Hey guys. How did you like the last chapter? I hope to see how you guys like this one as well. So without much further ado. Here is chapter 21.
Atollon that night
Hera prepped herself for bed. Ezra's story was weighing heavy on her mind. She knew why Kanan kept it from her, even though the brothers had told him to keep it secret. Their plight was almost as sad as it comes. Having the oppression of the Empire was one thing. But to be coerced and forced to do their dirty work was something Hera couldn't imagine. The guilt and shame the two felt must have been immeasurable.
"Hera, dear, is something bothering you?" Kanan inquired.
"Ezra told me his story," Was all that Hera mumbled out, mulling over the things.
"Oh, I'm sorry I wouldn't tell you earlier," Kanan said removing his shirt and getting under the covers of their shared bed.
"No, I understand why," Hera said softly climbing in next to him, curling herself into the Jedi's body. Everything in the galaxy seemed to still as she felt Kanan's breath start to even out. Along with her own eyes beginning to droop.
"Caleb?" Hera whispered, she only used his birth name when Hera needed reassurance. Kanan had long ago told her his name in confidence, she rarely felt the need to use it.
"Yeah?" Even in his half-awake state, the Jedi felt that Hera was about to unload on him with something completely out of nowhere.
"Had you not escaped the empire, would you have become like them?" Hera's question was hard to answer. Sure right now the knight felt he would never go down that path, even if he lost everything. To tarnish everything he worked so hard for would be even worse than the feeling of loss. But at the time of the purge? That, that was a different question entirely. As a young knight, he had fought for justice and truth with the backing of the might of the republic. He remembered how painful it was for him to lose all that he knew when Order 66 was issued. Maybe, just maybe, if the right interrogator had gotten to him. Perhaps the Grand Inquisitor he defeated over Mustafar could have done it, he seemed to take a keen interest in bringing him into the fold of the Empire.
"I honestly don't know, I was a different person back then," Kanan replied, hoping not to continue the conversation. It was painful to remember that point in his life.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hera started, moving to sit up beside him. Glaring down at her husband.
Sighing Kanan turned his face to where he felt her, "It means I don't know, it, it was a tough time Hera,"
"So you would have just joined the Empire after everything they did?" Hera countered trying to find a reason for the answer.
"No, that isn't what I meant," His blinded eyes staring into her green eyes, "When the order fell, I had to deal with a set of circumstances that no Jedi had to deal with, or rather needed to deal with, in well over a millennium. I lost everything, my home, my friends, in a way the family that I grew up with,"
"But that isn't answering my question," Hera fired back getting annoyed at his wanting to avoid the question.
"The answer is that the force is complicated. It decided I wouldn't face those circumstances; instead, it felt best I bar hop across the outer rim until I came across a smoking hot Twilek," Kanan smirked at his comment.
Hera's green skin blushed a deep red, she deep down loved how Kanan complimented her looks, even though she would always say to the contrary.
The Jedi pulled his wife close and held tightly, his blind eyes staring blankly around the room.
"All you need to worry about with me is that I promise to never stray from your side ever," Kanan whispered into Hera's ear. This seemed to ease the fears that the Twilek had. She snuggled into Kanan's side once again content that the future would work out for them.
Kanan stifled a chuckle as he reached out with the force and shut off the lights in the couples room. Before laying back and drifting off into a fitful sleep.
Atollon Medcenter: 2 weeks later
Ezra was almost vibrating with excitement, the doctors had just finished up the last rounds of tests. And they declared him to be fit for light duty. He didn't care about the light duty part, but at least it meant that he would no longer need to spend his nights in the infirmary hooked up to the various machines that monitored his condition.
Moving out of the room Ezra stretched his aching muscles, before making his way down the infirmary's corridor. Stepping out onto the tarmac Ezra felt his stomach grumble.
"Looks like I need some food," Ezra chuckled to himself, "I wonder if Sabine is hungry also,"
Setting off to the site of the Ghost ship Ezra looked contemplatively out towards the border fence. Now that he was released to light duty Ezra figured he could go and consult the Bendu on any other immediate things he needed to know before heading out to the Dathomir system.
