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When all three shuttles had jumped into hyperspace, their crews had some free time before they reached their destination. The crew of Victor Amadis planned to be at the station in about 30 minutes, the crew of Sabine Wren about 50 minutes, while the crew of Ezra Bridger had the longest route and they were to be in place in about 1h 20m. In each group every soldier had a simple nickname assigned, they were called Soldier-1, Soldier-2 Soldier-3, 4 and 5, only the commanding person had a different pseudonym, Commander. During the trip, they regularly checked each other, if they remember who was who.
During the flight in hyperspace, Sabine spent the first 20 minutes alone in the cockpit. She needed to stay a bit alone, of course, her thoughts were with Ezra. Their kiss surprised Bridger, but she knew subconsciously that he wanted it too. She wanted to prove to him that she really love him. In addition, she wanted to erase her irritation with their spoiled moment after the duel which ended with their shared cold bath in a stream.
At one moment, Sabine thought about one thing. She remembered well what Hera had told her about flirting with Ezra, but so far the last advice had been avoided by her. "Remember that you'll have to talk to him about it in the end. You cannot avoid this". Sabine realized that she has never spoken to Ezra about this. Neither after their duel or when they were watching the Holonet, never. 'Even if we kissed, how can we talk about ourselves as a pair, if we didn't even talk about it in any way?...' She thought. 'This means that... This kiss was also to avoid having to talk to him about it?' She asked herself.
She started to be a bit angry with herself. At that moment, for her, this kiss wasn't only a confession of love, but also an arrogant omission of the subject. She was surprised that she was afraid to talk to him about it, even though she knew about his feelings to her. She lacked experience in these matters. It was even difficult for her to imagine how she would even start talking to him about it. However, despite many of her fears at the very beginning of flirting with Ezra, she was able to overcome them. She has already done so much in this direction, so this thing shouldn't be an insurmountable obstacle for her either. "If I have the right to talk about Ezra as my boyfriend, I have to tell him something when we come back from that station" Sabine thought in the end.
After several minutes of thinking about her personal matters, Sabine decided that it was worth talking to the soldiers she had taken command of. They will soon be doing a mission together and relying on each other, especially if something goes wrong. Their lives may depend on her orders, so it was worth integrating with them to some extent so that they could trust her.
- Hello everyone – Sabine greeted her squad cordially.
- Hello, Commander – everyone replied, also cordially.
Sabine was known in the rebellion and it was an honor for them to serve under her command. Among the soldiers assigned to her there was one woman, who had the pseudonym Soldier-2, the rest were men.
The Mandalorian girl sat down with them.
- What brought you here, Commander? – Soldier-3 asked Sabine.
- Well, I was tired of being alone. In addition, we'll soon be doing a mission for the Rebel Alliance, so it would be good if we got to know each other. Does anyone have something against it? I ask you seriously – Sabine said to the soldiers.
No one was against, each soldier agreed with the Mandalorian girl.
- Very well, I will start with myself. My name is Sabine Wren, I am from Mandalore. I've been fighting the Empire for a few years now, so I've had quite a lot of combat experience, apart from my training on my home planet – Sabine was talking, she didn't try to boast, but to show them that she knew very well how to fight the Empire - I love art to such an extent that even the blowing up of enemies I turn into a kind of art – she added with a slight admixture of a joke.
Her last sentence made everyone feel positive about the conversation. Then she asked each of them about the same things she had told them herself. Nobody protested, some spoke more openly about themselves, others less. Then they started to talk about various topics not necessarily related to the mission.
In this way, they spent their time until the end of their journey was near. Sabine went out of the hold into the cockpit and sat down in the pilot's seat preparing to leave the hyperspace.
- We are approaching the station, prepare yourself – Sabine said with a loud voice to the soldiers.
The shuttle came out of the hyperspace, through the window of the cockpit one could see an abandoned imperial outpost. Sabine warned her unit when they were near the station hangar.
- Remember, from the moment of entering the station ONLY pseudonyms, no names. If the imperials were waiting for us there and were overhearing, it would be better for us that they would not know who was coming - Sabine said in a serious tone - Understood?
