Hot DAMN this hasn't been updated in forever! I am so, so sorry for the wait!
I really hope you guys like this chapter, I really had trouble with writing it and getting into the flow. But! Part of the next chapter has already been written, so that should hopefully make the next wait less agonising! Thank you for being so patient with me, I really appreciate all your support. Hope you enjoy, and may the force be with you, always!
-Superherotiger
…
Tiger Talks
Mpathy- Sorry for the wait! I tried to make it longer to make up for it, hope you enjoy! And thanks! It's been heaps of fun being an aunty, and exciting news, my sister is having another baby! :D
Cassturn93- o.O
AngetianPrincess18- I know right! #ConcernedSpaceDad
Midnight Luna- My niece has grown up so much since I last updated this! It's crazy to think she wasn't even born when I posted this, and now she's up and talking and acting like a teenage girl XD Hopefully this chapter is worth the wait my friend! I really hope you enjoy it!
Lone Laken- For that, you'll have to keep reading! :D
Guest- So glad you like it!
Hayley W- Glad to hear!
Pokemonlover2- Wait no longer my friend!
Sarah- Ha, it probably doesn't go the way everyone is expecting it to ;)
Chelsea- Yes! Definitely! Unless something goes terribly wrong and the Ghost family crumble under the devastation… *Shrugs with a smile* But what do I know?
Jakdhale Gutierrez- 2017?! Holy damn you really have been waiting! Here you go friend, here's the next chapter, you deserve it!
Harmony R- Sorry! Life's just been a bit rough over the past few years. I've been in full time work so I'm finding it harder and harder to find time to write sadly.
MAYONNAIZE529- PREGANANANNANT?!
…
Kanan's POV
"Alright, positions everyone," Hera chimed through the internal com.
Ezra, who had been practising his forms, swung his blade with grace and precision in preparation for the mission ahead. Meanwhile, Sabine and Zeb were quickly grabbing the last of the detonators and other precautions as Chopper helped guide the ship in the cock-pit with Hera. I on the other hand stepped back and forth anxiously in the common room, glaring at the floor with a blank expression as my mind went through every worst case scenario possible.
"You're pacing again," Ezra said casually as he moved in a vicious dance.
Releasing a weary sigh, I glanced over at my son and admitted "I'm worried."
"I can tell," he smirked. "But you shouldn't be. It's a simple op. Just a grab and go."
"Yeah, but Hera will be here alone…" I murmured softly.
"She'll have Chopper though," he tried to say optimistically.
Rolling my eyes ever so slightly, I chuckled and teased "Doesn't instil me with much confidence."
"Aw, he's not that bad," Ezra grinned. "He never got me into trouble."
I laughed at the comment, and as I walked past the teen I ruffled his navy blue hair playfully, causing a short yelp of displeasure to escape from his lips. But it was quickly replaced by a warm smile as I mused "You must have selective memory kid. You and that droid together are a magnet for trouble."
"And yet, you let me have him anyway," the youth quipped cockily.
I scoffed. "I don't think I really get a choice anymore do I?"
"Nope," he smirked mischievously.
I stepped towards the door, hoping to speak to Hera before the mission began, but hesitated. My son, as quick as a whip noticed my reaction and stepped to my side. "Hey, you alright?" he asked, his tone lowered to a sympathetic hum.
I grimaced, shifting my gaze to the young teen. My eyes immediately fixed onto the parallel scars on the side of his face, remembering the moment we'd fought the Inquisitor… and the moment I thought I'd lost my child...
The memory brought the emptiness in my soul to attention, it's chill sending a shiver down my spine as I thought back to the traumatic feeling of a dying bond. It hadn't been true… At least, that's what I desperately tried to convince myself. It couldn't have been real. Everyone was here, and alive, and safe. There's no way anyone could have died without me realising. And yet, some part of my mind knew that the pain was too real, too familiar to be wrong…
Something had been lost… I just didn't know what…
"Dad," Ezra's voice broke my train of thought.
I blinked rapidly, trying to regain focus as I stuttered "W-What?"
"You were staring at me," the boy pointed out, a mixture of amusement and concern blending across his face.
"Oh… sorry, I was just… thinking," I murmured as I glanced away sheepishly.