"I guess I will need to break the news as well to Sabine that I know our future mission," Ezra said pausing to catch his breath in the crisp morning air on the barren world.
"Wow, really?" Ezra huffed, grabbing at his side, "I guess they weren't playing around when they said 'light duty,'"
Making the rest of the journey to the Ghost happened in silence, even though it took a lot longer in Ezra's opinion. Coming aboard the freighter, Ezra looked around the cargo bay and saw Hera doing some maintenance.
"Hey, Hera. whatcha doin?" Eza asked his cheerful mood shining through,
Chuckling Hera got up from her crouched position, "Oh, just doing some fine tuning on the cargo bay doors,"
"Were they broken?" Ezra said looking at the doors and seeing no flaws.
"No, I just like to tinker with this ship, it helps me put my mind at ease," Hera said looking down at the tools in her hand's tears forming.
After a slightly pregnant pause where neither spoke, Ezra broke the silence.
"Oh, what's bothering-" Ezra didn't get a chance to finish before he was embraced by the green Twilek,
"I've been thinking about what you told me," Hera whispered, "I want you to know that no matter what, the ghost and I will always be here for you,"
Ezra was taken back by this, he hadn't seen her since that night on the Ghost. He knew she took it hard.
"Hera, my past is just that, in the past. I'm over it but thank you, this still means a lot," Ezra smiled, then returned the embrace.
After the two parted, Ezra looked around the bay awkwardly, "Is Sabine here?"
"Yeah, she is, she's up in her room," Hera said, "Don't you two have too much fun up there," she finished with a smirk.
Ezra blushed and tried to sputter a response, "I. No. You misunderstand,"
Laughing Hera just crouched back down and began to work again on the cargo bay doors, "Whatever you say, I'm just sure that Kanan doesn't want to be a grandfather anytime soon,"
Leaving a chuckling Hera, Ezra made his way up to the living quarters of the Ghost. Stopping outside Sabine's room and giving a soft knock.
"Who is it?" Came the muffled reply of Sabine through the durasteel door.
"Oh, I dunno, just a random guy, trying to woo a pretty girl," Ezra said, trying out one of the pickup lines that Kanan and Galen had told him would work.
Opening the door, Sabine greeted him with a neutral expression, "What was that? An attempt at flirting?"
Taken back Ezra stuttered, "Umm, well, Kanan and Galen-"
"Let me stop you right there. How Kanan wooed Hera with pickup lines like that, I will never know, but I think it would be prudent not to use any relationship advice he gives. I also think that was an attempt just to embarrass you," Sabine rattled off, before allowing a small smile to leak onto her face, "But the thought was sweet," before kissing him on the cheek.
"O-Okay, duly noted," Ezra stammered out, before regaining his composure, "I was wondering if you wanted to go get something to eat because I am starving,"
"Oh, the rations that you got in the infirmary starting to wear thin?" Sabine joked at him.
"No, I actually skipped the breakfast to go straight into the tests, I think I interrupted the doctor's breakfast actually," Ezra said, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"I suppose I could go for a light snack, but I think we shouldn't waste much time, I'm pretty sure Commander Sato wants to speak with you to get your side of the story about your 'escape attempt', isn't it in only like an hour and a half?"
"Can't that wait?" Ezra inquired, already dreading the meeting he had been told about the day prior. Apparently, the Commander couldn't have been bothered to come and ask him in the past few weeks while he was in the infirmary. If it was such a rush, then why wait until now to start pressing the issue?
"I'm afraid not, apparently he has been giving Hera a hard time, wanting to know if she has any info on you and your brother,"
Letting out a sight Ezra relented, "Fine, food first then a meeting with Commander doom and gloom,"
Giggling Sabine nodded in agreement, "let me just get my armor," before Sabine ducked back into her room. Standing with the open door, Ezra got more of a glimpse into how her art had progressed, seeing a fully colored in poster that Choni had been working on Ezra admired the beauty of the brushstrokes, and how the dark green background gave way to simulate an undersea nightmare.
Stepping inside to get a closer look Ezra saw that the Twilek woman looked remarkably familiar, almost like Hera.
"Admiring Choni and I's work?" Sabine inquired her armor freshly polished from the night before.
