A.N: Well I'm emotionally distraught. Five shows in the span of five days have made me emotionally distraught. I mean SABINE AGHH! I really do hope she comes back soon. Also I think I have a crush on her brother.

I don't own Star Wars.

Chapter 20: The Outside Comes

Demira grabbed the Holocron and put it down in the middle of the room. As Hera and Sabine finished up packing the transmitter and radio, Demira sat down in front of the Holocron as Depa sat down on the other side. Ezra went back to sit next to Zeb, but was much closer to where Demira and Depa sat to get a better look. Kanan leaned against the door frame of the hut, slightly peeved the Demira had interrupted him and Depa, but was still curious to see what the two were going to do.

Depa said, "No concentrate, I want to you to think on what you want to look for inside the Holocron."

"How will I know what's to look for if I don't know what it is?"

Depa had to think. Demira had a point, this was her first time. Usually, younglings grew up with the idea of knowledge in the Holocron, but Demira barely had an idea of what was out there. Then Ezra said, "I had no idea either the first go around. Just relax and focus your energy in yourself, that usually helps."

Kanan smiled, proud that Ezra was taking a teaching role. Demira nodded, sitting up straight like Depa and then closing her eyes as she put her hands together, fingers intertwined. Almost immediately the Holocron began to rise from the ground, stopping to hover just below the ceiling. Zeb and Sabine gawked at the sight, having never really seen the Holocron in use before now. Hera had come around to stand next to Kanan, leaning into him but looking at the Holocron. She didn't notice how Kanan had become more flustered as Demira, without struggle opened the Holocron. The edges turned and pulled away from their center to let the energy flow out and create a hologram of a complex star map over them.

Demira opened her eyes and gasped. She stood up to get a better look at the many ellipses that moved and revolved around a bright star in the middle. "What is…." She reached up to try and touch it but her fingers phases through it. "Ah!" She exclaimed. Ezra could only laugh at her reaction. She looked at her fingers and then back at the star map. She tried several times to 'touch' the hologram but after a while she figured it out. "Energy like light? Onga…."

Sabine said, "I don't think she'll understand a star map like that."

"Heck," Zeb cut in, "Even I'm confused."

Depa stood up, and then closed her eyes to focus on the Holocron. The star map suddenly changed, creating an image of various small scale planets that scattered almost randomly around the room. Demira's eyes grew wide and her mouth open into a large smile. "Are these other worlds?"

"Yep!" Ezra said. He pointed to planets on the edge of the map. "See this is Wild Space. Now that it's been updated, we can find Panama right around… here." He pointed to a planet circled by three moons behind Demira. She looked at it, seeing it as it hovered just shoulder length to her. She leaned over to get a better look. "Wow…." Everyone's sprit's lifted as Demira's curiosity grew. They hadn't seen someone have so much fun in learning in a long time. Demira then said, "This is home… where is your planet?"

Ezra went across the room to a cluster of planets that were more centered then Panama. "Right here in the outer rim, this one is Lothal." Demira followed him and looked at the bigger planet, surrounded by two moons and even had sister planets nearby. "Ahh…. It looks like there is much blue on it."

"Yeah, we have lakes, oceans—"

"Oceans," Demira almost yelled. She stretched her arms out, "As in, big, big water like on that planet called Kamino? How do you get around water?"

Ezra started to laugh, seeing how immensely shocked she looked, "No, no, we have plains, that's what the brown is…"

"Oh…." She then looked at everyone and said, "Do your planets have big, big water too?"

Considering Demira had been the reason they no longer felt as sullen as they did before, they joined in one by one on the fun, telling her where their planet was and a little bit of the land and even what their people were like from their view. Demira had been told much from Depa's experience, but the look in the girl's eyes made it look like she was hearing it all new from the start.

Kanan had been quiet the whole. Somewhat because he figured they were sort of wasting their time when they had to get out soon. Also, Demira made it very clear Depa has taught her much, so if Demira made it very obvious why ask again. Didn't she pay attention to what Depa told her? But he knew there was a deeper reason why he didn't want to join in, and it wasn't Demira. Kanan didn't know where he came from. He went straight to the temple as a toddler, he wouldn't even be able to remember the name of his homeworld. Why did Demira had to make it more painful to bear the idea of something he put so far behind him? He just wanted to keep going with the idea that homeworld was once Corascant, and now most importantly with the Ghost Crew.

Speaking of Corascant, "Depa?" Demira asked, "Where's the Temple?"

