Thanks to the Corona Virus, we know a lot of us are we thought we would treat you all with an intense chapter. lots will be revealed so have a good read.
Sato was pacing through medbay with the medics, going over their supplies, waiting for the crew to arrive but nothing seemed to happen. The crew had said they needed medics so he had alarmed the med team and they had prepared for whatever ailment the crew had endured with the Empire. The Ghost crew and Ahsoka were captured for over twenty-four hours, who knows what torture and interrogation they had gone through. They were all at risk, but none more than Kanan and Ezra who seemed to be the center of unwanted focus form the Empire. Sato hoped it wasn't too bad, but in all cases, they needed to be looked over by the medics so why weren't they coming? Worried that something was wrong he grabbed his comlink and activated it.
"This is Sato, what is the situation?" Sato questioned both with concerns and curiosity.
To his surprise, it was not Hera that replied, but Ahsoka, and she sounded frazzled.
"This is Ahsoka, Hera is a bit occupied. We have tried to get Kanan to the medbay but we need help to move him," Ahsoka requested in a stressed-out tone.
Sato could hear a lot of noise followed by the word 'duck' as it sounded as if something was thrown across the room. Now Sato was panicking, it had to be bad if they couldn't even reach the medics on their own.
"I am on my way" Sato claimed with worry about what he would find.
Sato rushed towards the Ghost, hurrying to the medbay. Just as he came in, he stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the scene in front of him. On the bed was Kanan and he looked like he had been beaten senseless. Blood seemed to be pouring out of every part of his body. Upon closer inspection, Sato saw multiple cuts all over Kanan; he was sure there must be a hundred of them. Some looked so deep that Sato was sure he saw muscle and even a slight horrifying glance of what had to be Kanan's collar bone. The sight made Sato almost gag. The next thing Sato registered was the smell of burned flesh. Oh dear force, it was strong and foul and it seemed to come from Kanan as well, what had they done to him?
There was a burn right under the Jedi's eyes, his shoulder appeared dislocated and his wrist and fingers were broken into different angles. One of his ribs was sticking out in an unnatural angle and he appeared having trouble breathing because of it. Kanan seemed to try and get up and he started to roll over before Ahsoka grabbed him and pushed him back. Though it was short it showed Kanan's back and it took all of Sato's effort not to throw up. The poor man's back was scarred with burns and Sato could only wonder what kind of torture could have burned so much of his skin. All of Kanan's pain and agony showed in his face. With his eyes clenched, face dripping in sweat into his cuts and over his bruises; it showed the large amount of pain Kanan was forced to endure.
"Sato duck!" Hera shouted and Sato saw an object fly towards him and ducked at the last second before an empty syringe flew through the air and pierced through the wall.
"What has happened to him?" Sato asked in panic and confusion at what the Force was happening.
"They tortured him, and we have confirmation that he has been drugged," Hera replied with pain in her voice.
"NO" Kanan cried out as he struggled.
Hera tried to hold him down with the help of Zeb but it was clear it aggravated Kanan's many wounds.
"We better get him moved to the Phoenix Medbay!," Sato ordered.
Sato stepped forward and noticed two unfamiliar people who were there, but one being who seemed to be missing.
"I am sorry we should be introduced, but let's help him so we can discuss matters later," Sato spoke to whom he assumed to be the Bridger's when he turned back to Ahsoka, "By the way, where is Ezra?" Sato asked as he wanted to see his little nephew.
Everyone's face fell and Sato felt a chill go up to his spine as he realized something happened. Where was his little nephew?
"Ezra …. Ezra ended up in an escape pod. It headed for another solar system during the escape. The Empire was shooting at us with full force, we had no choice but to retreat," Ahsoka admitted with such a tone of shame in her voice.
"No" Sato gasped and looked around to the sad faces, "We must get him back," Sato said.
"We will. Once we get back to the base we will set up plans and send scouts to go search for him. Ezra is a tough child, he will be okay for a little bit. Unfortunately, Kanan needs help ASAP!" Hera spoke up with a sad tone of missing their kid.
Sato nodded in acknowledgment. As much as it pained him to leave Ezra to his own device at the moment, he knew that Ezra was a capable boy of his age. Right now Kanan needed their aid the most. Besides he could hear how bad they felt about leaving Ezra there was no reason to make it worse by keep talking about it right now.
"We need help," Sato pointed out and grabbed his comm to call Rex.
SWR
In Hyperspace, Rex was ordered by Sato to attach to the Phoenix Ship as soon as possible. Rex was attaching the west side of the ship as a million emotions filled the soldier's mind.
