Here we are, the final chapter of this half of the story. There's a mid-story author's note after this so don't forget to check that if that's your thing, I has some explanation as to why I have to take a break and talks a bit about when the rest will come and what you can expect from it.
Anyway, for this chapter: Ezra returns to Lothal, Thrawn rallies his allies, and Ezra and Sabine talk about the future.
Lothal.
Ezra stood in awe in the cockpit of the Ghost, staring down at the planet he called home. The world had regained its beautiful bright greens and blues across the surface and soft white clouds enveloped much of it. It was so much different compared to the last time he'd seen it.
"Welcome home", Hera said as she flicked a few switches on the console.
"I still don't believe it", he breathed.
Zeb patted him on the back, "Believe it, kid."
Hera guided the ship down toward the surface. Ezra recognised the area from orbit and knew they were heading to Capital City. He stared out the window and took in the gorgeous landscape of the place he'd longed to return to for years. The clouds were light and clear, not stained orange by the Empire's industry. The oceans were clean and calm, covering large areas of the surface in a glistening blue. The land itself looked refreshed and healthy. It had recovered from the damage inflicted by the Empire and fields of lush grass stretched out into rolling hills along the horizon.
Then he could see Capital City. It looked so much better without the Imperial Dome looming over everything. In its place, new buildings stretched high into the sky, the whole city a beacon welcoming him back home. Ryder clearly worked hard to help clean this place up and the results were showing.
The comm blared with a new voice, "General Syndulla, welcome home. Governor Azadi requests your attendance in the usual place."
"Of course, on our way", Hera replied and steered the ship toward the space dock.
It was funny. In all his years of living here, he'd never once actually landed at the main city docks. It had always been reserved for Imperials and the Ghost wasn't exactly welcome above city airspace all those years ago.
Sabine tapped him on the shoulder, "Come on, let's get to the cargo bay."
He took another awed look at the city before following her and Zeb to the exit ramp, ready and waiting to set foot on his home world. Ezra was more than eager to get going as he felt the Ghost touchdown onto the ground. Hera came down soon after with Jacen tagging along beside her, holding onto her hand as they walked.
"After you", Hera pointed to the door control as she and Jacen came down the ladder.
Ezra didn't hesitate to enthusiastically smash the button down. It opened up to a small welcoming party was waiting on the landing pad. Ezra didn't recognise most of the faces but he could easily spot the trimmed white moustache of Lothal's Governor.
"Well that's a face I haven't seen in a long time. Ezra Bridger", Ryder said as they stepped down from the ramp.
"Ryder!", Ezra greeted him with a handshake, "It's good to see you."
The Governor shook back, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming back."
The rest of the crew walked up behind him, Sabine coming to the front to see Ryder.
"Some of us had to go out there and drag him back", Sabine winked at Ezra.
Ryder chuckled, "A job well done then, Captain Wren."
"Woah, Captain?", Ezra's mouth hung open, "You didn't say anything about that."
"I did say I was working with the militia", Sabine grinned.
"That's... wow. Congratulations, Captain", Ezra gave her an exaggerated salute.
She playfully hit him, "Alright, Mr. Jedi Knight."
"Jedi Knight?", Ryder gave an impressed huff, "It's only right. I'd say you earned it." The man put a hand on Ezra's shoulder, "What you did for Lothal, for all of us, gave this whole planet another chance. All of us owe you our lives and and a debt we'll never repay. And that's true for all of you", Ryder nodded to the rest of the crew, "But especially you, Ezra."
"It was a team effort", Ezra smiled at his family.
"Now, no doubt you want to see how we've spruced up the place. Follow me, this way", Ryder called to them all and pointed to two landspeeders parked nearby.
The rest of the welcoming party let them pass, their suits and attire suggested they were probably some politicians or officials from Ryder's administration. Ryder hopped in the lead speeder beside the driver, with Ezra and Sabine in the rear. Zeb called shotgun on the second, with Hera sitting in the back with Jacen and Chopper.
As the driver turned on the engine, Ryder turned over his shoulder and called to Hera in the rear speeder, "Now, General Syndulla, I have to tell you that this wasn't my idea but once word got out there was no stopping it."
"What wasn't your idea?", she asked suspiciously.
The Governor chuckled and winked at Ezra, "You'll see."
The two speeders drove away from the Ghost and towards the large doors that led out of the dock, slowing to a halt as they reached them. Sabine's hand found his arm and she gave him a reassuring smile. Again he remembered Hera's words, 'make sure she knows.' Before the doors opened fully, he placed his hand on top of hers but stopped short of intertwining their fingers, the contact was enough to let her know without pressing things too far. Ezra saw her smile brighten before the doors opened and a chorus of cheers, music, and shouting erupted around them.
