Beyond the Rim

Book 1

Chapter 8: Syndulla's Secret

Sabine took her time observing the marking on a sign next to the road. The others took a moment to sit down and breathe.

Chopper nudged Hera on the shoulder with his manipulators and started chirping urgently. Hera's eyes opened wide as she pieced together what Chopper was saying. "That's today!"

She quickly turned her head to Kanan, who was clearing some dirt on his lightsaber. She turned back to Chopper in a bit of a panic. "I don't think he remembers either. Unless he's waiting for me to make the first move."

Chopper tried to calm Hera down, but she continued to fuss. "Maybe we did not do it back then because we always had the Empire at our back, but here, there is not a single stormtrooper trying to kill us. If anything, this is the perfect moment to do this."

Chopper did the equivalent of a facepalm but proceeded to follow Hera as she made her way closer to Kanan.

She opened her mouth, only to have Sabine interrupt the Silence and cut her off before she could begin. "Alright, this sign says there is a town nearby, we can probably find food, lodging and maybe a map of the region there."

Kanan got up without acknowledging Hera and got back on his speeder bike. Hera just stood there, blankly at Kanan, waiting for him to acknowledge she was there, only to be put back into Reality by Chopper. "I know, I'm coming."

The crew was on a hill just outside the town, Ezra looked though a pair of macro-binoculars. It was a basic town, looks of friendly looking faces, but there was a fairly good-sized stone wall surrounding the town. And the main roads in and out of the perimeter we are guarded by men in matching blue tunics and caps with rifles.

He slid back behind the hill crest. And looked at the others "It may be hard getting in, it looks like there are soldiers guarding every square inch of the outer perimeter, and I don't think they'll be nice to you two." Hera and Zeb knew he was talking to Zeb.

Zeb let off a single laugh and a big grin across his face. "Don't worry kid, I can disguise myself as a human again." He reached into his pack and pulled out a couple of vials of the same pink powder Lavina tossed on him days earlier. "She gave me some extra's just in case we had to do this again."

Zeb opened the cork at the top and began sprinkling it over his head, the powder began to glow and once it had all cleared up, Zeb was like a Human again, purple hair, broad mussels, and human like complexions. He then turned to Hera.

Hera was trying to back out of it. "I don't think I'm down for this Zeb."

Zeb started laughing as he pulled the cork off another vial. "Nonsense, it's the only way we're getting you in without giving someone a heart attack or getting shot at."

Before she could counter that statement, Zeb flung the contents of the vial onto Hera. She was blinded by the powder, but felt lighter all of a sudden, when the powered clear, everyone except Kanan, who was looking down at the town, was in complete surprise to see the new Hera.

She made her way over to her bag where she had a holo-mirror. She saw what this stuff did to her. She removed her head gear to reveal that she now had brown bobbed hair, short like Sabines but better groomed, with white streaks that were reminiscent of her lekku tattoos, her skin was no longer green and resembled something like Kanan's. but her facial complexion was almost unchanged.

Hera took a good moment to admire herself, before making her way to Kanan. "How do I look love?"

Kanan seemed almost oblivious to the question, he then looked up from the Macro-binoculars to see a new yet familiar face. "Hera?" he questioned.

She just kept smiling, Kanan smiled for just a second but quickly got back up to address the others. "Alright, once we get inside we got tasks to do, Sabine, Zeb, you go find a map, Ezra and I will go find some lodging, and Hera, you take Chopper and go get supplies. Leave the bikes here, we'll pick them up when we leave tomorrow."

The others began to pick up their belongings off the bikes and place them on their backs. Hera was still perplex on why Kanan was acting like this.

Ezra was next to Kanan when he heard a whisper like call without words. "He's close, is he?"

Ezra noticed Kanan was affixed to the calling in the force, he elbowed his master, putting him back in the moment. "I can feel him, really. It feels like the closer we get, the stronger and more distracting the connection is." Ezra smiled at his master and began making his way down the hill back on the road.

The crew was walking up to a checkpoint, the soldiers looked them up and down as they got closer, they were confused by their attires, but not shock and terrified as the crew would have expected if Hera and Zeb had not been disguised. Sabine and Zeb especially looked at their uniforms. Zeb leaned in to whisper in Sabine's ear "Those are the same uniforms we saw in the tree."

Sabine nodded. The rest approached the head of the checkpoint, one of the men in blue approached them. "Identification and travel credentials please."

