Chapter 32: Home
Hera was, without question, one of the best pilots in the galaxy, but when she left the Sovereign's hangar and looked at what lay before her, she knew that even she was hopelessly outclassed. The other four Star Destroyers surrounded the Sovereign, their compliment of TIE fighters deployed and filling the space between them light a buzzing swarm of angry insects. Light cruisers and heavy warships and smaller, speedy gunboats hung back behind them, a defensive line to catch anything that managed to escape the net. Not that it would matter anyway. Most TIE fighters were not equipt with hyperdrives, and the one they had managed to steal was not. The one they had arrived in was, being one of the prototypes they were building in Lothal's factories, but by the time they had gotten to the hangar, that ship was gone, and they had to settle on grabbing one of the few that were left.
To make matters even worse, Chopper was not responding, and the droid in the Ghost had been their escape plan. For just a moment, Hera had wished that they decided to take two TIEs instead of one to have a little extra firepower, but she quickly banished the thought from her mind. They had chosen one because they knew they would need the best to fly out, and while both Sabine and Cody were skilled pilots, they were children next to the masterful Twi'lek. Regardless, they had taken one ship, and that was that. It was senseless thinking about what could have been when she had to focus on not being shot out of the air. TIE fighters weren't exactly the easiest things to disable because they weren't the sturdiest ships. Getting shot, especially up here, would likely send the ship careening into the hull of one of the Star Destroyers where they would be destroyed on impact.
Even better, the moment they left the hangar, the Imperial starships converged upon them, opening fire the moment they were clear from the Sovereign, like they had been waiting for them, and Hera couldn't help but wonder if they knew it was them, or if they were simply shooting down every ship that left the hangar. Her hopes of blending in with the group were quickly dashed when the control console rang with alarm to indicate they had been tagged and locked on to. There was no capture to be made, not here. That time was over. All the Imperials could do with the rebels here was destroy them, and so help her, Hera was going to make them work for it.
"Why isn't Chopper responding?!" Sabine asked frantically, quickly giving voice to what everyone was thinking as panic settled over them.
"He left us!" Zeb growled, his hand tightening around the back of the pilot's seat. "I can't believe he'd leave us like that!"
"You can't believe it because he didn't," Ezra snapped back. "Chopper wouldn't do that. Something must have happened."
"Or your droid just has a bad attitude," Cody put in.
"Maybe so, but he's plenty reliable," Sabine said in the droid's defense, and the clone just rolled his eyes.
"All I'm saying is that K-2SO would never do this. Kenobi's droid would let him know if something was wrong, or if the ship were under attack. He'd probably send a message to him to apologize if he thought the ship was going down." A smug smirk touched the clone's lips as he looked at the indignant Mandalorian. "Have we heard from Chopper at all, Lady Wren?"
"This isn't helping!" Hera snapped at the group behind her, wrenching the yoke sideways and sending the TIE rolling through space to evade the enemy fire, their reckless path causing other fighters to pull quickly out of their way to avoid collision, only to go slamming into each other, the TIEs exploding on impact, and Hera used the brief moment of space to right the fighter and return some of the fire that was so liberally being shot at her. It was like trying to stop the waves on an ocean, and no matter how much she fired, or how many ships she hit, there were always more, so many there may as well have been infinitely many. When the fighters swung around for another attacking run, Hera shot off, making a break for the space between the Star Destroyers.
It was a slim chance she would make it, and the cruisers stationed behind them formed an intimidating wall, one that could certainly stop a single TIE, and with no ability to jump to lightspeed, there was no chance for escape. They could have turned and landed on Lothal, but doing so only prolonged the inevitable. Worse, it opened up the opportunity for capture, and Hera had no intention of giving Tarkin that satisfaction.
Her eyes widening, the Twi'lek pushed the yoke forward, sending the ship careening in a spiral downwards when the Star Destroyers opened fire, green plasma streaking toward her once she got in range in a wall of unavoidable destructive energy. She flipped around and pressed the ship back toward the Sovereign, the swarm of TIE fighters suddenly seeming far more manageable than a barrage of unstoppable turbolazers and ion cannons. In the Ghost, maybe it was possible, but in the fragile TIE fighter, she couldn't bring herself to risk it when the kids were onboard.
She had just flown through the smoke of an exploding TIE when out her viewport, she saw a pillar of flames erupt from the center of the Sovereign, shooting out into space and spreading across the length of the ship as it slowly begun to split, the reactor core destroyed and causing unavoidable ruination as it burned from the inside. All systems failing, the Sovereign began drifting toward Lothal, its powerful engines no longer able to keep it suspended as they failed, and it was slowly pulled into its gravitational field. Hera felt her heart seize as fear gripped her, biting her lip as she silently prayed that Kanan and Kenobi managed to get out in time.
"Damn..." Zeb said as he watched flames erupt along the length of the ship, explosions catching. "Looks like Kenobi made good on the promise to take that ship down."
"Let's just hope he and Kanan didn't go down with it..." Hera muttered as she spun out of the way of a group of oncoming TIE fighters, her finger on the trigger and shooting rapid, spiraling bolts of plasma into space, at least a few guaranteed to hit their mark with how many ship swarmed nearby. The only advantage she had was that she didn't have to be cautious to not hit her teammates like the Imperials, and she was using it to her advantage.
"Bridger," Cody said firmly. "Can you sense Kenobi or Jarrus?"
"Oh! Yeah, hold on..." Ezra closed his eyes, breathing deep as he braced himself against the spinning of the ship, and he reached out for Kanan with the Force, disturbed like a large stone had been thrown in a still pond, clouding his ability to see and feel, but through the destruction and death, he could feel him. "I feel him, he's alive!" Hera breathed a heavy sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing immediately. "He's...escaped, I think, his presence is becoming stronger very quickly."