But Ezra seemed to have picked up my emotional turmoil. After all, a bond as strong as ours meant it was almost impossible to shield one from the other. You couldn't hide your thoughts, and you couldn't hide your feelings, two souls essentially one as they worked together in complete harmony. But sadly, that meant you also couldn't hide your pain either.
He placed his hand gingerly on my shoulder, his ocean blue eyes understanding as he asked "You thinking about the baby?"
I exhaled deeply, replying "I felt it Ezra… something broke… that's not a feeling you just get every now and again."
"It's alright," he assured, his face creasing with worry as he spoke "But the baby's perfect safe. The heartbeat's never been stronger."
Frustration bubbling in my gut I turned on the teen and growled "I know, I know! The heartbeat is still there, the baby is still kicking, everyone else is still alright as you all keep telling me. But I felt a bond break and I didn't just imagine that!"
My expression had grown hard, but Ezra's had stiffened at the coldness in my tone, his sharp gaze understanding but simultaneously unimpressed. Wincing as I realised the bite in my tone I took a breath and collected my thoughts again. "Sorry," I started, running a hand through my hair anxiously. "I don't mean to snap, it's just… everyone thinks I'm crazy… and I'm not. I swear I felt it."
At that Ezra's presence relaxed once more, his ocean gaze one of sympathy as he shuffled a little closer, just enough until he could lean against my side comfortingly. "I believe you…" he murmured softly.
I sighed, my shoulders sagging. Raising my arm I wrapped it over my son's shoulder and rested my head against his, replying quietly "I know you do… and I'm grateful for that…"
He hummed in what I assumed was approval. "I'll always be here for you…"
"I know… I'll always be here for you too."
Ezra glanced up at me, his bright eyes shimmering in the warm light. For a moment the image of his face the moment I first met him consumed my vision, fearful and innocent, with tears cascading across his youthful face. He was so little then… so scared… now I gazed upon him to see a young man, his jaw line defined and his eyes filled with knowledge. His presence was one of confidence now, strength and determination. He had truly grown from the young boy I'd found all those years ago…
Pride swelled in my chest, replacing the concerns and fears that had plagued my heart. With Ezra at my side the emptiness within faded into a distant thought.
We exchanged a brief smile, one that I hope conveyed how proud I was of his immense wisdom, before heading into the corridor. Together we walked into the cock-pit where Hera sat at the pilot's seat, one hand on the baby bump and the other steering the ship as the Ghost glided through the clouds. "We're almost there guys," the pilot announced. "I'll land the ship, then you four run in and grab the supplies. With any luck we'll be out of here in ten minutes."
"Got it," I answered as I stepped to her side and gingerly placed my hand on her shoulder. "And… you're sure you want to go through with this?"
With a weak smile she placed her hand a top of mine and gazed up at me with dulled, emerald eyes. "Yes dear, I'm fine. Now go get ready," she soothed, her tone unable to hide her exhaustion. "The quicker we get the supplies, the quicker we can leave."
"Alright love," I spoke, leaning down and planting a kiss on her head. "Then you can have a nice long sleep."
"Good," she said as she took her hand off mine and moved it to her pregnant waist.
I hesitated for a moment when I saw something move. I couldn't tell if it was Hera's hand curling into a fist that caused the fabric of her shirt to contract, or if it could be…
No, no. The baby was still a week and a half away. It was probably just a Braxton Hick, one of those false alarm contractions. Besides, if something was wrong, Hera would tell me.
Leaving it at that, I buried my encroaching nerves and turned towards the ladder. But before I fully stepped down, I paused to see Ezra as he went and gave Hera a warming embrace. Hera took the contact willingly and even ran her fingers through Ezra's fine locks, her expression filled with love and care.
But when they pulled away, I noticed Hera's face shift slightly.
"Ezra," she spoke softly, her normally vibrant eyes hollow and dimmed. "Something feels… off today."
The teen's face immediately pulled into a concerned frown as he asked "Why didn't you say? We could have postponed the mission."
"The supplies are important though, and we already came all this way," she replied, rubbing her stomach.
"Is it…" Ezra started, before his voice faded slightly. His shoulders tensed as he pried cautiously "Is it the baby…?"
