Happy New Years EVE! As a treat and a great way to start the new year, we are updating our story as a gift to our fans.
Ezra stood on shaky knees as he held the fifth brother's lightsaber in his hand which they had made him accept with threats against the crew. Even so when Ezra had ignited it he had to fight the urge to throw it away when he saw the red color he despised. The Inquisitors and Vader had him moved to a larger cell so that Vader could begin their training. Ezra though had no desire to fight.
The idea of Kanan being sentenced to die was too much for Ezra to handle. Yes, he knew that Kanan was sentenced to death the first time they met, but they did not know each other back then. Now it was like...Ezra just didn't want to have anyone else he knew die.
Ezra just wanted to do nothing. No, that wasn't true, he wanted to be with the crew and Kanan most of all but it was denied to him. But Vader threaten to hurt the other crew member if he did not. Ezra didn't want them getting hurt because of him. So Ezra stood there, but did not fight. When Vader attacked, he blocked it, just like Kanan had taught him; and Vader could tell for his aggression got more and more fierce. Ezra though stood his ground and blocked the man's attack.
"Apprentice," Vader spoke irritated, "You are defending yourself like a jedi. Under my tullage you shall fight like a sith, and the best defense is a good offense. Attack at me as hard you can.
Ezra shook his head, "That's not how a Jedi is supposed to fight. That's what I want to be."
The Inquisitors who stood in the corner and watched the whole scene play out glared at him eagerly. It was clear they wanted a chance to punish him for his words. Kallus too was in another corner, shaking his head at it all. Kallus would never argue against Darth Vader but at the same time he found training the boy to be a waste of time. The child was a street rat, a no one. Kallus still remembered how much trouble the kid was when they first had him. Always kicking and screaming, the kid even bit him once. Now the child had escaped and joined these rebels. The child was too dangerous. Plus the child did not wish to be trained under Darth Vader. By eliminating the child they can be rid of another rebel and focus on finding and destroying the rebel base.
Kallus felt it was strange that both the Grand Inquisitor and Darth Vader found such an irritable and untamed boy so special. Kallus had never seen anything unique with the boy and every time he had been left in charge of the boy, it had not been pleasant. Kallus had been tasked with teaching the boy to shoot and other military fighting styles. It had been hard just to get the brat to listen to him let alone teach him. More than once he had left the brat locked up while he had to seek medical help for the bites and kicks the boy had managed to land on him. In his objective the boy was a waste of resources.
Apprentice," Vader repeated loudly, "You will be trained under me. That is not up for debate. The dark side will make you strong and powerful. Under my training you will become a Sith and have everything you ever wanted.
"Then I want Kanan and my friends to live" Ezra said.
"The jedi has already been taken care off, it is too late for him, but your friends you might be able to help with. When we land in Coruscant your friends fate will be up to Emperor Palpatine. I might speak their case if you train with me willingly" Vader said.
"No I want Kanan to live too," Ezra shrieked at the revelation that Kanan was gone.
"The jedi's sentence stand" Vader rejected.
"You said I could have anything, but that is a lie!" Ezra hollered while crying, "All the Sith does is lie and hurt people. You are a liar and a bully who only cares about what you want!"
Vader than stood calmly before he stated, "I do, and what I want is to know now is what makes you Ezra Bridger."
Vader than waved his hands in the air, Ezra knew what this meant, and attempted to block Vader out of his mind, but Vader was too strong.
"Seems you are not as noble as you seem to be. You have had darker thoughts on the streets than you did imprisoned. People treated you like nothing; treated you less than dirt. They ignored the starving hurt child you were because they didn't want to waste their time. How can you defend those who would treat you with so little regard."
Ezra eyes began to overflow with tears. Ezra knew he would have these thoughts on the streets. Being so alone made that time so much harder. But he wasn't alone now. Ezra tried to block the monster's powers from entering his mind; but Ezra could not overcome him.
