Hey, Everyone! Hope you liked the last chapter. It was real long. And just like I feared, I couldn't include the date. So, I plan to add that in this chapter. Along with including Ezra revealing to Riyo Chuchi the truth about her niece. So, enjoy!
Attolon med-center
Ezra strode into the Med-center, hoping to catch Riyo before she fell asleep for the night. Due to the extent of her torture and injuries, the limited doctor staff wanted to keep her in the makeshift hospital for longer than necessary, to make sure that nothing extreme happened.
"How are you doing Ms. Chuchi," Ezra greeted as he walked into the room where her bed was.
"Oh, fine Ezra. These mad doctors don't want me to leave yet. Despite all that is wrong with me is a lack of fresh air," Riyo responded, the blood transfusions seemed to be helping actually. Along with whatever nutrient solution they had been pumped into her system while she was in a coma. Her skin looked a regular blue instead of the pale, sickly colour like when they found her.
"Yeah. Listen, I need to talk to you, about your niece," Ezra sighed out, this was harder than he thought it would be. He had left Sabine to get the Phantom prepped for the trip to Corellia, but he could use her moral support right now.
"Oh, you know where she is?" Riyo asked, her features brightening. Only to have her optimism fall like a ton of bricks when she saw Ezra's body language. He wasn't looking her in the eye, his arms behind his back apparently holding something, "Or, is she, is she gone?"
"Yeah, she died in the massacre," Ezra said, moving to sit in a chair beside her bed.
"How could you possibly know that? The empire has kept all records regarding that incident and the stormtroopers responsible under lock and key!" Chuchi nearly shouted in hysteria, "Now if you are going to sit here and lie to me about my niece then you can just leave the way you came-"
"I know that she died because I am the one who killed her." Ezra interrupted in anger, as he let the words out he felt a weight being lifted from his chest. Only to be replaced by another one as he looked up and saw the look of shock on the former Senator's face. After a few moments, tears started to stream down her face as she came to terms with the news. Before lifting her hand to her mouth and sobbing into it.
"I'm sorry Ms. Chuchi if I could go back and change things I would in a heartbeat. But I can't." Ezra lamented as he leaned forward and put his hands on his face. He hated those memories, even without Chuchi's niece tormenting him.
"Why? What did my niece ever do to you?" Chuchi choked out between sobs.
"She didn't do anything. She just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time." Ezra whispered.
"How is that an excuse? What sick, twisted person would kill an innocent six-year-old?" Chuchi said after composing herself.
"I was sent there by Vader. I used to be his apprentice and personal assassin. Someone who didn't question orders and reveled in causing others pain." Ezra stated, looking at the Pantoran as his vision became cloudy with tears.
"You were an apprentice to Vader?" Chuchi asked in shock, trying to see if she heard it right as her tears started to dry.
"Yes, I was nearly brainwashed by him. I was less of an apprentice and more of a slave." Ezra said as he wiped his eyes, it was always hard thinking about that time in his life.
"Was it quick? Did she suffer? Or did you care?" Riyo asked as she looked at the person she viewed once as a saviour now as the evilest thing in existence.
"It was, She didn't feel a thing," Ezra said truthfully. Being bisected across your chest doesn't cause much pain. She would have been dead before she hit the ground.
"Well, that is a little bit of comfort. If you would be so kind as to leave now," Riyo said as she felt her anger grow while looking at her lap. Only to have a small plush doll be put in her hands. Grasping it Chuchi realized it was the same one she had given her niece the last life day she had seen her. Slowly clutching it to her chest, her tears began anew as Ezra went to leave only to be stopped.
"Wait, Ezra," Riyo spoke up, "While right now I desperately want you to suffer the worst of deaths for what you did. I can't thank you enough for giving me the closure."
"Don't worry; I wish I could suffer the worst of death's also," Ezra said as he left the room, shutting the door on his way out leaving Riyo alone in the chamber with the plush doll.
