Casting the Net
Moving on.
xxx
Supply Master Yogar Lyste was issued a summons to report to the Imperial Dreadnaught, Palpatinian. Named after Emperor Palpatine himself on his birthday. A ploy by someone who wished to be in the Emperor's good graces. Nervous sweat was staining Lyste's uniform in unflattering places. He was ordered to report to ISB Agent Kallus in the briefing room. The reasons remain unknown, but Lyste was panicking with a strong suspicion as to what his summon pertains to. He strutted the Dreadnaught's Corridors with his head held high, projecting an aura of confidence unto the Stormtroopers passing him by. Were it possible for Stormtroopers to read minds, they'd be able to see Lyste's inner self crying in the fetal position under a table.
Rounding the last to turn to another corridor, Lyste arrived at his destination. The Briefing room. Felt more like the location of his funeral. He adjusted his hat. Checked his uniform - ribbons and badges in their proper place. Wrinkles smoothed out. Buttons buttoned with the shirt tucked in. Boots are shiny, and his sweat hasn't tarnished his uniform. Lyste gathered his breath, slowed his fervently drumming heart, clapping his cheeks to wake himself up. He was ready. No he wasn't. But it was too late to turn back now.
Lyste knocked three times. "Agent Kallus! Supply Master Yogar Lyste reporting!" He was amazing his quivering voice spoke so clearly.
"Enter!" Kallus responded gruffly. Lyste stepped forward. The whisking door jolted his nerves, but he entered with a firm expression. He then stopped in mid stride. The outrage in Agent Kallus's eye tore Lyste to shreds from across the room. He swallowed a massive lump, too terrified to proceed. "Supply Master. If you would please join us." Kallus commanded with an austere growl.
Us? Terror was replaced by surprise at the group gathered with Kallus. Commandant Aresko, Taskmaster Grint, and...a rather ghoulish Pau'an stood around the holoprojector. The Pau'an mirrored Kallus's aggravation. Aresko and Grint, on the other hand, might need a chair. They looked like they were going to pass out any moment. Lyste felt his neck tense as if hands were choking the wind out of him. Though Lyste prefers not to be alone with his superiors, seeing the shared terror on fellow officers' faces does nothing to ease him. Reluctantly, Lyste joined the circle at the projector. Invisible shackles bound his feet in place, and to the neighbor officers.
"Thank you all for coming. We may now begin." Kallus put on an irritated grin. The Pau'an approached the table. Golden glowering eyes pierced the husks of the trembling officers. Aresko, Lyste, and Grint stiffened. The Pau'an lips stretched into a sinister smile. "For those of you unaware, this is The Grand Inquisitor. A trained specialist in the hunting and execution of surviving Jedi." The Inquisitor shallowly bowed his head. The trio's heads bobbed jerkingly. "He is joining us today so that we may discuss recent Rebel Activity, and the failure executed by our elite armada of Troopers to capture them!"
Kallus was not spared the same reprimand. The Rebels Agent Kallus has been tracking for months on end were gathered in one precarious location. Herded and trapped like lambs waiting to be slaughtered one at a time. The disruptors meant for Imperial circulation, stolen right from under Minister Tua's nose, were packaged in a tidy bow for him to recover. Kallus led a charge to apprehend The Rebels, and recover the disruptors. In the midst of his raid, he engaged the Lasat, and The Mechanic girl, besting them both and having them at his mercy. Then the young Jedi boy came from nowhere, using his force powers to throw Kallus like a piece of paper. The disruptors were then destroyed in order to demolish a walker. The Stormtroopers were defeated, and Agent Kallus was left shamed and disgraced. Nothing but another failure tarnishing his reputation. This recent failure on Lothal did not escape The Inquisitor's sight. Or those of Minister Tua, who asked Agent Kallus personally to aid her in the punishment of the rebels who stole her disruptors. She was under the impression, because of his past encounters, he was fully qualified and capable of handling the situation. Clearly she was wrong. The Minister was granted the pleasure of interrogating him. Kallus will not be able to shave off the humiliation.
