A/N Yay! More Thrawn and Ezra bonding! I love this part of this story! X3 Also, this chapter is from Season 3 "Inside Man", but to note that the chapter is from Season 3, but this is still in Season 2, and Ashoka's still here. As for Kallus— XD It's for you guys to wait and see!
Also… HAVE I BEEN SPELLING AHSOKA WRONG THE WHOLE TIME?! Why no one's been correcting me???
X
It had been a complete week since Ryloth, and Zeb wasn't doing so well. He was always in his cabin, only coming out to get a snack or two before shutting himself back into despair.
Hera and Kanan were worried for the Lasat's behavior. They tried prying him out, but all they got was either a snarl or a roar. Or worse, a threat. Kanan tried to reassure him that Ezra was fine, but the Honor Guard barely believed a word he said.
Hera had told Sato and Ahsoka the situation (with leaving out the fact that Thrawn was Ezra's father to not alert Sato), and Ashoka had stated that they should first head to Lothal for a distress call from a fellow Rebel before they could do anything reckless, so she and Rex tagged along with the Ghost Crew on their ride to Lothal.
The moment they made it to Lothal, Hera caught a glance of the fleet of Star Destroyers hovering above the planet.
"Oh boy…" she bit her bottom lip before turning the steering, so she could pilot her freighter away from the fleet and closer to Lothal.
"WUP WUP WUP WUP WUP-WUP WUP?" Chopper questioned.
"It IS the 7th Fleet," Hera nodded as she lowered the Ghost down to the planet's surface. "If they're here in Lothal then that means security's going to be a little tighter than before. Better to be discreet, just in case,"
"WUP WUP-WUP WUP-WUP?"
"We'll try to get him out of there soon, but for now, we need to go along with the mission in Lothal,"
"Are we almost there?" Hera turned to see Kanan enter the cockpit.
The Twi'lek chuckled. "Almost, Kanan. Think you and Rex could get Zeb out of his room this time?"
"With a little help from Ahsoka, I'm sure we can convince Zeb to leave for at least a bit," Kanan shrugged as he sat on the co-pilot's seat. "Did you contact Sabine about what happened?"
"I did, but she and her family are too busy with their plan for Mandalore, so she can't come to help us," Hera sighed, placing a hand on her head. "What are we going to do? I'm worried for Ezra,"
"He's fine, Hera," Kanan reassured her. "I check on his every day and night through our bond, remember?"
"But what if he's just masking it, and he's really in trouble?" Hera let out a breath of exasperation. "Who knows what they're doing to him up there…"
"I wouldn't think Thrawn would hurt him, mostly at the fact that Ezra left his lightsaber here with Zeb, so the Empire has got no proof that he's Force-Sensitive,"
"Whatever you say…" Hera still wasn't convinced, but she let it slide as she turned her attention back to where she was landing.
The Ghost sailed through the skies of Lothal, moving down and forward as they aimed to land at a camp that was a little far from Capital City. They landed between a couple of huge rocks then the ramp opened to reveal Ahsoka, with Kanan, Rex AND Chopper behind her, dragging a grumpy Zeb along. Ashoka approached one of the members of the camp with a smile.
"Ryder,"
"Commander Ahsoka Tano, if I'm not mistaken?" The older man, Ryder, returned the smile as he came over to greet her. "And you must be the Ghost Crew,"
"You know us?" Kanan raised an eyebrow.
"It's almost too difficult to miss any of you through the Imperial radio," the group turned to see a thinner old man laughing as he came forward to join them.
Zen recognized him immediately, causing his ears to perk up. "Wait, I know you. You're a friend of Ezra's parents. Mr. Sumar, right?"
"Yes, that's me," Mr Sumar gave a grin at the Lasat.
"At least you're doing well since the Empire destroyed your farm," Zeb spoke out. "Ezra and I saw the smoke from far away,"
"Ah, so you're the one with Ezra in that Tie Fighter? Well, thank you for rescuing me and my family," Mr Sumar shook the Honor Guard's hand thankfully. "You have no idea how much it meant to us,"
"Wait, he and his family were the ones that you and Ezra rescued when you stole that Tie Fighter?" Kanan was amazed.
"Yeah, pretty much," Zeb rubbed the back of his neck with a nervous smile.
"Where is Ezra Bridger, anyway?" Mr Sumar suddenly blurted out.
The four were in silence for a moment, not knowing what to reply or even say to the question. They all glanced at Ahsoka, and she sighed before clearing her throat and turning to Ryder.
"How about you tell us the situation first, Ryder?" she suggested.
"Of course, Commander," Ryder nodded then he led the group to the meeting table.
As they followed, Kanan got a glance of Zeb looking down at the ground with guilt and worry, causing the Jedi to frown.
'Now I really hope Ezra IS doing okay up there…'
X
Ezra had his hair tied up with a ponytail, and he had removed his jacket, leaving him with a brown sleeveless undershirt as he and Thrawn sparred with the Assassin Droids in the training room. Both were unarmed, but they were more than a match against the two droids. Thrawn himself was wearing a dark sleeveless undershirt as he sparred beside his son.
When they had started, Thrawn was actually surprised to know that Ezra could spar with no weapons. It was mostly because he assumed Ezra's Jedi Master focused on lightsaber moves when sparring and that Mira wouldn't even try training Ezra how to do hand-to-hand combat in fear of teaching him too much, but deep down, he knew that the boy had to learn something if he had survived 8 years in the streets.
They had sparred for about 2 hours until Ezra sensed a familiar someone coming, prompting him to stop.
"What is the matter?" Thrawn questioned the moment he saw the other pause.
"Captain Palleon's at your door," Ezra replied.
Thrawn gave a nod before turning to the droids. "Override Code: Rukh."
The Assassin Droids immediately went stood stiff at the command before deactivating on the spot. Ezra grabbed the droids and returned them to their placement as Thrawn grabbed his white suit and placed it on.
"I will be down in Lothal for a few hours to check on one of the factories because of a reported sabotage," Thrawn spoke as he adjusted the sleeves of his suit. "Do you need or want anything?"
"Maybe some Jogans," Ezra replied with a shrug. "Or maybe a Meilooran, even if they don't grow here…"
"I would prefer that you eat meat instead of just fruits," Thrawn sighed, turning to the boy. "I will just have to get both, for your need and your want,"
"Fair enough," Ezra giggled. "Anything that is not a ration pack is good enough for me, but I don't think I can digest too much meat,"
"Of course, your stomach needs to adjust," Thrawn nodded. "What do you eat with your Rebel friends?"
"We don't have much credits, so whatever is in the fridge, I guess," Ezra shrugged off the situation. "Mostly ration packs and blue milk. Space waffles would be a little rare, mostly for special occasions,"
"Better than just fruits," Thrawn smiled and gave his son a quick hug before turning to leave. "If you need anything else, just call me through my comm, understood?"