The man felt angry; his friends had been captured by the Empire. Frustrated; because he couldn't take any imperials down as he helped his friends escape. Relieved; because at least now they were away from the Empire. However, the emotion that was consuming him now was guilt; because he couldn't get to Ezra, and now the kid was missing.
Rex slammed his fist onto the controls in fury as his ship finally attached. If Rex was not a soldier, he would have sobbed his eyes out.
"I SHOULD HAVE SAVED HIM!" Rex yelled at himself. The man was so close to getting the pod when it just shot off. The man wanted to go after it but couldn't. Now Ezra is missing.
"Captain Rex, do you hear me?" Sato spoke through the communicator.
Rex regained his composure as he spoke to the man, "I'm here, what's going on?"
"We need help maintaining Kanan in the Ghost's medbay." Sato requested in a concerned tone.
Rex was confused, "What's going on?"
"Kanan appears to have been poisoned and we think it's causing him to have convulsions. We need to get him calmed down and ready to move to the Base's med center, STAT!"
"I'm on my way," Rex stated as he raced out of the ship. Rex ran through the loading dock and into the Ghost. Maybe the others had an idea of how to get Ezra back. Any thought of getting Ezra back was cut off when he raced into the medbay, only to have to duck from a flying syringe coming for his head.
"Maybe Kanan remembers he hates me?" Rex wondered jokingly as he saw the needle sticking into the wall, but when he saw the man on the bed tossing and turning in pain, Rex began to feel guilt that Kanan was in such turmoil.
Kanan looked like a tortured mess; scars and bruises. some scars still bleeding down the man's being while aggravated burns Rex saw some burn marks that looked horrifyingly familiar; for he had those same marks from his time in the war. Streaks of blood came from different parts of Kanan's body. The bed that Kann was laying on was also pretty bloody and messed up from Kanan's effort to move. Rex worried if he was even alive? He looked more dead than alive with his broken bones and cuts and …. the burns. Rex shivered as he remembered the … no, he would not think about that. It was an old and horrible memory and he would not … NO. Even so, the smell made it hard not to remember back.
"REX! We could use some help here!" Zeb cried as he struggled to keep Kanan down on the cot.
Rex snapped out of his trance and hurried over to aid in holding Kanan down long enough for Ashoka to inject a serum into Kanan's neck, sending Kanan into a calmed state.
Ahsoka sighed in relief, "That dose should keep him under until we get to the base."
"How long will that be?" Zeb questioned as he tried to regain his breath.
"About fourteen hours." Hera speculated.
"Can anyone tell me what the heck is going on with Kanan?" Rex questioned in confusion.
Rex looked around and saw everyone's face's falling. Sabine though told him.
"Kanan got poisoned on the Star Destroyer with some Lothal flower extract. We already told the medics at Chopper's Base to prepare an antidote, but for now, it seems to be causing him to have some horrific hallucinations."
"Karabast," Rex cursed under his breath.
"But, we know what the poison is," Hera said with optimism, "The medics know too! I bet they have an extract and can work on an antidote."
Zeb noticed Hera's keywords, "Do we know for sure that they can work on a cure? Because if they can't…" Zeb didn't want to think of what could happen to Kanan if the base didn't have the means to help Kanan.
Hera glared at Zeb with determined fire in her eyes, "They have to!"
Sabine and Zeb gave each other nervous glances. questioning if Hera understood that they had no confirmation on an antidote being worked on, at all. They didn't want her to be delusional in hope.
Sabine reached to grab Hera's hand, Hera looked down at her in puzzlement.
"Hera, before we get our hopes up, we should probably check in and-,"
Hera shook her hand away from Sabine along with her head, "I told them exactly what they needed. They have to be working on it right now?"
Ahsoka too became concerned when she saw how Hera's defensive nature had no solid facts.
"Hera, the base knows what they are dealing with. But knowing what they need and actually having it are two different situations. You do know that right?"
Hera did seem to consider Ahsoka's words before she opened her mouth to speak again. However, no words came out because just then, Kanan made a sound.
"Mhhm…" Kanan mumbled.
Hera went over to Kanan as she placed a hand on his head.
"Is he going back into that state again?" Ahsoka questioned as she headed to the med table to get another dose ready just in case.
"No, I think he is so out of it, just dreaming." Hera clarified as she combed her fingers through Kanan's hair to clearly see his face...
"Master Depa…," Kanan mumbled as his eyes remained shut.
Rex's eyes shot open, losing his breath at those words, "What did he say?"
"Master Depa," Zeb spoke, repeating exactly what Kanan said.
"How does Kanan know that name?" Rex speculated in bewilderment.
"You know who he is talking about?" Hera speculated as she got a cool rag on Kanan's forehead.
