Holy mess! I have gotten so many messages and reviews over the last 12 hours from people who have figured out my pattern. In case you haven't figured it out, all the chapters are named after Avenged Sevenfold song titles. There are a few other little things for other bands, but that is the main one. Also, thanks to those sending me kind messages about this story as well as other things. Anyway, let's do it!
Doing Time
Ezra stepped off of the transport to the awaiting guard escort. All were armed to the teeth with different blasters, heavy armor, shock staffs, and other little gizmos used to incapacitate someone. Ezra took a deep breath and walked on. Luke walked beside him, silent. There was not much to say in the way of apologies. They group entered the building and the looks Ezra got were a mix of confusion, anger, or relief. He could hear whispers all around him.
"Is that the Sith assassin?"
"Thank the Force he was arrested."
"Isn't that Ezra Bridger?"
Everything was just so critical. Nobody knew his story. Nobody knew his past. He was marched through the senate building to Mon Mothma's office. Once inside, he saw the red head woman stand from behind her desk.
"Hello again, Ezra. It has been some time." She tried to portray a somewhat sympathetic tone. "Leave us. Except you Skywalker." She motioned for them to sit at the desk and she returned to her desk chair. "Have you handed over your blade yet?"
"I left in on Krownest to be passed down to my children, when they become of age."
"Hmm. That is commendable Ezra. Now, to our meeting."
"Well I had hoped next time we met it would be under better circumstances." Ezra smiled.
"If it wasn't for your little escapades, then maybe it would be." She said in an accusing tone.
"Do you know why? Why I did th-"
"I don't care the reason why. I care that you went against the New Republic. You killed Imperial defectors with valuable information to us."
"Those people had no information and no loyalties to you. I was to interrogate them before I eliminated them."
"It still should have been left to the New Republic to decide. Not some Sith on a warpath."
The way she blatantly called him a 'Sith' offended him. "I am no Sith ma'am. I stepped in the dark, but I found my way out. I came back to my family and betrayed the Sith Lord Ori'dush."
"It matters not. What matters is that you are a danger to the New Republic and our stability. With people like you out there, there is no safe place to hide."
"People like me? So, does that include Luke too?"
Luke looked up from in deep thought. "Huh?"
"Well if he decided to take his Jedi order and turn on the Republic, then yes I would consider him a threat. But as of right now, I see no issue with him."
"Not until the people trust him and the Jedi more than your government." Ezra spat back. Luke looked up shocked at what he was hearing.
"That is of no concern to a man facing execution. You shall serve an unnumbered amount of days till your execution date comes. It could be tomorrow. It could be next decade. Just know that you will be held accountable for your crimes against this government. Take him away." She stood and Luke took Ezra's arm and led him to the detention building.
"I'm sorry, Ezra. I wish there was more I could do." Luke sighed as he opened the cell door.
"Don't worry Luke. She won't hurt you, if I call her off of it." Ezra grinned.
"Sabine?"
"Sabine."
Sabine
Sabine had received the transmission from her mother saying that Ezra had been arrested while she was gone. She was not mad, she was furious. Ending her meeting with Bo Katan immediately, Sabine went back to her fighter and left for Krownest. On the way she called her mother again. When the hologram of Ursa Wren came up, she let loose.
"What in the kriffing hell happened? I wasn't gone a day." Sabine yelled.
"It was all Ezra's idea. I'm sorry my daughter, but Ezra did not want you here when they came for him." Ursa sighed as she looked at her daughter. "He believed things would go smoother if you weren't around."
"Well now I'm going to tear down the entire New Republic to get him back." Sabine stated determined as she began changing her course.
"Sabine please, wait. You are also wanted by the New Republic. Ezra managed to keep the children here, but if you go there and are captured, you will be killed."
"I don't care. I am going to get my husband back." With that, she launched into the light blue tunned that was hyperspace. It would take her a few days to reach Chandrila from Mandalore. She sat back in the pilot's chair for a moment and took a second to think about what she was doing. First, she heard a mental message from her husband. She was too angry to question how at the moment.
' I'm sorry, my love. It was easier for us all if you were not here. I see this as the only option. Ni kart'ayl gar darasuum ti an ner kart'a Sabine Wren-Bridger."
"Ezra Bridger I'm gonna kick your ass." She got no reply, then she thought about how in the world she could hear him in her head.
This was a suicide mission. There was no guarantee that he was even still alive. She didn't care. Mothma had crossed a line, and she was going to pay for it. As the fighter hurled through hyperspace, she called Hera.