"No, no, I doubt it's anything big," she assured gently, before adding "I just thought it best to tell you. I know if I had told Kanan he would have cancelled the op as soon as I'd said 'Off'."
Ezra chuckled lightly, replying "He always did have an overprotective streak."
"Yeah, well, if you can just keep him on track for the mission that would be great," Hera spoke with a worn expression. "I know if anyone can keep him focused it's you."
Smiling, he gave a quick two-fingered salute and said "I'll try my best."
"You always were a good boy," Hera beamed, before turning back to the controls and explaining "We'll be landing in one minute. Best to get ready."
"Got it," he said as he went to turn around.
In haste, I managed to slide down into the cargo bay just before Ezra could see, jumping away and shifting into a casual position. And just when I thought I'd get away with it, a gruff voice from behind snickered "Eavesdropping again mate?"
I jolted slightly, my eyes shooting open as I whipped around to face the Lasat watching me with an amused expression. Both he and Sabine who had been organising space for the supplies had their eyes fixed on me with mischievous smirks. And already I knew they wouldn't let me live it down.
"Kanan got busted," the Mandalorian snickered.
"It's not what it looks like," I defended.
"It looks like you were snooping," Zeb chuckled lightly.
"No! I wasn't… I mean… I-I…" I stuttered awkwardly, before saying "Don't tell Ezra-"
"Don't tell me what?"
I froze in place as two feet could be heard landing on the metal floor behind me, my eyes narrowing at the Lasat as I mouthed 'Don't you dare!'. Zeb watched the scene with an amused expression while Sabine continued on with her job casually.
"Well," Ezra repeated as he stepped to beside me. "What is it you shouldn't tell me?"
There was a tense pause, before to my relief, Zeb piped up and mocked smoothly "If I told you, I'd have to kill you."
The boy rolled his eyes and walked away, his interest dwindling at the banter as I gave a grateful nod in Zeb's direction. "Yeah, yeah, you owe me one," he whispered lightly, punching my shoulder as he went to join Sabine and Ezra.
I rubbed my tender arm with a grimace, before my thoughts lingered back on Hera. It worried me that she wouldn't tell me what was going on. I knew sometimes I could be brash, and especially overprotective of those I cared about but… I always thought that was good. Didn't everyone say 'Better safe than sorry'? Was that not what a normal father would do?
My brows furrowed as I took a moment to reflect. Maybe sometimes I did take things out of proportions, and maybe if I tried to relax a little, Hera wouldn't be as guarded. It would be difficult, I knew that. Letting go would be tricky, but I could try.
And it started by finishing this mission with my complete focus.
Not worrying about Hera. Not worrying about the baby. Just purely focusing on the goal ahead.
And as Hera's voice signalled our arrival and the docking ramp began to lower, I pulled out my lightsabre, cocked my gun and pushed everything else to the back of my mind. Now wasn't the time to be the protective father. Right now I had to be a leader.
And I leader I would be…
…
"Well this is a fine situation," Ezra stated sarcastically as he threw himself behind the crate beside me.
"Seems like everything is going to plan then," I called light-heartedly over the howling wind, squinting under its fierce barrage.
"If the plan was to get shot then we're doing great so far," the boy growled while sending another round of electric bolts in the direction of the pursuing guards.
I smirked, blocking the red beams of fire that sped through the air with my lightsabre as I shot a glance at my son. He was as ferocious as he was caring. Perhaps he got that from Hera, I told myself warmly.
"Just hold them off for a little longer," I said, crouching behind the crate as Ezra ducked down next to me, leaning closer as I yelled "The others will be here soon enough."
He nodded without hesitation, a determined glint in his eyes. His blue locks whipped around wildly as the booming of the storm grew ever closer, casting a glance to the sky as the darkened clouds loomed over the platform like a dam ready to burst.
The plan was supposed to be simple.
Hera would drop us off on one of the refuelling stations of Catalon, where spires of stone rose from the clashing ocean beneath. Catalon was known for its violent storms and constantly churning ocean, and yet was one of the galaxy's biggest mining operations for underwater crystals and oil. During one of my many lessons as a youngling we had been taught that below the sandy, rocky surface of Catalon, an ocean of oil as large as the one that shook above was shifting across its heated core. The centre of lava made the oil almost impossible to extract as if you dared disturb the liquid even slightly it could erupt in a planet wide explosion. For that reason alone the Republic and Separatists had steered clear of the spiky planet.