"Loud and clear, Dad," Ezra waved his father goodbye then once he was alone, he sighed and stretched up. "Phew! That sparring session was actually kinda hard. At least the Assassin Droids weren't set to shoot us,"
He then turned and headed to his room then he grabbed a towel to wipe off his sweat. He noticed a pile of well-folded clothes on his bed and smiled. He got the first one on the pile; an orange jumpsuit with sky blue lines designs. He changed into the jumpsuit immediately then he set his sweaty clothes on the desk before laying down on his bed with a sigh.
For the whole week, during breaks, he and Thrawn had done nothing but bonded with each other. Thrawn had thought him the secret messages in every artistic piece, and Ezra shared more tales of his adventures in the streets. The stories made Thrawn catch a near-heart attack, so Ezra promised that most of the things he did were a one-time thing.
Well, most of them WERE a one-time thing. The rest of them were a casual routine, not that he'd say that out loud to his father. Thrawn might just lock him up in his room with a helmet and protective armor, and being locked in his room was the last thing he wanted.
Overall, he felt grateful that he was getting closer to his real father. Thrawn surely was different Ephraim. Unlike his adoptive father, his real father didn't see him as a mistake or as someone that should be hidden. In fact, Thrawn seemed very open and would teach him things that a father would teach his child.
Ezra felt lucky, his mood beaming every time his father would come to him during break hours and his heart melting every time his father would embrace him. It was like a part of him was found and was returned to him, even if he had no idea that it was lost. With Thrawn, he felt at home, a home he never wanted to leave.
Suddenly, he thought of the Ghost Crew, mainly Zeb.
'Poor Zeb.' He hissed, frowning.
He knew how overprotective and loving the Lasat could be. He knew that his boyfriend was worried sick for him. Or worse, depressingly guilty for his 'capture', but he knew better than to leave his father's ship.
There were two reasons he couldn't just leave; 1, the Chimera was tight in security. Very, VERY tight. Getting out of Thrawn's office was already going to be challenge. What else with going all the way to the lower hanger? 2, he couldn't leave Thrawn. He had tried his hardest to find his real parents, and now that he had found one of them, he couldn't just let him go.
The only thing he wished is that he should have brought his data-pad, so he could contact his crew (mainly Zeb or maybe Kanan) to reassure them that he was alright. He was okay.
He groaned and sighed before using the Force to grab his bag then he took out the dolls and Neko (the Loth-cat toy) and held it as close to his chest as possible.
Things were slowly falling into place. He just needed to be a little more patient. When the time comes, he'll be able to meet up with his friends and boyfriend. He just needed to have patience.
X
When there was a reported sabotage in one of the Imperial factories, Thrawn knew that it was the work of a Rebel Sympathizer of Lothal, but he knew better than to point it out to Pryce or Tarkin (he would need proof of it, anyway) and he knew better than to share the situation to his son (Ezra was going to forbid him to go if he told him, much like what Eli would do if the matter was too dangerous for his liking), so he just kept quiet as he exited his shuttle. He was met by Agent Kallus and Governor Pryce before he was led to one of the main working bases.
As he was presented to the workers, he had noticed that some of the workers were masked. Two of them seemed to be tense while another seemed nervous.
'Rebels or merely sympathizers?' Thrawn wondered, but before he could further think about it, Kallus had finished his introduction, so he had to step forward to speak.
As he did, he had noticed that the two tense 'workers' had winced the moment he came close to them. He immediately knew that they weren't whom they say they were, but he didn't say anything about it, just to play around with them and see how long they would last. Instead, he approached the nervous worker and questioned on whether the speeder was a creation of his.
Of course, the worker approved, just as he predicted, so he told him to demonstrate the speeder. The worker was hesitant, and that's when Thrawn knew that he was merely a Rebel Sympathizer, but he did not say a word as the worker approached the speeder and activated it.
As soon as the acceleration intensified, the bike began to malfunction, causing the worker to panic and tone down the acceleration. Thrawn shook his head, stating that the demonstration wasn't over before taking out a data-pad to accelerate the speeder. He waited until the acceleration lit up in green before stopping.
If this was a Lothal Rebel Sympathizer then he knew better than to execute him in the spot. Ezra would be DEVASTATED if he were to find out. Hiding the truth from him would be a death sentence, and Thrawn knew this well enough (He had made that mistake with Eli TWICE, and he didn't like the result). He just needed to make the speeder seem dangerous enough for the sympathizer to break out in confession. It would be an easy arrest, and Thrawn could bring him back for interrogation (and to see if Ezra knew him).
Alas, his plans weren't going as smoothly as he expected. The moment he stopped accelerating the speeder, the acceleration suddenly peeked up to red.
Thrawn was caught off-guard and had to only give a glance back to see Pryce with a data-pad of her own, a vile and victorious grin on her face before she set down her pad. Thrawn looked down at his own pad to realize that she had locked him out of the system. He bit his lip to keep himself from scowling as he kept his data-pad and held his head up with a straight face on.
In a moment of seconds, the speeder bike exploded, leaving the worker into the mercy of death.
'Ezra's never going to like this…' Thrawn bit down a hiss at the thought of his son screaming and breaking down when the news would reach his ears.
At the corner of his eyes, he spotted the tense workers now trembling with rage, their hands folded into fists while they forced themselves still. He himself was trying to stay still and was trying to keep his hand from grabbing his blaster and removing Pryce from an existence that he doubt she deserved.
Why did she always have to ruin his plans and stick her nose in places she didn't belong?
She irritated him gravely, but he couldn't let that irritation show as he, Pryce and Kallus exited the base. Once they were a bit far from the workers' ear-shot, he gave a glare to the woman.
"You had interposed the demonstration, Governor Pryce." He spoke, letting out the scowl he had been holding in for so long, so badly.
Pryce was taken back by the accusation before regaining her posture. "Your pad must have had a default. It was never propelled to the highest acceleration, and it was already clear that the worker had rigged the speeder, so it was best for him to be executed,"
"But you had assumed that I was going to execute the worker," Thrawn knew this conversation was going to go on and on, and it was either him proving his point or her proving hers, and honestly, he wasn't seeing the point that she was trying so hard to prove. "The demonstration was to prove that he indeed rigged the speeder, so we may arrest him and interrogate him for any Rebel knowledge. Not only are we down a worker for the factory, but now, a known Rebel Sympathizer that could have been interrogated is in ashes, along with any knowledge he had of the Rebels. That is the reason why you and so many others can never find a good lead to the Lothal Rebel Cell. You are all too focused on instant execution on a traitor that all of you miss the opportunities that are given to you,"
He then came to a brief halt and tilted his head back to glance at her with mild death glare. "And your assumptions and decisions of 'what is best' for the factory and the fitting punishment for the Rebels would doom us all. I would suggest that you stop assuming my plans, or you will have to personally explain our failure to Grand Moff Tarkin, Lord Vader, and of course, to our Emperor."