Ahead of them, the streets of Capital City were lined with thousands upon thousands of citizens cheering as the speeders rolled by. They filled out the roadsides, the alleyways, the windows, even the rooftops were full of ecstatic faces welcoming their return.
"Ezra! Ezra! Ezra!"
"You hear that, Ezra?", Ryder laughed to him over the noise, "You gave them their freedom. That's your name they're cheering."
The crowds waved their arms as the convoy passed. Some had made banners with messages and pictures on them, trying to catch his attention. Placards showing the Ghost were being held up, helmets modelled after Sabine's, lightsabers like his own, even a few images of his own face with affectionate, admiring, and a few... less than innocent messages.
"I wasn't expecting this welcome", he shouted to Ryder and awkwardly raised his hand to wave at the crowds.
"Once word got out that you were on your way, there was no stopping it. Damn near everyone took the day off for this."
Sabine nervously waved back too and behind them Ezra saw Zeb's massive arms waving at the crowds. Jacen looked amazed, staring wide-eyed at the throes of people that had turned out for them.
The speeders went through a long lap of the city. Leaving the space dock, they drove down the main streets past thousands of people that had come out to see them. Then their convoy went through some of the old market sectors, where shopkeepers and staff all came out to watch them go by. The whole city seemed to grind to a halt from them and the Jedi was beyond humbled. Ryder was doing his best to explain what had changed and what they'd built in the last few years, but Ezra was too overwhelmed to take it all in. Next, they came through the residential district where everyone from the youngest Rodian to the oldest Ithorian waved their arms and cheered as the speeders went by. All the while, his hand rested gently on Sabine's.
The buildings and the crowds thinned as they reached the road out of Capital City. Ryder promised they'd come back to the city later, after they'd seen to a few things. Ezra immediately recognised the route they were taking as they turned off the road and went out over the plains. After all, how could he not recognise the route back to his old tower?
The open plains were beautiful again, just like they were when he was younger, growing healthily and naturally as far as the eye could see. Not far away from their convoy, Ezra caught sight of two oversized ears poking out from the grass.
"Hey look, loth-cats!", he pointed out to Sabine.
She leaned over and laughed, "Guess they missed you too."
A few more poked their heads up as they went, drawn by the noise of the speeder engines as they went by. The tiny creatures were every bit as adorable as he remembered. It wasn't long before he saw another familiar creature standing up on a hill far away, watching the convoy quietly as they passed. A loth-wolf? Ezra hadn't seen them so openly before.
"They're more common now", Sabine explained, noticing his surprise. "They're not all over the place but we're seeing more of them."
It was a sign of how much the world had recovered. There was probably still a long way to go but clearly Lothal was moving in the right direction. At last, Ezra saw the familiar tower rising up in the distance. In a way, he'd called it home for longer than any place he could remember. He'd been on his own for almost eight years and this place was all he had. Sure, the Ghost was more like home but the old radio tower would always have a special place in his heart. However, the closer he got, the more he could tell that something was different about it.
His friend's knowing smile caught his eye. "You figured it out yet?"
Ezra squinted at her, "What did you do to my tower?"
The speeders came to a stop a few dozen metres away from the base, giving Ezra a full view of it. He moved his hand off Sabine's and hopped out of the speeder. The others all did the same as Ezra looked up at the towering building. It was cleaner than he'd left it, which probably wasn't hard to do, with new panels and a fresh coat of paint, almost good as new. Someone had taken the time to not just repair it but also maintain it since he'd been gone. There wasn't a question about who that someone has been.
"Sabine?", the woman was already standing at his side.
"Got it in one", she answered.
"Why'd do you do all this?", Ezra still couldn't tear his eyes away.
Sabine shrugged, "It's your home, it was a nice thing to do. Besides, I wasn't going to live there in the state you left it in."
"It looks... wow. I can't imagine how much work this took."
"She did it all herself. All we did was give her some materials", Ryder chimed in.
Sabine must have seen the amazement in his face as he stood gawking at the tower. She nudged him gently, "Welcome home, Ezra Bridger."
Ezra peeled his eyes off the tower and set them on her. The urge overtook him and he slung his arms around her, hugging her close without a care for the others watching.
"Thank you", he whispered to her.
"Alright, love birds", Hera smirked and came up beside them, "There'll be time for that later."
"Hera!", Sabine groaned as she let go of him.
Ezra cleared his throat, "Ahem, yeah, let's go inside."
The young Jedi hastily lead them toward the tower and see for himself what Sabine had done with the place. Seeing Lothal again, the crowds out, the wildlife thriving and his home renewed, all with his friends at his back, made for an exhausting day - and Ezra treasured every second of it.
