"KANAN!" Hera's voice echoes down the stairs and through the house.
Kanan quickly leaps away from the grill he's been preparing and darts thru the back door. "Uh oh." Cayle says.
Mira's bath must not be going too well.
"Alright…" Zeb walks back thru the door carrying the olive oil, salt and pepper, Ghost trailing behind him. "Got Jacen back on the road."
"Thanks."
"Got that bike chain fixed?" Cayle asks as I accept the ingredients, then turn back to the steaks.
"Kind of. I think Kanan will have to break down and actually buy him a bike. The parts are worn out." Zeb replies.
Shouldn't have bought it off Craigslist.
Cayle turns back to me. "Want to go halfsies on it?"
"Sure." I say, not looking up as I drizzle the steaks with olive oil.
"That's reassuring."
"I'm cooking." I counter before the back door opens once more.
When I turn back, I see Mira wrapped up in a towel, eyes wide and looking like she just survived a harrowing experience. "Somebody looks like they just got scrubbed pink!" Zeb laughs.
"Yeah." Kanan laughs, as Mira's eyes are still as large as saucers. "She and Mommy got into it during her bath. Drenched her in water, got shampoo in her eye…"
I wince as Ghost loudly breathes through his nose and Kanan says "Okay boy, she's right here…"
That's one down.
Mira makes a quiet noise, and I glance back to see that she's poked one arm out of her bundle to pet Ghost, who is sniffing her intently.
"Does she smell like a bubble bath?" Zeb asks Ghost, causing Mira to quietly giggle.
"Looks clean to me." I smile.
Really, she's super pink more than anything. Mira's not too fussy, but if her Mom really cleaned her up, I'm not shocked she didn't like it.
"Hera's got your Halloween costume ready by the way." Kanan informs me before Zeb takes Mira and sits down beside Ghost.
Uh oh.
"What's he gonna be?" Cayle interjects, causing me to turn back to my preparations.
"Maverick, from Top Gun." Kanan replies. "Hera thought it'd be funny. And it's a popular movie."
"Ooh, good idea." Zeb adds.
Actually, yeah. Better than what I would have come up with.
"Hera already went down to the Salvation Army and picked up the whole thing. It's in your bedroom." Kanan tells me, and I nod.
Zeb glances back in my direction, then up towards the TV which is playing the USC football game on mute. "Shame your apartment doesn't have a balcony. You could do this regularly."
I hadn't thought of that.
"Yeah." I shrug, seasoning Cayle's steak. "Is this enough?"
Cayle strides over, gives it a look. "A little more, if you don't mind."
"Maybe we should look into it. His lease can be cut short by either side at the conclusion of the semester." Kanan says, presumably to Zeb.
It is one of the thing I'm naturally good at cooking. And it's me. Not something Dad installed. I'm just naturally good on the grill. And I like it.
Grabbing the pepper, I add a little more to Cayle's steak, then move onto Kanan's. "Wouldn't there be an issue with the safe we installed?" He asks.
"Maybe. I believe Rex opted to cut out the wall, floor to ceiling and transport it back to the Temple." Kanan replies.
"Floor to ceiling?" I blurt out.
I know they put in the bookcase on top of it, but still!
"That's what the report said." Kanan replies before I grab the olive oil once again.
"Speaking of reports…" Cayle teases, before turning away from me. "How'd it go with Master Dooku yesterday?"
"He's back?" Zeb echoes him.
I nod, not looking up from my task. "Same as always."
Takes nothing from anybody, dictates terms. His backup plan has a backup plan.
Just look at how yesterday unfolded.
"Has the Council met yet about what happened?" I casually slip in.
Kanan's voice instantly cuts in. "No. What happened?"
"Dooku read through all of our files on Ezra since he started class. Decided to attend soccer yesterday to surprise him." Cayle interjects.
"That's nice of him." Zeb says, his smile audible.
The Force gives me a quick twitch before Cayle speaks up. "What'd he have to say?"
"Pretty much what the Council said on Calhoun and my courses. Said he was pleased with how I handled the fight."
"He should." Zeb adds. "You handled it as well as possible."
I set Kanan's steak aside, only to feel his eyes on me. "That's not what happened, is it?"
They didn't monitor me at all last night.
Holy hell.
