Failed Mission Part 2

Continuation from chapter 1 - Sabine and Ezra are currently hiding up in the canopy of Kashyyyk's forest having escaped imperial stormtroopers.

The sun was high in the sky by the time Sabine woke up the next morning and she silently chastised herself for being clumsy enough to oversleep as she sat up and stretched. She heard a groan from beside her and looked down to see Ezra splayed out over the rest of their makeshift bed, eyes still shut, but a slight smile on his lips.

"Sabiiine," he murmered, before stretching one of his arms out to grab her round the waist, making her face turn bright red.

"Ezra, we need to get up." Sabine responded, shaking his shoulder gently. "The further away from the base we get, the less likely the imperials will be to find us."

Upon realising he was no longer dreaming, Ezra's eyes shot open and he let go of her midsection. He mumbled a quiet apology, embarrassed at what he'd done, before sitting up. "Fine, but which way are we even going?"

"Well the imperial base is to our West, as is the nearest city with a space port. However, I think there are villages along that ridge to the North - only a days walk from here - which might have communications," Sabine said as she checked over her gear, "I say we go there."

"You sure they're friendly?"

"Only one way to find out. Plus I'd rather face them than a battalion of bucketheads." This swayed Ezra, and he stepped forward to look back down to the forest floor.

"Plan sounds good, but how do we get back down?"

"Same way we got up. Grab on tight and the jetpack should slow us down as we land."

Ezra moved forward and awkwardly wrapped his arms around Sabine again, drawing out another purr from her and turning both of their cheeks red. "I'm ready." He spoke, and they began a slow descent to the forest floor.

Upon landing, Ezra was hesitant to unravel his arms from round Sabine, and only after she made eye contact with him did they separate, both slightly embarrassed. "No point in wasting time." Sabine said, and checked her tracker. Meanwhile Ezra peered into their surroundings, using his heightened Jedi senses to make sure they were alone. He then waited for Sabine to start in the right direction, and followed behind as they began their long trek North.

By midday, the pair had made good progress, and had begun their ascent of the ridge, with the forest becoming more sparse the higher they climbed.

Hearing Ezra's puffing and panting from behind made Sabine proud at her fitness, but she realised that they needed a break to not tire him out. She climbed a little further to an opening in the undergrowth, where she perched on a rock and looked back down the hill to Ezra. He reached the rock shortly after, and following a while to catch his breath, wheezed, "Are we nearly there yet?".

"Another couple of hours on some more steep terrain like this, then it should be a short flat journey to the nearest village." Sabine responded, before watching him slump down against a tree nearby. "You're not as fit as you used to be." She joked, but speaking with a hint of concern.

"Being cooped up for so long in the ghost has been killing my fitness. I'm shocked as to how you can stay in such good shape!"

Ezra's reply earned a smile from Sabine, who clearly appreciated the compliment. "You should train with me some time," she said, turning to look at him, "I could teach you some tricks, and an exercise buddy would be fun."

"I'll hold you to that one. Now I'm starving, what ration bars are left?"

Sabine reached into the small pocket on her belt and withdrew a couple of savoury ration bars. "I've only a few more, so we'd better hope this village serves food." She handed one to Ezra, then opened and bit into her own. They munched in pleasant silence, staring over the dense forest below, and managed to finish off the bars within a few minutes. Ezra then hopped up to perch beside Sabine and shuffled close beside her,

"Hey," She said, but Ezra kept silent for a while, fiddling with his hands. After a while, though, he softly spoke:

"I never told you how much we missed you during your time on Krownest. How much I missed you."

"Ezra..."

"There was no one to mess around with; missions felt so boring without your company," He continued, "And pranking Zeb and Chopper wasn't nearly as fun."

He smiled and looked towards her, "It got so lonely sometimes I'd sit out in the turret and wonder what you were doing, how you were feeling."

Sabine felt the sincerity in Ezra's words, so responded truthfully, "I missed you too. Krownest's long winters were cold and miserable on my own, and I often felt myself wishing for you to just appear and cheer me up."

She leaned closer; whispered, "It feels good to be back." before hugging him tightly and leaning her head on his shoulder.

Rejuvenated after their food break, the pair managed to scale the rest of the hill before sundown, and were maintaining a steady pace along its ridge that gave Sabine confidence in finding a proper bed before midnight.

They trekked onwards for the next hour and a half before Ezra spotted light through the undergrowth up ahead.

"Keep cautious," Sabine warned, "These things might not be too friendly."

Ezra nodded.

The pair kept low and slowly crept towards what became evident as a small farmer's shed. Ezra peered through the window when they reached it, but it was empty besides some rusty old farm tools.

"All clear." He whispered, "Though this equipment is very basic."

"All we need is a signal transmitter." Sabine responded, removing her helmet before scanning the area ahead for more buildings.

She spotted a dim glow over a rise in their ridge track, pointing it out to Ezra. "Hey I bet that settlement we're after is just up there. We can reach it before sundown if you keep up to speed." She smirks, nudging his ribs.

"Yeah yeah," Ezra retorted, "sorry I'm not super fit like you.", turning to see a red twinge to Sabine's cheeks at the compliment. "Cute" he mindlessly mumbled as he watched her,

"Hmm?" Sabine hummed,

"Oh, nothing." Ezra replied, "We'd better get moving anyway."

After trudging for another hour, and with minutes to spare before sundown, the pair scaled the rise in the ridge. What met them was a small wooden wookiee village, lit by flaming poles and with no sign of having any modern technology.

"Good luck finding a transmitter here." Ezra said, "They don't even have proper lights."

"Let's go get a closer look; follow me."

They silently crept up to the nearest house, and peeked through it's window, "No transmitters here." Ezra mumbled, defeated.

"If anyone's going to have one, it'll be the village chief." Sabine pointed out, "Let's check over there." She pointed to a grander-looking hut towards the centre of the village.

They kept low, crossing dusty alleyways, and quickly reached the large hut. It was taller than the others, so Ezra had to lift Sabine up with the force to give her a look in.

"Be careful," she warned.

"Of course I'll be careful, when am I not?" He smirked. Sabine sighed, and was then gently lifted up a few feet until she had a good view of the inside.

It was much better furnished than the previous huts, and even had electricity, but no signal transmitter in sight. "No luck h-" she started saying, but then a shiny device beside the bed began bleeping.

"Lift me into the room,"

"You sure it's safe?" Ezra asked.

"Perfectly, it'll only take ten seconds."

Ezra gently lifted Sabine up to the window, and she was about to climb in, when suddenly a giant Wookiee turned a corner into the room.

"Down!" She whispered, and Ezra quickly lowered her, but not before the Wookiee spotted her and let out a deafening roar.

"Run!"