A/N.

I don't intend to rewrite the Battle of Lothal, so here's some excerpts from Ana's POV.

Sued13

Chapter Eighty

Hera.

I heard. I am so sorry. He was a good man... He helped me and Rex.

If there's anything you need.

Anything I can do.

Just let me know. Anything.

Ana.

.

"Ana, " Essie shouted for her, holding out the comlink for Ana to take, "It's for you, someone called Hera. She says, it's urgent."

Ana carefully put Kallie back in her high chair before activating the holo emitter again; it flickered to life showing Hera; her face betraying her current feelings. Ana saw the sadness and loss still etched in it.

"I wouldn't ask normally. Rex had said you wanted some time with Kallie, after….Dr Niemens."

Ana had had a month, possibly six weeks with her daughter; she'd lost track of time. No that wasn't true, she had deliberately not taken any notice of it. Just lived for the days with her daughter and Rex's calls. By Holo, audio or text. He had also been affected by Kanan's death; they had talked about him long into the night. It had meant a great deal to him that Kanan had finally accepted him as a friend.

Hera continued. "She's dead."

"Sa… Dr Niemens dead? Rex never said."

"A few weeks ago."

"I didn't think we executed….."

Hera interrupted, "Not us, on the prison ship, a Mandalorian in gold armour, which stands for vengeance, I'm told."

"The Empire destroyed their world."

"They only took her out."

"Ah. And you think—"

"Sabine said it was pure Beskar armour but that was as much as she could say about it. There was nothing else to identify the clan."

"I can't say I'm upset."

"I imagine not."

"I didn't arrange it or hire them, if that's what you're thinking."

"It had occurred to me but thank you for the confirmation."

"So...this call...?"

"We need you Ana, we need a medic on board; I don't want to risk anyone, if I can help it. But this isn't sanctioned, its private."

"Your own private little war Hera?"

"It is personal, it's for Ezra — and Kanan."

"I understand. Kanan was a good man."

"He was." Hera's next silence spoke volumes. "They need to be stopped, Lothal needs to be free. Kanan wanted Lothal to be free. His death has to mean something."

From what Ana had heard, it already meant something. He had sacrificed himself for his family; Ana thought of them as his family and she was a distant cousin.

Kanan had made the greatest sacrifice.

"Ezra's got a plan but we need a full squad and that includes a medic. I don't want to lose anyone else."

"Do you really want me? I mean after Dr Niemens, do you trust me?"

"She took in everyone, including me, including Sato."

There was another silence from the Twi'lek.

"You also understand family. So yes, I want you."

Hera sounded different. There was another element to her voice that Ana couldn't quite place.

"When?"

"Wolffe or Gregor will pick you up at noon tomorrow."

Ana was silent, she was thinking about Kanan…about all of them.

"Ana, is there another problem? I will understand if you don't want to…."

"No, I'm fine."

"I wouldn't blame you, if you had made the arrangements for Niemens."

"I'll see you soon." Ana closed down the comlink.

Essie had overheard her part of the conversation, "You going to be alright, with everyone, I mean."

"Yes, I'm sure, I'll have no problems." She looked down and sighed. "I hate to ask this but could you…."

"Look after Kallie. Of course, we've just been waiting for you to ask." Ana launched herself at her Aunts and hugged them in turn, when she pulled away there were tears in her eyes.

"Thanks, I know she'll be safe. Do you still have the letter."

Her Aunt nodded.

Ana returned to her daughter. "Kallie! Let's go see Rhoxie and Rhia." She laughed at he daughters gurgling.

.

Gregor turned up on time the following day, within minutes the twins were there, with a box of goodies for their boys. Gregor graciously accepted them and then walked them back to their house.

Ana found herself hugging Kallie again and again; she had spent the last twenty four hours with her, even having her sleep in her bed. She was going to be spoiled but Ana didn't care. Essie took Kallie from her.

"Now you go and do what you need to do." She smiled sadly, as Ana turned and strode purposefully out of the room, unable to look at her daughter, even as she heard her trying to call out "Buir."

"Rex and the others will be here within the rotation." Gregor explained, as he accelerated the speeder. "The Imps are on the other side of the planet, some kind of insurgency."

He sniggered.

"I heard about the doctor." Ana threw that comment in, "A Mandalorian in gold armour, Hera said."

"Yeah, so I heard." Gregor was noncommittal.

"Any ideas?"

"Yeah."

"What?"

"I'd love some fruit bread, made any?"

"You know what I mean."

Gregor turned and tapped the end of his nose with his forefinger; then returned to the controls, toeing the accelerator, so much that Ana was forced back in her seat.

