Chapter 11
Tython was loitering by the Hachiko memorial in Tokyo, thinking about everything Rika went through.
"Not my fault," he muttered. "It's all my fault."
"Kid, did you ever think that she's worried about you?"
Tython didn't even need to look at the man that said that.
"What are you doing here, Jacen? I thought you were still at your Earth," Tython grumbled.
"Thought I'd stop by and say hi," Jacen replied.
Tython looked up to see Jacen standing next to him. He was older than the Jacen the Ghost crew were reading about back at his house. This Jacen is about 30 years old by now. He was wearing a green leather jacket, and his hair was... well, it was the same as it's always been.
"Still rocking the spiked hair, eh?" Tython asked.
"Don't change the subject. You're having girl troubles, I can hear it," Jacen said.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Tython replied.
"Just relax. Take some deep breaths, if you have to," Jacen said. "Don't let everything get under your skin."
"We're just friends, Jacen," Tython said, though there was disappointment heard in his voice. "Cut me some slack, will you?"
"Alright, I won't pry about it anymore. Anyway, how's that story of yours?" Jacen asked.
"How did you...?"
"You came to me for story details a couple years ago, remember?" Jacen replied. "I suspected you would do something like this. You of all people should know I'm not stupid. You know you also just created a new timeline with those Rebels, right?"
"Of course I know. That's what I planned to do in the first place," Tython said. "I didn't want everything to go to shit like it did in their original timeline. I wanted them to at least know what was going to happen. Besides, you did the same when you were a teen."
"I got there by accident, but even so, that timeline existed before I was even born. I can't explain how, but it did," Jacen said.
"Yeah I know. You didn't have knowledge that you were-"
"Don't finish that. There are people reading about this right now, so don't spoil anything," Jacen said.
"Did you just break the 4th wall?"
"Maybe, maybe not."
Tython didn't buy it. "Right. Anyway, I should get back home. It's lunchtime and I should be there for the story. It was nice to see you again, Jacen."
"Tython," Jacen said.
Tython stopped walking, but didn't turn around.
"Do not underestimate Thrawn in their timeline. It took me over a year of intelligence gathering and planning to take him down," Jacen warned.
"Yeah, I know."
Jacen opened a portal to his earth. "See you around, kid," he said before entering the portal and closing it from the other side.
"Yeah, see ya," Tython said as he climbed onto his bike and started home.
…
"So... why are we having this meeting?" Ezra asked.
"Tython and Rika said they have a plan to liberating Lothal without losing anybody," Sabine said for about the 5th time already.
"I'm not going anywhere," Ezra said. "I'm not leaving you or anybody else like my other self did. Maybe I could just get the Purgil to wait until I get off to jump?"
"That won't work," Rika said. "You stayed to keep Thrawn from escaping the Purgil's arms... or whatever they're called. If he frees himself from their grip, he can grab an escape pod. Your best option is to kill him."
"We wouldn't be any better than the Empire if we do that," Hera objected.
"Sometimes you have to do certain things to keep things free. It's not about being no better than them," Tython said. "It's about your galaxy's permanent liberation and peace. If you want that, there will be losses.
"I can't believe I'm saying this," Zeb began, "but they're right, Hera. War has a cost, does it not?"
"I don't agree with that," Kanan said, "but if it's the only choice we have, then we have to take it."
Hera sighed, "Fine, but I'm not happy about it."
"Alright," Tython said. "Now, as you may notice, FR0ST and Cara aren't here right now."
"Where are they?" Ezra asked.
"They're buying some more food from the store," Rika replied.
"Okay, so then what's the plan?" Ezra asked then.
"You all remember those TIE Defenders, right?" Rika asked. "Well, Thrawn had a newer model called the TIE Defender Elite. It's better than the first variant. This one still has shields, but also projectile missiles, a working hyperdrive, and even a killswitch in case somebody tries to steal it." She eyed Ezra and Sabine as she said that. "You know first hand about those switches, Sabine."
"I'm guessing my original self forgot about that feature?" Sabine asked.
Rika nodded, "You remembered almost a little too late. Fortunately you disabled it, but not before losing two of the three wings."
"We have a copy of their data drive," Tython said. "Before you ask, it is real. We just wrote down details from the show. I suggest the Rebellion uses the Defenders to their advantage, as well as the fuel depot. Everything else we can destroy."
"So we have the TIE Defender data, but what about freeing Lothal?" Sabine asked.
