Chapter 2: The Lost commanders
The day after the attack from Vader, some sort of good news came as Jinx had intercepted imperial communications. Apparently, the Empire believed that the Phoenix Cell was now harmless after the destruction of its command ship, and the Sith Lord had been sent by the Emperor in another corner of the galaxy, to the commanders' great reliefs.
The destruction had even convinced Kanan that Ezra was right: as Jedi, they couldn't just stand aside and do nothing, for that was the reason why many people in the galaxy lost hope in them, which was a big factor leading to the creation of the Empire.
After a night of solid sleep, Jaral had woken up reinvigorated. She was still shaken from the losses, but in the end, most of her dejection was just amplified by the exhaustion. Now she could clearly see things as they were, and realized that she had indeed done a great job, considering the odds that she was facing. Not that she would ever brag about it, but she felt relieved and ready to get back into the action.
When she woke up, Jaral was surprised to see that Sabine had already left the cabin. Then she looked at the clock in her omni-tool and realized that she had slept 7 hours straight, way more than her usual.
She quickly dressed up and went into the common room, where she was stunned at the scene.
Most of the crew was sit around the holotable or the nearby chairs, all looking toward the center of the room.
There stood Sabine and Ezra, hands intertwined and facing the rest of the family in a straight-up position. Jaral's didn't take long to realize what was happening.
"Did I miss the big reveal?" she asked sarcastically with a smile.
"I'm afraid so…" Kanan replied in her same tone and expression.
Zeb and Hera were also looking at her with a knowing smirk. Nobody of them even considered the idea that Jaral, of all people, didn't know about the relationship between the two persons she was closest with on the Ghost.
"So how long has this been going on?" Hera asked the two teens. "I mean, I got some signals here and there, but I'd never guessed you were already committed."
"Right after Mustafar." Ezra said. "So, it's been barely a week."
"It was my fault that we tried to hide it." Sabine said innocently. "It was all new and...I didn't know how to manage it. Guess I panicked a little."
"There's nothing to be afraid of, Sabine. We're happy for you two, really." Hera said, her face definitely confirming her words.
The teens looked relieved as they bowed down their heads and looked furtively at each other.
"Ok, for how much I love you two lovebirds, I have an announcement to make as well." Jaral said jokingly, stepping into the room. Then she took a more serious tone "I've been invited aboard the Liberator to help discuss our next move, and to check on my fighter."
"Will it take long?" Zeb asked.
"Probably. My ship has been grazed, but that's up to the technicians. However Darvos just sent me a message. It's likely that commander Sato will ask me to join the crew, since now I am officially a combat pilot."
"You're...leaving the Ghost?" Sabine asked with a note of sadness.
Jaral chuckled. "Not entirely. After all, we are all part of the Phoenix Cell, now. If this arrangement comes through, I'll have to participate in the patrols and plan the missions together with the squadron, but all you have to do is dock at the command ship and I'll be back aboard."
"I honestly envy how you recovered from your pessimism so quickly." Kanan said proudly. "Whatever you'll decide, know that we'll always be here, waiting for you."
"Well, I'm pretty sure that someone on that ship will happily host her." Zeb cackled.
Jaral rolled her eyes smiling and ignored the comment.
"Come on, guys, you're being overly dramatic. Besides, I'm pretty sure that your future missions will be mine as well."
She turned her head toward her brother.
"And Ezra, I learned that they have a workshop on the Liberator, so I might call you from time to time to build some of our projects."
"That sounds great. We're gonna need every possible tool against the Empire."
"What about us?" Zeb asked Hera. "I guess the Ghost needs a bit of a greasing after what happened."
"Well, actually we didn't suffer any significant damage, and Chopper has already made most of the work."
Chopper grunted.
"If anything comes up, I'll warn you guys, but for now let's enjoy ourselves a bit and take a breather. After that mission, we deserve it." Hera declared.
"Eh eh eh...Neat." Zeb croaked, slumping on the sofa.
"Good for you." Jaral said wittily. "I'm gonna get going." she said before heading toward her cabin.
Ezra and Sabine followed her. A quick gaze between them was all they needed to know that they both had the same question in mind for the elder girl.
As Jaral was making a check on her omni-tool inventory, the two teens entered and closed the door. Sabine had her hands behind her back, stretched in a bit of nervousness, so Ezra took the lead.
"So...how long will it take, sis?" he asked that with all the spontaneity he could summon.
