I do not own Star Wars in any capacity.

Since the first part was just a short prologue, I figured I'd go ahead and post the first full chapter.

I think after this, I'm going to try and post a chapter every couple weeks.

Enjoy chapter 2!

Thirteen had to force himself not to clench his fists at his sides as he walked back to his TIE. It would be seen as a weakness, and with his master's droid digging into his shoulder, that wasn't an option. He had only just earned this bit of freedom, and he would rather die than risk losing it now.

He had to admit, it was enjoyable to order other people around for a change. He knew from the moment he jumped out of the TIE that he made the officers nervous, but watching them cower in fear as his Asset had transformed into a nexu had filled Thirteen with a satisfying thrill.

When he returned to his TIE and jumped inside, Thirteen was pleased to see that the Commandant had already sent him the files. There was a report for each incident, which were barebones at best. Just a time, location, and list of supplies stolen and of Imperial property destroyed. Only the last report had any useful information. While there were no holoimages, there were descriptions of the three individuals involved: small helmeted figure - presumably female - in colorful mandalorian armor, a green skinned female twi'lek in pilot's regalia, and a human male with long dark hair pulled back in a nerftail and a large scar along the right side of his face.

The droid finally detached itself from Thirteen's shoulder and settled on the console, its red eye pointed directly at him as he worked. Thirteen managed to ignore it and maintain a facade of nonchalance. Thankfully his master wasn't actually here , so she couldn't sense his apprehension or the jolt of anxiety that shot through his stomach everytime the droid chirped or snapped its pincers. As powerful as he had felt terrorizing the two officers, he knew that it was his master's droid that had all the power here.

There was a pressure on his leg, and he didn't need to look to know that it was his Asset. She had a scaled paw on his thigh, and he could sense that she was trying to comfort him. He knew it was out of view of the droid, but he couldn't react. Affection with one's Asset was a weakness. One that had likely contributed to the Jedi's downfall.

[Ezra…]

That had Thirteen kicking his Asset away from him with a small snarl. What was she thinking? If his master had been here, that alone would have resulted in them being locked away in the Boxes.

His Asset whimpered, her ears low against her head as she crawled away from him, curling up in a far corner of the cockpit.

Thirteen's grip on the console tightened. He didn't want to act this way. He didn't want to do this to her. But she knew as well as he did that if his master noticed even the tiniest deviation from their training, they would be called back to Nur. The tight band of metal around his neck was a constant reminder of that.

The same was true if they failed at their mission, so Thirteen took a deep breath and focused on the intel. His mission here was simple. Monitor the events of Empire Day and assure that things ran smoothly. If the insurgents were to strike again, he was to apprehend and bring them in for questioning and execution.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much intel to go off of. These insurgents had been at it for months, and this was all they had? No wonder the Governor had requested specialized help. They didn't have any leads on where these insurgents were taking refuge or what resources they might have. From the reports, they hadn't even suspected that they might have a leak. How else would the insurgents be getting their information?

Thirteen sighed, turning the holo off and completely powering down the TIE save for a small emergency light in the corner for his Asset. As the TIE went dark, she crawled over to it gratefully, basking in the light. For his part, he laid just behind the pilot's seat on his back, folding his hands on his stomach as he closed his eyes.

Tomorrow was Empire Day. Tomorrow was the day he proved to his master and the Inquisitorious that he was a worthy servant of the Empire.

Minister Tua had scheduled a slew of events for the Empire's fifteenth anniversary. There was a full market of pre-approved vendors selling a variety of celebratory knick-knacks and foods. There was a large stage where Imperial troopers could show off their skills, and the best of Lothal's pilots were flying in a variety of complicated formations throughout the entire day. And of course, the crowning event would be the parade at dusk.

Throughout it all, Thirteen kept to the rooftops. Even if he could somehow 'blend in' to the crowd, he also knew that the locals would not look very kindly on his Asset. Tua had tried very hard to make sure most of the stray animals of the city had been captured and destroyed before today's events. And Thirteen remembered how his fellow Lothalians would treat the strays they happened upon.

