Okay, now we're up to date with the current SWR timeline, Ezra's got his lightsaber, Rex has joined the crew, and they have joined the larger Rebellion.
Chapter 13
Location: Deep Space, Rebel Fleet
The Rebellion was growing stronger and stronger, not even their heavy losses could change that fact. Since the Ghost's crew joined the fleet they'd seen the acquisition of new ships, a new flagship, and new allies. The Clones Gregor, Wolf, and Rex had been instrumental in the new confidence pervading the fleet's personnel. But they were still outgunned and outnumbered in every way possible. To help even these odds a meeting was being held aboard the flagship. Commander Sato, the Ghost crew, and even Captain Rex were standing in front of the Ghost, discussing the Ghost's new assignment.
"Thanks to the efforts of your crew we have grown stronger than ever before Captain Syndulla," Sato said calmly, "But we have also suffered losses along the way. We still need a base, but before we can find a base we must acquire something else. Captain Rex?"
"Thank you Commander," Rex responded, stepping forward, hands behind his back, "As you know supplies and equipment are hard to come by for us. Our ships don't have a very large capacity to hold what we do have aside from small batches. We need a larger replenishment ship to give us a more comfortable logistics system."
"And where do you intend on us getting one?" Kanan asked.
"We may be able to buy one," Sabine piped up, "I've been keeping up with the situation amongst the galaxy and I've found something rather interesting."
Chopper rolled forward and his holo-projector lit up and before them was an odd symbol.
"Galofree Yards?" Hera asked.
"They're having a great deal of financial difficulty right now," Sabine responded, "And are desperate for sales of any kind to anyone. We might be able to get our hands on a few of their freighters."
"There's good reason that Galofree is having trouble," Hera reminded Sabine, "Their ships are second-rate, unreliable, slow. Hardly the worth the credits."
"Sabine may be right," Rex responded, "Those ships may not be able to compete with Corellian or Kuati ships but they're still ships we need right now."
"I agree," Sato responded, "Having a supply and replenishment ship will go a long way in aiding our fight against the Empire."
"I'm all for getting us some new ships but…" Ezra started, "We don't exactly have the ability to buy ships like we can other stuff."
"Which is why we'll need to rob a bank," Sabine grinned, "An Imperial bank."
"I'm liking this plan," Zeb chuckled happily, "What sort of bank are we going after?"
"I'm still looking at different options…but all of them are just so well fortified."
"There might be one planet that is just up our alley," Rex said calmly, "Chopper, bring up a map of the Alui Sector."
"What're you up to?" Kanan grumbled, curious as to what planet he had in mind.
Chopper grumbled to Kanan before he put up the map, showing several systems, but only one was what Rex was interested in.
"Here, the Enarc System," Rex pointed, "Used to be a Trade Federation planet. Lots of banks and vaults and warehouses. The warehouses hold no interest to us. But the vaults are still packed full of credits. The Empire uses it as a staging area for its dispersal of credits in this and the surrounding sectors. A few Moffs even use its private vaults to house their own private fortunes. There's always a few treasure ships coming and going. Perfect targets."
"What sort of ships do they use as treasure ships?"
"Depends," Rex responded, "Sometimes they're simple freighters, but other times they use a Star Destroyer for important runs."
"Well let's go after one of those freighters, even if it's a small one that's potentially hundreds of thousands of credits," Kanan suggested.
"I've kept an eye on Imperial shipments from that planet among others," Sabine suggested, "I'm sure there's one that is easily able to be intercepted."
"You'll have to pass that on me Sabine," Rex suggested, holding out his hand for the datapad she was working with.
"What're you talking about?" Zeb asked.
"You, Sabine, and Hera have a different mission I'm afraid," Commander Sato answered.
"Hold on, we're splitting up?" Kanan stammered, not too happy with the situation.
"I'm afraid so," Sato replied, "We need someone to negotiate with a contact from Galofree Yards. And you two will have to go undercover as executives for a merchant fleet looking to purchase new ships."
"Let me guess?" Zeb added, "I'm their bodyguard?"
"Correct," Sato replied, "We're preparing one of our Taylander Shuttles to take you three to the Manda System. Some of Galofree's executives are reported to be going there to try and secure a deal with the Baobab Merchant Fleet."
"The Manda System? That place is crawling with Imperials!" Sabine protested.
"We know, which is why you two shall need some disguises," Rex countered, "For that, an old friend has been kind enough to send us some…help in that department."
Rex then waved over a pair of Rebel crewmen, who were pushing a long thin crate and put it right in front of the two women of the crew. And the blushes that went across their faces were as bright as could be when they opened the box. Inside was a self-contained dress closet. A plethora of dresses hung neatly wrapped inside with several boxes of designer make-ups and jewelry with many different proper footwear ranging from heels to slippers.
"Oh come on! Please no!" Sabine protested vehemently upon looking at the assembled dresses and makeup and jewelry.
"You're gonna have to look the part, Manda is a very prim and proper planet, and you'll need these if you're to blend in," Rex stated plainly.
"It's wearing a dress! I don't do dresses!" Sabine snapped back, crossing her arms as she put out her bottom lip in a feisty pout.
"Oh I don't know Sabine," Hera replied as she examined the dresses, "This one has your name written all over it."
"No Hera! I don't want to do it, I will not volunteer to put one of those…things on me."
"Oh come on Sabine," Ezra chuckled, "How bad can it be?"
"Ezra," Sabine growled, "I'm a Mandalorian! We don't even wear dresses to weddings."
"Well, you are…a…a girl," Zeb grumbled, "Maybe just this once. For the mission that is."
"Zeb!" Sabine whined, realizing everyone was against her.
