The Future of the Force
3 BBY
A few weeks later and it's a new year. In a docking bay in Garel, both 33 year old Ahsoka Tano and 34 year old Dash Flynn are walking up to the Ghost, looking to talk with Kanan and their son. Ezra notices the couple as he was working on Chopper.
Both Kanan and Errol walk down the ramp to meet up with the couple.
"This is a bit unexpected. Of course, it's nice to see you again." Errol said as he hugged his parents.
"Usually when we meet, it means there's trouble." Kanan pointed out as Errol parted with his dad.
"What we have to say is Jedi business." Ahsoka told them.
"Then I guess we qualify." Kanan replied.
"More than we do, technically." Dash chuckled before all four walked into the ship. Ezra who overheard their conversation decided to try and listen in on what their little meeting is about.
The four entered Kanan's room and Ahsoka closed the door.
"We've been monitoring transmissions from Mustafar to find out more about Vader." Dash told Kanan and Errol.
"And did you find out anything?" Errol asked, which made his mother sigh.
"Information about him eludes us, but we learned more about his Inquisitors. It seems they have a secondary mission to make retrievals." Ahsoka explained.
"We know they hunt Jedi, so what else are they after?" Kanan asked.
"Right now, we could only guess." Dash said.
"But we did manage to decode two sets of coordinates. Me and Ahsoka will investigate the first one." Dash then told his son and Kanan.
"So you want us to go and investigate the second one. No problem." Errol didn't mind as there was nothing to do now and Hera was in the middle of a meeting with Sato and Alaara.
"You should have Ezra join you." Ahsoka told them as Kanan walked up to the door.
"*chuckles* He's already briefed on the mission." Kanan told her, slamming his nad on the controls of his door and it opened to Ezra, who seemed to have leaned on the door as he fell on the floor.
"Hey! They did say it was Jedi business." Ezra said, standing up with a grin. Errol rolled his eyes.
"Bring Zeb as well. He proved himself against the Inquisitors before." Ahsoka told them.
"So, where are we going?" Ezra asked.
Upon being told to go to the planet of Takobo, in particular a settlement named Hammertown, the Jedi trio, including Slick and Zeb, got on the Phantom and made their way to their destination.
They landed in an available docking bay and exited the shuttle, with Slick exiting from the top of the shuttle. Errol was wearing his full Mandalorian armour, including his helmet.
"Did Ahsoka and Dash say exactly what we were looking for?" Zeb asked.
"No. They just said we have to get whatever it is before the Inquisitors do." Kanan replied as they exited the docking bay.
"Hey, Slick, do you have the coordinates?" Errol asked his droid. He beeped as he uploaded a map of the settlement into his system and then showed a hologram of where the coordinates were in the place.
"Housing units? What would Inquisitors want there?" Ezra questioned.
"I doubt they're renting. Zeb, you take a look around the spaceports for the Inquisitors' ship. If they're already here, I'd like to know." Kanan ordered.
"Don't worry. If I find any sign of 'em, you'll hear about it." Zeb assured him, holding out two detonators.
"Bring Slick. Stay in touch." Kanan then told him before he, Ezra and Errol walked off, leaving the Lasat and astromech.
Out in the middle of space, both Dash and Ahsoka exited Hyperspace in A-Wings and headed right to a transport ship that was now floating. As they flew closer, they sensed something.
"Do you feel that?" Dash asked his wife.
"Yes. They were here." She replied, referring to the Inquisitors.
They eventually boarded the ship and opened a door to a wrecked and dark hallway. They walked through, looking around and seeing the damage caused by the Inquisitors' sabres.
As they continued on through the hallway, Dash spotted some slight movement ahead.
"Help. I'm here." A woman begged, her voice straining.
"It's okay. You're safe now." Ahsoka assures the woman as she and Dash knelt down to see if she's injured.
"Help me. Help my grandchild." The woman told them.
"Your grandchild?" Dash asked in confusion.
"They took her. The red blades, they knew that she has it. Find her. She has it…." The woman told them as she was losing consciousness and started getting lethargic.
"Shh. Rest. You need to rest. We will find her." Ahsoka comforted the woman with her words.
"They're after Force sensitive children." Dash said in realisation.
