A/N: To my reviewers, yes I am reading them, yes I am taking your ideas into consideration, I could use more on how Dray and the Lothal Militia are to be built though.
Chapter 14
Wounds
Blinking, Ahkilleon woke up inside the medical bay. He was on a bed and when he tried to move his body burned and he moaned, Ahsoka woke from the corner and stood instantly "Don't move." She said coming up to him, Ahkilleon turned his head to her "Mom?" he asked as he tried to move again but winced, falling back onto his pillow. He was wearing medical robes but he was covered head to toe in bandages, he looked at his hands all mummified and "Ezra?" He asked.
"Safe, everyones safe, Ahkilleon." she told him "Hnnn, mom I-" "Survived, that's all that matters." Ahsoka said gently pushing him back down from another attempt to get up. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead "Rest, that's all I want you to focus on right now." she said getting up and leaving him in the room alone.
Ahsoka walked out into the rest of the medical bay, Ezra was sitting on bed surrounded by the rest of the rebels, his shirt was off and he had bandages unwrapped around his waist to reveal a small scar on his left side It was still freshly healed a bit purple from blood under it but he slipped his orange shirt and vest on "Not a bad scar." Zeb said from behind him.
"Let's hope you don't get a collection." Hera added.
"I don't know, I kind of like it." Ezra said as he looked at it in a mirror admiring the scar.
Kanan came up and patted him on the arm and lifted his forearm, "Try saying that when you lose a hand, it used to happen all the time to Jedi in the Old Republic, once you get a clean bill of health you're on double time for Jedi training." Ezra gave a groan before he saw Ahsoka in the doorway, "Ahkilleon is awake." She said,
"Whoo." Ezra hopped off the table and grabbed his side, Sabine came to help him "I'm fine-." He winced, heading toward Ahkilleons room with the others following except for Kanan. Hera noticed he was holding back and walked up to Ahsoka, but she followed the others to check in on Ahkilleon.
But Ahsoka could sense Kanan wanted to say something, "Did you talk to him?"
"He needs to rest Kanan." Ahsoka said.
"He needs to know what he's responsible for." Kanan grunted folding his arms, "We almost Ezra, we could have lost Sabine, Zeb or Chopper."
Ahsoka met his disapproving gaze, "I want him off the Ghost."
"I'll consider it." Ahsoka said "Either you do it, or I will, you read Sabine's report no jedi can use force lightning thats a dark side power."
Ahsoka turned to walk away and Kanan was about to say something else "I'll consider it Kanan." she said glaring at him.
Meanwhile inside his room, Ahkilleon was being greeted by the rebels like a hero, "There he is, haha." Ezra said walking in holding his side, Ahkilleon gave a soft smile "Ezra I-" "Took on two Inquisitors by yourself, that was awesome!" Ezra said, slapping Ahkilleon on the arm.
"Ow-" Ahkilleon groaned as Ezra drew his hand back, "Uh sorry, forgot you got pretty banged up." Ezra said.
"Didn't get stabbed." Ahkilleon said under his breath.
Ezra rolled his eyes "Eeeh you should try it some time, doctor droid says I lost four pounds." Ezra joked and Ahkilleon couldn't help but laugh, "Uh-ow hurts to laugh."
"Got to admit, that was the craziest thing I've ever seen, how'd you do that lightning thing." Zeb asked.
Ahkilleon shrugged, "I… I don't know how."
"You know I'm curious to see what kind of scars you got under all there." Ezra said changing the subject.
Sabine scoffed, "Please, I've got scars you wouldn't believe." she said.
"Well if it's a scar off we're going to check these out." Zeb said as he pushed back some of his fur on his forearm to reveal a jagged draw of hardened skin, everyone looked and Sabine said "Wait, how come I've never seen this."
Zeb chuckled, "He brushes my fur to keep it hidden, you know model agencies are always looking to recruit Zeb, he has a very exotic look." Ezra said, lining up his fingers like a camera and Zeb played along striking a flamboyant pose that made Ahkilleon suddenly burst out laughing, grabbing his side.
"Ah-ha there he is!" Ezra said pointing at the laughing boy, "Alright, alright that's enough fun for now." Hera said, waving her hands, "Come on, let Ahkilleon get some rest, we'll be leaving soon."
"Leaving?" Ahkilleon asked.
Ezra spun around "Yeah, while you were under Turok contacted us, said he found a landing pad that doesn't ask any questions on Garel." Ezra said.
"He'll also be relieved that you're awake, he's been asking non stop." Hera said to him.
GAREL
Turok was sitting inside a landing pad, he had a small hologram in front of him sitting in a chair was Caliban, "That is quite the development, we raided that facility years ago for the armory and data in the central computer, but two inquisitors going after two force sensitive boys, one of which can use force lightning this is… intriguing." Caliban said up to Turok, he was scratching his leathery scaled jaw with his claw smoking his pipe in one hand.
"Reports indicate that both boys will be fine by the way." Turok added.
"Yes, yes I don't care about the one who got stabbed, I believe it's time." Caliban told him.
Turok paused, taking out his pipe "Time for what?" he asked smoke billowing out.
Caliban swiveled his chair to the side tapping his wrapped up fingers together "To take the boy to the Ikar of course, he needs proper training and Ahsoka's feelings for her son are blinding her to his best interests." he said behind his golden mask.
"Out-of-the-question." Turok hissed, breathing smoke out of his nostrils.
Caliban turned his chair forward "Even if we did measure midichlorians anymore, you can't deny the scale of power that it takes to summon that type of ability." Caliban held his hand up and force lightning dancing around his fingers. "And if the reports are true he has the same reverse force meditation state that Leo Rock could enter in, that is more important."
"More important than tearing a family apart, the Jedi did that for centuries and look what it did to them." Turok pointed out.
"Ahsoka is welcome to come to, you could stop playing this double life of yours?" Caliban suggested. Considering it Turok didn't answer so Caliban continued "Leo Rock told me he only used his battle meditation on a few times, during his outer rim skirmishes, the battle of Umbara and the Onderon civil war, he hated using it because he didn't like taking away people's free will to inspire or install fear. During the clone wars people had that luxury of morals, to fight with honor. Imagine a year or less of training in battle meditation. We could launch our next phase and take the entire outer rim, maybe the mid rim too?"
Turok slammed his fist on the table "I said No."
Claiban leaned back and Turok sighed, "I want him in the Militia too, I want this cloak and dagger stuff over as much as any of us, but we have to do it the right way. If we screw this up then we'll be fighting a war on two fronts." Turok said.
"We can easily destroy the rebellion, we know their cells, we know their tactics thanks to you." Caliban said.
"Then you're a fool Caliban, the Rebellion is far stronger than even the Empire knows, then even themselves know." Turok replied as he emptied his pipe, the trandoshan scratchedu up near his left eye "Any word from Lothal?" he asked changing the subject.
Caliban tapped his fingers on his arm chair, "Dray has started to set up shop with the locals, not a unified militia, but they are getting the ball rolling, how about Garel."
"Sejanus received the weapons you gave me, his men have a stronghold in the desert and various other camps, sending the coordinates to you know for future drop offs, he's the one who told me about this safe harbor for the Ghost." Turok said, pressing a button.
"Received." Caliban said.