"First, I would like to note that Imperial Navy Pilot Baron Valen Rudor, who is unable to join us due to injury, has been reprimanded for the loss of his Starfighter, and is put on administrative leave until further notice." Kallus announced indifferently. The three officers were shocked to hear so. Rudor is the pride of the Imperial Navy. One of the best stunt pilots to operate of TIE. Having him grounded will put air and space operation in a bind. "Supply Master Lyste…" Kallus raised a tablet from behind his back. Lyste stood at attention. Sweat was dripping from the sides of his hat. "In your report, you state you encountered an adult Lasat and a Teenage boy while en route to Morad Sumar's farm outside Kothal."
"Y-Yes sir!" He cursed his tripping tongue.
Kallus nodded, clearing that bit of haze. Now for the report's finer points. "Military rations absconded. Prime Farmland lost. Prisoners freed and escaped." Lyste winced. The number of oversights during his operation. "Allowing a STOLEN TIE to elude destruction and fall into enemy hands. And last, but certainly not least, acknowledging orders from a Commander Meiloorun of Rebel Activity?" Kallus arched a brow. Lyste blushed shamefully. Not his finest moment. In his defense, there are so many officers these days, it's hard to keep track. "Care to explain your actions, Supply Master?"
Agent Kallus, Grand Inquisitor, none of this is my fault! I assure you!" He implored them to believe him. "During my transport of the prisoner Sumar and his associates, Commander Meiloorun reported Rebel activity. Later, I came to discover the TIE fighter in my sector was, in fact, the stolen one reported." He planned to fully admit to his blunder and recover from it. "I then engaged the TIE in order to take it out of circulation while my Troops encountered the young boy who freed our prisoners." Young boy...The Inquisitor hummed in his mind.
"Go on. Who operated the TIE and what is the description of the young boy." Kallus permitted.
"YES!" Lyste kept a copy of his report. He shuffled through, trying to find where his men - those who weren't incapacitated - described the pilot. "My men stated it was a Lasat behind the wheel. And the boy was a teenager in an orange suit."
Kallus and The Inquisitor exchanged glances. A note of triumph twinkled in their eye. "The boy, did he display extraordinary feats?" Kallus followed up.
"Jumps between transports and the ability to dodge blaster fire."
Abilities favored by Jedi and their pupils. The Inquisitor nodded, confirming the Lasat and Boy are the same ones they have been tracking. "Is there more?"
"N-No, sir." Nothing worth mentioning.
"Very well. Commandant Aresko and Taskmaster Grint." Grint and Aresko were stifling sniggers of Lyste's rip. A sense of superiority wove like a cape for them. Hearing their names made them snap to attention, clearing their throats. "According to reports from your subordinates," He stressed his dislike that Aresko and Grint did nothing for their own report, "You both were spending a grandeur of your day arresting business owners without permits in sector R-7-4."
"Yes sir!" Aresko answered. "Five owners without permits to be at their locations, or to sell the wares they possess."
"All waiting for sentencing and trials!" Grint boasted.
"While the quota is impressive, that was not the sector you were assigned to!" Kallus barked. "You both were to be in the Bronx helping safeguard a witness in our case against notorious smuggler Cikatro Vizago!" Grint and Aresko winced. They might have received orders like that. It was Lyste's turn to snort. Kallus returned attention to the tablet, "Let us discuss the finer points of your neglected mission. A known Smuggler and his Wares missing." Goods meant to be confiscated and redistributed for Empire use. "A key witness dead along with two Stormtroopers guarding him. And now we are learning that disruptors once in our circulation have been dismantled, and are being sold for parts!"
"Where did you hear that?!" Grint gasped.
"YOUR SUBORDINATES!" Kallus howled. Grint and Aresko cringed. "They were about ascertain that bit of information from the witness before his untimely demise! But the rest of his information turned up false leads!" The pair of officers wished they could melt through the floor and die in the vacuum of space. Lyste, however, was enjoying the spectacle. "Where were the two of you when The Smuggler Vizago escaped custody? Or when our witness, one Amadeus Coffer, was killed in an explosion along with two of our personnel? The arrests of violators should not have required your presence the whole day!"