No. Not fellow Lothalians. Just Lothalians.

His Asset kept to the sky in the form of a tawny convor, circling above the festivities and keeping an eye out for anyone who matched the descriptions of the insurgents as Thirteen jumped from building to building doing the same. The parrot droid followed him almost leisurely in a manner that reminded him of the way his master moved. But just like his master, he knew that beneath the elegant demeanor with which it moved through the air was the ability to make him suffer in a split second. Usually without preamble or warning.

But he was supposed to be working. The droid wouldn't hurt him just for the fun of it while he was actively serving the Empire. That much Thirteen took comfort in.

The other troopers on duty steered clear of him, which suited him just fine. He could sense their uneasiness. Thirteen knew it was the mixture of his small stature and an aura of pressure he purposefully projected. He didn't know how old he was exactly…

The fifteenth Empire Day

… but he only came up to most adults' chests, making most perceive him as a young child. It's why he spent so much energy on pressing against the minds of those near him. If they didn't fear his title or his Asset, he would make absolutely certain they would fear him.

Thirteen stood at the edge of one of the buildings as the sun began to set. His Asset was standing at attention by his boots in lothcat form while his master's droid was chirping as it scanned over the crowd from Thirteen's shoulder. People were beginning to gather for the parade. He could see the Minister and the Commandant standing at the entrance of the Imperial Complex where the parade was supposed to end. Then Tua would make a speech and the day's events would end with Lothal's top pilot putting on a final demonstration of the newly designed starfighter.

So far there had been no sign of the insurgents. No Mandalorians, green Twi'leks, or human men with facial scars. The only incidents of unrest were the occasional drunken native getting into a fist fight, and the troopers made quick work of them.

The parade got underway, and Thirteen did his best to ignore the upbeat tune of the Imperial Anthem that was blaring over the speakers. He doubled his focus on the crowds, actively searching for the dissidents. At least it would give him something to do. But the music seemed to echo from every corner of the downtown area. He began to softly chant to himself to help him drown out the noise.

"I am Eye See Thirteen. I am a weapon. I live to serve the Empire. I am Eye See Thirteen. I am a weapon. I live to serve the Empire…"

It helped. A bit.

Thirteen kept watch from his perch near the Imperial Complex. If the insurgents were to attack anywhere, it would be here at the most crowded area with the most attention. From past incidents, he doubted they would target the people themselves. In fact, these rebels seemed to be very careful to avoid civilian casualties. Their targets had all been Imperial supplies or property. Which meant the new starfighter was a prime target.

He kept a close eye over both the officers at the end of the parade and the lane that he knew the new fighter would be presented upon. Minister Tua would be beginning her speech momentarily. With everyone distracted, that would be when they would strike.

"Citizens! I am Minister Maketh Tua! Governor Pryce sends her regrets, but she was invited to Coruscant to celebrate with Emperor Palpatine himself!"

She made it sound like it was something special, but Thirteen knew that the leaders of all Imperial worlds were invited to Coruscant on Empire Day. He knew because his master had been assigned as protection one year, and she had told him all the details about it while he had been going through a stress exercise.

"Lothal is just as important to our Empire as any world in the galaxy," the minister went on. "And she wanted me to show you why."

There was a sudden buzz in the back of Thirteen's head, making him frown. He looked around, trying to figure out the source. It was the Force, but it wasn't a warning. Not exactly. He would have thought it was his master trying to make contact, but this felt different. It was… softer. It reminded him of his connection with his Asset.

"Citizens! I present to you with the latest vessel from Lothal's Imperial shipyards: the Sienar Systems advanced TIE starfighter!"

Thirteen shook his head. The buzz was unimportant. He needed to focus. A pallet was bringing the ship up to the end of the parade.

"And who better to make this beauty on her maiden voyage than one of the best Imperial pilots on Lothal: Baron Valen Rudor!"