"Our… Emperor…?!" Pryce's eyes widened in horror as she visibly gulped in fear.
Failure was one thing she made sure she never had, and Thrawn knew it all too well, especially if it regarded facing their Emperor with such situations. They had overheard what had happened to Commandant Aresko, Taskmaster Grint and Minister Tua after discussing their failures with Grand Moff Tarkin, and things did not end well. Pryce was determined to not end her fate the same way.
Kallus watched her shrivel up behind Thrawn with amusement. Pryce was a difficult person to corner. Seeing Thrawn corner her to wall of defeat was a miracle.
Thrawn noticed the agent's amused and slightly raised an eyebrow at it. He had read over Kallus's information before he arrived in Lothal, and it stated that he was as ruthless as Pryce when it came to catching the Rebels. Seeing the man's reaction to the speeder exploding, however, was something odd and was definitely something he had to look into later on.
For now, there were more important things to take care of, like the Rebels in the factory.
X
Kanan barely had time to hold Rex back as they watched Thrawn, Pryce and Kallus leave after the speeder exploded, killing Sumar.
"How COULD he do that?!" the clone scowled.
"It's not Thrawn," Kanan shook his head. "I can sense it. He was just as shocked as us,"
"He didn't look shocked," Rex growled.
"Would you if you were suppose your reputation's at stake?"
"Eh," Rex shrugged. "Fair enough, but if it wasn't him then who?"
"Either Governor Pryce or Agent Kallus," Kanan then looked back to see the workers lining up. "Uh oh. We have to scram. Now,"
"You might be right," Rex nodded as he saw the Imperial officers checking the identification of each worker. "Let's go,"
The two then fled from the base and into Imperial HQ. They knocked out two stormtroopers and 'borrowed' their armor before meeting up with Chopper and running all over the place to find Sector A2 for the secret weapons data they needed.
X
The Rebels had to be that predictable.
Thrawn knew that the information about the secret weapons data being in sector A2 had slipped out from his own tongue, but he didn't expect the Rebels to take the bait so easily.
After requesting crates of Jogans, Meiloorans and meat from the local market, and after leaving Pryce in charge of hiring more 'trustworthy' workers for the factory, Thrawn had retreated to his office in Lothal. He looked through the security cameras to see the Rebels running through the halls with the false Imperial droid.
Of course the Rebels would break in without studying the building. How predictable.
'It would not be a surprise if they were to get caught because of their foolishness…'
As if right on cue, a group of troopers caught them, and the Rebels were fleeing as soon as the droid came out to meet them. Thrawn let out a sigh, pinching the ridge of his nose as he shook his head.
How did his son even survive with Rebels like these?
Suddenly, there was beeping of his comm, and Thrawn turned to see it coming from the Chimera. He held his breath and pressed the button to answer.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Dad," Ezra's voice rang through the other side. "How's the factory sabotage?"
Thrawn was hesitant to answer, but he knew that if his son was anything like him, he would investigate to find the truth sooner or later. It was much easier if he just answered the question and get things over with.
"A Rebel Sympathizer was the cost of the sabotage," he answered.
There was silence from the other side, and Thrawn was afraid that the news frightened his boy. Finally, after a few minutes, Ezra spoke up again.
"…who was the sympathizer?"
"I am currently searching for his information," Thrawn assured him.
"Are there any more Rebels in there?"
"Two Rebels are roaming the facility as we speak. Unknown if they are part of your Rebel Cell or another Rebel Cell,"
"Any reason why they might be there?"
"Most likely for the secret weapons data in sector A2," Thrawn sighed. "A droid came along with them just as they were caught, but I trust their survival instincts as Rebels to not get captured so easily,"
"Well, we usually don't get captured," The hint of humor at the end of the comm relieved the Chiss, knowing the boy was calmer than earlier. "Did you say a droid? I only know one droid daring enough to disguise as an Imperial droid, and it's our droid Chopper. Was it a C1?"
"Yes, it was,"
"Then it's definitely Chopper. Were the two Rebels wearing stormtrooper disguises?"
"Your crew, I presume?"
"Most likely Kanan and Rex. What kind of plans are they looking for?"
"I will check what plans had been stolen from sector A2," Thrawn picked up his data-pad, but he already knew what plans were at the sector; the new Tie Fighters with shields.
"…Dad, you already know what the plans are." A hiss from the other side made Thrawn shudder. Ezra sounded much like him when he was pissed. "What are the plans?"
'No use of lying.' Thrawn sometimes wished that his boy didn't get his sharp mind and Eli's temper. It wasn't a good combination for him at situations like this. "You are right. I do know the plans. The plans are for stronger, better Tie Fighters,"
"You mean, YOU are planning to build Ties Fighters with shields?" Man, was Ezra getting better at reading through the lines of words. Thrawn would have to make a mental note of his quick progress.
"It is an old project," Thrawn spoke. "It was intended to strengthen our Tie Fighter pilots,"
"…why now?" Ezra questioned. "We blew up so many Ties in the past and even stolen one before getting rid of it. Why are the plans active now?"
Thrawn held his breath, hesitating. He had never explained the reason for the plans to anyone, not even to Eli, who was raging every time Thrawn had shrugged him off when it came to the plans.
If not now then it was better to tell him later. In person.
"When I finish my job here at the factory, I shall go back to you to explain. I promise,"
Ezra's sigh mixed with his groan before speaking. "Fine. See ya, Dad,"
With that, the comm was turned off, and Thrawn sighed in relief, setting his data-pad down before turning to look at the security cameras to find the Rebels again.
To his surprise, Agent Kallus came out of the lift with the Rebels and the droid as the two placed their helmets on. Kallus seemed to whisper something to him (most likely a plan, if Thrawn had to guess) before they made their way to a comm port.
Thrawn narrowed his eyes at this. An ISB agent helping out two Rebels that he had fought in the past? That surely was something interesting, and it was definitely something he had to look up later…
X
As soon as the comm went off, Ezra scowled, clawing his hair in annoyance.
If there was one thing he hated most in the world, it was people hiding secrets from him. ESPECIALLY when the person hiding secrets from him was someone he was close to.
He stomped out of his father's office and into the training room. He removed his shirt and placed on a sky blue sleeveless undershirt.
If there was one thing his father had thought him, it was that rage was better tampered through sparring. That was the reason why Thrawn had his own sparring room right next to his office.
Ezra activated the Assassin Droids again then he stood in the middle of the room and went on his fighting position as the droids came forward.
X
Thrawn watched as the Rebels found a way to access their comms. He was amused to see Kallus working so hard to keep his cover up, extending to even letting one of the Rebels force-push him into a glass screen, causing it to shatter.
