Empire Day
4 BBY
The Ghost crew arrived in a town on Lothal and Hera, Zeb, Errol and Sabine were walking into Old Jho's Pit Stop. Sabine though took her helmet off and looked out at the plains to see Ezra and Kanan in the middle of a Jedi session. Ezra has been acting odd for the past few days and now, he's just not himself. The crew noticed and were a bit concerned.
They sat there just waiting when suddenly TIE pilots entered as Kanan and Ezra did. Everyone kept their eyes open, ready for things to go south. They saw that two of the pilots were surrounding a green Rodian. And then the third looked at Hera, Errol and Zeb.
"Over here!" One of them called out, rounding on the Rodian. The third pilot turned him around harshly and held up a pad with an image of a yellow Rodian. The poor guy was whimpering in fear. Ezra noticed the image and was shocked as it was someone he knew.
"Tseebo." He muttered.
"What?" Kanan asked, as he didn't hear him clearly.
"Nothing." Ezra lied.
"He's not the one." The pilot said and they placed the Rodian on his seat and he whimpered, looking at them. The one pilot then walked up to the counter, looking at Jho.
"The Imperial HoloNet broadcast should play here at all times!" He spat at him, swatting a drink away.
"No one's requested it for, well, ever." Jho told him. This made the other pilots gang up on him.
"It's the law." The pilot reminded him. Jho, having no choice, played it and a broadcast was playing. Sabine had just entered.
"...because today is Empire Day. Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the galaxy's salvation, when our great Emperor Palpatine ended the Clone Wars and founded our glorious Empire." An announcer said with an image of Palpatine popping up. Errol frowned with anger because his dad told him that Palpatine is a Sith Lord and manipulated both sides of the war so he can come out on top and destroy the Jedi.
"On Lothal, Governor Pryce has commissioned a parade." The announcer then said.
"You heard the man! Raise your cups to Emperor-" A pilot forced some of the people but then the broadcast got hacked and showed an image of Gall Trayvis.
"Citizens, this is Senator in Exile Gall Trayvis. I bring more news the Empire doesn't want you to hear. I urge you to boycott all Empire Day celebrations to protest the ongoing injustices of the Imperial regime." Gall said.
"Shut this off!" The pilot demanded of Jho.
"Can't. It's the law." Jho used the pilot's words against him to good effect.
"We're done here." The pilot sneered and they all left on their TIEs. And with them gone, Jho shut the transmission off.
"TIE pilots on search patrols? What's going on?" Kanan asked the cantina owner.
"Imperials have locked down the ports and put Destroyers in orbit. It's a full planetary blockade." Jho explained.
"They're after a Rodian." Kanan then said, looking at the green one sitting there, looking back at him. Hera, Zeb and Errol joined up with them.
"Just be glad they're not after us for once." Sabine said.
"With what we've got planned for today's parade, they'll be after us again tomorrow." Kanan stated.
"Well, you're gonna have to do it without me." Ezra revealed, surprising the crew as he walked away.
"Where are you going?" Errol asked him.
"I just need to be alone. Today has brought back some memories." The now 15 year old teen said as Empire Day is his birthday.
The whole crew that were there looked on at him, sad to see him like this.
When nightfall came, the crew, minus Chopper and Ezra headed to Capital City after going over the plan again to make sure they all knew what to do.
They snuck up through an alleyway as the Imperial March played.
"Okay, let's start the celebration." Kanan told everyone.
"Copy that. Commencing festivities." Sabine agreed as she put her helmet on and they all got into position, parting into groups. Hera, Kanan and Errol. And Sabine with Zeb.
"Lothal is just as important to our Empire as any world in the galaxy. And she wanted me to show you why." Maketh said to the whole crowd. Hera, Kanan and Errol watched the huge screen showing her.
"Citizens, I present you with the latest vessel from Lothal's Imperial shipyards, the Sienar Systems advanced TIE starfighter!" She then said. The trio looked and there it was on full display. Hera slowly clapped and the three looked at each other with a sly grin.
"Pretty, isn't it?" Kanan asked the two.