"Of course you'll need to smuggle yourselves onto the planet," Tython said. "As soon as you make landfall, head to the southern hemisphere and establish a hideout in the mountains. As of right now in your galaxy, Thrawn will be leaving for Coruscant in a few weeks to discuss the Defender project to the Emperor and also the delays in Krennic's project: Stardust."
"I've heard of Krennic once before. Some bigshot director of some sort of science division for the Empire, right?"
"Correct. Anyway, Thrawn will leave three days after you all arrive on Lothal, leaving 7th fleet alone to blockade the planet. However, there's still a problem to deal with. He has an assassin named Rukh protecting the surface." Tython showed everybody a picture of Rukh as he said all that.
"What is that?" Sabine asked.
"Looks like he's staring at us," Zeb said.
"These are only paper photos of him. He can't really see you," Tython assured them. "He's also Thrawn's personal bodyguard. That being said, he's very skilled with ranged and hand-to-hand combat. Do not underestimate him."
"He doesn't scare me," Ezra said.
"Yeah, but he calls Thrawn and alerts him to your plans. Best bet is to lay low for a while until the attack on Lothal starts. The Imperial Complex is their base, correct? Governor Pryce is usually there so you'll need to lure her to your base of operations in the southern hemisphere. You need her alive to relay codes to infiltrate their control room. After you are in, you'll need to initiate protocol 13."
"What's that?" Ezra asked.
"It tells all Imperials around the city to return to the complex for a planetary evacuation. However, by then, Rukh would have alerted Thrawn to that plan and would deactivate the planetary shield. Zeb and his team will need to protect those shield generators and keep the Nogiri from shutting down the shield. If you see Rukh, do not hesitate to kill him. Besides, Zeb kills him in your original timeline. Trapped his foot on some reactor coil and electrocutes him."
"So I got the kill? Good," Zeb said.
"So what do we do about Thrawn?" Hera asked.
"That's... actually the hard part of the original timeline and even this one. Either way, Ezra would need to surrender himself to him," Tython said.
"Is that seriously the only way?" Sabine asked, surprising everyone.
"Sadly, yes," Tython said. "But he needs to distract him while you all get the shields up. He also needs to help the Purgil coordinate their attack on Thrawn's ship." Tython looks directly at Ezra then. "If you have the chance to kill him, do it. He'll try to shoot to kill you, but will hit your shoulder instead. Do not let him shoot you. If he does, you're stuck on the ship."
Ezra nodded grimly.
"Lastly, Sabine would use her explosives to blow up the entire complex. Once all the Imperials are locked inside, you will launch the entire thing into the air. Make sure to set the flight path over the ocean to prevent any debris from hitting the city below," Tython continued.
"After all that, Lothal is free, but there's still another thing," Rika said.
"What's that?" Ezra asked.
"I can't spoil that part, but it's about the Temple on Lothal. The Empire does something that could very much ruin everything," Tython said. "That part comes first once Thrawn is away on his meeting."
"You sure?" Kanan asked.
"Yes. We can talk more about it later, but for now, we need to continue the story. I believe it's Ezra's turn," Tython said.
Story begins
The mystery woman attacks Jacen with her katana, but he blocks the strike with his arm, countering her attack with some punches and kicks. Their fight was so fast by this point, you could only see the shockwaves from their blows.
The two eventually stop their attacks, but their guard doesn't go down.
"You're a good fighter," the woman says.
"I had a rough childhood," Jacen replies. "Picked up a few things."
"I can only see a small part of your face through your mask, too."
Jacen reaches up and feels around his mask, feeling a decent chunk of it is missing.
"What the hell? This was my favorite mask!" Jacen exclaims upon seeing the missing piece lying at his feet. "It's an antique, you know!"
"Chit chat," the woman taunts. "What's your next move? You have no weapons and you can barely defend yourself!"
She's toying with you. Don't let her get to your head, Jacen thinks to himself. Then again, there's something familiar about her voice...
"First I need some answers," Jacen begins. "Who are you, first of all?" Second, what do you want with this file?"
"First of all, that's none of your concern. Second of all, I'm going to sell it for food. People need to survive, you know."
She's mocking me. Jacen thinks, but he somehow stays relatively calm.
"Surviving? You're going to sell this file for food and shelter, even though you don't know for sure what's in it?" Jacen asks.
"Come on, man. I need the money!"
"And I need that file for my own purposes, too! For the good of the galaxy and its inhabitants," Jacen said. "Now hand it over."