"He's in a ship?" Hera asked, pulling up on the yoke and easing off the trigger, the teen muttering a quiet but certain affirmative, and Hera's eyes scanned the swarm of ships, uncertain how she was going to know which was his. Her eyes snapped to a ship swiftly swerving toward them, navigating the green bolts of energy like they were nothing, one of the curved winged advanced TIEs, this one in particular she knew belonged to the Grand Inquisitor, and her pulse jumped. The presence of the ship meant that Kanan had bested his foe...or the Inquisitor had slain her lover and was now coming for them. Green bolts of plasma fired from the Inquisitor's ship, flying past Hera's starfighter and striking two TIEs that were in pursuit, and the Twi'lek grinned when the advanced TIE flipped around to fly behind them, shooting rapidly above and below her path, striking fighters before her, but never hitting her. She had her answer, and before the ship to ship com crackled, she was already grinning.
"We've got your back, Spectre Two," Kanan's voice said over the com, and the occupants of the cabin began chattering in excitement among their sighs of relief.
"Just in time, Spectre One, we could use the help," Hera said as she corkscrewed out of the way of an approaching TIE squadron and flew a wide arc around the burning Sovereign. "Spectre Three isn't responding, and this is way more than we can handle alone."
"It's far more than we can handle together..." Kanan said somberly. "They've got us trapped, and once the Star Destroyer goes down, there isn't going to be anything to keep those Star Destroyers from closing in and opening fire. Hell, they may be getting ready to do that right now."
"We can't give up!" Hera said firmly, and she was met by a soft chuckle from the Jedi.
"I wasn't suggesting it. "Spectre Zero's got a plan. He's...picked up an asset he's going to try to use. He needs you to fly like you're afraid of us."
"Got it," Hera said, pulling the yoke up and sending the ship spiraling away from the advanced TIE, though Kenobi kept the ship close, and the Twi'lek executed evasive maneuvering as soon as they started firing. "In case..." Hera started, but stopped quickly and shook her head. "No matter what happens, know I love you."
"...I know," Kanan said, a lump in his throat as he looked out the viewport at Hera's brilliant flying, knowing full well it wouldn't last forever. "I know, I...I-I love you too."
"Ugh," Kenobi groaned as he slammed his fist on the console to cut the com. "Spare me your sentimental garbage, lest I vomit on the controls and short circuit the ship. We'd really be dead then."
"I suppose we're already dead enough..." Kanan muttered, watching as Obi-Wan's hand adjusted the com settings, tuning it to the Imperial frequency to be heard by every ship on the network. "If Chopper's not answering, something happened to him. We'll never get out of here."
"...shall I be honest?" Obi-Wan asked, his hand on the Inquisitor's head, the half conscious man moaning as the Sith raked the Dark Side through his mind. He didn't wait for Kanan to answer. "You are right, Hera can't escape. The net is too wide, and without the ability to jump, they can run even her down eventually. But we could escape."
"...you aren't actually-"
"We are far more valuable to the rebellion than they are, Kanan," Obi-Wan said flatly. "And I've no intention of dying here today. There are still things I must do, the Force is not yet done with me. If we abandon them, we can easily escape. They don't have a hyperdrive, but we do."
"Alright..." Kanan whispered. "So what's your plan?" A faint, pleased smile crossed over Kenobi's face, and Kanan punched him hard in the shoulder, the sudden jolt making Kenobi jerk the yoke, sending the TIE wavering off course for a second before it was righted again. "You asshole! Of course you wouldn't leave them, Cody is on that ship! Do you think I'm stupid?! This is hardly the time for your mind games!"
"I disagree..." Obi-Wan drawled. "It's always time for mind games." He shot another volley at Hera's ship, the shots close, and two of them skimming the cockpit. "As the most important people in your rebel cell, we are also the biggest target," he said. "If my plan doesn't work, we're going to give Hera an opening to make a run for it."
"And the plan is?" Kanan asked, and Obi-Wan flashed him a wicked grin as he touched a button on the console and activated the com. Kneeling by his side, the Sith's hand upon his head, the Inquisitor groaned softly as Kenobi raked through his mind and slowly, his hazy, distant eyes looked up at the Sith. Kobi–Wan whispered something to the Pau'an, so soft he could barely hear and in a language he didn't understand, and with a violent shiver, the Inquisitor leaned over the com.
"Imperial fleet, this is the Grand Inquisitor, and I order you to stand down!" the Pau'an strongly commanded. After a moment while the authorization codes were sent, the TIE fighters pulled up, following the Inquisitor's orders and retreating to defensive formation to await the next command, the advanced TIE in close pursuit of the rebel vessel. It only took a moment for the com to crackle with feedback as they were contacted on a closed channel.
"Grand Inquisitor," came the tight, angry, accented voice on the other end. "This is Grand Moff Tarkin. What is the meaning of this?"
"I believe Obi-Wan Kenobi to be on that ship, Governor," the Pau'an hissed. "How many more of your men do you want to see die today?"
"A great many more if it means Kenobi will be brought down with them!" Tarkin snarled. "Where is the Jedi?"
"Dead," the Inquisitor said quietly. "I killed him when I knew Kenobi had come for him. We need to take him alive, Governor Tarkin. Lord Vader expects us to deliver someone to him on Mustafar, and the Emperor himself has demanded that he be captured alive."
"I see..." Tarkin said. "And tell me, how do you plan on doing that?"
"His ship has no hyperdrive, he cannot escape. He cannot run forever," the Inquisitor growled. "He has every advantage on the ground, but up here, he is just another pilot."
"Yes, I believe I understand," Tarkin said cooly. "You would capture Kenobi to save yourself. Lord Vader will not be pleased about the loss of his Jedi, and I am not pleased by the loss of my ship." The Governor scoffed. "I believe the Emperor will forgive me for killing that pest. It is certainly preferable to allowing you to get away again, Kenobi." The com screeched with feedback as the closed channel was shut and the fleet channel activated. "All units, this is Grand Moff Tarkin," the man said harshly. "Disregard the last directive and engage the Inquisitor's ship. Aboard it is very likely the rebel Jedi, and at the helm is the Shadow King. This is your top priority! Destroy that ship!"
"Uh oh..." Obi-Wan said, his hands on the controls and backing off of Hera's ship as the TIEs screeched to life and raced toward them, green energy flying toward them.
"This what you wanted, Kenobi?" Kanan asked.