"Yeah/Yep." They said at the same time, causing them to look at each other with a grin.
"I almost feel bad about blowing it up." Hera stated with sarcasm and with a sadistic look on her face.
"We'll need to make a quick exit." Errol said and they parted with Errol joining with Kanan.
Sabine and Zeb released some fireworks into the sky, causing a distraction for Kanan and Errol to sneak their way past Maketh and some Stormtroopers. They then planted some explosives for the new TIE and hid away but then they were spotted by another trooper.
"You there. This area's off limits." He told the two Jedi.
"Did you see it? It's so beautiful! All the colours! It's like a…. Like a rainbow." Kanan said, trying to act like he's excited by the fireworks.
"Dad, bro, what are you doing?" Ezra suddenly popped up as Kanan placed his hand on his blaster.
"Sorry, mister. My dad and brother are just so patriotic, you know." Ezra told the trooper.
"Yeah! Empire Day!" Errol cheered.
"Right, well run along." The trooper told the three and they walked away.
"Thanks for the save. Where were you by the way?" Errol said to Ezra.
"Making some connections. How's the plan going?" Ezra replied.
"Just watch." Kanan said. The detonators were beeping more rapidly until they exploded, destroying the new TIE and knocking Maketh and her company over. The crowd was screaming.
Everyone ran for it and they all, excluding Hera met up, with Sabine and Zeb surprised to see Ezra with them.
"Nice of you to join us, kid." Zeb greeted Ezra.
"Hey, where were you?" Sabine asked him as they ran.
"Why, did you miss me?" He asked her playfully.
"Yeah, right." Zeb joked.
They all then stopped and looked back to see Kallus looking around.
"Been spoilin' to finish things with Agent Kallus." Zeb snarled, aiming his bo-rifle. Errol however looked and spotted the Inquisitor, ordering some troopers.
"If you're going to take someone out, take him out!" Errol stated, pointing at the Inquisitor.
"Fine." The Lasat groaned. He then aimed his bo-rifle at the Dark Side Force user and fired but dodged him and hit the wrecked TIE.
The crew ran just as the Inquisitor caught sight of them.
"Spectre-2, we're on route to the rendezvous." Errol told Hera through the comms.
"Negative, Spectre-6. The streets are blocked. I cannot, repeat, cannot reach rendezvous." Hera regretfully updated the situation.
"I know a place we can hole up till things calm down. But 'Shoulders' here might have a problem taking my route." Ezra brought up.
"Then we need another option." Kanan said.
"Nah, it's fine." Zeb said, reaching for his comms.
"Spectre-2, can you make it to the Old Market?" He then asked Hera.
"Affirmative." She replied.
"I'm on my way." He then said, climbing up the building next to them.
"Get back to the Ghost." Kanan reminded him.
"Follow me." Ezra told him, Errol and Sabine and they ran.
"We'll signal a new rendezvous when we can!" Kanan shouted to Zeb before catching up with the others.
Being careful to avoid Stormtroopers, who were searching the city, the four stealthed their way to a building that Ezra led them to, which had some words spray painted on the building from the Imperials.
"That's an Imperial warning declaring this building off limits. What is this place?" Sabine said, confused.
Ezra pulled out a key card and swiped it on a panel and it opened the door slightly, leaving a tight space. Kanan saw how Ezra acted and connected some dots.
"You were coming here today. This was your home, wasn't it? Where you grew up?" He asked.
"I grew up on the streets, alone." Ezra replied, bitter as he opened one of the door panels more and they all entered his old home with Kanan closing the door.
Errol and Sabine looked around to see it all wrecked, abandoned and boarded up.
"Then why here? Why now?" She asked, taking her helmet off. Errol kept his on.
"Had this feeling." Ezra said, looking around until he moved a foot rest, revealing a ladder to a hidden bunker. He looked down and gasped in surprise to see a yellow Rodian with electronics on his head curled up, sobbing. It's Tseebo.
"Tseebo. Tseebo, it's me, Ezra Bridger." He called out to the Rodian, which made him stop sobbing and looked up.
