A few months after their attack on the Imperial prison, the Ghost crew found themselves in Jho's cantina.
Black Stromtroopers were entering the bar followed at a distance by Kanan and Ezra who stood in front of the counter as the Imperial sodat called out to a Rodian to compare him with a photo of another lighter Rodian before leaving him alone as Ezra was surprised when he saw the photo.
"Tseebo?" Said Ezra in a low voice recognizing the person in the photo.
"What?" Kanan asked.
"Nothing." Answered Ezra.
"That's not him." Said the black Stormtrooper holding the picture, appeared to be the leader, before going in front of the bar counter after seeing what was on the screen and slams his fist into it. "The Imperial Holo-net channel should be on 24 hours a day!" Said the Stormtrooper as he slammed his fist against the counter.
"No one's asked for it since... No one's ever asked me, in fact." Retorted Jho, the cantina manager.
"It's the law." Said the black Stormtrooper forcing the manager to turn on the holo-net on the Imperial channel.
The manager relented and turned on the channel ordered by the Stormtrooper.
A news bulletin was being broadcast about Empire Day, celebrating 15 years since its inception. Ezra looked at the screen with disdain as the Stormtroopers forced people to raise a glass to the Empire's glory. However, the Imperial network was quickly infiltrated by Gal Trayvis.
"Citizen, this is exiled Senator Gall Trayvis. I come to you with news that the Empire does not want you to hear. I urge you to boycott the Empire Day celebrations in protest of all the injustices of the Imperial regime." Said Gal Trayvis annoying the black Stormtrooper.
"Turn that off!" Shouted the leader of the Stormtrooper group.
"I can't. It's the law." Said the bar manager using the Stormtrooper's words against him.
"We're leaving the premises." Said the leader before leaving with the rest of the Stormtroopers on the scene.
"Any TIE pilots patrolling the area?" Said Kanan, getting information from the Jho as Sabine, Hera and Zeb, who was on a table, joined them.
"The Imperials have landed, they've closed the spaceport, they've placed interstellar cruisers in orbit. And they've set up a planetary blockade." Jho explained.
"And they're in pursuit of a Rodian." Said Kanan, looking at the Rodian challenged by the Empire.
"It's good that they're not chasing us for once." Said Sabine.
"With what we have in store for them for their parade, tomorrow is the day they'll be after us." Said Kanan.
"Well you would do it without me." Said Ezra, before leaving in the direction of the exit of the cantina.
"And where are you going like that?" Asked Kanan.
"I need some time alone. This day brings back a lot of memories." Said Ezra as he left the cantina under the gaze of the entire crew.
Without the crew knowing it, they were being watched by the teenager with black hair now combed into a mess. He was wearing a smuggler's outfit with a scarf on the bottom of his face and black make-up scattered all over the visible part to make it look like dirt in order to be unrecognizable.
Later that evening the Empire Day parade began and the entire Ghost crew prepared to spoil the day, joined at the last minute by Ezra. At that moment, the minister of Lothal appeared and started a speech.
"Citizen of Lothal, I am Minister Maketh Tua. Governor Pryce sends his regrets, but she has been invited to Coruscant by our good Emperor Palpatine himself. Lothal is just as important to the Empire as any other planet in our galaxy. And I will show you just how true that is. Citizen, I present to you the newest ship to come out of the Lothal shipyards. The newest Star Fighter TIE from the star-system company." She said, introducing the new ship. "And who better to test this little technological marvel than one of the best pilots on Lothal: the famous Baron Valen Rudor."
The pilot concerned stood proudly next to the minister.
It was at this point that a large fireworks display began to erupt. This was followed a minute later by the explosion of a bomb placed on the new Star Fighter TIE while everyone was distracted by the fireworks.
The rebel group fled, quickly pursued by Stormtroopers. As the group regrouped during their escape, they were close to being surrounded. However, the Black Mandalorian appeared out of nowhere and helped fight the Imperial soldiers.