"He did what he does best, at least with me."
Takes situations, invents solution out of thin air and solves them. As far as I'm concerned, the story he spun last night is canon to my backstory.
Cayle' tone is drastically different when he says "What'd he do?"
"You saw the little…disagreement I had last night?" I say to him, keeping my focus.
"Yes." Cayle replies. "His friends on the football team have seemed to close ranks. Normally Ezra hangs out with his buddies. He didn't get past their bouncers."
"They're not really bouncers." I correct him.
They're there to chill and to make sure nobody does anything stupid.
"Anyway." Cayle overrides me. "He must have had something to say."
"What'd he say?" Asks Zeb.
"That they perceive me as an enemy, even though I'm not one. But that's not the…"
It's not a problem.
"I don't know the word for it. He added to my story." I turn to Cayle and see that everyone's focus is on me.
"How?" Zeb fires at me.
"Can I guess?" Cayle requests before the Force flares with Kanan's irritation.
"No." Is Kanan's reply, then motions for me to explain.
"Sabine recognized him. Something about the Duchess Satine? But that's not all."
"Who is the Duchess Satine?" Cayle asks.
"Prime Minister of Mandalore. I wasn't aware Dooku had a relationship with her personally. Only the state of Mandalore in general." Kanan flatly responds. "Sabine knew him?"
"Knew of him. If I had to guess, she recognized him when I sat down." I say before Cayle snaps his fingers loudly.
"She was right behind you guys at that concessions tent!"
Mira babbles briefly before I shrug. "I don't know her specifics."
"I thought Sabine didn't know anything about the Jedi. Or so you believed." Zeb says, sounding like he's leading it up to Kanan.
Indeed, Kanan adds "Not to the Council's knowledge. That's…interesting."
"How'd he add to your story?" Cayle finally hits the nail on the head.
I turn away from the final steak's preparations. "He gave my alibi a form. I work for him, occasionally."
"Work for him?" Zeb repeats after me as Kanan tilts his head back wearily.
"That was not his call to make. What exactly did he say?" Kanan asks me.
"Basically that I'm his protégé, that I have some abilities, left vague, that he uses from time to time. As a result, that's how I know how to defend myself."
Kanan loudly groans before Cayle blurts out. "Does he have no care for the Council? We have to do this whole thing very delicately! We crafted his cover for months!"
"Wasn't it Master Dooku who created the framework for Ezra's backstory?" Zeb asks.
"Yes." Cayle nods once. "He knows it as well as anyone!"
"Which is how he was able to tweak it to fit my situation."
Cayle whips back to me. "There's more?"
"He basically told Sabine point blank that I'm not the leak that football and everyone else is looking for. Which kind of was the point of last night's dust up."
"They thought you were the leak." Zeb states.
I nod.
"I mean, it makes sense." Hera's voice comes out of nowhere, before I look back and see her just before Hera kicks open the door, hair wrapped up in a towel. "Hello Ezra dear."
"Hi." I smile.
"What'd I miss?" She asks, just before Mira makes a sound of displeasure. "Oh don't you give me that. You put shampoo in my eye!" Mira, who is still being held by Zeb, squirms and kicks before being scooped up by her Mom.
"Dooku went off the reservation." Kanan informs her.
"How? He's been back like 36 hours."
"Added to Ezra's story, saying that he's his protégé, and that is why his alibi had to be vague." Zeb tells her.
Hera briefly freezes, then flicks from Zeb to Kanan to me. "Why?"
"Sabine." Cayle succinctly sums it up.
"Sabine met Dooku?"
Here we go again.
"I'm going to start the fire, if that's okay." I look to Kanan, who nods.
"Go ahead Ezra." Hera says flatly. "So let me get this straight: Dooku added to Ezra's alibi, unilaterally, after somebody thought that he's the leak with his friends?"
"He got stopped from joining them at Sabine's game." Cayle fills in the gaps.
"That's rude."
"Makes sense, if he's got a vague connection to something they don't know." Zeb counters while I grab the bag of charcoal and lighter fluid as the debate continues to rage hotter.
I start shoveling as Kanan informs Hera "Did you know that Dooku helped the Prime Minister of Mandalore previously? Because apparently that's how Sabine knew who Dooku was."
"She knew who he was?" Hera snaps. "No. Do you know when?"