- Yes, Commander – each of her squad answered.
- Very well, we fly into the station – she replied.
Sabine flew by ferry to the hangar of an abandoned imperial outpost. By pressing the button she dropped the shuttle ramp, and then the whole unit together with her left the ship, having blasters in their hands and shining around with flashlights in search of dangers. They looked around very carefully, but after a few moments they noticed nothing suspicious.
Everyone went deep into the medical station. After a few minutes of fruitless search and reaching the crossroads of the corridors, the Mandalorian girl decided that the split up would speed up their search. She divided the squad into two groups: Sabine, Soldier-1 and Soldier-2 went in one direction and the rest in the other.
- Keep the communication channel open. If you notice that you are jamming or find imperials, then immediately run to the hangar and wait for us, understood? - Sabine warned the other group.
- Yes, Commander – the soldiers replied.
They split up. Sabine and her two companions were looking for supplies. They were looking for another few minutes walking from room to room.
Ezra flew with his team in the hyperspace to the station, which was the furthest from all three given by the former lieutenant. For some time he wanted to meditate, but his thoughts were still occupied by Sabine, not forgetting their first kiss in the rebel base. The Mandalorian girl was right that he also wanted it very much, but Ezra didn't have the courage to take the first step, because he didn't want to impose himself in any way. Making her feel uncomfortable was one of the last things he would like to do, although Sabine was always more direct than him, she didn't refrain. It was foolish for him that he hadn't been able to see before, that she felt something to him like he did to her.
However, he had a certain thought. They both know what they feel about each other, they even kissed each other, however... "Can we talk about ourselves as a couple, even if none of us has said to the other 'I love you'?". This question has bother him for some time. After a few minutes of reflection, he came to the conclusion that he couldn't leave it that way. He had to tell her something when they returned from this mission. He already had a moment in his mind when he would tell her. Their picnic, which he promised her after the mission, would be almost perfect.
When he looked at the on-board watch, he saw that half of the time had already passed for his journey to the destination. After spending some time alone, he decided to leave the cockpit to talk to his companions.
When Ezra entered the room where his companions were, he greeted them.
- Hello everyone – he said positively, rising his hand.
Everyone greeted him.
- What are you doing? - Ezra asked when he sat down with them.
- We're just talking about everything and nothing, still checking ourselves If we know each other's pseudonyms. Nothing interesting. Why are you here, Commander? – Soldier-4 asked.
- You know, I took part in such missions, so I thought we should get to know each other better. Integration is important. What do you think about this? - Ezra asked the soldiers.
Nobody was against that.
When they talked, everything was very similar to what happened at Sabine's team, however, the soldiers asked Ezra questions about being Jedi. "What is the Force?", "How is it to be able to lift objects in the air?", "Is it difficult to fight with a lightsaber?" etc. Ezra willingly answered their questions, after all Jedi was very few in the galaxy, they had the right to be curious.
When their flight in hyperspace was about to end in 10 minutes, Bridger began discussing with his subordinates how the mission was going. At the station everyone only uses pseudonyms, looks around carefully and says when they see something suspicious. Once the action plan had been established, Ezra went to the cockpit and sat down at the ship's helm, as the shuttle was about to leave the hyperspace.
Bridger landed by shuttle in the hangar of an abandoned imperial outpost, and when a unit with flashlights and blasters in its hands left looking out carefully, they noticed nothing suspicious.
The Jedi and his unit headed for corridors where crates were scattered, making it difficult to find supplies. They searched the rooms for something that might have been useful for the rebel alliance.
- Soldier-3, can you hear me? – Sabine tried to contact with the second group using a communicator.
- Loud and clear, Commander – Soldier-3 replied.
- Did you find something suspicious? – she asked.
- No, but supplies as well. Is it possible to find something here at all? – the soldier asked, wondering if their mission made sense.
- I'm sure of it. Keep looking for and stay in touch – Sabine replied.
- Understood.
Sabine and her companions continued searching the rooms. After a few minutes one of the soldiers had doubts.
- Commander, what is the certainty that the Empire left something here? - Asked Soldier-2.