"You again." Said Zeb.
"I thought, maybe you needed help." Said the Dark Mandalorian as he drew his blaster to fire at the Stormtroopers coming towards them. Zeb broke off from the group to join Hera, who went to pick him up with the Phantom to prepare for their escape.
The rest of the crew along with the Dark Mandalorian were guided by Ezra to an abandoned house barricaded at the windows, to which he had the key.
"So this is where you lived?" Asked Kanan to Ezra.
"No, I grew up on the street." Answered Ezra as he entered the house followed by Kanan, Sabine, and the Dark Mandalorian who closed the door once everyone was inside.
"So why come here? Why now?" Asked Sabine as she removed her helmet before turning her gaze to the Dark Mandalorian as she pulled out the note she had found in the notebook from one of the pockets on her belt and showed it to him.
This caught Ezra's attention and he stopped in front of a chair in the house and turned to see what was about to happen.
"What kind of language is that?" Asked Kanan as he looked at the note.
"That's not the point Kanan!" Said Sabine, losing patience. "I'm tired of all this mystery about you. Who are you and why did you give me this?"
"Look, I promise you'll get some answers. But first, we need to get this thing settled." Answered the Dark Mandalorian.
Ezra wasted no time, and moved the chair, revealing a concealed hole with a ladder leading to a hidden basement with the Rodian wanted by the Empire with a device around his head at the bottom.
"Tseebo, it's me Ezra Bridger." Said Ezra drawing the attention of the Rodian.
The Rodian climbed up the ladder and spoke an alien language before moving forward to take the window in his face.
"This is the Rodian the Empire is looking for. Do you know him?" Asked Kanan to Ezra.
"Yeah, he's a friend of my parents. But he's weird, what's that thing on his head?" Said Ezra.
"A cybernetic implant. It allows someone's brain to store more things in their memory so they can remember absolutely everything they know as if they learned it two seconds ago. It basically turns them into a living computer with a conscience and free will." Explained the Dark Mandalorian as he looked at Tseebo.
"The Empire is known for implanting them on its low-skilled female technicians, sacrificing their personality for their productivity." Said Sabine examining the implant.
"My productivity is 90% higher than the average Imperial technician." Said Tseebo.
"Tseebo went to work for the Imperial Cluster Office when the Empire took my parents away." Revealed Ezra.
"Your parents, but you never told us. Kanan said in surprise.
"What could I say? It's been eight years since they disappeared. And I've been living on my own since I was seven." Retorted Ezra as Tseebo spoke in another language about something that happened 7 years ago.
"What's he talking about?" Asked Kanan.
"He's telling about the deployment of Imperial fighters on Lothal." Translated Sabine.
"So that's it, Tseebo has information the Empire wants to get its hands on. Sabine, could you access it?" Asked Kanan.
"Uh, yeah. I should be able to, just give me a few minutes." Answered Sabine trying to access the information contained in Tseebo's implant.
"Ezra, are you okay?" Asked Kanan to his student.
"Yes, I'm fine." Answered Ezra going down into the basement.
"Ezra Bridger. Son of Ephraim and Mira Bridger. Born exactly 15 years ago." Said Tseebo as Sabine continued to fiddle with her implant.
"On Empire Day. It's Ezra's birthday." Realized Sabine.
After a few seconds she stopped trying to access the information in Tseebo's implant before glaring at the Dark Mandalorian and climbing down the ladder to Ezra.
"So, why are you helping us?" Asked Kanan to the Dark Mandalorian.
"I have my reasons." He replied as the Jedi master noticed the pommel on his belt.
"You took this lightsaber from a Jedi?" Asked Kanan suspiciously.
"No, someone made it for me from a Kyber crystal I found." Answered the Dark Mandalorian simply.
Sabine and Ezra quickly climbed back up and after a short manipulation on one of his gauntlets, Tseebo's implant began to display blueprints.
"What's that?" Asked Ezra.