Jaral rolled her eyes. "Enough for the both of you to havelots of fun." she stressed those words deliberately.
The teens both grunted in defeat.
"How the kriff did you…?" Sabine didn't even know what to ask.
"Come on, guys, I'm just a couple of years older than you two. And I'm also managing a boyfriend, remember?" she turned off the omni-tool and turned to them, leaning against the wall.
"Right..." Ezra rubbed his neck, chuckling.
"As I said, I'll be gone for hours, possibly an entire day, Hera told you that this a free day and you guys finally came out in the open. And I guess both of you still feel the stress from yesterday, so if you intend to step into adulthood, go for it. Just a piece of advice, though…"
She pointed a finger at Ezra's left forearm. "Ezra, please remember that the omni-tool can fabricate condoms."
Ezra looked dumbfounded as he raised his forearm and looked at it. "Wha- seriously?!"
"Seriously." Jaral smiled mischievously.
Ezra took a quick look into the omni-tool fabrication kit and found it, looking at the screen with a chuckle.
"Seems like the humans in the Milky Way were pretty considerate." he commented.
Jaral smiled at the two of them and detached from the wall. Then she started to walk toward the door behind the teens.
"Just use them." She let a hand fall on his shoulder. "I don't want to become an Aunt, yet." without turning back she waved at them. "Have fun." she singed, and closed the door for them again.
Ezra and Sabine were left in the cabin, alone and with the effects of what that conversation had left on them.
They looked at each other. Their eyes leaving nothing to the imagination. Ezra pushed the button for producing condoms without leaving Sabine's gaze.
The two stepped forward and kissed each other passionately. Their lust building up like crazy.
"Is this your first?" Ezra asked in a moment of breathing.
"Yes. You?"
"Same. And I wouldn't have it with anyone else."
"Stop trying to impress me with words, Bridger. Show me." she grabbed his orange suit on the chest and pushed him onto the lower bed.
Ezra couldn't even imagine a single moment in which he felt so blessed. He woke up from the
pleasant numbness in the bunk, still naked under the sheet, and better yet, with the sight of a still asleep Sabine and the warmth of her body on his.
Man, that was just perfect. He thought.
She was using one of his arms as a pillow, so Ezra now moved the other to reach around her torso and put a hand on her back. And at that moment, Sabine groaned and slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him.
"Hello there." Ezra whispered before kissing her. "So, did I prove myself?"
"Definitely." Sabine said with a grin as she traced her fingers up his abs and chest muscles, tickling him.
"For how much I'd like to stay like this forever, I'd rather not miss my training today." he said.
"I agree." she replied. "But first…" she traced a pointer from his ear to his jaw. "There is something I want to show you. It might take a while, so you're free to go. But be back in two hours."
"As you wish, my warrior goddess." he jokingly said.
"It's cute that you understand your position." she smirked.
Ezra realized that this was it. "Ugh...I just marked my fate, right?"
"Yes, you did. Now you are my most loyal servant, as long as I say it." then she turned and sat on the edge of the bunk before standing up and walking toward the cabin's restroom, deliberately swinging her hips far more than necessary before disappearing.
Ezra decided to distract himself by going in the cargo bay and train the lightsaber forms, using one of Jinx's programs.
Almost a couple of hours later, Kanan stepped in.
"Ezra, can we talk for a minute?" he asked.
"Just a second…" he said as he finished the exercise.
Ezra turned off his lightsaber and hanged it back on his belt.
"Ok, shoot."
"I feel like I should talk to you about Jedi and attachments, since, you know…" he shrugged.
"Why, is something wrong in my relationship with Sabine?" Ezra asked worried.
"That will depend on you. You see, Ezra, in the last period of its existence, the Jedi Order started to prohibit attachments to other persons, as they could be a path toward the Dark Side. The fear of losing someone you love can easily retort against you, so that's where the rule comes from."
"But you don't agree with that, am I wrong?" Ezra asked, not falling in panic.
"You're right. While I do understand that the desire to possess someone, to protect a partner that you care deeply for, can be a factor leading toward the Dark Side, in the end it's all up to the Jedi itself. If you can separate your emotions from your ability to think logically, then you will most likely retain the Light with you.
"I don't want to upset you too much, so I only want to tell you this: if you want to stay with Sabine, you'll have to steel your resolve. Learn to separate your emotions from your actions. And know when to back down if things go poorly."
"What does that mean?"