She took that to be an admission, of some sort.

The journey was quick with Gregor driving and was over far too soon; she couldn't get exactly what she wanted to know from him and when they reached Joopa Station she was surprised by the additional members of the crew already assembled.

Hera had called in some favours for Ezra.

Besides Wolffe and Gregor there was a Mandalorian with half shaved head, who introduced herself as Ketsu, a Weequay and an ugnaught. She hadn't had many dealings with either of those species but had not heard anything good about Weequay's. Rex especially wasn't very complimentary about someone called Hondo, a pirate. Ezra had dealings with him as well and they always came off second best. Ugnaughts always seemed to be busy labourers working within the Empire, almost slaves.

The Weequay, with braided hair and long jaw horns, wore a high collared coat and goggles on his head; he rose majestically from his seat and headed towards her. In the mean time Gregor introduced Ketsu, an old friend of Sabine's, by the time she turned around she found the Weequay next to her.

"My dear, such a pleasure, my friends had not told me to expect such a beautiful accomplice." He lifted her hand up to his lips, in a grandiose gesture of chivalry. His lips grazed her knuckles.

In the background she heard one of the clones snort.

"It is an honour. Captain Hondo Ohnaka, at your service. Entrepreneur."

"Smuggler!" Commented Ketsu.

"No, no, no…Pirate. There is a difference, my dear." He continued to hold onto her hand, "Tch, I will have to speak to my good friend, the Captain, as to why he has been hiding you away all this time ."

Ana pulled her hand away, looking pleadingly at Wolfe, quite unsure about the chivalrous welcome. Wolffe pushed a mug of Caf in her hand in reply.

"Not sure what this is all about. We've had nothing from Command about a mission."

"Do you have to have something from them?"

Wolffe's look was pure disdain; Gregor nudged her, "Ignore him, he's old school. Command this. Command that."

"You need to have someone in charge. You can't just go gallivanting around the empire Willy nilly."

Ana shook her head walking away from their good natured argument. It would get bloody if they got serious. Wolfe had checked the the Ops console, "Finally they'll be here soon. Should have been here a rotation ago."

Ana sipped her caf, she wasn't sure what Rex would say about her being here; but it may not be she that he had to worry about. If it was true what she suspected about Hera. Ana had finished studying the twi'lek anatomy, and when they were pregnant the lekku did some odd movements. That together with her continually resting her hand on her stomach and complaining of eating something that affected her digestion, so much that she had asked Ana for a remedy. Ana just got to thinking...

.

Hondo was feeling ignored; Melch was sulking because he'd told him the truth but he was still here. He'd come around. They had to find some way of making a profit from this little excursion, irrespective of the fact he would do it for Ezra. He had high hopes for him. He always got on well with the Jedi. But because he was the incomparable Hondo Ohnaka.

He looked around, Hera was talking to the two clones with Ketsu; he understood all these people, their motivations. It was what made him the success he was. Then there was the infamous Captain Rex and the woman. The clones had said she was his riduur. Now his Mandoa was a little rusty, as it had been years since he had any dealings with Jango, and he had to admit the first time he saw one of the clones without his helmet he was shocked. But nothing stopped him for long.

He watched their interaction. Their closeness. The last time he was that close to a female in any meaningful sense was back in the Clone Wars.

Aurra!

"Gah!" He shook his head even the thought of her made him shiver. Melch glared at him.

Rex cornered her after Hera had explained about the mission, unsanctioned as it was.

"What are you doing here?"

"We aren't going to do this now are we?"

Rex gave his trademark half smile, as his hand traced a line down her cheek; her eyes closed but they didn't have time for this.

"I know better than that, don't I?" He moved closer.

"Hera asked me and I couldn't refuse, not after Kanan. It's for Ezra too."

"He deserves it. All he's done. I—"

"Ah. Captain." The pirate interrupted, "You like to keep the ladies all to yourself. Tch, Tch." Hondo wagged his fore finger at Rex. "I am a Captain, and you are a Captain - we're like brothers!"

"Absolutely not." Rex was appalled and pulled Ana away.

"Did he say what I thought he did?"

"I'm not even asking." Muttered Rex.

.

Hera had already explained what they were attempting, when an urgent call came fro Ezra. Ana stood back from the console, as they talked; even with the short hair cut Ezra still looked young. Far too young to be responsible for liberating Lothal from the Empire and that was partly why she did it. Rex outlined the plan Ezra had put forward and they headed to Lothal, although Ana thought it remiss that they allowed the pirate to get them past the blockade. Rex was uptight about that as well; he wasn't confident it would work.