"It's... everything... Technical details of the new TIEs and the new T8 disruptors... Movement of the soldiers, tactics and strategies. Half of it is coded, but there's a five-year plan for Lothal and all the other worlds in the outer rim." Explained Sabine.
"No wonder it short-circuits his brain with so much give." Said Ezra.
"The secrets he has in his head must put the Empire at risk. He must be exfiltrated from Lothal at all costs." Said Kanan.
"He should be exfiltrated from the city first. The only reason they haven't found him is because they've been overwhelmed by the Empire's day." Said Sabine.
Soon they agreed on a plan to escape by stealing an Imperial troop transport after knocking out the soldiers around it, and made their way out of the city. They were caught in a chase that forced them into the Ghost during the chase.
At that moment, TIEs began firing at them, causing Kanan, Zeb and Sabine to leave the attack stations as a tremor came over them, causing Ezra to fall on top of Tseebo, while the Dark Mandalorian kept Sabine from falling. The jolt caused something to happen to Tseebo's implant, and he widened his eyes at the sight of Ezra before quickly getting up, startling the Padawan.
"Ezra? Ezra Briger. It's you!" He said as he approached Ezra, which disturbed the latter who stepped back.
"Yes, Tseebo. It's me. But this is not the time for a reunion." Said Ezra.
"Ezra Briger..." Said Tseebo before speaking in another language, which surprised Sabine as the Dark Mandalorian remained unperturbed.
"What is he saying?" Asked Ezra to Sabine.
"He's saying... He's saying he knows what happened to your parents." Translated Sabine, this disturbing her friend.
"Sabine, I need you at the machine gun first!" Said Hera from the ship's speakers.
Sabine was gripped with hesitation, either she would go to the front gunner to attack the TIEs chasing them, or she would help Ezra by translating what Tseebo had to say.
"Didn't you hear Hera?" Asked Ezra.
"Didn't you hear Tseebo?" He said he knows what happened to your parents." Retorted Sabine.
"I already know what happened. They're dead. Go!" Said Ezra with a grim expression.
Sabine understood that she could not discuss it with him, left to the place requested by Hera to fight.
"Are they really? Are they dead?" Asked Ezra.
"The Bridgers had to hide. The soldiers came. They took Mira and Ephraim Bridger away." Explained Tseebo.
"Where did they take them?" Asked Ezra.
Tseebo hesitated to answer, then finally spoke up.
"Forgive Tseebo. Forgive him." He said.
"Forgive you?" Asked Ezra.
"Tseebo failed. Tseebo was afraid. He couldn't raise Ezra Bridger." Replied Tseebo.
"You coward! You could have stopped them! Why didn't you?" Said Ezra, shaking Tseebo.
Unfortunately, the tremors have stressed Tseebo so much that his implant has put him back in the same state he was in before.
"Are they really? Are they dead?" Asked Ezra.
"The Bridgers had to hide. The soldiers came. They took Mira and Ephraim Bridger away." Explained Tseebo.
"Where did they take them?" Asked Ezra.
Tseebo hesitated to answer, then finally spoke up.
"Forgive Tseebo. Forgive him." He said.
"Forgive you?" Asked Ezra.
"Tseebo failed. Tseebo was afraid. He couldn't raise Ezra Bridger." Answered Tseebo.
"You coward! You could have stopped them! Why didn't you?" Said Ezra as he shook Tseebo.
Unfortunately the shaking stressed Tseebo so much that his implant put him back to the state he was in before.
"We're out of shields! Ezra, get in the cockpit!" Ordered Hera from the speakers.
"Yes. I'm coming." Said Ezra before turning his attention back to Tseebo. "Forgive you? My parents trusted you. You let them down and so did I. I can never forgive you for that."
After this outburst of anger, Ezra left for the cockpit, leaving Tseebo and the Dark Mandalorian in the ship's rest room. While the latter sat on the ship's couch until the chase was over. Soon after Tseebo left the room, while the Dark Mandalorian sent a message with his right gauntlet.