"Can't do that," the woman said.
"Give it."
"Nope."
"Come on!"
"Nope."
"Just give it!"
"What are you going to do? Kill me or something?"
"Might not have to," Jacen says as he uses instant transmission to get right up to her. He was about to grab the data file, but she grabs his arm and flips him over.
"Impressive trick, but you'll need to do better," the woman says.
"I wasn't trying," Jacen replies with a smirk. He opened his hand and shows the data spike in his hand.
"H-How did you get that?"
Before she could do anything else, Jacen flips backward and gets away from her. "Ancient Chinese secret," he replies, barely holding back a laugh.
"Why you little..."
She charges him and tries to slash him with her katana, but he dodges every attack with ease.
"HOLD STILL!" she shouts.
"I'd rather not."
"Give it BACK!"
"I'd rather not do that, either," Jacen taunts, still easily dodging all her attacks.
Eventually, the woman grew tired and stops her attacks to take a breather.
"I'd love to stay and chat some more, but I have to go. Chiao!"
Jacen was about to leave, but he senses a ki blast and quickly tackles the woman to the ground. "GET DOWN!"
"What was that?" the woman asks Jacen, no longer concerned about the data spike.
"Wait here," Jacen says quietly. He stepped out from behind cover and sees four familiar people not too far from him. They were wearing Crusher Corp uniforms and had red-lensed scouters on their heads.
"Well, well, well, look what we got here! Two little kids fighting over a stick!" one of the soldiers said.
"You did our job for us. No complaints, but it all seems too easy now," another said.
"Hand it over," a third said.
"And if I refuse?" Jacen asks them.
"We can kill you and your friend," the first CC soldier said.
Jacen just looks at the woman still behind cover and back at the soldiers. "Did you not hear what I was saying to her earlier? I'd rather not."
"Suit yourself," the fourth soldier said.
"Woah, hold on a second," Jacen said. "You can take it."
"Really?"
"Why not?" Jacen asked as he dropped the data spike, then crushed it under his boot.
^"Bad time to interrupt the story, but who exactly are those guys? Pirates?" Ezra asks.
^"Worse than pirates, actually. Those guys are Planet Conquerors. They find a planet with habitable environments and then they kill every single living thing on said planets. After all that they sell that planet to the highest bidder," Tython explains.
^"That's unspeakably low," Sabine mutters.
^"I don't think even Hondo would do that," Ezra said. Everybody agreed with that.
^"Also, what's ki?" Sabine asks. "It's been mentioned a few times, but we never got an explanation to it."
^"You'll find out when he explains it to your counterparts," Tython replies.
^"And when will that be?" Zeb asks.
^"Soon."
"What the hell? We needed that!" the CC soldiers exclaimed.
"I'd sooner drop dead and go to hell than hand this information to either you or her," Jacen said. "Besides, I was going to destroy it from the beginning, so in my terms, mission accomplished."
"Why you..." the lead soldier growled. "Nevermind all that, we were going to kill you and her anyway."
The woman gritted her teeth behind her mask. "That was my only source for food."
"We can talk later," Jacen said to the woman. "Since you seemed very tired earlier, I'll take these chumps on myself."
"I'd like to see you try!" the soldiers said.
"You will," Jacen said as he charged them, flying a couple inches over the ground and letting out his battlecry.
End of Chapter.
"ANOTHER CLIFFHANGAR!" Zeb shouts.
"Hey, you have to admit, it really gets us hooked, doesn't it?" Sabine asks.
"I almost forgot once thing," Tython says as he tosses some sort of controller to Sabine. "Catch."
"What's this?" Sabine asks, inspecting the controller.
"Interactive cutscenes. It's like a video game, but in video format," Tython says.
"In Basic?" Zeb asks.
"You get to interact with Jacen's actions, but only when a certain icon shows up. You see that logo on the top right corner of the screen? That's when you can use the interactive cutscenes in a chapter."
"That sounds cool but... why don't I use it?" Ezra asked.
Sabine grins at him, "That's because it's my turn now, Ezra."
"Dang, that's cold," Ezra mutters.
"Seriously? Interactive cutscenes? That seems a little bit too much to me," I said.
"Hey, it doesn't hurt to try new things, right?" Tython replied with a grin. "If it doesn't work, I'll scrap the whole thing."
"Alright then. Anyway, can we continue?" Cara asks.
Everybody nods and Sabine begins to read the next chapter.