"Uh...not exactly, no," Obi-Wan said through clenched teeth, his eyes darting across space at the swarm before him and slammed his hand on the console to make the incessant warning of the weapons locked upon them stop beeping. "Alright, time for Plan B..." the Sith growled, pressing the accelerator forward and speeding toward the Star Destroyers, bringing the swarm of TIEs with him. "Let's give Hera that opening she needs to slip away..."
"Leaving us with the mess," Kanan scoffed, smiling softly as he looked behind him, the feel of the others growing distant as they made their escape. "Typical, I'm always cleaning up after that woman..." Kenobi wrenched the yoke sideways, sending the ship spinning out of the way of oncoming fire, the ship jolting and the cabin lights flickering for a moment before new warnings began flashing.
"There goes our hyperdrive..." Obi-Wan growled, his hand gripping the yoke tighter and flying straight toward the Star Destroyer Chimera. "Damn it, I need a way to destroy these damn ships!"
"So, what, you're going to try to get the Star Destroyers to do it for you?" Kanan asked, shaking his head. "You might very well be the best pilot in the galaxy, Obi-Wan, but one TIE against four Star Destroyers and hundreds of starships and who knows how many cruisers..."
"I know, Kanan, I know!" Obi-Wan snapped, pressing the ship at full speed toward the Star Destroyer, deftly evading the turbo lasers and ion cannons that began firing, a wall of unavoidable fire that the Sith Lord dove far beneath, his erratic piloting giving the weapon locks a difficult target, and given enough distance, he managed to pilot between the beams of energy, shooting up toward the Chimera, his proximity to the ship causing the others to cease fire for fear of hitting it. When the bombardment ceased, the TIEs rushed in, howling through space toward the Inquisitor's starfighter as it hugged the belly of the Chimera.
"We may very well die today, Kanan, Obi-Wan whispered, "but I'm going to make Tarkin work for it. I am not going down without a fight. I can't die yet, not here, not like this..."
"Yeah, I have a kid to train," Kanan drawled. "And I'm pretty sure when we get back, Hera's going to chain me to her bed, and I don't want to miss that." Kanan looked the Sith Lord over, a slight from on his face when he felt...something from within Kenobi that he couldn't quite place. "Hey, Kenobi...what is it that you're fighting for?" Obi-Wan looked back at the Jedi, a small, secretive smile on his face as he pointed upwards.
"Right now, it's the Star Destroyer's environmental shield..." the Sith whispered. "HK, I don't want to fight those cruisers out there, and our lead on the TIEs isn't going to last. Get up on top of the ship and magnetize yourself to the hull. Shoot to destroy and make every shot count."
"Gleeful: Master, leave it to me to see that the maximum number of deaths is achieved." the droid said as it pushed open the hatch and climbed out, quickly closing it behind him. Obi-Wan's hands clenched around the controls, and he sent the ship into a downward spiral, the swarm of TIEs catching his movement and giving chase as soon as they saw him, Kenobi's lead on them growing smaller with each passing second. When he was far enough away for the Star Destroyers to start firing again, he pulled back on the yoke and sent the ship spiraling upwards toward the Chimera, the pursuing ships breaking off when HK-45 destroyed several of them the moment they fell in behind the starfighter, the ships disappearing one by one from the scanner as the droid picked them off.
"Master..." the Inquisitor whispered from his place beside the pilot's seat, his voice thick and distant, and the Sith's golden eyes darted down to look at him. "I've spent some time working with Admiral Thrawn, certainly long enough to know his ship." He pointed out the viewport at the underside of the rapidly approaching Star Destroyer. "That is not the Chimera." A slow, wide grin passed over the Sith Lord's face.
"You're certain?"
"I am," the Inquisitor said flatly. "Thrawn's Star Destroyer has a Chimera engraved on the belly of the ship." With a low, malicious chuckle, the Sith Lord laid his hand on the Inquisitor's head, and the Pau'an whimpered as he trembled.
"Continue to please me like this, pet, and you're going to find me to be a much kinder Master than your old ones..." With a soft, desperate whine, the Inquisitor leaned in to his touch, even as fear kept his hands shaking. "Provided we're not dead in a few minutes..." Pulling the accelerator back, Obi-Wan's TIE shot forward, running along the belly of the imposter Chimera so closely that the tips of the curved wings scraped against the hull, ships continuing to explode behind them as HK shot them down. They burst out into space behind the Star Destroyer's mighty engines, the swarm following closely behind them as the cruisers in the distance mobilized, quickly moving to meet the rogue TIE. Against ships with proper shielding, there was nothing they could have done, the some of the smaller gunboats were meant for tremendous speeds. They could run for a little while, but not for long, and the ships were closing in.
This was a Tarkin trap, not a Thrawn one, and Tarkin didn't care how many lives must be thrown away to see his ends met. Obi-Wan had no doubt the cruisers would open fire, even with the swarm of TIE fighters behind him. They would die in the crossfire, and Obi-Wan could avoid them for a little while, but probably not for long. He was a great pilot, not an invincible one. Breathing deeply, Obi-Wan looked out at the surrounding ships as they began to fire, and he surrounded himself with the Force and got to work.
He flew between countless bolts, swerving and spinning as he tried to press past the cruisers, but it was no good. The shooting was coming from every direction, only getting harder to avoid the closer he got to the ships, and he was quickly forced to retreat back toward the Star Destroyers, fighting his way through TIE fighters to get there and taking advantage of the chaos that the explosions caused. Even if he could somehow miraculously get away, without the hyperdrive, it was a pointless endeavor. With a growl of frustration, he turned the starfighter around and raced toward the cruiser that looked the weakest in the line, hoping to be able to break through there. Even if it was pointless, he had to try.
Kanan groaned when he saw more ships blink out of hyperspace behind the line of cruisers, eight ships that he could see racing toward them, and slowly, he began laughing quietly. "Do you think Hera got away alright?" the Jedi asked, shaking his head as soon as he said it. He knew the answer already. He could feel them, though they were not far away, hanging around a safe distance from the Star Destroyers and waiting for them.