Aboard the Phantom
Sabine had finished running the pre-flight checks on the Phantom. It had taken three hours to convince Hera to allow her to use the ship. And because of it, she was on maintenance duty for the next three weeks. But she hoped it would be worth it since she had never been on a date before. Turning in the pilot's chair Sabine reached down into her bag as she pulled out a small checklist she had made filled with Hera's preflight duties and mentally crossed off each one. While she was doing this, she heard Ezra come aboard and set his bag on the ground. Due to the sound, it made she figured that it wasn't very full. Quirking an eyebrow, she looked over at him.
"You choose to travel light?" Sabine asked.
"Yeah, don't got much else in the way of clothes. Let alone ones that would let me blend into a civilian environment. But I do have a few spare shirts and pants along with some robes that are passable. That way I can keep my sabers on me." He replied with a grin on his features.
Looking him in the eye, Sabine wanted to ask about the meeting with the Pantoran but seeing the way his body seemed to slump against the seat in exhaustion told her that it must have been a bit of a draining experience. So swiveling around Sabine grabbed the controls of the Phantom and took off. Once she cleared the atmosphere, she allowed the nav-computer take over so as to enable them to jump to hyperspace. There were two scheduled jumps in the fight plan she filed with Hera so the Empire couldn't follow them back to the base.
Turning back around Sabine finally broke the silence, "So, how did it go?"
"She took it about as well as I expected. Although she was happy for the closure. Not sure what this will mean concerning my position within the rebellion." Ezra responded, leaning back and closing his eyes as he spoke.
"What does that mean?" Sabine asked,
"Well, part of the reason my brother and I got called was that of some influential people in the rebellion knew how to get ahold of us. But they don't know everything that we did while with Vader. There is lots of blood in our ledgers Sabine, that's part of the reason why I wanted to help. But I doubt that anything I do will make a dent in it." Ezra moped after a few moments hesitation was trying to pick the best way to say these things.
"How could you have done so much bad that you think that no one will forgive you?" Sabine asked.
"Well, when you are trained to be a merciless killer. You usually make a few enemies." Ezra quipped back.
"I doubt you were merciless. Even back then." Sabine whispered before turning to check their course before going back and sitting in Ezra's lap. Even if he didn't like what he was Sabine would try her best to let him know that she would stand by him no matter what.
Super Star Destroyer Executor
Vader strode into his command center aboard the nearly completed starship only to turn to the officers in the room and address them.
"Leave now. I must contact my master." Vader said. As soon as the chamber was clear Vader kneeled before the holo-table and dialed up his master.
"Ah, Lord Vader. You have good news regarding our contingency plan?" Palpatine asked as he looked at the kneeling sith lord.
"One unit has reached the prototype stage. But is still very unstable. It won't be enough to kill either one of the Starkillers but will give us the necessary information to improve the plan." Vader replied as he remained bowed, this was something he hated about contacting his master, and one thing he liked about having the Starkillers under his control. But it was merely a minor annoyance compared to other things that he saw within the empire. Hopefully, there would come a day when he would find a worthy apprentice so he could overthrow the cruel bastard.
"Ah, but your feelings betray you. You still feel something for your former apprentices." Sidious pointed out, he could smell the rage that the observation elicited from Vader, and he relished it.
"I believe it would be in our best interests to bring them back into our fold. Their power could still be of great use to us." Vader admitted.
"Nonsense, that is why we have the contingency plan. It will be more loyal than either of them." Sidious said, before signing off, "I am sending some of my shadow guards to help the prototype fight. The force is clouded, so I don't know where they shall be. But I can feel that Bridger is away from Marek. Find where he is and send in the prototype."
As the holo shut off, Vader clenched his fist as he tried to calm himself. He saw a light flash on the console indicating someone wanted to reach him. Reaching out and depressing the button he heard a lieutenant on the other line.
"My lord, It appears that there is a shuttle from the Emperor requesting permission to land. Shall I turn them away?" The lieutenant asked as he tried to keep his composure.