A pale skinned human man stepped up in a flight suit with his chest puffed out and a smug grin on his face. It was the typical haughtiness seen in most ace pilots, although Thirteen noted that the minister did not call him an ace.

There was a faint beeping, and Thirteen turned his head just before an explosion ignited in the sky. He flinched the sound and bright light, but he heard the crowd cheering at the sight of them. Blinking, he saw that the lights were a variety of colors and dancing through the air.

[Fireworks] his Asset provided.

Thirteen could only stare for a moment. A part of him was wracking his brain as to how he could have possibly forgotten what fireworks were. Then he realized it must be because he had never seen them before.

He was giggling, his arms wrapped tightly around his father's head and his legs dangling over his shoulders as he looked up at them in wonder …

Thirteen hit the side of his head with his palm. He had to focus. There was something else amiss. Fireworks hadn't been listed anywhere on the schedule. And since they were obviously explosives, they should have been cleared through the Commandant and himself.

Another set of fireworks went off, but this time he caught sight of where they were coming from. Three buildings over. In the alleyway. He ran towards the source, his Asset jumping and turning into a convor before soaring ahead. And as she circled the area…

[It's her.]

Thirteen couldn't help but smirk. A second later, he was leaping down into the alleyway, landing in a crouch right in front of the Mandalorian. His Asset swooped down and took her nexu form behind the Mando, boxing her in. Before she could react, Thirteen had pulled out his lightsaber, igniting one end and pointing it at her. "I am Eye See Thirteen of the Inquisitorious. By the name of the Emperor, you are under arrest for grand theft and destruction of Imperial property."

She slowly put their hands up. The Mandalorian's expression was hidden by her helmet, but Thirteen could feel her indignation. She was twitching for a proper fight. Thirteen almost laughed at the idea. Keeping his saber leveled at her, he raised his wrist and activated his comm. "This is Eye See Thirteen. I have apprehended the Mandolorian and need - "

There was a loud bang, louder than the fireworks, and the ground trembled. Panic and fear rose in the Force, and moments later people began to scream.

Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, the Mandalorian pulled out her pistols and shot at him. Thirteen easily deflected the bolts with his saber, but then she rolled to the side and threw something at his Asset. The device clanked along the ground before letting out a bright bang, tossing his Asset back against the building with a hard crack.

Thirteen hissed as pain shot through his back. He bottled that pain and let it fuel his rage as he thrust his arm out with a clawed hand. The Mandalorian choked as she was lifted into the air. Thirteen's lip curled into a snarl as he tightened his grip. The Mandalorian's arm shook as she tried to shoot at him, but Thirteen deflected the bolt and hit her square in the chest, knocking her back with a cry. She tumbled to the ground and his Asset pinned her with her giant paws, snarling at the Mando's helmet.

Thirteen grinned with a satisfied sigh. Pathetic. He put his lightsaber away and raised his wrist again. "I repeat: I have apprehended the Mandalorian dissident. Send a squad to the Northeast alleyway at the corner of - "

The buzzing in his head suddenly crescendoed, making his voice stutter. It was the same feeling as before, except now it was mixed with a warning.

A blaster shot came from behind him. Thirteen had no choice but to roll to the side. Then the bolts were aimed at his Asset, who quickly jumped and transformed into a convor to escape harm's way. Thirteen spun around and saw a man silhouetted at the entrance of the alleyway with a blaster pistol pointed at them.

The human. Thirteen was mentally hitting himself. He had been so caught up in finding one insurgent he lost sight of the fact there were two other accomplices to look out for. Thirteen pulled out his lightsaber as the human kept shooting at him, pinning him further back into the alley and giving the Mando an opening to flee.

Thirteen's breathing quickened as he watched them run. He couldn't let them get away. This mission was supposed to be his chance to prove that he could handle working solo. If he failed, his master would call him back to Nur for more training, and he couldn't let that happen.