The Empire on the other hand wasn't as wise.
The spires had become fuel pumping stations on the Empire's order, each a bomb just waiting to happen. Even one small mishap could send the entire planet into a fireball of destruction!
That's why Hera's orders were to swoop in, drop us off, and get out of the atmosphere as quickly as possible. She would return when we gave the signal, and if not, then at least Hera and the baby would be safe, no matter what happened to us.
The spire we had decided on was the least populated of them all, and should have had the least risk of causing a worldwide explosion if a shot went astray or a bomb too close to the fuel tanks. Sadly though that meant the walkways and platform were extremely small too, barely able to hold a couple dozen stormtroopers let alone all the tanks of volatile fuel beside them. Even now Ezra and I were only a couple of steps away from the sheer edge, the churning, crashing waters below practically waiting for us to fall into its arms.
I shook my head of the thought and glanced over at Ezra as he fired another round at the stormtroopers across the platform, hidden in the cove of the spire where the fuel was stored. "Be careful," I warned, watching as the shots inched closer and closer to the tanks. "Let's try not to blow ourselves up too huh?"
"I've got it under control," he said as his brow furrowed in concentration.
But after a few more pointless rounds of firing I tugged on his arm, calling "There's no point with them hiding in there like that, we're only going to waste ammo."
He nodded, concern leaking into his expression as he quizzed "What do we do then?"
"We need a way to draw them out," I said tersely. "Any ideas?"
His electric eyes were fixed across at the stormtroopers, the cogs of his mind turning in deep thought. His grip tightened around the hilt of his lightsabre as he murmured something, his voice drowned down by the howling wind.
"What is it?" I asked loudly.
"They're not completely hidden," he called, glancing over to me as he explained "They're standing just a little bit out of the cove."
"Okay, but what are you suggesting?" I replied with a tilt of my head.
His expression hardened in determination. "Throw me."
Repulsion jumped into my throat as I instantly barked "What?! No way!"
"We've done it a hundred times before!" he defended.
"Yes, but not on a skinny platform surrounded by a death sentence of an ocean with winds that are just waiting to throw you into it! Not to mention the squadron of troops that would be shooting at you!" I snapped firmly, my hand grabbing his wrist as I yelled "It's too risky, Ezra!"
His eyes flared in indignation as he said "You have to trust me. It's the only way we can get through."
"But what if you fall? What if you get shot?!" I retorted in dismay, the mere thought sending my nerves back on end.
But suddenly Ezra's hands were planted firmly on my shoulders, his face set in a stone-cold confidence as he barked "As a leader, what is the goal of this mission?"
"No one dying is a great start," I grunted, trying to shrug from his iron grip. But his gaze didn't falter, his stare burning into my skull intently.
"Your job is to make sure we get that fuel, alright?" he said sternly. "And the only way we're going to get it is if you throw me!"
I winced, my stomach churning like the waves of the ocean below. "But what if you-"
"Just trust me," he cut in swiftly, his expression softening as he added sympathetically "I know you're worried, but we have to do this, Kanan."
Kanan. The name felt somewhat strange coming from the boy's mouth, familiar yet distant. He'd called me it a million times in a million different tones, but this one was different. There was an urgency, a detachment in his voice unlike any other. He wasn't asking me to be his Father, to protect him and guard him. He was asking me to be his Leader, to be strong and wise and ready for action.
He was asking me to let go…
Inhaling a sharp breath I slid my eyes shut, focusing on the fierce wind as it pummelled the two of us behind the crate. I homed in on its direction, it's current, it's motion. It swirled and twisted like a snake, but as I reached out through the force I could sense a pattern through the chaos. It was like a spider's web before me as I felt each turn and bend the wind could curl itself into, awaiting the chance to strike.
My eyes opening with a new clarity, I gazed at Ezra one last time to see not a boy, but a man. He was ready for this.
"On my signal," I said firmly with a sharp nod of my head.
