Ezri really doesn't want to be there. She just wanted to crawl back up into her bunk on the ghosts in pretend that today was not happening. It was depressing because not only was i Empire Day it was also her fifteenth birthday and the day her parents were taken away from her. Since she was 7 years old, she spent 8 years on the road, alone, taking even jobs from pirates or even a temporary partnership with that bounty hunter named Bossk. However, shortly after that met the Ghost crew, and in the sixth months she had been with them, they became her new family, just like Sabine had said. Sabine and Zeb were like the siblings she never had and Chopper was the cat her parents once owned. Hera is the best mother figure she could ask for and Kanan, well extra Ezri saw him as a father. However, she only thought that deep down but right now, she was upset and no one seemed to ask her what the problem was because her anger over her birthday always superseded it. That's why she doesn't want to be there, standing in the field and doing a hefty lesson today as she continued to play with her Padawan braid. Can't she have a day off?

"Ezri!" Kanan shouted and Ezri woke up, being brought back to the present. "Ezri, are you even paying attention?"

"Um, sorry," Ezri said, shaking out of her blank state of mind. Kanan sighed. Any more lessons with her dosing off Kanan's hair would turn gray early. She approached the field as the Loth-cat responded to Kanan throwing the rock.

"I don't think he wants to connect," Ezri said by the way he was hissing at her.

"You're resisting. He can sense it."

"He can sense it? What is he, like, a Padawan cat?" The cat pounced on her, sending her falling down on her butt as the cat tried scratching at her. Kanan couldn't help but smirk at the image before him.

"You don't seem to be getting this."

Ezri growled, throwing the cat to the ground.

"I get that this furball was trying to kill me," Ezri snapped. "Give me your lightsaber, and I'll make the connection."

Kanan was immediately perplexed by Ezri's statement. "Excuse me?"

"Sorry. I just don't see the point of this," Ezri answered, crossing her arms, her braid flipping on the side of her head.

"The point is that you're not alone," Kanan said, reaching his hand out to the creature. "You're connected to every living thing in the universe. But to discover that, you have to let your guard down. You have to be willing to attach to others.

"And what if I can't?"

"If you hang on to your past, if you always try to protect yourself, you'll never be a jedi."

"Then maybe I'll never be a Jedi."

Kanan looked to her as if she grew a second head. Ezri never talked like that. Well, she is his kid, so he's going to see what is wrong with her

"Ezri, whatever's going on with you, you need to spill it."

"I'm sorry, Kanan. I don't mean to wear you out. Today's not a good day. It's never a good day."

"Today?"

"Empire Day," Ezri specified.

Kanan understood why that would bother Ezri, because none of the rebels liked Empire Day because it was also the day that the Empire was founded and when Order 66 was initiated. He completely forgot that holiday was today. However, Kanan could tell Ezri hated it more than he thought. As the two Jedi stood, TIEs suddenly came over them.

"What are so many ties doing out this far?" Ezri asked.

"Nothing good. Come on," Kanan shouted as Ezri followed.

When Ezri and Kanan got into the tavern that Jho owned, Hera, Sabine and Zeb were already there. Wordlessly, Ezri reached for her energy slingshot but Kanan put his hand over her hand.

"Not unless we have to," Kanan muttered and Ezri nodded, moving her hand and hiding her Padawan braid. She and Kanan sat by the bar. She looked around and saw the empire was looking for and why there were TIE fighters: she saw them hold a Rodian by the arm but the picture was what caught Ezri's eye.

"Tseebo," Ezri said. Kanan looked at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." Ezri said before she sighed to herself, just glad that Kanan was oblivious to what she had muttered. What would Imperials want with that old friend of hers?

Her thoughts on where Tseebo were at immediately faded when the Pilots forced Jho to turn on the HoloNet. Ezri wished she could set the TV on fire with her glares. This day was the day her parents were taken from her and when Order 66 was issued. Honestly, why was no one else bothered by it on the Ghost crew but her? Why did her birthday have to be on this horrible and fateful day? Why did her parents' arrest have to be when she turned seven? It was a good thing that Trayvis' announcement came on because the Pilots left. Now they were alone, Kanan turned to Jho as the rest of the crew came.

"TIE pilots on search patrols?" Kanan asked. "What's going on?" "

"Imperials have locked down the ports and put destroyers in orbit. It's a full planetary blockade. "

"They're after a Rodian," Hera said.

"Just be glad they're not after us for once," Sabine said.

"With what we've got planned for today's parade, they'll be after us again tomorrow," Kanan said with a smile, missing Ezri's disappointed look.

"Well, you're gonna have to do it without me," Ezri said, getting up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kanan asked. Ezri refused to look at him.

"I just need to be alone. Today's brought back some memories," she answered, missing her friends' curious looks.

Ezri returned to her tower, holding onto the railing and twirling with her braid. All of these memories entered in her mind and she could not help but worry. What could the Empire want with Tseebo? he thought came to her head ever since she saw his picture on the TIE pilots' tablet back at Jho's. They barely paid attention to any of the Rodians, so why was Tseebo any different.

She walked back into the place she once lived in, grabbing a nearby holodisk, one she kept on her person at all times: a key to her house. Ezri sighed, thinking back when she was young.

"Ezri," Mira's voice echoed in her mind, Mira going up to hug Ezri from behind.

"Mama," Ezri said, her eyes tearing up and a sad smile coming to her face.

"Baby girl," Ephraim said, putting his arms around her and Mira's shoulders in the memory.

"Daddy," Ezri said.

"We have to stand up for people in need, especially those in trouble with the empire."