"None of us have gotten away yet," Obi-Wan said, a slight smirk growing on his face. "But we will." He pulled back on the accelerator, racing toward the line of ships, skillfully evading the new barrage of fire directed at him, the quick ship spinning out of the way and narrowly escaping the shots fired. Kanan's eyes widened as he saw the new arrivals draw closer, each one on an attack vector, and leading them all was the Ghost, the warm, familiar ship he had called home for so many years diving toward the line of cruisers and firing, the other ships following suit. As Obi-Wan rapidly approached the line, the cruisers burst into flames, explosions breaking out along the spines and engines, and through the confusion of the sudden attack, Obi-Wan shot the TIE past the line, spinning through smoke and flame as he slammed his fist on the com.
"Who the hell are those guys?!" Kanan shouted, his face pressed up against the viewport to try and look behind them, a broad grin on his face when he saw the Ghost circle around them.
"Not Imperials..." Kenobi muttered, the com bursting with static as it connected. "Hera, come in. Help has arrived, we need to dock with the freighters and get out of here now. The moment the Imperials mobilize, we are done for."
"Is that my ship?" Hera asked. "It is, that's my ship! That isn't the flying of a droid, that isn't how Chopper flies my ship! Kenobi, who's flying my ship?!"
"Oh, baby, I missed you!" Kanan shouted at the Ghost through the viewport.
"Get to the kriffing ship, Syndulla!" the Sith snapped, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw Hera's TIE racing toward them, and Kenobi circled around to see the friendly freighters causing hell to the Imperial line, the Star Destroyers turning to point their broadside cannons at the ships and moving into position so they did not get in the way of other ships' fire. Whipping around, Kenobi raced after Hera, covering her dash for the Ghost and Obi-Wan circled around the ship to destroy stray TIE fighters that made it past the freighters when Hera docked. The Ghost discarded the TIE a moment later, the empty ship sent spiraling through space, and Obi-Wan quickly docked at the ship's free port. When the hatch hissed open, HK reached in and helped pull them out, the three men quickly scrambling to the safety of the Ghost before the other TIE was ejected.
The droid was a mess, its blood red plating covered in black carbon scoring and scratches and burns in the hard shell, and Obi-Wan laid a hand on its shoulder, a silent promise to repair it, before he joined the others, the deck of the ship shuddering as it made the jump to hyperspace. They had escaped. It was done. Though the ordeal was far from over. They had gotten out a message, taken down Grand Moff Tarkin's Star Destroyer, neutralized the Inquisitor hunting them. In the past few months, Obi-Wan hadn't just found new allies for the rebellion, he had found an extension to his family. For better or for worse, everything was going to be different going forward.
As soon as Kanan had stumbled onto the familiar deck of the Ghost, he found Hera's arms thrown around him, the trembling woman's head against his bare chest as she grasped at his back, soft sighs of relief escaping her throat, and without hesitation, the Jedi pulled her closer, a soothing hand running the length of her squirming lekku. As she relaxed into his embrace, the pilot pressed light kissed to the pit of his throat and across his chest, Sabine and Ezra talking excitedly between themselves before Chopper wheeled in, furiously gruffing and service arms extended to strike at their knees. With an accusing snarl, Zeb smacked the droid on its flat head, demanding to know what took it so long to save them, and was rewarded by the indignant thing beating its steel retractable arm against his shin.
"Thank you for coming for me," Kanan whispered, a smile on his face as he watched the rest of his crew chase the droid around. It was like it always was. His family. Together. "I do appreciate it...even if it was rash and reckless and foolish." Hera looked up at him and smiled, reaching up to run her hand along his cheek.
"You're welcome, dear..." she whispered, hooking her fingers behind his jaw and pulling his face down to meet hers, her lips quickly capturing his and melting into him when she felt his pulse jump.
"Eww, get a room, dad!" Ezra teased, the two adults breaking apart quickly with deep flushes on their faces, the teenager grinning wildly befor Sabine smacked him. "Oww! What was that for!"
"It's not gross, Ezra, it's romantic! Can't you see they're having a moment?! Ugh, you are such a child!"
"H-hey!" Ezra sputtered, chasing after the Mandalorian as she walked away. "I am not a child!"
"Things never change, do they?" Kanan asked softly, sighing in contentment when Hera leaned against him. "...though seriously, you might want to keep your distance. I need a shower, I smell like...shit, I don't know, sweat and electric burns and chemicals. I think it's awful, and I have to live with it."
"I don't mind..." Hera drawled, her hand running down his chest. "I may even join you," the Twi'lek whispered in a breathless voice, Kanan's soft moan of pleasure becoming a gasp of pain when her fingers hooked behind his collarbone. "If you can tell me what that is doing in my ship, Kanan!" she almost shouted, pointing at the corner of the room where Cody stood, lightsaber in hand blazing with blue light and pointed at the throat of the dazed, oblivious Grand Inquisitor.
"...oh, um..." Kanan rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his face as he looked at his understandably angry lover. "Well, he's-"
"My responsibility," Obi-Wan said as he walked up to the couple, Kanan's neatly folded shirt and shoulder armor in his hands. "I can assure you, he will not be any trouble. As soon as we arrive at our destination, he will be transferred to the Umbra to remain in my care."
"Will the Empire be able to track him?" Her asked, and the Sith shook his head.
"I've dominated his presence. For all practical purposes, his will no longer exists. He cannot be detected."
"How?" Kanan asked, drawing hesitantly closer to the man that had been his enemy for so long, the pale creature not reacting at all. "What did you do to him?"
"Eh..." Obi-Wan shrugged. "Nothing he won't recover from. It's...complicated." As an answer, it was wholly insufficent, but Kanan wasn't sure he wanted to know. Obi-Wan held out the stack in his hands to the Jedi. "Your things. Honestly, you need to put a shirt on, you're starting to arouse the cat," Kenobi drawled, glancing over at Zeb, his large, gripping foot on Chopper's head as he tried and failed to hold the droid in place. Kanan arched his eyebrow as he took the offered bundle.
"Just Zeb, Kenobi?" he asked coyly, and the Sith scoffed, a slight smile on his lips.
