Chapter 19
Okay, people! It has come to my attention that some people are confused about what Kanan said to Zeb last chapter. Zeb was the one to inspire Kanan to rush to save Ezra. He was the one who gave him the inspiring pep talk, and when Kanan's goals didn't come to fruition, he placed the blame on Zeb, who had pushed him towards his goals. Kanan was going to wait and plan things out, but Zeb convinced him not to. When it failed, he blamed Zeb.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars Rebels or its characters.
Ezra could feel his heart pounding. He had rejected Kanan. He had turned away from him, from all of them.
But it was the only way to save them. They were going to die.
He felt a hand rest on his shoulder. Ezra didn't try to knock it off. All of his resistance had disappeared when he pushed Kanan away from him. He couldn't do anything now; the Inquisitor had won the battle.
"You've made the right decision, Apprentice. Your training shall begin as soon as we relocate to a different location."
An empty feeling rose up when he heard that word, drowning out the pain he felt from his wounds.
Apprentice.
No!
He wouldn't give up, just because this escape failed. The Inquisitor may have won the battle….
But Ezra would win the war.
Just because he agreed to stay with him didn't mean he would give in. He would play along, allow himself to gain the Inquisitor's trust, and when he did…
He would make sure that the Inquisitor could never harm his family again.
"Yes, Master."
The hand squeezed in response.
Zeb could hear the dripping noise again. But this time, the kid wasn't there to bleed all over the place. This sound was different. And it was one that Zeb never wanted to hear, much less see.
The Ghost's controls had water on it, evidence of what had gone on. Hera had had to be taken away from the controls by Sabine; Chopper and he were manning the controls. He couldn't bear to look at them, with their gazes full of disbelief.
How could you leave him?
We may never find him again!
"I tried! I'm sorry!"
Guilt was building inside of him. This had been the second time this had happened, him leaving the boy. Funny how on their first mission he had abandoned him; now it had come around full circle. Somewhere above, the gods were laughing at him.
Kanan was a failure.
He hadn't been able to save his Master, and now he had lost his Padawan.
Some light I'm supposed to be.
He had merely looked on as Ezra walked into the darkness. He hadn't stopped him, grabbed a hold of him and ran. He had just watched.
Ezra sacrificed himself because of Kanan's weakness.
And then Kanan had blamed someone else for it.
He shouldn't have blamed Zeb; he was the one at fault. He knew that the Lasat was in pain, that he was blaming himself, and he had encouraged it. He had watched as he was persecuted by Sabine, watched as she rose her hand up only to stop midair. He had watched as she had taken Hera away, not even attempting to comfort her. He had watched.
And now everything was falling apart.
They were a mess; anger and frustration had run its course and had ravaged them. They weren't a crew, not now, not after everything that had went down.
Kanan didn't think they could be called a family now either.
The Inquisitor watched the boy as he walked ahead, careful to not move to far away from him. The Jedi hadn't been gone for even an hour and the boy was already learning.
Soon he shall be the perfect apprentice.
"Stop."
The boy immediately froze where he was, waiting patiently.
Once the Inquisitor came up to the boy, he guided him down a different hallway than the one they had been using, avoiding Storm troopers that still littered the halls.
Eventually they arrived at a door, and the Inquisitor saw the boy tense. He smiled.
"Do not worry, child. You will no longer be staying in your previous chamber. Consider this…a gift."
The Inquisitor pressed a button and the door opened, revealing a bedroom with windows gazing out into space. It was much bigger than Ezra's dark room that he had been trapped in. He let the boy walk inside before he blocked the door.
"I am a generous man, child. I have said before, follow my orders and your life will be all the more pleasant. This is an example of that. Continue to impress me, and your standard of living shall increase. Any questions?"
The boy gazed at him, silent, before motioning to his side, where the metal remained lodged inside.
"May I get this looked at, Master?"
A feeling of pure triumph flooded the Inquisitor when he heard that word.
"I shall send someone to inspect it."
"Thank you, Master."
The Inquisitor closed the door and set off towards the infirmary, a grin spreading across his features.
I have won, Jedi. What shall you do now?