"Master Depa Billaba, she was a Jedi Master during the war. Heck, she was even on the Jedi council for a time before they had to remove her for failure on her part but even after it she was held in high regard. She was very direct with her attacks and quite the general. I followed her and her padawan into battle once and I had never seen anyone so straight forward with their attack. Even that rambler Caleb showed to be good in combat."
Hera sat up straight at the name Rex mentioned, "Caleb?"
"Yeah," Rex chuckled at the memory, "That Padawan must have had 20 questions at all times. Always curious, but more eager to go to battle. The kid was very talented. It is sad really. I am sure the boy could have made it to the council if he had gotten a chance"
The crew and Ahsoka looked shocked as they turned their heads towards Kanan who was now mumbling, "I'm sorry….Master."
"Now what am I missing?" Rex questioned, getting rather annoyed how in the dark he is.
Ahsoka explained, "At the base, we found out the Kanan was a former padawan who was forced to flee from his dying master when Order 66 began. Kanan's name used to be Caleb before he changed it to Kanan.
Rex was shocked, "No… no. Kanan can't be Caleb. Caleb… liked me."
As Rex looked at Kanan, he thought there was no way. Caleb was a curious kid who asked the clones a million questions when they were on missions. It was like the kid's brain needed to understand everything it came into contact with but he was a fun child to be around. The kid was always eager to go to battle. Caleb liked and trusted his fellow clones. Kanan was so quiet towards him. Only fighting when necessary. Never asking anyone a question, quite the opposite, he always seemed to know the answer much to his frustration. Plus Kanan trusted neither him nor any other clone he was in contact with.
Then again, That was before Order 66 happened. Such a dramatic experience would change anyone. Even so, he would not have dreamt the changes would be to that extent. Now that Rex thought about it, the man did have similar features that Caleb had.
Rex gave Kanan a good look over and began to feel stupid that he did not recognize the former padawan. The skin color, the hair color, heck they even had those same turquoise eyes. Rex suddenly realized parts of Caleb's personally were there too. The way he smiled and had a way to make people know he knew it all. Along with his serious demeanor and his way to always blame himself when things went wrong. To realize that the curious and fun padawan turned into the man before him both made him relieved Caleb survived The Order, but in a state of despair to see how much pain Kanan is in now.
"Okay, I think he is sedated enough, let's get him to the ship."
Rex and Zeb nodded to one another and unlocked the breaks on the cot and began to hover it out of the med bay. As the others followed, Sabine soon came to a halt as she winced and had to lean against the wall when a sharp pain emerged from her foot.
Ahsoka noticed this and that Sabine's foot was lifted. As the other's went to the Phoenix ship, Ashoka stayed behind to aid the young girl.
"You alright?" Ashoka asked as she began to look at Sabine's foot.
"I thought I was," Sabine admitted, "then my foot just began to hurt. I think it might be throbbing". It was odd for Sabine, her foot was fine a while ago and then suddenly a sharp stabbing pain shot up all over her foot as she followed the others. What did she do to her foot?
"Hmmm…," Ahsoka mumbled to herself. With Sabine's foot on, she could not properly detect what was wrong with Sabine's foot.
The Togruta smiled as he got up and turned, "We'll take a proper look at the Med Center, hop on." Ahsoka got ready to give Sabine a ride to help with her sore foot."
Sabine shook her head aggressively, "Ashoka-,"
"Sabine… you know better than anyone that you shouldn't walk on a hurt foot."
"But we need to help Kanan now." Sabine protested
"Kanan will get help while we take a look at you too."
Sabine was quiet for a moment before she made the argument, "I'm not going to piggyback."
"It's either that or I carry you via force." Ahsoka joked lightly.
"You wouldn't" Sabine growled.
Ahsoka just smiled smugly in response to that. Sabine shuttered, she hated being lifted by the force, "I'll be good," and with that hopped onto Ahsoka's back.
As Ashoka walked down the hall, Sabine worried, "Kanan will get the help he needs right? I don't want the attention away from him."
Ashoka smiled at Sabine, "Kanan will get all the help we can get him, but that doesn't mean we won't help you too."
"Better not," Sabine stated drowsily. The tiredness came up all of a sudden before she knew it she could barely focus on her surroundings before she passed out.
"Sabine? Sabine!?" Ashoka questioned when she realized the kid was out cold. The woman hurried the girl to the Medbay after the others.
SWR
A dull headache was what Sabine recognized first as she woke up from her slumber. As she opened her eyes she was almost blinded by the bright lights. Sabine felt a blood pressure cuff squeeze her arms, and as she noticed this, she saw Kanan next to her. Kanan was hooked up to all sorts of machines; oxygen mask, Iv pole, EKG pads, the workup.