"It's decided Sabine, you're going, and you are wearing what you will need in order to complete your mission," Kanan said calmly, "Now Rex, what's the assignment for us?"
"We're off to play pirate," Rex chuckled, "And we'll do it without the Empire even knowing we did it."
Chopper chirped at Rex in an annoyed tone, challenging him to explain.
"The answer to that is quite simple Chopper. The Imperials on this planet are as corrupt as they get, despite the numerous anti-corruption measure the Empire has taken to prevent it. They use the cash to invest, buy exotic goods, host great parties, and whatever else you can imagine with that much wealth. They use a few courier cruisers to move the hard cash from point-to-point, leaving no paper trail for the ISB to follow. All we have to do is steal that one of those cruisers."
"Steal an Imperial cruiser, great plan so far Rex."
Rex just sighed in discontentment, "Unfortunately part of the plan is getting back into the junk armor and using that Imperial Freighter you captured on Lothal."
"Great, another one of those missions," Ezra rolled his eyes, "I'll get my spare cadet helmet."
"It won't be a mission without us," another familiar voice called out, and in walked the figures of Wolf and Gregor.
"Yeah, it's been so boring just training, lecturing, and whatever. I'm ready for some fun," Gregor laughed.
"You sure they won't recognize you?" Kanan asked.
"If they do it'll be too late," Wolf grinned manically.
The crew was now split into their separate teams. The captured Imperial Freighter was docked with the carrier, and several Rebels dressed as Imperial pilots were busy going over the ship's control surfaces. Also aboard were Kanan, Ezra, Chopper, Rex, Wolf, and Gregor. The men were dressed out in Stormtrooper armor that they'd taken the time to adjust slightly for their size. Ezra was in a cadet uniform, and Chopper was painted up to look like an Imperial droid. Their preparation was going well, but aboard one of their Taylander Shuttles things were less harmonious, as Sabine was not exactly cooperating.
"Come on Sabine," Hera said, "Let's see it."
"I'm not coming out, it fits fine," Sabine replied from inside the cabin that meant for her.
"Sabine you know you can't tell by yourself," Hera snapped back, and looked apologetically to a woman who'd been helping them fit their dresses, "Sorry, she's not the dress kind of girl."
"I noticed," the older woman responded with wistful knowledge.
They'd already gotten Hera's wardrobe prepared, and now it was Sabine's turn. And she was fighting the process all along the way. This was the second dress, and according to Sabine it was the one she hated most. The first one she'd had fitted was a long white dress that had a long tail behind her, form-fitting above the hips, and then expanded out to the floor. This one was just the opposite of that more tasteful version and when Sabine stepped out with her arms crossed they could tell why she didn't like it. The green dress hugged her curves from top to bottom, with a slit on both sides for her legs as she walked, going slightly above her knees. It had a single strap with a folded bunch of cloth like a flower on her right shoulder and the whole dress sparkled as if made of glitter.
"Oh Sabine that looks perfect for you," Hera said with a big smile, looking at Sabine pouting in her dress.
"It's a dress…" Sabine grumbled darkly.
"Which we need you to wear," Hera responded, "I'm not too wild about this either but it's for the cause."
"I just feel…fragile, wrong. This just goes against everything my mother told me what a woman, a Mandalorian woman, should be," Sabine pleaded.
"It's a means to an end. Just because you're wearing a different outfit doesn't make you any less Mandalorian. It just makes you more prone to looks from the opposite sex."
"No! He is not seeing me in this!" Sabine instantly snapped.
"I didn't say anything about Ezra," Hera smiled knowingly, seeing the bright red flush on Sabine's cheeks.
"Sh-shutup! I-I didn't mean anything by that," Sabine yelled in defense.
"Whatever you say," Hera shrugged.
Sabine had caught herself in her own trap. So she just shut her mouth and let the fitting of her dress continue. Hera just kept grinning, seeing that not even Sabine could resist a look in the mirror at herself. Even the normally tomboyish Mando had to admit that she cleaned up nice. And this was without makeup or anything done with her hair.
"Even you have to admit that you look beautiful Sabine," Hera said as she finished and was ordered to move in a circle and then walk around a bit to feel for anything wrong in how the dress was fitted.
"I guess," Sabine grumbled, sneaking a peak at herself.
"She's stunning," the woman responded as she then picked out the next item for Sabine to wear, choosing a business suit that was far more utilitarian, "Every girl deserves some pampering and a night to show off their beauty."
"Maybe on Alderaan," Sabine responded, "But we do things differently where I was raised."
"Still, beauty is beauty my dear," the woman shrugged, "So why not admit to your own? What harm would it do?"
"I don't like people thinking of me like a trophy," Sabine responded, "That's why I've been resisting. I'll do this, I won't be happy, but I'll do it. But for the record I will not be treated like a…a…"
"Girl?"
"Like what I'm not Hera. I want to be married one day, I want a family, I want to fall in love of course. But…I just don't want it to be because of…this."
"Sabine you're not going to find your true love at one of these pompous get togethers," Hera chuckled.
"What if I do though? It's something my mother told me, you never know when the perfect man will come into your life. And I don't want that first impression to be of a soft, spoiled…girl. So I'm always wanting them to see me, not a pretty dress."
"And how are you so sure that you haven't already?" Hera asked Sabine, making her open her mouth in protest, but she held her tongue.
Yeah, I hinted at it! Whether or not it's true I feel it'll always be there in the background.
Guys I have some news, I'm bringing back two of my old stories. Love Red vs Blue Style II and A Rebel Lost are back on! Their presence and those who really like them have been letting me know about my first great story and I've decided to for-go A Brutal Reality and return to my roots, writing-wise.
Next Chapter Preview: The Rebels and Clones go pirating and the ladies and Zeb go partying.