Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts (although that would be pretty cool!).
Another few days passed on Lothal without any major disturbances, likely due to the fact that the rebels had restricted their visits outside even more so. Progress continued on the Nobody Base and it was only a matter of time before it would be completed and the next phase of the Organization's grand plan would be put into action. Xigbar had already decided that he needed to get Sabine and Ezra off the planet before then, and preferably sooner rather than later. He walked into the main room, looking at his team before him. Axel and Sabine were discussing something art related, although Xigbar noted they were giving each other "the eyes," which could be potentially problematic. Xigbar knew all too well the dangers of love on a mission from his past. Ezra was working on fixing some part of Chopper who was clearly grumbling.
"Alright kiddos, let's get to work," The Freeshooter began.
"Work on what?" a confused Ezra asked.
"How to sneak through Imperial lines and get you two off of this planet."
"Leave? But Lothal is my home," Ezra explained. "We can't just abandon it."
"With the extensive Imperial presence, I'm afraid we don't have a choice in the matter. The best move is to get you guys back to your little cell." After some thinking, Xigbar was resolute on this point.
Chopper vocalized a "Womp womp womp," that, by the tone, seemed to agree with Xigbar.
"He's right, Ezra. Right now we don't stand a chance against the Empire," Sabine reminded.
"Okay, what's the plan? What are we going to need?" Axel asked.
"Some way to contact the Ghost. We need to let them know we're alive and that we'll need a pickup of sorts," Sabine answered. "Chopper, can you contact the Ghost?"
A satellite popped out of Chopper and he searched for a signal. "Womp womp."
"Looks like all signals are jammed to prevent that from happening," Ezra translated.
Xigbar nodded. "So we'll just have to go get an Imperial transmitter. They won't have blocked their own signals."
Axel shook his head. "That won't work. Wouldn't the Empire know that one of their transmitters was being used unauthorized?"
The group was quiet as they pondered this major wrinkle in the plan. The dull gray interior of the room as well as the cooping up of the rebels are dampened any enthusiasm and the last few days had been rather gloomy.
Finally Xigbar offered the (not ideal, but workable) solution. "Then we'll just have to be quick."
"So how exactly are we going to acquire this transmitter?" Axel asked, putting his hands behind his head.
Xigbar grinned at him. "I thought you'd never ask."
"Yep. I officially hate this. This is the worst plan ever," Axel complained as the stormtrooper put his hands in stun cuffs.
The stormtrooper shook his hand at him disapprovingly. "It's not my fault that your hair was too spiky to fit into a helmet." The trooper took off his helmet to reveal himself as Xigbar.
"Hey, my hair's an important part of my personality."
"Whatever. Now let's get to the nearest Imperial station."
Petty Officer Norris Black, whom Axel had encountered earlier, was currently running the Imperial station selected by the rebels. The young commander was the son of an (somewhat) important politician, which is how he got the assignment.
"And that, gentlemen, is how I managed to save the gala from certain doom by my quick thinking and extensive knowledge of medicinal herbs and spices," he said, finishing his story to the two stormtroopers stationed in his office.
"Very exciting sir," a stormtrooper responded although he was anything but excited.
"I wouldn't expect you two to understand. After all, I was bred for intelligence and you were bred to pull a trigger."
"Yes sir," the other stormtrooper responded, obviously used to this treatment.
An intercom buzzed and Black pressed a button to accept the message. "What is it?"
"Sir, a trooper has come in with the red-headed suspect," the voice reported.
"Splendid, splendid. Send them up to my office." He rubbed his gloved hands gleefully. "This could be my big break." He pressed a few more buttons to place another call. "Yes, this is Officer Black. Inform Lord Vader that I have one of the suspects in custody."
Axel and Xigbar were in the elevator up to Officer Black's office. "He'll send me to take you to a cell, and then we'll get to work. Not gonna have much time," Xigbar explained.
"We never do," scoffed Axel.
"Soon as we get these kids off the planet, we can get back to the mission."
"Good," Axel replied. But the pair actually felt differently. They had grown rather attached to their new friends and would have been sad to see them go, if they had emotions.