"No, tell them to dock at bay twelve. I will meet them personally." Vader stated as he turned and exited the command center to greet the Shadow Guard and to brief the prototype about its mission.
Walking into the bay, Vader greeted the four Shadow guards who saluted him with their saber pikes. Before silently following the Sith Lord back into the bowels of the destroyer. When they arrived at a conference room, they saw a figure in the back with a black robe and hood on, obscuring their face with a shadow.
"Your mission is to search out the two force users, Galen Marek, and Ezra Bridger. They are stronger than all of you combined. But the younger one is away from, the older one. I want him taken alive. By any means necessary." Vader said to the shadow guardsmen, "Your secondary objective will be to monitor an experimental prototype of the empire. If it faces one of them in battle, it will lose. Your job is to detail it and report back to me with your findings."
With a final salute from the shadow guardsmen, they turned and left the conference room as silently as they entered, followed by the prototype in the dark robes.
Orbiting Corellia next morning
Ezra was jostled awake by the ship exiting hyperspace. He had spent most of the time either meditating or sleeping. Looking over he saw Sabine curled into his side; She had spent most of the ride reading the reviews of the art show on the holo-net. However a few hours ago She had pulled a blanket out of her bag and draped it over them so they could get some sleep. Rubbing his eyes, he rose to check the gauges and to wake up Sabine with some insta-caff.
"Mmmmm," Sabine groaned as her pillow and source of warmth stood and stretched waking her up from her hibernation. When Sabine went to sleep, she was asleep. One of the traits she shared with Ezra.
"Time to wake up bean," Ezra said in his groggy state as he mixed the two cups of insta-caff.
"I don't want to wake up. And did you just call me bean? Like the food?" Sabine asked while stretching and yawning, before taking the cup of caf from Ezra and gagging as she tried to swallow it.
"I did, it's a play on your name. And sorry about the coffee. I'm not very handy with cooking things." Ezra smirked as he tried to swallow the bitter concoction.
"Hmmm, I don't know how I feel about that," Sabine said in a serious tone.
"Why is that?" Ezra asked quirking an eyebrow.
"I don't know. I like my name the way it is. I'll have to see how it feels later on." Sabine responded as she grabbed a few nutri-bars from her bag, handing one to Ezra.
"So, what is our plan for the day," Ezra asked, reaching to fold up the blanket that they had shared before handing it to Sabine.
"Well, the spaceport should be open by now. All I need to do is contact them and transmit our clearance codes. Then we land and find a place to sleep tonight." Sabine said as she powered up the ship and moved it towards the surface of Corellia.
The planet of Corellia had a small Imperial presence. Due in part to a treaty between the Corellian government and the Imperials. Due to this, there was a substantial anti-Imperial influence among the local populace. Which would allow the teens to move around and not have many worries about being reported. Along with some possible help from any local resistance groups who wanted to oppose the Imperials like former Senator Garm Bel Ilbus.
Once they landed, the two booked a room at a cheap motel and set off for the art exhibit. Ezra was awestruck by the beauty of some of the artworks. Sure on a personal level, he liked the art of Sabine's that he had seen. But this was so much different; there were sculptures, murals, and lots of other pieces. There was even a lineup of several plays and musical pieces that would showcase various aspects of not only Corellian culture but of other cultures. As Ezra glanced at the exhibit program, he saw that there was a play scheduled later that evening showcasing Mandalorian culture and music.
"Do you want to go and see the Mandalorian play and musical drama tonight?" Ezra asked as they admired a piece of Mon Calamari artwork depicting the rise of their monarchy and alliance with the Quarren of their homeworld.
"I don't know. I suspect that there will be some Mandalorians there. I'm not popular with my people." Sabine admitted, looking away in shame.
"Why?" Ezra asked she had accepted his past without a second thought. But as he saw her body language he figured that she would tell him when she was ready. He did have some idea of her past before the empire. But nothing between her joining the Imperial Academy and her joining the Ghost crew.