Depa and Kanan felt a sudden sense of longing pass through them. Ezra and Demira felt it through the Force, Ezra becoming a bit uncomfortable and Demira slightly guilty. But Depa was quick to recover, saying, "Well, where's Corascant like I had once told you?" Demira became delighted, ready to test out what Depa had taught her.

Like a mantra, Demira said, "The center of it it all…" She moved to the middle, pointing to the planet that was one of the biggest and the most centered of the whole map. "Corascant…"

"Excellent, my Padawan—"

Suddenly the curtain of the door was pulled back and the Chief strolled in without even thinking to look around. "The canoe is ready for- ONGA!" Walking right into a planet holograph. Shocked to have done so he tripped and fell forward. The sudden event made Demira laugh and Depa giggle. The others looked amused as Demira squatted down in front of her Chief and said, "You just ran into Geonosis."

She helped him stand back in his feet as he said, "Sorry for the intrusion." As he stood up right he noticed in front of his face was the planet again and he tried to swipe it away. Noticing his hand went through, he said, "Fascinating…. anyway, the canoe is ready with your supplies. So whenever you're ready."

The hologram around the room suddenly diminished to nothing. The holocron's corners connected back to it's source, then fell complete into Depa's hand. "Let's go," She said with a tone of sadness.

After they had passed under the waterfall, the canoe passed the mist and docked on the shore. The farasi creatures eating the reeds by the shore kept to themselves as the crew climbed off the canoe. M'Stari helped them unload their stuff to secure the supplies on to the backs of Belle and Sar Sar. Sabine was helping the Zuri member finish tying the rope on the creatures, and she was stuck trying to figure out how to respond to M'Stari. "Um, thank you for your help."

The look he gave her made it look like he didn't understand. Demira came around, "Po a san irayo."

"Ot," M'Stari said startled and gave a curt nod to Sabine, "Nga kuwa." And he walked back to the canoe.

"He said your welcome," Demira translated.

As the girl went to pet Sar Sar, Sabine followed her behind and asked, "Is it possible you can teach me how to speak… your language."

"Of course, I helped teach Depa."

They were soon walking through the forest with the Kuru and Kuri walking behind them with baskets strapped on their back. When they had reached the clearing with the ship still in one peace, Sabine and Zeb looked up astonished.

"You guys did that?" Zeb asked.

"Yep," Ezra came in. He pretended to fix the collar of his jumpsuit, "I've got some wizard skills, eh?"

"Don't push it…" Sabine muttered.

Demira saw the exchange and giggled, adding on, "Well, someone did have to teach him."

Sabine and Zeb chuckled, even Chopper giving his signature laugh. Ezra slumped a little, turning his head back to give them a frown. Demira came up to him and said, "Don't worry, you still did great." Ezra smiled at her assurance.

Suddenly Demira's head perked up towards the farthest reaches of the forest. Ezra replied to her comment, "Thanks, Demira I—Demira?"

"Onga…." Demira turned around and yelled frightened, "Depa!"

The master looked up, and so did everyone, just as a bunch of creatures came out of the forest and into the clearing. Everyone stepped back to watch as dark, red furred creatures no smaller then Chopper swung from the branches of the trees and landed on the ship. Their noses hung long in front of them as their eyes were wide staring at the destination ahead. Their long arms up front supported them with the help of their small hind feet as they made their way across the ship and jumping to the trees onto the other side of the clearing. Their tails helped them balance as the giant group disappeared into the trees. "Those were nyani…" Depa gasped and she looked in the direction from where they came from.

Demira said nervously, "The Chief said no patrol had gone out."

"Those creatures reacted to something?" Kanan asked.

"Mostly to people. If there are no patrol—oh but it could be the Nomads."

"Nomads are in that direction," Demira said pointing far from the direction the nyani came from. She said so, with a slight hiss. "The plains west are where they shelter when they travel here."

The crew knew she was thinking about her parentage, but Kanan thought she was being a know it all. He said to Depa with confidence, "It could be the Empire. We could check it out."

"I would say it's best we avoid them, but it's better if we check. After all, whatever is coming is headed this way. We must keep them far from the ship. Demira, stay with Sar Sar and Belle to unpack. The rest of us will go."

"But, Depa…

"I'wan," Depa said, more firm.

Demira's shoulders slumped. "Yes Master." She really wanted to see what the danger was. She looked at Kanan, who gave her nothing but a raised eyebrow. She looked away.

On noticing Demira's reaction to being left behind, Depa added, "I trust you to guard the ship?"