Turok snarled then, "And Caliban if I even sniff a Cabal shadow around the Ghost, I will kill them." Caliban said nothing off the comlink.
LOTHAL
Okami Village
"Okay, how does it look?" Fang asked whipping off his wet knife as he stepped around the others, Gaser, Jay, Butch and Naqia, were all looking at Reik the young man picked up a mirror and looked at himself. His once shoulder length blonde hair had been cut short, shaved on the sides and the back into a more military cut he still had some flow on top. "Uh not bad, shouldn't get in the way anymore, but how come Gaser gets to keep his hair long?"
Gaser flipped his hair "Cultural exception, Jabiim mens hair is a symbol of our culture, vitality and respect for proper grooming."
"Now get dressed." Fang said tossing Reik a paper bag, he caught it and tore it open to see it was a set of clothes.
Walking around some crates he returned wearing a brown quilted jacket, buttoned down the middle with a yellow trim on the collar and sleeves, a pair of matching trousers that went into some boots. "What is this?" he asked.
"Standard issue fatigues." Gaser said as he walked up and handed him a leather belt with a bronze buckle, his blaster pistol already holstered. "How come none of you are dressed like it?" Reik asked.
Knocking him on the forehead with a soft tap Gaser said "Think, we're special forces, we get special gear."
"Besides, the Okami are watching you now 'Bloodwolf', we want to win them over. This uniform is made of durable fabric that'll keep you warm up here, and breathe when you go into the lowlands.
Reik looked it over and twisted a few times to feel the fabric stretch with him "Okay, but what about armor?" he asked, putting the belt on.
"That comes later, for now we wait on the Commander, he's trying to convince Chief San to start to prepare for the Empire's return, losing a whole battalion will get them moving and fast." Gaser said as he turned to Jay "Come on cadet, time to fix those droids, see if we can scavenge any."
Elsewhere in the village, Dray was in the longhose standing in front of San who was on our fourth cup of some dark drink that smelled of moss, "Chief San may we speak?" he asked as she held up her drink and started to chug it holding up a finger till she finished "Chief-" she then started to pour another one "Talk, I probably won't say anything back outlander."
Dray gave nod of gratitude, "I will be blunt then, we were lucky during the attack on Messala's forces, we took them by surprise and they held their ground, we sent them into chaos with my droids and still they fought on even when your men descended after refusing to take my blasters they still stood and fought you to man, only until they lost their commanding officer did they fall back." "And we slaughtered them." She said toasting to the victory.
"We got lucky." Dray said taking the cup and slamming it in front of her, she suddenly stood up, reached for her short sword and Dray suddenly grabbed her arms, forced the sword back in its sheath and swept her leg, with one powerful motion he slammed her to the ground. Her guards rushed with their swords drawn "No!" She snapped.
Dray stood up and grabbed the cup drinking it, "The Empire is coming back, and they won't just bring men, they'll bring tanks, ships and death." He said as San sat up.
"What do you want me to do, if that's all true why even fight?" She asked.
"Because I can teach you how to win." Dray said down to her as he set the cup down, shaking his head "You attacked the Empire exactly how they've been trained to fight, head on, with overwhelming force, to them everything is a nail they are the hammer." he said gesturing to one side then the other as it to make his point.
San sat up, spitting on the floor "So bring more of your droids."
"I can't, those were the only ones I was commissioned, if we want more we need to show our superiors we deserve it. Lothal isn't even on their radar of planets they want to attack, but if we can build a stronger militia here with the Okami as its backbone we can do more than secure your mountains we can take the whole planet." He said as he walked up to to her, he knelt down and looked her in the eye using the force to see her desire "Imagine it Chief San, not just one Okami riding a Loth Wolf into battle but hundreds, maybe thousands, and then with the Empire gone your people can return to the low lands to hunt for game, your children can find farmland to grow food where the lights in the night sky are stars not TIE fighters." he said as he held his hand out.
The broad chief looked at it skeptical, before she asked "What do we do first?"
"Give me permission to start arming your people with weapons, armor and the skills to use them. I will show your warriors how to be soldiers, how to find the weak points in Imperial armor, how to shoot down a TIE with a rocket launcher, are you with us Chief San or are you going to drown yourself in moss beer?" he asked.
San took his hand and he helped her up, "Hmm, I'm going to throw now." She said before she turned to her side and puked out all over the floor, Dray sighed and knitted his brow between his fingers "It's a start."
GAREL
Garel City
The Ghost descended down to the surface of Garel, Ezra was in the cockpit looking out wide eyed looking down on the desert world, "Wow, I forgot how purple this place was." Ezra said looking at the surface while he sat in the front gunner spotted the stone and sand all the same color as they flew over Garel City "Zeb should fit right in."
"Hey." Zeb growled as they headed toward the landing pad, Kanan was in the copilot seat, and Sabine beside Zeb. In the back of the ship in the medical room, Ahkilleon was laying down and he grunted with Ahsoka at his side.
She frowned seeing him in pain, "Gravity just hit."
"Now remember Ahkilleon you need to take it slow, bacta can only do so much you need to give your body time to heal." Ahsoka said.
Laying against the pillow, Ahkilleon nodded "okay mom." he muttered quietly.
The Ghost headed toward a space port, "Look there's Turok." Hera said seeing the lizard standing on the landing pad, the Ghost sat down and his red kimono blew back behind him while he stood there holding a new straw hat over his head to make sure it didn't blow away. When the ship's ramp lowered the crew got out of the cockpit to greet him. "Welcome to Garel Specters, two things before you get off this ship."
"What's that?" Ezra asked.
"One doesn't drink the water, two our actions on Lothal have caused the Empire to set up a presence here on Garel." Turok said everyone groaned.
Nodding the lizard climbed up the ladder "Only a dozen or so outposts, I've mapped their patrol routes here in the city and the skies, should help us avoid them as the rest of the fleet comes in." Turok said, taking out a datapad and handing it to Hera.
"You've been busy." She said looking at the report, seeing multiple files with pages that could fill a small library.
Turok nodded, "So have you, where's Rex by the way?" He asked.
"Captain Rex is staying with Commander Sato to help the rest of the squadron get here safely, he'll be joining us soon."
"Hmm what about Ahkilleon?" He asked.
Hera gestured to the medical room, and Turok walked over to it to go pay a visit. When he was in the room, Kanan tapped Hera's shoulder as the rest of the crew started to stretch their legs and get on some solid ground outside. "Can I speak with you?" he asked Hera.
"Of course." she said, following him back into the cockpit, "I asked Ahsoka to take her son to the crew."
Hera's green eyes were wider than Lothals two moons, "What, why?"
"Why?" Seriously, after what happened on Seelos and now the latest mission, the boys are a wildcard. He doesn't listen to anyone half the time and he's already using the dark side, we can't trust him." Kanan snapped.
"I won't pretend to know about the dark side, or the light side, but I know he's on our side." Hera said to him.
Kanan groaned holding his hands up "Hera, this isn't something we can ignore. When I was in the Temple we spent entire days learning about young jedi like him, jedi like Exar Kun, Ulic-Qel Droma, from the old Republic even when I was a jedi, Count Dooku, Barriss Offee they fell to the dark side and people died, not just from wars but by their hands." Kanan insisted as he listed off names.