"Tseebo," Ezri said, making her realize something. "I know where he is."

She rushed off the tower, quickly running back into town. Where did her family say they were going again? Just her luck when she found Kanan being terrorized by a stormtrooper. Not to mention him speaking in that goofy tone, like he normally did when he was drunk. Ezri knew this because she and Zeb once had to help Kanan out of a squabble. He had something that was too strong for him and Zeb had to fight off the pirates Kanan insulted. Vizago never should have gotten him to drink that stuff in the first place. Ignoring the stupidity of her master when he was drunk, she rushed off to Kanan.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Ezri said, coming up next to him. "Mom told you not to drink that stuff that doesn't agree with you."

She saw Kanan looked relief. "Sorry, mister. My dad is just so patriotic, you know, and drunk.

"Empire Day! I love it! All hail our glorious empire!"

"Right. Well, move along," said the Stormtrooper as Ezri smiled, grabbing Kanan's arm. When they were out of reach, she released him.

"Thanks. Where you been?" Kanan asked.

"Making some connections. How's the plan going?" Ezri asked.

"Just watch," Kanan said with a smile.

Ezri looked at her father figure with raised eyebrows when she looked and saw he had planted one of Sabine's detonators. In five seconds, the TIE exploded because of Sabine's fireworks and the whole place was in chaos. Ezri and Kanan ran, joining up with Zeb and Sabine, who came right next to her best friend.

"Hey, Ez, where've you been," Sabine asked.

"My old tower," Ezri shouted through the loud sounds of the crowd. "Putting things together."

"Yeah, nice of you to join us, Ezri," Zeb said, and she could see he was not being sarcastic because he had been concerned for her when she was giving them attitude this morning. (Ezri still did not forgive him and Chopper for leaving her and Hera stranded on the Fort Anaxes asteroid. The four hid behind a building as officials rushed onto the scene, including Agent Kallus, Zeb's archenemy and the Grand Inquisitor.

"Been spoiling to finish things with agent Kallus," Zeb said with a smile.

"Hey, if you want to take somebody out, take out that guy!" Kanan shouted, pointing at the Grand Inquisitor. Zeb groaned.

"Fine," he muttered, pointing the bo-rifle at the Grand Inquisitor's TIE. They quickly rushed out.

"Spectre-2, we're en route

to the rendezvous," Kanan shouted into the comlink as they ran into an alley.

"Negative, spectre-1," Hera said on the intercom. "The streets are blocked. I cannot- repeat-cannot reach rendezvous."

Ezri stopped. She needed to go home.

"I know a place we can hole up till things calm down," Ezri said then she looked at Zeb. "Unfortunately, Zeb might have a problem taking my route."

"Then we need another option," said Kanan.

"Nah, it's fine," Zeb said. He reached for his own comlink. "Spectre-2, can you make it to the old market?"

"Affirmative," she answered.

"I'm on my way."

"Get back to the Ghost," Kanan shouted as Zeb climbed.

"Follow me," said Ezri running, with Sabine following and Kanan shouting for Zeb, telling him that they would signal a new rendevous point when they could. However, Kanan and Sabine stopped when Ezri lead them to her house.

"That's an imperial warning declaring this building off-limits," Sabine said.

"What is this place?" Kanan asked. Ezri took her key card that she also kept on her person, the door immediately opening. Kanan realized this was her home. "You were coming here today. This was your home, wasn't it, where you grew up?"

"I grew up on the streets, alone," Ezri corrected.

"Then why here?' Sabine asked. "Why now?"

"Had this feeling," Ezri answered. She went to the stool that concealed the secret room that her parents used to do their broadcasts. There Tseebo was, just as Ezri had suspected. "Tseebo. Tseebo, it's me, Ezri Bridger."

The crying stopped and Tseebo came up but as Ezri guessed, he was speaking in gibberish.

"That's the Rodian the imperials are hunting. You know him?" Kanan asked in surprise.

"Name's Tseebo, a friend of my parents," Ezri said, now noticing the device around his head. "But something's wrong. What's that thing on his head?"

"Empire's been known to implant lower level technicians with cybernetic circuits. Personality sacrificed for productivity.

"Tseebo's productivity is 19% higher than average Imperial data worker," Tseebo answered but continued running into walls as Ezri sat down.

"Tseebo went to work for the imperial information office... after the empire took my parents away."

"Your parents?" Kanan said in concern, walking over to her. "You... Never told us."

"What's to tell? They've been gone for eight years. I've been on my own since I was seven."

"Seven imperial-" Tseebo began, then walked away while speaking in Huttese. Kanan scratched his head and looked to his eldest daughter figure.

"What's he saying?"

"He's detailing imperial fighter deployments on Lothal," said Sabine.

"That's it. Tseebo has intel the empire doesn't want getting out," Kanan said to Ezri. " Sabine, can you access it?"

"Uh, think so. I need a few minutes," Sabine said as she accessed Tseebo's hard drive. Meanwhile, Ezri was walking towards the secret compartment.

"Ezri, you okay?" Kanan said.

"I'm fine," Ezri answered.

"I told you, sometimes you have to let your guard down."

"I said I'm fine," Ezri snapped, going down the hatch as Kanan looked at his Padawan in concern.

"Ezri Taylor Bridger," said Tseebo, causing Sabine to stop. "Daughter of Ephraim and Mira Bridger. "Born 15 years ago today."

"Empire Day," Sabine said. "It's Ezri's birthday."

Kanan looked back, now understanding why she was closed up this morning. But something else was bothering her and Kanan hoped to find a way to bring her darkness into the light.