"We were…"
"That is, we had to-uh…"
Aresko and Grint fumbled over themselves for a viable excuse. Traffic? No! Lunch? No! Another emergency? Not likely. It was pretty slow yesterday. Kallus was losing patience with these idiots. They will grant superior titles to anyone these days. "Neither of you can account for your whereabout between you arrests the time of the explosion! And you deign to represent The Empire!" He was red with rage. Lyste was about to explode laughing. "I should have all three of you tried and executed for such breaches in your duties!" Lyste and Grint felt their bowels moving.
"We do have a bit of news that wasn't added to the report!" Aresko cowered, hands raised to spare himself Kallus's wrath.
"Go on!" Kallus snarled through grit teeth. This better be worth his time. The Inquisitor shared his sentiment.
"One of the Troopers survived the blast." Aresko exhaled with relief. A stay of execution. He took out his own report, skimming to the statement from the injured Trooper. "He awoke from his comatose and stated that a young girl with an electrical Lance-Staff subdued them. And also..." He was never sure if he was reading this correctly, "That she sullied his uniform with a bottle of red alcohol." That seemed to strike the Trooper's nerves worse than being electrocuted.
"Electrical Lance-Staff…" An ornamental staff came to mind. Kallus recognizes that weapon. "The Rebel Mechanic from Chandrila! She is the one who killed our witness?" The Inquisitr recalls hearing about her. The one mistaken for being a Jedi.
"The Trooper doesn't believe so, sir. He later said he heard another was with her. A male. Unclear if it was a fellow Rebel or an associate of Amadeus."
"One in the same, if you ask me." Grint scoffed.
"Well we didn't." Kallus dismissed him. Grint's voice was tumultuous to listen to. He muddled together what he's heard, trying to come up with a counter offensive. The Rebels returned after the search for them on Lothal was halted. Meaning a grandeur of their business is conducted there. It is not out of the question that they might have a base of operations. For now, whatever reason brought them there, they have departed and are in the wind. Currently there are no leads to finding them. "All three of you are suspended until further notice! You're dismissed!" Kallus declared. The trio were aghast. Temptations to argue and plead were halted when the Inquisitor narrowed his glare. The three officers saluted and took their leave. Their long, unpaid leave.
"Quite the interesting turn of events, is not?" The Inquisitor chuckled. Kallus turned his back, staring out the window to the star filled void passing by. "The Lasat, Jedi Boy, and Mechanic Girl you have been searching for in one place. One of them involved with the death of an Imperial Witness." Quite the interesting turn indeed.
"These Rebels are growing bolder, but I sincerely doubt either of them possess the capacity to kill." Kallus debated. Neither of them possessed the capacity to commit murder. It's not in them. He's seen it.
"Anyone can be driven to kill when provoked, Agent Kallus." The Inquisitor reassured his delusional friend. "It's just a matter of mustering that particular darkness of will. Poking at the uncontainable and impulsive rage bubbling within." The idea makes him salivate. His allure to death subsided for mild irritation. "But I will agree with you that these rebels are growing bolder by the day. Interfering in our operations, boarding our ships, disrupting commerce. They are a blight to us."
"How do you suggest we deal with them?" Kallus was all ears for ideas. He's been used as a Guinea Pig to draw The Rebels out long enough. It is time for the great jedi hunter to perform.
The Inquisitor tapped his chin thoughtfully. He beamed with an epiphany. "There are two Jedi amongst the rebels you are hunting, correct?"
"Yes."
"Then it would not be too surprising if, say, word of a surviving Jedi from the Clone Wars brought them running."
Kallus faced The Inquisitor with a curious brow raised, "IS there a Jedi from the Clone Wars?" It's no secret a few survived. But for someone to have firsthand knowledge.
"In a matter of speaking." The Inquisitor produced an image of a Mirialan Master on the projector. "Jedi Master Luminara Unduli is currently a resident on Stygeon Prime in the Stygeon System. Waiting to be rescued and rebuild the Jedi Order." Kallus knows of this Jedi. He chuckled darkly at the Inquisitor's twisted humor. "Who are we to deny her a reunion with fellow Jedi?"