"I trust Ahsoka, Ezra trusts Ahsoka and I know you do too, but this vendetta against Ahkilleon Kanan it's not healthy." Hera said, turning the subject on Kanan.
"Healthy, Hera I'm trying to keep our crew- our family safe." Kanan insisted he was in the right, "Safe from what, a frightened boy?" She asked him.
Kanan groaned again, "You don't know-" "I do Kanan." She snapped stomping her foot, "Ahsoka told me about his father, she told me he had the same ability she called it a Berserker Rage, that jedi could use this power called battle meditation and it was rare, so rare the Jedi Council didn't even know his father had it until he had a proper jedi master-" "But-" "And how the constant ridicule of that Jedi Council drove Leo further from the Jedi, instead of punishing him for trying to protect him maybe we should-" he stopped her right there "What throw him a parade, Hera the dark side can't be used for good, ever not in the history of the galaxy has it ever worked like that." Kanan cut her off, interrupting her.
"Patience!" Hera snapped.
Kanan was silent, she continued "Patience…. Kanan, you have to be patient with him like you are with Ezra." Kanan frowned, walking to the door he stopped "He's not Ezra and I'm not his master."
The door opened and Ahsoka was standing in front of him, "Did you hear?" Hera asked.
"I heard enough, Kanan has a point, the dark side isn't something that any good can come from, which is why I need your help Kanan." Ahsoka said.
Kanan looked puzzled, "My help?"
"Yes, I know you have your hands full with Ezra that's why I believe it's time I find Ahkilleon a proper Master, I'm too… emotionally attached to train him properly." she said, shaking her head "You are his mother." Hera said consolingly.
Ahsoka smiled "I've trained him as best I can, anymore it needs to come from someone who has experience trained in the light and understanding the dark side."
"You mean another jedi?" Kanan asked with his eyes wide, "Someone who knows how to help Ahkilleon like I can't." she said not saying yes or no.
"I'm guessing in this quest you'll need the Phantom?" Hera asked, hand on her hip.
Hera nodded "It would help." "It's yours." Hera said, smiling
LOTHAL
Okami Village
Back on Lothal, Gaser was sitting on a small crate using another two as a workbench he had a Militia battle droid, he welded back on an arm and then pressed, Jay was beside him holding a bag of tools, Gaser put the tool down and opened up the droids chest, starting to fiddle with the wires he pressed a button. Immediately the droid sat up, cocked its head and turned to Gaser "Serial number?" Gaser asked the droid.
"B4-907." the droid said it had a baritone voice, and Gaser nodded "907 huh, what are we calling this one?" Gaser asked Jay.
He looked over at four other battle droids "Uhhh let see we got Scrap, Gonk, Burns, Bolts because we had to bolt him back together." Jay said as he thought about it looking at B4-907, the battle droid was "Lloyd?" Jay asked.
"Lloyd the Battle Droid?" Gaser asked him.
"Why not, does it need to be something clever?" Jay asked, looking at the other droids.
"We made Scrap out of eight of the droids we had, Gonk keeps making that Gonk noise?" Jay said as the second droid said "gonk" "See." Jay said.
Then he pointed to the third, Burns, a droid that's armor was burned in black blaster marks and dark ash spots. "You literally said he was set on fire, we already talked about Bolts, so yes Lloyd the battle droid."
Gaser shrugged "Alright, B4-907 your new callsign is… Lloyd." Gaser said, shaking his head.
"Roger, Roger, I am Lloyd." the droid said getting up walking over to the others.
Turning over on his crate, Gaser sighed "Jay, naming droids is an art, usually you can come up with a good name based on their serial number." Gaser said as Jay sighed before Gaser said "Go get another droid that's mostly intact." Jay set the tools down and walked over to a pile of the battle droids that had been sent in first during the battle, he started to rummage through them. Elsewhere in the village, Reik was walking in his new brown uniform and boots, as he walked through the stone buildings the Okami he passed by watched him, some smiled others starred one said "Bloodwolf." Respectfully and he sheepishly nodded in acknowledgment.
But they said it again "Bloodwolf, Bloodwolf."
Reik stopped and looked back to see the person who had called is 'new' name, it was an older woman who was holding something out for him, looking down Reik saw it was a bundle of cloth, looking down he saw it was an Okami vest with a gray fur collar, it was a deep red hue with jagged patterns on it and Reik took it, "Oh, thank- thank you I didn't get you anything." he said as the old woman smiled and then walked off.
"Put it on." Turning to his right Reik saw Dray walking up to him, taking the vest Reik fitted it over his shoulder and saw it was a lot longer than he thought sliding down past his waist.
"I look ridiculous." Reik said in a hushed breath.
Dray scanned his outfit, along with the new cut, "It suits you, military uniform with a touch of Lothal, it's important to welcome anything these people can offer considering."
"Considering what?" Reik asked him.
The two of them started to walk, "Chief San is gathering the warriors, for us to train, I'd like you to join us in instructing them how to fight like we do, with precision and cunning." Dray told him, they walked to the back of the village valley where San was speaking to a large crowd of Okami warriors, some still had their stone wolf masks on and their grass cloaks, others wore simply their tunics and carried their swords, bows or sling rifles on their backs "I believe with their ferocity and our weapons, we can make them a formidable force for you to lead." Dray said, walking down to them.
Reik stopped "Me?"
"It has to be one of their own, they've accepted you in a way I won't be, in both blood and culture, yes Reik Bloodwolf, you." Dray said, walking on before Reik followed him.
Gaser, Fang and Naqia were already there standing in front of the warriors with a dozen or so crates "Chief San." Dray said as he and Reik approached them, "Outlander."
Dray smiled before he looked at her warriors, "Warriors of the Okami, you fought bravely against the Empire, but such bravery shouldn't be wasted. In her wisdom, Chief San has allowed us to share with you our resources, weapons and tactics to better fight the Empire."
"Did you give us proper blasters or not?" one of the warriors asked before some snickered.
"Gaser." Dray said.
The big man smiled and kicked open a crate "Who wants a gun!" he shouted holding up E-7 blasters, the Okami started to walk up and they all started to take the blasters, till after a few minutes all of the warriors gathered had their own blasters. "What you're holding is the E-7, standard issue Militia blaster rifle. In time we'll take the number, etc, etc. Since many of you already know how to shoot sling rifles this will be similar. It has less of a kick to it and is far more accurate, it has a gas concentrated laser which is why you will need body armor."
Dray walked over to one crate and opened up inside were stacks of metal armor, colorless and shiny "Reik, come here." Dray said, the young man did so and Dray took out one of the breast plates, the chest piece was rounded with a soft three sided point at the front, it had a lower plate that hung down the chest piece over the stomach and on the back to protect vital organs. He strapped it onto Reiks upper torso "Imperial forces are far more accurate then they let on, if you want to blame their poor aim on something blame it on their helmets which is why the Imperial Army doesn't wear the stormtrooper helmet."
One of the okami held their hand up "What's the difference?"
"Difference in what?" Dray asked as he strapped Reik in.
"Stormtroopers and the Imperial army, aren't they the same?" San asked.
Dray shook his head as he finished up with Reik, "A common misconception, the Imperial Army exists to conqueror worlds, stormtroopers are more of a glorified security force or occupational force. Now, their armor as you know only protects them from so much a well, slugs and arrows if aimed correctly could penetrate but not go through. Blaster rifles will." Dray said as he picked one of the E-7 up before he turned it on.