The elevator stopped and the pair exited. They were escorted into Officer Black's office by the same troops subjected to his stories.
Xigbar saluted to Black. "This rebel scum was found sneaking around the marketplace."
"Very good, trooper." Turning to Axel, Black continued, "We finally meet. It was only a matter of time that you could hide. The Empire always gets their man, and I do not settle for anything less. Now, indulge me with your name, prisoner."
"The name's Axel. Got it memorized?"
"Axel hmm? A peculiar name for a peculiar man. Such unusual hair. You're certainly not from here. I have all sorts of questions for you, but I'm afraid that I must wait. Lord Vader commanded that he would be the first to interrogate you."
"How kind of him," Axel retorted with venom.
"Trooper, take the prisoner down to Cell A and then return to your patrol. I will mention you favorably in my report."
"Thank you, sir," Xigbar responded and marched Axel out of Black's office.
"That went well. Now, where are we going to find a transmitter?" Axel asked.
"I figure the Cell Commander might have a clue. You just knock me out and ask him."
"Really?"
"Don't actually knock me out, dumbass. Just hit me and I'll fake it."
The Cell Commander was awaiting their arrival. "Good work, trooper."
Axel then "broke" out of his stun cuffs (they were already unlocked) and grabbed Xigbar, slamming his head into the desk. He then grabbed Xigbar's gun and pointed it at the now terrified Cell Commander. "Hey there friendo, I need to know where I can get a transmitter."
"I'm not telling you!"
"Do you like living? Cause if you don't, I'll just kill you. Where are the transmitters?"
Making a wise choice, the Cell Commander acquiesced. "Level 3 in the Surplus Room 317."
"See, that wasn't so hard now, was it?" Axel mocked.
"You'll never make it!" the Commander cried out, slamming his hand on the button marked Alarm.
"Oh shit," Axel remarked before the Cell Commander slumped forward, shot by Xigbar, who had teleported behind him.
"I thought we weren't killing because that draws attention," Axel said.
"That went down the drain when you let this bozo hit the alarm. I also thought you weren't supposed to hit me hard."
Axel shrugged. "Oops."
"Asshole. Now let's go get that transmitter."
They returned to the elevator and proceeded to Level 3. "You think we'll run into any troops?"
Xigbar summoned his Arrowguns. "Definitely."
Axel then summoned his chakrams. "Can't wait for some action."
"I imagine you said the same thing about Larxene. Or Sabine for that matter," Xigbar replied with a snicker.
"Ouch. And here I thought I was the one to burn people."
The door opened and (fortunately) there was no stormtroopers. The pair snuck through the hallway looking for Room 317. Suddenly, a voice came on over the intercom. "We have an escaped prisoner in the base. Your orders are to locate the redheaded rebel and his accomplice. The station is now on lockdown."
"Looks like we're on the clock," Xigbar replied. Finding the room, they managed to find rows of the small appliance sized transmitter. "Let's grab it and go."
They got close to the door when a barrage of blaster bolts both sent them scurrying back in. "You are trapped. Surrender," a voice called out.
"So they think. It's time to leave," Axel decided. He extended his hand and created a Corridor of Darkness. The pair hopped in, leaving the station behind.
Petty Officer Norris Black was beside himself. "What do you mean they're gone? They were pinned in the Surplus Room!"
"I don't know, sir. They simply vanished," Black's subordinate replied.
"What the hell were they doing in the Surplus Room?"
"It appears they took one transmitter. That's all."
Black put his hand to his chin in thought as he paced. "Hmm…must be trying to call for backup."
A new voice rang out on the intercom. "Sir, I have Lord Vader for you."
Black gulped. "Patch him through."
"No sir, he's here."
"Oh." Black's confidence was fading fast. "Send him in," he replied weakly. "You may leave, Commander Harrison." The commander saluted and left. "Okay, okay, everything is going to be just fine." Black headed back to his desk and attempted to restore a calm façade for the Emperor's enforcer.
A minute later, Darth Vader strode into the office, flanked by two death troopers, his ominous breathing the only sound.