"I admire your attempt but such defense against me is a waste of time. I suppose though that this little rebel fire in you is not your fault. First your parents taught you to rebel and speak your mind; now your second family, with the Jedi and twi'lek, teaching you to fight for what they think is right and to use the Force as they see it. No wonder you are so stubborn. If the Jedi wasn't already sentenced to death I would make him wish he was dead"
This very thought really surprised Ezra. Despite never saying it aloud or even having such a thought, Hera and Kanan were his second parents; and that thought seemed to warm Ezra's heart from how heavy and cold it was.
Suddenly, without warning the ship seemed to jerk. As the whole ship seemed to come to a complete halt. Ezra fell to his knees as he lost his balance. The Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister fell to their knees as well. The Grand Inquisitor and Vader though maintained balance. The Inquisitor held onto the wall for support while Vader stood straight where he was through the whole ordeal.
"Some trouble seems to be coming our way." Vader spoke rather darkly just as the alarms went off.
Vader began to leave the room when he halted and told the Inquisitors who began to regain their balance, "One of you, get two troopers to bring my apprentice to his cell. We are going to see what has occured; but in the meantime have the troopers show my apprentice the consequences of those who defy my training ."
The Inquisitors nodded and left the room. The Grand Inquisitor though gave Ezra such a hateful glare that it seemed like he wanted Ezra to drop dead.
As soon as the door was slammed he ran to it but of course it was locked. Ezra sat down and cried. Kanan was being killed (if he wasn't dead already), the crew was in danger and he was forced to be an apprentice of this cold Vader person. Now troopers were going to come in discipline him for being a 'bad student'. Ezra felt the empty pit of hopelessness in his stomach.
Suddenly the door opened and two stormtroopers walked in with a small cage. Ezra looked at with fear and ran to the corner to try and avoid it. He knew this sort of punishment and didn't want to experience it again. The two troopers tried to corner him but he managed to duck under one of them and ran to the door but it was still locked. Suddenly a hand grabbed around his neck and lifted him up.
"NO" Ezra screamed and struggled against it only for another arm grab around his stomach to lock him more in his movement.
Ezra saw how the other opened the cage making him struggle even more. Yet as much as he tried to there seemed no stopping them. Ezra felt it as he was stuffed into the cage. Frustrated and crying he kicked out only to feel his legs hit the metal and he groaned in pain. Tears started to fall once again as the two death troopers carried the cage out of the room.
SWR
With the alarms blasting off the walls, the crew had to be quick and evasive. Every hall they traveled down they had to look twice before going through in case the Inquisitors or troopers were coming down the hall. Every other hall had several troopers coming through, causing them to hide just beyond the wall or within a corridor until they all passed by.
As they got to Kanan's corridor hall Hera froze in her place as she noticed on the floor.
Zeb who bumped into her questioned, "Hera what the-?"
Zeb and the others than saw on the floor was a spotted a trail that seemed to get larger and larger as they followed it to a corridor; it looked awfully like blood.
As they finally reached the cell door where the trail ended, they knew that this was where they needed to be.
"I'm on it," Sabine whispered as she got to hacking into the cell control panel. As the young mandalorian got to work hacking the cell door open, Hera stood in anticipation at what she may see on the other side of that door. Kanan looked so bloody and beaten when he was dragged by, it made her almost break down. Hera was not sure what she feared more; of seeing the injuries up close and as severe now, or that he has gotten worse than when she last saw her love.
Finally the door clicked open, only to expose the rebels to a sudden burst of cold that sent a shiver up their spine, and a fowle stench that was burning flesh, it made everyone gag.
"Ah man I…" Sabine began to gag before she finally heeled over and let out whatever was left in her stomach; letting in a new disturbing odor to enter everyone's nostrils.
As Zeb rubbed Sabine's back after her stomach was emptied, Ahsoka followed Hera into the cell, and the sight they witnessed made themselves almost vomit.
The unconscious Kanan hung from his wrist in a force field, the wrist looking like they were about to fall of the man's body. Hera had almost doubted that Kanan could be in any worse state, but now being up-close to her love she saw how swollen his cheek had come from beatings, his body spazzing out in tiny tremors from so many electric shocks. Where blood and sweat intermingled showed deep cuts and scars that were not healing well, some looking like they are going to become infected.