Tseebo then climbed out and looked around and then at Ezra. He then started rambling in his native language and walked right into a boarded up window.
"He's the Rodian the Imperials are hunting. You knew him?" Errol questioned.
"Name's Tseebo. A friend of my parents. But something's wrong. What's that thing on his head?" He said, sitting down.
"Empire's been known to implant lower level technicians with cybernetic circuits. Personality sacrificed for productivity." Sabine explained, examining the electronics until she tweaked it.
"Tseebo's productivity is 19% higher than average Imperial data worker." The Rodian suddenly said in Basic.
"Tseebo went to work for the Imperial information office after the Empire took my parents away." Ezra revealed, shocking Kanan, Sabine and Errol.
"Your parents? You never told us." Kanan said.
"What's to tell? They've been gone for eight years. I've been on my own since I was seven." Ezra revealed more about himself. Kanan now understood why he was struggling with the lesson from earlier.
"Seven. Imperial…." Tseebo said in Basic and then in an alien language.
"What's he saying?" Kanan asked Sabine.
"He's detailing Imperial fighter deployments on Lothal." Sabine said in elation.
"Of course! He has intel that the Empire doesn't want out. Can you access it, Sabine?" Errol said.
"Uh, think so. I need a few minutes." She admitted and started to work on the electronics.
"Ezra. You okay?" Kanan asked, concerned for Ezra like a father would for their son.
"I'm fine." Ezra replied, annoyed before climbing down the ladder.
"I told you, sometimes you have to let your guard down." Kanan told him.
"I said I'm fine." Ezra insisted as he climbed further down.
"Ezra Bridger. Son of Ephraim and Mira Bridger. Born 15 years ago today." Tseebo revealed. The last point shocked the three to the core.
"No wonder he acted differently. Empire Day is his birthday." Errol said, saddened yet understanding. Sabine then went to retrieve Ezra and they both climbed back out of the bunker. She then pressed some switches on her wrist guard and this made Tseebo babble until the electronics on his head activated a hologram, showing some information.
"What are we looking at?" Kanan asked as the hologram showed TIEs, AT-ATs and other Imperial vehicles.
"It's…. Well, it's everything. Imperial specs on the new TIEs and new T-8 Disruptors. Schedules of troop movements, tactics and strategies. Half of it's encrypted, but it looks like there's a five year plan for Lothal and every other world in the Outer Rim." Sabine said in awe at all the information. The hologram then turned off because Tseebo groaned and stumbled.
"No wonder his brain's shorting out. All that data'd overload anyone." Ezra pointed out.
"The secrets in his head must be damaging to the Empire. We'll need to smuggle him off Lothal." Kanan told everyone.
"But to do that, we need to get him out of the city. The only reason he hasn't been caught yet is because their forces were occupied with Empire Day. But it's almost over." Errol reminded them all and as he did, Tseebo walked right into a door, smacking his head and falling on the floor. Errol rolled his eyes while Sabine and Ezra groaned.
A couple of troopers got on speeder bikes and sped off. Another couple were patrolling until Errol shot one of them down and Sabine punched the other really hard, knocking him out.
"I miss Zeb." She groaned, cracking her knuckles as Errol and Kanan ran past her. An AT-DP trooper came out of a troop transport and Kanan knocked him unconscious.
"Come on, Tseebo. Move it." Ezra said as he escorted the Rodian who was stumbling like he was drunk. He then spoke in an alien language, which made Ezra try to shut him up as everyone got onboard the transport.
Sabine and Kanan acted as the pilots and flew the ship towards the highway out of the city. However, they saw that there was a blockade with another transport ship, a couple of AT-DP Walkers and a couple of speeder bikes.
"I have no plans on stopping." Sabine casually said.
"Do they really think we'd stop?" Errol mocked the Imperials.
"Punch it!" Kanan shouted and they gained speed, making the Imperials respond by firing their blasters. The crew fired back but some blaster fire hit them, causing the transport to shake.
Sabine just kept piloting forward and the troopers got out of the way. One of the Walkers feet got swiped and it fell over and then they rammed the other transport and it moved out of the way and so they progressed further down the highway with another chasing them with the speeders.