"Oh, my arousal goes without saying, you know how you turn me on, sweetheart," the Sith Lord drawled as he took a lightsaber off his hip and handed it to the Jedi. "Your blade." Kanan quickly handed the bundle of his clothing to Hera and reverently took the weapon from Kenobi's hand, sighing in relief as he closed his eyes and felt the familiar weight, the grooves on the hilt, the guard near the top, the weapon so natural in his hand it was like a part of him.
"I can't tell you what this means to me..." Kanan whispered, taking the blade clipped to his belt and handing it to Kenobi. "Thank you. For everything."
"You've nothing to thank me for..." Obi-Wan muttered, taking his blade back from Kanan and returning it to its place at his hip. "I was just there to make Tarkin miserable. You were just a detour, you know." He shrugged. "I like the way you look around the ship. You're an ornament, Jarrus. Nothing more."
"Ah." Kanan twisted his saber, separating the hilt in two as he always did in order to conceal it, stopped as he reached to clip them in their designated places, and with a quick nod of resolve, put the saber back together, clipping the full weapon at his side. "I suppose being arm candy to a Lord of the Sith isn't so bad."
"Pleasure me well and I may marry you someday, darling." Kanan laughed softly, shaking his head as Hera smoothed a bacta patch on one of the many blistering welts and burns that covered his body. The wash of relief and fatigue had made him forget his pain, but he was remembering it now when even the softest touch made him wince.
"I would if you asked, you know that," Kanan said with a roll of his eyes. "But Hera might have something to say about that."
"I might have a lot of things to say," the Twi'lek said, carefully tending to the Jedi. "Not the least of which is that you, Kanan Jarrus, are and have always been an incorrigible flirt," she said, applying another strip of bacta and slapping it on his chest, and Kanan hissed in pain, looking at the smirking woman accusingly. "But mostly, I want to know who it was that came to our rescue."
"Members of other rebel cells," a soft, female voice said from behind them, and they all quickly turned to look at the newcomer, the person, presumably, who had been flying the Ghost. Zeb, Ezra and Sabine backed up to stand beside Hera and Kanan, their eyes never leaving the lithe woman leaning in the doorway, a Togruta with a warm, kind face covered with distinctive white patterns, her high, pointed white montrails striped with blue markings. On her belt, two lightsabers were clipped to each hip, and while the others leaned in to get a closer look, Kanan staggered back, his hand clutched to his chest when he felt his heart lurch, his throat so tight he couldn't breathe.
She nodded to the Sith Lord and smiled pleasantly. "Lumis."
"Fulcrum," Obi-Wan sighed, stepping away from the group to lay his hands on her thin shoulders and gently kiss the top of her montrails, her nose wrinkling as she grinned.
"That's Fulcrum?!" Sabine asked, her jaw slack as she stared at the woman.
"She is..." Obi-Wan drawled. "There are many Fulcrum agents, but she is the Fulcrum." He draped his arm around her shoulder. "Spectres, this it-"
"Ahsoka Tano..." Kanan whispered breathlessly, his voice audibly trembling and his face pale like he had just seen a ghost. The group slowly turned to look between the two as the woman slowly smiled.
"Caleb Dume..." Ahsoka said gently, her smile growing when Kanan's stunning, memorable teal eyes grew wide and wet. "I hardly recognize you. You've...grown up."
"I could never forget your face..." Kanan choked, his knees buckling and he fell against the wall, his hands pressed flat against it to support himself. "I could never, I..." He whimpered and shut his eyes. "I thought you were dead..."
"I'm sorry I couldn't reveal myself to you sooner," Ahsoka said softly. "When Obi-Wan told me about you, I..." She sighed and smiled at him when he looked up at her again. "I never forgot you either. You said something to me back at the Jedi Temple when I left the Order, and it never left me." Kanan's eyes searched hers, confused at first and then widening with sudden understanding, and the Togruta couldn't help but grin at the sudden swell of warmth in the Force. "This isn't goodbye, Ahsoka Tano," she said. "I feel like we'll meet again. We're going to get to know each other very well. I can feel it." The Togruta shrugged. "Seems like you were right."
With a strangled whimper, Kanan pushed off the wall and rushed to her, his shaking legs giving out after a few unstable steps and he dropped to his knees before the woman and threw his arms around her waist and held her lightly. Ahsoka gently threaded her fingers through his thick hair, a light, soothing hand rubbing at his shaking back, the touch of the Force on her palm filling him with warmth and easing the pain of his injuries. She quietly shushed him as the Jedi broke down and cried, his breath hitching as he came close to hyperventilation, overcome with emotion and relief so intense that his exhausted mind couldn't even begin to handle it.
"Hera?" Ezra whispered as he crept closer to the Twi'lek. "Who's Caleb?"
"That's his name," Ahsoka said before Hera had a chance to answer. "Or, it was before it became too dangerous to be so. Before his life as Kanan Jarrus." Kanan's arms tightened around her, clinging to her like she would disappear of he were to let go. "That was a lifetime ago, wasn't it? It must have been so difficult for you out on your own."
"He's not alone," Ezra said, stepping forward, flushing deeply when the woman looked up at him. "M-ma'am. He's...Kanan's got us."
"And so he does," she said, sending the student a pleasant smile. "And for that, you have my most sincere gratitude."
"Is that why you called for ships to save Kanan?" Ezra asked. "Because you know him?"
"No..." Ahsoka said quietly. "I sent ships because of you. Because of the Spectres. That message you sent reached a lot of people, and after we saw what it did..." She shook her head. "Smaller groups started joining with each other and forming rebel factions, not just insignificant detractors. And all of them are whispering about a Jedi, and there is hope where there wasn't before. We didn't want that hope to die."
"I told you they were worth it," Obi-Wan said softly, and Ahsoka smiled and shook her head.
"Oh, I knew that a long time ago. It was a matter of when they would join us, not if, and the time is now." She laughed quietly when Kanan's tight grasp slowly relaxed, his arms slowly slipping from Ahsoka's waist, and Hera quickly moved in to attend to her lover, her hands on his shoulder as he leaned his head against her. "I can see why you like him, Obi-Wan. He reminds me of my Master."