- Imperials try to be careful when taking supplies with them when they leave an outpost, but they always miss something, they are not infallible - Sabine said
- This place makes me shiver... - said Soldier-1, full of fears.
- Get your act together, darkness is not biting. Besides, you have a flashlight – Sabine replied when she entered the next room.
Sabine shone with a flashlight, looking carefully. After a while she noticed a backpack with imperial markings lying under the wall at the end of the room.
- I found something - said Sabine to her companions who were entering the room with her.
- that's great - said Soldier-2. She wanted to approach to the find, but Sabine stopped her by the hand.
- Wait a moment, we don't know if it's a trap bomb. I'll check it, I know these things – Sabine replied seriously.
Sabine hid the blaster in the holster, approached it slowly and looked at it thoroughly, but there was nothing suspicious about it. She opened it carefully and noticed that there were medical tools in it, a kind of first aid kit. She looked through the contents of the backpack, there were a lot of bacta in the version applied on the wound, injected, also bandages. This kit was designed for serious injuries.
- Everything is fine – The sapper answered and then used the communicator – Soldier-3, what's your status? – asked through the device.
Silence, no one answered, but no disruptions could be heard.
- Soldier-3, can you hear me? Anyone? – she asked again.
No answer. For Sabine and her companions that was a very bad sign.
- Someone is jamming us? - asked Soldier-2, worried.
- No... they just don't answer, the channel is still open - said Sabine, who was also worried – it's better to look for them.
- "To look for them"? If they don't answer, then the imperials are here for sure, they have fallen into a trap! – Soldier-1 said, slightly anxious.
- Don't jump to conclusions – Sabine said trying to calm him down.
- If we want to survive, we have to run away right now! – Soldier-1 said.
- No! We do not leave our companions behind at the mercy of fate! Besides, we don't even know what actually happened, so we don't have the right to say that they have caught them or worse – Sabine said seriously to the panicked soldier – We have to find them. Did you understand? – she asked baldly.
- Yes, Commander - Soldier-2 answered, even enthusiastically.
Sabine looked seriously at Soldier-1.
- Yes, ... Commander - he didn't respond enthusiastically, but decided to follow the commander's decision. He wasn't brave, but he tried to follow the orders as best he could.
Sabine grabbed her WESTAR, her companions their blasters, and then they went in the direction of way, which the second group went.
Along the way, the Mandalorian girl was still trying to contact the soldiers they were looking for, but she still had no answer. She started to be more and more afraid that soldier-1 was right and they got into some trouble, however, she didn't want to leave them, they trusted her as commander and she couldn't assume in advance that they "had died and we have to run away". It wasn't her way.
They went to the crossroads of the corridors. Sabine glowed a flashlight to the left along the corridor, noticing anything. But when she turned on to the right, she saw a figure in the distance. The flashlight's light faded because of the distance and it was impossible to recognize who it was. It seemed to be dressed in black and had a helmet on the head.
- Who are you? – Sabine shouted, aiming to him with her blaster.
The character took a few steps towards them... and then ignited the red lightsaber.
Sabine almost immediately understood who this person is. It wasn't Darth Vader, she would have recognized him, so there was only one answer... It was an inquisitor.
She remembered the previous fights with Vader's servants, she and her companions had no chance to fight him. They had to run away.
- That's an inquisitor. Run! – Sabine shouted to her companions pointing the way which they were supposed to run away, they listened to her.
Sabine fired a few shots at the enemy and started to flee herself into the corridor. The Inquisitor reflected these accurate shots and started running behind the rebels.
The Mandalorian girl and her companions ran through the corridors roughly towards the hangar, turning several times along the way. After a long distance, Sabine realized they had to separate if they to be able to escape. She stopped with them under the ventilation shaft, which had no bars.
- Jump into the ventilation, I'll divert his attention - said Sabine firmly.
- But... - Soldier-1 mumbled.
- Do what I say! - Sabine shouted at the soldier, who was slowly being panicked.
The Mandalorian girl gave Soldier-1 a leg-up. Then, in ventilation, he gave Soldier-2 a hand.
