We are currently going strong so we decided to give you another chapter. We have been spending some time with the crew lately. lets take a look with some other people. Something is moving in the dark side.
The Star Destroyer had reached the orbit of Lothal with the three Inquisitor's onboard. The Grand Inquisitor strolled down the hall along with four stormtroopers to fetch the two prisoners as they were going for the base on Lothal. The Grand Inquisitor opened the door and found the man and woman like he had left them. Mira Bridger was unconscious and strapped to an interrogation table while her husband Emphire was sitting chained to the wall staring at his wife.
"Get them up and bring them to the transport" the Grand Inquisitor ordered.
Two of the stormtroopers stepped over to the woman and released her from the restrains making her fall to the ground and cried out, before trying to curl together.
"Mira" Ephraim cried and tried to get to her only to be held back by the two stormtroopers. That made the man look at him.
"Please let me support her, she can't stand by herself" Ephrair said with tears in his eyes.
The Grand Inquisitor could sense the man's anger and knew what he really wanted to say 'she can't stand by herself, because of what you did to her'.
"Now why would I allow you that?" the Grand Inquisitor smirked grinning at the mans begging.
"I did what you asked me so please let me help my wife" Ephraim cried.
The Grand Inquisitor looked at the man and knew he would scream and cry all the way if he did not allowed it so he nodded.
"Let him support his wife but make sure he doesn't run. Put shock collars on them both instead of cuffs" the Grand Inquisitor ordered.
The troopers did so before they freed Ephraim from his chains and the man rushed over and lifted his wife so her head rested on his arm and he gently took her with her as they left the cell. The procession continued until they reached a hangar where the two was locked up in the shuttle that transported them to Lothal.
SWR
Ephraim held Mira close as they sat in the small section of the shuttle where prisoners were locked up. Ephraim hoped that Mira would soon wake up because he worried over the fact she still was out cold. Finally she started moving.
"Mira?" Ephraim whispered as she started looking at him with groggy eyes.
"Ephraim ... where are we?" Mira mumbed confused.
"It's okay we will land soon on Lothal" Ephraim answered.
"What happened?" Mira asked still leaning to his shoulder.
"They … they" Ephraim said unable to form the words that described what they had done to her.
Ephraim had been forced to watch the Pau'un had electrocuted Mira at a higher and higher voltage. There was times where she had passed out and a single time a medic had been summoned after she had have a heart attack. In the end Ephraim had been unable to prevent it and in the end he had told the Grand Inquisitor what he wanted to hear unable to take the sound of Mira's scream. Ephraim felt dirty for betraying Mira and Ezra but had found himself unable to continue to hear Mira's scream and when she had her heartstop he was sure he was going to die out of a broken heart. Ephraim had, to his disgust, found himself pleading and begging the same monster that had tortured Mira to request a medic and save her. It had been the worst thing he had ever seen or at least as bad as the day they had taken their son away from them. It was a day Ephraim remember well … it was 3 years ago, the last time they had seen their son before they had been taken as prisoners of the Empire. It was a day Ephraim would never forget, it was a day that would change their happy lives to one full of misery.
Flashback
Ephraim had gotten his and Mira's gift ready when Ezra came running in smiling at them.
"There is my big birthday boy" Mira said.
Ezra grinned at this.
"Now come and get your present before we have to go to the parade" Ephraim said.
Some of Ezra's eagerness died down.
"Do we have to? Can't we just stay here?" Ezra begged with pleading eyes.
Both of them felt their son had to be forced to this every year.
"I am sorry Ezra I know you find it boring but we have to but remember tomorrow you will get a big cake and we will sing for you and play games" Mira said.
Ezra still hung his head much to the sadness of his parents. They did not want to go either, they wanted to stay with their son celebrating him like they were supposed to. Yet the empire did not allow people to skip the celebration, it was mandatory for every citizen even if the empire broadcast made it sound like an option.
"We now you don't want to but we have to. Now come and get your present" Mira said gently.
Mira and Ephraim looked sadly at each other as Ezra tried to smile at them. They both knew Ezra tried to be strong for them which was wrong, they were his parents they should take care of him. How they hated having to have this discussion every year, it was just not fair. Even so a smile lit up Ezra's face when he saw what the present was. A slingshot that could fire small energy shot.