The the message came through; the rebels a on the ground were being attacked. Ana's stomach churned, as Hera made the Ghost perform impossible manoeuvres. Luckliy the seat restraints held. Eventually they prepared to land, the clones and Ketsu were prepped ready to come out fighting. Gregor squeezed her arm.

"Stick with me, shoot anything in white armour and you'll be okay." The next second he was out of the ship; Ana followed, leaving no more than 18 inches between them. It was a whirl of rushing, firing, ducking. Shouts, yelps and screams. The smell of blaster fire hitting plastoid armour and durasteel filled the air.

Then there were the Wolves. Very large Loth Wolves.

And Imperial Governor Arihnda Pryce.

Ana just wished Maya had been there, just to see Pryce being carried by the Loth Wolf; like a Lothcat carries their kits.

Ezra's plan had worked, so it seemed. Pryce was the key to accessing the Imperial Headquarters on Capital City. They had her.

.

The final unused Bacta bandage was packed away in the Ghost med kit and Anna sighed in relief. The rebels had got away with a few relatively minor injuries that would heal up in a day or two.

"You did well down there." Rex's voice came from the doorway, where he was leaning against it on his shoulder.

"Gregor helped me."

Ana knew as soon as she said the words, she should not have. It came out as accusatory. It wasn't meant to be like that.

"I always lead from the front."

"I saw." Again it came out wrong; she meant to say she saw him roll as they came down the ramp. She was impressed.

"It's who I am. Are we really going to do this now?"

Ana let out a long sigh.

"No. I'm sorry. All that came out wrong. I know you lead from the front. its just—Gregor offered his advice. I took it. I didn't want to be a burden to anyone, let alone you."

He was next to her in a second, arms crushing her; smelling of blaster fire and oil, and sweat; familiar. "You should know by now, you are never a burden and never will be. Hera would never have called on you, if you were going to be a burden."

Force, she loved this man and pulled him down for a kiss.

"Tch, Tch Captain. You must never mix business with pleasure. No. No. No."

Hondo's voice punctured the moment.

"I will kill that…smuggler." Rex muttered determinedly.

Ana smiled at the offended noises, Hondo was now making.

.

Ana stayed behind at the remains of the makeshift base, with Wolffe, Visago, Mart and few of the injured, whilst the second part of the plan was undertaken. They would do the pick up.

More waiting. She hated the waiting.

The wound she was tending was still oozing blood; Wolffe, Mart and Vizago, were prepping for the arranged pick up.

"No seriously wounded."

Wolffe nodded

Then she heard the sounds of irregular footsteps approaching; it was Rukh, that was what Wolffe had called him, whatever he was, but he was an agent of Thrawn. Her blaster was in her hand before she knew it. The rebel besides her the same. Neither were going out without a fight. She saw Wolffe flying backwards, Vizago was already on the floor and when she turned to fire, pain spread across her face, as an iron hard foot hit her and darkness fell.

The Wolves had come back, just in time it appeared; Wolffe, Matt and Vizago finally set out with Matt muttering something about a special mission for Ezra. Ana returned to her patients; she could see the Wolves pacing in the distance. That damn Rukh had escaped again. He must have warned the Empire.

.

The Ghost headed straight towards Capital City, as they approached they could see the three Star Destroyers in position above the city and dome. Then Ana heard the noise, like an animal; she looked through the viewing screen.

They were amazing, awe inspiring.

And...Imperial ships blinked out of existence, until the last was engulfed in the creatures.

"They're glowing." Ana found herself saying the obvious.

"They are." confirmed Wolffe.

Then they were gone.

The skies were empty.

Silence.

"Errm...was that the plan?" Wolffe asked into the com, "because we're all clear up here. There are no Imperial ships left."

All Ana heard then was the request for an immediate pickup.

.

Flying in low, they picked the team up.

Minus two.

As Sabine activated the detonators planted inside the Dome; Ana heard,

"For Kanan and Ezra."

The Dome's thrusters exploded; debris rained down.

Ana didn't hear much of the conversation on the Ghost, she was thinking of Gregor, then a pre-recorded hologram message from Ezra appeared. She couldn't concentrate on that but heard Rex say:

"Not to kill the moment but the Empire won't just let us keep this planet. We need to prepare for how we're going to fight back."

"Perhaps the Rebel Alliance will see our victory and finally send support." Kallus pointed out.

"We took Lothal without them we can keep it without them." Zeb grumbled

At that moment Ana could hear people shouting, cheering. Ana slumped they seemed to have won but at what cost?