On Takodo, the Jedi trio were walking around the settlement and so far, they haven't seen any sign of the Inquisitors.
"Am I the only one who's worried that we haven't seen the Inquisitors yet?" Errol asked, being on edge.
"You're not the only one." Kanan answered as they entered an apartment complex.
They were carefully walking through the hallways, being cautious if they'll encounter the Dark Side users.
As they walked down one hallway, Kanan saw a door that was left slightly open, meaning that something happened.
"Ah. This is it." He told the teens as he and they pushed the door open and entered the room to see that it was trashed and ransacked.
"Guys, I… I think we're too late." Ezra said, looking around. The trio then heard someone groaning. They went to where the groaning was and saw a female Ithorian gaining consciousness.
"Hey, it's okay. You're alright. What's your name?" Errol said to her.
"Oora." She answered in her native language.
"Save your strength, Oora." Kanan told her. She then started speaking and mentioned the name 'Pipey'.
"Pipey?" Ezra questioned.
"She believes they came after her child. Two red blades. Inquisitors for sure." Errol noted, looking stern. She then told him what she did with her child.
"But they didn't get her child. She sent it away with a droid." He then translated. Ezra noticed a baby toy and grabbed it.
"I promise you Oora. We'll find your Pipey." He promised her, handing the toy to her. She then said something as the three helped her up to sit on the couch.
"Oora, as soon as you're able to, get to Docking Bay 12." Kanan told her and she nodded. The three then made their way out of the apartment.
"Guys, what do they want with her child?" Ezra asked Errol and Kanan. Errol was thinking back on how his mother told him how Jedi Master Plo Koon found her when she was a little child. It was because the Jedi sensed the Force in children.
"I think they're after Force sensitive children. The Jedi did it, the Inquisitors could be doing the same thing." Errol answered.
"That would make sense. Why else would they be after children?" Kanan replied.
As they made their way out of the apartment complex, Kanan contacted Zeb, who informed them that he and Slick found the Inquisitors' ships but also a baby, which they took back to the Phantom. Kanan then tells him that the Inquisitors are after another baby and orders him to pick the baby up.
After walking for a bit Kanan's comlink went off.
"Kanan, I found the baby." Zeb informed them.
"Already? You're pretty good at this." Kanan remarked with a smirk.
"Yeah. I know. I'm taking it back to the ship." Zeb replied.
"Copy that." Kanan acknowledged.
"We'll meet you there." Zeb added before cutting comms off. After walking for a few more minutes, the comlink came back on.
"Spectre-1, making it back to the Phantom is not going to happen." Zeb suddenly updated the situation.
"Great, they're chasing after him." Errol noted.
"Copy that, Spectre-4. Where are you?" Kanan asked the Lasat.
"On the move. Ran into your two friends. We'll be in the tower at the grid nine intersection. Hurry." He told the trio before cutting off.
The three then ran through the streets to head to where Zeb told them to arrive.
They turned a corner, leading straight to their destination.
"This is Grid Nine. Tower should be just ahead." Kanan panted. Errol spotted something hovering in the air. His eyes widened to see that it was one of the Seventh Sister's Probe Droids.
"Stop!" He told Kanan and Ezra and they got behind cover, avoiding being spotted.
"This is definitely the place." Ezra noted.
Kanan peeked and saw the Probe Droid hovering higher up. He nodded to the teens that it's okay and they entered the building.
They silently walked through the hallways and Errol sensed that the Inquisitors were nearby and so when they reached a corner, he pulled Ezra back as the Seventh Sister walked from one side of the hall to the other. Once she was out of sight, they continued ahead to some stairs and quietly ran up the stairs to the upper floor.
"Hey. Over here." They heard Zeb whisper. They looked and saw him peeking out of a room. They ran into the room.
"How's the baby?" Errol asked quietly.
"Quiet, for the moment." He told him.
"Let's see him." Ezra requested.
"I wouldn't if I were you. It'll just start shrieking again." Zeb warned him as he was walking up to the baby. Ezra was about to grab ahold of the baby when it, as Zeb warned, shrieked loudly.
"Well done, you idiot. Now the Inquisitors know where we are." Errol hissed, smacking Ezra on the back of his head.