Kanan was about to reach out his hand, but Ezra stood in front of him and stopped him. "Hey, I've been practicing." He stood in front of the soldier and waved his hand, saying. "You don't need to see our identification and travel credentials."

The soldier reached for his pistol and scolded Ezra. "Is there a problem kid? Your Identification and Credentials, now."

Kanan pushed Ezra aside. "Sorry about my son, but You actually don't need to see our ID's and credentials"

The soldier eased off his tense stance and put his hand off his gun. Repeating the words Kanan has spoken. "I actually don't need to see your ID's and credentials."

Kanan waved his hand again. "You may enter without further problems."

The soldier repeated. "You may enter without further problems."

"Have a nice day." Kanan said.

"Have a nice day." Said the officer, he motioned towards the soldier in the gate house to open the gate and allowing the rebels to walk though.

Kanan turned to Ezra. "We really need to work on that." Ezra shrugged jestingly in acceptation.

The crew began to separate, And Hera and Chopper made their way to the market. She began buying the supplied Sabine reasoned were safe for consumption, it was only the other day they realized that some of them had allergic reactions to some of the foodstuffs on the planet like select nuts and berries, so now they had to be cautious of what they bought and ate.

Hera was finishing with buying some red fruits, when she heard a cry for help behind her.

She saw four men, armed with guns and long knives over an older man.

One of the men yelled. "You have not paid your due's yet, and the boss tired of you whining about extensions!" He raised his knife above his head, the older man continued to beg. Hera rushed in and grabbed the man's arm just before he thrusted it down.

The man turned and looked at Hera. "Listen lady, you don't want to tango with all of us..." Before he could finished, Hera thrusted her leg up, right between his legs. The man fell the ground, crying in pain, as the other thugs pulled out their pistols.

Before things got ugly, the sound of a horn went off, soldiers on the backs of four legged stallions rushed though the crowd and cornered Hera and the thugs, but to her relief, they only pointed their rifles at the thugs. "Arrest them!" one of the soldiers shouted. One opted to run away while the other three surrendered, two of the soldiers on horseback drew their swords and began to chase the runner.

Hera went to the aid of the old man. "Sir, are you alright?"

The old man opened his eyes. And smiled at Hera. "You saved my life ma'am."

One of the soldiers dismounted his steed and went to check on the old man as well, he turned to Hera. "I've never seen someone brave enough to stand up to four Scalp hunters before."

Hera looked at the soldier. "Scalp hunters, are they like Bounty hunters?"

The officer chuckled. "Comparing them to bounty hunters is like comparing cannibals to gentlemen. The scalp hunters kill without question and bring the scalp of their targets as a sign of their accomplishment. With Bounty Hunters you know they'll bring you in alive to get the higher reward and you know you'll will least receive fair treatment."

The soldier walked back to his steed and mounted back on. "Just keep watch of your back, they tend to hold grudges. Hiyah!" The soldier began to ride with the rest of his men down the road of the market.

Hera helped the older man up from the ground. "You should be alright now, but I must get going."

Chopper quickly moved from behind a small hiding place and began to follow Hera, most people looked on at the curious little machine moving on the ground, one more then the others. He Kept his distance and began following the two rebels.

Hera notice the man was following her and chopper, they began to increase their pace. The man following did the same. They took a turn into a shop and tried to blend herself in with the other people inside. Which she then realized was harder, as the other women were wearing large dresses, she was still in her orange and brown flight suit.

The man walked right next to Hera. She was nervous, she thought about reaching for her blaster, but she did not want to start a panic by using a laser weapon in a place that has probably prominently seen slug throwers, the man then looked at both her and Chopper, and said. "Is that an astromech droid?"

Hera looked at the man in total confusion, how did he know about droids, but before she could ask, the man simply said. "Follow me, I desperately need your help."

Hera looked at him stonily in the eye. "And if I don't?"

His gentle expression turned rough. "I don't want to make a scene here, but we're both packing guns."

She looked the side of his leg, to see one of the six shot guns the locals used in a holster. She realized she was not given the choice to decline, she only nodded and followed as they left the store.

She was following for a while now, they looked like they had entered a residential area. He walked up to one of the homes and began to open the door, he held it open for Hera, she walked and as she entered she saw the walls were littered with hand drawn star maps, calculations, and though an open door, what looked like the remains of a light shuttle.