"What's the point of us having armor anyway then?" San asked him, Dray answered with a smile and raised the blaster right at Dray shooting him square in the chest.
Everyone gasped except the Militia soldiers before Reik shot up coughing the wind knocked out of him his chest smoking and the armor burned but in one piece, "Ours is better, "It's a trick, the idea of armored soldiers scares people into not even trying anything, the Empire is built on lies and deception is the first rule of war." Dray said as Gaser and Fang helped him up, "Good job Reik." Gaser said, patting him on the back as he sucked in air "Warn a guy next- time." he stammered.
"What would be the fun in that?" Fang said as Dray set the blaster down, "The Empire doesn't care about their men's lives, the Militia does, why do we have droids? We prefer soldiers." Dray said as Fang and Gaser opened up other crates, with more armor, chest pieces, shoulder pauldrons, gauntlets, greaves and helmets "The current armor we have will protect your torso, shoulders, forearms and legs below the knees."
San held up her hand in another question, "Why not full armor like the stormtroopers?"
"To make your target more agile, and harder target. I've seen children outrun stormtroopers and veterans hit their heads from their helmets with small eyeholes." Dray said as he walked over to one crate and took out a helmet, it was colorless like the chest piece with an X visor and the same design as Naqia's helmet, even with the antennas. "This helmet will protect you from headshots and most other damages, it comes equipped with headlamps and should you need to seal the helmet from gas, smoke or vacuum you have thirty minutes of recycled air." Dray said as Fang and Gaser came up to Reik and started to fit him with more of the armor, he was strapped in with banded metal pieces that clipped to the chest piece. They gave him gauntlets that clipped around his forearm and the back of his hand angled on the outside with a square shaped elbow guard. Fang clamped a pair of greaves that covered his knee, shin and the front of his boots when they were done Dray came up to Reik and slipped the helmet on him, his fur collar stuck out from where the shoulder pieces and chest piece attached covering the harnesses. "I give you Reik Bloodwolf, first of the Lothal Militia." Dray picked up the rifle and handed it to Reik who held it with both hands "Who will join him?"
Chief San didn't move from her warriors, none of them walked forward seeming almost in contact with the blasters, then one woman stepped forward; she had a wrap over her right eye with some dried blood from the battle. She looked back at San then walked up to Gaser and Fang who handed her a helmet.
GAREL
Ghost Landing Pad
Ahkilleon was up and walking around the ghost, he scratched at the bandages on his arms, forehead, cheeks and the rest of his body. Hera was looking through the datapad when she saw him moving "Aren't you supposed to be resting."
"I can't stand it anymore Hera, I need to get some fresh air." Ahkilleon replied.
Sighing she said "Just take it slow."
"Promise, I'm going to find Ezra and Zeb." Ahkilleon said, heading to the ladder. Hera waved him off then scrunched up her face thinking she'd just made a terrible mistake. Heading outside he looked around to see Zeb and Ezra laying out on some lawn chairs with a radio between them. Ahkilleon walked up to them and cleared his throat "What are you doing?"
"Relaxing kid" Zeb said looking back wearing a pair of shades over his eyes, "This is the first time in forever we haven't had to train, fight or run for our lives, we should face near death experiences more often." Ezra added listing off those three situations with his fingers. Both Zeb and Ezra let out long relaxing sighs.
Ahkilleon frowned, looking around the landing pad he saw the high walls of the facility feeling more like a fence then safe harbor. "Listen, uh Zeb, Ezra I want to apol-" "Totally join us, there should be some more chairs in the cargo hold go grab one and pop a seat." Zeb said, cutting him off.
Not wanting to say no to them after everything he did, Ahkilleon walked back to the ship to grab a chair, he had found them when he overheard Sabine and Hera talking, "You want me to follow him?"
"I want you to make sure he's okay, we haven't seen him in a while and I've got this sneaking suspicion." Hera said back to her.
"Okay, it'll be nice to get out and see Garel City for a change." Sabine said Ahkilleon tucked away before Hera could see him knowing what he was about to do she'd say no. Sabine walked out of the ship and Ahkilleon popped up "Where are you going."
Sabine turned unphased "Out."
"Right, and is 'Out' code word for following a certain someone." Ahkilleon said to her.
Sabine had her hands on her hips, "Maybe, aren't you supposed to be recovering, why don't you go get some sun with Ezra and Zeb."
"Nah, and let you go alone we're Vods right?" He asked in mandalorian, Sabine looked back at him "Look I'm not as simple as the others, Hera asked you follow someone, someone she's worried about, Kanan and my mom are gone in the Phantom unless you have a ship, you can't follow them. The other ships aren't even here yet, that means the only person you can follow is Turok, and I know him better than anyone here, like or not you need me." He said.
And though he couldn't see it she was smiling under the helmet "Gar serim." She said in Mondoa.
He gave her a sideways smirk and looked at her with his green eyes, she looked back and they held a staring conversation, letting out a long groan "Fiiiiiiiine, but if anyone asks you followed me, I said no, but since you're so injured- brain damaged more likely, I couldn't leave you alone."
Ahkilleon held his hand out in a handshake "Deal, Rainbow." She took it "Deal, Ahki… you know I'm going to come up with a nickname for you by the end of this."
"Good luck," Ahkilleon said before they got ready to leave.
LOTHAL
Okami Village,
Back on Ezra's homeworld, the Okami had donned the Militia armored helmets, chest and shoulder pieces, gauntlets and greaves, instead putting on the brown uniforms, the Okami more or less put it over their thick mountain clothes, with fur added around their waist, or shoulders for extra warmth. "Well they look like soldiers?" Reik said next to Dray.
"Take more than armor and weapons to make soldiers." Dray said as he walked out to them, "Fall in." he said loudly.
San who had only put on a chest piece and greaves looked at him confused, groaning Dray sighed, "Stand in a line." He said.
No one moved waiting on San, but Reik then followed up walking in front of Dray and lining up with his rifle, soon the other Okami did so, each of them holding their rifle, "Being a warrior and a soldier may sound like similar things, but they're not." Dray said.
"A soldier fights with discipline, with his commander, with the person at his side who will lay down their life for one another, for something greater than themselves." Dray said as he walked past them. "Before you can fight like a soldier, you need to be able to present yourself as one, Captain Naqia."
She stepped forward and the Zygerrian woman looked at each of the men. Pacing in front of them with one hand on her vibrosword she stopped at one dressed in the armor, holding his helmet still under his arm, he was tall dark haired with a round face and jaw, with a snub nose "You there, why isn't your helmet on?"
"Why do I need my helme-" The man didn't get to finish his sentence as Naqia slammed the bottom of her palm into the man's cheek, knocking him to the ground. "So when you get hit in the face it doesn't hurt as much as soldiers."
All of the other Okami laughed "Stand up straight soldiers!" she screamed at them. The members of Hyena squad were all snickering behind them as the men and women all stood up straighter at her bark, seeing she had also bitten earlier. The okami she'd hit stood up and slipped his helmet on. "Get those weapons in your hands, if you're right handed, the left hand holds the forestock, elbow pointing down. The right hand holds the grip, elbow pointing out, but not exaggerated, reverse if left handed." She instructed the trainees to get into position holding their weapons in proper form. Naqia would walk up and correct anyone with their.