"I'm sure you can figure it out. But most of all, you'll have to rely on the closest persons around you. You may confide in Sabine herself, or Jaral…"
"Or you." Ezra said with a smile.
Kanan chuckled. "For whatever I can help you...I just want you to be careful. Doesn't mean that you can't enjoy it, but if a time comes when she might be in danger, you'll have to be sure that you'll still be able to rescue her without losing yourself."
Ezra pondered on the words for a few seconds.
"I think I understand. Thank you for warning me, Kanan."
The Jedi put a hand on the shoulder of his Padawan, who returned the gesture before looking at his clock.
"Oh, crap. I have to go before Sabine kills me." and he quickly walked away.
He hurried on the ladder and reached Sabine's quarters just when she asked him to do. He knocked.
"Come in." Sabine's voice said from inside.
He opened it and found her standing in the middle of the room with just her undersuit on, but the detail that he was supposed to focus on wasn't lost on him.
She had dyed her hair again. The dark purple had been changed into a light blue, and her previously orange bangs had become turquoise.
He looked at her completely mesmerized.
"So...what do you think?" she asked timidly.
Ezra stepped towards her and ran a hand through her hairs.
"I said that, whatever you did, you'd always be beautiful."
"Yes…?"
"But I was wrong. Now I don't even know if there is a way to put into words how better you look."
"How sweet." she said with a smirk. "But if you can't tell, show me."
"As you wish, my goddess." he whispered.
Ezra then grabbed her waist and made her made a half-turn. She startled in surprise as the boy left her back suspended in midair, one hand holding behind her head while another one was still around her waist, preventing her from falling to the ground.
He stared at her, eyes burning with desire and then gave her a deep kiss, to which she eagerly responded.
He kept pushing for a few seconds, then span her back on her feet, only then separating their lips. Her arms were now embracing him as well.
"Was that enough proof of my devotion?"
"You really are going into this little role-play, are you?" she chuckled.
"Who said that I was role-playing?" he jested, and the two laughed together before kissing again.
"Ok, then. Now it's time for the next job." she said, not letting go of him.
"That would be?"
"I changed my hairs, so I obviously have to change the paint-job on my armor. And you're going to keep me company."
"Now that's what I call a win." he said, kissing her on the cheek again.
The rest of the day was perfect for the two teens. They spent time painting both their armors (Ezra didn't want to change the colors, but the painting definitely needed a come by) and talking. And as a bonus, Jaral sent a message in the evening, saying that Darvos had indeed received a new cabin and that she would spend the night with him, so that Ezra and Sabine had the time to indulge their desires for the rest of the night.
Jaral and Darvos certainly did the same. After a long day of strategy and reorganizing the fleet personnel to redistribute the survivors of Phoenix Home among the other five corvettes, the two were very much stressed out. Nothing better than a good loving-making session couldn't help them with.
Despite that, Jaral managed to wake up pretty early, and woke up her partner too, since he had to go on the bridge and start working.
It wasn't long after the two had entered the briefing room, that Commander Sato asked Jaral to summon the Ghost crew, which she did swiftly.
"The destruction of our command ship has severely limited our ability to fight the Empire in this sector." The commander announced as all the invited were on the bridge.
"Than maybe we don't fight, for now." Ezra proposed, earning curious gazes. "When things got bad for me and Jaral, back on Lothal, we would retreat into our tower and lay low for a while."
"I thought you guys lived in that tower…?" Sabine asked surprised.
"No, Ezra's right." Jaral intervened. "We mainly lived on the streets, sleeping wherever we could find shelter. That was our battlefield. But the tower allowed us to keep our gear secret and safe, and provided us a safe haven away from everybody. It was basically our base." she made sure to mark the last word.
"They have a point, commander." Darvos added. "Establishing a base on a hidden location would give us a massive tactical and logistical boost."
"I agree." Sato said. "Establishing a base should become our priority, right now."
"Problem is, none of the potential bases we know of have the tactical advantage we need to protect what's left of our fleet." Hera stated.
"Or to help systems suffering under Imperial oppression." Kanan added with sarcasm.
"We can't help others if we can't help ourselves first, Kanan." she replied.
"I know someone" Ahsoka intervened by her distance from the holotable. "who might be able to help us. A great military commander with a vast knowledge of the Outer Rim." she started pacing around the table. "He could assist us in finding a base, and his military expertise would be a great addition to our cause."
"And how do we recruit this leader?" Sato asked.