- Get to the hangar as fast as you can - Sabine told them when Soldier-2 was climbing.
When both soldiers were already in ventilation, Sabine noticed an inquisitor coming out of the corner. She started to run away from him occasionally, taking a few shots. The Inquisitor, running towards her, bumbed into a group of stormtroopers who came out of the corner. He stopped before them.
- Sir, our people have already guards a hangar, what are the further orders? - the stormtrooper asked.
The two rebels hiding in the ventilation right above the imperials weren't moving out of place. They were afraid that they'd hear them, so they preferred to wait until the enemies went somewhere.
- The rebels didn't escape far... - The Inquisitor spoke these words and then took two steps backward.
He sensed someone above his head. He wouldn't have sensed him if not his great fear. After a short while, the inquisitor swung his laser sword above him, cutting through the ventilation just behind the feet of the rebels who were hiding there. Vader's servant immediately took three steps and did the same, then pushed the sword into the edge of the ventilation floor and cut it along to the first cut. The rebels were terrified. After a while the floor underneath them collapsed and they fell on their back with their feet in the direction of the inquisitor.
- Welcome - he answered, keeping the ignited laser sword close to him.
Both soldiers rose to the sitting position. Soldier-1 looked at Vader's servant. The inexperienced soldier was completely frightened to see it. He didn't know what to do, just in front of him stood a guy with a lightsaber that could cut him in half, additionally in some way incomprehensible to him the inquisitor knew that they were above his head.
The panic got the better of Soldier-1. He grabbed his blaster and aimed it quickly at the inquisitor.
He fired at him... But the enemy reflected the shot into his chest.
Soldier-1 instantly fell on his back, he got hit straight into his heart. Soldier-2 looked at him in horror as her friend's dead body, his head was tilting to the side while his eyes were still open when he died. The inquisitor brought the lightsaber blade closer to her chest.
- Will you give up, or you prefer to die as he does? - Vader's servant quickly asked.
She looked at him with fear. She dropped the blaster without being ready to die at the hands of this monster.
- Soldiers, handcuff her - he said to the stormtroopers standing nearby who were observing the entire situation, being flabbergasted.
After the order was given, the Inquisitor moved to the direction of Sabine's escape.
After about 30 minutes of searching the facility, Ezra and his unit entered the corridor, at the end of which a part of the station collapsed and there was no passage. On their right side there was an entrance to another room where they could find something. Ezra came first looking carefully, his subordinates followed him. There were several boxes inside, but without imperial markings, so there was little chance they would find something useful.
- Let's look into them - Bridger ordered.
They started to open them to see if they had any content. They checked them one by one, but the first few boxes were empty. Ezra opened the next box and saw that there was something in it. There were some glass containers there, he took one of them in his hand to take a look.
- Have you found something, Commander? - One of the soldiers asked.
- Yes. It's a bacta, a version applied directly on the wound - replied Ezra pleased with the finding.
- How much is there? - asked another soldier.
- Total of 6 pcs. It's not much, but we haven't finished looking, so we can find it more - he answered by taking another container in his hand.
One of the soldiers in Ezra's unit, with the pseudonym Soldier-5, had a backpack with him, which was intended for this type of finding. The Jedi fed him the containers, and the latter put them in the bag. When Ezra gave him the last container, he looked towards the exit. He saw some levitating ball from which some legs were sticking out.
- That's the probe! - Ezra shouted, then quickly took the blaster out of the holster and shot at it.
A small droid avoided the first shot, but the second one hit him straight into the middle "eye". The damage was so serious that it immediately fell on the floor, making various sounds of damaged electronics. The soldiers were very surprised when they looked back and saw a destroyed probe. Unfortunately for them, this probe hadn't been noticed in the hangar before, when they arrived and it immediately alerted the imperials.
- The empire knows about us, we have to run away! - Ezra said to his companions.
It was too late. The probe informed the imperials exactly where they were.
Steps of a large number of people were heard. There were nine stormtroopers of the Empire together with a lieutenant, who were aiming towards the entrance.
- Surrender, rebels. You have nowhere to escape! - The lieutenant shouted.
"It was a trap" Ezra thought angry .