Hera was so mortified, seeing the man she found to be the source of her strength and support was so fragile and weak. How could the empire justifying doing this to him? Jedi or not, no one deserved this.
Hera on nurturing instincts reached her hand to touch Kanan's cheek to try to wake and comfort him.
"Kanan?" Hera gently spoke as her hand touched his cold cheek. This showed to be the wrong move as Kanan, unaware of who was with him began to jerk away from the contact, letting a shrieking scream that could let the whole corridor know the of the rebels location. Kanan did not appear to be awake, more like his instincts were telling him to get away from whatever dared touch him. Hera became panicked when she saw Kanan's wrist become bloody form the torn wrist sudden movement. They had to get him down now before they hurt himself.
Sabine and Zeb, who heard the screech from their leader, came in and saw the commotion. Both of them had to bite back their pain at seeing Kanan like this and force themselves to focus on helping him. Sabine the saw the force fields control panel and got to work to let Kanan down
"Be ready to catch," Sabine hollered towards Zeb. Zeb got into position as Sabine got to the restraints control panel and turned off. Soon with the force field off and the binders undone, gravity quickly took its toll and send Kanan to the ground.
"Gotcha mate," Zeb assured the still seizing man.
The Lasat tried his best to not drop his comrade, a challenge as he tried to avoid touching the man's deeply scarred and severely burned back and kept Kanan from thrashing around in his delirious state.
It was also there that all of them got a good look at Kanan's back and realized where the stench came from. Kanan's back was a mess of blood, sweet, cuts and worst of all burned flesh. No less than five long strip from a fire-whip could be counted on his back. One slash was completely black like the skin had died. Two looked to have gotten some form of treatments but the last two were awful. The two slashes were still boiling and as they looked at a blister it suddenly popped, making Kanan whimper and trash around.
"Kanan, it's us. you have to calm down!" Zeb tried to reason to no avail.
Kanan thrashing around only worsened Kanan's injuries as it seemed his scars on his back began to bleed out once more form the thrashing.
"We have to get him to calm down," Ahsoka spoke in concern for her friend.
Zeb held onto his leader for a while when Kanan began to stop resisting, and his thrashing became nothing. Unfortunately the trashing was making the blood come out faster and Zeb warned them that he could feel blood on his hands. The crew, Ahsoka, and Bridgers dared not breath as they questioned if they were about to have another battle with Kanan's unconscious state.
Zeb now could really feel Kanan's skin, and felt the man's almost frozen skin
"Karbast," Zeb expressed with great concern; as the Lasat looked down at his friends back was red and blistered so several that is almost looked like overcooked bacon. What made it worse was despite the burns on the man back, the man felt so cold to the touch.
"He looks so…." Hera almost said 'dead', but the very thought brought a tear to her face.
Ashoka, looking down the hall, saw no troopers coming to them fortunately, but knew that could change shortly,
"We have to get moving, lets get him on your back Zeb," Ahsoka ordered as she and Sabine got ready help position Kanan onto the bigger man's back.
This task though proved to be quite the challenge. As Kanan was let down, Ahsoka and Sabine supported Kanan by putting his arm on their shoulders. This however proved to be the wrong move as it aggitatted a scar there; fully waking Kanan up from his unconscious slumber, and making him enter a world of confusion and panic.
Sabine and Ahsoka kept Kanan from any futile attempt to run, but this made him scream and holler at his 'captors' he could not recognize as friends.
"Kanan, please be quiet," Ashoka tried to calm the jedi to no avail.
"Kanan it's us, you have to calm down," Sabine pleaded to the delusional man.
the women were able to hold Kanan just long enough to help Kanan onto Zeb's back. Kanan though could not register who he was with, that someone was trying to help him. All Kanan knew was that every movement only resulted in pain. Even though the crew tried to help him escape, all Kanan could register was pain with every movement. Kanan whimpered again and Hera hated to see him like that. Reduced to this pain induced state where he could not differ between friends and enemies. They desperately needed to move and fast before they were found there was no way Hera was going back to a cell while Kanan would to tortured further.