"That's the problem. I lost contacts with him years ago and all my calls have gone unanswered." Ahsoka stroke her chin lightly.
"We can find him." Ezra said confidently. "Let us try."
"Well, there is one option I've not yet attempted." the Togruta said with hope in her voice.
A few minutes later, as the Ghost crew was in the freighter's cockpit, Ahsoka entered with the head of a droid, and gave it to Sabine, who was sitting on one of the passenger's seat.
"Is that...the head of an old tactical droid?" Kanan sounded very surprised.
"These droids were great at finding things, calculating." Ahsoka said before scoffing with an amused smile. "Found my master and I a few times when we didn't want to be found."
"Jinx, do you think it's possible for this thing to find Ahsoka's friend?" Jaral asked to its forearm with a hint of skepticism.
Jinx manifested in his usual form of a holographic butler. "According to my database, it's actually possible. I can even increase his calculating capacity, but we still need a lead as to where to find the target."
"I heard that the last time he was spotted in the Seelos System. I suggest you start from there." Ahsoka said as she started pacing out of the cockpit.
"Wait, you're not coming with us?" Ezra asked.
"I have something else to attend to." she said gravely.
"That Sith Lord?" Kanan asked.
"There are questions. Questions that need answers."
As she reached the other side of the threshold, she turned around.
"Kanan, if you find my friend, you must trust him." she dryly said.
"If he is all the things you said, I think we need his help." he tried to be reassuring.
Ahsoka just stared at him severely. "Trust-him." and the door closed.
Ezra and Kanan looked at each other, very much confused.
The travel to Seelos was uneventful. Jaral spent her time as co-pilot, learning all sort of things about the Ghost under Hera more than willing supervision.
After four hours of hyperspace, they exited right in front of the desert planet of Seelos, the almost white sands on the surface made it shone brightly.
But as they exited the hyperspace, the two women were startled by a panel behind them that started sparking and an alarm went off blaring.
Chopper chirped something, waving his handlers in panic.
"We get all the way to Seelos, and now you tell me that the hyperdrive wasn't completely fixed?!" Hera said furiously while busy at the controls. Jaral stood up and went scanning the malfunction.
Chopper answered in defense.
"You finished the important reparations? How did you define 'important'?!"
"What's going on?" Kanan asked annoyed as he peeked out from the yellow ladder to the cargo bay.
"Chopper did a mess, as usual." Jaral jested.
"You guys take the Phantom, me and Chopper will stay here. Hopefully we'll finish reparations by the time you get back."
Jaral headed straight for the Phantom. After the rest of the Specters reached them, she detached it from the roof and they headed for the surface.
Seelos was the quintessential representation of a 'desolate rock'. It was a giant carpet of dry land with a high concentration of salt in it, giving it its shiny color. The temperature was high but not unbearable, but the lack of any source of water or even something that could cast a bit of shadow were two issues that one could not ignore.
Jaral brought the Phantom down and flew just a dozen meters from the ground, to better inspect the surface.
Sabine finished activating the droid's head and put it on the instrument panel.
"Let's fire this thing up." she said.
The head started to emit a faint sound of statics.
"I think it's homing in on something." Sabine said.
"Jinx, extend its signal." Ezra said, touching the head with his left hand. "Before we get lost in this place."
"I think that was the point." Zeb commented gravely. "What if this 'great commander' doesn't want to be found?"
That was a pretty valid question, and no one had an answer ready.
"7567...7567…"
Suddenly, the droid's head started to repeat these numbers.
"It's catching a signal." Jinx said. "Transmitting coordinates on your HUD, Jaral."
Jaral saw the coordinates and rolled the Phantom in that direction. On that surface, with barely any hill or mountain worthy of these names, the fly was pretty much straight forward.
After 20 minutes or so, Zeb pointed in front of the viewpoint.
"There. Something's moving."
Jaral got a better look with her integrated scope and saw that there was definitely something, though she didn't recognize what it was.
The ship moved quickly and caught up with the slow moving object. Jaral made a circle around it as the crew gawked in awe.
It was a six-legged walker, on top of it were several metal sheets that could be used as a landing platform for small vessels and was adorned with numerous lanterns and a variety of utility tools.
"Now that's a work of art." Sabine commented amused.
"Looks like an old Republic tank." Kanan said in a grave tone. "Used during the Clone Wars."
The walker spotted them and stopped on its track. Jaral brought the Phantom down a few meters from the rear of the tank, which had been converted to a small terrace with a handrail and extendable ladder.