-|Wyvern, 2 hours before|-
- Did you call me, inquisitor? - Kerrick Suvan asked when he entered his office.
- Yes. I was successful in finding out which stations the rebels could choose to take supplies from - said the Eleventh Brother, after which he launched the projector.
A map of abandoned imperial medical stations was shown. There were eleven of them, over each of them there was a note about the date of leaving. They were also relatively far apart from each other.
- I am impressed - admitted the captain honestly - but there is one problem, I don't have the resources to cover every one of them, and the very distances between them create problems.
- I know that would be impossible for you. That's why I have a plan to make it happen - said Vader.
- I turn into hearing - he said, crossing his arms.
- The rebels will probably not send the units to each of these stations, which would be risky, because in recent weeks the Empire has introduced certain rules for abandoned imperial stations. Have you heard about this?
- Yes, we were informed. After some time, spy probes are sent to such stations, which regularly observe the outpost and alert the local patrols when they find looters. I don't understand, however, why these probes are not being sent there immediately.
- Because it takes some time for the rebels and pirates to find out about it. Moreover, being familiar with bureaucrats, it is simply cheaper. The imperialists believe that there is no need to observe such places at once, as this is a waste of resources. Do you see these notes on each station?
- I see. I guess that will be useful.
- You aren't mistaken. I have already managed to determine where the spy probes aren't yet present, so the rebels will send their people to these places.
- Daxar may remember the location of all the stations, but how could he know that there are no observers at all in those outposts?
- I searched his things in the quarters. I found reports about these stations.
- Reports? - Kerrick asked surprised - I never asked him to do this.
- Because it wasn't on your request. Fengris was performing additional administrative duties, I don't know why he was doing them at all. Perhaps he was too bored, maybe he wanted to have more work not to remember the unpleasant memories, and it was a lot when looking at his biography. This is no longer relevant.
After these words, the Eleventh Brother pressed a button on the computer and three stations were illuminated red.
- It is these stations that aren't observed.
- Perfect. Do you have any plans to set traps?
- Yes. You will take your lieutenant to that task.. We need to hurry.
- Why? - The surprised captain asked the question.
- Because in the worst case scenario, we were already late - the inquisitor said, rolling his eyes - We don't know when they will be there. Set up your Wyvern in a place where the distance between all three stations would be as short as possible and send the probes to those outposts as soon as possible. When they see the rebels, they are to let us know, then one of our three will fly there with the stormtroopers.
- Well, but I have one condition: I will go to the first station where there'll be those scums. I have unfinished business with them - said Suvan firmly.
- If you wish, just hurry up. I'm going to the hangar, you'll gather people - the inquisitor finished his conversation, and then he left the room.
- Lieutenant Forlin - said Kerrick to the communicator, calling on his new deputy - now we have an important mission. You will bring people with spy probes to the hangar and put the stormtroopers on standby.
- Of course, Sir. I am already doing this - answered the subcommittee
The captain disconnected. He couldn't wait for the confrontation with the rebels, he dreamed about revenge.
-|Nowness|-
Sabine ran through the corridors towards the hangar, hoping that her two other companions could get there, but she started to wonder what happened to the rest of her unit... And suddenly she saw something that scared her.
She found the bodies of three people in the corridor, who were lying in the middle of the corridor. They were people from her unit, she recognized them by their clothes and equipment. They were killed with a lightsaber, one person had a pierced chest, the other had a slit in the stomach, the third had a slit from the hip to the shoulder.
This sight was terrifying for her. They were killed with surprise as they walked one by one. The previous inquisitors with whom she had dealings would try to capture them, but he murdered them immediately. Apparently this one didn't take prisoners.
She heard the steps of an inquisitor running behind her a long distance, so she moved towards the hangar.
Sabine entered a large room where the ships landed. She had an unpleasant surprise, she saw a group of nine soldiers of the Empire scattered near her ferry. Right next to the ship that arrived, there was an imperial carrier ship. The enemy soldiers didn't notice her at once, so she had a moment to run towards the heap of boxes to protect her.