"Who are we indeed?" Kallus purred.
xxx
It was a BEAUTIFUL, SUNNY MORNING on the dust ball planet of Lothal. The sun was shining, birds were singing, Loth-Cats were eating the singing birds - the circle of life was in full swing. Tall blades of weeds and wheat were dancing with the flowing wind. Gleaming seas of rippling mirages coated the miles of hills. A perfect day to do a little work on The Ghost.
Katerina wasn't particularly fond of the noise The Ghost was making when it landed. The gears sounded tense, and she's sure she smells rust burning near the hydraulic pumps. Goggles on and her tools mounted, Katerina went to work on the landing gear. The panels around the groundings were easy enough to remove. Wiggling inside was another story entirely. Katerina's put on muscle from being a mechanic. Even more since she joined The Ghost Crew. Times like these she envies Sabine for her limber, slender figure. She looks good, but the girl is a tooth pick.
Moving a flashlight around inside the landing gear, Katerina found what was causing the noise she was hearing. The rico-flexes - special name for glorified shock absorbers - had dents, and were starting to crack. In order to replace those she'd have to take The Ghost to her shop and do some heavy internal work. Which still isn't a viable option since Stormtroopers were still swarming Dominique's place looking for clues about Vizago.
Vizago...She growled venomously. She still hasn't paid him back for what he's done. She shook her head, moving thoughts like that to the back of her head. She has work to do. She was blindly moving a hand below for a particular can of sealant she can apply for the time being. Removing the dents will have to come later. Dominique will let her know when. Hopefully before they have to leave. Katerina's fingers were about to wrap to the can when she felt something poke at her back. She dropped out of the landing gear, turning to see who it was. A black bag was thrown over her head. Ropes restrained her arms to her sides. Intermingled in the assault were incoherent grunts to hurry up, get her legs, hold her tight, and other barks meant to encourage her restraint. Someone then threw her over their broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and carried her off to Hell knows where. Her screams were muffled by the bag. No one can here her, or knows she's being carried off. KANAN, HELP ME! Were her final thoughts before she was taken somewhere cold.
Katerina was thrown hard too a springy surface, her back meeting at a hard wall. Wincing hisses hummed when she fell over, her head touching to a pillow. Strained, hushed apologies mumbled adamantly. Curses were thrown around in a fury. Hands fidgeted trying to help her sit up , propping her to sit comfortably on the surface she was applied to. Katerina sat as still ass stone. Her body was shaking. She was,,,scared. Out of her mind. Stormtroopers abducted her. None of The Ghost crew know where she is. Kanan's been out all day with Sabine, Hera, and Chopper. Zeb and Ezra...who knows where they went. Every muscle in her body - and the known fire she has - urged her to lash out and make a mad dash in any given direction. Meanwhile, her rational mind told her to sit still and not make things worse for her.
The hood was finally torn off her head. Her sweaty face was brushed with cold air. Katerina choked on lint, air, and dust. She shot aquamarine daggers to her captor, absolutely stunned when she was greeted by Zeb and Ezra. The two morons were laughing nervously, wiggling fingers at her in a meek wave. "Zeb?! Ezra?!" She's not sure if she's relieved or pissed off. Probably both.
"Hey, Riina. Sorry to get so rough." Ezra snickered, cautiously approaching as her brow furrowed. "But we couldn't resist." He plopped beside her, debating on whether or not he should laugh until her chokes or be terrified of what she'll do when she's free. Zeb was lurched in a corner, holding his splitting sides laughing so hard. Katerina was going to enjoy turning those jovial tears into tears of agony.
Katerina fidgeted with her hands. She hissed at the ropes chafing her wrists. This can be said about Ezra and Zeb, they don't do anything halfway. If the Rebel business doesn't pan out, they have a promise in absconding with unsuspecting persons. And knot tying. This was a good not. "Did you have to tie me up?"