The man closed the door and began to speak. "My name is Saul Arorez. A student at the Coruscant Institution of Ancient History."

Hera turned he gaze from the books and star maps on the walls towards him, she saw he was beginning to cry. He then continued in tears. "I've been here for too long, it's been to long since I've last talked to someone, I knew would understand me."

Hera began to approach the man and tried to cheer him up. "It's alright, why are you here?"

Saul fought back the tears. "I was mainly researching the Architects, I got a lead that took me to wild space, but while I was there, I somehow lost control of my ship and ended up here, beyond the rim."

Hera came closer as he continued. "But I found strong connections that backed up my Research, I don't care what you think about the Empire and our self-appointed Emperor, he is a thug who suppresses history and expects us to take it as the truth. But here, the locals have records that state that three Architects walked with their ancestors in what they call the Age of the Gods, they then left stead to force sensitive creatures, in an time called the Age of the Dragons. Then came the Age of Man…"

Chopper beeped a question. Saul responded. "well, it's the end cap of the Age of Industry, the people claimed they have reached the peaked of development, ground vehicles they call cars or automobiles, steam powered boats, machine guns, radio and film, mass production, even flying machines. But its all primitive compared to everything we know in our galaxy. They claimed the era ended with the start of the war, and now that it has lasted for five years already and it's still going with no end in sight."

Hera leaned in with a question of her own. "I doubt you brought me here to lecture me on your discoveries, Saul."

He acknowledged with a grin. "Judging by your appearance and the workmanship of that C1 unit, I could tell you're a mechanic, perhaps on ships, I can also tell by the streaks in your hair your using a wizards spell to disguise your true form."

Hera jolted back, but Saul only raised his eyebrows and waited to see if he was correct. Hera sighed, admitting defeat. "Alright, you caught me, I'm a Twi'lek. My name is Hera Syndulla."

Saul was caught off guard with the last name. "Syndulla? You wouldn't happened to be related to the Clone Wars war hero, Cham Syndulla?"

Hera turned her head away, making sure he did not see her frustration with her family. But complied. "He's… My father."

The brightest glow came across Saul's face. "Please, you got to tell me all about him."

Hera tucked in a little by his request, and quickly changed the subject. "So, your ship."

Saul was brought back into the pressing matters. "Right, most of its intact, and my scans are picking up a fueling center just above the planet, came in a few days ago… I knew the empire would find this place, but not so quickly. Which is why I spent my time here to archive the local history many of it that parallels with the history of our galaxy just in case the Empire plans to suppress the history here as well. If I can get to the ship, I can make it home as an Imperial citizen, the only problem is, I used my ships central control unit to pay off a debt. I think if your droid will let me borrow his circuitry, I can…"

Before he could finish, Chopper began to charge his manipulators and attempt to shock him. Saul jumped up on a table, out of reach of the droid.

Hera nodded. "Yeah, Chopper is not the donor type. But I do have some money, maybe I can pitch in to buy it back."

Saul scratched his head in worry. "Yeah, there's just one problem with that… I sold it to the Scalp hunters, and they do not like to give stuff back. And we know you had a bad run in with them today."

Hera thought quickly. "So, we steal it back. Do you know where they could keep it?"

Saul hesitated. Hera pulled her pistol and spun it in her hands. "I've handed far worse before, we can handle this."

Saul shrugged and gave in. "Its most likely in their hideout in the lower valley. I can take you there and see if you still want to take them on."

Hera smiled as Chopper began to gloat.

It was later in the evening, they overlooked a cave in the lower valley, the entrance was guarded, heavily guarded. Saul looked though the macro-binoculars Hera had lone him. "Not good. I'm seeing two water cooled machine guns at the front, At least thirty men with bolt-action rifles, two additional men with sub machine guns, and one makeshift armored car. You better have your fathers love for action and skills of strategy."

Hera chucked. "It's a Syndulla specialty, you?"

Saul blushed "Well… I'm technically, more of a pacifist…"

Hera was confused. "Then why do you have a gun?"

Saul pulled it out of his belt and opened the cylinder. "It's been empty since the day I got it, I sometimes needed it to bluff myself out of trouble."

Suddenly, and Idea came into Hera's mind. "I got a plan, I caused a little bit of trouble with their men earlier, I bet one of them got away and told them, which means I'm wanted. And since they already know you as a loyal client, you can turn me in. Chopper, once we are in, place yourself in a position where you can get us out. Once we find the control unit, we break our way out."