Sabine shot up and reached next to her to shake his shoulder, "Kanan? Kanan?!" Sabine continued to shake the man despite the throbbing pain that resided in her shoulder.
Sabine's panic faded away when a gentle hand rested on her arm.
"Easy, Sabine. It's okay. Kanan is a little out of it but is stable." Hera's soft tone spoke up. Sabine looked up and saw Hera; who while had calm eyes, looked like she was in a fight with a loth wolf. Just then, Hera's lekku began to twitch. Hera's gentle had left Sabine's side as she clenched her head in pain. Sabine tried to get up to see if she could possibly help but found herself too tired to even lift her head. Sabine though saw Hera's lekku make the signal for the word 'bitch' in her lekku language. Hera kept on clutching her head until the twitching stopped, and Hera was able to regain her composure. That was when Sabine pointed out,
"Not...nice..." Sabine spoke up to the motion, her energy draining once more from her exhausted state as she laid down once more.
It took some time for Hera to realize what word her lekku had spelled out for Sabine. She was mortified but was unable to stop it or realize what she was doing due to the pain.
"I'm sorry Sabine. I think there must be some nerve damage from the whip. I can't seem to control it. I will need a doctor to take a look at it but trust me, you are no way a 'B' word."
Sabine smiled at this as she noticed the other's like one of them lifted her bed head so she was sitting up. Sato and Rex were looking over Kanan as Ahsoka came up to her with Zeb. The Bridger's laying down on a cot in the corner.
"What happened?" Sabine wondered.
Ashoka explained, "You passed out. Your foot started hurting so I carried you and then you passed out; so we brought you here and found your foot swollen and sprained when we took the boot off. Fortunately, you've only been out for about twenty minutes.
Sabine looked down at her foot and saw that it was wrapped up on a pillow with some ice on it. There was even some blood showing through the white wrap around her foot. Sabine reached down to touch it, but it hurt so much, moving it too made her foot feel like she was walking through a field of sharp glass.
"Did you fall during the escape?"
Sabine thought about it for a bit when she recalled the loading dock, "Kind of… Like during the escape I tripped over and skidded, but I got up and kept running. Then I was shooting, and then Kanan, and….well you guys know the rest"
"Seems that maybe the adrenaline kept your pain to a minimum," Hera speculated, "Once things calmed down, the adrenaline went away and the pain in your foot became noticeable."
Sabine thought this over and it did make sense. Adrenaline, the best for the time of parallel and great pain. Sabine though realized that all of them were focusing on her, and for the moment she was okay; Kanan needed the help. Sabine then shook her head and pointed to Kanan, "Hey, don't worry about me. worry about Kanan."
Hera assured Sabine gently, "We will worry about both of you. Doctors were worried when you passed out. They don't know whether it is from exhaustion or just low blood sugar, so they want you to rest until they figure it out."
"But-," Sabine tried to argue as she fought slumber that was threatening to consume her again.
"That is final. We won't let anything happen to Kanan or you, okay. " Hera said with a smile as she ran a hand through Sabine's hair, causing the young girl to fall asleep once more.
Hera gently placed her head down on the pillows and she laid the bed down once more.
"Try to get some rest. It has been a long day."
SWR
Over the next hour, the medical team looked over Kanan and assessed that for the moment he was stable. Sato looked at the crew and saw how bad the group looked while the doctors fussed over Kanan. Full exams of the crew could finally take place once Sabine woke up from her slumber.
"Doctors I want you to check everyone here. I know the Ghost crew well enough to know they will just try and hide their injuries" Sato said to the medical team on the ship; who all nodded in agreement.
The remaining unchecked specter's in the room glared at him as the doctors started to look them over. They knew that there was no point in arguing and let the medic team do their work.
Zeb had some cuts and bruises but being the 'tough Lasat guard he is' was okay for the most part. All the Doctors told him to do was eat and take it easy for a day or two.
Sabine, on the other hand, had acquired quite the sprained ankle that the doctors insisted that she remained off that foot for two weeks (an order Sabine mumbled in annoyance at). Also, her intense adrenaline rush from the escape was the key factor as to why Sabine passed out on the way to the med bay; the doctors confirming Hera's theory that adrenaline drove her past her exertion point. That and the cuts and bruises made the doctors insist she needed to rest some.
Hera was looked at quite significantly by the medical team. Hera's Lekku was looked over and had a stronger bacta bandage placed over her cut. The doctor confirmed that Hera did, in fact, have some nerve damage, and gave her some pain meds to reduce the pain from when it uncontrollably twitched. Fortunately, the bacta would heal that over time and all that would remain on her lekku. The area where Hera been hit on the head earlier was sore and a bit swollen but otherwise fine. Hera's hand also needed to be bandaged and like Sabine's foot, should remain unused for a couple of days so that it can heal. Like the others, the cuts and bruises would be the least of her worries.