"I was trying to be nice." Ezra argued. Errol groaned as he grabbed the baby and curled it up in his arms.
"Shh… it's okay, little guy, it's okay." Errol cooed, staying calm and using the Force to send relaxing thoughts, rocking the baby slightly and letting it play with his finger. It managed to work as the baby stopped shrieking and giggled, playing with Errol's finger. It warmed his heart so much as this would be a possible future for him and Hera.
"Yeah, there you go. We'll protect you from those mean Inquisitors." He comforted the baby. The other three were surprised to see Errol handling the baby like a pro.
"How are you doing that?" Kanan asked.
"I've handled babies when I was with some Togruta in my youth." Errol revealed.
But then both Kanan and Errol sensed both Inquisitors directly below them.
"Move!" Errol kicked Zeb back as a red saber cut through the floor where Zeb stood. Then another red saber cut through the door, nearly hitting Kanan. The sabre from the floor cut through again, nearly cutting Ezra's foot. The baby started to panic.
"Where to now?" Zeb asked.
"Only one way left." Ezra stated as he and Kanan stood on a table and they both ignited their sabers and cut a hole through the ceiling. One big enough for them all to go through.
Ezra was the first to jump through and then Kanan. Errol was next, being able to land with ease while trying to keep the baby calm. Zeb then climbed up.
"I've got something they can retrieve." He stated, pulling out a thermal detonator and priming it before dropping it into the hole. They all ran out into the hallway, with Zeb looking back to see the thermal detonator thrown into the hallway.
"Move, move!" He told the others, running around the corner as it exploded. Pipey started squealing as they reached the stairs.
"Shh… don't worry, little guy. It's okay. We'll evade them soon." Errol soothed the baby and managed to calm the baby down. They then continued running.
"Wait, I have an idea. Pipey's squealing can buy us time. Keep moving and keep the comlink on." Kanan told Errol and he as well as Zeb and Ezra ran up the stairs as Kanan ran into the hallway for the distraction. He left his comlink in a room and then ran back up the stairs to catch up with the others. After waiting a while, it seemed that the Inquisitors were indeed distracted and Errol calmed Pipey back down.
"Nice plan, but if you hadn't noticed, we've run out of floors." Zeb reminded Kanan.
"They hunt Jedi, right? Instead of Pipey, let 'em hunt me." Kanan replied.
"And what about me?" Ezra asked, wanting in on the action.
"You are helping Errol get the little one out of here. And I think I know how. Use the cooling ducts." Kanan told the teens.
"I won't let you face them without me." Ezra argued.
"Hey, you made a promise to return this child to his mother. And the best chance we've got to keep it is for you to help Errol take him back to his mother." Kanan told him as Zeb opened the duct.
"Don't worry, little one. You'll be alright." Errol whispered, making Pipey coo slightly.
"Hey, time is of a premium." Zeb snarled quietly before he helped both Errol and Ezra up into the ducts.
"Don't have too much fun without us." Ezra said to them before Zeb closed the duct and the two crawled through the ducts, reaching a drop.
"Okay, bud. Hang on." Errol whispered to Pipey, holding onto him as he dropped down and landed at the bottom. He moved for Ezra to jump down and then they proceeded to continue until one of the Inquisitor's sabers cut into the duct from the bottom. It then started to head towards them as Pipey squealed.
"Shh… calm down, Pipey." Errol whispered, closing his eyes and connecting with the baby through the Force. And with luck, the baby went quiet and the saber stopped stabbing.
Eventually, the two teens got out of the ducts and made it out of the building.
"We're closer to bringing you back to your mother, little guy." Errol cheered Pipey up.
"Yeah. Once we get you back to your mother, maybe you could come live with us on Garel. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Ezra said to the baby. Pipey chirped before they ran through the streets, heading to the docking bay where the Phantom was, unaware that the Probe Droid from earlier overheard them.
They ran through the streets, at one point seeing Zeb and Kanan getting chased by the Inquisitors on speeders. They eventually reached the docking bay but it was closed.
"Slick! Let us in!" Errol shouted.
"Kanan, the door is locked!" Ezra said through his comlink.
"I'm a little preoccupied at the moment!" Kanan replied, but they heard his voice with their own ears. They turned to see him and Zeb running towards them with the Inquisitors behind them. Errol got a good look and saw two cybernetic legs for the Fifth Brother.