"No. That was a personal enjoyment on our part." Zeb winked impishly. Katerina puffed her cheeks and growled. Her eyes teemed with a warning if they didn't untie her. "Okay, okay…" Zeb and Ezra worked on the ropes, slipping them off nice and easy. Katerina rubbed her chafed wrists. "There. Now you can-"
Katerina's small, but powerful, fist collided with Zeb's face. Numbing rings echoed from his nose to his ears. Katerina huffed from her nostrils like a bull. He searing glare shot to the quivering boy next to the in pain Lasat. Ezra tried to make a break for it. Katerina's hand clamped to his head. He whimpered in pure terror, wondering just how big her hands really were. The next thing he knew, he was sent hurtling into Zeb. The pair piled on the floor in abject humiliation. Not because Katerina was girl or anything. But because they didn't see this sort of reaction coming. Katerina can be very rational and understanding, but boy can she flick that switch before they blink. They should know to run when she's angry. Katerina would regret punching a solid Lasat in the face tomorrow. Her knuckles were already throbbing. The brief adrenaline rush made the pain worth it.
"OW!" Zeb roared in agony, massaging his sore nose. The ringing was so loud he wasn't sure if he was yelling or not. "DID YOU HAVE TO HIT US?!" He shoved Ezra off of him.
Katerina cracked her pounding knuckles. "You asked for it when you tossed me over your shoulder like livestock!" She seethed through gritted teeth.
"Touche." He bounced a finger at her valid point.
Ezra shot up on his knees, holding his head. Felt like he hit a brick wall. The scary part is it was just Zeb. "Did you have to hit us SO HARD?!" He whined.
A diabolical smirk stretched to her lips. She put hands to her hips and bent forward to the wincing boy. Zeb was frightened of that smile. She found it adorable how Zeb's ears would droop. "Personal enjoyment on my part." She purred.
Ezra and Zeb felt their own words be plunged into them like a knife. Ezra snapped a finger to her, "Touche."
"Do you even know what that means?" Katerina arched a dubious brow, drumming her fingers on her hips.
"No, but it sounded right." Ezra shrugged, grinning shyly.
Katerina snorted under her breath, but nodded in merit of his attempt. "Brownie points." She leant them both a hand, helping the wounded pair to their feet. They both had a head rush climbed to such altitude. "Now will the two of you please explain why you abducted me?" She asked again, this time impatiently.
"No problem." Zeb moaned, holding his spinning head. He shook off the dizziness, clamping a hand on Katerina's head so she wouldn't be able to break eye contact. She was a little scared by how serious he was. Zeb is scary when he's serious. She prefers him when he's behaving like a moron. "What REALLY happened while you were with Vizago?"
Katerina's heart skipped a beat, nearly skipping out of her chest. Flashes of the dead body in the apartment, and the controlled explosion ushered the chills she thought she beat a few days ago. "Ha-Uh...what-what do you mean?" Her throat dried as she laughed nervously. Zeb's palm must be feeling the sweat coming from her brow.
Zeb growled heatedly, forcibly edging her back. "Don't-play-stupid!" He jerked and shoved her back to her spot on the bed. He pressed a claw to her nose. If that didn't grab her attention, nothing would. "You've been out of sorts since you got back from your date with him!" Zeb hadn't noticed he choked on the word date. Ezra caught it though. Katerina, on the other hand, turned red as a cherry.
"IT WASN'T A DATE! HE BLACKMAILED ME!" She shrieked, steam spewing from her red ears.
"Either way, you've been acting weird! I've noticed it, Hera's noticed it, even Chopper's commented on it!" Katerina shrank into the mattress, turning 50 shades of red. She wished a black hole would open. When did she become so apparent that even Chopper of all people could see through her? "Now talk!" Zeb's bark shattered her thoughts. Ezra folded his arms, staring as sternly as that baby face of his could muster. It was hard to take him as seriously as Zeb. "What were you doing with Vizago?" He crossed his arms.
No way was Katerina going to be singled out. They want to accuse her of hiding something? She knows full well they aren't being honest either. "I'll tell you what happened with Vizago," She huffed, squaring up to Zeb and Ezra, "When you two tell me what you did with the TIE fighter?"