As the crew disembarked, Kanan whispered to Ezra. "Be on guard."
Ezra looked at him puzzled before following him. He and Jaral removed their helmets.
The group halted next to the front of the Phantom, waiting for someone to come out from the tank.
Ezra and Jaral took frontal positions as the rear door of the tank opened and three old men came out of it. The siblings immediately noticed that they looked identical. Two of them were wearing pieces of armor, while the third only wore the leg's armor and sported only a shirt on the torso.
The one in the middle, probably the leader of the group, was bald but had a pretty dense beard and mustache. His armor was white with some blue stripes on the side.
The one on the right had sideburns and mustache and short hairs, all white as the leader, and his armor was white with dark gray shoulders. His right eye was probably cybernetic as it was gray and a scar ran vertically on that part of his face.
The one on the left was completely bald.
Zeb scoffed. "It's just a bunch of old geezers."
"Well armed old geezers." Sabine whispered back, noticing that the ones on the sides had pretty big rifles. Only the one in the middle had two pistols holstered.
"What do you want?" the one in the middle asked, standing at the top of the terrace.
"We're looking for someone." Kanan said.
"Well it's too bad, 'cause there is no one out here."
Ezra decided to step in. "Hey, does the number 7567 mean anything to you?"
The three men gripped their weapons.
"What did you just said." the middle one said.
Ezra didn't budge and kept composure. "I said 7567."
"I haven't heard those digits in…" the man looked at the sky for a moment before looking back at the boy. "Well that's my birth number.!"
"Birth number?" Jaral asked in confusion.
"They're clones!" Kanan exclaimed before jumping in front of Ezra and igniting his lightsaber.
"Kanan, wait!" Ezra tried to stop him.
The man on the right startled. "Jedi! They've come for revenge!" and fired two shots at Kanan, who parried them.
"Drop the blaster, old man." Zeb intimated as he and Sabine grabbed their weapon, but Jaral put herself in front, spreading her arms.
"Don't try it, boyo! I'll gun you down." the man with the shirt pointed his rifle, but 7567 shoved it off.
"Stand down, trooper, now!" then he pushed the other man rifle's down. "That's an order, soldier!"
"But he's a Jedi. A Jedi!" the man with the sideburns was still fretting.
"I know. I know. But they weren't the ones that betrayed us. Remember, Wolffe?"
Ezra too put an arm on Kanan's chest and he deactivated his saber.
"Kanan, Ahsoka said to trust them."
"Sorry about the, um, weapons malfunction." 7567 chuckled in embarrassment. "My friend here is just a little defensive. You see, we haven't seen a Jedi since...well, it's been a while."
As the Specters sheathed their weapons, Ezra quickly presented everybody.
"Nice to meet you, 7567."
"Actually, my name is Rex." the man straightened up. "Captain, 501st clone battalion. Meet commanders Gregor and Wolffe."
"We were sent by Ahsoka Tano." Jaral declared.
"Ahsoka Tano." Rex remembered fondly. "I fought by her side from the Battle of Christophsis to the Siege of Mandalore. And her friends are my friends too."
The siblings smiled in satisfaction at each other as the group was invited to climb up.
They all went into the walker's command center in the middle of it.
Gregor made an amused comment on Zeb's height.
"You got some pretty interesting armors." Gregor said to the siblings, rubbing his chin.
"Ours is a pretty long story." Ezra told him. One that we might not have the time to explain, right now."
Rex sat on a chair and sighed. "How's Commander Tano?"
"In bit of a pinch." Jaral answered. "As all of us. Look, we're trying to fight the Empire, but we're outnumbered, out-matched and taking a beating. We could use your help."
"Well, I'm not sure I'm much help to anyone these days." Rex said and slumped on the chair, groaning. "Didn't you hear? The Emperor said the clone army had served his purpose and retired us. Now we spend our time telling stories and slinging for joopas."
Kanan grunted. "This was a wasted trip." he said acidly before trying to leave the room.
Ezra intervened. "Wait. You don't like the Empire, do you?"
"Well, the Empire isn't the Republic, but there's nothing I can do with that."
"You could fight." Ezra suggested, shrugging his shoulders.
"Sorry, son. My days as a soldier are over." Rex apologized.
"Ok, fine." Ezra decided to respect that decision. "But there is something that you might help us with. We need a base. Ahsoka said that you know all sort of hiding places in the Outer Rim."