As the finally got the resistive Kanan on Zeb's back, it seemed to only make his screams louder.
"We have to get him to quiet down!" Zeb argued.
"I would say knock him out but I don't think that's the best plan right now," Sabine pointed out with the state Kanan was in.
Hera had to take a deep breath so she could think of what to do. Hera knew that even in Kanan's delusional state, he could recognize her somehow. Once more, Hera reached her hand up to Kanan's cheek and rubbed his cheek as gently as she could, and used her other hand to muffle his screams.. The woman didn't care how much pain her hand was in, she kept stroking Kanan's face, enjoying the feel of her loves face after what felt like forever. Each stroke was harder than the last one as her right hand got more and more agitated but she continued. Hera smiled as not only Kanan's screams died down, but his eyes looked into hers and this time he was really there.
Hera spoke calmly as she could, smiling weakly as she saw Kanan there,
"We are going to get Ezra and you out of here, I promise. We just need you to calm down and rest. We will take care of the rest."
As if these words were that of a magic spell, Kanan passed out.
"Nice job Hera," Sabine praised. the young girl then noticed a syringe on the ground. Seeing small drops of blue fluid inside, she decided to bring with them in case this has anything to do with Kanan's painful state
Hera nodded, wishing that Kanan could be better, "Now let's get Ezra."
All nodded as they made their way out of Kanan's hell hole, and now had to liberate Ezra's from his.
SWR
Not caring about the consequences as he was lead down the corridors, Ezra slammed himself against the cage he was crammed in.
"Quit It!" one trooper roared at Ezra.
Ezra didn't listen, he had to do something to at the very least try to get away from them.
After going down every twist and turn, they reached a corridor. As they entered, Ezra saw what would be an empty room except for the interrogation table.
Ezra couldn't help but to gulp in anxiety. One of the troopers then opened the cage and yanked Ezra out by the arm. Ezra began to toss and kick as hard as he could, only to be grabbed by another trooper as they slapped him to the table and Ezra felt as they forced the restrains around his wrists, stomach and legs making him unable to get away. That was when the pounding from the Troopers began.
Because the table was double his size and he could slowly feel himself almost sliding down the table with every smack. Only the restraints kept him slightly up, and those were beginning to slow dig into his already torn face felt like it was like burning from the many hits. Not that Ezra fully acknowledged these marks, as the troopers that werent taking turns shocking him were punching him senselessly. One just got a hit right to the side of his left eye socket. Ezra was trying to shake the pain away when he felt a trooper yanked his hair so his head was up right.
The trooper right over him told him, "Lord Vader warned you of what would happen if you disobeyed orders. This will stop when you submit to the Empire."
Ezra remained silent. No matter how much it hurt him, no matter what they did to him, he could never be part of what left so many homeless and dead.
The trooper let go of Ezra's hair and let it slump down. Ezra saw through his sweat soaked hair the trooper going to a corner and pushed some buttons. As Ezra saw the lights up he saw the droid so familiar to him. Ezra tried to squirm away but only agitated his wrist where he was restrained.
The second trooper spoke to the terrified child, "The Grand Inquisitor told us about your last encounter with this particular droid."
Ezra could hardly breath as he recalled exactly what the trooper was talking about. How it would shock and cut him numerous times. no matter how many times he pleaded for it to end. The Inquisitor kept it on until Ezra was out cold from the pain. Ezra still got nightmares from that thing.
"This will make you understand." The trooper spoke darkly, and with that hit a button that made the droid come right to Ezra.
Ezra tried to squirm away but it was no use, he was trapped.