'A mole in the system?' Thrawn raised an eyebrow at the thought before realizing that he too was betraying the Empire by keeping Ezra alive in the Chimera.
But for obvious reasons, he doesn't feel guilty about it. Instead, he focused back to Kallus and realized that he needed the agent to get Ezra out of Imperial Space and into the safety of the Unknown Regions, away from the Empire, away from the war, and especially away from Pryce.
He then heard footsteps approaching, so he got up and looked up at the Phoenix symbol on the wall that he requested to remove and place in his office in Lothal just in time for the door to slide open to reveal the vile woman herself.
"It appears that they have found an unexpected ally," he spoke after her rant of complains, still maintaining his attention to the bird mural. "or perhaps, an expected one,"
"I… I don't follow," Pryce gave him a confused look.
Of course she didn't. Heck, no one but Ezra (and sometimes Eli) could understand what he spoke, and it irritated him, causing him to wonder how in the galaxies have they survived this long in the Empire.
Thrawn shook his head and looked out through the window. "Let us play their games,"
A comm call alerted them of more Rebels coming from the outside. Thrawn called out to deploy the walkers, so Pryce and the rest of the facility could focus on the chaos outside and away from the two Rebels trying to leave through a walker from the hanger. Two huge AT-DPs came out to attack the two Rebel-controlled speeders. When a late walker emerged a little while later, Pryce narrowed her eyes at it.
Thrawn inwardly winced. Pryce was a proud and an egotistic woman, but she was no idiot, unlike Slavin. She knew how to observe her enemies well, and she knew how to fight and 'interrogate', a.k.a kill her enemies on the spot, just like what happened to the Rebel Sympathizer earlier.
Thrawn kept himself still, but the urge to take out his blaster and shoot her was very, VERY strong. Unfortunately, he couldn't let himself act out of emotion, or his cover would be blown, and Ezra might get discovered and executed himself. For now, he had to play the long game.
"Strange, I had expected more walkers to be released," he spoke as he tried to get Pryce away from the battle "Most of them must have been labeled defective,"
The sooner he got the Rebels out of his hair, the less bloodshed there will be, the less he had to explain to his son.
"True, but a late dysfunctional walker? I have a different theory," Pryce smirked as she went to Thrawn's desk and pressed his comm on. "Attention troopers, disregard the speeders and destroy that late walker. It is under rebel control,"
"Understood, Governor,"
Thrawn bit down a hiss, glaring daggers at the woman as he watched one of the AT-DPs making it's way over the walker, preparing to crush them.
"And how did you assume that they are under rebel control without consulting proof?" he questioned with an unconscious snarl.
Pryce tensed at the snarl hidden in the question before she moved aside for the grand admiral to advanced forward and confront her. Thrawn was known for being straightforward and calm, but there are occasions Pryce had seen him mad, and let's just say, she did NOT want to be the one to receive his wrath.
"It… It is quite obvious, really," she spoke, TRYING to defend herself. Emphasize on the word 'try'. "Why else would there be a late defective walker—"
"I had sent a direct order to release as much walkers as possible to attack the speeders, and thanks to a mere hunch, we may have lost one of the more stable walkers we have. Not to mention risking our limited amount of troopers because of an assumption that has no proof whatsoever. I had told you to never make assumptions that would risk more than you are capable of replacing." Thrawn's blood red eyes glowed in the darkness as they loomed over at the woman, livid and cold. "Even if that walker was under rebel control, you are still forgetting that they may be more useful to us alive than dead because of the knowledge they possess. Even more so if the Rebel we capture are the wanted Jedi Masters. Your longing for the death of the Lothal Rebels will doom others in other planets because of your irrational thinking and planning, so it would be better for everyone if you pull yourself together before you doom yourself."
"W… With all do respect, Grand Admiral, it seems to me that you are DEFENDING the Rebels," Pryce made a bold move to ask, something she knew she would regret later on, but his words sounded a little… suspicious… to her. "Grand Moff Tarkin requested your fleet to assist on the Rebels' capture and execution,"
"True, but Grand Moff Tarkin also wants us to interrogate the Rebels before execution," Thrawn replied, turning away from the Governor. "Not to mention Lord Vader and my Emperor requests for the Jedi to be taken to them immediately."
"I… I suppose." Pryce narrowed her eyes at the his back with a feeling of suspicion deep in her gut.
Suddenly, the comm beeped with a call from the Chimera. Thrawn froze up.
'Ezra has terrible timing…'
"A call? From Captain Palleon?" Pryce leaned over to see the call.
"It is for me to check. Alone." Thrawn sternly said. "You are dismissed, Governor Pryce."
Pryce was taken back by the abrupt dismissal. She let out a growl before turning to leave, dragging her feet behind her as the door slid shut. Once he was sure that she was out of ear-shot, he pressed the button to answer the call.
"Dad?!" Ezra's voice was full of worry as it echoed through the speaker. "What's happening down there? I could sense a small explosion from up here,"
"Everything is alright," Thrawn responded to reassure him. "Your Rebel friends, however, are causing a daring stunt outside of the factory. Though I am certain that they will make it out alive, I am concerned that this attack will cause security to tighten around Lothal,"
"Okay… but are YOU alright?"
"I am well," Thrawn smiled at how much the boy cared for his well-being as much as his friends' condition. "The explosion came from outside. My office here in Lothal has a great view of the battle, but it is far enough to not get involved,"
"Do you need any help—"
"No, Ezra. Stay in your room until I return. I do not want you getting involved in this as much as I am getting myself involved already."
A sigh came through call. "Okay, okay. I'll stay put, but please be careful,"
"Of course," Thrawn then hung up and looked out of the window to see smoke coming from the battle field, but he managed to spot the two Rebels and the droid escape onto the speeders, allowing him to sigh in relief.
This just had to be another eventful day…
X
The comm call was cut off, and Ezra slumped back onto his father's chair, worried as he shivered, even in the new gold-and-red jumpsuit he was wearing.
He could sense Kanan and Rex from the battle field, and it was clear that they were alive. He could sense Thrawn too, but he was more worried at the fact that his father might get caught having relations with him than being alive since he knew Thrawn was more than capable to take care of himself.
Ezra himself have never met Governor Pryce, but from what Thrawn had told him, she was a vile woman that was ready to execute Rebels and traitors. It made Ezra worry since he still remembered that Zare was still working undercover in the Empire to find his sister, partly helping the Rebels with some intel. If Pryce were to catch Zare or Thrawn, either of them would be executed for treason.
Ezra shuddered at the thought, shutting his eyes tightly. He had no idea what would happen if his friends and family were to be hurt, much less if they were to be executed. It was already hard to focus when Zeb was electrocuted by Kallus or when Kanan was captured by Tarkin and the Grand Inquisitor. It pained him to see them suffer. Thinking that his father would suffer the same fate gave him distress.