When she was halfway through the way, the stromtroopers noticed her and opened the fire, but she managed to hide in time before a shot hit her. Sabine responded with fire, but the preponderance of her opponents meant she was under heavy fire. At the point one of the enemies hit her shoulder, but the armor easily absorbed the blaster shot, however, it pissed Sabine off. She thought she needed to find a way to deal with them quickly before they could finally find a place where the armor couldn't protect her. The Mandalorian girl hid behind the cover, pulled out the thermo detonator and armed it. A moment later she stood up and threw it straight under the feet of the soldiers. They quickly noticed what object was flying in their direction, or at least they guessed, so they started running away. When it exploded, the force of the explosion threw the stormtroopers away for a few meters, a few were lying on the ground motionless, the rest managed to move away in time, so after a while they stood up and started shooting again.
Sabine didn't interrupt the fire from her WESTARs when there were half as many opponents, she even killed two of them, but a moment later their number was to increase again. An inquisitor together with four stormtroopers entered the room. "Karabast" she cursed under her nose when she saw them.
The stormtroopers pinned her with fire, she had to hide behind the cover. She started to prepare another thermo detonator, when she remembered one thing, the inquisitor could easily use the Force to send the grenade back to her, so its use could only make it worse. This made her feel irritated, she wondered how to get out of this truly unpleasant situation. However, after a few moments, the Eleventh Brother spoke up.
- Hold your fire! - commanded Vader's servant with a loud voice.
The soldiers listened and stopped shooting. Sabine was slightly surprised by his order.
- I'll deal with her personally - he said under his nose, igniting his lightsaber.
Sabine looked out from behind the cover and saw an inquisitor charging towards her. She immediately leaned out and opened fire from both blasters towards him. But this one was running towards her with a high speed. The shots that were to hit him directly were either avoided or reflected by him. Sabine started shooting as fast as she could to stop him, but one of the reflected shots returned to her hitting the top of the helmet, which distracted her for a moment. The Eleventh Brother took advantage of this moment, and when he approached her at the distance of close combat, he hit her with his left hand from the bottom straight into the jaw. He wasn't left-handed, but Sabine was struck out of balance by the blow and the helmet gently slid away from its default position. The inquisitor took advantage of the moment again and, with both hands out, force-pushed Sabine into the wall. Because of the force of the impact, her helmet fell from her head and blasters fell out of her hands, and then she fell stunned on the floor in front of her opponent.
Vader's servant approached her. Sabine raised her sore head to look at him, but she had a slightly blurred eyesight. Her opponent pointed at her with a laser sword.
- Handcuff her! - He shouted at the stormtroopers, who immediately came up.
The Mandalorian girl didn't resist them much, she didn't have the strength to do so and it was pointless for her. The Inquisitor didn't kill her at once, so it was obvious to her that he wanted her to be alive...
Ezra and his unit were still in the room, which was blocked from the outside by the stormtroopers. The young Jedi had to quickly come up with some escape plan before the imperials decided to attack. After a while he came up with an idea. He removed the display from his belt, on which the station scheme was installed, and activated it. He quickly determined their current position and saw that there were more rooms underneath. He pinned the device back to his belt, put the blaster in the holster and took the lightsaber.
- Commander, what do you want to do? - asked Soldier-1, who was standing next to him.
- Move back, I'll make a way out - said Ezra, then he knocked the lightsaber deep into the floor and started to cut a circle.
After a few seconds Ezra pushed a huge piece of the ground down with the Force, thus giving them a chance to escape from the trouble.
- Follow me. Just be careful about the edges - said Ezra before jumping through the hole in the room underneath.
Each of the soldiers jumped one by one to a lower level. The young Jedi pinned his saber to the belt and took the blaster out of the holster.
- We have to run to the hangar, stay close - Ezra said firmly when the last soldier was already with them.
They started running along the corridors towards the hangar. Bridger had a map with him, so he was sure they were running in the right direction.
Suddenly a few stormtroopers came out of the corner in front of them. When they saw the rebels, they immediately opened fire. Ezra and his soldiers, being in the middle of the corridor, hid behind the covers, which were the crates and door frames scattered into closed rooms. They responded with fire.