Meditation. An interesting choice. Thrawn watched the Inquisitor from the hill where their ship had landed, still able to distinguish her black form against the rocky environment. The Fourth Sister had made no attempt to return to the ship with him nor to use the scanner herself to see what else she could discover. That only strengthened the idea that she already knew far more than she was letting on. She felt she could learn more through meditation and tapping into the force, without relying on the two sources of knowledge that had already provided her with information.
What, then, was buried beneath them? Something trapped? Something forgotten? Something lost? Why was a compass constructed to enable one to find this location? None of the answers were clear, but they all pointed back to an old saying he'd learned long ago: some things in the galaxy were purely evil, beyond compromise and beyond understanding, and deserved only to be destroyed. Thrawn feared that this mystery might see this truth played out again. Whoever or whatever was lurking beneath them had to be found, identified and, if necessary, eradicated.
The Chiss climbed aboard the freighter and made his way to the communication terminal in the cargo hold. The small freighter had been taken from pirates by himself and Commander Vanto during the long search for Nightswan. It continued to be an experience that stayed with Thrawn and this freighter served as a permanent reminder of his opponent's talent during his early years with the Empire.
Thrawn keyed in the comm address for his fleet and waited for the three holographic figures to materialise. It took several moments for the figure of Captain Pellaeon, Commodore Faro, and Captain Sarlis to appear.
"Grand Admiral", Pellaeon saluted and the other two followed suit.
"Captains, Commodore", he acknowledged, "What is the condition of the fleet."
"The Invictus had been retrieved and is undergoing repairs", Sarlis said quickly. Proud of her contribution, a rare situation indeed. Thrawn did not despise the Captain but she continued to be a testament to the Empire's propensity for political promotion over military or strategic achievement.
"Excellent work, Captain. Did they offer any further information on the intruders?", Thrawn asked.
She hesitated, "Well, I... uh"
"No, sir", Commodore Faro answered, "I ordered them to be interrogated but they knew nothing more of the attackers."
Sarlis shot her an indignant look, "You interfered in my operation without authorisation?"
Pellaeon's figure turned his head to her, "She had my authorisation and I act with the Grand Admiral's confidence."
"Captain Pellaeon is correct and I commend your initiative, Commodore."
Captain Sarlis' anger relented, "I apologise, Grand Admiral."
Thrawn raised a hand, "I assure you, that is unnecessary. Dismissed, Captain Sarlis."
The woman looked at the other two holographic figures that Thrawn had made no attempt to dismiss. She feels as if she is not trusted, that something is being hidden from her. For now, nothing more can be done.
"Y-yes, sir", she saluted and shut down her connection.
"She's not happy. I think even she can tell there's something going on that she's not seeing", Pellaeon grumbled.
"Our true objectives must remain unknown to as many people as possible. We cannot risk the Fourth Sister catching wind of our intentions." Thrawn glanced at the door, ensuring that the Inquisitor was not intruding on them. "What of the research into the items retrieved from the surface?"
His suspicions about the destruction they found on the world Ezra Bridger had escaped on seemed all the more justified with their discovery of yet another secret structure on a lost planet.
Faro grimaced, "It's like you said, sir. The bodies have no evidence of toxins, chemicals, or radiation. It's also clear that whatever happened wasn't down to temperature extremes or natural decay either."
Pellaeon's hand came to his moustache, "There's no explanation for how they died, certainly not a conventional one."
The culprit was now without question. "Then our suspicions have been confirmed", he said ominously.
"What's our next course of action?", Faro asked.
Thrawn held up the scanner that was still in his hands. "My reasons for contacting you are two-fold. I also have progress to report. The compass drew us to another empty world however our surveying suggests there is a colossal structure buried deep beneath the surface. I have no doubts that this structure is what we have been searching for."
"How can you be sure?"
"Several reasons, Commodore. The compass' mere existence suggests that this is a location of significance and there are no notable features elsewhere on the world." Thrawn cast another cautionary glance out of the door and toward the empty expanse, "Additionally, our Inquisitor has been troubled by something. She is tight-lipped, as was expected, but it is evident that she possesses knowledge of this world or what is to be found here that she is keeping from us."
Pellaeon took on the information with a concerned look, "Can you get into the structure?"
"Our scanners do not detect any access points although we have yet to cover the entire area. I do not, however, suspect that we will find one."
Faro shook her head, "Why bury something so far below the surface, block off any entrances, and then make something to help you find it anyway?"
Thrawn reached for the compass again and inspected it. The glowing of the stone had not returned and the device seemed to be defunct. "It is possible that those who constructed this compass and those who created the structure are not one in the same. Or, perhaps something had to be kept safe here temporarily but for some reason was never retrieved. At this moment, we lack the information to be certain." The Chiss looked again at the centre stone, "However, the point of the compass is moot. It ceased functioning not long after we arrived. There's some significance to that I'm sure, but I do not know what."