He hesitated, as if he hadn't fully registered my words, but then pulled his hands off my shoulders with a smile of approval. He shifted position and readied himself to jump up over the crates, his shoulders tense and eyes focused. I in turn cast my gaze over our barrier and watched the troopers intently, waiting for an opening between their wild, unruly shots. The red beams suddenly ceased as the Imperials reached to recharge their weapons.
"Now!" I called sharply.
Ezra sprung up immediately, pushing off the crate into a leap as I threw my hands forward, pushing the force in his direction to give him the needed boost. The wind slammed into his exposed form but shoving my energy slightly to the left, I managed to counterbalance the weight of the storm's impact enough that he remained in a straight line to his destination.
He rolled gracefully into the shallow cove, startling the unarmed stormtroopers as they twisted on the new arrival. And before Ezra had even had a chance to activate his lightsabre I'd risen to my feet and pulled my pistol on two of them, the last of my ammo spent. Ezra, thankfully, dealt with the others easily as the blue beam of his sabre became a blur in the distance.
And before we knew it the fight was over, the boy standing triumphantly over the unconscious troopers as he cast me a smug grin.
I rolled my eyes and could already tell he wouldn't let me live this one down. Holstering my gun I cautiously made my way to the cove, being sure that I wouldn't get knocked off my feet from the ever increasing winds. I jumped over the bodies of the Imperials that scattered the entrance before sliding into the shallow cavern, relieved to feel the icy bite of the wind off my face.
"Told you it would be fine," Ezra's voice chimed.
I gazed over at the approaching boy and smirked, saying "Yeah, yeah, you were right."
He craned forward with a tilt of his head, his blue eyes beaming in mischief as he quizzed "Hm? What was that sorry?"
I shot him an unimpressed glare before turning my attention to the dozens of fuel tanks stored along the cavern walls. "We'd better start getting these outside," I said, pulling the manifest off the wall to inspect the contents. "Good thing we didn't miss earlier, this place is a ticking time bomb with the amount of canisters ready to go."
"Kanan," Ezra breathed.
"Maybe if we're lucky we can share some with the rebels…" I mused, lost in thought. "Hera would be happy about tha-"
"Kanan," the word came again, strained and fearful.
I glanced over my shoulder but froze, immediately spinning around to face my son as he stared back at me with a sharp gaze, his jaw tensed.
"Don't. Move."
The voice, filtered through a metal mask, was cold and detached. The gun resting at the back of Ezra's head however seemed far more threatening. I hesitated and stared into the shadowed visor of the stormtrooper who held his blaster to my son's head, ready to take a shot. Karabast! He must have recovered consciousness without us realising. Now he held Ezra hostage, a blast of sick triumph resonating from his signature.
"Listen, all your buddies are down, so you may as well just give up," the boy said, his voice surprisingly relaxed compared to his panic-stricken eyes.
"Not when I call for reinforcements," the trooper snarled, a charred lightsabre cut lining his chest-plate. "Seems you weren't such a good shot after-all."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Ezra retorted with a scoff.
Suddenly the gun cocked, the click of the mechanism seeming to reverberate through the small alcove. "You better shut the hell up kid," he hissed, pressing the cold metal into Ezra's skull. "Or I'll show you how good of a shot I am."
A sudden urge to protect overtook my senses as I went to take a step forward, halting once more though as the trooper's visor lifted to face me. "You stay right there Jedi, or I'll blow his damn brains out!" he scowled, his fingers twitching unsteadily over the trigger. I froze, my eyes going wide as I stared at the scene in horror.
Ezra winced, his calm demeanour melting away to reveal a petrified boy. He gazed at me with alarm and a glimmer of hope in the depths of his ocean eyes, waiting anxiously for me to do something, anything.
But panic and adrenaline had flooded my own system, my eye twitching as I desperately searched for a solution. I had used the last of my ammo on the two soldiers beforehand, so no luck there. The lightsabre hung in two separate pieces on my belt, and it would surely take too long to assemble it before the trooper took the shot. A mind trick maybe? No, it was too risky. Even now his gloved hand trembled, fingering the trigger. If I dared move even an inch he would be bound to shoot.
I was at a loss, and the trooper knew it, letting out a satisfied chuckle. "Game over."