Ashoka admitting that she had a splitting headache from her torture session with Vader. The medical team looked her over and did confirm she didn't have a slight concussion, but should be fine and gave her some ice to place on her head along with pain killers. They even placed some bandages around her neck where the collar chaffed her neck.
The medical review seemed to be going fine until they reached the Bridger couple; that was when it became silent. When Ephraim Bridger lifted his shirt and revealed a terribly healed burn. The doctor cursed and started going over the scars.
"I assume you have been in contact with a fire whip at some point?" the doctor asked.
"Yes, a year ago when we tried to escape. We just wanted to get back to our son," Ephraim said with a voice full of pain.
Mira stroked his cheek and gave him a hug as he shivered to recall the angry director ordering him to hold down as he had slashed his back with a whip. Mira had tried to stop it but had been held by a stormtrooper which had forced her to watch as the scene unfold.
As the Doctor examined his back, he sighed as he told them, "The scars were not seen by a proper medical person as they healed, so they do look rather deep. Once on the base, we will give you some injections so that the infection can go away. it will also make the scaring smaller so you can move more freely. The bruises we can't do much about besides waiting for them to go away."
Ephraim nodded, appreciating the medical treatment as the doctor turned to Mira.
Mira's exam was with quite some sighing.
"You need to eat some more, you're too underweight. It also seems your heart rhythm is a bit unsteady. Have you been electrocuted at some point?" the doctor asked.
"Yes, the Grand Inquisitor wanted to know about Ezra. To force Ephraim to tell he electrocuted me" Mira mumbled.
"Well I want you to rest as much as possible and as soon as we get to the base we will need to make a small operation on you. Besides that it seems you have one of the worst ailments; a mother's broken heart."
Mira whipped her tears away as the doctor said this.
"The shocks that resulted in the twitching and the scars on you are nothing compared to missing your son. I do suggest bed rest for a few weeks."
Mira and Ephraim held onto one another as they got the news that they would be okay.
Sato looked at them and realized that he never really was introduced to them nor had he introduced himself. Sato imagined they would be having a lot of questions.
Sato looked worried before he stepped over to the two.
"Am I correct in assuming you are Mira and Ephraim Bridger?" Sato asked.
"Yes, and you are?" Mira answered.
"Jun Sato. Leader of this cell of the rebellion" Sato replied and extended his hand to them which they shook.
"Thank you for helping us," Mira said.
"You are welcome. Would …." Sato began.
Kanan started to moan and toss and turn again.
"Oh no not again," Hera said looking at her love.
Before more could say Kanan started screaming.
"That's it. Get them out of here. All of them. We will treat Sabine, Ahsoka, Hera, and Ephraim in the next room. Use the observation window so they can still know what's going on" the leader of the doctors said.
As the Bridgers and Sato willingly and the crew, not all that willing, left the room they heard the words 'duck' being shouted. As they entered the other examination room, Zeb, Sato, and Mira walked over to the window while the rest tried to look in from where they were treated. As they watched more and more objects started flying through the air in Kanan's room. Sato was worried, what could have caused this?
Finally, after what it felt like forever the doctors finally got Kanan to calm down once more, and one came out and looked at the others with a worried face. Everyone looked at each other before they turned to him, all scared to hear what would come next.
"Kanan Jarrus is in a very poor state. There is a dislocated shoulder, three broken fingers, one broken wrist, four broken ribs, a whiplash in his leg, five burns from a fire whip and two lightsaber burns one on his back and one under his eyes and he has bruises on the stomach and face plus a black eye. There is nerve damage and I have spasms regularly. There are deep cuts in his skin but we are struggling to identify what could have caused them. They are so deep and some of them have cut into the bones. Kanan has been drugged with a serum made by Blue Dariel" the doctor said.
"So … will he make it?" Hera asked from where she was treated.
The doctor looked at them but did not answer.
"He will make it right?" Hera asked with a slight panic.
"His odds are not looking good I am afraid." the doctor remarked
"Which means what?" Zeb asked rather annoyed
"I am sorry. Kanan Jarrus is dying as we speak" the doctor said.
The room became so silent in shock that if a pin was dropped it would be heard. Hera felt like she could not breathe as tears welled up. Sabine and Zeb both nearly lost their breath at the horrid news. It had to be a lie, right?
"The drug that was injected into him is lethal," the doctor said.
"Then give him the antidote!" Hera nearly screamed
"We don't have it. We have the ingredients for it on the base but not here. The drug is newly developed and I have only seen a few instances where it has been used. The few times I have seen it used on people the victim died 24 hours of administering it. If I am to estimate he would have 15-20 hours left before that happen" the doctor said.