"Then what are your orders, Grand Admiral?", the Commodore asked.
The Chiss paused and considered his response. "I need a full accounting of all munitions, explosives, and heavy machinery amongst the fleet. We will need such tools at our disposal to reach this structure."
"Are you sure that's wise, Grand Admiral?", Pellaeon questioned, "If this is the threat the Emperor perceived, perhaps it's best to await reinforcements."
"Seeking alternative allies would cost us time that we do not have, and the Inquisitor is already ahead of us in her knowledge of what lies beneath. It is only a matter of time until this threat is uncovered and I intend us to be the ones to do so. If we, with the means and intent to oppose this threat, are the ones to discover it, then we avoid the risk of it falling into the hands of those unable or unwilling to do what is necessary."
"Hmm, fair point", the old officer conceded.
Thrawn tapped several buttons on the console. "We are in agreement then. I am relaying our coordinates now", he keyed in the coordinates and dispatched them back to the fleet.
"We'll depart immediately, sir", Faro told him.
Thrawn stood at ease and addressed both of them, "Rest assured, we shall unravel this mystery whatever the cost. And, when Skywalker and Bridger return, we shall ensure that any threat is dealt with severely and immediately."
"As you say, Grand Admiral. Whatever the cost", Faro saluted.
"Of course, sir", Pellaeon gave a gruff laugh, "Though I'm starting to think this is taking too long. I'm still counting on a peaceful retirement after this."
Thrawn's mouth curled slightly into a thin smile, "A well earned reward, Captain."
His two allies' holograms dissipated, leaving him alone once again with the Fourth Sister. Whatever the Inquisitor was hiding from them would soon be forced to the surface. In truth, Thrawn could not conceive of a situation where their alliance wouldn't collapse, but he did not regret it. This threat to the galaxy, to his own people, had to be stopped at any cost.
To that end, they were on the right path. It only remained to be seen how successfully they would all see that path through.
The day had been long and tiring in all the right ways. After their arrival and brief visit to his tower, Ezra and the others had gone back to Capital City where they'd been treated to more crowds and adoration. He'd been shown a few places, both new and familiar, across the city. The site of the old Imperial Dome had been replaced with a collection of new amenities and services. A hospital, schools, stores, and apartments were just some of the things that stood where there'd once been a symbol of Imperial oppression. They'd shown him the markets and residential areas and all the improvements that had been made since.
Daylight was finite though and there were several places that he'd still have to visit in the next few days. The rebuilt area of what used to be Tarkintown was apparently a thriving new settlement. Sabine had promised to take him to the old Republic Senate building where she had some sort of surprise waiting for him. Most of all, he wanted to see the Kanan Jarrus Memorial Garden. Built on the site of the old fuel depot, it sounded like a perfect tribute to his mentor and friend.
Now though, it was time for some much needed rest. Ezra had decided to take some time for himself in his old tower. He'd seen inside briefly earlier on but hadn't had the opportunity to just sit and take it all in. Hera had moved the Ghost over here and the others were going to be staying there tonight, leaving the tower for him.
It was crazy to think how far he'd come these last few years, and how much had changed in the last few months. Ezra couldn't remember the last time he'd sat up here and had time to reflect on things, he probably hadn't done that since his first months on the Ghost. The Ezra here right now was worlds apart from the Ezra of back then. He'd endured war, life and death struggles, grief, loss, hope, victory, defeat, isolation, and a bantha-load of other feelings that he couldn't even think of right now. There was still some bits of him that would never change though. The optimism, the sense of belonging he felt here, the love for his friends and his family - they were part of who he was and he'd never let them go, nor would anything take them from him in the future.
The Jedi brushed off the self-reflection, he'd done far too much of that in the last few years, and took some more time to appreciate what Sabine had done for this place.
The basic layout was still the same. A large room at the front with two smaller rooms leading off it. Sabine had the main room converted into a sort of living area, one of the rear rooms into a personal bedroom, and the other closed door was covered in paint and colour. Ezra hadn't looked inside yet but was split on it either being a personal studio or Jacen's room. Maybe both.
Sabine's art in its various forms was everywhere. She'd done an amazing job is sprucing up the place and giving its walls a bright new coat of light-blue paint. Her art was also there in another sense. On canvases hung to the wall or mounted on easels were paintings of landscapes and animals, just liked he'd hoped she'd make. There were some of flowers, a particularly striking one of a tall sapphire flower caught his eye, and there were others of people. It was sapphire again that drew his attention to the painting Hera mentioned, a carefully done image of himself. She'd done a remarkable job on it, if he had anything to say about it.
Of course, it was still originally his tower and she'd kept some evidence of that. He was surprised to find his entire collection of helmets spread out across the room. Ezra stepped over and took up one of them in his hands, a TIE pilot helmet he'd stolen from a crashed fighter not long before meeting the others.