"No no no no!" Ezra muttered as he saw the droid pull out a knife and taser. As it came closer to him, All Ezra could do was turn his head away as he felt the taser on to his body as it send a horrible shock all through his body. As the shock levels only increased, the sensation began to burn every cell throughout his body. The metal collar around his neck was scorching into his skin, maybe even into his bone. Ezra tried to kick away the pain but it could not aid him in any type of escape Ezra could not sense what was going on with in the room, all he could register was the pain engulfing him. Ezra could not stop himself, he was scared. Scared of the droid and scared for his friends but most of all, Ezra was scared for how Kanan was doing that is if he was even ….. Those terribly feelings and the hurt made him cry he wanted Hera, Zeb, Sabine, Ahsoka, his parents but most of all he wanted Kanan.
The two trooper grinned at the child crying and struggling at the table at least until they heard a pounding on the door. The two troopers pointed their blaster at the door ready for whatever was out there. One was about to bark an order when the door was blown down, right onto two troopers, knocking them out.
Smoke then quickly entered the room, the two troopers then attempted to take on the oncoming attackers when one was lifted off the ground and knocked into the wall when the other was stunned. The Ghost crew and the others entered the room quickly and fiercely when the heard the screaming agony Ezra was in. Hera (who had stunned the troopers) raced to the droid that was shocking her child and couldn't find the off switch. As she saw Ezra in such pain, she couldn't take it and with all her might just kicked it as far as she could away from him. It was harder than she intended as it went right into the wall.
As the pain finally went away a light of hope seemed to glow in Ezra's stomach when he saw the familiar figures of his crew, he saw Hera kicking the droid until it was a heap of scrap!
"Guys!" Ezra shrieked in joy.
Hera who turned around from the heap pile to smile at the boy, and Ahsoka came up right to him where he laid. As Hera checked on him to make sure he knew he was safe, Ahsoka undid the restraints. Ezra slided into Hera's arms but it proved too much for her right hand and she almost lost her hold on Ezra as she cried out. Only the quick action of Ahsoka and Sabine supporting Ezra managed to avoid falling as they all looked worried at him. Ahsoka and Sabine helped Hera holding Ezra up so she could hug him.
"I missed you so much!" Hera said as she looked over the small child for his injuries. Sabine soon joined in and hugged the little guy.
"Don't ever scare us like that again," Sabine was almost laughing with joy at seeing him.
Despite the cuts and bruises that laced over the boy's body, it seemed that being with the crew again made Ezra forget about any pain within him.
"How did you find me?" Ezra asked.
"First we hacked into the system and then we stole a comm from an officer so we heard it when the Inquisitor ordered you moved" Sabine explained.
Ezra smiled as he looked at Zeb, Mira and Ephraim.
"Ezra," cried Mira as his father held onto her close.
"Mom! Dad!" Hera and Sabine let go of Ezra, who sprinted over to them and gave them the biggest hug he could, "I've missed you guys!"
"We never stopped thinking about you Ezzy?" Ephraim said as he ruffled Ezra's hair. The motion though made Ezra panic.
"Where's Kanan?" Ezra asked.
The others looked rather worried. When Ezra's eyes landed on Zeb though, he saw Kanan's form. it looked like he was…
"Kanan is he … is he?" Ezra teared up.
"No Ezra, he is still with us" Hera hurried to assure and Ezra sighed in relief.
"So Vader lied then about his state." Ezra said.
"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked.
Ezra had tears in his eyes as he replied, "Vader said I could not have two master so Kanan had to … The Grand Inquisitor said he would do it"
The crew stiffened at that, Vader had ordered Kanan dead?
"We have to get Kanan back to the ship so we can take care of him. We will tell you what happened later. Okay?" Ahsoka interrupted.
Ezra nodded in agreement. Help Kanan now, ask questions later seemed like the best plan.
Ezra began to scratch his neck out of irritation over the collar. Hera seeing Ezra's uncomfortable situation rushed to one of the troopers to find the key. Hera grabbed it with her good hand before rushing to Ezra's side to unlock the evil contraption. Ezra smiled to her as the collar finally fell to the floor. Ezra's neck was red from irritation because of the shocks he had gotten by the collar.