He ran out after them, seeing the squad of stormtroopers had just arrived. "They can't have gone far," Thirteen growled. "Split up and find them!"

The commander nodded and started giving his troopers orders. Thirteen jumped straight up to the closest rooftop, his Asset soaring above him. The droid floated up to him, beeping curiously.

"Just give me a minute!" he growled. He sighed and closed his eyes. This buzzing seemed to be connected to the human. He had no idea why. Maybe the Force was actually trying to help him for once in his miserable life. Regardless, maybe he could use it to his advantage.

He bit his lip as he focused on the feeling. It was… disturbing how similar it was to his bond with his Asset, but he couldn't worry about that right now. Right now, he needed to find them.

Thirteen exhaled and opened his eyes. It was a thread. And threads could be followed.

He ran to the edge of the building and leapt to the next rooftop. He ran as fast as he could, using the Force to boost his speed. The buzzing got louder as he got closer. Just two more buildings… that alley… right there!

Thirteen ignited his blade as he jumped down, silently ordering his Asset to stay in the air until the time was right. He wanted to corner this bastard. He landed in front of the human, who turned almost impossibly quick and ran the other direction. Thirteen grit his teeth as he ran after him. He knew there was a dead end just ahead.

Just as the human was about to pass it, his Asset dropped down as a hulking dewback and cut him off. Thirteen grinned as the man turned into the alley. He casually walked in behind him, swinging his lightsaber through the air and making it hum. He could see the human standing at the end of the alleyway, realizing he was trapped. "You are under arrest."

The man slowly turned. As the report had stated, he had long dark hair pulled back into a nerftail. As Thirteen stepped closer, the light from his blade illuminated the man's face. His expression was hardened and unafraid, made harsh by the large scar across his face. It stretched from the bottom of his right cheek up through his right eye, making it milky white.

Thirteen paused in his footsteps. He couldn't help but frown at the sight. He recognized that kind of scarring…

"So…" the man said calmly. "They're training children now."

Thirteen bristled at that. "I am no child!" He pointed his saber at the human, who didn't even flinch at the action. "You have no way of escaping. Get on your knees and put your hands on your head."

The man's eyes flickered to his Asset who had transformed to her nexu form. Even that didn't seem to perturb him in the slightest. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I truly am."

The buzzing got louder, turning into an intense pressure in the back of Thirteen's head. "I said to get on your knees!" he shouted. Even though he had all the power here, he felt as though he had no control.

The man glanced upward towards the sky before looking Thirteen straight in the eye. "I kneel to no one."

Before Thirteen could respond, the man leapt thirty meters in the air. Thirteen took a step back in surprise, staring slack mouthed as the man backflipped onto the top of the building and disappeared.

His breath caught in his throat. A Jedi.

Shaken from his shock, he ran forward and leapt in the air to pursue him. He couldn't jump as high in a single bound but it took mere seconds for him to zigzag across the width of the alley to the roof. But by the time he got there, there was no sight of the Jedi.

Thirteen closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe deeply and try and follow the thread again. But this time he couldn't find it. Whatever aspect of the Force that had connected them before… it was gone now.

His stomach dropped as his grip on his saber tightened. He had lost them. Not just the insurgents, but a Jedi. The very people he had been trained to kill. But then he frowned. Where had the Jedi's Asset been? The alleyway had been empty save for them. Thirteen was sure of it.

The Jedi's Asset must have settled into some small creature. One that could fit in his clothing. It would make sense. The Jedi were weak, so their Assets were more likely to settle into weak creatures as well.

His own Asset had settled down at his feet in her usual lothcat form. A form that his master had tried to beat out of her again and again, but she never relented. No matter how much it was drilled into their minds that this form was weak and useless, it was always her default. But even in this form, she should have no issue against an Asset as small as this Jedi's must be. In fact, that was probably the easiest way to dispatch the both of the both of them. Then he could bring in the other insurgents easily.

But first he had to find them.

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