Demira stood straight and said a bit more excited, "Yes Master." She began to untie the knots of the rope on Sar Sar.

Hera told Chopper to do the same, "Help Demira get the transmitter and the radio set up. Be ready to take any incoming messages if the fleet decided to try and find us."

As the crew left the clearing behind, they were wondered what had Depa left her Padawan back on the ship, and they knew it wasn't to protect it. "You know," Ezra began, "After watching fight and know her way around, I'm sure she can help."

"To an extant, young one," Depa said with formality, putting her hands into her sleeves. "She knows everything I taught her, but she doesn't know everything I know, especially about the Empire."

It made sense to Kanan. If this was Imperial soldiers, Demira wouldn't know how to fight them, even with her experienced training. Ezra saw their point, but he knew that keeping her from a potential confrontation, she would never get the experience at all. Knowing Kanan wouldn't be to happy if Ezra argued, he staid quiet the rest of the way. They all made the long trek away from the clearing, away from the waterfall, away from the mountain. It was a good sign that whatever was coming was far away, but not for long. Seeing no sign of anything after ten minutes, Zeb said, "I see nothing. Those nyari must have gotten spooked for no reason."

"There is always a reason…" Depa said, her eyes scanning through the deep foliage ahead. She didn't see it but she knew they weren't alone. "Kanan…"

"Yeah, I feel it, too."

"So do I," Ezra added. "Up ahead, not even one kilometer away."

"That close?" Sabine hissed.

Zeb's ears perked up, "I hear machinery."

"Definitely Stormtroopers with ground transports," Hera concluded.

"Those bucket heads are just as far as Ezra said," Zeb added. He nudged the kid on the side. Ezra nudged him back.

"Good work," Depa said. "We should make a perimeter around them. Two of us on each side, then two here in the front. When we see them, we observe and you wait for my signal if we…" Depa noticed she had taken unknown command until she noticed everyone was listening to her intently, "Oh, sorry…."

"No it's fine," Hera said. "I couldn't have said it better myself anyway."

"Lead the way, Master," Kanan said, "Just like old times."

"All right then," Depa said to Hera, "Captain Syndulla, you and Sabine take the east side towards the river. Captain Orellios, you and Ezra take west. My Padawan and I will face them front.

A new surge of energy in her words rubbed off on all of them. They immediately went to their positions and moved forward. Kanan and Depa held her hands over their lightsabers ready as they moved forward. Kanan began to whisper, "You haven't lost your touch as General."

"I almost did once, and I promised myself I wouldn't let that happen again. That's when I took you on as my Padawan." Kanan smiled. Depa's thoughts waivered and she looked back in the direction of the Ghost. "Speaking of Padawans…."

Kanan stopped her from doubting herself. "You made the right choice, Demira isn't ready."

"I know. I just hope Kerchec doesn't say anything about it after this opportunity."

"The Chief? What does he have to do with Demira's training?"

"It should be nothing really. After all, Demira's connection to the Force is much stronger then Kerchec and Bruton combined. They do not know her limits."

"How is Demira stronger?"

"When I told you how I met Demira, I said her physical ability is what made her stand out. Mostly it's just because of training now, but before she was destined to learn to use the Force in more then just to speak with All Mother, as Bruton puts it."

"Her destiny is to be a Jedi. Well, training under you that's obvious—"

"No, it's not to be a Jedi. Time have changed for me, Kanan. I don't train Jedi, I train Demira to be her best self. And that's where Kerchec always argues."

"On what? What's the problem?"

Depa didn't have time to answer. She only got to look at Kanan with guilt in her eyes, then suddenly the sound of heavy machinery was heard. Depa and Kanan quickly ducked behind two trees. They put their hands over they pulled out their lightsaber but never activated them. When they poked their head out to face where the noise came from, they saw a clearing. Coming out in the wide space were about twenty Stormtroopers heavily armed. Behind them were two Imperial tanks, and leading the entire squad was a man Depa hadn't seen before. Judging by his grey uniform and helmet he looked like an ISB Agent, but the small colorful plaque on the left o f his chest said Commander.

Unfortunately, Kanan knew who it was. "Kallus," He said with venom.

.

A.N: Ooooh no…. and remember this is before Kallus and Zeb got stuck together in the snow so things are still a bit salty between them. So Demira loves learning, which gets on Kanan's nerves. Then the table turn when Demira is left behind. Depa gets back her general status for a while everyone goes with it. That was fun to write. Now we get into some real action. I'm KikaKatTIOI, peace out!