Zeb and Ezra lost color, fumbling over their tongues with what to say. Zeb shoved Ezra ahead, throwing him under the spotlight. Ezra was going to kill him for that. "We already-"
"You guys DID NOT crash it!" She bit on each word, making them flinch and back away. They may fool Kanan, but they can't fool her. They couldn't find Kanan's eyes from the ground when they spun that tale. "The fact that Kanan didn't pick up on that lie means he wasn't in the mood to believe otherwise!" Or he's slipping. Better to not speculate. Zeb and Ezra sighed in defeat, slumping forward. Katerina arched a suspicious brow. "The TIE is in perfect shape isn't it?"
"Yeah…" Ezra moaned drearily. "You see…"
Ezra and Zeb went into gory and vivid detail about their gone awry shopping spree. What started off as a simple gathering of supplies turned into a firefight slash rescue mission. The Meiloorun fruit they needed was purchased in bulk by The Empire, and when they tried to pawn a fruit or two off of them, it led to a chase throughout the whole town, and that's how Zeb got ahold of the TIE. Later on, as they were flying back to meet Kanan - who was furious by the acquisition - an old friend and his family of Ezra's was captured, and their farm forcefully being claimed as the "Imminent Domain of The Empire." Ezra and Zeb fought them off with heavy ordnance, and swift acrobatics, and saved the farmers. The Empire was sent running in the opposite direction. The trouble being they couldn't just give up the one piece of weaponry that can help them turn the tide on The Empire at the drop of the hat when they need it to. One day or several months from now, that TIE will get them out of a bind. So they hid it in a spot they knew no one would ever stumble on it, and thanks to them disabling the tracking beacon The Empire will never find it.
Katerina muddled their tale around in her head. "I see. So that's what happened." She itched the side of her head, humming pensively under her breath. She eyed the guilt ridden boys quizzically. "Is your friend doing alright?"
"He seemed fine when we left. We didn't risk going back to check." Ezra explained, partially cursing himself for not going back to check on his friend. "But I'm sure he's alright."
"That's good to hear." Katerina smiled with relief. She wrapped an arm around Ezra, rubbing his shoulder with pride. "Good job to the both of you." Eza was warmed by the praise, but wished he could do more. "As for your TIE, let's save that issue for another time. What Kanan and Hera don't know won't hurt them." Zeb and Ezra raised fists, slamming imaginary gavels in support of the choice.
"Now then," Zeb cleared his throat, "About your date with Vizago?!"
"IT WASN'T A DATE!" She roared. Zeb was unmoved by her scream. Katerina was fuming from her nostrils. She growled in the back of her throat, folding her legs and arms grumpily. "Anyway...what happened is…"
Katerina wanted to skip a few points in her story, but Zeb would toss her around again if she's caught lying. So she told the whole truth. Vizago found her at Dominique's garage, Unique Fix, while he was escaping from The Empire. After that debacle with the disruptors, one of Vizago's operatives was captured and snitched on Vizago for immunity and protection. Where he stored his goods, his locations of operation, the weaknesses in his ship - the whole treacherous nine yards. Threatening to expose Katerina, Vizago enlisted her help in tracking down the betrayer so he may deal a swift bit of his own justice. He offered to pay for half the disruptors in addition. Through clever sneaking, disguises, and encroaching on personal space, Katerina and Vizago tracked the traitor down to a run down apartment complex. Getting in was simple enough. Dispatching the Stormtroopers, easier still. Then, when they found Amadeus, Katerina was hiding the troopers they beat, Vizago killed him. There was...blood...everywhere! Then Vizago blew up the apartment to cover their tracks.
Zeb and Ezra's jaws hit ground. Abject terror froze to their faces. Their blood boiling over the brim. Katerina hugged her knees to her chest, burying half her somber expression in her knees. The vibrance in her eyes dulled as she relived that nightmare, another on its heels. She allowed this to happen. She knows Vizago's type and should have expected this. She wasn't able to muster the courage to look her friends in the eye. Was it shame that hung her head? Or is it something far more traumatic to her spirit? Either way, the silence was unbearable. She wished they would say something.