"That feels so much better!" Ezra remarked as he felt his neck again. then though he felt the force come back to him.
Ahsoka too had her collar removed from her own neck. Hera had to gently take the collar off Kanan's neck as well so it would not agitated it anymore. Hera though did wince at seeing Kanan's neck so raw and swollen from the collar, but it was off now, and that would have to do for now.
The collars were dismissed onto the floors, but Zeb who was angered at the devices that hurt his friends, stomped on the devices. this made the torture devices to turn into a million pieces.
As the force came to Ezra, he sensed it; a dark and angry emotion coming their way. and there was more of them with one goal in mind. just a moment later Ahsoka sensed it too.
"We got to move!" Ahsoka hollered as they began to turn down the corridor.
"Hold it!" Sabine hollered. The other's froze as Sabine got one of the troopers blasters and handed it to Ezra.
"We're good!" Sabine said with a smile
Ahsoka then pause, "Not yet,"
Ahsoka then unclipped Kanan's lightsaber from Zeb's belt.
"A padawan needs a lightsaber in times like these."
Ezra looked at it for a moment, a little nervous; but once he saw Ahsoka's confident face he smiled and grabbed it.
"Okay, now we are ready!" Ahsoka ordered as they followed her to their hopeful freedom.
SWR
Darth Vader hurried down the halls to the control panel as his student's followed suit. They were heading for the Control Center to see what faulted with their hyperspace panels.
Once inside though, All the dark side user's became rather infuriated. All officers and troopers were on the floor either knocked out or were just coming to.
Vader nodded his head in confirmant as his students went to the officers to figure out what happened.
"Speak,"Fifth Brother ordered one of the control men.
The groggy man spoke, "They came so fast, I barely saw them coming when the big one knocked me out."
"Who else was with them?" The Grand Inquisitor asked.
Another officer stated, "The prisoner's. All but the jedi males attacked us."
Vader then saw the controls muted, with several lights from different areas.
Vader attended to the cockpit first.
"Report!" Vader ordered
"Sir," the head pilot stated, "we can not get hyperspace control back on and we have confirmed several ships coming within our direction!"
Vader ordered than flips some controls on and gave the order, "All troopers, search every corridor. Agent Kallus, I want you and a few men to head the hanger. I believe you are capable to handle the task.".
"Understood," Kallus stated, "Take them in by any means?"
Vader did not hesitate, "eliminate the other's but the boy and Ahsoka I want brought in alive. One last thing if the crew and the jedi is captured alive, make sure they stay alive long enough to see me kill the Jedi"
With that Kallus went off to find the rebels.
Vader knew that his apprentice and Ahsoka had to be spared. After all, his master had ordered him to train the child; and Ahsoka had useful intel that could help them in eliminating the rebels permanently.
SWR
Ahsoka was leading the way to the hanger as they run there, she could feel that several dark force users was not far behind. Now that she knew what to look for she recognized part of Vader's signature as it would seem like some of his trades from Anakin remained intact. Ahsoka did not bother to hide her signature, Kanan was too weak to do so they would be able to locate him whether she hide hers or not. Ahsoka looked at the rest of the group and saw that Ezra was securely holding onto Hera's good hand. While Mira and Ephraim had wanted to hold him, they were too weakened and Ephraim was busy supporting Mira. Ahsoka had seen the longing expression in the parents eyes when they had handed him over. Zeb was busy carrying Kanan that had started to moan and twist and turn. Sabine was fine running near Zeb to cover eventual attack, as Zeb could not defend himself without letting go of Kanan. This while Ahsoka worried about Hera, she seemed fine now but she needed medical treatment just like Kanan, Ezra (and if she was completely honest herself).
There would be many things that needed to be explained but right now they needed to get out of here. Therefore they were running towards the hanger, but Ahsoka worried that someone would be there waiting for them. Vader was not stupid, he knew they needed the Ghost and would send people there to stop them not to mention the personal researching the Ghost.
Just before the entered the hanger, Ashoka ordered, "Be prepared, weapons up."