"Those are gonna be worth a lot soon", Sabine's voice came from the open door to the tower. "No more Imperials to steal them from after all."
Ezra laughed and put the helmet back down in its place, "Yeah, I never really though of that. I'm surprised you kept them all."
She stepped into the room, "Of course I kept them. It's your home, I wasn't going to throw out all your stuff."
"Maybe it was mine, but you sure made it your own", Ezra looked around at the paintings again.
Sabine shrugged, "I got hit with some inspiration while I was here."
He smirked at her and pointed towards the painting of himself, "Oh really?"
"Ugh, you're impossible", she scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"What? I like it, it's good."
"Thanks", she replied meekly. She stood beside him and nodded to the painted door, "That's where Jac stays when he's here. Gave him a whole room to himself. I think he liked being in 'Uncle Ezra's' tower."
The Jedi leaned against a cabinet by the wall, "I have to ask, what did you guys tell him about me?"
"Oh you know, that you're annoying, an idiot, a constant pain", Ezra halfheartedly shoved her. "I'm only kidding. We did tell him a bit of that but we told him the good stuff too. Brave, kind, honourable, honest, and there were stories too. About how you crossed blades with Darth Vader, about how you mind-controlled space whales, about how you tried stealing from us the moment you met us..."
Ezra cut her off, "Hey, we were both stealing from the Empire."
Her mouth opened and her eyes narrowed, "This again? We had those crates!"
"But they were the Empire's", Ezra replied.
She huffed and didn't give him a reply, "We told him about loads of our adventures. Finding Rex, fighting on Mandalore, Geonosis with Saw, even Hondo."
There was more than a bit of contempt on her face at the mention of Hondo, either from past memories or more recent ones. The Mandalorian had never warmed to the pirate, and it was her loss as far as he was concerned.
"Jac loves it here, the whole planet. I guess because of Kanan and you that he just feels a connection with this place. Thinks it's the prettiest in the galaxy", she sighed happily, "Honestly, I can't say he's wrong."
Ezra intentionally kept his eyes on her, "Sure is beautiful."
Oblivious to his rather obvious attempt to flirt with her, she perked up, "Oh, you have to see Capital City at night. Without the power restrictions under the Empire, it looks amazing."
Sabine grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the door and out to the balcony. They leaned side by side on the guardrail to take in the sight. The view was staggering, everything that he'd dreamed it could be. Under a perfectly clear sky, the bright lights of the city shone across the landscape, the towering buildings and bustling centres were awash with colour and activity. Neon lights showed where clubs and cantinas had sprung up and the lights of speeders through the streets showed that, even at this hour, the city didn't sleep. The land around was equally beautiful. The moons reflected on the sea across the horizon and its pale light was cast across the plains over the horizon.
The Ghost was sitting on the grass near the tower, Hera having moved it there earlier in the evening. The rest of the crew was using their quarters while Ezra, apparently, was having his tower back. Ezra loved the thought of that offer, he loved what Sabine had done with it, but he still didn't feel right kicking her out of her home.
"Hey, Sabine", he said after a while, "I appreciate what you did to the tower and it's amazing but I don't feel right taking it. You keep it, I'll find somewhere else."
Sabine turned her head to him, "No, it's yours. I did it for you, there's other places I can go."
Still as stubborn as ever. "We could always share", he offered jokingly.
The Mandalorian paused and glanced back into the tower. "Yeah...", she pursed her lips, "There'd be room."
The answer caught him by surprise. "I... I was joking, I mean..."
She looked flustered, "Oh, sorry... I didn't..."
Ezra rubbed his neck, "Well... if you're okay with it then I'd be alright with it. It means neither of us will have to find somewhere else."
The Mandalorian bit her lip and thought for a second, "Sure, I'm okay with it."
Well... that's that then. They'd been on the Ghost for years but in separate rooms on a big ship with other people around too. Living together was going to be completely different situation. Just the two of them, alone. Part of him was excited, moving in with his best friend on his home planet after years of isolation. On the other hand, part of him was a bit nervous. Not because of her, not really, or at least not because of what she'd be like. They'd have a blast together no doubt but living together might bring up some things that Ezra hadn't really dealt with yet. Sabine was his best friend, his teammate, his rescuer and his most trusted companion... and something more. What had begun as a childish crush of a beautiful girl had evolved into an unbreakable friendship, but one that still had some unspoken feelings beneath.
Ezra loved her. There was no question about it. He loved her completely, respected her, would lay down his life for her, and had kept those feelings alive even with years of separation. Going from complete isolation to living with her was going to draw those things out even more than they already had in the last few weeks. There'd been a few times where he thought he'd glimpsed something similar from her, but he'd learned long ago that there was no hope in trying to read Sabine Wren's feelings, and he'd never intrude on her privacy and use the force to sense her thoughts. If they were going to do this, Ezra had to face up to the truth.