"Good, now we start the training, I'm going to teach you dogs how to march." she snapped, "Starting on the left." She said as she started to march in place, as she did the Militia all started to march but not in unison. Seeing this Naqia stopped and looked at Dray who sighed "We have a lot of work to do."
THE PHANTOM
Kanan sat behind Ahsoka as she flew the Phantom through hyperspace. It had been a silent trip for the most part, until Kanan couldn't stand it anymore. "So this jedi we're looking for, they survived Order 66, right?" Ahsoka didn't look back, she didn't say anything until she whispered "... Yes."
"It'll be good to see another jedi alive, there are so few of us left." Kanan said with relief.
Ahsoka glanced back, "There are more than you'd think, after Order 66 was issued the estimate there were at least 2,000 Jedi who evaded the purge. But since then I'm not sure how many survived today, but I know the person we're looking for wouldn't have been killed easily, if they're still alive." she said.
"They must be a powerful force wielder to still be alive." Kanan said, the Phantoms Hyperspace route was nearing its end and when they came out Kanan got up to see a beige ball of a planet. It had large specs of brown dotting it. Looking closer he could see a blueish green planet with a purple hue around its clouds. "What planet is this?" Kanan asked.
"Raydonia, it's like Felucia overgrown in jungles and forests." Ahsoka said as they flew down.
The Phantom descended down over the red skies of Raydonia, Kanan looked out the window "I can see why a Jedi Master would be hiding out here, there's not a settlement for miles around?"
"Let's just hope they're still here." Ahsoka said landing the Phantom in a clearing.
Getting out, Kanan followed her into a glowing fungus forest of spore trees, they grew out like balloons attached to a string slowly swaying in the trees, giving off a mixed hue of red, green and blue. "At least we'll have light when the sun goes down."
Ahsoka didn't say anything, so he followed in silence "So you know this jedi?"
"It's a complicated history, I met them a few times during the war and even after I left the Order." Ahsoka said ahead of him. They walked up a hill through a thicket of trees and beyond. As they walked, Ahsoka didn't say much.
"I sense something troubling you?" Kanan asked.
Ahsoka stopped, "... why do you have against Ahkilleon?" She asked, Kanan stopped too, she turned around waiting for an answer "Well?" She asked again.
"You overheard me and Hera, you know why." Kanan said, avoiding her gaze walking around her.
Frowning at him, she glared "I don't excuse his actions at the medical station or Seelos, but I can feel this animosity is more than a lack of respect."
"I assume Hera's told you?" Kanan asked stopping.
"No, she respects you enough that you'd tell me your reasons yourself, which is why I'm asking." she said.
He met her gaze and folded his arms "I assumed you'd already figured." Ahsoka sighed, shaking her head, "Because of his father, because of the Berserker." She said,
"There's a reason the Jedi never had kids, the force power in their blood is too much even for them, I won't risk Ezra and the crew's safety with him on the crew, I'm sorry if you're trying to convince me to change my mind, I won't." Kanan said.
Ahsoka shook her head again and walked past him. "Hopefully the person we're looking for can."
GAREL
Garel City,
Back with the rebels, Sabine and Ahkilleon were walking through the city, and Ahkilleon was fidgeting with his boots as she said "Would you stop, I can't believe we had to go back for your boots and jacket?" She asked.
"What do you want everyone to ask, who's the mandalorian and the mummy walking around?" he asked her.
"Hmmm mummy boy?" She asked.
There was a long pause and Ahkilleon gave her a sideways look, "Pfffft that was pathetic." Ahkilleon laughed before Sabine nudged him and his whole body felt the pain like a hammer on his shoulder.
Following her, she looked around the seedier part of town with less stormtroopers, "Uh where is he?" She asked.
Ahkilleon followed her and looked around, "What are Turok's vices?"
"Vices?" he asked.
"What does he like to do when he's not working?" She asked.
Scratching his bandaged chin, Ahkilleon thought "Smoking, Dejarik, cleaning his sling rifle, hold on I'll find him." Ahkilleon said walking out in front. Holding his hand up, Sabine watched him and reaching into the force, Ahkilleon held his hand out around the open street, a few people staring at him wondering if this was some sort of street performance. "What are you-" "Shh." He hushed.
Sabine backed her head up, cocking it "Did you just-" "Shh." He did it a second time.
"Why you little-" "There." He said pointing to the third alleyway on the right.
Not wanting to waste any time beating Ahkilleon anymore than he already was, she led him to the alleway and they started to walk down the garbage covered corridor, some graffiti markings. As they did, Ahkilleon stopped when he spotted a wall of graffiti. Sabine stopped to look at it. There was writing in aubresh, huttese, anti imperial sentiment and a few others markings "Nice." he said before she took out her paint gun to add a mark. "Hey look at this."
"Yeah, I'm about to tag it-" "No, look it's that same Separatist Holdout symbol, the one with the sword and blaster." Ahkilleon said pointing at it, the mark was partially covered by a poster for a band called Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes. But the blue paint was long already dried into the wall.
Sabine looked at it, "Coincidence?" She asked him, "Maybe but-" "Get down." Ahkilleon suddenly grabbed Sabine and pulled her behind some garbage and she squirmed. "What are you doing?"
"Look." He whispered.
Sabine poked her helmet-covered head out of the garbage to see Turok walking out of one of the houses, looking left then right he sniffed the air. "Ooooh the garbage is masking our scent, good idea."
"Uh yeah…" Ahkilleon said taking it as his idea and not a spur of the moment.
Turok started to walk down the alley, when he was a good distance away the two of them followed him all the way till he turned a corner at the edge of the city. Looking out they saw Turok walking up to a speeder bike bar, where they started to speak to a man in a purple cloak, wearing a matching purple shemagh head wrap. They couldn't make out what they were saying but they watched him get on a nearby speeder bike and head south.
"Dammit we need to follow him, fast." Sabine said running out, she looked at the bikes and drew her blasters, "Alright you grab a bike, I'll shoot at anyone who stops-" "There are alternatives to fighting." Ahkilleon said as someone wobbled out of the bar drunkenly heading to a bike on the far side of the street.
Sabine holstered her blaster "Are you going to do that wavy hand thing Kanan does?" She asked.
"It's called a mind trick, and yes, yes I am Rainbow." he said teasing her he walked across the street, ignoring the glares from the speeder bikers Heading up to the biker, he was a fat gamorrean wobbling left and right from all the boos wearing a black leather jacket with spikes. Clearing his throat Ahkilleon held up his bandaged hand "You want to go sleep it off." he said.
The pig oinked a few times "You also want to give me your keys for safe keeping."
Sabine watched the gamorrean handover the keys and he jingled them triumphantly before she ran over and got on snatching the keys, "Okay, maybe bringing you along wasn't a bad idea." she said as he got on. "Hold on." she said, Ahkilleon felt his cheeks get warm and he grabbed onto her waist. She suddenly took off and he had to hold on even tighter not to get thrown off. When the city was shrinking in the distance behind them they spotted multiple speeder bike tracks over the sand.
Taking a right, still heading south Sabine started to follow one of the trails "How do you know this is Turoks."