Rex gave a quick look at his brothers. Gregor nodded while Wolffe shook his head.
The captain rose up from the chair.
"Well, my memory isn't what it once was, but, um, there are some spots that I never bothered to report to the Empire. Why don't you just wait outside while I assemble a list of coordinates?"
The Specters complied and left the room and they all went waiting on the terrace.
Barely a minute later, Gregor came out of the door.
"Hey, I was thinking…" he rubbed his neck. "Since we're providing you with a list of bases...maybe there's something you could help us with." he said with a shrewd smirk.
"No, thanks." Kanan turned him down without even looking at him, but Ezra immediately countermanded that.
"Sure, how can we help?"
Gregor went to the edge of the terrace and pointed out.
"Out there, deep below, roam the joopa. Elusive big game." he chuckled a bit. "When we're lucky enough to sling one in, it'll feed us for the whole year." he leaned his back against the handrail.
"Okay, what do you need?" Sabine asked.
"Him." Gregor pointed at Zeb, who looked confused.
While Zeb was helping with the hunt in whatever way the clones saw fit, Kanan isolated himself into the Phantom, working on his lightsaber.
Ezra decided to see what was wrong.
"Okay. You don't trust these clones, but they haven't done anything." the boy said to his master.
"You don't understand, they're dangerous." Kanan retorted with a hushed tone.
"Ok, but Ahsoka said to trust Rex. Do you trust her at least?"
Kanan felt stung by that statement. "You weren't there. You weren't even born!"
"Ok, then help me understand!" Ezra didn't like the vagueness of his master.
"I don't feel like discussing it." Kanan dismissed.
Ezra rolled his eyes and slowly paced toward the exit. Then Kanan sighed and Ezra halted.
"It was at the end, the end of the war." Kanan spoke in a heavy tone. "Our fellow soldiers, the clones, the ones we Jedi fought side by side with, suddenly turned and betrayed us." his tone was becoming increasingly angrier and Ezra looked at him sadly. "I watched them kill my master. She fought beside them for years and they just gunned her down in a second!
"...and then they came for me. Later I was told they had chips in their head that made them do it. Said they had no choice."
From the door, the voice of Rex interrupted.
"I didn't betray my Jedi." everyone looked at him. "Me, Gregor and Wolffe all removed our control chips." he pointed at a scar on the right side of his cranium. "We all have a choice." he said before leaving them.
The two Jedi stayed silent for a few moments.
"For what is worth, I believe we can trust Rex." Ezra concluded before going out as well, leaving Kanan alone with his thoughts.
Ezra reached Sabine and Jaral on the left side of the tank, still walking in that endless desert. The siblings were still wearing their armors, as they had an integrated environmental systems that kept them cool under that sun. They only kept their helmets in their devices.
"How's Kanan doing?" Jaral asked.
"I don't think he'll be fine again until we leave this planet and these guys." he said grimly.
They all leaned against the handrail.
"Well, I'm going to see what they're doing to Zeb." Sabine proclaimed.
"Guess it'll be better than staring at the nothingness." Jaral commented. "You coming?" she asked Ezra, who certainly didn't want to stay alone there.
The younglings reached the front of the tank through the all-round gangplank. Zeb was walking on the ground in front of the walker, a backpack on his back was attached to an electrical tether coming from the AT-TE's turret.
Gregor was at the foremost point of the gangplank. Jaral reached beside him while Ezra and Sabine stood a bit more in the back as he put an arm around her waist, to which she didn't complain.
"Keep going." Gregor shouted to Zeb. "If we're lucky we'll catch Big Bongo today."
"Let's get this over with. I'm getting hungry." Zeb shouted back.
"Just move forward. We're coming up on a hot spot!" Gregor shouted and waved his fist enthusiastically.
"Your hot spot looks like everywhere else on this desolate rock." Zeb groaned.
Then they saw a column of dust suddenly burst up in the distance and Rex (who was manning the turret) ordered Wolffe to stop the walker.
"All right, just a little more." Gregor instructed Zeb, who grabbed the rudimentary lance they had given him and walked forward.
Gregor turned to Jaral.
"I just wanted to say, we really appreciate your help. We should do okay with your friend here."
Jaral smiled courteously. "A favor for a favor. Zeb packs quite a punch."
Gregor laughed almost maniacally.
"I'm sure, I'm sure, but I didn't mean it like that. It seems like joopas really love Lasats."
"They love them? What do you mean?" Sabine asked in confusion and Ezra let her go, suspicious.