Everyone got their weapons up and looked serious.
Ezra let go of Hera's hand as he got Kanan's lightsaber and ignited it, "All hands on deck."
Ahsoka than gave orders, "Sabine, guard Zeb and Kanan until they are on the ship. We will cover you guys. Hera once inside get to the control panel."
Sabine nodded as she replied snarkey, "Guarding Zeb and making sure he doesn't get into trouble. Nothing new there."
"Open the door." Ahsoka ordered Mira, who was closest.
Mira nodded and pushed the button to open the door. Just as the door raised up, they saw over a dozen troopers lined up with Kallus in front of them all, smiling smugly as he signaled.
"Fire!"
With that the blaster shots seemed to illuminate the room.
The rebels ran right into the fight. All got their blasters out and shot what trooper was in there way. As trooper's fell though, Kallus alerted on his com "Rebels in the loading dock, need back up ASAP."
The rebels fought on. Hera saw her ship in the corner and knew they had to get to it.
"Zeb, Hera, go!" We will cover you!" Ahsoka stated as she got her lightsaber ready.
"Ezra, like Kanan taught you."
Ezra nodded as he got his lightsaber up and blocked the blaster shots orm getting near them. As Ezra helped Ahsoka defend from the troopers, Ezra felt better than he had all day. Ezra was back to acting like a Jedi should. Ezra just wished Kanan was well enough that he could use his own lightsaber instead of him using it.
SWR
As Zeb, Sabine, and Hera ran into the ghost ramp, Hera ran to the cockpit as Sabine got to the ships blaster while Zeb ran to the medcenter. Zeb carefully put Kanan on the bed on his stomach not daring to put him on his back. Zeb waited a second to make sure he would stay there before he ran back to aid the other's.
As Hera made her way to the cockpit, she saw two imperial in there, but she also saw chopper still on the ground. Slowly as to not alert the imperials, she knelt down to turn the droid on. With Chopper back online, Hera helped the droid up, who then saw the imperials and shot one down as Hera aimed her blaster at the other trooper. As the trooper fell, Hera roared, "No one touches my ship without answering to me."
Chopper began chirping a million questions as Hera got the ship back online.
"I will explain it all when we get back to the base, now we have to get the other's."
Hera then turned on the com and radioed to Sabine, "You ready?"
Sabine sounded smugly as she told Hera, "So ready!"
As Hera then got the ship into the air, Hera was able to turn on the ship so it was aimed right at the troopers. Sabine did not hesitate to shoot at the troopers.
Zeb feeling the ship jerk around radioed Ahsoka.
"Get to the ship you guys now!"
Ahsoka nodded to the Bridger's couple and Ezra, "Get to the ship! Mira, Ephraim, get going, Ezra and I will cover you."
The couple looked down at their child as they questioned leaving him once more.
Ezra smiled, "It will be okay, I'm right behind you,"
with that his parents nodded. As much as they could they sprinted up the loading dock.
As the trooper fell one by one, Ezra then sensed a dark person right behind him, it wasn't a sith, but-.
Kallus; pointing a balster right at Ahsoka, who was aiming for other troopers.
"Ahsoka!" Ezra hollered as the shot came right at her, luckily Ezra was able to defend her.
Kallus though was not going to have that.
"You and the Torguta are coming with me!" Kallus roared as he ran right towards Ezra with a bo-rifle in his hand.
Ezra knew this man would try to take Ahsoka and him in, and he would make sure Kallus couldn't do that, not again. Ezra sped right to him so Kallus could be taken out. Kallus though evaded Ezra's attacks, though sometimes just barley, Kallus knew he had to be careful. It seemed that the child was a more capable fighter than he thought.
"Ezra!" Ahsoka cried out, but suddenly troopers came more and more at her. her best effort to block off the stun blast became more and more exhausting. She saw Ezra fighting the man, and saw how as the two fought on, the further the two got from the Ghost.
Ashoka got her com out, "Ezra, get back here now! We have to go!"
