Hello!
I want to thank all my readers and supporters - YOU GUYS RULE!
sorry for the 2 week update! I'm trying guys!
And Jack is sick...AGAIN. And the only thermometer I could find was a old 'up the bum' thermometer...lets just say Jack wasn't happy...
But in all seriousness, the past week has been a little tough for the star wars rebels community here. I just wanted to let everyone reading this know that if you guys need to talk about ANYTHING, I'm here. Trust me, i've been through some crazy junk, and whether you just need to rant about a bad teacher, or cry about a girl/boyfriend, questioning your purpose, or what temperature to set the oven when baking cookies...IM HERE! So don't hesitate to message me! I will talk to you about pretty much everything (except my visa number)
SO! Without further ado, please enjoy!
-0-
Ezra almost coddled the com in his hands.
After Kanan had run off to the other members of the crew, Ezra tried shaking out some of the pins and needles in his body by rolling over...which was a mistake.
After collapsing onto his back again and gritting his teeth, bearing the shock of pain from his leg, he felt a jabbing sensation in his side. After fishing around into the baggy material of his top, he pulled a communicator out from underneath himself.
For a confused second Ezra thought it was his, but realized his was with orange flight suit in his room.
Ezra mentally sighed. He still didn't know who knew about the scars. (Besides Zeb, of course.)
But confusion quickly faded away when he read the label in marker on the back of the com. In Hera's neat print, 'Spector 1' was written.
"It must've unhooked from his belt when we were hugging..."
Horror spread across the boy's face.
"I can't believe I cried in front of Kanan." Ezra groaned, wiping away the stiff feeling his dried tears had left on his face.
Curiosity replaced his embarrassment. "Wonder what they're talkin' bout...Don't think they'd mind if I listened in..."
Ezra clicked the button on the side, which let him hear through whoever he had talked with last on the com.
Putting the com to his ear, he heard the muffled voices of the Ghost crew.
"-like our time has run out."
"Wait, what?"
"Bucket heads and Kallus are on the move."
"No I mean, weren't there three bucketheads?"
"Radars aren't picking up any other signs but the two troopers, Agent Kallus and the two TIEs."
"What are we suppose to do? If we attack the ground Imperials we get shot at from the skies, if we go after the TIES we get attacked from ground. We have no shields and no ways of protecting ourselves."
Ezra processed this information for a moment.
Stupid. Freaking. Kallus.
And bucket heads.
And TIE fighters.
"We're in for it now...unless..." An idea sparked in his mind.
For a fraction of a second he hesitated.
But then he shut his eyes, cleared his throat, and put on his snarky tone.
Clicking another com button, he said, "You guys are so uncreative."
Ezra smiled at the respond:
"Ezra?!" Kanan exclaimed. "How are you-"
Ezra cut him off with a chuckle, "You left your comm in here Kanan."
Hera's voice suddenly appeared. "Ezra you should be resting."
"Sorry Hera. You guys obviously need some ideas."
"Fine then, wha' do you propose?" Zeb asked.
Ezra took a deep breath. No backing out now. "The Ghost is a power spread ship. The ships main power grid is at full 100 percent when everything is completely off. Turn on a light, thats about one percent. The ship can't have everything be running at once."
It was a few seconds before Hera replied. "Yeah, I know."
"Well, right now the ship is running all of the equipment in the med bay, the lights around the ship, and the signature disguise. Between the high maintenance medical equipment running on full and the thermal disguise, we can't get the shields up quick enough."
"So...what are you saying?" Sabine asked.
Ezra took a deep breath. Now or never, right?
"Turn off the med bay equipment."
"What?!" Kanan sputtered.
"Kid you need that equipment." Zeb said into the com.
"I'll live without it. I mean, for a while...but you have to do this!" Ezra encouraged.
Hera sighed. "Hes right about the power sources. We would just have enough energy from our grid to power the shields on immediately if we turn off the med bay energy supply."
"Its the only way!" Ezra said.
"No! It's not safe. Kid, you'll-" Kanan began.
Ezra cut him off, "Die? Pssh, i'll be fine!"
"I can't let you do this." Kanan fought.
"Its the only way everyone will survive!"
"No..." Kanan answered.
But Ezra wasn't giving up. "Either take a chance on me for a few minutes or knowingly send everyone here to their graves!"
"Ezra..." Hera warned.
"Kanan! NOW OR NEVER!"
The line went dead.