Chopper saluted and began to look for his best vantage point.

Hera took her pistol out of her boot holster and handed it to Saul. "You'll need to keep this hidden till the moment we need it."

Saul took the small blaster and put it in one of his pockets. The two split from the droid to begin the plan.

The sentries in front saw two figures walking towards them, they aimed their rifles and the machine guns at them. "Declare Yourself!" one of them shouted.

Saul replied. "It's alright, it's just me, and I brought a gift." Hera looked around, and she saw the one thug that ran away. "That's her, that's the lady that got the others caught." He blurted out. The other sentry lowered his weapon. "Bring her inside, she'll answer to the boss."

The two entered the mouth of the cave, looking up to see Chopper positioning himself at the lip of the cave. They continued to descend inside, it was warm, and to Hera's worry, it was wet. If she got soaked it would wash the disguise spell off. But eventually they reached a large chamber, men were at tables counting money, loading bullets into weapons, and out of the corner of their eyes, they saw the central control unit. But Hera was soon brought to her knees, she looked up to see a man dressed in long silk robes, no hair, and a heavily scarred face. If anything, she could have been told it was Emperor Palpatine himself and she would believe it.

The boss spoke. "This is her?" the other thugs just nodded, he then turned to Saul. "You've done a good service to us. Unfortunately, we do not put out rewards, but I could have you admitted into our brotherhood at a later date."

Saul cringed a little at the idea he could be a Scalp hunter. But held his composure. "That's very kind of you, sir."

The boss approached them, he lifted up Hera's head, making her look directly into his eyes. "And you have the audacity to stop my men from collecting the payment from an overdue client? Young lady, a war is around us, and people do not have the crowns to buy the simple things in life, they agreed to the terms of our, humble, service. and they well know if they cannot pay, they are no longer protected." He paused and looked at Saul, still frowning and not changing his tone. "And those who think they can double cross me have not place with our dealings either."

Saul felt a rifle barrel press against the back of his head. He slowly put his pistol on the ground and put his hands up.

The boss walked over to Saul's weapon and picked it up. "You think we wouldn't have figured that you were pushing her with an empty gun?" He opened the cylinder and spun it, overviewing all six empty slots. The guard began to search Saul's pockets, finding Hera's pistol two. The boss spoke almost prophetically no taking his eyes of the revolver; "I don't believe in guns either, their sloppy, All the skill and elegance are in the blade. But sadly, in this world, they serve their purpose."

He took his knife out and inspected it, he looked with disgust and displeasure, he then turned to his men. "I'll need a few minutes to sharpen my blade, take them to the holding cell."

Chopper was waiting outside still, spinning around in circle at a steady pace. he was starting to get bored and Sabine had promised him an oil bath once they got to the Inn. Soon he realized there had been no commotion, no plan executed, he started searching his surroundings for something he could use. Soon, his droid eyes fell upon the armored car, with its door wide open, and keys in the ignition.

Hera and Saul waited in a cell, Hera began to reflect on what all went wrong today, with the plan, getting split up, and Kanan. Saul noticed Hera's Expressions, and leaned in "I take it there's someone you care about?"

Hera was quick to try to hide her true feelings. "What? Uh-no, but I do have friends who are waiting for me."

Saul got more inquisitive. "And I bet you're close to one of these friends."

Hera sighed and gave in. "There is this one guy, I've known him for quite some time, and I don't know how to tell him I really do love him more than he thinks I do."

Saul took off one of his shoes and pulled out a small holodisk, he pressed the button, and up came a picture of a group of individuals, she recognized one of the people in the picture was Saul, he the spoke. "I don't think they'll remember me, or if they're still there."

Hera tried to comfort him. "It's okay, we always hope for the best things, and they usually turn up for us."

Saul smiled back at Hera. "You know, I my wife told me if I ever needed to tell her I loved her, it was to hug her immediately without second thought, give it a try."

Hera went over the idea in her head and decided it was the first thing to do when she got out. Suddenly, a man knocked on the cell bar. "The boss is ready for you, 'urry up!"

Saul and Hera tried to remain confident, but they needed to alter the plan, on their way approaching the leader, he had his knife sharper then before, and the disposition to show no mercy. Hera then felt a drop fall on one of her hands, she saw the small spot wash away a small part of the illusion. She looked ahead and saw a decent sized puddle on the floor. She quickly turned to Saul and whispered, "On my go."