Their friendship would endure regardless of whether she returned the feelinfs, their first few years had seen him get used to the sting of rejection. Still, if he was going to teach Jacen, his mind had to be clear and he had to be at his best. That meant following in Kanan's example and dealing with these feelings head on, no matter what. The best thing to do was not to sit there and pretend his feelings didn't exist but to accept them, accommodate them and, if the stars aligned, manage them alongside everything else.
"Make sure she knows." Dammit, Hera. Why are you so good at making me listen to you?
Ezra's hand started to rub absently on the handrail, "Hey, listen... I know I already said it but..."
"If you're gonna say 'thank you' again then you're not staying with me", she threatened sarcastically.
He laughed at her, "Alright, alright. I just... I can't ever repay you for what you've done for me and Lothal and..."
"You don't owe me anything, it's me and Lothal that owe you." She looked him in the eyes, "Don't sell yourself short."
Ezra smiled back at her and held the eye contact for a few seconds. It was honest, heartfelt and again... maybe a little...
"Uhh, ahem", Sabine looked away quickly, "I... uh, I'll... we should go get your things."
The Mandalorian hastily got up off the railing and went to leave. Without stopping for a second thought, Ezra reached out and gently caught her wrist.
"Wait. Just a second", his voice was low and his nerves started to rise.
She swallowed hard and turned back to him, "Ezra?"
"Hera said something to me the other day", Ezra began and turned back out over the darkened horizon, "About making sure people know what you mean to them when you still have the chance. She told me to make sure I... make sure I don't make the same mistake she did."
Sabine's lips parted slightly as Ezra's hand went back to habitually rubbing his arm. She leaned back on the railing with folded arms, watching him intently and nervously. Ezra didn't know if the realisation had dawned on her yet about what he wanted to tell her.
He kept his eyes downcast, "It got me thinking... I've never told you how I feel."
Ezra let the words hang as he tried to find the right way to say it. She had to have figured where he was going with this by now.
"I think I know."
Her interruption took him by surprise. "Wh-what?"
"I think I know how you feel."
Ezra stood up and looked right at her, "You do?"
"I think so", she unfolded her arms and pushed off from the railing, "One way to be sure..."
Sabine closed the gap between them before he could react, grabbed the front of his shirt with her hands, and pushed her lips on to his. It took him a second to even realise what was happening. Sabine... Sabine's kissing me? What do I do? Where do I put my hands? Do I say anything after? Am I really here or am I kissing Argos in my sleep or something? Ezra didn't know what he'd expected it to be like. It was a bit awkward and a bit clumsy, but in all honestly that was perfect for them. There'd been no romantic admission over a candle-lit dinner, no well rehearsed speech or cheesy poem, just them awkwardly fumbling around the issue before Sabine went all in with the direct approach.
She pulled back and smiled confidently at the bewildered man, "Told you I knew."
"I-I-I.. I didn't think...", Ezra stammered, his mind still in shock.
"I knew you'd come back one day", Sabine moved her hands from his chest and slid them around his neck.
Ezra settled his hands around her waist, his heart still racing. "I should have told you before it happened."
"Ezra...", Sabine sighed, "What matters is that we're here now. We already lost five years, let's not waste any more time wondering about 'what ifs'."
He squinted at her with a teasing smile, "When did you become good at this 'emotions' stuff?"
"I might be adapting what Hera said to me...", she admitted.
"Wait? Hera knew?" So that's why she wanted me to say it...
"Of course she knew", Sabine said, "It's Hera. I'd be amazed if she didn't have us both figured after Concord Dawn."
Aha, Concord Dawn! He knew it! He knew something changed with them during that mission.
Ezra shook his head, "I should have expected that."
Hera knew them both better than they knew themselves. Mother's intuition... Of course, without the implication that he and Sabine were siblings.
"I still can't believe it", Sabine kept her brown eyes on his.
"How do you think I feel? I fell for you the moment I saw you almost ten years ago", Ezra laughed at the old memories of his awful attempts woo her. "It took time but here we are."
She smiled and brought a hand out from around around his neck. "Not that...", she cupped his cheek, "I can't believe I kissed you with this beard on your face."
"This again?!", he groaned.
"You're not getting another one until it's gone. I mean it."
Ezra sighed, "I thought girls liked men with beards?"
Sabine winced, "Yeah, not this one."
He reluctantly brought his hand up and rubbed the beard, "Alright, I'll get rid of it. For you."
"Well aren't you the sweetest?", she teased and hugged him tightly, resting her head against his chest.
They stayed unmoved for a while, taking a much-needed moment to relax and let the galaxy pass them by.
"So what happens now?", Ezra asked after a while.