"...yes," the Sith Lord whispered, his throat tight. "Yes, he does..." He whistled sharply, tearing his gaze from Ahsoka and Kanan, and the Inquisitor staggered to his feet, his eyes vacant as he mindlessly heeded the call of the Sith, Cody's blue saber trained on him in case of any sudden movements. "You have catching up to do, I'm sure," he mumbled. "I'll be in the cargo hold with my pet. Get me when we've arrived."
"Hey, Kenobi," Ahsoka called to the Sith before he managed to escape. "You better be prepared to make a public appearance. Everyone's heard about you and the Jedi on Lothal. When I left, they were all showing up to help K2 with the Umbra."
"...all of them?" the Sith asked, and the woman shrugged.
"They're treating it like one of the bi-annual gatherings. From the sound of it, Bo-Katan's been raging about the Shadow King's insolence on Lothal" Ahsoka smirked when the Sith's hard features softened considerably. "Sent out her best to go looking for him."
"...understood," Obi-Wan whispered, pushing the Inquisitor through the door before he and Cody stepped in after him, the door sealing tightly behind them.
"I suppose I have a great deal to explain," Ahsoka sighed, turning her attention back to the Spectres. "And I'm sure you have a great many questions. I will answer all of them, I assure you, but first..." She smiled at the group, her eyes drifting to the bold and brash Sabine, strong and fierce Zeb, kind and brave Ezra, the grumpy and resourceful Chopper, and the two lovers, the leaders that held the whole ragtag group together, dutiful Hera and loyal Kanan. It was a group that could lead the fight against the Empire. The time was swiftly approaching. She could feel it.
"Allow me to officially welcome you to the Rebellion."
Despite being intended as a temporary base, the Rebel Base on Dantooine was alive with activity, and when the Spectres stepped out of the Ghost, they stood in stunned silence as they took in the ships, the droids, the people all rushing about. The naps they managed to get in hadn't been nearly enough to prepare them for this. Hera had known there was something bigger, something she had desperately wanted to be a part of, but she never imagined it being this big, and she was sure this was only a fraction of the strength they commanded. She held Kanan's hand tightly as she looked around, biting down on her lip when emotion overwhelmed her. Her lover captured by the Empire, the successful rescue of him, the destruction of Grand Moff Tarkin's Star Destroyer, and now, their inclusion into the greater rebellion that had been brewing. And all of it the span of thirty hours.
As far as days went, it wasn't bad at all.
They followed Obi-Wan closely, the Sith Lord walking through the base like he owned it, which, judging from the salutes and bows and respectful acknowledgments he was getting, was at least partially true. Beside him stood Ahsoka, the Togruta quietly filling him in on everything that had happened in his absence, and on his other side walked Cody, a cowed and beaten Inquisitor shuffling meekly at his side, his mind returned, but his willpower had been sapped dry, his presence in the Force shaking and tremulous at best.
When they walked into one of the many auxiliary hangars of the sprawling complex, Kenobi stopped suddenly and gasped, the Umbra on the ground where it was being repaired, the damage far worse than it had looked in space the previous evening. Droids and mechanics surrounded the ship, all of them diligently working to remove damaged outer plating and repair non-functioning systems, every single one of them obeying the commands of K-2SO, the droid occasionally stopping to coo at the wounded ship.
"Oh, my baby!" the Sith groaned, rushing to the ship and laying his hands and face on the hull. "Baby, Daddy is so sorry!"
"My sentiments exactly, Master," K2 said as he lumbered toward the Sith Lord. "We are working diligently to repair her, sir. We estimate two weeks for a full recovery."
"More than that, I'm afraid..." Kenobi muttered. "I need to upgrade the stealth system if I want her to be effective again, though I'll never be able to fly her against Tarkin again..." He sighed heavily. "I should have known better, Tarkin's Carrion Spike used the same technology, of course he'd be intimately familiar with it..."
"I will begin immediately to seek alternative solutions and possible upgrades to the stealth system, Master," K2 somberly promised. "I will consult with Seg'rotth'uruodo. She has a talent for thinking of creative solutions."
"Ah, yes..." Obi-Wan drawled. "Where is my little Chiss slave? I am told she was instrumental in insulating my stolen TIE, I need to reward her for her service."
"She is inside the ship working on the hyperdrive, Master. Shall I page her?"
"Please do." K2's visual receptors drifted to the ground as it executed the command.
"Done, Master," the droid chirped. "What would you like me to..." K2 trailed off, its visual receptors snapping up when HK-45 approached. "...oh. And here I thought that nothing could look worse than the Umbra." HK drew up to its full height, and K2 followed suit, the security droid towering over the assassin droid. "You look awful, you useless pile of scraps."
"Defensive: at least I was out fighting for our Master, instead of being mated to the Umbra like some filthy, squishy animal," HK retorted, a pleased whirring in its vocal modulator when K2 emitted an electronic burst of offense.
"I deeply regret that you did not sustain more severe damage."
"That's enough, droids," Obi-Wan commanded. "K2, see that you get one of the mechanics here to clean HK up. I believe the damage is superficial. Anyone should be able to handle it. If it's something more, contact me immediately."
"Of course, Master..." the droid groaned, its head lowering in its acceptance of the order.
"HK." Kenobi pointed a finger at the assassin. "No murder."
"Objection: Master, there is an excess of entirely unnecessary meatbags on the premise! If I could-"
"No murder," Obi-Wan said, much stronger this time, and the droid's circuits whirred in an expression of disapproval.
"Disappointment: As my cruel, unforgiving Master commands..."
"Glad we have an understanding..." Kenobi drawled, his eyes drifting to the boarding ramp when the Chiss woman walked off, an excited smile on her face when she saw him, and she rushed to him, stopping a respectful distance away and bowing. Obi-Wan quickly closed the gap between them when he reached out and grabbed her chin, his thumb running over her slightly parted lips. "Vah ttis'ah ch'ah, rvtiz. Ch'ah vsabah ch'a tsacah carcir can nasar."
