I'm starting to loathe Sabine centric episodes, all that writing is killer on the hands.
Space, Phoenix Squadron:
"We got the supplies, but we were fortunate to get away. The Empire's making our travels around the Outer Rim tougher all the time." Kanan said as he, Ezra and Zeb walked into the Liberator's command room.
"Yes. We need a new hyperspace route in and out of the Lothal sector." Sato said. "I may have a perfect shortcut. The system of Concord Dawn. It's a Mandalorian colony and not an Imperial territory yet." Sabine spoke up as she changed the table hologram to that of said planet.
"Why not? They've grabbed up just about every other place." Ezra said. "Concord Dawn is known for its elite warriors. They were brought in to train clones back in the war. Bet even the Empire thinks twice about a fight with them." Rex spoke up.
"The question is, who are they loyal to? The Empire does occupy their home world of Mandalore, so Imperial influence could be a factor." Sato replied.
"Years before the Clone Wars broke out, the Mandalorians were already at war with each other. This group call themselves the Protectors. They like to make up their own rules." the ex-merc's girlfriend explained.
"So we go in with strength, scout the system for defenses to see what we're up against." Sato said. "Or why not try diplomacy? Ask permission to use their system as a shortcut." Kanan suggested before Ahsoka's son scoffed.
"Most Mandalorians only understand strength." the teen said while crossing his arms. "He's right." his girlfriend spoke in agreement.
"But we shouldn't make an enemy if we don't need to. If we get permission to fly through their space, the next step could be recruitment. To grow the rebellion, we need friends like these Mandalorians. We could have our route and a powerful ally as well." Hera explained.
Anakin pinched the bridge of his nose at her naivety. "Very well, Captain Syndulla. The mission is yours." Sato replied. "Okay if I tag along?" Sabine asked the Twi'lek. "was hoping you'd ask." she replied before they made their way to the door.
Sabine stopped when she noticed her boyfriend wasn't following, not like he usually did. "You're not coming?" she asked, a bit surprised he wasn't following.
"Not this time. I'd rather not risk them finding out my heritage, since according to my dad, both of us share Revan's face." he replied before she gave an understanding nod then continued after Hera.
"Looks like diplomacy won the day for once." the younger Jedi commented as Kanan turned to face him. "There was a time when it always won the day." he replied.
'I knew it. I knew something like this was going to happen.' the ex-merc thought. Roughly and hour and a half later the Liberator picked up a distress call before they saw his girlfriend exit hyperspace.
"Sabine, what happened? We picked up a distress call. Where's Hera?" Kanan asked over the ship's comm as they saw her .
"She was right behind me. Kanan, we didn't have a chance. These Mandalorians work for the Empire, too." she replied, her tone sounding distressed before they all saw Hera's badly damaged A-wing drop out of hyperspace near Sabine's.
"Hera. Hera, can you hear me?" the older Jedi asked urgently only to get silence in return. "I see her. I see her, Kanan. It's bad. You've got to hurry. Please hurry!" the Mandalorian girl pleaded.
Anakin kept his mechanical arm wrapped around his girlfriend's shoulders comfortingly as both of them along with Zeb and Ezra waited outside the command ship's medbay. Once they heard the humming of the med-droid scanning her stop, Sabine moved out of her boyfriend's hold before rushing inside.
"How is she?" the younger woman asked the droid. "Her vital signs have stabilized. She is going to make it. But she requires rest." the droid replied. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have left her." the Mandalorian said sadly.
"There's nothing you could have done. I'm just glad you're both back in one piece. Commander Sato wants the details on what happened." Kanan said. "Yeah, I'll be right there." she replied softly. "Okay." he said gently before leaving the room.
"I'm so sorry, Hera. They're going to answer for this." she said to the unconscious Twi'lek as her boyfriend gave her a comforting hug. "Come on. If we're going to make them pay, you'd best tell the others about them." he said after a few seconds of silence. Sabine gave him a gentle kiss before the two made their way back to the command centre.