"We live here. Hera is thinking of settling down too, maybe Zeb and Kallus as well. I said that maybe they could live nearby, our own little corner of Lothal."
Ezra planted a kiss on her head, "That's be nice. Besides, if I'm training Jacen then we'll need to be close by."
"Sounds good", Sabine nodded lazily. "I've still got my job with the militia, can't be too careful even with the Empire defeated."
"You know, Captain", Ezra had been using the title all day. Of course he was proud and impressed, but he couldn't help but tease her, "I could use your help for lightsaber training. You did say that you've been practising the forms."
She pulled her head back and glared at him, "We'll see."
"You mean, 'of course I'll help you, dear'", Ezra corrected her.
The Mandalorian rolled her eyes playfully and nestled her head back into him, "What about, you know, the thing with Ahsoka and Luke?"
His mission was still looming behind everything. He may be home now, but their following of the trail to whatever Master Yoda had sensed was only beginning. The time would eventually come where they'd have to confront that threat, even if it meant turning their backs on home and setting out once more into the Unknown Regions. But that was then and this was now. Ezra would do his part when he was here but right now, this was what mattered.
"We'll deal with it when it comes. For now, let's just have this", he held her close for a few more minutes, staring out at the view from the tower.
"Come on...", Sabine unwrapped her arms from him, "Let's go get your things from the Ghost. Might as well let Hera know that we're... uh."
"Committed?", Ezra suggested.
She clearly liked that choice. "Committed", she repeated. "And then we're coming up here and getting rid of that beard."
Ezra couldn't find it in him to be even jokingly offended. The Jedi just sighed and took a hold of her hand as she went. Sabine was right, they'd lost enough time and Ezra wasn't going waste another second.
Sabine led the way out of the tower and back down to the Ghost. The future was uncertain, for them and for the galaxy as a whole. The fall of the Empire, the restoration of the Republic, the rebirth of the Jedi - all of it made for a galaxy unlike anything he or Sabine had seen. The prospect of training Jacen in the ways of the force, passing down to him the things that Kanan had taught, would be as much a learning experience for Ezra as it would be for Jacen. Coupled with readjusting to life on Lothal and settling into his new future with Sabine, the next few months were set to be interesting ones.
Still looming behind it all was his mission. While he was here, he'd have to exhaust every source of knowledge he could find to root out any information on what was lurking in the Unknown Regions. Meanwhile, Luke and Ahsoka would do their parts, traversing the galaxy and trying to piece together what they could. Then, eventually, the time would come to face whatever was out there.
But that time would have to wait. Ezra was home on Lothal for the first time in years. Reunited with his family after years of exile. With the woman he loved at his side and his own new apprentice to take under his wing, the future, for now, looked bright. How long that would stay true was anyone's guess.
Beneath her, the force surged and flowed unlike anything the Fourth Sister had ever known. As Thrawn went to report his findings to his allies, she was committed to finding out what lay beneath them. The more she meditated, the stronger she felt it rising, awakening, stirring. Eventually, she tried reaching out once more.
"Are you the one I spoke with?", she whispered quietly even though the Chiss was nowhere near. "What is this place? I've come to find you."
Silence. The movement of the force was her only answer.
"Why did you speak to me? I heard your voice at the temple. Tell me it's you that drew us here."
It had to be the voice. Why else would she have been led down this path if not to find it? Those words: 'Find me'. She'd upheld her end of the bargain. She'd endured that insufferable Chiss and his cronies and committed herself to finding what it was that wanted her help. This had to be the place and now... there was nothing.
She gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath. "Talking to ghosts. Lord Vader would be ashamed", she admonished herself.
"You."
The voice came suddenly from within her own head, just as before.
Her breath hitched in her throat, "It's you. I knew it!"
"You found me."
"Y-yes. Who are you?"
"Name... long ago."
"What are you doing out here? Why are you here?", she asked the entity.
"I have been... imprisoned. For so long."
"Imprisoned? By who?"
"Jedi. Sith."
Jedi and Sith? That made no sense. Why in the galaxy would they imprison anything?
"Why?", the Inquisitor shook her head in confusion,
"Mmmmm... they feared me. Hated me."
"The Jedi are gone and so are the Sith", her voice became more irritated. Whatever this was, if it was even real, must have been here for a long time.
"For so long I've watched. So long..."
"So you keep saying", she muttered, "How long?"
"Millennia."
The Fourth Sister scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous."
"With time, even death can die."
With a laugh she stood up. "I'm going mad. Talking to the empty dese-"
Her breath left her and unseen tendrils wrapped around her throat. The Fourth Sister's body raised up and her feet searched for ground as she clawed helplessly at her throat, struggling for breath.
"I assure you. I am real."