He realized too late that he was overthinking things. He opened his eyes to see most of his father's things levitating through the Force. This caused him to panic, but the more he did, the harder it was for him to bring the stuff down.
He cursed under his breath. That day just couldn't get any worse…
X
"Kanan! Rex! Chopper!" Hera sighed in relief, spotting them before running over to the speeder dashing towards them.
Ahsoka and Zeb ran behind her to meet up with their friends as the speeder came to a stop. Kanan was the first to hop off, removing his helmet then he went towards the Lasat with a sad look.
"He's gone, Zeb. Sumar was executed on the spot,"
Zeb sighed, shaking his head. "Ezra's not going to like this…"
"It was through Thrawn's demonstration, but it was Pryce who set the acceleration up to make the rig speeder explode," Rex groaned as he also removed his helmet.
"How do you know that?" Hera asked.
"I could sense Thrawn's shock in the Force," Kanan replied with a sigh. "And Agent Kallus just helped us to escape. Turns out HE is the other Fulcrum,"
"I know he is," Ahsoka spoke up. "He had first called me to tell me that he wanted to defect from the Empire, yet he could be more useful if he was a Rebel Spy, so I handed over the secret code phrase and assigned him as Fulcrum,"
"But why?" Hera sounded suspicious. "Why would Kallus help us? He had spent so much time chasing us to capture. Why change now?"
"Something with Zeb telling him to 'seek out answers to get them', or something like that," Rex shrugged.
"Oh, right," Zeb chuckled. "On that Geonosian ice moon. I forgot that I managed to get through to that man. I just didn't know if he made it out alive since the Empire wouldn't care if any of their troopers or officers died,"
"Maybe, but we should still keep an eye on him, just in case he turns out to be an Imperial Spy himself," Hera said, her voice switching into a Captain's tone.
"What matters is that we got what we needed," Kanan motioned Chopper over to them. "We got the plans, and Chop keeps complaining that they aren't good,"
"Then let us see them," Ahsoka nodded then the group gathered around as the droid showed the holographic plans.
X
"The Rebels have a mole," Pryce smirked, the realization finally dawning upon her as she and Kallus were called into the grand admiral's office.
Thrawn could face-palm at the spot if he could, but playing the part of an Imperial admiral had it's cons.
He kept a straight face on as he noticed Kallus inwardly squirming. The agent himself was trying to keep his composure steady, the last thing that Thrawn needed to confirm his theory.
"We must interrogate all those in this facility!" Pryce suddenly demanded. "And all those suspicious MUST be ARRESTED AND EXECUTED!"
"Patience, Governor," Thrawn assured her calmly. "Acting out of emotion will not serve us here. Besides, we would not have proof that a person would be telling the truth, even if we interrogate them. We must have patience,"
"But—"
"Patience, Governor." Thrawn glanced down at her sharply. "You are dismissed, Governor Pryce."
"Again?!" Pryce was raging now. She had always HATED it when someone, much less Thrawn, stops her plans. "But, Grand Admiral Thrawn—"
"You are DISMISSED, Pryce." Thrawn repeated, gritting his teeth this time to keep himself from shouting. She was beginning to be a complete nuisance to him and his plans.
Pryce didn't even tried to hide her snarl as she turned and stomped out. As soon as she was gone, Thrawn let out a sigh and turned to face the window.
"Agent Kallus, lock the door. What I am about to tell you is top secret and should not be heard by others." he commanded.
Kallus was hesitant, but he knew he had to obey to his superior's orders, so he obliged and locked the door. He went back in front of the admiral, still keeping his face straight as he narrowed his eyes at the blue man's back.
"It seems that out mole's identity is closer than one could guess," Thrawn spoke.
Kallus swallowed. The grand admiral had been told as calm yet intelligent. If this was a strategy to get him out of hiding then it was working (unfortunately).
"Who… Who do you suspect it to be, Sir?"
"Quite obvious, Agent Kallus," Thrawn swiveled around to eye the other man closely. "Such a mistake to not disable the security cameras, but I am sure YOU did not expect the cameras to be active, nor did you expect the Rebels to show up and cause trouble,"
Kallus tensed up. The blue man was smarter than he had expected, and he had expected him to be very, VERY intelligent. One of his hands reached back subconsciously for his bo-rifle, which Thrawn noticed immediately.
"Rest assure you, Agent Kallus, that your secret is safe with me," he reassured, taking a step forward towards the man. "I will not reveal your identity to Pryce,"
"Then… why did you tell her the Rebels have a mole?" Kallus questioned, taking his hand back hesitantly.
"A mere distraction, so she could stop interfering with my plans," Thrawn released the hiss he had been biting down.
"I am forbidden to share any Rebel secrets, under the orders of Commander Tano," Kallus opposed.
"I do not want any of your Rebel secrets, Agent Kallus," Thrawn consoled him. "I only request that your Fulcrum transmissions are to be moved from wherever they may be to my Star Destroyer, the Chimera,"
"Any specific reason why?" Kallus narrowed his eyes at the Chiss. "I am forbidden to move my post unless there is an understandable reason,"
"By orders of Commander Tano?" Thrawn raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, and of Commander Sato,"
"I see…" Thrawn gave a nod and turned away from the man. "Then I would like to have a word with your Rebel Commanders as soon as you transfer your post. I have one of their Rebel friends under custody, and I am sure Captain Syndulla would like to make sure he is still alive,"
"…who…?" Kallus was now studying the man with suspicion.
"The young boy of the Lothal Rebel Cell,"
Kallus's eyes widened. He knew that the Lothal Rebel Cell valued their crew members like kyber crystals.
'If the captain or the leader were to know if the boy was alive—'
"What are you planning to exchange for the boy?"
Thrawn had to hold in a chuckle. Of course, the agent/Rebel Spy would ask such a thing. He truly was turning into a Rebel himself.
"Nothing. I only wish to be in contact with Captain Syndulla and Jarrus. You may go now, Agent Kallus,"
Kallus hesitantly took a step back before turning and unlocking the door. He left the office and walked through the halls then he headed down to the hanger, grabbed a speeder (a functional one) and dashed off.
Unbeknownst to him, Pryce had caught him leaving, and her suspicions had peeked up. She stormed back to Thrawn's office and went straight inside.
"What was so important that you had to send out Agent Kallus but keep it from me?" She spat out.
"I tasked him to do a job that is suitable for an agent with ISB training," Thrawn replied calmly, without even looking towards the woman as he passed her. "Your job is to govern Lothal and make sure that no Rebels are powerful enough to overthrow you, yet you focus on jobs that do not concern you. Sooner or later, you will be overpowered, so I recommend you to focus on your duties and leave the Rebels to me, Konstantine and Kallus. Besides, there is still a mole out here in the facility. Surely, you do not encourage the mole to overthrow you off your position?"