"I recognize the bike model Turok got on a JA-3 Speeder, they're practically ancient now but they leave a wavy pattern on the dirt." She said and Ahkilleon looked to see the trail just as she said "How do you know that."
Sabine gave a grunt "Uh, long story."
"And we don't have time, got it." he said as they followed Turok.
RAYDONIA
Going deeper and deeper into the spore jungle, they came across a stream that began to widen into a river, following it up a steepening hill of spore trees. Kanan started to hear a waterfall, he watched Ahsoka lead on till he noticed a carving in a tree. The bark had long since darkened but it was no mistaking it, it was the symbol of the Jedi Order, walking up to it Kanan pressed his fingers against it, tracing the lightsaber and wings. He sighed remembering the lost days of his youth, his only worries being on time for lightsaber training, or remembering to do his report on the Jedi who founded the Temple for his teachers. "Kanan, we're almost there." Ahsoka said.
They followed the sound of the waterfall till they spotted a large cliff overlooking the jungle, a waterfall was pouring down into a large pool at which the river flowed from. At the banks of the river Kanan spotted a small wooden cabin, there was a fence around it and all the nearby trees had been cleared, most likely to build said cabin. Approaching it, they could see a dim light on from the window, approaching it Kanan was eager to see who it was they'd come to find. Knocking no answer came, Ahsoka knocked again but still nobody answered the door.
Finally Kanan nodded at Ahsoka who reached and opened the door to another spore tree, the glowing bubbles of light had found their way through the back of the hut and started to reclaim the cabin. It was totally abandoned, "Rrr-Nobodies here." Kanan groaned.
"I was afraid this would happen." Ahsoka said walking in.
"Hmm doesn't look like any signs of a struggle, past or recent." Kanan said looking around, there was some furniture, a few dusty books and scrolls but it looked like anything that had been of value was gone. Kanan opened a closet and spotted only a single piece of cloth "A jedi robe." Kanan said touching the fabric, it was thick, made of strong fabric and still had it's brown hue
Ahsoka walked around and stepped on something, looking down she saw it was a small toy rancor covered in dust, "Hmm, I don't sense any darkness or death here. They must have left a long time ago."
"Hmphm if we had Master Vos he could have found it, my Master Bilba always said he could track things through the force… wait, it wasn't Master Vos we came to find, was it, Quinlan Vos?" Kanan asked.
Ahsoka looked back and Kanan waited, "No." She said setting down the toy rancor "But he did survive Order 66, a lot of Jedi who were with Leo did when it happened a handful of Masters, two dozen knights and at least a shipload of younglings and padawans who had fled the Order."
"You mean abandoned." Kanan said, correcting her.
"Is that what they said at the Temple?" Ahsoka asked.
He faced her, "Can we please not get into this?" "I'm afraid we need to, I know what they said about Leo, Kanan, that he had fallen, that he was teaching the Jedi the dark side. But did you know that during his entire exile he never took padawan, even though there were many who wanted it."
Kanan looked away at the mention of him, "He used his battle meditation to turn them."
"What, that's absurd, Leo hated using battle meditation after what it did to him. I won't lie, I knew he had his disagreements with the Council, the war, he questioned it even when he was Ezra's age." She said,
"Don't- don't you dare compare him to Ezra." Kanan snapped.
Ahsoka continued "I'm sorry, they were different at that age. Leo never really had a childhood like Ezra or Ahkilleon, and I think Ahkilleon may have inherited his fathers questioning of authority." She summarized.
"And look where that led Leo Rock." Kanan said abruptly he knew it was a rude thing to say but he had to get it out of his system.
"The Council knew about the chips." Ahsoka said.
"What?" Kanan asked her.
She walked over and sat down at an abandoned table, "I didn't learn until later, but before Leo was exiled from the Order. He, my Master and another great jedi investigated the death of Sifo Dyas, a former Jedi Master. What they uncovered was that Count Dooku and the Emperor had created the clone army, fabricated the entire war, Kanan. You can imagine Leo didn't take that news very well."
Kanan walked around the cabin and looked out the window at the red sky, "Who would." "That's exactly what the Council was afraid of, but Leo wanted them to tell the truth he begged them to tell the Senate, to tell everyone."
"But that would have been chaos, even if they did, who's to say anyone would have believed it?" Kanan asked.
"Right, we'll never know, remember how I told you Leo's first master was a cruel man, they knew Kanan. The Jedi Council knew exactly what Krell was and they gave a child to him, to mold as a warrior jedi. It was too much for him, all of the hypocrisy, all the lies and secrets just to prop up the war that had caused so much pain and death for the Galaxy." She stopped, waiting for him to say something. Kanan was silent for a long time so she kept talking "But he still fought with the Separatists?" Kanan said.
Ahsoka looked down, "He did, he was a spy and none of us knew it, just another secret until Dooku played us all, tricking Leo into thinking the Council wanted him dead, it was almost too late before Leo came back to the Jedi." Ahsoka said.
Kanan gripped the window frame tight "That still doesn't excuse your son for using the dark side, it's dangerous, it can't be used for good no matter the intentions it'll only lead to death and suffering, nobody can master it, it'll master you."
Sighing, Ahsoka held her hand up "Kanan, please." Ahsoka said.
He heard her request and looked back, Ahsoka leaned over her fingers interlocked. "This is exactly what the Jedi council did that led to Leo walking the path he did." She said as her hands began to tremble, she tightened her fingers and closed her palms together almost as if she were praying, "They pushed him away, they ostracized him, I should have stayed in the Order with him. Maybe things could have been different, but in the past this is my son we're talking about he needs the Ghost. You keep saying the dark side is to dangerous for anyone to control, you're right and if we isolate him, if we treat him like he's already fallen he will Kanan he'll run to it with open arms he doesn't need a Jedi Master telling him what he did wrong, he needs friends and family to help him find his way."
"Then why did we come here?" Kanan asked.
"To try and convince you that Ahkilleon isn't his father, even if he was the idea you think of Leo was something that didn't exist. He wasn't a power hungry fallen jedi like Exar Kun or Darth Phanius, who turned Jedi to Sith. He was just a man trying to do what he thought was right, he wanted to save the Jedi, the Republic, everyone and I've had to watch the Galaxy drag his name through the mud, being used as another imperial propaganda slogan for why the Jedi needed to be killed… I loved him Kanan, I won't apologize to any jedi for that attachment, those attachments we were taught to ignore. Sometimes they're the only thing that keeps us tethered to the light and the darkness at bay."
GAREL
Ghost
Hera opened the door to the medical bay, to see the bed was empty and Ahkilleons boots and jacket gone. Walking out she headed down to see Ezra and Zeb both fast asleep on the lawn chairs with a magazine covering Ezra's face. Sighing she looked around the hangar but not for the missing boy. Walking back into the ship she came out with an empty bucket heading over to a nearby water pump she pressed down on the lever a few times till water began to pour from the faucet. She filled the whole bucket and when Chopper saw her heading back to the others he chuckled. Hera took the bucket and flung it onto Ezra and Zeb, the two of them shot up screaming and in a panic.
When they saw Her standing over them, "Where the hell is Ahkilleon?"
The two rebels followed the speeder bike trail to a large set of canyons where they saw it had been parked at the entrance, pulling the speeder bike around a large rock. Getting off they headed to the canyon entrance but before they could go in, Sabine grabbed Ahkilleon by his collar. "What?" he asked.
