The mission was pretty basic routine; go into Capitol City where the shipment was being kept, create a diversion and get the crates from the imperials. Kanan, Zeb, and Sabine were getting ready for the mission while Hera and Chopper were prepping the ship for the mission. The only one who didn't really have a job to do though was Ezra.
This was the first mission the crew was going on since the seven-year-old joined their ranks. But since the Ghost was low on fuel as were their food rations, getting the credits for the shipment from Vizago was a priority. The problem though was that the crew was so use to their routine of prepping that they neglected to tell Ezra what he was suppose to do. So he ended up doing his own thing.
"Has anyone seen my helmet?" Sabine asked, looking around the cargo hold for her specially designed helmet.
"Here it is," Shouted Ezra, sneaking up behind Sabine while wearing her helmet.
"ahh!" Sabine shouted in shock as she elbowed the prankster in the helmet.
"Ezra!?" Sabine shouted in concern for unintentionally hitting Ezra and landing him on the ground.
"I'm okay," Ezra said from the ground with a thumb up, "The helmet protected me."
Sabine just smiled and rolled her eyes, "Yes, my helmet," Sabine said as she took the helmet back as she helped Ezra up, "What are you doing with it anyways?"
Ezra just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Making sure you don't loose it."
Sabine then smiled and ruffled Ezra's helmet hair. Sabine continued to get her equipment ready as Ezra watched.
Soon Kanan and Zeb came in, geared up for the mission.
"Okay, is everyone ready?" Kanan asked.
While Zeb and Sabine nodded, Ezra responded uncertainly, "I think I'm ready."
Kanan just smiled with his arms crossed and asked, "Where do you think you're going kid?"
"I have no idea; I'm just following your guys lead." Ezra replied honestly.
Kanan's face then went blank, "Didn't I tell you what you will be doing?"
Ezra just shook his head no, causing Kanan to face palm himself while Zeb and Sabine chuckled at the situation.
"Come on," Kanan told Ezra as he took his hand and lead him to the cockpit, "Zeb and Sabine you two make sure the speeders are ready."
While Zeb and Sabine did as their leader asked, Kanan lead Ezra towards the cockpit where Hera was.
"Where are we going?" Ezra asked anxiously.
"You, are going to be with Hera here in case we need a quick escape while Sabine, Zeb and I go to Capitol City." Kanan finally explained to his padawan.
"How come I can't come with you?" Ezra asked, looking up at Kanan with his blue eyed puppy face.
"Hey, don't give me that look kid," Kanan said as he and Ezra got into the cockpit, "The Empire is still looking for you in Capitol City, it's safer for you to be here with Hera."
Ezra though still seemed a bit disheartened though about not going with Kanan.
"It's okay Hun," Hera assured her little guy, "Besides, I can always use a second pairs of eyes in case we need a quick get away."
Ezra though was still concerned, "But how will we know if you they are okay?" He asked Hera with concern.
"With this," Kanan told Ezra as he handed him a comlink.
"You're giving me your comlink?" asked Ezra.
"Actually I'm giving you your own. See the back of it." Kanan told Ezra.
Ezra did as he was told and read what was inscribed in the back, "Specter Six," Ezra read out loud, "That's me." Ezra said with a smile on his face.
Kanan smiled as well, "Yup, this way we can let Hera and yourself know what is going on and when we will be back. So Specter six, your job is to stay with Specter two and help be on the look out for any imperials that pose a threat to our mission. Okay?"
Ezra smiled at Kanan and nodded. Kanan then ruffled the kid's hair.
"We'll get into our position then alert you guys when phase two of the plan will occur." Kanan told Hera.
Soon Kanan left the cockpit, leaving Hera and Ezra inside. Ezra began to feel better when a few minutes later, his comlink came to life.
Specter One to Specters six, testing the comlink, how is it coming on your end?"
Ezra smiled and replied, "This is Specter six, comlink is working."
This did help with Ezra feeling better, but that didn't stop Ezra from worrying.
About an hour had past since the others left for the city. Hera and Ezra were still in the cockpit when Kanan contacted the two on beginning of phase two. After Kanan turned his comlink off though, Hera couldn't help but notice Ezra's worried expression as he hugged his knees in the chair next to her.
"Honey, what's wrong?" Hera asked, concerned for her young specter.
"Nothing." Ezra simply replied, not looking at Hera, but showing obvious sadness in his voice.
Hera would not tolerate Ezra being in this dismayed state, "Ezra, I know something is wrong. Talk to me hon, what's on your mind?"
Ezra took a moment but he finally asked, "Why do you guys do this?"
Hera was a little confused, "What do you mean?"
Ezra then elaborated to her. "Why do you guys go on these crazy missions where you guys know there is a chance of you guys getting hurt?"
Hera know knew what was weighing so heavily on the kid's mind.