Kanan ignited his saber and Zeb grabbed his bo-staff and fired some shots, which got blocked by the Seventh Sister's spinning saber. The Fifth Brother then used the Force Push on Zeb, throwing him back.
Then the Seventh Sister started to go on the offensive with Kanan and the Fifth Brother joined in, giving Kanan a disadvantage as he was blocking their attacks. But then he used the Force to lock Kanan in place, allowing the Seventh Sister to kick him in the chest, throwing him back.
Ezra then stepped up and ignited his lightsaber.
"I don't have time to waste on you, child." The Seventh Sister mocked and Force Pushed him up against the hangar door, sliding next to Errol.
"Come on! Come on, you cheaters!" Errol challenged.
But then the hangar door opened to a blinding white light behind him and both of his parents showed up, looking like they're ready to fight.
The Seventh Sister revealed her face and there was a prominent scar on her face.
Ahsoka then ignited both of her lightsabers to reveal fully white blades and then Dash ignited his to reveal his purple lightsaber from his time as a Jedi.
"Unexpected, but not unwelcome." The Seventh Sister said.
"Son, take the youngling to the ship." Ahsoka told her son and he nodded before running to the Phantom.
"You take the annoying one, I'll take the big one." Dash told his wife. That earned him a glare from the Seventh Sister. The two then jumped in the air and struck their sabers at the Inquisitors as Ezra helped Kanan and Zeb up on their feet and ran to the Phantom.
Dash striked at such a fast speed that the Fifth Brother struggled to keep up. He then managed to swipe at his feet and he fell to the ground just as Ahsoka Force Pushed the Seventh Sister into the Fifth Brother, making her trip over.
"You two are so pathetic. You don't even provide a challenge." Dash mocked them and that made them roar in anger and then charged at the couple. Dash knocked the Fifth Brother back with ease, knocking him into some structure and then Ahsoka turned the Seventh Sister's saber off and Force Pushed her into the same structure, making some cracks form as she fell.
The couple then stared her down with their sabers pointed at her.
"You are beaten." Ahsoka hissed. The Seventh Sister however laughed as Stormtroopers surrounded them.
"*sighs* It looks like you are the ones that are beaten." The Seventh Sister said with smugness. She then Force Pulled her saber, but Dash was fast enough to swipe at it, destroying it into two pieces. He and Ahsoka then stepped back.
"Your capture will please Lord Vader." She then told them as she and the Fifth Brother got up on their feet. They then heard the Phantom taking off and the couple smirked.
"It'll never happen." Dash disagreed right before the Fifth Brother threw his saber, which they both jumped over and then jumped onto the structure and into the Phantom. Which took off as fast as possible and headed back to Garel.
In the Phantom, Zeb held the other baby in his arms as Oora held Pipey. She thanked them all for saving her baby.
"*chuckles* That was crazy, but worth it." Zeb commented, wrapping an arm around Ezra.
"They're Force sensitive. We've seen this before. A Sith Lord attempted the same thing back in the Clone Wars, but the Jedi Order stopped him." Ahsoka told both Kanan and Errol.
"And now there's no Jedi Order to protect them." Kanan said. The four looked as Slick carried both babies and moved them around, making them giggle.
"Okay, I guess that task falls to us now." Kanan noted. Dash noticed his son smiling in thought.
"What are you thinking?" He asked him.
"Just about the idea of me and Hera being parents. " He confessed. Dash smirked knowingly and wrapped an arm around him.
"I know how you feel." He said. Ahsoka saw the exchange and smiled sadly that her son would eventually end up being a husband and father.
When they reached Garel, they attached the Phantom to the Ghost and when Errol got onboard, he instantly got slapped in the face by an annoyed Hera.
"What was that for?!" He questioned, his voice getting high.
"Why didn't you tell me you were going on a mission?" She asked him, pointing her finger right in his face.
"We were in a rush to learn what the Inquisitors were doing. They were after Force sensitive children." He told her and that thankfully was a good enough answer and she sighed before hugging him.
"Just let me know next time you go on a mission without me." Hera told him.
"I'll make sure." He promised and then they kissed.