"Fenn Rau, the Protector of Concord Dawn. That's who did this. That's who we're up against." the Mandalorian girl said as she and Anakin entered the room. "Rex, does that name sound familiar to you?" Kanan asked the clone as said man switched the hologram to that of Rau. 'It's good to see these two finally getting along.'
"It sure does. Fenn Rau was a fighter pilot instructor for the Grand Army of the Republic. He also served..." Rex started explaining before the older Jedi finished. "At the Battle of Mygeeto. I know. I was there." he said.
"That was a long time ago." Sato pointed out. "So I guess negotiating's been taken off the table?" the older Jedi questioned.
"Yeah? You want to negotiate? Let's negotiate, by destroying their ability to attack us. I tracked them from Concord Dawn's third moon. They must have a base there." Sabine said as she changed the hologram to one of the planet.
"If they scan our fleet approaching, their fighters will cut us to pieces." Sato replied. "Then I guess we'll have to hit 'em before they take off." Kanan said. "You think you can infiltrate their base?" the Commander asked, sounding a bit surprised at the Jedi's confidence.
"I believe I can." the other man replied. "We can take out their fighters, all of them." the ex-merc's girlfriend said as Sato held his chin in thought. "Hmm. It's risky, but I approve." he said a few seconds later.
"Well, I don't. This is a solo mission, and I'm taking it. I'm already one man down. I won't risk anyone else." he said before turning to leave. "Kanan, I know the Mandalorians. You need me on this mission." Sabine insisted with a frown on her face, stopping him for a second as she placed her fists on her hips.
The older Jedi didn't reply as he continued forward before Ezra and Zeb cut him off. "No way." Zeb said. "We're a team." Ezra said, frowning and crossing his arms. "You can't go without us." the Lasat added.
"All right. I'll take Chopper." Kanan replied, gesturing to the droid who warbled a reply. "But that's all. And this is not open for further discussion. Come on, Chopper." he said to Zeb before addressing the droid who then let out frustrated warble. "Come on, Chopper!" the older Jedi argued back before leaving the room with a reluctant droid following.
Sabine turned back to the hologram once both left before grabbing her boyfriend's hand and leading out of the room.
"Where are we go-" the ex-merc started to ask before stopping and groaning as he realized where she was dragging him. "Anakin, please. I know you don't want them finding out about your heritage, but I need your help." she pleaded while continuing to pull him.
"I guess I'd be a pretty terrible boyfriend if I didn't help you when you asked for it." he replied with a weary sigh. His dread vanished somewhat from thanks to the smile she gave him right after his reply.
Luckily the two managed to sneak on board the Phantom before Kanan and hid in the cargo port under the floor that the ex-merc had no idea even existed until now. 'You learn something new everyday.'
"I can hear you. And, yes, I know what I'm doing. Just program the nav computer." the couple heard Kanan tell the droid who warbled at him.
Space, near Concord Dawn:
'Despite it being cramped in here, I'm definitely enjoying the position we're in.' the teen thought as Sabine was lying on top of him. "Chopper, load up the intel Sabine gathered. We can pinpoint where their base is." the Jedi ordered before the droid warbled something as the teens exited the hold.
"What do you mean, 'Just ask her'?" he asked, sounding confused. "He means I'm standing right behind you." she said before walking up to him. "Better jam those scanners." she suggested as he took notice of Anakin as well.
"What are you two doing here?" Kanan asked, sounding shocked as Anakin sat down on one of the seats. "You must be pretty distracted not to have noticed that we stowed away. So, what are you really up to?" she asked before he sighed.
"You heard Sato's orders. I'm gonna destroy those fighters before they take off." he replied as she leaned against the chair. "I know you better than that." she replied. "Fine. I'm going to finish Hera's mission. We need to recruit the Mandalorians to join the rebellion." he explained.
"The Protectors almost killed Hera. What are you thinking?" she exclaimed questioningly. "I'm thinking we can still offer them a chance to change. Everyone deserves a chance." he replied before she scoffed.
"You know, this Jedi philosophy stuff doesn't work for everyone." she said dismissively before starting to turn around. "That's why we're at war." he said, stopping her for a second before turning his attention back to piloting as she crossed her arms and leaned against the right side of the shuttle.