"No, I don't." Pryce was now glaring at the man with a growl. He was shrugging her off-topic, and she DESPISED him for it.
"Then go. I am sure that you have enough training and intelligence to find the mole and pry them off your hair, so this factory and all of Lothal may progress as you please," Thrawn opened the door and walked out. "I will return to the Chimera to continue my research on those Lothal Rebels you complain so much about. Farewell, Governor Pryce,"
"Farewell, indeed." Pryce bit her tongue in fury as she watched the man take his leave.
X
Kallus dashed his speeder through the field of Lothal. He headed straight to the abandoned comm tower, right past Capital City then he parked the speeder below it and climbed up the ladder. He entered the dark, messy, room and went towards his port. He activated the device, revealing the white symbol of Fulcrum.
"This is Fulcrum," he spoke through the device. "I am requesting an audience with Commander Tano and Captain Syndulla,"
"Right here, Fulcrum," Ahsoka's voice rang through the speaker. "Captain Syndulla is right beside me. What do you need?"
"It is Grand Admiral Thrawn. He caught me as Fulcrum after your friends' little stunt at the factory, but he told me that he will not exploit me if I move my post to his Star Destroyer. He wants to be in contact with Captain Syndulla and Jarrus, and he wants to have a word with you and Commander Sato, Commander Tano,"
"Does he have Ezra with him?!" Hera's worry showed through her voice. "Is he alright?!"
"He does have the boy in his custody, but I'm uncertain if Bridger is alright," Kallus sighed.
"I suggest that you move your post as he commands," Ahsoka recommended. "We would all like to talk to Thrawn. I will report the change to Commander Sato,"
"As you command, Commander Tano. Fulcrum out." Kallus hung up then he grabbed the device and placed it inside a small box crate.
He then carried it outside and set it on his speeder before getting on and dashing back to the factory.
X
"Has there been any changes, Captain Palleon?" Thrawn questioned as soon as he was met by the captain the moment he stepped foot out of his shuttle and into the Chimera's lower hanger.
"No, sir. Nothing," Palleon shook his head.
"Good," Thrawn nodded. "Have the delivery of Meiloorans, Jogans and meat arrived?"
"Yes, Sir, and they've been transported to the kitchen,"
"Good," Thrawn walked past the captain. "Oh, and please stand guard of the lower hanger. I am expecting Agent Kallus later today. Tell him to meet me in my office,"
"At your command, Grand Admiral," Palleon gave a nod.
Thrawn headed through the halls and went to the Chimera kitchen. He took out a medium grey sack and placed in two Jogans, three Meiloorans and a plastic bag of newly-cooked kebabs. He tied the sack with a thin rope and tied it to his belt then he headed to his office. He told the trooper in front of his door to expect Agent Kallus before entering his office's halls.
"Ezra?"
He went to the training room to see the Assassin Droids on the floor, sliced into bits and sparking in electricity. He winced, realizing that the boy had been angry at how easily he had dismissed the plans for the new Tie Fighters.
"But where could he be now…?"
CRASH!
Thrawn turned to hear a series of things falling on the ground and crashing (if not, breaking). The sound came from his office, so he ran out of his training room and into the office. His eyes widened to see the place a mess, with most of his artifacts on the ground. They weren't broken, to his relief, but they were most likely scathed and fractured.
'But how did they all fall…?'
Familiar sobbing was soon heard from behind his desk, and Thrawn cautiously moved closer to see Ezra on the ground, hugging his knees together as he trembled. Instincts kicked in, and Thrawn fell on his knees to embrace the boy.
"Shh, it is alright," he soothed as he held the other tightly. "I am here,"
"D-Dad…?" Thrawn pulled away a bit to see Ezra looking up at him with tearful eyes. "I… I'm sorry… f-for the mess… th-the Droids… I…"
"No, it is alright," Thrawn shook his head and held him close again. "It is alright. We will clean up later. For now, we will move to your room to talk. I assume that you are hungry after all that training?"
"Hmm-mm…" Ezra shyly nodded, avoiding eye contact.
Thrawn helped his son to stand then they left the main office and went to Ezra's room. The blunette sat down on his bed while the Chiss sat on a nearby chair before handing the sack to the boy. Ezra took it gratefully and opened it, smiling as he took out a Meilooran and started munching. Thrawn took it as a sign to speak up.
"I apologize, Ezra, for dismissing the topic about the new Tie Fighter plans," he began. "I have shared the plans only to a few officers that would help me with them, but I have never exposed it too broadly, not even to your mother Eli, and believe me, he had reacted just as harshly as you had when I dismiss the topic,"
Ezra listened attentively to his father's explanation as he swallowed what he was chewing before speaking. "But then… why now? I've been seeing and causing series of Ties to explode for nearly a year. Why activate the plans now?"
Thrawn let out a sigh. He knew he was forbidden to to share this info since he had been entrusted to keep it by Emperor Palpatine, but he knew that it was too dangerous to keep. It would endanger his people, his family, his husband, his son and his son's friends, and hurting his son both physically and mentally was something he never wanted to do.
"They are active, for I planned to distract my Emperor with his weapon," Thrawn's face grew stern. "He has been planning a weapon called 'The Death Star'. It is created to have the power to destroy planets and moons, destroying civilizations. I disagreed with the planning of this… monstrosity, but I had been forbidden to stop it, so I planned to direct my Emperor's focus to something more… useful to the Empire,"
"Is that why you're still with the Empire, Dad…?" Ezra's eyebrows furrowed in worry. "You wanted to protect your home planet… OUR home planet Csilla… from the Empire and this… 'Death Star'?"
Thrawn smiled and nodded. Ezra's eyes slightly widened in response before he munched on the fruit in his hand and looked down at the floor.
"How… How could the Empire built such a thing…?"
"That was my same question," Thrawn let out a groan. "Destroying planets will not gain the Empire any power, but I am sure that Emperor Palpatine is planning to destroy Rebel bases in each planet by simply destroying it,"
"That's no excuse." Ezra hissed. "Just because there Rebels on the planet doesn't mean the whole planet is Rebel-infested."
"I agree," Thrawn nodded with a sigh. "I have not shared this with Eli yet in worry that he might do something irrational and confront the Emperor himself,"
"Does Mom get that angry?"
"Yes, and he had reacted worse many times before," Thrawn chuckled. "His wrath is something never to be underestimated and is something I never want to face. When he focuses his mind on something, he will stay with it, no matter what,"
Ezra giggled and looked up at his father with a smile. Thrawn melted at his son's smile; Ezra looked so much like Eli when he smiled. It was too heartwarming for him to handle.
There was a brief moment of silence between them, with Ezra munching on the leftover Jogans and Meiloorans then he started up on the kebab. He managed to finish one before he stood up and set the sack on the bed.