"You never track someone from behind, when you can go above." She said pointing to the steep hill behind them, leading him up the hill they ran across the top of the canyon looking down, "There." Sabine said, pointing down to see Turok walking. He headed deeper and deeper into the canyon and soon they saw Turok was heading to a large opening in the canyon. The gorges' mouths opened and they saw Turok pass the same cloaked, hooded and shemagh masked people. Prowling the top of the canyon walls they followed Turok till they stopped to see something neither expected. It was an entire camp of tents, ground transports, even an old Republic HAVw A6 Juggernaut. The camp was filled with men, women and children all dressed in long linen clothes, leather shoes, some people were veiled, others wore simple head caps, the older people dressed in thick robes to keep warm but many of the adults were armed with Militia weaponry and armor, but to Sabine and Ahkilleon it was just the mercenary blaster and armor they didn't recognize. Turok approached a large tent in the back guarded by two men before he went inside.
"What is this place?" Ahkilleon asked.
"Some sort of hideout, a camp?" She asked, "yeah for who?" Ahkilleon whispered.
Ahkilleons senses flared and he spun around "Behind us."
Sabine spun around blasters ready to see five of the purple cloaks aiming blasters at them. "So much for those jedi senses?" Sabine said to Ahkilleon, "Hmm?"
"What?" Ahkilleon asked hands up as the purple cloaks got closer with their blasters, Ahkilleon and Sabine noticed they were the same blasters Hyena squad used. "Deadweight?" she asked, throwing out another nickname, "Ugh you are really bad at this Rainbow." he said.
Within minutes their hands were tied and they were pushed through the camp at blaster point to the big tent, pushed inside the smell of a thick coconut hit their nostrils, inside the tent was Turok sitting on a pile of pillows over a rug covered floor, a thick smoke in the air as he held a cup of simmering hot dark liquid. Across from him sat an old man with a thick white beard, a wrap around his head wearing a purple robe and yellow scarf. "You were followed." One of the shemagh wearing men said to Turok.
"You damn idiots!" Turok snapped, setting the cup of hot drink down. Both Sabine and Ahkilleon jumped at his outburst, "What the hell are you doing?" he asked.
"We could say the same of you." Sabine asked accusingly.
Turok walked toward them and growled, "What does it look like, I'm having coffee." Turok said as he held up the cup.
"Coffee?" Ahkilleon asked.
"Yes, coffee, the Burj people make the best stuff in the galaxy trust me." Turok said as he looked at the guards, then at the old man bowing "Elder Sejanus I apologize for my young friend's intrusion."
Sabine held her hand up "Whoa, whoa, you mean to tell me the whole time you've been on Garel it's for a drink?" She asked.
"No, ugh just sit down and let me explain." Turok said, shaking his clawed head, "Elder Sejanus, this is Sabine Wren and Ahkilleon Tano, they're part of the crew that landed in Garel city." Sudden realization dawned on Sabine's face as she started to figure it out or so she thought.
"These are your contacts on Garel?" Sabine asked, "Obviously. They told me about the factory but they also told those mercenaries you met." Turok explained. He walked up with a knife and cut their bindings and the Elder Sejanus waved his hand, a young man holding a tray of two coffee cups walked up and gave each of the teens some. As she held a cup of her own coffee, Ahkilleon watched them make it by slipping a strange cup into a pile of dark brown sand, he saw it froth up and then poured into a cup for him, Turok sipped no, "They're my lead to those mercenaries you met here a while back, you noticed their blasters right."
Sabine nodded and Turok whispered, "I was wondering, what did you find out?"
"The mercenaries we met, this Naqia, she was here a year ago before this." Turok said, holding up the black drink in his hand and sipping it, "For… coffee?" Sabine asked, looking at it.
Turok gave a smirk and nodded "It's all the rage on Coruscant, the mercenaries are Cabal like we thought, the Burj give them grounds of the bean they use and in exchange the cabal give them blasters, and old equipment like that Juggernaut you saw out there."
"So it's a drug." Sabine stated "Oh yeah, caffeine and all." Turok said while sipping it sarcastically, Ahkilleon took a sip and gagged "Ugh it tastes like tar."
"You'll learn to love it." Turok chuckled, "Now why are you following me?" He asked.
Ahkilleon didn't say anything, so Turok looked long and hard at Sabine. "Hera was thinking you were acting suspicious."
"Fair enough, I haven't been around a while and look what's happened." Turok said gesturing over to Ahkilleon, "But like you said earlier, yes the Burj are my contacts here on Garel, they're a nomadic people living here quietly in the desert moving from place to place, not bothering anyone they go into the settlements every once and a while to trade or buy supplies so they know the lay of the land, the ins and outs of cities as well." Turok said to them while sipping his coffee.
"So that's how you got the imperial patrol data?" Sabine asked.
"Right again." Turok said toasting her.
Ahkilleon breathed a sigh of relief hearing all of this "You had us worried Turok." he said "I had you worried, when I heard you decided to fight two Inquisitors with a busted sword, I really thought you'd gone crazier then charging Darth Vader alone hehehe lad you scare me sometimes." he set the coffee down and stood up stretching "Come, it's getting late Hera will want to know where we've been and if it's alright with you Sabine, let me explain it to her."
"I think she'd like that." Sabine was reassured of Turoks loyalty.
Later they were at Turoks speeder, he helped Ahkilleon in before he saw Elder Sejanus standing outside his tent, "Give me one minute, I'll smooth this all over and then we'll be out of here." Turok walked over far from ear shot and bowed to Sejanus respectfully before they spoke in hushed tones.
"You're slipping Wraith." Sejanus said.
"They don't know anything, I told them you trade coffee to the Cabal for blasters, are we all set in Garel city?" Turok asked him.
Sejanus gave a nod "I have men in the underground already, also watching the various landing pads your rebel friends are staying in, we'll observe and report but may I ask you something?" Sejanus inquired.
Turok nodded "What is the word of this new Militia on Lothal?" Giving a frown Turok said, "From the reports, like a Pack of Wolves."
"Thank you my friend the Scorpions of Girl are anxious to meet the Wolves of Lothal, Militia Invictus." He said, shaking his hand.
"Militia Invictus." Turok replied.
Later, the three of them rode their two speeder bikes back into Garel City, "I still can't believe we thought you were up to something Turok, and it was a coffee date." Ahkilleon said over the wind.
"Watch its Snips." Turok said.
"What?" Sabine asked half chuckling, "Snips, it's what Ahsoka used to be called when she was Ahkilleons age, all her little snippets with her Master, you Tanos love your nicknames." Turok said before Sabine snickered malevolent.
Ahkilleon sensed the malcontent coming off her "No, no that is not going to be my nickname with you." "Whatever you say snips."
"I hate you Turok." Ahkilleon said before they arrived back at the hangar, where Zeb and Ezra had dried off. Hera was standing at the entrance to the Ghost when Turok stopped. He didn't get off his bike, pressing his tongue under his lip he took a breath "You had them follow me?" he asked. Hera looked over at Sabine and Ahkilleon, "We'll talk about your backup later Sabine, for now get Ahkilleon back to medbay, where he's on mandatory bed rest." Hera insisted, Ahkilleon gave a weak smile but followed Sabine up into the ship.