Third moon of Concord Dawn:
Once they neared the ground, the two humans and hybrid jumped out of the shuttle before Chopper piloted it away so the Protectors wouldn't see it. The three then climbed up the cliff they were on to look over the Protectors base below.
"Well? What are we up against?" Kanan asked quietly as the teens scanned the area with their helmet antennas.
"Including the two starfighters on patrol? Eight ships total. But they're spread out, so it's gonna take us a while to plant charges. I think I brought enough explosives." she explained while sounding a bit unsure at the end.
"You always bring enough explosives." her boyfriend said, trying to reassure her. "Hopefully you won't have to use 'em. Now get down. They got company." the Jedi warned as an Imperial shuttle landed at the base and the rebels laid prone on the ground.
"Look's like the Empire bought their loyalty." he commented as they watched an Imperial officer with a case walk over to one of the Protectors. "See the Mandalorian accepting the credits? That's their leader, Fenn Rau." Sabine informed the other two.
Thanks to their antennas, the couple were not only able to zoom in on them but also hear what they were saying. Before Rau and the Imperial spoke, the Mandalorian girl pressed a button on her wrist comm, so the Jedi could hear as well.
"Here is the payment for the next rotation." the officer said as he handed Rau the case. "This arrangement is working to your benefit. I encountered a squadron of rebels." the Protector informed him before said Imperial took a step back in surprise.
"The rebel fleet?" he asked. "Not an entire fleet. A couple fighters. But my men and I took care of them." Rau replied as the officer relaxed a bit. "If they return, be sure to contact us." the Imperial said before getting a two finger salute in return as Rau started walking away.
"Oh, yeah. You're negotiations are gonna go great." Anakin said sarcastically as he and his girlfriend raised the antennas. "What's the plan? I mean, if diplomacy doesn't work." she asked the older man.
"You give me a chance to recruit the Mandalorians. If that doesn't work out, then you get to blow up their fighters. We have a deal?" he asked. "Fine. But not just the ships. Rau has to pay for what he did to Hera." she replied before they started to crawl away from the edge of the cliff. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Kanan said.
The three managed to make it down to the base before hiding behind one of the barracks and watching the shuttle take off. The trio then moved quickly to another building and waited for a few seconds before moving to another. The three quickly pressed right up against it as two Mandos walked by.
"Two rebels burned. The rest fled. He wants us to stay on guard." one of them said to the other. Once they passed, the three peeked around the corner and saw Rau walking into a smaller building.
"Plant your bombs, but wait for my signal." the Jedi said quietly before Sabine sighed. "All right." she replied, clearly still unsure about using diplomacy. "Hey. I trust you." he said before making his way to the building Rau went into while the teens turned around and headed for the fighters.
The couple quickly hid behind a building before Sabine did a quick sweep of the area. Once she was done, the girl nodded to her boyfriend before the two quickly made their way over to some explosive barrels.
Just as she was about signal him to move again they saw fighter descend near their location. As soon as it passed she turned to Anakin. "Okay. You take those ones and I got these ones." she said quietly while gesturing to one group then another that was roughly fifteen feet from the first.
"Got it." he replied both the both move quickly and quietly. The ex-merc placed his a detonator on the underside of the first fighter's right wing before quietly making his way over to the next.
"One more after this." he said to himself after placing another explosive. The ex-merc then crawled out from under the fighter before looking around for his girlfriend. After finally finding her, he saw that she was being held at blasterpoint by one of the Proctectors.
"You gotta be shitting me." he cursed under his breath before quietly making his over to them.
The ex-merc took cover behind one of the fighters just in time to see two more Mandos take aim. "Where did you steal that armor from, bounty hunter?" one of them demanded.
"Bounty hunter? Not lately. I forged this armor with my family." she replied before hopping up on top the fighter near them. "Family? That's a bold claim. What's your house?" the same one asked.
"I'm Clan Wren, House Vizsla." she replied. "House Vizsla?" another asked. "She's Death Watch." the first replied before the second took aim again. "Traitor!" the second accused, looking like he was about to shoot her any second now.
