Sparks of Rebellion

Chapter 18: Relics Of The Old Republic

"The probe hit us pretty badly."Sabine said. "Repairs are gonna take a little while longer."

"We don't have much time."Kanan stated in his comlink. "There's no telling when the Empire will get here. We've got to get off the surface."

"Well, the Empire's not our only problem."Sabine replied. "There's a storm coming up behind us."

"If the Empire gets here before we take off, the storm will be the least of our problems."Kanan admitted firmly.

"Here they are, the coordinates of every Republic base, Separatist installation, pirate hideout and smuggler's den in the Outer Rim."Rex said as he handed the small piece of information to Ezra.

"Plus a few Mandalorian bases that even they've forgotten about."Wolffe remarked with a smile.

"Thank you, Captain."Ezra replied. "Sure you won't come with us?"

"Yeah, you're not bad in a fight."Zeb stated. "I mean, for older gentlemen."

"Yeah like I said, our war's over, kid."Rex commented. "Don't much care to get mixed up in another, say hello to Commanders Tano and Olin for me."

"But the Empire's on its way and they will find you."Ezra reminded.

"And it's not going to be easy with all those stormtroopers surrounding you."Lisa said with a hint of worry.

"Oh, we can take care of ourselves."Rex assured.

"Spectre-1 to Spectre-2, gonna be down here a while longer."Kanan reported to Hera. "Give me some good news. Has the Empire showed up yet?"

"I'm a little busy finishing repairs on the Ghost, but Chopper's been scanning."Hera answered. "So far, nothing. Just had to say that. Star Destroyer just came out of hyperspace. Gonna power down so they can't scan me. Once I finish my repairs, I'll come get you. Good luck down there."

"If they follow procedure, they'll fly search patterns based on our last confirmed position."Rex explained.

"Or they'll call."Gregor added.

Then a beeping sound was heard on the screen.

"Incoming Imperial transmission."Boost reported with a frown. "It's for you, Wolffe."

"They called back?"Wolffe asked. "They, they never call back."

"This is why I don't trust clones."Kanan retorted coldly.

"Just get rid of 'em, Wolffe."Ezra suggested.

Kanan, Ezra, Lisa and Zeb backed away in the room.

"Yeah, it was my mistake and I'll fix it."Wolffe said.

Then Agent Kallus appeared on the screen.

"CC-3636."Agent Kallus said. "Commander Wolffe, is it?"

"Yep, that's me."Wolffe answered. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"Please transmit your coordinates so I can investigate the Jedi sightings you reported."Agent Kallus replied.

"What? Uh, Je-Jedi? Uh, no, no, no, there's no Jed."Wolffe answered. "My, my old, uh, cybernetic eye must be acting up again."

"Sorry for wasting your time."Rex apologised.

"This image was taken by one of our probe droids."Agent Kallus stated showing the video of the Ghost. "It clearly shows you harboring known rebels. Now surrender them or be destroyed."

"If it's a fight you want, I hope you brought a better class of soldier than those stormtroopers."Rex challenged.

"They serve the Empire well and I have a great many of them."Agent Kallus answered with a smirk.

"You're gonna need all of 'em."Rex responded and ended the call.

Zeb chuckled. "I like these guys."

Suddenly there was rumbling sound coming from the top.

"They found us."Sabine said as she rushed in.

"Guess that search pattern paid off."Ezra commented nervously.

"Battle stations."Rex ordered.

Gregor and Warthog took out a bunch of crates that contained a bunch of blasters.

Outside...

"We're sitting mynocks on this thing!"Ezra said as he went up the ladder.

"Think so?"Rex asked took out his comlink. "Wolffe, evasive maneuvers."

"Copy that."Wolffe responded.

Ezra was about to fall off but Lisa caught him in time.

"Hurry!"Sabine shouted. "He's coming around for another pass."

"Ezra, Lisa, protect the Phantom!"Kanan ordered.

The three jedi activated their lightsabers as the TIE fighters were approaching.

"What about the walker?"Ezra asked.

"It can take a hit, I think."Kanan replied.

Lisa frowned. "You think?"

Sabine and Zeb fired at the TIE fighter that was firing at them.

"Try shortening your leads."Rex instructed. "You're wasting ammo."

"You're welcome to help."Zeb stated.

"Eh, why spoil the fun?"Gregor asked as he came up. "We haven't been shot at in years."

"Yeah?"Sabine questioned. "Well, it happens to us every day. "

"Why doesn't someone man the big gun?"Ezra suggested.

"That's no good in this situation."Rex answered.

"Oh, kinda like you guys."Kanan said sarcastically as he went at the top of the Phantom.

"You want the shot?"Rex asked.

"Love to."Gregor replied as he took the rifle.

Kanan, Ezra and Lisa deflected the TIE fighter's lasers.