"I was just thinking how that woman looks a lot like Hera," Ezra inquired trying to find out why she looked so much like Hera.
"That's because I had Hera as a model for the artwork," Seeing Ezra's bemused expression, Sabine elaborated.
"What? She's always done it for me, I've tried to get Zeb and Kanan in on it, but they weren't to keen on it,"
"Oh, huh, just never saw Hera as the artsy type, more of a grease monkey type," Ezra quipped.
"Oh she is, but she really has helped me through the years, before her I could only really do landscapes and vehicles," Sabine admitted, remembering her days of drawing oversized hands or faces that weren't correctly proportioned.
"Well I guess that is sweet of her," Ezra commented before standing up and moving for the door, Sabine just silently followed, her helmet balanced on her hip.
As the two made their way past Hera still muttering in her crouched over position dealing with whatever electronic was giving her grief. A flash of amusement came across her green eyes before quipping at the two, "That was a speedy trip up there Ezra," Before divulging into fits of laughter.
"What's her deal," Sabine said, concerned at Hera's quip.
"She may have told me when I was looking for you earlier that, and I quote, 'Don't have to much fun, Kanan doesn't want to be a grandpa anytime soon,'" Ezra let out with a sigh.
Blushing with embarrassment and anger, Sabine shot the Twilek a glare that only caused more fits and starts of giggles. As the two carried onward, she could see that Ezra carried a relaxed expression.
"Don't worry, I think they secretly want grandkids," Ezra assured.
"What makes you say that?" Sabine replied desperately trying to rid herself of her blush, only for it to come on harder as she felt Ezra slip his hand into hers. Intertwining their fingers, Sabine waited for Ezra to answer.
"Because Kanan told me the exact same thing before we set off for Corellia, I think they're secretly rooting for us," Ezra deduced.
"Still, I would like it if they kept quips like that to a minimum," Sabine retorted, "What you and I do behind closed doors is our own business,"
"Agreed," Ezra said as they made their way into the cafeteria.
Sabine went to grab them a seat while Ezra got their food. While she sat down, Sabine noticed Choni, sitting off with Shilli trying desperately to get the toddler to eat some of her vegetables. Smirking at the distressed nature of the teenager Sabine went over to sit with them.
As she sat down she was greeted with a fantastic squeal of joy from the toddler, "SABINE!" her shout was heard across the cafeteria. As the murmur of people eating continued after everyone finished staring in the direction of the squeal. Sabine took a seat at the table.
"Heya kiddo, how's it going?" Sabine asked the energetic kid.
"Amazing," Shilli's eyes twinkling, "I get to become a Jedi today!"
"Really? Well that sounds like fun, but you won't be able to become a Jedi unless you eat your veggies," Sabine chastised with a grin.
A pout forming on her lips, the toddler picked up her fork and poked at the greens on her tray, "Stupid veggies," could be heard being muttered from under her breath.
Choni took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief before turning to the Mandalorian before her, "Thanks, I needed the help,"
"No problem," Sabine said, allowing a small smile to be eeked out, "So, Shilli's got force powers?"
"Oh, uh, yeah," Choni stated turning a wary eye to the toddler, seeing her animatedly eating her veggies as if they were some poison allowed her to switch back to Sabine.
"Ezra and Kanan told me a few weeks ago, didn't they tell you?" Choni asked.
"No, they didn't," Sabine said looking down, feeling a flash of anger at being kept out of the loop.
"Yeah, sorry, it came as a surprise to me as well, but I figured so long as Kanan teaches her I'll allow it. He said they weren't even going to be going over combat stuff, which really eases my mind," Choni explained.
"Why would that ease your mind? What if she needs to defend herself?" Sabine countered, well aware of how cold and unfeeling the galaxy could be.
"Because I don't want her to become a weapon for this group like Ezra and his brother were for the Empire," Choni said, looking down, "The thought of her being like that fucking monster isn't something I want,"
"Excuse me?" Sabine said, not wanting to believe what she just heard.
"You heard me," Choni said back with venom, "I don't know what you see in him, do you know what he's done?"
"She's fully aware of my past," Ezra interrupted, balancing two trays of food in his hands, setting down a plate of waffles for Sabine. Before taking a seat beside her.