"I'm full. I'll clean the mess up in the training room and in your office,"
"You will clean the mess in the office, and I will fix the Assassin Droids," Thrawn told him, standing up beside his son. "It will be safer, for there are too much electric wires to fix,"
"Okay, Dad," Ezra nodded, and the two walked out of the room to clean up the messes.
X
"And where are you going, Agent Kallus?" Pryce scowled, glaring at the agent as he stopped in front of her before her eyes settled down at the small crate in his arms. "And what's inside that box?"
"Top secret and requested by Grand Admiral Thrawn himself," Kallus replied, trying to get past the Governor. "I am due at the Chimera, prior to his orders,"
"I am not aware that you were ordered to go to the Chimera," Pryce narrowed her eyes at the man. "Maybe I should come along with you. I would like to have a word with Grand Admiral Thrawn myself,"
"You may request his audience at another time, but for now, it is urgent for ME to leave immediately," Kallus finally found an opening and walked towards his shuttle.
He watched the governor huff and cross her arms, but he didn't bother to acknowledge it. He kept on walking to ignore her, taking a deep breath to calm himself and his fast-beating, nervous heart.
"Pilot, I am expected at the Chimera," he spoke to the trooper at the steering as he entered his shuttle, carrying the box in his arms before setting it down on the ground.
"Yes, Sir," the pilot nodded and closed the ramp.
The shuttle hovered out of the hanger and into the sky. It soared high and left Lothal's atmosphere, with the 7th Fleet in view. It approached the Chimera and flew down to the lower hanger. Once it landed, the ramp opened, and Kallus came out to meet the captain, the box still in his hands.
"Agent Kallus," Palleon gave a salute to the ISB Agent. "Grand Admiral Thrawn has been expecting you in his office,"
"Understood. Thank you, Captain Palleon," Kallus nodded before striding pass him and heading through the halls.
He found Thrawn's office and prepared his cylinder pass. He handed it to the trooper, and the trooper told him that he was being expected by Thrawn, something Kallus already expected himself. As soon as he was in the office halls, and the door slid shut behind him, he sighed in relief and took a few steps forward.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn?"
"Ah, Agent Kallus," Kallus nearly jumped at the voice before turning to see Thrawn appear and step out from the training room. "I have been expecting you. I assume Commander Tano approves of your post changing it's position?"
"Yes, she did," Kallus nodded, lifting the box to show. "Where should I set my post?"
"In my main office," Thrawn motioned the man to the other door. "Come, I will assist on the set-up,"
The two walked forward, and the door slid open to reveal Ezra placing the last of his father's artifacts up on the shelf.
"There. All clean," he sighed in relief and turned around. He paused, however, when he saw the familiar ISB agent, his eyes widening in shock. "A… Agent Kallus?! What is HE doing here?!"
Kallus wasn't surprised by the boy's outburst, yet he jumped at it's shocked and angry tone. Before he could say anything to defend himself, though, Thrawn came in between them.
"Do not be alarmed, Ezra," he assured his son. "Agent Kallus is in our side. He is a Rebel Spy,"
"Kallus? A Rebel Spy?!" Ezra's face showed disbelief. "Yeah, right!"
"I am," Kallus's face grew stern. "By the light of Lothal's moons,"
Ezra was taken back. He had heard that code phrase before. Ahsoka has told him that there was a Rebel Spy in the Empire with the same code phrase, but he would never suspect Kallus, among all the officers, to be Fulcrum.
"Come, Agent Kallus," Thrawn interrupted his son's thoughts as he motioned to his desk. "Let us set up the device for your Fulcrum Transmissions,"
"Of course," Kallus nodded and placed the crate on the desk before Thrawn came over to help set up.
As they did, Ezra watched them. He didn't trust the older human one bit and was ready to knock him out if he did ANYTHING to him or his father. He would make sure of it.
"Kallus."
"Hmm?" Kallus turned his head to the boy.
"…why?"
"Why… what?"
Ezra growled. "Why join the Rebellion? After all those times chasing us, why change sides?"
"Well…" Kallus sighed. "when your Lasat friend, Garazeb Orrelios, and I we're stuck in that Geonosian ice moon, he managed to get through to me. It was a simple talk about what happened to the citizens of Geonosia, and he told me to seek the answers. Once I had returned to Admiral Konstantine's Star Destroyer, I had begun taking Zeb's advice. I kept seeking the answers I longed until I realized my mistake, and what he wanted me to truly see,"
"You were stranded on an ice moon for nearly a day, and Konstantine did not bother to know?" Thrawn scoffed as he finished setting up the machine. "I am not surprised. Konstantine is a political man that cares only for his image, not for the members of his own ship,"
"Well, I guess I could believe that," Ezra sighed, his eyes and thoughts flying up to the clouds. "Zeb IS that thoughtful to see the good in everyone, even in someone as wicked as you, Kallus…"
Thrawn's sharp ears caught and recognized the tone his son was using when describing the Lasat, and he glared at the boy with a growl, yet he bit his tongue and stopped himself from screaming his opinion. He had only heard that tone once, and it had come from Eli whenever he was talking about him (Thrawn) to their cadet mates.
'It seems Ezra had gotten Eli's attraction to other species…'
"Well, I suppose it is thoughtful of him, but I am more thankful that Commander Tano and Commander Sato has given me a chance to prove myself through my Fulcrum transmissions," Kallus shrugged, moving towards the device. "Speaking of Commander Tano, she, along with Captain Syndulla and Jarrus, requests to speak with you, Grand Admiral Thrawn,"
"I request to speak with them as well, along with that Lasat Zeb," Thrawn spoke sternly, with a hint of overprotectiveness.
"DAD!" Ezra immediately caught on with what his father meant, and he snarled, his face reddening in embarrassment.
'Dad…?!' Kallus's eyes widened at the outburst.
Thrawn's expression was unfazed, but the small jump his feet had done revealed his surprise. Definitely not a good idea to piss Ezra off to limits. A mental note that he is determined to stick up sooner or later.
"I would like to envision it as a 'Family Tradition', Ezra," The Chiss spoke, clearing his throat. "Your maternal grandfather had given me that kind of talk years ago before our union and proposal. It was not the most pleasant experience, but if this Zeb truly reciprocates your feelings for him then he will be brave enough to listen through it,"
"Well, since you went through it yourself, I guess it's fine…" Ezra sighed, folding his arms with a frown. "I'd also like to talk to Zeb, anyway. I miss him…"
Kallus stared at the two, confusion and shock written all over his face as he activated the transmitter. He slowly turned away from them then he turned on the speaker, causing the Fulcrum symbol to appear again.
"Th… This is Fulcrum. Permission to speak with Commander Tano?"