"Thank you" Ezra cried out as he hugged them joyously.
Both Mira and Ephraim chuckled at how much happiness. Everything was perfect for the man; he had a beautiful courageous wife and such an amazing son. Ephraim smiled as Ezra ran around and pretended to 'shoot' stormtroopers with his slingshot, it was perfect wonderful moment. But alas a storm was waiting just outsides the Bridger's door.
Banging was heard against their door.
"Ephraim and Mira Bridger! This is Agent Alexandr Kallus. Come out with your son and your hands up! By order of the Emperor.
Ephraim eyes widened as did his wife as he looked down to their son.
"Mom...Dad, were not late for the parade are we?" Ezra asked scared.
Before the parent's could respond the door was knocked on once more.
"This is your last warning before he barge the door ajar. All three of you are to surrender now or face the consequences. Your son is wanted by the empire" Kallus said.
Ephraim saw Ezra cling to his wife's side.
"Mom why are they after me? I did not do anything?" Ezra asked scared and innocent.
Yes why would they be after their son, he unlike them had done nothing wrong. Ephraim heard a new banging on the door. There was no way in Mustafar that the Empire would take there son.
Ephraim got the kitchen table and slide it in front of the door.
"Dad, what are you doing?" Ezra sked, fighting the urge to cry.
"Buying you and your mother time."
Mira head shot up, "If you think I'm just gonna leave you-,"
Now is not the time!" Ephraim barked, "take Ezra, find a place to hide, and contact fulcrum, they will help you."
The door sundle was being ramed. Mr. Bridger cupped his hands around his wife's face, I love you," he said softly as he kissed her forehead gently. Then, he bend down towards his son's tear-filled face and ruffled his hair before telling him, "Never forget who you are."
Ephraim then went to the door and held against it for as long as he could, but the door was giving, his wife and son left out the back door. Once he saw they were gone, he smiled, and had no more strength. As the door gave away he hoped the time he had bought Ezra and Mira was enough.
The trooper's stormed the house, and tackled him to the floor. The smashed his head a couple of times, but the pain was worth it knowing his wife and son got away. Ephraim knew he would now be spending many years in a prison for this but better alone than seeing his wife and son being taken too. Ephraim just hoped they would not try and come and free him just to be captured. As they handcuffed and out him into the transport however; he saw to his horror his bruised wife, but no Ezra.
"Mira!" Ephraim cried out as he limbed towards her.
"Ephraim!" she cried out as she sobbed in hysterics.
"The cornered us, i threw a trash can… Ezra got red all over the fence…"
"Ezra got away?"
Mira nodded in contentment.
Suddenly a tall man in white uniform came over while looking at a datapad.
"Mira and Ephraim Bridger why did you make it so difficult for you? We were here to get your child Ezra Bridger" the man said.
"Who are you? Why are you after our son?" Mira asked.
"Like I said I am Agent Alexandr Kallus. We are looking for your son due to his abilities. As you well aware any children with force abilities is to be handed over to the empire. We only asked for all of you to prevent the boy from running" Kallus said.
Mira and Ephraim looked worried at each other, how had the empire found out Ezra was force sensitive? They had known they had to hide it, not wanting the Empire to separate their son from them. Those whose children was taken was never seen again from what they had heard.
"Now tell me where he is and you can both go. We now people can be a bit troubled over seeing their child go but rest assured once the boy is in our care all charges will be dropped" Kallus continued.
"No I won't tell you where he is" Ephraim said and Mira shook her head too.
Kallus was about to say something when a trooper came out.
"Sir you should come and take a look at this" a storm trooper said.
Kallus left and they looked worried, hoping it was not Ezra that had been found. Time felt like it was slowing down as they waited for Kallus to come back.
"So I go to fetch a boy and instead find two rebels speaking out against the empire" Kallus said as he came back.
Horrors filed them realising they had found the broadcast equipment.
"Well you just got a life sentence in jail rebels for treason against the empire" Kallus said.
"You can't do that" Ephraim said.
"I am a high ranking ISB of course I can" Kallus said.
"Well there is definitive proof the empire is a dictatorship" Mira snapped.
Kallus glared at them before he turned to another man in uniform.
"Send words to every imperial authority. The boy is to be found, captured and brought in. Place a bounty over his head and let the citizens now that if they take him in they will hide an escaped convict and can be punished for it" Kallus told him.