"Sorry to ruin the fun boys."
A new voice cut through the howling wind, turning in surprise as a sleek, colourful figure sprung from the entrance, kicking the trooper to the hard, stone floor. His head made a sickening crack as his head slammed to the ground, two boots pressing against his neck and chest holding him in place. "But I'm afraid I'm the only one who gets to outmatch the kid," the armoured figure chided light-heartedly.
The trooper shivered, breathing a sigh before falling back into the arms of unconsciousness.
The shadows that consumed the cove had made the new stranger difficult to see, but as she turned her helmet towards us, I felt my shoulders slack in relief. "Sabine," I smiled, finally able to breath again. "I'm so glad you came."
"Well, couldn't let you two have all the fun," she replied warmly as she nudged Ezra's shoulder.
"That was a close one," he laughed, though there was a prickle of anxiety in his tone.
"You think?" she said, her voice growing sharp as she gazed between the two of us. "You're lucky I stepped in."
"I know, I know," Ezra sighed, his shoulders sagging in exhaustion. "Thank you."
The Mandalorian dipped her head in a curt nod. That was all that needed to be said, though I imagined she wouldn't let him live it down for a while yet.
"Where's Zeb?" I asked, fixing my mind back to the mission at hand.
"Dealing with the Imps in the communication hub," she replied nonchalantly.
Suddenly there was a bone chilling scream, twisting around just in time to see the blurry form of a stormtrooper plummeting over the edge to his watery demise. Ezra and I shared a shocked gaze while Sabine just shrugged, taking the manifest from my hands and going off to inspect the cargo as if nothing had happened.
Two webbed feet kicked frantically just above the top of the entrance, a gravelled huff sounding before Zeb's bulky form landed on the platform. He stretched to his full height with a grunt as his bones crackled at the motion. "Did I miss anything?" he asked with a sly grin.
"Did you just throw that trooper?" Ezra quizzed in surprise.
The Lasat smirked, his eyes gleaming in the dim light as he replied lightly "Hey, you wanted me to get rid of the Imps right?"
"Throwing them off the cliff wasn't exactly what I had in mind," I spoke tersely.
"They would have faced a lot worse if we'd let them live with their mistake of failing," Sabine chimed in from the other side of the cavern. "Now hurry up and help me get these tanks outside."
"She's right," Ezra said, his voice confident though his presence wavering with a hint of guilt. "All that matters is that the Empire can't contact for help, and as far as they're aware, we're not even here." He gazed over at Sabine, ready for her orders, but I could still sense the unease in his signature.
Stepping to his side I rested my hand on his shoulder comfortingly, hoping to reassure his clouded mind. There was a dread hanging over his presence like how the storm outside clung to the ocean. It could have been from being held at gun point, or it could have been the eerie sense of death that had polluted the force around them. Whatever it was had unsettled him deeply.
"Is everything alright?" I asked after a moment of silence, Zeb grabbing one of the barrels as Sabine prepped a hover cart.
Ezra shook his head as if snapped from his trail of thought. "Nothing," he murmured softly. "I just thought I felt…"
Suddenly he walked away, pulling from my grasp as he said with a façade of confidence "Nothing, nothing. Let's just get this fuel out of here."
I cast him an unconvinced gaze but decided not to push my luck. Ezra knew he could come to me, I just had to let him do it in his own time. So joining the others we began loading the volatile tanks of fuel onto hovercrafts, pushing them to the entrance of the cave as a drizzle of rain began to spatter against the platform outside. Reaching for my commlink I said firmly "First cart ready Spectre 2. We'll prep a second one for your arrival."
"On my way Spectre 1," Hera voice called over the line.
Glancing over my shoulder I called "Ghost in bound."
"Good. Then we can get off this spiky, stormy rock," Zeb muttered bluntly.
"Oh please Zeb," Ezra chided with a smirk. "It's a spiky, stormy, explosive rock."
The Lasat grumbled, his muscles heaving under the weight of one of the crates. "Even more reason to leave," he hissed before allowing the cargo to rest on the next cart.
"We'll be outta here in no time," the boy replied warmly.
"We won't be going anywhere if you two keep gossiping!" Sabine snapped, preparing the next set of supply crates for the boys to move with an irritated twitch of her wrist.