The Inquisitor struggled in vain as the edges of her vision began to darken and the being's grip tightened around her neck.
"But you are of use to me."
She dropped to the ground, gasping for air and shaken to her core. "I-I will not be ordered around like this! I was trained by Lord Vader himself!"
"Such fire. Such anger."
Without warning it used the force to throw her to the side, slamming her down onto the rocky ground.
"You will submit, child."
"I shall not be- ahhh!"
Her body flew back and she landed hard on the floor again.
"Join me. Serve my will and I shall grant you the power you crave. Power denied to you by the Chiss… and Lord Vader."
How could it know about Thrawn? Had it been watching since she arrived… or even before? The Inquisitor pushed herself to her feet and panted heavily. She felt her anger swell but knew there'd be no hope. The power, the hatred, the confidence, surging from this being were beyond what she had faced.
With a pained grunt, she sunk to her knees. "I will do as you command, Master."
"Good."
Her voice was trembling, "How can I serve you?"
"Free me. Release me from this prison and you will be rewarded with a place in my new Order."
Power. That was its offer. Every fibre of her being said to run but she knew there'd be no point. If it was right, if the Jedi were the ones who imprisoned it, then they had a shared goal in destroying Bridger. Then there was Thrawn, it seemed to know she hated him, and maybe it could help her be rid of the alien once and for all.
Besides, it still needed her to be free. She was still the one with the real power and when it was free it would owe her a debt, one that she'd have paid in the death of her enemies. Thrawn would die, Bridger would die, and all who stood in her way would fall at their feet. Then, when the time came and this being had done all it could for her, she could take her rightful place over all others in this galaxy.
Slowly, she pushed her battered body onto her feet and took a weary breath, "How can I reach you, my Lord?"
"Patience. All shall come in time. Now, tell me of this Vader..."
That's it. That's all I've got for a while. The author's notes here are just about this chapter, hop over to the next entry for a bigger rambling about what my plans are and a few other random thoughts.
So, the final comments on the final sections. The return to Lothal comes at last and I wasn't sure exactly how to handle it. Having crowds come out wasn't an idea I had until I was already writing this section but I rolled with it. I did consider having a whole welcoming party of all the other faces from the show: Jai Kell, Zare Leonis, Ketsu, Hondo and so on. Hondo at least gets a mention later on but I felt Ryder was more than enough. This was about Ezra coming home to Lothal, the rest could wait. I didn't get to do much with loth-cats and loth-wolves but I wasn't going to let this pass without a mention. Their 'tour' had to end at the tower and it feels like things coming full circle from Sabine's first section way back in Chapter 1. Thrawn's brief section is just showing how they're moving forward in the future. I had to get Sarlis in since I don't use her too often and she gets a slightly larger role in the second half of this story. The excavation is going to require a combination of massive logistical work and Thrawn's eye for art and architecture as he tries to piece together what is going on. I've said since the beginning that I've got this planned out and it's still true, I've even clarified and cemented ideas as I've written. Thrawn, being so perceptive and being so close to the 'main plot', gets a lot of the long-term stuff linked with him, such as the multi-chapter scheme to let Ezra escape all along. One or two small things in this section do have an explanation and significance later on, so I wanted to get them talked about in the very last Thrawn section.
That Ezra and Sabine section. At long goddamn last. Do you have any idea how badly I've wanted to have these two let it out? Too long. I always knew it had to happen on Lothal and I always knew it'd be a long wait. Still, it was satisfying to let them kiss and be all cute, they've earned it. I've written loads of Ezrabine, I think this is the third time I've done a 'first kiss' for them, and this story has been particularly challenging. My other stories have been all about Ezrabine while it's only a small aspect of this one. It is, however, an important thing for Ezra and Sabine and it serves to show one way in which they're still learning from Kanan and Hera. I enjoyed writing this scene, it's been a long road to get here but I'm glad we did. Also, that sapphire flower painting that Ezra spots is the one Sabine makes of her favourite flower from Kanan's garden which Jacen points out when he and Hera visit earlier in the story. Not an important detail but it's a little connection.
Then there's the last section. There's nothing much I can say about it without spoiling things really. I'm sure people have ideas, some of those ideas might be right, but anything more will have to wait for the rest of the story. I will only repeat that I know where this story is ending, I know what happens to every character and I know where all of this ultimately leads. Hopefully I can deliver an interesting tale in the end. Also, there's a mental high-five for whoever gets the reference in there to a certain author from Providence...
In the (probably distant) future when I get to part two of this story: Ezra passes on his Jedi teachings but before long, he, Ahsoka, and Luke must face the threat that awaits in the Unknown Regions. Thrawn, Pellaeon, Faro, and new allies work to learn more about the threat as Operation: Tartarus nears completion. All the while, something continues to whisper in the Fourth Sister's ear.