Ezra furrowed his brow. The battery of his com was full. He tried clicking all of the buttons, but nothing worked. The line was dead. Ezra selected a different line, this one connecting to Zeb's com.
"Zeb? Whats going on? My line went dead." Ezra asked, clearing his throat.
It took the Lasat a moment to answer.
"H-Hey kid."
Ezra rolled his eyes. "Zeb, why'd the line get cut off?"
"Kanan kinda broke the com..."
Ezra raised a brow. "Woah...W-Well, whats happening now?"
Sabine's voice flooded through the com, "We're gonna go ahead with your plan."
"Really?! I-I mean, yeah, good." Ezra stuttered.
"You're sure you want to risk this?" Hera asked.
Ezra turned the com off and took a deep breath and let out a long exhale.
Clicking it back on, he spoke "I'm sure."
-0-
Kanan paced the length of the common room. Steam was practically blowing out of his ears, his hands balled up into tight fists. His stomach felt like it was in knots, his heart heavy and his soul tired.
His headache had progressed into a full blown migraine, but taking any sort of medicine was completely out of his mindset at the moment. In fact, it was like his mind couldn't feel just one emotion at a time. He hadn't felt one single emotion in over a day and all of the drama was taking a toll on the man.
What he felt?
Anger. Anger definitely.
Fear.
Sadness.
Worry.
Annoyance.
Guilt.
Kanan ran a hand through his ruffled hair.
Why...Why did everything have to go bad...and all at once?!
And why did it all have to involve his poor padawan?!
His padawan...Kanan felt a jolt of sadness wave over him.
The poor kid really had been to hell and back.
Kanan sighed. What had he agreed to?
-0-
Zeb plopped down in the chair next to Ezra's bed.
"So...kid...how yah' holdin' up?"
Ezra snorted and said, "Just great."
Zeb scratched his head. "Alrigh', alrigh'. You ready for this? Your absolutely sure on this?"
"Yeah i'm sure." Ezra cleared his throat, leaning back into his pillow.
Zeb nodded, his face hardened. He picked up his comm and spoke into it, "Hera, hes ready."
It was a minute before the other line crackled to life.
"A-Alright. Power transfer happening in FIVE..."
"...FOUR..."
"...THREE..."
"...T-TWO..."
"...ONE!"
The lights on the Ghost ship flickered for a moment before turning back on.
The machines in the medbay suddenly died, the constant beep of the heart monitor stopping suddenly, the whirl of the fan shutting down, everything.
The only sound in the room was the still constant drip of the IV.
-0-
Sabine shot Hera a nervous glance.
Hera didn't return the look, for her emerald eyes were focused on the power transfer happening on the screen in front of her.
Pulling a lever and typing in her command, she put the shields of the Ghost up.
She picked up her com and with a slight hitch in her voice she asked, "Zeb?"
For a heart wrenching moment there was nothing but silence.
"Hes doin' fine."
Hera and Sabine both let out a sigh of relief at Zeb's voice.
Hera clicked on the whole ship com, trying to get a hold of Kanan. (Who's com was still with Ezra)
"TIES should be picking up the change in power frequencies any second now. Everyone be read-"
Hera never got to finish her sentence.
The Ghost ship lurched forwards, the TIE fighters had already begun shooting.
-0-
Steve Billens had gotten top scores in all of his Imperial classes.
He was just chubby.
And the stormtrooper uniform didn't exactly come in 'plus size', and it certainly didn't look good on anyone who wasn't in good shape.
So, Billens was stuck in a TIE fighter, putting his great mind to work but weight behind him.
And he knew his TIE unit better than he knew his own mother.
So naturally, he noticed right away when the frequencies of the ship below him drastically changed.
Their power sources were shifting.
To know what for would be impossible with the mechanics of the TIE, but if he had to take a guess, it would be for the canons...
Scrabbling to pick up his communicator, he turned on the line to the other agents.
"Agent Kallus, the rebel shit is uh, has-...uh, changed the power currents."
Agent Kallus's voice flowed from the device, "Officer Billens, tell me again. But without stuttering."
"Oh, uh, right, I mean-, sir yes sir! The rebel shift just went through a major power change."
"...Elaborate more."
Billens took a deep breath, "Odds are they're getting ready to shoot at us."
"Billens, Michaels."
"Sir yes sir." Both agents said together.
"Take your shot at the rebel ship."
-0-
Please review! Every review makes me smile! (even bad ones, because hey, got you to read my story, didn't I?)
- Shelby