"But we are 16 hours from the base" Sato protested.
The crew grew pale at that realization; Kanan's time with them could be over at any moment.
"I am sorry. We will do the best that we can do, but at the end that may not be enough" the doctors said solemnly
"No, NO, NO. It can't be. Kanan can't die" Hera shouted in almost hysterics.
Sabine had tears run down her eyes (though she tried to hide it with her head down), Zeb looked horrified as someone had just stabbed him in the back, literally.
"I am sorry. We will do what we can but we can't really do much. From now on Jarrus will experience hallucinations from the worst part of his life that will cause his heartbeat to slow down until the body gives up" the doctor said.
Hera started crying which only increased her pain, "There has to be something to make this ship go faster!"
"Hera, we are in hyperspace how-," Rex tried to argue.
"I'll figure it out!" Hera roared at any doubt that she could try to help Kanan.
"Duck" a voice shouted from inside the room where the doctors were looking at Kanan.
"While we are at it. I am sorry to say but we have to restrain him" the doctor said.
"WHAT NO!" the crew shouted in horrified unison.
"I am sorry but he is a danger to himself and others. Jarrus is using the force and I already have one doctor who is now being treated for a head blow by Jarrus using the force" the doctor told them in a serious yet frazzled tone.
"Kanan is not an animal and he has already been tied up by the empire. Kanan will freak if he wakes up and finds himself strapped to a medical bed" Sabine said.
"I am sorry it is for the best," the doctor said.
The crew looked angry as the doctor.
"I am sorry," the man said as he walked back into the room.
Through the window they could see the doctor trying to get to Kanan, Hera broke into tears.
Hera then left the medbay, only to be blocked off by Sato.
"Where do you think you are going?" Sato questioned with concern.
Hera pushed Sato gently out of the way, "I can't see this! I'm gonna find some way to get to the base faster."
"But-," Ahsoka tried to argue with Hera, but she stormed off and was already gone.
Ahsoka sighed as she saw the now unconscious Kanan being restrained to the bed. It looked so wrong to see Kanan like that. A small whimper was then heard, and Ahsoka saw Sabine finally breaking down where she sat. Zeb who immediately noticed this sat right by her side and held her shoulders. Sabine wrapped her arms around Zeb as she totally lost it and began sobbing into Zeb as he just held her, having his own tears fall.
Ahsoka didn't know what to do; Ezra was missing, Kanan was dying, and the rest of the crew was losing it because of what was going on.
Ahsoka stormed off; she needed to talk to Hera.
SWR
Ahsoka could feel how Hera's signature was full of pain, both physical and emotional and it made it easy to find her. Ahsoka could tell that Hera was in denial of the situation, and she knew that not facing the facts would hurt Hera in the long run. As Ahsoka neared the cockpit of the ship, she could hear how things were being tossed around. As she looked into the room she found Hera sitting with a number of maps and turbulence and looked desperate through things only to toss it out.
"Hera," Ahsoka said gently, "I need you to take a breath."
Hera turned to her with tears in her eyes as she sat herself down on her knees and looked at her friend. Ahsoka could feel and see how much Hera was hurting. It was natural that Hera would be hit the hardest but she too was sad at the prospect of losing Kanan. Kanan was a friend and one of the few Jedi still left, it would be hard for her to see him go. Especially seeing him go in such a terribly cruel way.
"Ah... Ahsoka. I can't … I can't" Hera cried.
"Hera listen," Ahsoka began.
"NO! LOOK! I was able to use some reverse power in the cabins that are not in use, We use that energy into our drives to get the ship there faster. I estimate that it will give us about fifteen minutes. If I can figure that out…" Hera had to stop and take a breath.
Ahsoka looked worried, Hera was sweating, and some blood from her lekku was leaking from her rapid movements. Ahsoka saw this in one other person who was not well in their mental state, and that person worked their way into an aneurysm.
Ahsoka took a deep breath before she tried to reason with Hera.
"Hera-," Ahsoka barely said her name before Hera began babbling
I have to do something! Once at the Base, we give Kanan the antidote, he gets better, we find Ezra… We will….We will... " Hera began to repeat herself over and over as she tried so desperately to find her words
Ahsoka could see that Hera was turning hysterical and did the only thing her tired mind could think of. Ahsoka grabbed Hera by the collar, raised her hand, and slapped her hard across the face.
The room fell so silent that one could hear a flimsi fall to the floor.
Hera was so stunned she didn't even move for a bit. Hera barely noticed her cheek stinging because she was too shocked by what had just happened. When she finally did she saw how Ahsoka was just as shocked, panting from the force she put into the slap.
