanted to know, but he did not want to know. That was what made it tempting. Glancing about he began to wonder why their were so many Imperial Stormtroopers in the small city slash town of Mos Eisley. To him Mos Eisley looked to be what one would expect on a Desert World, small and crowded. He also felt out of place, the populace did not appear to be as pale as him. While Sabine blended in because of her natural tint, he was paler then almost everyone. Except the Imperial Naval Officers. That did not bode well for them, if he looked like someone that everyone hated. The chance of bartering a ride elsewhere was going to be difficult. "You want to go see if he is still here don't you?" Sabine asked softly as she peered into Ezra's eyes. She knew about Obi Wan and she also knew that Ezra wanted to make sure that Maul was no longer a problem.
"No, with this many Imperials around, it is best we get out of here as soon as possible. They may not be here for us, but they are here for some reason and I do not want to be here if that reason puts us in the cross hairs." Ezra stated as he glanced towards the Bar that Han and Chewbacca had entered.
Sabine looked as well. "If we cannot find any, maybe Han and Chewbacca will transport us to their next stop. Let's give it a couple of hours. This type of place draws Mandalorians, I bet there are a couple around that we can ask." She was thinking that if they did, maybe they might even be part of the Wren Clan Vizsla or one of the others that held favorable relations with her Clan. All they needed to do was check the Space Port and find out. That was when Ezra saw him.
"That is him." Ezra whispered in shock and amazement. There a few yards away was Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi. The old Jedi was sitting in a Landspeeder with a young man about Ezra's age. Staring at Obi Wan drew Sabine's attention as well. "That is him, Obi Wan Kenobi." He stated, watching as three Stormtroopers stop the Speeder and Obi Wan used the Jedi Mind trick on them. Behind Obi Wan sat two droids that both he and Sabine recognized. Obi Wan saw Ezra and smiled, then shook his head negatively. Ezra understood, keeping his distance from Obi Wan Kenobi and the young man he was with. Nodding Ezra gently squeezed Sabine's hand and moved along.
"Don't you want to talk to him?" Sabine asked as she looked back at Obi Wan, the Young Man and the Droids. "Find out about Maul." Ezra had his answer, if Obi Wan was alive that meant Maul was no longer a threat. Perhaps sometime in the future Ezra would find and talk to the Old Jedi Master, but now was not the time. He suspected that the increase of Imperials was due to Obi Wan and the old Jedi did not want to involve Ezra or Sabine.
"No, maybe later I will see him again. Not now. Let us see if we can find a ride off Tantooine. If not we will ask Han and Chewbacca." Ezra replied, walking once again to the Space Port. Unfortunately they found no one. Deciding to ask Han and Chewbacca they began to walk back to the Mos Eisley Bar, then stopped. Pointing upwards they watched as the Millennium Falcon blasted up and away on full thrust. "Well there goes that idea. So what do you suggest we do now?" Ezra asked Sabine as she smiled.
"No worries on that, I see someone that owes me a favor." Sabine gestured over to one side and Ezra saw Ketsu Onyo walking along towards the Bar. He frowned visibly and exhaled.
"Are you sure, I mean I got the impression that she did not exactly like me?" Ezra stated as Sabine shrugged thinking that was not exactly true. Ketsu did like Ezra, a little too much. Sabine had to discourage Ketsu from seeking a fling with him. She often wondered why her friend Ketsu did not ignore Sabine and seek a relationship with him. But she did.
"It will be fine, come on. Let us see if she would be willing to take us to Knownest?" Sabine almost dragged Ezra into the Bar and was not surprise when she spotted blood on the floor. This type of place attracted violence. She at first suspected that Ketsu was involved but her friend was leisurely sitting at a table in the corner. As they approached Ketsu looked up at them and smiled.
"I thought that was you." Ketsu said as she gestured for them to join her. Gazing fondly at Ezra then a little less fondly at Sabine. "So what brings you two to the Ass Crack of the Galaxy?"
"Hello Ketsu, I would ask the same thing." Sabine replied as she sat. "I thought you were running around Ord Mantrell or Bespin."
"No it got boring, so I thought I would check out this part of the Galaxy. So Ezra how are you, I see that you are still following Sabine around like a pet Bantha." Ketsu said smirking as she glanced over at Ezra again, hoping to upset Sabine or embarrass Ezra.
"Well he has to, since we said the Vows." Sabine retorted, smirking back at Ketsu who stated at them wide eyed. She shook her head and started to chuckle.
"It is about time you two got together. I always thought you two made a nice couple. So what do you want Sabine? That is the only reason I can think of that you would seek me out. I still am not joining the Rebels, so if that is the reason you are here then you wasted a trip to this hell hole. I still have no idea how you knew I would be here." Ketsu rambled on as she stopped. She hated when she did that, it generally happened when she was nervous or shocked.
"Actually we were hoping that you would give us a ride to Knownest." Sabine answered then decided to tell all. "We both have left the Rebels and have no intention of returning."
"You do know your Mother is not going to be exactly thrilled that you Married him don't you." Ketsu commented pointing to Ezra. Then smiled. "I think I can help you out, as long as I can be there when you tell your mother that you tell her. It will be quite a show." Sabine nodded and Ketsu smiled wider. "Then let's be off." Without warning Ezra grasped his head and fell onto the floor. His pupils dilated and his breathing became irregular. He began to have a seizure as he shuddered. "What the Hell!" Ketsu stammered out as Sabine knelt next to him, panic etched on her face as she peered down at him.
"I do not know! Ezra! Ezra!" Sabine said down at him, trying to check his vitals and bring him out of whatever was effecting him. Patrons in the Bar, shrugged and tried not to see the young man flopping on the floor. Ezra knew what was going on, in a split second Billions of minds screamed at him, bellowing in pain and agony then they were gone and he felt it all.
To be continued