The exchange of fire was intense, Ezra wanted to retreat from this position with his team before the enemy surrounded them... but he was late. When he looked behind him, he saw stormtroopers coming out to their back. Soldier-3 was the closest to them and was uncovered.
- Soldier-3, behind you! - Ezra shouted, trying to warn him.
The rebel looked back and saw the imperials targeting him. He turned to them with a blaster, but he had no chance. The enemies opened fire and three shots hit Soldier-3 directly on the chest. When the blaster was dropped, he fell inertly onto the box, which at that moment became his tombstone with his name written in blood in an unknown language.
Ezra was shocked by the sight of a dying soldier from his unit. He started to shoot at the stormtroopers who killed his subordinate. The first shot hit one of them straight in the head, the rest managed to hide behind the covers.
The projectiles were flying through the corridor at high speed. The Rebels were pinned and had no way out. Ezra decided that he had to do something before the stormtroopers could receive support. He put the blaster in the holster and took the lightsaber in his hand. Before he ignited the blade, he noticed a stunning grenade flying from the front. "That might be our chance," Ezra thought, and then stretched out his hand. Using the Force, he threw the grenade back into the stormtroopers. The grenade activated so quickly that they didn't even have time to react. The enemies were stunned and fell to the ground unconscious.
- Go on, fast! - Young Jedi yelled to his companions, then ignated the blade of his lightsaber and stood in the middle of the corridor, covering his unit from backfire.
The rebels ran straight to the hangar, Ezra was right behind them. When they entered the room, another unit of stormtroopers was waiting for them, standing near two imperial transporters. Very soon the confrontation took place, both groups opened fire to each other hiding behind the covers. Bridger saw these two carriers and decided that they had to get to their ship as soon as possible before more enemies arrived.
- Do you have any grenades? - He quickly asked his companions Ezra about it.
- I have - Soldier-4 said, pulling the grenade out of the waist.
- Give it to me, I'll take them out - said Bridger bravely, stretching out his hand.
The rebel gave him a thermo detonator. Ezra first looked out from behind the cover to see the opponents' positions, after a while he leaned out and threw the armed grenade at them, additionally directing with the Force to fall just behind the stormtroopers. "GRENADE!" one of the enemies shouted, and then everyone ran out in front of them to escape from the detonator, which exploded a moment later. The force of the explosion threw them out on all sides, some of them were even crushed by the crates they had been hiding behind before.
The rebels, seeing it, quickly ran from behind the cover towards the ships. Ezra's companions wanted to run into the shuttle they came here, but he shouted at them.
- No, we take the ship of the Empire - he said quickly pointing to the white shuttle.
- Why? - Soldier-1 asked.
- Our one may have tracking devices installed or even mined - said Bridger, after which he ran towards the imperial ship.
The rebels followed him. A moment later, two more squads of stormtroopers, headed by a lieutenant, ran into the hangar. They opened fire upon Ezra and his companions, but in vain. The imperial ship, on which the Rebellion soldiers were already on board, hid the ramp and flew out of the station after a while.
Bridger told one of his people to pull out the locating device. This was done by Soldier-1, who didn't need the guidance of the Young Jedi, because he knew it already. When they removed a device that could track their position, Ezra introduced coordinates and jumped into hyperspace. The jump wasn't directly in the direction of the base, because they had to make at least two of them so that the empire would not follow them according to their last known trajectory.
On the way to the base, Soldier-1 made an exact scan of the ship using on-board equipment to make sure they wouldn't bring the Empire to the base of Rebellion. Scanning was worth it to them. It turned out that the ship had another tracker installed on board. After its removal, the rebels were able to return to Yavin IV without fear. Ezra, however, was saddened by the fact that not everyone made it.
Lt. Forlin, who chased Ezra at the station, contacted his captain shortly after their escape.
- What is it, lieutenant? - Suvan asked impatiently at once.
- I have... bad news, Sir... The rebels, under Ezra Bridger's command, have escaped. We killed one of them, but... it wasn't the commander - he answered with hesitation.
- So Bridger escaped!? - The angry captain asked the question.