"It's in the past. And I am not ready to relive it yet." Sabine said as Ezra conceded to let her keep her secrets. They couldn't be much worse than what he had done in his past.
"So, is that a no then?" Ezra asked while they moved onto a piece of Pantoran art depicting their moon goddess. Ezra stopped in place to admire it. He knew very little of the Pantoran culture but he would like to know some more, glancing around he noticed that the artist who made the piece was standing around talking to some of the attendees. Ezra was so caught up in the piece and formulating a plan that he nearly missed Sabine's response to his question.
"If you want to I guess we can go. But trust me, if they are purists which according to the program suggests they are. It will be entirely in Mando'a. And I don't think that you will be able to grasp much of it." Sabine said as she saw that Ezra was hardly paying attention to what she was saying, "Hey, are you listening?" She said in mock anger as she slapped his shoulder.
"Yeah, you stated that they are purists and that it will be entirely in Mando'a" Ezra responded without second thought before locking his gaze onto the female Pantoran artist and deciding to go through with his plan that was starting to take shape in the back of his mind.
"If you could hold on for one second, I have something that I wish to go do," Ezra said as he made a move toward the Pantoran, leaving Sabine a little put off as she saw him walk up to the artist. Jealousy started to seep its way into her mind as she watched him talk to her.
As Ezra approached the Pantoran woman, he got nervous. What would he say? What would she say? Would she ask too many questions? And most importantly, would her giving him the answers he wanted make her a target to the empire? He wasn't stupid, despite the strong anti-imperial sentiment he knew that the Empire would have spies and secret cameras all over. But all these thoughts were dispersed as he found him face to face with the young Pantoran. She couldn't have been much older than sixteen, but already she seemed to have some notoriety within the art community.
"Did you need something?" The woman asked as Ezra tried to get his words right in his head. Once again, he wished Juno was here so her better personal skills would prevail.
"Yes, but it isn't about your art. Which is splendid by the way." Ezra stuttered out before recomposing himself and calling on his bluffing abilities, "I work for Bonadan Heavy Industries, and I happen to have a supervisor above me who is Pantoran. And, I may have offended him. I was wondering what the culturally proper way to apologize to someone after something like that was."
"Well, it would depend on the level of the grievance. Did you spill his caf or did you sleep with his wife? Each would have a separate response in our culture." The Pantoran said in a relaxed state, apparently surprised that someone would be concerned with the tiny moon world's culture.
"Let's say it would be worse than the sleeping with his wife thing. I may have insulted one of the deity's of Pantora." Ezra bluffed as he tried to keep his cool, this was going a lot easier than he thought it would.
"Oh, well in that case. The best response would be to cook a traditional Pantoran pipat, it's similar to a bantha steak stew but with different spices added in it. Then donating some of your yearly income to the temple of whichever deity that you disgraced," The woman responded, before smiling awkwardly and looking past Ezra to Sabine who was a few feet away.
"Is that who you are here with?" She asked, trying to ease some of the tension that was starting to come over as Ezra contemplated his options. Before responding, "Yeah, how did you know?" Ezra said.
"I saw you two walking around together, and she hasn't looked away since you came over." the woman laughed.
"Oh, well, yeah we are here together. Why do you want to know?" Ezra said as he turned to see Sabine quickly move to try and cover up that she was watching him.
"I wanted to ask first if she did her hair on her own or if she had someone do it. And also if she's single." The woman asked, looking over Sabine's figure.
"Well, to answer your first question she does her hair, at least I think she does. But to answer your second question no she isn't, we just got together a few days ago. Sorry," Ezra explained, "But I could introduce you two if you want."
Now the Empire didn't outlaw homosexuality precisely. It was just heavily discouraged, mostly for political reasons. Juno had explained it as, any person not contributing to the war effort one way or another were expected to have children for the war machine of the empire. This policy was doubly so for women, so being lesbian in the empire would make you kind of a pariah. Ezra was a little shocked that this woman was so out about it. However, Corellia and Pantora were bastions of what little freedom there was left in the galaxy, so it did make sense in that sense.