A few minutes later the crew managed to get into hyperspace, everyone was now gathered in the rest room. Hera and Sabine were repairing Chopper who was damaged during the battle, Kanan was testing Tseebo's reaction time by snapping his fingers in front of him, Zeb was watching him do it, Ezra was doing nothing, as was the Dark Mandalorian who was waiting patiently for Sabine to ask him what she wanted to know about him.
"So, what do we do now?" Asked Ezra.
"We have some ideas." Replied Kanan, looking at his apprentice. "But you know Tseebo personally. What do you think?"
"I don't know. I don't care." Said Ezra as he put on an imperial cadet helmet so no one could see his face.
"Ezra, you have to be honest if you want to become a better Jedi, at least honest with yourself." Retorted Kanan.
"What do you mean?" Asked Ezra as he got up from the couch and left the room.
"That Tseebo means something to you." Said Kanan as he removed Ezra's helmet. "You care about what happens to him."
"Why should I? He didn't do anything to save my parents." Said Ezra.
"What could he have done against the Empire?" Kanan retorted.
"Besides, look at what he's done since." Said Sabine, pointing to Tseebo's implant. "The Empire encourages these implants, but they're not mandatory. Not yet. He had to volunteer. Then he stole their secrets and ran away. Maybe he's trying to make up for his mistakes. Why else would he brave the Empire alone?"
"Empire." Said Tseebo before speaking again in another language.
"What did he say?" Asked the Dark Mandalorian.
"He said the Empire can follow the Ghost." Translated Sabine.
"Come on. The Empire can't follow us into hyperspace. Right?" Said Zeb.
In response, Tseebo's implant displayed the hologram of a beacon.
"The Imperial XX-23-S beacon was designed by the Sienar System to track ships in hyperspace to their destination." Explained Tseebo.
"Hera, could they have marked us with this beacon?" Asked Kanan.
"Better get to the bottom of it." Said Hera as she finished repairing Chopper who once reactivated, was aggressive until she calmed him down. "You need to scan the Ghost to see if you can find this." She said as she pointed to the hologram of the beacon.
Chopper was reluctant but quickly went with Hera and Zeb to do what was needed. It took only a few minutes for the beacon to be detected. The crew was reunited in the cockpit, while the Dark Mandalorian was removed from the operation, out of suspicion.
The beacon turned out to be on the Phantom, their secondary ship docked at the back of the Ghost. In order to get rid of it, Kanan and Ezra decided to leave with the Phantom even though it was still in hyperspace, to go to an asteroid field where they had problems in the past to use the fauna that lives there to set a trap for the imperials who would be chasing them.
Once this was done, Sabine made Tseebo sit on one of the seats of the cockpit of the Ghost and went to the rest room to speak with the Dark Mandalorian and finally have the answers she hopes to have since her intervention earlier in the evening.
"We are on our way to hand over Tseebo, to a larger rebel cell. So it's time for you to keep your word." She said as she stood against a wall. "Who are you and why did you help me?"
The Dark Mandalorian sighed and stood up before removing his helmet. Seeing his face, Sabine recoiled, seeming to be in shock. As if she was facing a vision from the past.
"... It's been a long time, Sabine..." Said the teenager with a guilty look.
"Andros..." She said in shock.
"Yeah. Even if I changed a little since the academy, it's me." Answered Andros by putting his helmet the table.
Sabine could do nothing but hug Andros, too happy to see him and finally understand the meaning of the message hidden in the notebook. He was forgiving her for what she had done. She broke the embrace and looked at him before looking at the costume in more detail.
"Except for the helmet, it's a far cry from a Mandalorian armor." She commented with an amused smile.
"I know. I wanted to stand out." Said Andros as Sabine ran a hand over the torso of his armor, stopping at the bat symbol.
"What's the bat for?" She asked.