Gregor fired a small rocket towards the TIE fighter which destroyed it.

"Gregor, you've still got it."Warthog commented.

"It's in my blood."Gregor replied.

"You know, we'd make a good team if we all fought together."Ezra admitted.

"Yeah, tried that once, didn't work out so well."Kanan stated. "Now if that storm gets any closer, it'll ground us. Sabine, we need the Phantom to fly."

"I'm on it."Sabine answered as she walked away.

Lisa sighed sadly as she sat down, knowing it will take a while for Kanan to trust the clones.

Rex walked up to Ezra, who sat on the seat where the big gun was.

"Uh, sorry."Ezra apologised. "Um, I'm in your seat."

"The traverse controls are over here on the left and the elevation's on the right."Rex instructed.

"Really?"Ezra asked. "So, um, what was it like to fight in the Clone War?"

"I don't think the fighting ever got to Lothal."Rex answered. "I tell ya, war was never dull. The general I fought with was among the greatest of the Jedi. I trusted him with my life more times than I can count and I tried my best to keep that trust."

Lisa looked at Warthog.

"Is he talking about Anakin Skywalker?"She asked.

"Yep, the one and only."Warthog answered. "He and Commander Tano were always together even on dangerous missions."

"He sounds like a remarkable person."Lisa said with a smile.

"You have no idea."Warthog responded.

"All right."Sabine announced. "With any luck, we can get outta here soon."

"We can't just leave Rex, Wolffe, Gregor, Boost and Warthog here."Ezra reminded.

"Well, the Empire is here because of us."Rex said. "We'll deal with the consequences."

"Wait, listen."Zeb said. "You hear that?"

"Enemy contact 24."Wolffe answered.

Zeb looked through the binoculars and saw three AT-AT walkers coming their way.

"How many legs they got?"Boost asked.

"Looks like four."Gregor answered.

"Four?"Rex said.

"Well, how are they not falling over?"Wolffe questioned.

"Will you look at the size of those things."Gregor said.

"Huh, Reinforced armor plating, heavy cannons and antipersonnel blasters, mmm."Rex replied.

"I'm glad you guys are so excited, but those giant death machines are on their way to blow us to bits!"Ezra reminded.

"Wolffe, set vector two-niner-zero."Rex ordered.

"Wait, you're just gonna turn and run?"Kanan questioned. "Just like that?"

"Well, if you've got a better idea, sir, now's the time."Rex said as he went to the big gun.

"I thought you clones loved to fight."Kanan retorted.

"I do love a battle, but on my terms."Rex admitted. "Gregor, drop the joopa, we gotta get moving."

Gregor pressed a button to release the joopa.

"Wolffe, turn 180."Rex instructed.

"Copy that."Wolffe answered.

The AT-TE started moving to the other side.

"Kanan, I'm not sure how far we'll get, but I think she'll fly."Sabine said.

"Good enough for me."Kanan answered and looked at Zeb. "Zeb, we're going now."

"Hey, hold on second!"Lisa snapped.

"Too late."Rex commented. "The walkers are already on top of us."

"He's right, Kanan."Ezra admitted. "They'll shoot us down."

"How will going into that storm be any better?"Kanan questioned.

"Well, the storm will scramble the scanners."Sabine said. "We'll all be blind."

"But a Jedi won't."Rex stated.

"All right, everybody inside."Kanan ordered.

Ezra, Lisa, Sabine and Rex started following Kanan inside the AT-TE.

"Sir, yes, sir."Rex responded quietly.

The rebels went inside as the AT-TE went through the storm.

Inside the AT-TE Walker...

"We're not gonna be able to hide in this storm forever."Ezra said.

"Those things are practically impervious to blasters, but they have one weak point in their armor, the neck."Sabine admitted.

"One well-placed shot from the main gun should destroy it."Gregor commented.

"That's all we might get, one shot."Rex replied.

"Well, let's make it count."Lisa stated.

Zeb was having trouble seeing things in the screen.

"I don't know how we're supposed to shoot something we can't see."Zeb said. "I don't even know where the enemy is."

"You don't always have to see something to know where it is."Kanan said. "If you're willing to trust me, I can get us that shot."

"I always trust my general."Rex remarked.

Kanan closed his eyes to concentrate using the force.

"Prepare to stop."He ordered. "Now!"

Wolffe made the AT-TE stop moving as the rebels remained quiet.

"Commander Wolffe, circle left, double time."Kanan instructed.

Wolffe made the AT-TE move a bit more.

"Full stop!"Kanan ordered.

Wolffe made the AT-TE stop again.

"If what I'm sensing is right, we're surrounded."Kanan admitted.

"What?"Ezra asked with a hint of shock.

"You put us right in the middle of 'em to get us a shot."Rex said. "It's crazy, but it's probably our best chance."

"Once we fire, we'll reveal our location."Sabine stated. "If we miss, it's all over."