The Pantoran did seem a little upset about the revelation but agreed to meet the two of them later for lunch at a local cafe within walking distance of the art exhibit. Before she had to go back to talking to people about her artwork and finding finances for her field of work. Ezra went back to where he last saw the Mandalorian to try and find her and let her know about their caf date with the other artist. As he moved through the crowd that had started to gather around the Pantoran. Looking over he saw the pink hair of Sabine and saw that she had two cups of something.
"Did you enjoy your talk?" Sabine asked, trying to keep the jealousy out of her voice as she handed one of the cups to Ezra.
"Yeah, it was fruitful. We are supposed to go to a cafe later in half an hour." Ezra responded as he sniffed the concoction in the cup.
"What do you mean 'we,'" Sabine asked, her hostility was evident in her voice. She understood that Ezra would probably be behind the learning curve regarding personal interaction. But going and talking to someone else and agreeing to go on a date with someone else seemed like pretty basic knowledge.
"I mean we as in, you, her, and me," Ezra responded, trying to decipher why Sabine was hostile.
"Oh, and why did she want me there?" Sabine asked, allowing her anger to cool.
"She wanted to know about how you do your hair. Probably to talk about some artwork, " Ezra listed off as he tried the drink in his hand before continuing, "She also wanted to know if you were single."
"What?" Sabine said in surprise, she knew about the homophobic views of the Empire, so she knew that the woman was taking a huge career risk by asking if another woman was single. If word got out about something about that, the empire would probably do something to her, ranging from boycotting her art shows to taking her to a 'reeducation camp.'
"She knows the dangers of that lifestyle right?" Sabine said as she and Ezra made their way towards the exit so as to get to the cafe. It was well known enough that they didn't need directions but unknown enough that very few outsiders went there.
"I assume so; she is a traveling artist," Ezra said as he finished off the fruity drink, he did detect a whiff of Corellian brandy in it but not much. All he could say is that it was good. He might have to try it again.
"Well, I must applaud her bravery. I doubt many people could do that. She must have friends in high places." Sabine remarked as they came upon the cafe. Getting a table in the back, the two tried to keep the conversation going before devolving into talking about the different pieces that they saw at the art show. Unbeknownst to them, an Imperial spy was in the cafe, trying to be on the lookout for any information regarding the high levels of rebel activity in the system.
When he saw the rebels, he nearly shit his pants. They were well known within the Imperial intelligence community, although he didn't know why the male one was so highly wanted over the Mandalorian. She was responsible for many lost credits in the outer rim and several bombs at Imperial facilities. Whereas the Male was a relative newcomer to his knowledge. Snapping a quick holo of the two, he calmly rose and paid for his caf before leaving. As he did this Ezra felt a small tug from the force. But chose to ignore it, he was too engrossed with what Sabine was saying and trying to wrap his mind around all the different art pieces that they had seen that morning.
Ten minutes later Ezra heard a familiar voice of the Pantoran he had met. Waving her over Ezra moved to sit so that the woman and Sabine would be able to talk and allow him a complete view of the establishment so as to see if they were being watched. Unfortunately, they were too late. For at that very moment the holo of the two was being beamed up to the Imperial high command and finding it's way to Vader. Who in turn tasked the prototype and the four shadow guards with going to Corellia immediately to capture Ezra and to dispose of Sabine.
"Nice to see you two," The Pantoran said, as she sat at the table with the two rebels. And smiled at Sabine and Ezra.
"Ah, Sabine this is, umm, I'm sorry I don't think that I ever caught your name," Ezra said in embarrassment.
"Oh, I guess you're right. My name is Choni," Choni responded before diving into her questions with Sabine, "So who does your hair? He said that you do it yourself. But I don't believe him; it looks like a professional job."
"Nope, I do it myself," Sabine said as she took the compliment from a fellow artist with a smile, "Yeah, Ezra here won't let me dye his hair. But I don't think that resolve will last very long."