Saul was confused as they got closer, and closer, and closer.

Hera suddenly forced herself to fall forward, lunging herself into the floor and into the small pool of water, immersing her entire head. The guard acted quick to try to bring her up, but when she surfaced from the puddle, they were frightened to see she had 'transformed' into a green creature with snakes coming out of her head. Hera let out a feral hiss scaring the guards back. The boss backed up behind his chair shouting. "What manner of dark magic is this!"

Saul saw his opportunity, he stomped on the foot of the guard behind him. The guard dropped his rifle in a fit of pain, and Saul quickly grabbed it sand used it to push the guard to the ground.

"Hera!" He yelled, "The console!" Suddenly the sound of gunfire filled the cave, more guards arrived in, Saul began to use the rifle to suppress the guards, Hera used the diversion to make it across the room to take the console back. Despite under light fire, she made it to the table, and was also able to find her weapon, she put the settings for stun and began to fire back. One of the guards got hit by the stun rings, the others looked on with awe and began to back down.

The leader saw his men backing away, he drew his knife and charged at Hera. She saw him coming and began firing at him, to her shock, he somehow resisted each stun shot and kept moving forward. Hera tried to counter tackle him and restrain his arm he was holding the knife with.

The two we are face to face; the leader spoke furiously. "What in all the things of darkness are you!?"

Hera was able to overpower him and started to push him back, stating; "My name is Hera Syndulla, and I fight for the people who stand against tyrants!"

Suddenly she thrusted her leg into the leader's gut, sending him to the floor. Hera took a second to catch her breath, she ducked down as another shot ricochet off the wall near her. She grabbed the console and dashed back towards Saul.

They dashed towards the exit of the cave, only to be blocked by the sentries who were standing at the front. They then heard the footsteps of the guards on the inside follow closely behind.

Hera and Saul knew it was too late for surrender. But the fear slipped away, when bang after bang followed in rapid succession, the sentries on the outside dropped dead with each bang. Hera and Saul saw the armored car that was parked outside was shooting at its own men. But though the gaps of the viewport they saw the dome of an old astromech droid.

Chopper found out how to operate the machine gun and began firing everywhere he saw a scalp hunter, laughing hysterically with each shot that recoiled the gun. Hera took a moment to stand in amazement that her Droid was capable of such things, Saul grabber her hand and brought her back into the moment. They dashed towards the armored car, Saul quickly took the driver's seat and began to press on the gas. The wheels spun in the mud a bit before gaining traction and making its way out of the territory. Saul and Hera began to laugh as the Scalp hunter's hideout got further and further away. "We did it!" Saul shouted. Hera joined in on the excitement. "There must have been like eighty of them!"

Chopper pulled his way down the turret to join the conversation. Hera patted her droid on the head. "Chopper, you can have all the oil baths you want when we get back."

In Saul's garage they we are finishing up the wiring. Hera had informed the others where she was all day and invited them to loan their hands. Sabine came out from under the ship. "She'll be able to make it to that fueling platform, then if the Empire has a good will for once, they'll let you refuel."

Saul nodded. "With my credentials, I think they'll have no choice but to comply."

Zeb and Ezra were with Chopper, admiring the armored car. Zeb was in doubt of what Chopper was telling Ezra about how he singly handed took out the entire gang.

Hera saw Kanan, sitting on Saul's lawn, she approached him, and without hesitation, she gave him a big hug. Kanan was caught off guard. But some how he figured out how she was feeling. "Oh, it's that day again."

Hera kept him in her embrace "It only comes once a year love."

Kanan was able to turn himself around and hug Hera back. "Our 7th year together. One day, the galaxy can be stable enough for something better."

The two touched their heads together. Once they had their moment, they turned around to see the others just looking at them sweetly Sabine was still waiting for them to kiss but never got to see that desire fulfilled today.

Soon. Saul's ship was finished. He began to pack his books of all the research on the local planet. He turned to the others before entering his ship. "Best of luck on your journey."

Kanan waved. "May the force be with you."

Saul smiled, and climbed into ship, the airtight door closing behind him, the vessel began to lift, and soon bolted up into the night sky and into the stars.

The crew of the Ghost looked on at the great horizon, Hera especially, knowing she made a friend, a difference, and a move of courage and confidence.