"I'll take the shot."Gregor said.

"No, Ezra should take the shot."Kanan replied.

"Uh, why don't you do it?"Ezra suggested with a nervous smile.

"We can do it together."Lisa admitted with a hint of confidence.

"Well two jedi are better than one."Boost agreed.

"Kanan's right."Rex said. "We need one Jedi up there manning the cannon and another Jedi down here to lead us out of this mess. You are the only ones who can see in this storm."

He looked at Sabine.

"Sabine, spot him and Lisa."Rex ordered.

"Hey, kids."Warthog called out.

Ezra and Lisa stopped before Rex and Warthog's old helmets were thrown to them.

"You might need these and hang on tight."Rex warned.

Ezra and Lisa put on their helmets as they went outside.

Outside...

Ezra began to fall over because of the storm causing Sabine and Lisa to catch him.

"Whoa!"Ezra shouted.

"We got you!"Sabine responded. "Come on!"

Ezra sat down on the seat to use the big gun.

"Don't miss."Sabine warned.

"Hey, I never miss."Ezra chuckled.

"Ezra, there's a walker somewhere around point 5."Kanan reported.

"Somewhere around point 5?"Ezra repeated. "Terrific."

Lisa reached out to the force and felt a walker was getting closer to them.

"It's close to us."She whispered.

Ezra moved the gun where a walker was, but couldn't see anything.

"Targeting scope's useless."Ezra grumbled. "I can't see it."

"It doesn't matter."Kanan answered. "You're not going to see it with your eyes. The walker is there. Trust yourself."

Ezra removed his helmet to use the force and then fired the walker that was not far from where they were standing.

"Got 'em."Ezra chuckled.

"Wolffe, there's your opening."Kanan stated. "Go for it!"

Lisa removed her helmet to give Ezra a kiss on the cheek.

"Good job, Ezra."She remarked.

The AT-TE walker moved out of the storm as the other rebels came out.

"Great shot, you two."Rex stated. "Now get yourself moving. This is your only chance."

"Huh?"Lisa said in shock.

"What?"Ezra asked. "We can't leave now."

"We have to get the information they gave us back to the rebellion."Kanan reminded.

Zeb and Sabine rushed inside the Phantom.

"The other part of that mission is to bring Rex back with us."Ezra admitted. "We can't just abandon them."

"You're not abandoning anyone."Rex assured. "We're covering your escape. Now, move."

Ezra and Lisa handed Rex and Warthog their helmets back.

"Be careful."Lisa warned sadly.

"We will, don't worry."Warthog answered with a smile.

"We're soldiers, kids!"Rex stated. "This is what we were born to do."

The three jedi went inside the Phantom and it took off leaving the AT-TE walker as it started fighting off against the imperial walkers.

"Kanan, you know better than anyone."Ezra reminded. "They won't give up. This fight is gonna be their last."

"It's too bad about Captain Rex, but at least you got the intel."Hera admitted.

"I'll rendezvous with you shortly."Kanan answered.

"Copy that."Hera said and ended the call.

"What are we gonna tell my dad and Ahsoka?"Lisa questioned. "Rex was their friend, even though he was a clone."

"I hate it when they're right."Kanan mumbled and looked at the group. "I've got my problems with clones, but I don't want those men to die."

The rebels smiled at their friend's decision.

While Sabine pilots the Phantom, Kanan, Ezra, Lisa and Zeb commandeer one of the AT-ATs and turn its weapons on Kallus' AT-AT walker.

With his AT-TE no longer trapped under the AT-AT walker's legs, Rex was able to destroy Agent Kallus walker with a critical hit.

Agent Kallus and his remaining men flee the battle on a speeder.

"Looks like we live to fight another day."Rex commented.

"Don't we always?"Wolffe asked.

"Well, we do when we've got a Jedi leading us."Gregor chuckled.

The clone troopers salute Ezra, Lisa and Kanan as the Ghost arrived into view.

Inside the Ghost, Hera and Chopper waved at them.

Afterwards...

Ferus and Ahsoka came back from their mission and were greeted by the rebels.

The rebels moved aside showing Rex.

"Commanders."Rex said as he walked forward. "You two certainly got old."

"Same with you, old man."Ferus joked.

"Had to happen sometime, Rex."Ahsoka answered.

She then hugged Rex, who hugged her back.

"I'm glad you two are still alive."Rex said.

"You too."Ahsoka responded.

"Well, I wouldn't be if it weren't for these guys."Rex said gesturing to the rebels.

"They are trust worthy."Ferus chuckled.

"Thank you for trusting our friend."Ahsoka remarked.

"It wasn't easy."Kanan replied and scoffed sadly. "It's still not."

Rex and Lisa looked at him in silence.

"Nothing worth doing ever is."Ahsoka stated.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter:)