"My mother was, but I'm not. I came here to settle a score, and I invoke the code to seek justice through single combat." she said. "No one has invoked the code since the Empire took over." the first replied as Sabine holstered her blasters.
"Well, who's in charge here? The Empire or Mandalore?" she challenged. 'Better get in there, just incase.'
Moving out from behind the wing, the teen made his way towards them. Anakin had to fight the urge defend himself as a few Mandos pointed their blasters at him upon being noticed.
"What clan are you?" the first Protector demanded as the the teen hopped up onto the fighter before standing beside his girlfriend. "I don't have a clan, my godmother gave this armor to father as a gift for me." he explained while crossing his arms.
Apparently with this Mandalorian 'Code' envoked, it meant the Mandos wouldn't shoot, even as the couple were escorted to Rau's building. Sure as hell didn't make Revan's descendant feel any better.
"Sabine, I thought we had an agreement." Kanan said with a frown. "They started it." she defended as Rau placed a hand on one of his pistols. "Your house is an enemy to the Protectors. Call out your opponent for combat to the death." he said before the ex-merc's girlfriend took off her helmet.
"I thought you'd never ask. I call out you, Fenn Rau. You're gonna pay for what you did to Hera." she challenged with a glare. "Just like I said, you rebels fight battles you can't win. I assume Hera is the pilot I shot to pieces earlier. I guess she didn't make it." he replied while taking a few steps away from the Jedi before facing Sabine.
"She's alive. Barely." she said, her glare not letting up. "I got to admit this is an interesting development. One of you came to befriend me, another came to kill me and... what about you?" Rau asked the other teen.
"Honestly? I was just dragged along." he admitted before sitting on the fighter wing behind him. "We can't let you attack our fleet. But we'd rather leave here as friends." Kanan told the Protectors' leader.
"He's already the enemy." the ex-merc's girlfriend snapped. "Sabine, you know this isn't what Hera wanted. She didn't want to create enemies and she wouldn't want you to die." the Jedi reminded.
"I'm not planning on dying." Sabine replied as she and Rau both had their hands hovering over the blasters. "I'm afraid the only way you're getting out of here alive is if she kills me, and that is not going to happen." the Protector said to the other man.
"What is it with you Mandalorians, never knowing how to solve anything except through the end of a blaster?!" Kanan asked, sounding exasperated as Anakin snorted in amusement at his words.
"Sabine, you do this, you're no better than him." the Jedi tried to reason. "You have to trust me." she replied, keeping her eyes locked on Rau while her boyfriend made his way around the Mandos to reach Kanan.
"Sabine, you make this choice and, win or lose, the Empire is going to be all over this system and the fleet." he tried reasoning again. "Kanan, you need to stop talking now." the ex-merc's girlfriend said firmly.
Anakin tensed the second Rau grabbed one of his blasters. Luckily Sabine was faster and managed to shoot the blaster out of his hand. "There are alternatives to killing." she said with a smile before placing her helmet back on then pressing a button on her wrist computer.
Knowing exactly what was about to happen, her boyfriend quickly turned to the side before tackling Kanan to the ground just as the bombs went off and the fighters exploded. "Thanks, kid." he thanked after the explosions were over.
"Hey. You saved me from Vader, it's the least I can do. Come on." he said, unholstering the DC-17m Rex had let him keep after Seelos while Kanan ignited his lightsaber. The two quickly made their way over to the Mandalorian girl before helping her up.
"Come on!" the Jedi urged her before the the three quickly ran into Rau's building.
"Eat plasma!" Anakin spat before switching to full automatic and keeping the Mandos from entering. Of course that didn't stop them trying to shoot the rebels, shots the older man occasionally had to deflect.
"Fuck..." the teen cursed as his blaster made clicking sounds when he pulled the trigger before diving for the cover Sabine and Kanan were behind. "Are you feeling better now? You got to blow stuff up." the Jedi said as he extinguished his blade then readied his blaster.
"I thought you'd be happy I didn't kill anyone." she replied before popping out to shoot at three Protectors. "Actually, I'm thrilled." he replied sarcastically. "Well, here's the bad news, Rau's fighter is at the far end of the field, and I wasn't able to set the charges on it before they captured me." she explained.