"Oh? And you still choose to be with him?" Choni shot back at Sabine.
"Choni, please, I know it's difficult to understand but Ezra isn't like that, and one couldn't blame him. He was only a kid at the time, the real monster is the one who sent him," Sabine said, maintaining her cool, despite the shots against her boyfriend.
Casually reaching under the table, Ezra clasped her hand as if to tell her that it was okay. Sabine let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Before digging into her breakfast.
"I'm all done Choni," Shilli said breaking the awkward silence a few moments later, showing her older sister her empty tray.
"Good job on finishing your veggies, now we need to get going, I don't want to keep Kanan waiting," Choni said before rising up and leading Shilli away.
"But I said I want Ezra to train me," Shilli said, her voice coming out in a whine.
"Shilli! I told you we weren't going to have this discussion again! Now don't mention it again or there will be consequences," Choni snapped at the toddler surprising Sabine and Ezra.
Shilli stuck out her bottom lip and looked back over at Ezra who merely cleared his throat and said, "Listen to your sister Shilli, it's better this way,"
Seeing her last hope vanish the toddler defiantly walked off with her older sister. Leaving the Je'daii and Mando to resume their meal in relative peace.
"So, why didn't you tell me she was force sensitive?" Sabine asked cutting the tension in the air.
"Mostly because I forgot, and because I didn't think it was that big of a deal," Ezra replied, stabbing into his eggs.
"Oh, and why wouldn't it have been that big of a deal?" Sabine further questioned.
"Because I assumed that Kanan would be the one to train her," Ezra once again responded, curious to where Sabine's train of thought was going.
"I see, so did Choni react this hostile to you when you guys broke the news?" Sabine continued finishing up her waffle.
"Yeah, though this was a little more explosive," Ezra replied,
"Hmph, and why does Shilli want you to train her?" Sabine asked again.
"I think it's because she's a toddler and wants to rebel against her sister," Ezra said finishing up his eggs before collecting the trays and rising up and moving to deposit them at the dish station.
Sabine followed, still slightly miffed that Ezra didn't think the discovery of a force sensitive on the base wasn't 'that big of a deal.' She decided to just forget about it, chalking it up to his lack of tact due to his upbringing.
As the two continued onward toward the Commander's office, Ezra started to fidget. Unsure of what to expect as he tried to get his mind off of the upcoming meeting, glancing at a passing Chronometer. It's flashing numbers revealing it was just past 0730. Ezra remembered that the meeting wasn't until 0800. They had spent about thirty minutes getting breakfast, but Ezra really wished they had spent more. Ezra hated the wait that was about to come.
"Um, excuse me can I help you?" a young man asked sitting on the other side of a desk. The empty tray of food and still full caf mug told the young couple he too had just finished up breakfast. His chest patch showed the rank of lieutenant.
"Umm, no lieutenant, we're just here to see the Commander, is he in a meeting right now?" Sabine inquired, instinctively feeling Ezra's unease at the thought of a dreadful half hour waiting for the invariable judgment of the Commander.
"No, he isn't, he just got back from his morning meal, can I ask if you have an appointment?" the lieutenant replied firing up his holo-desk.
"It's probably for Ezra bridger at 0800," Ezra replied, looking at anything other than the door. As if not looking at it would somehow make the door disappear.
"Hmm, yep it looks like he has you in for then, but I can ask if he wants you to come in, just let me scoot by," the lieutenant said rising and softly knocking on the door, before peeking his head in.
Hearing some low murmurs, Ezra hoped that he would be told that the meeting was unneeded. Alas, the force wasn't on his side in that sense today.
"He said he will take you now," the lieutenant said before sitting back down at his desk and beginning his mundane paperwork.
Ezra started to feel as though he was a child again, being summoned by Vader, involuntarily his left hand began to shake. Only for Sabine to take his hand and lead him to the door. Before he crossed the threshold, Ezra steeled himself for the meeting.
Okay, everyone, that's gonna wrap up this chapter. Sorry about the tonal shift from the beginning of the chapter. I just wasn't sure where to put Hera's reaction immediately following the events of what she was told in the last chapter. Other than that please read and review.
Television1