"Riina...I…" Zeb's hands rose and fell, cradling words of comfort that refused to form. He clenched and loosened his fists, being weighed down in misery. He moved to her, placing a hand to her shoulder. She raised her head, taken aback by the contrite in his eyes. "We have to tell Kanan." He declared.
Katerina stared at him like he was a ghost. "No! Don't tell him!" She pleaded direly, springing forward. Zeb was caught off guard, throwing his hands up when she clutched to his uniform. "Please, Zeb! You and Ezra can't tell Kanan about this!"
"Why not?!" Ezra gasped. He's never heard her beg before. It unnerved him. "Kanan should know about this." Keeping secrets from Kanan doesn't feel right. Not just because he's Ezra's master. But because this isn't something you keep from your friends.
"I don't know if you guys have noticed, but Kanan is hovering around me!" Smothering her is the right way of putting it. "Just the other day he cut a beetle in half thinking it was going to kill me." She was minding her own business, watching birds play in water, and Kanan comes out of nowhere and cuts a fist sized beetle in half. She doesn't like bugs, but he went overboard.
"Hey, in his defense, those buggars carry all sorts of diseases." Zeb waved a hand. He probably would have torn it in half.
Katerina motioned for him to come to her level. Zeb leaned down, hands on his knees. Katerina cupped his cheeks, bringing his face close to hers. Ezra cringed, covering his eyes. He might have peaked. Zeb stammered in a panic, turning different shades of pink as her face drew closer. His heart hammered like a sledge on an anvil. She turned his head just as he nose was about to brush his. Her lips were at his ear. She took a deep breath, "HE'S-OVER-REACTING!" Her scream rang like a requiem knell. He toppled to his butt, lost in a daze. "I've taken care of myself for the past 15 years! I don't need a babysitter! I just need my big brother and best friend!"
"There's a difference?" Ezra itched his head.
"Big brothers and best friends are meant to guide you. Steer you the proper direction, but give you space to make your own choices." She laughed lightly, ruffling Ezra's hair lovingly. "Kind of like masters." She cupped his cheek. He felt a bit of pride in her acknowledging him as an apprentice. "Only parents should hover."
"Have you told him to stop?" Ezra shrugged, not really seeing the issue.
Katerina groaned irately, slapping ah and over her eyes. If it was that easy she would have asked him to stop from day one. She doesn't expect Ezra to understand. Or Zeb. She can only in sections. "Kanan doesn't think he's hovering. There's not much I can do." She shrugged her hands. She folded her arms behind her head, releasing a defeated sigh. "For now, I'll just take each day at a time and let this whole thing blow over." Vizago, the explosion - that whole day will fade in her memories.
"Do you think it will?" Zeb questioned with a note of doubt. katerina wears a good poker face, but he can see the chinks where she tries to hide her true feelings.
"Trust me, Zeb," She touched his shoulder, "What I witnessed a few days ago doesn't compare to the nightmares I experienced a few years ago. This will blow over in no time at all." She pat his reassuringly, heading for the door. "In the meantime, I have some work to finish." Zeb and Ezra kind of pulled her away as she was making progress. She'd need to work at triple time if she wanted to finish before Kanan and the others return.
As Katerina exited their room, Ezra and Zeb sighed disappointed. They aren't sure why, but they had the strangest feeling Katerina gave them a half baked assurance so they'd stop questioning her. She's slippery that way with her smile.
"She really is Kanan's sister." Zeb rumbled, leaning agitated to the wall.
"What brought that up?" ezra tilted his head.
"Kanan bottles things up too. Tries to handle them on his own." Katerina really lived up to her label as his twin. Everything she does is a mirror reflection of Kanan. Her attitude, her fighting style, her sarcasm especially. Both can inspire and infuriate others at the drop of a hat. The most defining trait is their unwillingness to share their burdens. To lock it all away until it passes on. The one difference is...Kanan does it for the sake of pride and himself. Katerina doesn't wish to make others worry, or be coddled. "I wonder how much they can contain before they burst."
To be continued.