The door on the transport suddenly exploded, and a speeder bike hovered but the trooper wasn't riding it. Confused, Ezra looked, only for the trooper to swing down, kicking the teen in the chest.
"The Rodian!" The trooper snarled, only for Errol to push him out of the transport with the Force right as the other trooper on the other speeder came up, crashing into each other.
The transport chasing them fired at them and gained up on them, ramming into the back of their transport. Kallus then climbed up on top and jumped over with his bo-rifle out. As he did, he looked up to see the Ghost above them and the ramp opened to reveal Zeb with his bo-rifle.
"Remember me?" He called out to the Agent and fired down at him.
"Spectre-5 to Ghost. We're coming in hot." Sabine informed.
"Can see that. You got company upstairs." Zeb replied.
The transport then fired at the Ghost under Kallus' orders.
"Shields holding, but I need that transport taken out." Hera told the crew.
"Chopper, you got this?" She then asked the astromech. He entered the Phantom and fired at the transport until it crashed. Chopper was giddy to accomplish that.
Zeb aimed his bo-rifle at Kallus and fired, causing the Imperial Agent to fall off the transport.
"Okay, you're all clear. Pull over and we'll-"
"Belay that. Have to be a scoop job. Sensors reading multiple TIEs incoming." Hera changed the plan. Ezra helped Tseebo up.
"TIE Fighters will begin mass production on Lothal within the next three weeks." He said.
"He's an Imperial encyclopedia." Errol remarked. Unknown to them, Kallus is hanging on to the transport and Kanan climbs up on top, and then Errol.
Ezra pushed Tseebo and then Errol and Kanan pulled him up as the Ghost got lower so that they could get aboard.
"You ready?" Ezra asked Sabine.
"Yeah. Autopilot's engaged. This thing'll run till it's out of fuel." She told him as he climbed up and then she did so, joining up with the others.
Hera lowers the ramp fully.
"Get in!" Zeb called out with his hand out for them and they let Tseebo go first since he's important. Errol sensed something so he grabbed his blaster and looked around the ramp and saw Kallus and instantly fired his blaster at him, causing the Agent to lose his grip and fall off.
"He's quite a nuisance." He commented as they all got onboard.
"We're all aboard, Spectre-2. Let's go." He then told Hera as he closed the ramp.
"Copy that." She said and flew the Ghost higher into the atmosphere with a whole bunch of TIEs now chasing after them, with the Inquisitor piloting one of them.
"I need my gunners. Shields won't hold long under this barrage." Hera requested right as Errol joined her and got in the co-pilot seat and helped her fly since she and his parents taught him how to fly.
"Almost there." Kanan said as he climbed to the turret on top of the ship. Chopper fired back at the TIEs with the Phantom. Hera maneuvered through the clouds and as they reached the upper atmosphere, the Inquisitor fired and hit the Phantom directly, causing Chopper to be fried. He then fired again causing the Ghost to shake.
Everyone, excluding Hera, Errol, Chopper and Kanan were in the common room.
"Karabast! That came from behind! Is that scrapheap even payin' attention?" Zeb grunted and climbed up the ladder to the Phantom.
"I have to man the nose gun." Sabine said and was about to head her way.
"I'm coming with." Ezra said. But then the ship shook again and he fell on top of Tseebo and they bonked their heads. The Rodian seemed confused for a bit until he looked at Ezra and was shocked.
"Ezra? Ezra Bridger?" He asked, as though this was the first time he met him in a long time. Ezra gasped and got back up on his feet.
"*alien language* It is you!" Tseebo then said up on his feet.
"Yeah, Tseebo. It's me. But now's not the best time for a reunion." The teen told him. Sabine stayed as she heard their interaction. Tseebo then placed his hands on Ezra's shoulders.
"Ezra Bridger…*alien language*" The Rodian said and Ezra shoved his hands off his shoulders.
"What's he saying?" Ezra asked Sabine.
"He says…. He says he knows what happened to your parents." The Mandalorian revealed, shocking Ezra to his core.