Ezra tuned out the rest of the conversation to put out feelers in the force. He caught bit and pieces but mostly allowed the two to talk about their current art pieces. He was entering a semi-meditative stated when he saw someone that he thought that he had seen before in the cafe. It was the Imperial spy, but Ezra didn't know that. But from what the force was telling him, he should be wary of the person, who seemed to be trying to watch the three discreetly. When he turned away, Ezra tapped Sabine and motioned to the table. Seeing the man, Sabine merely nodded before continuing her conversation.
Ezra continued to watch the spy, who was apparently poorly trained or was brand new to field work. As he watched him, he heard Sabine tactfully steer the conversation towards taking the Pantoran back to their motel so Sabine could do her hair. Ezra took his cue and slowly rose and led the way out holding the door open for the two. Keeping a close eye on what the Imperial would do, he saw him reach up and touch his ear and whisper something. Before rising and paying for his drinks.
Ezra took the lead, he had been to Corellia several times while with Vader and knew how to maneuver the backstreets of the city they were in. Moving down an alleyway, he let Sabine and Choni get a few meters ahead. Making eye contact with Sabine, she nodded communicating that she understood what he was going to do. Setting himself up behind a dumpster, Ezra waited for the spy to fall into his trap. Just as the man turned the corner, Ezra pounced.
The spy was overwhelmed within seconds as Ezra held him by his neck and smashed him against the wall allowing his feet to dangle above the ground.
"Who are you? And why are you following us?" Ezra said as Sabine appeared holding her blasters, along with an obviously confused Choni.
"Who I am don't matter rebel scum. I have an entire Imperial task force on its way to capture you two and that dyke bitch." The spy said, before laughing, "I found the Jedi who attacked the Pantoran garrison along with the Mandalorian artist. And we can take down the stupid slut from Pantora who doesn't know her place."
Ezra felt his anger flare; he should have been paying better attention to his surroundings. Galen would be pissed if he knew what happened. Seeing the man move his mouth in a weird way Ezra knew that he was trying to swallow a cyanide pill. Clenching his fist, Ezra crushed the spy's windpipe without a second thought. Much to Sabine and Choni's surprise and shock.
"Why did you do that?" Sabine said in frustration; the spy would have been an excellent source of information for the rebellion. Before she saw the foam come out of his mouth. Ezra was already rifling through the man's coat and pants. When he found the portable holo-transmitter, he tossed it to Sabine, who got to work trying to crack the codes. Once she did that she ran through the records, and the force smiled on them. The spy was obviously a poorly trained amateur. The records of what he sent showed it all; he had photo's of Sabine and Ezra, along with Choni. The Imperials would use this against Choni.
"Cyanide, all spies carry a capsule disguised as a tooth. Kills them within seconds." Ezra said in cold tone, before turning around and addressing Choni, "I'm sorry you got drawn into this. But you need to come with us and go into hiding ma'am."
"What? Why?" Choni said as she came to terms with what she just learned, the two people she had just met were, in fact, rebel fighters, and now that the empire had seen her with them. She slowly opened her mouth and eyes as the reality of the situation took hold. Everything she had worked so hard for was now at risk of being destroyed because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. This would no doubt ruin her, looking up at the two rebels she could see that they were genuinely worried about her, they cared. And that was all that mattered at that moment.
"We need to get moving if we have any hope of getting out of here before the Imperials arrive," Sabine said, turning to Choni, "Do you have anything that you need to get or anything special? Once we leave you likely won't be able to retrieve it."
"My sister is in the hotel room I am staying at with a nanny I hired," Choni said as she looked at the ground, still really unsure about everything. Her sister was all the family she had left, she hated what would happen to her if the Imperials found out about her.
"Let's move, Sabine, go to the motel room, get our gear then meet us at the Phantom," Ezra said, taking charge before motioning for Choni to lead the way to the Hotel.
So, this seems like a good place to stop this chapter. What do you guys think? Do you like it? Please read and review. Until next time.
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