"You can't do that he is just a child!" Mira cried out.
"The boy is now wanted by the empire since he did not follow the rules of the empire so off course I can. Now get these two transported to a prison facility" Kallus said.
Mira and Ephraim looked at the many troopers which was moving about in search for their son before the door closed cutting out the view of their home and any chance of seeing their son again.
End of flashback
Ephraim could not stop relieving it. For two years they had been transferred to prison after prison. Each transfer had been because of their effort to run so they could reunite with their son. It had continued like this until the Inquisitor and Kallus had come and told them they now had Ezra. They had shown pictures of their son and how he was trained and beaten, he had looked starving. The ultimatum had been clear. 'Stop trying to escape or your son will pay the price'. After that they had stopped doing so afraid Ezra would be beaten even worse if they escaped. They had behaved for almost a year when they suddenly had been dragged along to the Star Destroyer without any explanation.
"Get up rebel scum" a stormtrooper called, breaking his line of thought.
Ephraim helped his wife up and supported her as she was still very unsteady.
"It's okay Mira, just one step at the time" Ephraim whispered.
"No talking" the lead trooper said making one of his men slam his blaster into the back of Ephraim which nearly send them both to the floors as Mira was leaning heavily on him.
It was hard but finally they made it to the cell where they was shown to the wall and chained. Ephraim took his wife up and held her close trying to ease her after the torture sessions earlier. Mira swayed and started crying.
"Oh Ephraim what is happening. These people is after our son and we can't do anything about it. Last time we were the save Ezra but know we will be used to catch him" Mira cried.
"I know Mira I know, and I am sorry for betraying you and Ezra but I could not stand it hearing your scream like that" Ephraim cried just as hard.
"You should not have told him so much about our son" Mira said softly.
"I wish I had an other option but I could not bare to hear you scream like that, I felt like I was dying as well seeing you like this" Ephraim said with tears in his eyes.
Mira weakly put an arm around him for comfort.
"Have you seen those two cry babies?" A voice suddenly cut in.
Two troopers with blasters walked in.
"What is it now?" Ephraim asked tiredly.
"Nothing you are just under constant surveillance you won't be allowed out of sight at any time" the trooper said.
"We can't even sit in piece for you in here?" Ephraim asked irritated.
That earned Ephraim a slam on the head and star sprung into his vision before he could focus on Mira gently holding him. Mira and Ephraim looked at each other with sadness before they held each other tighter not willing to talk in front the troopers.
SWR
As the Inquisitors made his way to make the call, Kallus followed behind him.
The three entered the communication center.
The holoprojector turned on as they approached. Kallus entered the coordinate to connect with the mole agent. The connection though was not picked up for some time. Longer than it would take for the informant to normally answer. Once the connection was set up, the image began to form that of a young woman. Her form scrawny, with her eyes sunken into her pale face.
"What took so long?" The Inquisitor snapped.
The woman stayed calm, "My apologies sir, but you caught me at a bad time. I do not know how but the sleeper cells reveal has been discovered by the Rebels, the cell is being moved to a safe location. Hopefully the new location of our cell will be the base. Even so the access to information has been limited a lot and I don't have the coordinates of where we are going to."
Kallus eyes light up, what a huge blow for the Empire towards the rebellion. It would have been perfect if they had gotten the location of the rebel base. Instead their moul was now risking exposure, if she was found it would be a big lose and much harder to catch the rebels in the future. The Inquisitor stayed on topic.
"You will have a new task in stead, we want you to be on the base and contact the group we have talked about before. This goes with our plan perfectly."
"Off course sir. All though we might have to change how you pay me so the rebels don't find out" the woman said.
"Yes we will have agent Kallus looking at it later" the Grand Inquisitor said.
"Good. Now what about a raise since you want to expand my tasks and they have gotten more dangerous" the woman asked.
"No!" the Grand Inquisitor cut her off.
The woman glared at them before she nodded as the Inquisitor began to explain their ultimate plan.
Far away from there Ezra screamed out in horror from a nightmare.
A/N Things are getting tense. Empire is has a plan and it may cause problems for our rebels. You have now got the first look at the mole but if you go back to chapter 2. You see we actually planted the first mention of her very early on. How many picked up on it back then?