"Long story, I'll tell you later." Answered Andros as he looked back at Sabine's armor. "Always so colorful."
His comment made Sabine laugh and she patted him on the shoulder, before the two Mandalorians took their seats on the couch in the break room.
"So, you joined a rebel cell?" Said Andros.
"Yeah, it's not that crazy coming from me." Answered Sabine, looking her friend in the eye. "And you're going it alone against the Empire?"
"Not really, I have some people to help me. But they're keeping a low profile, helping me just so I can get credits without being a bounty hunter." Answered Andros. "And in terms of fighting the Empire, I'm kind of like you. As soon as I hear that the Empire is doing something I don't think is moral, I attack.
Sabine then looked at her friend's belt and saw what Kanan had recognized as a special Lightsaber.
"How did you..." She began before Andros cut her off.
"It's not the real thing. It's a lightsaber, but it just has the same blade color and the same design for the handle. With one exception." Said Andros as he unbuckled the lightsaber from his belt to show his friend that underneath the hilt was the same symbol as on his chest.
The two friends continued to chat until Hera entered the room and surprised them.
"Well, you two are getting along great." She joked making them stop in their conversation. "I just came to warn Sabine that Tseebo has just been entrusted to Fulcrum."
"Damn, I was hoping I'd still have a chance to meet him." Said Sabine with frustration.
"And you know that's impossible." Hera retorted as she headed for the cockpit.
"We'll see." Said Sabine as Hera was out of reach.
The day after the crisis, the Ghost crew was back on Lothal, with the ship next to Andros', as he stood in front of the crew.
"For those who don't know me, I am Andros Shan. And I would like to join your crew and provide you with my assistance." He said.
This puzzled Kanan and Ezra.
"He is an old friend of Sabine's. He wants to help us in our fight against the Empire." Explained Hera.
"I'm not sure. What's in it for you to help us?" Asked Kanan, suspicious of the dark-armored Mandalorian.
"What I gain is just being with my friend again. And you, you gain a strong ally." Answered Andros.
"He's not wrong, Kanan, from what we've seen he's very strong and trained enough to take out a lot of Stormtroopers on his own." Added Zeb.
"And we can't deny that when he helped us, he was very effective with almost no weapons." Added Hera.
Finding themselves with 3 lanes against 2, the crew agreed to welcome Andros among them. They agreed that he would stay in the same quarters as Sabine, since all the others were already full. He just brought a few things, including a box of precious-looking red crystals that he offered to them, so that they could sell them and get more credit.
He also took some spare clothes for when he had to clean his armor or for other occasions.
Her ship will remain close to the Ghost in case of need though.
Once her things were settled, Sabine entered her quarters to see Andros, sitting on the bed on which he would sleep looking at bat-shaped shurikens he kept in compartments on his belt.
"Tell me, why the bat emblem and all of its objects in the same theme, right down to the end of your cape that resembles the shape of the bottom of their wings?" Asked Sabine as she sat down next to him.
"It's a long story..." Answered Andros.
"I have plenty of time." Retorted Sabine.
This made Andros sigh before he smiled and finally agreed to tell her.
"A few weeks after we parted ways, I was on a planet where I was arrested for assaulting someone who had ripped me off. I was sentenced to a huge prison. I stayed there for a long time. The worst part was that for psychological torture, they put a security rope so that you could climb, but that rope turned out to be the reason why no one could escape. I finally climbed it without a rope, bats came out of a hole in one of the walls of the shaft, surrounding me as the other prisoners cheered me on. I eventually got out and to not forget that moment. I made the bat, my coat of arms." Explained Andros.
It surprised Sabine that her friend had been in prison. Even though he had come out of it and seemed to have become stronger, it saddened her.
"Hey, don't worry about it. It wasn't that bad." Said Andros in a reassuring tone.
It worked a little bit and Sabine took Andros' hand, as if to make sure he was really there. Finding it hard for her to believe he was with her.