Ahsoka, ignoring her vibrating burn in her hand from the slap, finally got her nerve back and yelled in fury, "WE DON'T KNOW IF THE BASE CAN MAKE AN ANTIDOTE! KANAN SITUATION IS LOOKING WORSE EVERY MINUTE!
Ahsoka saw Hera's eyes well up. Ahsoka knew that Hera was finally listening, so she calmed her demeanor.
"It is great that you got him fifteen minutes, it is. and he could really use that time. But in case things go south, don't you want to be there for him in what must be terrifying for him?
Hera could not hold it back anymore. Hera's eyes were overflowing with tears as if they were the beginning of a mighty river. She fell to her knees as she broke down. Ahsoka knelt down next to her friend and let her cry her heart out.
"I can't lose him Ahsoka. I love him. Kanan has been there for me day in and day out. Kanan even joined the rebellion even though this was my vision and he did not want to. Now that he needs me all I can do is to find a shortcut on 15 minutes while he is … he is. Oh, Ahsoka, what am I to do?" Hera cried.
"Kanan is strong, he will keep going for as long as he can, we just need to keep level headed and figure out what our next step is, okay?" Ahsoka tried to soothe Hera.
Hera nodded in agreement but kept crying as Ahsoka held her, the threat of losing Kanan was too much for one to bear alone.
Ahsoka hugged her while she considered the option of Kanan dying, it would hit her hard. Kanan was the only Jedi she knew of beside herself and Ezra. In addition, Kanan was her friend. The two connected with their past time at the temple, and when they were in their darkest hours recalling what they lost; they knew they didn't have to mourn alone. Ahsoka knew that as his friend that Kanan would want Hera to be by his side in his final hours (if that be the case), and Ahsoka would not let Hera do that alone.
"Hera let's go back. I know Kanan well enough to know that even though he can't register it, he would want us all to be there. If he can sense us, even just a little bit, I know having you there would make all the difference between panic and comfort." Ahsoka said gently.
Hera was sitting with tears running down her cheeks as she nodded. Silently Hera rose with help from Ahsoka. Silently they both walked back to see Kanan, quietly supporting each other.
SWR
Zeb held Sabine as she continued to sob into him after the news of Kanan and to be brutally honest, he too was crying. This was not fair all this suffering. Yes they had gotten Ezra's parents out but it had cost them Ezra's location, Hera and Sabine were injured and his friend was at risk of dying. After some time Sabine fell back asleep and he laid her down on the bed, covering her with a blanket.
"I need to stretch my leg," Zeb said to the room and no one in particular as his mind was still in a haze.
Zeb knew he could not stay away forever, but he needed just a few minutes away. To clear his head and get all that happened around his head.
Zeb walked aimlessly through Sato's ship. As many times as Zeb tried to repeat to himself what was going on, he could not grasp it. Zeb must have walked every inch of the base until he ends up in the navigation room. Zeb saw numbers of how fast they were going, the fuel they had, a holo map indicating where they are and how long it will take to get to their destination. Sixteen hours … 16 hours was long the holo-map estimated it would take to get to the base with Kanan having between 15-20 hours left to live in, it would be close at best.
Zeb feeling the frustration of the whole situation slammed his fist into the wall only for his hand to throb in more pain than how it was before on the destroyer, but he ignored it. Zeb had gotten off easy compared to the rest of the group, his group. The group was built by Kanan and now they were about to lose him. Zeb was in such agony over this, the crew had helped him form a new family after he thought he would never have one again. Kanan and he had become very close friends, heck best friends. Kanan had saved him from a dark, dark time in his life where he tried to drink his sorrows away, more like trying to drink himself to death. Now Kanan was strapped to a bed and dying and he could not do a damn thing to help him. Why? Why did Kanan always have to be on the receiving end? Zeb signed over his friend's bad fortune; his damn heroic ways to protect others at his own expense.
"You looked so sad when you left" a voice shook him out of his thoughts.
Zeb looked up and saw that Rex was standing in the doorway.
"Yeah, I needed some air" Zeb mumbled.
"I can imagine. News like that can take a lot of air out of someone" Rex said.
Zeb looked at Rex before he turned away confirming the idea of the clones.
"I know it must be hard, but Kanan is a tough man. Kanan … Kanan will be alright, you'll see" Rex said.
"Rex he … the doctors said it is looking bad" Zeb mumbled and Rex sighed.
"Look I know it looks bad and let us hope for the best but we are both warriors. We know the risk we are taking, and Kanan knew that as well. I know that even if he doesn't make it he would not want you to take it to hard, he would be happy to make that sacrifice for all of you" Rex said sadly.
Zeb looked at him for some time before he replied.