Black scrambled up out of his desk and went over to Vader to salute. "My Lord, I see you received my message."
There was a long pause and then Vader replied. "Yes. And yet I still did not arrive quickly enough to stop you from failing, Officer Black."
"Well, my Lord, I didn't exactly-"
"Then where is your prisoner? That breakout alarm was for a different escaped prisoner?"
"The prisoner did esc-" Black was unable to finish his sentence as his airway suddenly felt constricted. "Wait!" he was able to cough out. Vader released his grip on his Force choke and Black grasped for air. "They took a transmitter. If they use it, we'll be able to track their location and strike quickly. Then we can capture more of them. It was…all a part of my plan," he finished, his pitch getting higher.
Vader said nothing, processing the information. "This could still work in our favor. Inform me immediately when the transmitter is used. And prepare a strike team. I will handle this myself since you have proven yourself incapable."
"Y-yes, Lord Vader."
Vader turned and left the room with his escort, leaving a relieved Officer Black.
He slumped into his chair. "What a day."
Sabine and Ezra had been tasked with procuring a landspeeder for the great escape. As Xigbar and Axel returned, they saw a landspeeder parked in the adjacent ally.
"Looks like they got their job done," Axel noted.
They entered the house to find a relieved Ezra and Sabine.
"You're back!" Sabine greeted.
"You doubted us?"
Chopper rolled in and gave a "Womp womp."
"As if, you garbage can," Xigbar shot back.
"Wait, you can understand that robot?" Axel asked.
Ignoring him, Xigbar went on. "Not as smooth as an operation as I wanted, but we got the transmitter."
"Great, now we can contact Hera," Ezra chimed in.
"We're going to use our emergency channel. Hopefully they'll pick up." Sabine pressed a few buttons and turned a dial to get to the appropriate channel. "Hello, this is Spectre 5. Requesting immediate assistance." There was no response.
"Any second now," Axel said.
"This is Spectre 5. Requesting immediate assistance." Another long silence ensued.
Then suddenly a voice replied, "This is Spectre 2."
"Oh Hera, it's me Sabine!"
"Sabine! What's your situation? Where are you?" Hera asked, concerned.
"Ezra and I are pinned down in a house in Lothal. The Empire is crawling all over, including Vader. They're searching for us and we need an immediate pickup. All signals are jammed, so we had to steal an Imperial transmitter."
"They'll be able to track you."
"I know. We didn't have a choice. That's why we need help now. Can we meet you on top of the Lothal City Capitol Building?"
"Alright. We're leaving right now. It'll be a very small window."
"Wouldn't have it any other way," Ezra quipped. "May the Force be with you." This elicited an eyebrow raise from Xigbar.
"See you soon," Hera finished, signing off.
"That's an old saying," Xigbar noted. "Anyways, time to move."
"I'll drive," Ezra volunteered.
The rebels left their home for the last several days, leaving the Imperial transmitter there. Axel hopped in the other front seat, putting Sabine, Xigbar, and Chopper in the back.
On the way, Sabine turned to Xigbar. "Since we might not have time to say goodbye, I just wanted to thank you for everything. You and Axel have done so much for us."
The Freeshooter smiled. "It was nothing, kid. Let me tell you, though, I haven't felt this alive in a long time."
"So can I convince you to come with us?"
Xigbar was shook by the memories of a very similar encounter with a Mandalorian many years ago. Staring into her eyes, he knew he would have stayed if he could, but he also knew he was committed to the Organization and Master Xehanort. "I…can't. As a friend of mine would say, my die has been cast."
"I figured that's what you'd say. I've made something for you and Axel." She handed him a keychain. The piece depicted an orange bird rising up in the air, wings spread and head turned to the right.
"Did you design this yourself?" Xigbar asked incredulously.
"It's a starbird," she replied. "My own little signature."
"It's beautiful," he complimented.
"Just a way to say thanks."
Ezra ruined the nice moment. "Uh guys. We got a problem up here. A big problem."
Hey everybody! Don't worry about having a long cliffhanger here, because the second part of this episode is almost done and will be up next Friday (4/20/18)!
See ya real soon,
The Mustachioed Academic