"Well they say they love the smell or I guess they love the taste as well…"
A grim realization dawned on Jaral. She took a look at the turret and the tether.
"Wait, Zeb isn't the hunter he is the bait!" she said loudly.
"Oh, hunter, bait...It's the same thing." Gregor said with absolute nonchalance.
"No, it's not!" Kanan had come to see what happened and shouted at the clone.
Suddenly, another underground explosion manifested nearer to Zeb, then another one, and another one.
Everybody screamed to Zeb, urging him to come back, but he was froze in terror.
"Oh, karabast." he murmured just before the ground under him cracked a bit and a long tongue wrapped around his body.
"Zeb, no!" Ezra shouted before the Lasat was dragged down in a moment.
The tether started to quickly moved away, leaving a trail of plowed terrain.
"Whoo-hoo! This could be him! Our Big Bongo!" Gregor screamed enthusiastically.
Wolffe resumed the walker's march while Gregor ran inside the tank.
Rex called out Sabine.
"Hey, I bet you know a thing or two about mechanics."
"Yeah, good bet." she said, climbing up to the turret.
Rex indicated the devices at the base of the cannon.
"Keep an eye on this regulator. The line can overheat and shut down. No line, no joopa, no Zeb."
"Copy that." she took out the small wrench in her utility belt.
"What about us?" Ezra asked next to Jaral.
Gregor came back with two electric poles.
"You got the best job of all!"
"When the line swings around, you'll charge it with the electro-poles." he passed the to the siblings.
"I think we got this." Jaral said. They both understood what to do and readied the weapons toward the line.
Kanan was looking in frustration.
As they reached the tether, it swung on the left, and then back in front. At that last moment, Ezra and Jaral hit the line with the poles, without needing instructions from the clones.
"Nice done, kids." Rex complimented.
The tether started to run away again.
"Ooh! He didn't like that! Hit him again!" Gregor shrieked.
The siblings readied and launched another coordinated strike on the line.
Whatever the joopa was, he was not happy and tried to get as far away as possible.
The line was getting too far as well. The siblings looked at each other for a moment and nodded.
Jaral left her pole to Ezra, who deactivated his armor to move better. Jaral went behind him, crouched down and allowed him to mount on her shoulders, since she was still the biggest of the two.
The line, however, was faltering. Ezra looked back and saw that Sabine was working hard, but she announced that they were losing the regulator.
"Full stop, Wolffe, dig in!" Rex ordered. "This is where we finish the battle."
The walker stopped and put its feet down.
The line was still too feeble, too risky to hit.
"Sabine…!" Ezra exclaimed in urgency.
"I know, I know. Working on it!" she replied, wiping out some sweat from her front with the free hand.
The walker struggled against the strong pull of the underground beast, tilting forward.
"Got it!" Sabine announced as the line finally got at full power.
Ezra didn't waste a second and swung the poles on it, sending another electric waves.
The tether came back in front of the tank. Then a giant worm surged upwards, roaring in pain.
Rex used the chance given and fired the cannon into its open mouth.
The creature sent a last grieving roar then fell dead.
Everyone went to the right side of the tank to look for any sign of Zeb as the tether died down.
Luckily, a few seconds later, the mouth of the creature moved and the grumpy tone of Zeb lamented
the smell.
"Zeb!" Ezra screamed in relief.
Gregor climbed down from the rear ladder and went to aid him.
"That was impressive." the clone said while pulling the Lasat out, covered in the joopa's saliva.
"Impressive? You almost got my friend eaten!" Kanan said angrily.
"Yeah." Zeb agreed, pushing the clone away. "I was in that thing's mouth!" he screamed.
Gregor simply laughed. "Head to toe, but look!" he turned the Lasat around. "You brought us in our biggest catch ever."
"I...I did?" Zeb seemed definitely prouder now. "Actually, it wasn't so bad, Kanan. I-I knew I had the beast from the start."
Kanan rolled his eyes and jumped down next to Rex.
"We upheld our end of the bargain, captain. Now give us the list so we can leave this place."
"I'll go take it." Rex said plainly. "But you might consider staying for dinner."
"It's gonna be delicious!" Gregor cried.
"That beast tried to eat me." Zeb said. "It's only fair that I get to know how it tastes."
"Can't say no to that." Ezra smiled. "Right, Kanan?"
It took them until dusk to hang the beast on the right side of the walker, where various cranes were holding the windlasses.