"Ch'ah k'ir nah ch'aset csei s bun'as, ch'eo csahn..." the woman said softly, lightly sucking on the Sith's thumb, and he grinned wickedly.
"Vei k'ir vah baper?"
"Vah, ch'eo csahn." With a deep, predatory growl, the Sith grabbed her throat and savagely kissed her, a rough, dominating thing that the woman eagerly leaned in to, and with a roll of his eyes, Cody stepped between the Sith and the Spectres to shield them from the display, though Ezra notably leaned over in an attempt to look around the clone and watch.
"What, you haven't taught her Basic yet?!" Cody snapped, the Sith growling and biting the woman's lower lip as he parted from her.
"Does she need to know Basic?" Kenobi drawled, his hungry eyes focused on the woman as she panted to catch her breath. "Her only dealings are with me and K2, and the droid has been installed with a Cheunh language program. I don't need to hear her scream for me in Basic..." he said slowly, the woman gasping as he ran a hand down her chest, and beside Cody, the captive Inquisitor shivered. "Though while I'm here..." he said, dragging the woman close. "Do the Chiss have stealth technology?" The Chiss frowned, her nose wrinkling.
"What is stealth?" she asked in accented, slightly monotone Basic, and Cody's mouth dropped open.
"Nazebanto," Kenobi softly offered, and the woman nodded.
"Of a sort, yes."
"Develop it with K2 while I am out this afternoon," Obi-Wan said quickly, a wicked, feral grin on his face as he looked her over. "Csei s nuvci, ch'eo bustucah, ch'ah csarcican't tsan'ah vah cseo ch'itcuto vah csarcican't nah ch'islah vacosetahn ch'ican." Patting the flushing woman on the cheek, he strode away from her, passing Cody and flashing him a devious grin. "You were saying?"
"I was saying that you're an asshole, Kenobi," Cody growled, roughly shoving the Inquisitor after the Sith as he turned to leave the hangar, the Spectres following close behind, still in awe of the base and its workings.
"One more stop to make..." Obi-Wan started, but trailed off when he felt the ground shake and the distant sound of surprised, frightened, and outraged screams. "Oh, never mind, it seems as though our stop is coming to us." A moment later, Yoda came tearing around the corner, unable to stop its forward momentum fast enough, and the massive beast went slamming into the large doorway, the metal bending on the impact with the sturdy body. Shaking it off like nothing happened, the rancor came bounding into the room, skidding to a stop before the Sith Lord, his massive claws pawing at the ground and making large, deep gouges in metal and the earth below. Obi-Wan raised his hand, the beast immediately laying on its belly on the ground, the large, dangerous maw open as it panted, his tongue lolling from his mouth and leaving a slick puddle in its wake.
"There's my boy..." the Sith drawled, laying his hands on the beast's face, the pudgy nose moving rapidly as he sniffed at his Master. "I have a gift for you..." Kenobi said, the rancor's black eyes widening, his rear legs stretching to arch his back in excitement. Obi-Wan looked over his shoulder, his golden eyes glowing with cruel, sinister delight as he stared at the wide-eyed, terrified Inquisitor. "Not as good as your last toy, I know, but until he comes back into my possession, he'll have to do." Feral black eyes landed on the Pau'an, a deep growl reverberated in the air, and without warning, the Inquisitor took off running, the massive rancor bounding after him and barking excitedly, the beast's predator instinct only amplified by the Inquisitor's screams.
"Kenobi, you're not actually letting this happen, are you?" Kanan asked, a hand clasped over Ezra's eyes as he shoved Sabine's helmet on her head backwards, the struggling Mandalorian cursing as she struggled against the Jedi to get it off. Zeb's raucous cheers for the raging beast didn't help the situation. "I know he's an enemy, and he almost killed us several times, and he tortured me, and..." He trailed off, lazily stroking his chin as he thought. "...alright, maybe I care less than I thought." Kanan winced when a loud roar pierced the air, followed by frantic, terrified screams. "Alright, no, I don't want the kids to see a man eaten alive."
"Relax, Jarrus, the rancor gorged himself on Lothal," Obi-Wan calmly explained. "And Yoda knows better than to break his toys. The Inquisitor won't be killed." As if on cue, the rancor trotted in, the Inquisitor wedged between four sharp teeth at the hip and hanging out of the beast's mouth. Yoda dropped the man on the ground before the Sith Lord, the Pau'an quickly scrambling to his feet, only to be knocked back down by a large, heavy claw. The rancor plunked down upon the ground with a thud, his long arms surrounding the Inquisitor and batting him between the large claws like a cat that had caught a mouse. When it looked like he would make another run for it, Yoda reached out with a long arm and slammed his claw upon the fleeing Inquisitor, trapping him underneath the massive hand as the beast dragged the sobbing man back toward him, the Pau'an's pale hand clawing at the ground and leaving bloody trails from his fingers.
"Master..." he croaked, trying futilly to drag himself from under the beast's grasp toward the cold, indifferent Sith Lord. "Master, please, have mercy..." With a cruel smirk on his face, Obi-Wan knelt down in front of the frantic man.
"There is no mercy among the Sith..." Kenobi whispered. "And especially none for you. If messing with my Jedi wasn't enough, you killed Luminara Unduli." Obi-Wan scoffed as he stood, glaring down at the wide, frantic eyes. "That alone is enough to condemn you to all the suffering I could ever conceive. But..." he drawled. "I can be a good Master. We'll see how cooperative you are when I return."
"N-no, please, don't leave me!" the Inquisitor screamed as the rancor scooped him up and put him in his mouth, the Pau-an wedging between the jagged teeth and writhing in an attempt to escape, but to no avail. Obi-Wan patted the rancor on the nose.
"Take care not to harm him too badly. Need him alive." With a keening whine, the beast rolled over, sprawling out on his back, his teeth grinding together as he tongued at the sobbing man hanging out of his mouth. Obi-Wan patted Kanan on the back. "Come. I've something to show you."
"Y-yeah, alright..." Kanan stammered, following the Sith, and when the other Spectres started to follow, Obi-Wan turned and held up a hand.