"Rex losing people in a battle is one thing and that is very hard, losing friends because they have been tortured until their body gives out is something different. That is far worse than this. Rex …they tortured him. They tortured him just to make us tell them where Ezra was. Kanan did not speak and it cost him and I could do nothing Rex, NOTHING!" Zeb roared and slammed his hand against the wall not caring about the throbbing that was going on in his hand.
"I am sorry Zeb," Rex said softly.
Zeb sighed deeply and looked at Rex.
"I am sorry too, it is just … Kanan has done a lot of good things for me and when he needs me, all I could do was to sit and watch while they electrocuted him again and again. They broke his fingers just to hurt Sabine, even after they split us up they continued to torture him. They even went after Hera, Ahsoka and Ezra," Zeb told his friend as tears threatened to come out of his sorrowful eyes.
Rex was miserable as he saw Zeb in such a painful mental state. Rex knew Kanan was a man who would protect those he cared about to any means, he had demonstrated that often enough. The problem was that Kanan did not care for Rex, not one bit. They could barely be in the same room without starting an argument but he did not deserve that. Rex's stomach tightened thinking of that sweet little Ezra being beaten once again along with kind Hera. At the mention of Ahsoka, he almost felt enraged at the thought of her tortured but this was not the right place he needed to help Zeb.
"I am sorry Zeb. Kanan did not deserve that even if I don't like him and he doesn't like me I still wish he didn't have to go through this." Rex said sadly.
"He has good reasons to feel that way Rex," Zeb mumbled, defensive of his friend's behavior.
It was so low it was barely audible but Rex heard it and felt anger over it.
"Why? Because he hates clones? Because I am a clone? I never asked to be created. I was never given a choice. I …. I was brought into a world for the sole purpose of being part of an army. I was never given a choice. Not at being created. Not at being a warrior. Heck, they speeded up our aging just to have me ready" Rex shouted angrily.
Zeb looked guilty.
"I am sorry Rex that came out wrong. It is just. … Kanan lived through some terrible times and I think having a face to put the blame almost makes him feel better about it all." Zeb said.
Seeing how sad Zeb was Rex calmed down and suddenly Zeb's words hit him.
"Wait you know what happened to him?" Rex asked.
Zeb looked pained as he nodded. Kanan was … forced to tell to save Sabine and me, otherwise, they would have sliced through our necks with those saber things of their" Zeb mumbled.
"So Kanan told you" Rex concluded.
Zeb just nodded unable to say anything, he remembers how pained Kanan looked as he told it, how guilty he looked. Zeb could only hope he had told and got help all though it was hard to tell with Kanan. Sometimes the man seemed so mysterious to the galaxy.
"Please tell me, Zeb. I need to know why he hates me so much" Rex asked.
Zeb looked pained before he sighted.
"I only know what he told me. Apparently, Kanan or Caleb was camping with his master, this Depa Bilaba woman. Things seemed fine until the clones out of nowhere attacked them calling them traitors. Kanan's master asked him to run and he did while she was gunned down and killed, he saw it" Zeb said.
Rex looked pained about what Zeb told him.
"We are and were soldiers Zeb. When we were … created we had a chip implanted. A chip that we follow orders no matter what. I had mine removed before the Massacre. Sometime after that happened I discovered a found a message on an old frequency we once used during the war. It was an order by Palpatine to execute order 66. I checked it and it was an order to kill all Jedi. I knew Kanan's master Depa Billaba, she was a very nice woman and to know that my own brothers….," Rex said.
Zeb looked pale as a ghost at what Rex said.
"So the clones killed all the Jedi because Palpatine ordered them and you all had chips that made you do it?" Zeb asked in disbelief.
Rex just nodded, "But as I said, I realized I needed my own will so I yanked mine out with Greg and Wolffe."
"I …. I" Zeb started but could not find the right words and Rex looked guilty, which Zeb saw.
"Rex this is not your fault you know that? It is not your brother's fault either" Zeb said.
"I know it is just …" Rex said but could not finish the sentence.
Neither of them said anything for some time.
"Look, Kanan might be a jerk to me," Rex pointed out, "But one thing I will respect out of the man is his strength in spite of circumstances."
Zeb looked up at the man as Rex continued, "Kanan made it through Order 66, learned how to survive on his own, and avoided the Empire to help create this crew. If Kanan can handle all that, then he can survive some poison too."
Zeb smiled at Rex confidence
"Come on let's get back and see Kanan," Zeb said and Rex nodded.
Slowly the two friends walked back to see Kanan.
A/N Hands up how many saw this coming. Kanan dying, Ezra missing, the crew in pain and the Bridgers is free but at what prize perhaps but what a prize to pay to get them free. Also a reminder; wash hands, don't touch your face and keep up with social distancing.