"You're saying we should go after him?" her boyfriend asked in surprise as he finally got his blaster working again. "Yes!" she replied before Kanan groaned in frustration. "Fine. But we are still not killing anyone." he said, begrudgingly agreeing with her plan.
"You love making this hard for me." she replied with a groan of frustration while he ignited his blade again. "I think it's his favorite pastime." Anakin quipped as the older man started deflecting blaster bolts.
The three quickly ran to the door while deflecting and suppressing fire before noticing Rau getting into his fighter just after exiting the building.
As the couple noticed Kanan running towards the Rau, the two made sure the Protectors focus remained on them. A few minutes passed before they saw the fighter take off into the sky, with the Jedi still on it.
"Chopper, I think we're done here." Sabine said over her comm before she and her boyfriend made for the exit.
Once again aboard the Phantom, the Mandalorian girl piloted it in the general direction they'd seen Rau's fighter go before she contacted Kanan. "Kanan. How's the plan going?" she asked. "Just get up here!" he snapped a few seconds later.
"Okay! Hang on!" she shot back. Roughly half a minute later they finally caught up to Rau's fighter before Anakin took the controls from her so she could get the older men. The ex-merc piloted the shuttle past them before slowing down to closer to the fighter.
"Kanan!" Anakin's girlfriend called out before the Jedi Force-jumped into the shuttle with an unconscious Rau.
Sabine chuckled at Kanan after closing the back of the shuttle. "When you set your mind to something, you're kind of frightening." she said with a hidden smile behind her helmet before moving over to her boyfriend and removing her helmet.
"You're doing really good for your first time piloting the shuttle. Your dad must've taught you a lot." she complimented. "Actually, he taught me very little. I'm not sure why, but i've always had a natural affinity for flying." he replied, his answer surprising her.
"How do you feel?" they heard Kanan ask a conscious Rau a few seconds later. "Like a prisoner." he replied with tone of contempt before his comm started beeping. "Better get that." the other man suggested with a smirk.
"Are you crazy? You can't let a prisoner receive outside communications." Sabine said sounding incredulous as the beeping continued. "Just answer it." the Jedi said, giving Rau a serious look before the man finally answered it.
"Sir, are you all right? We're marshaling our reserve starfighters for pursuit." a Protector informed him. "Stand down. There's no need." the Protectors leader assured. "But, sir, if the Empire finds out about your capture..." the Mando trailed off, sounding a bit worried.
"You're not gonna let that happen." his leader ordered. "And the rebels?" his subordinate asked. "Until I give the word, there is to be no mention of the rebels. And their ships are to be granted safe passage through our system." he replied.
"As you wish." the Protector replied, sounding weary before disconnecting.
Space. Phoenix Squadron:
With Rau now in binders, the couple and Jedi escorted him onto the Liberator before being met by two rebels.
"Welcome to the Rebellion." Kanan said before crossing his arms. "Right now we are only friends because we have to be." he replied curtly before the two rebels took over escorting him.
"What does that mean?" Sabine asked the Jedi. "Well, the Empire are the last group to make a habit of rescuing people." her boyfriend answered instead as he crossed his arms too.
"The last thing Rau wants is Imperial ships all over his territory, and that's exactly what he'd get if they found out he was our prisoner." the older man added before they were greeted by Ezra.
"Kanan, Sabine, Anakin. Hera wants to see you." he informed them before the three quickly made their way to the medbay.
"I hear we're taking prisoner now." the Twi'lek said with a small smile after they entered the room. "I like to think of him more as a reluctant recruit." Kanan said with a small smirk as Sabine walked up to her bed.
"It was better than the alternative. There was no need to take their lives if we didn't have to." the younger woman said with a smile. "Hmm. Sabine, you're sounding more like a Jedi than a Mandalorian." Hera teased.
"Well, I guess I've just been raised right." Sabine replied, looking at Kanan for a second before Anakin put his hands up. "Okay, that's it. I've had enough Jedi stuff for one day." he said, much to the amusement of the other three as he exited the room.
Whew. Finally chapter 21 is done.