Ezra then looked around and saw that there was no way he could get to them; Troopers were everywhere. Suddenly an arm wrapped around his neck and pressed. Ezra gasped before he cried on the only person he wanted to be with right now "Kanan".
SWR
Kanan saw flashes of images that he could not make sense of when a boy called on him. How he knew he had to get up and help he did not know. All he knew was that he was in pain and that he was needed. Kanan moved around and tried to move, which was very hard when all he could see was fast flashes and feel the burning in his body. Suddenly he felt it like he was falling and hit something making him cry out as he tried to raise. Unable to do so he instead crawled unsure of which direction he was moving in, all he knew was that he was needed. Slowly he crawled unable to go trying to find the place he needed to be.
Suddenly he heard the child cry the name 'Kanan!' it seemed to be urgent so he mustered all his willpower and manage to crack his eyes open and focus enough to make sense of the scenery. The light almost burned his eyes, but he forced himself to focus through it. He himself was on the Ghost, and out there a blue haired child was struggling and crying in the arms of a grown man. Somehow he knew the boy was Ezra and his padawan and kept calling on him and the bastard was Kallus.
"Ezra" he rasped out.
Kanan could make out the panicked voice that came from Zeb, but was too focused on Ezra as he reached out and pushed Kallus into the wall, it cost him everything and he collapsed onto the floor.
SWR
Ezra felt it when Kallus went flying through the air and turned around and found a passed out Kanan on the floor with Ahsoka helping him. Ezra knew how beaten Kanan was and that he must have used every ounce of energy he could to get out there to help him. Ezra looked around and saw the troopers was cutting him off from the others. That was when he saw several escape pods, one right next to him.
"I'm getting in a pod. Help Kanan and my parents and find me later."
"Ezra, don't you-!" but Ezra then put his comm away and noticed that Kallus was up and coming closer.
Ezra hoped he could get picked up by the rebels, "I'm gonna launch out. pick me up when you guys have an opening."
Ahsoka sighed and said, "Understood! Be careful Ezra."
Ezra nodded as he began to dislodge the pod but then as he heard the pod closed he felt an arm wrapped around his neck.
"I am taking you in, even if I have to take a limb off!" Kallus struggled so way against the struggling child. Ezra then bit him hard, that he tasted blood.
"You little punk!" Kallus roared in anger. The two struggled in the small area. Ezra had jumped on Kallus back and when Kallus had grabbed the child and slammed him down, it was right on the control panel. As the two fought on they did not realize the pod had detached and began to fly right into the battle between the rebels and the Empire.
SWR
Vader looked around in the hanger that was full of stunned troopers and too his anger the rebels was gone. None of his three students had managed to stop them from running. Vader's comm went off.
"Sir several ships has jumped out of hyperspace, they are attacking us!" the man on the comm told.
"Deploy TIE's from both Star Destroyer. I am sending the Inquisitor's to handle this. Send two of my personal pilots" Vader ordered.
Vader walked over and grabbed a TIE fighter and left the hanger. While he would have preferred his own personal modified fighter he knew how to handle this. After all he was one of the best pilot in the galaxy. As Vader came out he watched as TIE's, the two Star Destroyers and rebels engaged with each other. Vader waited until two of his personal pilotes found and followed him. Vader reached out and felt three signatures. One was Ahsoka who hurried to shield herself from him all though he knew she was in the Ghost, the second his new apprentice in the escape pod and the third was the very weak. Vader was not satisfied, he had told the Grand Inquisitor to kill him not torture him. Just then he felt the jedi grow weaker. Well if he could capture him and watch him die, that would be a good enough. With that he contacted the two pilots.
"Follow me. I am engaging the Ghost. Follow me and comm the Inquisitor's to capture the escape pod" Vader ordered as he flew towards the Ghost.
For the first time in many years he felt excitement, to go up at such a skilled pilot was a rare treat. Vader prepared to engage them.
A/N We hope you enjoyed the cliff hanger we left you all on. One of our News years resolutions is to update more often, lets see if we can keep that. Wish us luck andHappy New year!