"No." I say, still buried in the grill. "They didn't mention a date. But they both knew what he was talking about."
"But why would Sabine know?" Cayle asks.
"Same reason Mand'alor invited her father to Sacramento without anybody knowing." Hera deposits her insight. "People know people. Who tell their children stories."
That…might mean Sabine knows more of their state than she's let on.
"That's the story I've kind of spun. My parents knew people, who knew people, who knew people." I volunteer.
"See?" Hera says. "It makes sense."
And somehow, that's not even all.
Right away, in response, I feel Cayle turn to me. "Oh no. What?"
"What?" Kanan asks.
"Ezra tipped his hand. I felt it. What else did Dooku do?"
"The last thing he did was pop open my bookcase and set a tablet inside my safe." I report, then close my eyes to brace myself.
Here we go.
"The bookcase?!" says Zeb.
"THE SAFE?!" Adds Hera,
"A tablet?!" Kanan speaks over them both.
Meanwhile, Cayle proceeds to walk straight into the middle of the backyard, causing Ghost to follow curiously. "So Dooku went on sabbatical, came back and basically disregarded all of our safety protocols and efforts?"
Kind of.
"He must have really liked Sabine. I imagine that she was still there when all this happened?" Hera asks me, and I nod.
"Great!" exclaims Cayle, and Ghost barks.
"I…don't understand." Kanan says weakly. "He's smarter than this!"
"What was on the tablet?" Zeb attempts to steer the conversation back to safer waters.
"I haven't read all of it. But I think it's his unredacted report from his sabbatical." I reply.
Here we go again!
This time, both Cayle and Kanan groan loudly. "Oh come on!" Kanan adds.
"Unredacted?" Zeb asks.
"Where'd he even go?" Cayle asks me.
Kanan cuts him off. "We don't know."
"South Africa." I tell everyone. "I believe Madagascar."
Everyone falls silent for just a moment, which Mira uses to interject in a cute manner. "I agree Mira." Cayle says, getting her to giggle.
"I always took 'sabbatical' for vacation." Hera admits.
I flick open the lighter fluid and start spraying down the coals, then rise back up in time for Kanan to answer. "I don't know. I know he was in the planning stages for a few months before he went. Yoda and Master Windu didn't seem too keen to press him on it."
"He is one of the more Senior members of the Council." Cayle adds helpfully.
To a degree, he can kind of do what he wants. Within the structure of course. Which he's seemed to disregard completely.
It's working though.
"Start the fire Ezra." Hera instructs me, then turns to Kanan. "Is Jacen still riding his bike?"
"Pretty sure he is."
Hera instantly rolls her eyes at him. "Go make sure. And tell him to come inside. Dinner's almost ready. And we've got to prepare his Halloween costume."
The camera on Hera and Kanan's phones flash brightly, before Hera herself says "Great! Thank you."
"Let's go!" Jacen leaps away from Ghost, Mira and I, causing both to react slightly.
"Bye Ninja Turtle." Cayle calls after Jacen, who turns around in his costume and grins crookedly.
"I'm Michelangelo!"
"C'mon now!" Hera calls after him, the front door wide open which allows the cool breeze to filter in.
Jacen scoops his candy basket right up, then chases after his mother before she closes the door behind. Shortly after, through the door I hear multiple small voices call out.
"They're already here…" Zeb laughs.
Kanan smiles in response. "That's fine. We've prepared for weeks. I'm sure you heard about last year."
"They didn't win, did they?"
"Oh they did." Kanan confesses as multiple large masses begin to make their way towards the door and he grabs a large duffel bag.
A knock on the door signals their arrival. "You all go watch the rest of the game. I'll handle this."
"Sounds good." Cayle smiles, before steering Mira and I towards the back patio once again.
Mira adjusts herself in my arms, making a quiet noise before glancing around as we walk back outside, the football game coming to a conclusion.
49-17. Another happy ending.
"I'm gonna grab a beer. Cayle, Ezra?" Zeb says, stopping at the back door.
"Sure." Cayle responds, then looks to me.
"No thanks."
Zeb nods, then disappears back to the fridge in the garage, and Cayle turns to me. "Why not?"
"I imagine this party is going to be more than enough for me. Did you ever get a handle on the drugs?"