"Permission granted, Fulcrum," Ahsoka's voice came through loud and clear, catching Thrawn and Ezra's attention. "I am with the rest of the Ghost Crew,"
"Good because I have Grand Admiral Thrawn and Bridger with me," Kallus spoke, and Ezra winced at his false last name. He really didn't like it anymore.
"Ezra's there?!" Hera's worry could practically be heard bouncing off through the speaker. "Ezra?! Are you okay?!"
"Are you hurt?!" Kanan's voice came next, the tone in his voice sounding equally worried as Hera's. "Are you doing okay in there?!"
"And you said you check on him everyday," Rex's chuckle was heard, a little faint because of being in the background.
"I do, but I check his FORCE SIGNATURE, Rex! He could mask his well-being from his Force Signature!"
"Well, you never said that!"
'And… there they go again…' Ezra sighed in exasperation. If there's one thing he didn't miss, it was Kanan and Rex arguing like there was no tomorrow.
"Boys, BOYS!" Hera's scolding made Kallus and Ezra jump. "Not the time for you two to rage at each other's throats again! One more, and I will cuff you two together with Force-inhibitor restraints and lock you both in a closet!"
Silence soon appeared from the other end, and Kallus was worried for a moment that he had been disconnected, but a look from Ezra showed that he hadn't and that it was only Kanan and Rex glaring at each other silently. A sigh from Ahsoka brought back life to the connection.
"Well, now that… little bickering… is over, Fulcrum, are you still there?"
"Yes, and still with Grand Admiral Thrawn and—"
"Ezra," the blunette gave the agent a glare, warning him to NEVER call him by his false surname EVER again. "I'm right here, Ashoka. With Dad,"
"I then assume that he now knows the truth?"
"Yes, I do, Commander Tano," Thrawn replied with a slight bow. "And I would like to thank Captain Syndulla and Jarrus for saving my boy from his misery in the streets,"
"Our honor, Grand Admiral." Hera hissed at her words, clearly not trusting the Chiss, but Thrawn knew that he deserved that after their last encounter in Ryloth. "Before we talk, however, my crew and I would like to make sure Ezra's okay."
"Of course, Captain," Thrawn motioned his son to come closer, which Ezra obliged to with a nod.
"Hey, Hera," he said with a smile. "I'm fine, I'm not hurt, and I'm doing okay, thanks for asking,"
"Good, because SOMEONE has been DYING to speak with you…"
"EZRA!" Zeb's voice screamed through the speaker, causing Kallus to wince and causing Thrawn to growl under his breath.
"ZEB!" Ezra sounded just as excited at hearing his boyfriend's voice again. "I missed you SO much!"
"I miss you too, Ez! How are you?"
"I'm good. You?"
"Good. Better now that I can hear you,"
Ezra blushed, a sheepish smile on his face. "Aw, you're so sweet!"
"You worried me, you know," Zeb's voice sounded as if he was choking in his own tears, which he was.
"Sorry, Zebby," Ezra's mood turned a little sad. "but I promised you that I'd be alive, and I'm still keeping that promise,"
As the two talked, Thrawn was trying his hardest to keep still and keep his mouth shut. He had suddenly realized why Eli's father had been so overprotective of him before. It was REALLY hard to trust whom his child was dating, and it was REALLY going to bother him until he met Zeb and get to know him better. Until then, he wasn't taking any chances, but he knew he couldn't do anything now.
It made him recall the time he had met Eli's parents. Mrs. Vanto welcomed him with warm and open arms. Mr. Vanto, however, didn't even acknowledge him until after dinner. He had brought him out of the house and gave him a not-so-pleasant talk. It was more like a threat, if he were to recall. Eli had heard it and was so embarrassed and angry that the blood rushed all the way to the tip of his ears.
Thrawn didn't want to embarrass Ezra like that, so it was better if he would talk to Zeb when the boy was asleep. At the moment, however, he would just let the two talk.
"Alright, alright, Zeb," The sound of Hera pulling the Lasat away from the communicator was soon heard. "It's nearly an hour. Kanan, Ahsoka and I still need to talk to Thrawn,"
"Aw…" Ezra was the one who complained, frowning.
"Hera…" Zeb's grumbles to complain was loud, but the rest of his sentence were nothing but murmurs.
"Let the Lasat stay, Captain Syndulla," Thrawn finally spoke up. "I would like to also have a word with him."
"Dad…" Ezra glared at his father with eyes glowing red, even in the darkness.
"Really…?" The tone in Hera's voice was full of amusement. "Alright then. Zeb, you can stay,"
"But, Ezra, it is your bedtime," Thrawn sternly told his son.
"Dad, I don't like what you're planning…" Ezra groaned, rolling his eyes, but he turned around to leave anyway.
Kallus watched the boy leave before turning back to the Chiss. "I too must leave before Governor Pryce becomes too suspicious of my departure,"
"Of course," Thrawn nodded. "You may go, Agent Kallus,"
Kallus signed off his identity before walking out, leaving the device active for the grand admiral as he left. As soon as he was alone, Thrawn sighed and turned back to the device.
"Captain Syndulla, Commander Tano, before we proceed to the talk that I had requested, I would like to confront your Lasat warrior with something,"
"Of course," Hera let out a chuckle. "Zeb, Ezra's father wants to talk to you,"
A gulp came from the Lasat, followed by the shuffling of heavy footsteps.
"O… Okay…" Zeb's voice showed nervousness. "Um… h-hi, M-Mr… er, Grand Admiral M-Mitth'raw'nuruodo, Sir…"
Thrawn grinned at how badly his presence was affecting the warrior, even if they had never seen each other in person.
"Listen, Garazeb Orrelios." he began with the same tone he used to intimidate his enemies as his facial expression turned solid. "I know that you have feelings for my boy and that Ezra reciprocates these feelings. I will trust you with him and his heart, but if you hurt him in any way possible, there is nowhere in this galaxy you can hide. Either I will hunt you down, slice your head off and hang it up on my wall as a trophy, or I will have you captured and tortured until your life ceases. You know well enough that Ezra had gone through a challenging childhood. I DO NOT want him to have his heart broken through his adolescence. Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes, Sir," Zeb let out another gulp. "I'll take care of him. Lasat's Honor."
"Good. I'll be looking forward to meeting you in person, then." Thrawn nodded before moving on. "Captain Syndulla, Commander Tano, Jarrus, now we may proceed,"
"That's news to me," Hera huffed as she was heard pushing Zeb out of the way with Kanan.
"And what would you like to discuss with us, Grand Admiral?" Ahsoka questioned, stepping forward.
"It is about the secret weapon that the Emperor is planning to create," Thrawn began, his tone balancing between worry and stern. "It is entitled the 'Death Star'…"
X
A/N Finally! This chapter was a real challenge! And who else liked Thrawn being the overprotective father? XD