Ezra and Sabine were on the rear terrace, leaning on the handrail while they looked in the distance. She was leaning her head on his shoulders and they were simply enjoying each other's company.
Until Rex came out of the door, and the two looked back.
"I've assembled a list of potential bases and clearance codes and a few protocols the Imperials still use. Should be of some use."
"Thanks, Rex." said Ezra.
"They're on our main computer. You're gonna need…"
"Data tapes?" Sabine preempted him. "I got this." and she went into the door.
Rex went in front of Ezra and complimented him with a pat on the shoulder.
"You were brave today, kid. You jumped right in there to help." the two leaned on the handrail. "You know, you and your sister fight like clones. No need to talk, no hesitation. Your coordination before was perfect."
"Well, we did a lot of experience on that field." Ezra chuckled.
"A great Jedi once told me that the best leaders lead by example. You guys do that well."
"Thanks. I learned from a great Jedi too, Kanan." he said, turning his head on his left. There stood Kanan, giving his back on them. The Jedi heard, but didn't turn.
Rex chuckled. "I don't think he likes me, or ever will. I can't say I blame him. The war left scars on all of us."
"You really won't reconsider the idea of joining the fight?"
"I think I outlived my purpose for that kind of fight. After the war was over, I questioned everything that happened. All those men died, and for what?"
Ezra thought about it for a second. "I guess what they thought was right."
Rex seemed impressed.
A couple of seconds later, Sabine stormed out with a datapad in her hands, while Wolffe was climbing up the rear ladder.
"The clones gave us up. They warned the Empire we're here." she said angrily waving the datapad.
"Wait, what?" Ezra asked.
"You're mistaken." Rex said sternly. "We'd never do that."
"Oh, I found the binary transmission to the Empire. And there are messages Ahsoka sent to Rex and he never answered her!"
"What?!" Rex jumped and grabbed the datapad. "I never received messages from commander Tano!" he scrolled the datapad.
"I knew it!" Kanan pointed in accusation and walking menacingly toward them. "I told you we couldn't trust them."
Ezra blocked him with an arm. "Kanan, wait. Is this true?"
Rex thought for a moment, than turned to his brother, who was looking the other side.
"Wolffe. "hat did you do?"
Wolffe stuttered. "I-I contacted the Empire! If they found out that we were helping Jedi, they'd wipe us out."
"Sabine, go warn Hera!" Kanan ordered. And Sabine ran out.
Wolffe turned toward Rex. "I just wanted to protect you guys. Protect our squad!" he said angrily.
"The war is over, Wolffe." Rex grabbed him on the shoulders. "We are free men, now. We can't live in fear of the Empire. These men did nothing to us!"
Wolffe came to the realization.
"You're right. They're not our enemies." he lowered his head in shame. "I'm sorry."
Right then they were startled by the sound of a twin blaster and the voice of Jaral screaming briefly.
Ezra's body moved on his own at the voice of her sister in pain. He jumped up the upper platform, landing on the left side of the Phantom, and noticed Sabine trying to cover a downed Jaral with her body. Ezra rushed forward and he found himself in front of a probe droid.
When the droid shot, Ezra went back behind the vessel, and the shots hit the left engine, causing a small explosion. The probe escaped downward.
Ezra crouched next to his sister.
"Are you ok?" he asked with a hint of panic in his voice.
Sabine helped her sit up as Jaral groaned.
"I'll live. He only took out my shields." and right then, the shields recharged, making her armor glow in a yellow light that slowly vanished.
Other shots from under the walker remembered them that they were still in danger.
The probe was floating away very quickly, with Kanan trying uselessly to hit it with his pistol.
Ezra grabbed one of the clones' rifles.
"Rex. You gotta make this right." he said, then launched the rifle to Rex.
The captain took position, aimed the rifle carefully, then shot a precise bolt that hit the droid, destroying it.
"Nice shot." Sabine said, impressed.
From below the walkers came out Zeb and Gregor, who had thrown themselves down to avoid the bolts of the droid.
As night finally came on the planet, the group went inspecting the wreckage of the probe.
Ezra put Jinx on work, trying to look into the droid's database, but it had self-destroyed once Rex hit it. They had no way to know how long the Empire had been watching them, but since Jaral and Sabine found the probe messing with the Phantom, it was clear that imperial forces would come sooner or later.
To make things worse, the left engine had taken the direct hit, and until Jaral and Sabine fixed it, they were stranded.