I hurried over and assisted Ezra in lifting the next crate, pushing the hovercraft to beside the last cart before moving to load the next. As the second tank of unstable fuel was loaded onto the cart a sharp gust of wind whipped our faces and sent the ever-increasing rain pounding against the stone floor. "The storm's getting close," I called over the droning whistle. "We need to get these out faster."
"Shouldn't Spectre 2 have been here by now?" Sabine called.
It was strange that she hadn't arrived yet, but I shook the thought from my mind, focusing on the tanks once more before replying "She has things under control. She'll be here soon enough."
The Mandalorian nodded, though I sensed doubt settle heavily in her presence. I ignored her anxiety to stop my own from growing. Hera was fine, everything was fine, the plan was going smoothly and she was only a few minutes off schedule. Nothing to worry about…
The hum of an engine purred over the sound of the rain, which now pelted the stone and metal as streaks of lightning brightened the sky outside in rhythmical bursts.
My shoulders sagged in relief as Zeb and I loaded the last tank to the hovercraft. "There she is now," I said encouragingly, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. "Just like I said, everything is fi-"
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"
I spun around in shock and gazed out over the shadowed platform, squinting through the haze of rain until I could distinguish at least a dozen silhouettes in a line at the edge of the loading dock. Lightning sparked in the distance to reveal the snow-white armour of Stormtroopers, their guns at the ready, and a strange figure in the middle, his dark armour difficult to see through the pouring rain. The stranger stepped forward, a mask covering his face as he called again, his voice deceivingly sweet "It seems to be my lucky day. Two foolish Jedi walking straight to their execution." He cackled a sickly laugh, adding proudly "Lord Vader will be please with my work. He may even make me Grand Inquisitor!"
An Inquisitor!
Ezra's presence flared with alarm as he stepped to my side and activated his blade, prepared for another fight to the death if necessary. I clipped mine together and held it at the ready, awaiting the strange Inquisitor's next move as Zeb and Sabine took their places at our sides, rifles at the ready. We stood at the entrance to the alcove, battle ready and prepared. We wouldn't go down without a fight.
Urging my blade to life I called sharply "We've defeated your kind before, don't think you'll be any different."
The tinted visor of his dark mask glinted as he tilted his head teasingly. "So it is you then! The master Jedi who killed the Grand Inquisitor," he stated, intrigued. "I did wonder who would have been strong enough to best him…"
"Surprised you care so much about your fallen pal," Ezra bristled with an experimental swing of his sword. "I didn't realise Imperials felt anything at all."
This made the Inquisitor laugh, as if the boy had just cracked the best joke he had ever heard. Ezra's presence clouded in confusion and suspicion as the Imperial's laughter settled into a husky chuckle. I brushed against my son's signature through the force in the hopes to reassure him, but even I was unsure about this new threat, unaware that there had even been more Inquisitors than one.
But the boy seemed aware of this fact, his guard back up and his stance ready for another battle.
"It's amusing that you think I care for the Grand Inquisitor's demise," the masked figure said after his fit of laughter had subsided. He gazed up at the gloomy, dark sky and paused as the rain slammed against his metal armour with a clang, "No, rather the opposite. His death allows me to take his place," he continued fondly, his gaze falling back on us as he explained "Which is why it's so important I don't make the same mistake as my poor comrade."
"And what mistake was that?" I snarled coldly, the rain seeping into my bones.
His dark presence pulsed in delight. "Letting you win."
Ezra scoffed, his lip tilted in a cocky grin as he retorted "I hope you're feeling lucky then, because you'll never beat the four of us, I swear on it."
"I don't need luck," the Inquisitor spoke with a grin. "I have her."
I shot Ezra a puzzled gaze, which he returned in surprise, until the troopers to the Inquisitor's left suddenly parted. A figure stood between them, but only when the lightning flashed once more did the four of us realise who it was, our hearts jolting in horror as we remained deathly still, paralysed.
"Hera!"
Super Bomb V
The Light in the Dark
Remember Me
Lost Chapters
O' Family of Ours
There is no Death, There is the Force
To Mend the Bond
Beasts of Legend
Family Ties