"Sabine hey, how have you been?" Hera asked kindly.
"So I'm guessing you don't know. Great." Sabine groaned.
"Know what?"
"Mothma arrested Ezra."
"WHAT?"
"She sent Skywalker to come take him from Krownest. I was off world, thanks to Ezra."
"I'm assuming he just didn't want to make it hard on you, since he decided to go anyway." Hera reasoned in her motherly tone.
"Well now I'm gonna make it hard on them." Sabine narrowed her eyes out the view port in front of her.
"Remember Sabine, Skywalker may be just a pawn in all of this. So, ask him what happened before you go all gung-ho on him and Mara." Hera spoke softly.
"Oh, I'm gonna ask him. Ask him who the hell he thinks he is for taking MY Ezzy away from me." She spoke so sternly, Hera actually jumped.
She tried not to look amused by Sabine's pet name for Ezra. "Please Sabine, just think before you do anything too rash."
"I promise."
"Thank you, Sabine. I would love to help you, but I am stuck on Corellia at the moment." Hera explained.
"That's ok. I don't want Jacy in the crossfire anyway.
"Be careful, Sabine. You know how Mothma gets. I love you."
"Love you too Hera. Spectre 5 out." It had been years since she used the call sign, but it still felt second nature to her. Sabine took the few hours left till her next stop to refuel to sleep and prepare for the coming mission. She didn't plan on playing nice. If she were to die, at least she would go down fighting.
"Sabine."
She heard a voice in her head as she laid down. "Ezra?"
"Yes, it's me love."
"How can I hear you?"
"Our connection through the force is a strong one. Not everyone can form such a bond." Ezra explained in her head. "I need to warn you and to let you know of allies."
"Warn me of what? What allies?"
"The guards of my cell are shock troopers, and heavy troops too. Be prepared to go in stealthy and blast your way out, with or without me. As for allies, Luke and Mara will help you as much as they can." Ezra cringed as he felt her anger at the mention of Luke's name.
"How am I supposed to trust them? They took you from me." She yelled aloud, even though the voice was in her head.
"He never wanted to arrest me. He sees me like he saw Vader. Someone who made a bad choice for a good reason."
"Alright, so I get there, find Luke, bust you out. Then what?" Sabine asked.
"You really didn't have a plan, did you?" Ezra chuckled.
"Honestly, I didn't see us making it out alive." She started crying. "I just didn't want you to die alone."
Ezra could feel her pain from the admission. He sent her calming feelings through their bond. "I won't die alone, love. Even if I am to die, I will always be with you in the Force. So please, if you have just come here to die with me, I beg you to turn around and go home. Go back to our children."
"No, I won't leave you there alone. I am coming to get you out. If I die, so be it. At least I will be with you."
"Alright, just remember your allies. I love you, Sabine. Be careful." He shut down their bond as a guard walked in.
"Alright Bridger, lets go for a walk."
"Gladly." Ezra stood and followed the guard out the door. The two walked down a few hallways to another cell. Once inside, Ezra could see the room was much like where Kanan was held on Tarkin's Star Destroyer above Mustafar. "So, torture?"
"If you don't cooperate."
"Hmmm, torture it is then." Ezra said smugly only to get a rough shove in response. The torture went one for about an hour or two, then they started asking questions.
"Where is your wife?"
"Wouldn't you like to know. AGGGGHHH!" another shock.
"Where is Sabine Wren?"
"Wow, you really are deaf." Another shock.
"She was not on Krownest when they captured you. So, where is she?"
"Are you ever gonna get it through your head that I'm not gonna tell you?"
"All we want is to bring her and your children here for training." The interrogator moved his finger over the button again.
"Why? She isn't force sensitive."
"Simple, keep you and her around to breed more Jedi babies to someday lead the military." Another jolt of electricity.
"I'm gonna guess Skywalker did not commission that." Ezra sighed. He had been right all along. If he had gotten Sabine pregnant, she would have been taken too.
"Nope. Orders are straight from the top." Another shock came.
"Well you wanted Sabine Wren. I'm sure she'll be happy to meet you when she gets here." Ezra grinned before another shock forced him to pass out. He was left there, suspended by the chains.
I know Mon Mothma doesn't seem like the type of woman to be this evil, but it's a story and it's interesting to have this happen. What do you think Sabine will do when she gets there? Stay tuned, the Gunslinger is on her way.