"Well kid, the answer to that is kind of long. First off we are sticking it to the Empire by stealing their own stuff right under their nose,"
Ezra giggled at the first part of Hera's long answer,
"Also with the cargo of weapons we get we can sell them to supply the Ghost and give the cargo of food to those in need."
Ezra smiled at that idea, "Sabine told me about that. She said you guys bring food to the people of Tarkintown, who lives were ruined by the Empire." Ezra was happy that his lessons with Sabine were helping him understand what the crew did.
"But the main reason is because if we don't stand up against the Empire who will?"
Ezra did not react well to this last response as he buried his head into his hugged knees and replied gloomily, "That's what mom and dad would say."
"Oh Hun, come here, "Hera said to Ezra as she picked him up so she could hug him in her seat.
"Mom and dad would say that they had to speak against the Empire so I could learn to fight for my freedom, but they got taken away from me. What if the same happens to you guys, or worse?"
Hera knew she had to be honest with Ezra.
"I'm going to be honest Hun; everyday, every mission there is always a chance of that when we face the Empire. But we have to stand up against the Empire; not only for ourselves but for everyone who lives have been devastated by the Empire. Life has more purpose when you live to help others instead of just one's self."
Ezra was silent for a bit, taking it all in, when Ezra still looked conflicted by the crew's goals Hera continued.
"I know these missions seem dangerous, but we protect one another. We look out for each other to make sure we all make it back to the Ghost. Besides, if it wasn't for us going on these missions we would of never of found a certain little kid that none of us can imagine living without now." Hera said this last part with a smile on her face.
Ezra smiled at Hera's statement of not only the crew looking out for each other, but Hera saying how much he meant to the crew.
"Remember how it felt when we saved you kid?" Hera asked Ezra.
Ezra thought of it for a moment before answering happily, "Safe, and happy that you guys actually cared."
"That is the same way the people we help feel, it helps them realize that there are people out there who care. We give people hope that maybe one day, the Empire will be taken down."
Hera's words of hope made Ezra feel better about these missions.
"You feel a little better?" Hera asked.
"Yeah," Ezra replied
Hera hugged Ezra little harder before rubbing her nose against Ezra's cheek,
"That's my boy," Hera cheerfully said.
Ezra giggled at the gentle gesture, "Hera?"
Suddenly the Ghost transmission came in with Kanan's voice.
"Ghost, get ready for take off. We are coming in hot."
"Copy that, Specter Two out." Hera replied as she set Ezra back into his seat.
Hera immediately began prepping the Ghost for take off.
Ezra could see the crew on their speeders coming towards them, followed by a couple of TIE fighters. Hera opened up the cargo hold doors, the two beings on board feeling the vibrations of the crew boarding.
The transmission came back on, this time it was Sabine's voice,
"We're on, GO, GO, GO!" Sabine hollered as two more TIE Fighters came their way.
Hera, with her head start, was easily able to avoid the TIE Fighters, soon making it to space and entering hyperspace.
As Hera turned on the autopilot, she noticed the little padawan was no longer in the cockpit. Hera though, having some idea of where he was going, went straight to the cockpit. There she saw Ezra being told what happened by Zeb and occasionally Sabine cutting in.
"Kanan and I took down at least a dozen troopers to get to the supply's-," Zeb exaggerated when Sabine cut in.
"Then we had to race through the streets on the speeders to get away before reinforcements came in…" The two continued telling their tale to the kid, not noticing Hera had entered the room as well.
Kanan, going over the load they just obtained, smiled at the tale Sabine and Zeb were telling his padawan when Hera came up to him.
"So another successful mission?" Hera asked, relieved that she already knew the answer.
"Yup, got the crates for both Tarkintown and Vizago." Kanan confirmed before asking Hera,
"So, how was it here? How was Ezra?"
Hera just smiled and told Kanan, "Ezra was a little worried, but don't worry I helped to ease his mind."
"Just one of your many talents." Kanan complimented his pilot.
After Ezra's first mission with the crew, he would still get worried about the crew's safety on every mission. But he knew why the missions they went on had to be done, and was assured that the crew looked out for each other. Kanan also developed a habit of always telling Ezra the step by step actions of the missions before they went on them, to help his padawan mind be calm. Kanan wasn't too worried though, it was thinking of the missions that Ezra would go on in the future that terrified him, even though he knew that would most likely not happen for a while. For now, Kanan knew Ezra would be safe on the Ghost when things got too dangerous.
A/N: Okay Shout out for WernerLombardi for want Hera comforting. I knew I had to add a chapter of Ezra's concern with the crew going on missions and wanting to go with them to make sure they are ok. So the Hera touch telling him to trust the crew blended in perfectly with the this. This chapter will tie in with the next chapter: So here is my challenge, who can guess what the next chapter will be about. You guess right and I will give those a shout out at in the A/N. Also if any of you guys have any questions about this story, just message me and I will be happy to answer them.