"Not you, I'm afraid. Just the Jedi."
"We go where Kanan goes," Hera said, crossing her arms in front of her chest, but she was quickly pulled off-balance by Cody when he walked by.
"Come on, Syndulla," the clone said. "I need help repairing the Umbra. We're goine to be better than any of the mechanics around here."
"B-but-"
"Does that mean we get to stay with the rancor?" Zeb asked, rubbing his hands together and laughing as he ran off toward the beast. Sabine and Ezra quickly looked at each other, neither one saying a word for a moment before Sabine sprinted toward the Umbra.
"I call the sublight engines!" she shouted as she ran away, and Ezra was in quick pursuit a moment later.
"No fair, Sabine, you always get the best work!" Hera sighed heavily and shook her head.
"Guess that settles it..." She laid her hand on Kanan's cheek. "Whatever it is you're doing, be safe, love."
"I promise," he whispered, kissing her softly for a moment before they parted with a sigh, the pilot spinning on her heel and walking to the ship side by side with the clone.
"Mind if I tag along?" Ahsoka asked, and the Sith inclined his head.
"That was the expectation, yes." With a smile, the three walked off together toward the main hangar.
"So..." Kanan started. "Where are we going?"
"There's an ancient Jedi Enclave here," Obi-Wan said quietly. "Been abandoned for ages, sort of like the Temple on Lothal. Thought you'd want to see it. You might learn something."
"Yeah, maybe so..." Kanan said, and the trio fell into a comfortable silence. The walk through the base, borrowing speeders, flying fast and low across the open terrain of forgotten Dantooine toward the mountains in the distance, all of it in silence. Instead of words, the Force flowed between them, open and free without any restrictions, and Kanan could feel Ahsoka's serene peace, the weight of her responsibilities, her anticipation to finally fight against the Empire after so many years of waiting, her uncertainty of what would come next now that they had attacked the Imperial ships above Lothal, now that they had a new, exciting element involved in the rebellion.
He could feel Obi-Wan as well, the surging around him darker, but also calm, a contentment settling over him as he rode beside Ahsoka and Kanan, the fulfilment of a vision he had seen once long, long ago, the same vision that Kanan had once had as a Padawan, a vision he thought to be a mere dream, that very vision the reason that Ahsoka had remembered him after a single conversation when they were teenagers. Kanan could also feel the Sith Lord's longing that came with his relief, though a longing for what, he couldn't quite place. But he could also feel concern, a deep, lingering touch of something frightening, a future that lay before him he desperately wanted to avoid, the same future that Kanan had seen with him within Ezra's vision of the Sith Lords.
The Temple opened to the easily enough, the Sith standing back and watching as the two Jedi reached out together and compelled the stone of the mountain before them to give way, and sure enough, a rumbling in the ground saw the boulders shift and move, opening a way for them to enter deep within the hidden Enclave. Unlike the Temple at Lothal, the halls of the Enclave were lit by torches, the fires newly made, and Kanan slowed his pace. Someone was here. Many someones were here. He could feel his heart pounding, and was fairly certain that Kenobi and Ahsoka could hear it too, they way they were looking back at him and smirking.
The hallway emptied out to the top of a balcony surrounding a long, wide staircase leading down into a wide, expansive room, the cavernous space filled with the buzzing of hundreds of beings speaking, and Kanan looked into the room to see Mandalorians, all of them armored save for their helmets, all of them young, and from more species than he could count. He could identify twelve different ones off-hand, but there were those that were so uncommonly seen he couldn't remember what they were called. The youngest among them couldn't have been much older than Ezra was, the oldest certainly younger than him, no more than twenty five, from the look of it. Kanan breathed deeply, and the air itself was filled with the breath of the Force. This place was strong in it, had a long history with the Jedi, and he could feel the raw strength of these halls that were once sacred to the Order.
The moment the Mandalorians saw them, the entire room fell silent, every single eye focused on them, awaiting a signal, or instructions, or anything, though what it was, Kanan didn't know.
"Your army, Kenobi?" Kanan asked quietly. "Mandalorians loyal to the Shadow King?" A slow, enigmatic smirk spread across the Sith Lord's face, an expression, to Kanan's dismay, was shared by Ahsoka.
"In a sense..." Kenobi said softly as he stepped forward, pushing Kanan with him. "Children of Mandalore," the Sith said strongly, his voice easily carrying through the air of the large cavern. "The Padawan of Jedi Master of the High Council, Depa Billaba, Caleb Dume." Kenobi nudged Kanan forward. A hiss of excitement went up among the group, and behind him, Kenobi's blue lightsaber hissed to life. A cascade of snapping hisses followed, and Kanan stared wide eyed at the hundreds of young warriors as each of them struck on a lightsaber, the room filled with the soft glow of green and blue, the thrum of the weapons filling the air, and everything he had learned, everything he had seen, every riddle he heard fell into place.
No Jedi lived, though there were those that survived the massacre.
Ages sixteen to twenty five.
The Mandalorian culture of adoption.
These were the Jedi younglings.
Kanan fell to his knees and stared at the sea of blue and green before him, for the second time that day rendered completely awestruck.
"We saved them from the Temple," Ahsoka whispered, her hand resting on his shoulder, the man whimpering softly at her touch. "Me, Master Yoda, and Master Luminara. I didn't do as much as they did, but I delivered some information they needed to make them aware of the grave danger they were in." Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Information my Master Quinlan died for. So I could escape with it and deliver it to the Council. Our warning from Obi-Wan to save what we could."
"I didn't do anything," Obi-Wan said quietly, and the Togruta smiled at him for a moment before turning her attention out to the Mandalorians.
"It's what remains of your brothers and sisters," Ahsoka whispered. "I know it isn't much, but-" She was cut off when Kanan quickly leapt to his feet and threw his arms around the Togruta and the cursing, struggling Sith Lord.
"Thank you..." he choked, and for a long while, he just stood there embracing the two, silent as he felt their presence in the Force envelop him. All of them, the lost Children of the Force, brought together at last.
The Empire didn't stand a chance.