"No." He replies while Mira turns at the sound of Ghost's approach. "More than likely, they were already in the country before Sabine heard about them."
"I have to admit, I don't like the idea of college kids being able to get their hands on stuff like that." I say, then sit down and let Mira play with Ghost.
"College students gets all sorts of stuff all the time. The DEA had a report around a year ago, saying that Adderall was quickly becoming the study aid of choice on college campuses."
Mira pats Ghost's head as he sniffs around her elephant onesie before Zeb walks back thru the back door. "It's not exactly an easy environment to enforce. And to a degree, they don't want to."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"College is supposed to be about the education. But it's also about experimentation. Finding out who you are." Zeb says, passing Cayle his beer. "I mean, is the Council really worried about you drink underage? No. Because you're in a relatively safe environment, surrounded by people you trust. For the most part, it limits the bad things that can happen."
"It impairs judgement though." Cayle argues.
"So does marijuana." Zeb fires back. "And the biggest threat there isn't to the population. It's to the closest place that delivers food."
Zeb then turns back to me. "There's been studies on college environments. Schools, like religious universities are strictly controlled. And things can dramatically escalate in ways nobody wants. As opposed to a normal college or university where the local police are more concerned with drinking and driving, putting others in danger."
Padmé really disputed that point in Sacramento.
Mira's stomach rumbles audibly, which distracts her from Ghost before she looks up at me and makes a soft noise. "You just ate silly." Cayle says softly, before Mira moves her arms to grab me.
"Here, I know what you want." I smile, then pull my phone out of my pocket, slip off its cover and give it to her. Instantly, it's being gnawed on.
Both Zeb and Cayle smile at the sight of Mira adjusting her grip on my phone case. "I do have news from the Council Ezra."
"Oh yeah, what'd they say?" I look up.
"They've decided when you need to allow Vader to make his next appearance."
Seriously?!
NOW?
"Told you he wouldn't like it." Zeb tells Cayle.
"Sorry." He says, sounding sincere. "But you know their theory."
"Letting Vader out in a controlled environment helps us learn about him and control him." I repeat the words the Council have told me numerous times.
LET ME OUT!
No.
LET ME AT THEM. THEY WILL PAY.
Deliberately, I roll my neck around. "Is he doing it again?" Cayle asks.
LIES.
"It's a trigger for him." I remind him.
We know this.
HE IS A FOOL! LET ME OUT! LET ME SHOW THEM!
Mira's stomach rumbles once more, drawing me out of my head and forcing me to look down at her, only for her to be staring up at me, holding onto my phone case with both hands.
"Maybe you are actually hungry." I say quietly.
Zeb leans forward across from Cayle. "Maybe her bottle didn't hold her."
"She's been trying Cheerios right?" I turn to Cayle.
She is weak! You are weak!
I shake my head before Mira motions to grab at my face, an odd expression on her face. "Yeah." I hear Cayle say.
"I'll get it." Zeb volunteers.
What's wrong Mira?
Mira squirms around, causing my phone case to fall to the ground as Zeb walks into the house. "We're getting you some food."
"I don't think that's it." Cayle responds.
I glance away from her to look at him. "What do you mean?"
"You know how the Council has told you that his 'shadow'—" Cayle air quotes himself. "Can flash on your face?"
"She didn't see that." I counter him.
Ridiculous.
Weak!
"I think Sabine's see it before. On Fall Break, same time she saw my phone." I confess, then focus in on Mira.
Okay, if you really want up at my face, I'll let you.
As soon as I set her on her feet Mira gurgles happily, then grabs onto my head and pulls her face right next to mine before making a soft sound.
Aww.
"Love you too." I smile, then peck her cheek.
"Aww." Zeb comments as soon as he's through the door, cup of Cheerios in his hand. "Somebody's giving love to Ezra."
Cayle and I both laugh before I take the snack from him. "Here, hey. Snack." Mira turns, then lights up the exact same way she does when her Mom grabs a bottle for her. "Yeah, it's food!"
"What'd Sabine say?" Cayle asks as I grab out a single Cheerio and set it in my palm for her to grasp.
Kanan and Hera let her do it, so I might as well. It'll help coordination too.
Mira makes a move for the snack while gripping onto my shirt tightly. "About?"