"Uh, I followed Sabine and she said it was too dangerous for me to go back alone, so I tagged-" "Go." Both Turok and Hera snapped at him.
When everyone was inside the ship, Turok looked at Hera long and hard. "You know, in our life, trust is something that goes both ways." Turok said as he got off the bike and opened up the coffee box tossing her a can of grounds.
She caught it, "It does, so you're going to tell me your 'friends' are coffee makers?" She asked, holding up the can.
"No, I'm going to tell you that if you have a question about my methods, come talk to me, don't send out the kids like I haven't been here for a while Hera?" he asked her.
Hera frowned as she walked up to him, "You don't make it easy to trust you Turok, all the disappearing acts, the intel that only you seem to get-" "Because I've been in this game longer than any of you, I'm pushing sixty and Trandoshans on average don't even live half that long." Turok cut her off "There are people here on Garel, and around the galaxy who trust me, they risk their lives for the rebellion same as us but they don't have a ship or a fleet to get to run and hide to, they have homes, jobs, families that can be taken away." He added.
Turok shook his head "I thought you, of all people, would understand that Hera."
"I do Turok I… I'm sorry I doubted you, things are getting harder." She apologized.
He took a breath and sighed, seeing his fib had paid off. "What's going on?" a voice said behind Hera, they turned around to see Kanan and Ahsoka standing in the loading dock, alone, back from Raydonia.
"Captain Syndulla had me tracked to one of my contact camps, she used Sabine and I guess Ahkilleon tagged along." Turok said to them.
Ahsoka frowned but Kanan didn't seem surprised, "Can you blame her." "Kanan no, I was wrong, Turok's contacts are legit it seems." She said holding up the can.
Kanan read it, "What's covfefe?" Kanan asked. "I'll explain later, what about you having any luck finding our mystery jedi?" she asked Ahsoka.
"No, a dead end, as for the following Turok, can these contacts be trusted?" Ahsoka asked.
Turok nodded as he reached into his kimono and produced a holodisk, "They can, I found out the mercenaries you ran into are Cabal, the burj nomads here sell coffee and spices to the Cabal for weapons and old equipment."
Kanan handed the can to Ahsoka "Explains why there are no Syndicates here, the Cabal are already doing it." she said.
"I'm still sorry for doubting you Turok." Hera said, The trandoshan sighed as he walked up into the ship "Don't be sorry, be better." Turok said, passing by her. Hera frowned, shaking her head walking to the loading ramp dock she sat down.
Kanan joined her, "Was I wrong for making Sabine follow Turok?" she asked Kanan.
"... I don't know, you were worried, it's hard for us to feel bad about wanting to do what we think is best and that when we aren't sure about someone, we just need to see their side of the story, Ahsoka, help me see that today." Kanan said, putting his arm around her. Ahsoka smiled feeling some good had come from their conversation
After being escorted back in the medical room, Ahkilleon was laying down as Sabine stood with her helmet down, "Thanks again, for not ratting me out." Sabine said to him, she had her helmet under her arm and he turned his head over to see her. "Yeah well, I almost got you killed at the medical station." he said before "About that." Sabine drew back her fist and smashed him in the face "You have got to be the dumbest, most selfish asshole I have ever met Ahkilleon Tano."
"What?" He asked, holding his cheek with his wrapped up hands, he wasn't sure which hurt more the punch or the touch of his hands on the bruise.
Sabine flung her helmet into the wall, "You were injured, bones broken, a dozen wounds on the surface there was no way you could have won." Sabine snapped.
"Oh what now you don't have faith in me, I was trying to save us!" Ahkilleon snapped.
"At the cost of yourself?" She demanded.
Ahkilleon squeezed his sheets under his legs "The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few."
"Yeah well we need you Ahkilleon, alive." She hissed before she sat down in the chair grabbing at her blue and teal hair "Rrrr why are you jedi so stubborn, you all think you have to do everything yourselves?" She asked.
Ahkilleon laid back on the bed "I was pretty pathetic hehe wasn't I." He chuckled in agreement.
"This is serious, Ahkilleon, I know everyone else is being nice but you could have died." She reminded him. "I know," he said looking down.
"It's not something I like to think about, the Jedi way is supposed to teach us there is no death, there's only the force-" "Oh not-" "Let me finish." Ahkilleon interrupted her as she rolled her eyes.
He took a pause, gathered himself and continued "I know that's what the jedi teach, but for me it wasn't about being afraid of death, truth is I am afraid to die. But I'm more afraid that if I died I wouldn't be able to come back here and the Empire would have won again. We won on Seelos that small victory, I felt like we could take on the entire Empire after that day." Ahkilleon reached under his pillow and held out something to Sabine "And I think we still can." he said as he held out something attached to a string, Sabine looked at it and saw it was a long shard of his sword with some of the ancient ruins in them
"A necklace, really, cliche Ahkilleon." Sabine said as he rolled his eyes.
"I felt bad that you were left out of Ezra and my blood pack, we both got nexu fangs and I didn't have any Mythosaur fangs on me, so maybe this instead?" he asked her as she took the necklace and rubbed her hand thumb across the shard, it had been sanded down so it was no longer sharp but still had a jagged cut to the tip.
She actually smiled at it, her eyes softening "So why Rainbow?" she asked.
Sighing he fell back into the pillows "Well I thought it was obvious because of how colorful you are, but you see Rainbows after a storm, all that thunder and lightning, chaos and explosions, once you get past it all you see a beautiful rainbow." he turned his head to her and Sabine suddenly felt her legs moving out of her chair. She was getting closer to him, leaning over the bed she put her hands on the rail about to k- "We heard the bang what's going on?" Turok asked, walking in with Ahsoka behind him.
Suddenly the doors opened and Sabine grabbed the pillow Ahkillonn was resting on and slammed it on his face, "He's trying to get out of bed- help me tie him down."
Turok rolled his eyes and flung his hands in the air "Oh stars it's just like his old man, I don't care if you are his son you're getting bed rest and you're going to like it lad!" Ahkilleon pulled the pillow off his face to see Turok strap him down.
"Alright, alright I'll stay in bed till I'm better." Ahkilleon said before Turok relented, shaking his head "Jedi, am I right." Sabine said, putting her helmet on while still holding the necklace in her fist.
Turok shook his head, "Don't get me started Mando."
Ahsoka watched them walk out and then sat down across from Ahkilleon, "So you want to tell me about your little trip out of bed?" she asked.
"Not really." Ahkilleon said, Ahsoka shook her head smiling remembering how she and Leo would get up to no good as padawans.
"Fine, but is there something I wanted to talk to you about?" Ahsoka asked him.
Looking at her quietly as he waited for her to ask, Ahsoka continued "Kanan and I went to find another jedi, someone who could teach you more than I can." "What, why?" Ahkilleon asked "If it's because of the force lightning I promise I'll-" "Ahkilleon" Ahsoka stopped him.
"You were in a dark situation Ahkilleon, Ezra went through the same thing with an Inquisitor, although he summoned a giant monster." Ahsoka said, making Ahkilleons eyes get wide. "And I think what he did next helped him, and I think it can help you." Ahsoka said.
"What do you mean mom?" Ahkilleon asked.
Ahsoka stood up, "It's time for you to forge your own lightsaber."