"Vader's shadow. You know how it flashes and he can't control it?"
I wish I could. I'd give almost anything to hide him. It gives him power.
Out of habit, I brace myself for Vader's next comment, only for it Mira to beat him to it, turning to me for another Cheerio. "Here ya go."
"Yeah. She saw it?" Zeb looks to me.
"She didn't say much. I already told you." I tell Cayle as Mira uses both hands to put the Cheerio in her mouth.
"You said she was touchy and affectionate." Cayle responds.
"Oh!" Zeb brightens. "That's a good sign."
"I think it's who she is." I say, giving Mira more.
Cayle rolls his eyes. "Yeah, because Mandalorians are so warm and welcoming."
"I'm her friend. And what Mandalorians do we know are artists. She seems to be rather unique."
Think Cayle. Use your brain.
"Is that what we're calling her now?" Zeb asks Cayle and I.
Wearily, I close my eyes. Only for Mira to grab at my head and get a fistful of my hair. "Hey." I pop my eyes open. "That's my hair." Mira only giggles, then gives me a gummy smile two inches from my face. "You're being silly."
Everyone falls silent for a moment, with Cayle and Zeb sharing a look before I give Mira more of her snack. "So when was the Council thinking of letting him out?"
"Thanksgiving." Cayle reports. "You'll stay here, go to the Temple then come back. And maybe, if we're lucky his side effects don't kill you so much."
Doubtful.
"Text if you need me. I'll be up until you say you're home." – Cayle
Of course he is.
"You don't have to do that." I reply, then shut off my ignition and step out of my car.
Above me the house party is in full swing, with people on the porch laughing and enjoying things.
Well here goes nothing. My hair feels ridiculous.
Never should have let Hera talk me into putting gel into it.
"Yo! Maverick! Nice costume buddy!" Somebody calls out, getting the groups attention.
I smile in response and add a quick "Thanks." Before slipping past them and into the house. Immediately I'm greeted by the familiar sounds of beer pong, bad music and laughter everywhere.
Where is Sabine…
I probe out while sliding towards the kitchen.
The communal drink is probably not the one that's spiked.
I smile to myself, feeling Sabine in the backyard before I busy myself with a cup of punch, then slide past a competitive beer pong game and out into the large backyard.
Most everywhere is either decked out in either USC gear or Halloween costumes, with those who aren't sticking out quite a bit. "Nice costume man!" Somebody else says to me.
Smiling at them in thanks, I then glance around in time to see Matt and JJ out by the cornhole station.
Blast. I was hoping to find Sabine with them.
Turning around, I see Sabine talking with one of her teammates to a group of guys on the side of the house.
"Hey! There he is!" JJ's voice calls out. "Ezra!"
I spin back around and see both of them waving for me to join them.
Might as well.
"How's it going."
"Not bad, not bad." JJ smiles, wearing a basketball jersey. "Nice costume man."
"Thanks." I laugh. "Kinda threw it together, but I think it looks alright."
"Looks awesome." Matt supplies. "You need a drink?" he asks before motioning for somebody to go towards the house.
"Nah." I shake my head. "Congratulations by the way. Shame you didn't get in until the end."
"No big thing. Just glad I got in, got to work on some things." Matt says, looking like he doesn't quite men it.
JJ gives him a look which confirms my suspicions before he says. "You want a shot Ezra?"
"Sure, after this game."
Instead, JJ tosses me his last bag, clearly meaning for me to toss it.
Don't want to walk up and instantly drain it. So…
Deliberately, I toss the beanbag up, landing it directly next to the hole. "Ahh!" JJ makes an exasperated noise.
"I got it." Matt says, setting his drink down before going into his motion. I sip my drink just before he releases it, and collides his bag with mine, knocking mine in.
"Nice!" JJ moves to give him a high five.
"Preciate that." I laugh.
"No problem." He replies as he grabs his drink again.
JJ gives us both a look, then looks around. "Did you see Jaicey when you came in Ezra?"
"No." I shake my head.
"I'm gonna go find her. I'll be right back. Help me out here Ezra." JJ says, then moves towards the house.
Matt allows me to sidle up next to him as our opponents begin their round with the first finding the board. "You missed on purpose."
"Did not."
I sip my drink before he laughs in response. "I've seen you play. And unless you're drunk, you don't miss."
"I wasn't drunk." I smile.
Maybe I was. I had a pounding headache the next morning in class. Made taking notes a real chore.
Matt smirks as their next throw nearly hits me in the foot. "Missed you yesterday."
He's getting straight to the point?
"Sabine said you went looking for me. No big thing."
"Then why'd you sit with Count Dooku?" he asks.
"How do you know that name?" I say almost into my cup then take a sip.
Matt shrugs as the next throw hits the bottom of the board, then falls off. "Don't know. It's not like I have people around me trying to influence me, introduce me to people."
He says that like he does.
"Implying that you do." I laugh.
Oh man that last throw is a disaster.
I catch the last bag with my foot, then move to grab my other one as matt does the same. "How do you know him?"
"My parents." I shrug.
The Force gives me a quick tug before Matt's eyes flicker over to me. "Sabine's already talked to JJ and I."
Great…
"Well that's good."
She had no right to do that.
"You work for him?" He asks, the motions for me to go first. Without a thought, I toss my beanbag up, only for it to go straight down for three points.
"Nice!" Our opponents call out, and I smile in thanks.
"Had to be vague. Hence the public deception."
"He's a Jedi." Matt points out.
"Yeah. And a respected politician, deal maker, a lot of things. He's complicated."
He's Dooku.
"So you help the Jedi." Matt puts two and two together.
"Sometimes." I shrug before matt mimics my other throw, leaving it on the edge.
Our opponent throws a bag heavily onto the wood, causing the other one to bunch up.
"I love it!"
Sabine.
"Hi." I turn and smile just before Sabine, who is glad in cardinal and gold collides into me and squeezes me.
"You've never mentioned you like Top Gun."
I shrug as Matt pointedly tosses his next bag up.
Out of order.
"Great movie." I say, then toss my final bag up. It hits the back rim, then makes a funny ricochet and bounces out and off the back of the platform.
Our opponents cheer. "What's the score?"
"17-16." Matt reports. "Sabine, drink?"
"I really shouldn't…but sure." She caves, then beams up at me. "You're late."
"Trick or treating went late. I had to pick up some candy." I answer, only for Matt to laugh.
I should probably show her the pictures Hera took.
"You went trick or treating?"
"No, his family did. What'd they dress up as?" Sabine asks as I scoop up my bags for the next round.
"A Ninja Turtle and an elephant. I've got pictures…" I say, moving to pull out my phone.
"Nice!" JJ comments, rejoining the group.
"I thought you were grabbing Jaicey." Matt says, mid-toss.
"She's helping softball put together the next batch of drinks."
Matt's throw hits the board and sticks, which causes our friends across the way to groan.
I can end it here.
"What's the score?" Sabine asks before I take a step back to focus.
Bingo.
"Yes!" Matt exclaims as my bag drops into the hole and out of view. "21!"
"Nice shot. I think I've been replaced." JJ jokes.
I quickly turn to him and shake my head. "Nah. I'll let you back on. I want to just chill out."
"Good." Sabine smiles. "You need to." Sabine silently follows up her statement by slipping her hands into mine.
Hmm.
Our opponent lands their first throw close before I hand Sabine my phone. "Aww…" She gushes, moving to lean fully on my arm.
Matt and JJ silently lean over to look at the picture Sabine has up, of Jacen, Mira, Ghost and I by the front door, all decked out in our costumes. "That dog is enormous!" JJ comments.
"Husky?" Matt gives me a look.
"Yup." I nod.
"Ezra's told me that he loves 'em. Especially the little girl." Sabine says warmly, then squeezes my arm.
She's being super touchy again.
Matt purposefully misses long on his throw before JJ says "Is that the elephant? She looks super young."
"Six months old." I reply, before Sabine looks over and gives me a smile.
Yeah yeah…
"C'mon Ezra." Matt says.
All I have to do is go long.
Sabine keeps her grip on my arm as I rear back, let go and—
What.
Across the way, our friends begin celebrating wildly. "Ezra." JJ says quietly.
I knocked Matt's first one in. It's 11-11 again.
I can't believe it.
Allowing myself to groan, I turn to him. "Clean up my mess. My bad."
"All good." Matt laughs, as JJ moves to take my place.