- Ehm... Yes, Sir - the lieutenant answered with a little fear.
Kerrick roared mad. This was heard by a lieutenant who began to fear for his new position.
- Go back to the ship - said Suvan through his teeth, and then he immediately disconnected.
The Inquisitor was still at the station. Sabine and Soldier-2 knelt in handcuffs near the imperial ship, while the stromtroopers searched the corpses of the killed rebels and their shuttle.
Sabine looked at her companion kneeling next to her. Soldier-2's eyesight was full of anxiety and uncertainty. She wasn't an experienced soldier, she only took part in a few minor missions, this one was so far the biggest in her career, she was afraid that it would be the last one as well.
- Soldier-2 - Sabine said - Where is Soldier-1?
- He... He is dead - she answered by holding back her tears.
- ... Carrie, listen, everything will be fine, I promise - Sabine said to her in a gentle tone by her name, trying somehow to keep her companion in her spirit. The Mandalorian girl felt that she had failed almost all of her unit, at least she wanted to try not to fail her.
- Forgive me, Sabine... But it's hard for me to believe it - said Carrie, who couldn't keep her hope in her heart.
Vader's servant was disappointed by the fact that he didn't come across Bridger. He knew quite a lot about her from the imperial secret service records, for example, that she is part of the crew of the Ghost. In addition, reading the imperial data about Kallus's reports when he first came across the Young Jedi and the recordings from Suvan's latest interrogation, he could confidently conclude that Sabine and Ezra might be good friends. Their behaviour during the interrogation proved this.
He has not yet informed the captain about the capture of Sabine Wren, but he has received a message that Ezra Bridger has escaped. It was a failure for him because he was forced to modify his plan for the Young Jedi, but he came up with an idea of how to turn the situation in his favour.
The Eleventh Brother was approached by a stormtrooper.
- Sir, we finished searching the rebels - said the soldier of the Empire.
- What did you find? - He asked the inquisitor.
- Weapons, communicators, a map of the station on the Mandalorian device and a medical kit...
- ... Very well, bring both rebels to the other end of the hangar together with all Sabine Wren's equipment - said the Eleventh Brother in a serious tone.
- Yes, Sir! - The soldier saluted and then went away to do the job.
The Inquisitor entered the Imperial Transporter and took a display with a recording option, then went to the place where the rebels were to be brought. They were kneeling next to each other, there were two stormtroopers standing next to them, and a bag of equipment belonging to Sabine was lying close to them.
- Prepare people to return to the ship, I will join you shortly - said Vader's servant.
Both soldiers nodded and went towards the transporter.
- Now no one should disturb us... - added the Eleventh Brother.
Sabine was concerned about the Inquisitor's plans, but she had contact with similar situations and was able to keep her cool. Soldier-2, on the other hand, was really afraid for her life, especially after seeing her teammate die. The inquisitor put a recording device in front of them and then stood behind the kneeling rebels.
- Smile, you will be recorded - said the inquisitor with a mixture of joke and malice.
After these words, the Eleventh Brother used the Force to activate the recording mode on the device. Then he started talking.
- This message is addressed to Ezra Bridger[...].
Ezra and his companions were already in Yavin IV orbit. They identified themselves when the flight controller asked them to do so, and when he heard who had returned from the mission, he immediately informed all of the present Ghost crew.
A few minutes later, the shuttle landed in a hangar with Ezra and his team on board. Not far from there were Hera, Kanan, Zeb, Kallus and Daxar waiting for them. Fengris was there for an important reason. The ship's ramp was lowered and Ezra, at the head of his unit, left the ship going towards Hera, Kanan and the rest.
- Ezra, you're finally back – Hera said, worried.
- Hera, it was a trap - said Ezra, nervous - the Imperials attacked us when we searched the stations... Soldier-3 didn't make it - he added with regret at the end, for him the death of his companion was his failure as a commander.
In that moment one of Ezra's unit approached him.
- Commander, we have to go to our quarters. We would like to thank you. If it weren't for your initiative, we would certainly have been caught or killed – Soldier-5 said, honestly.
- It was my duty. Thank you for serving – Ezra replied, saluting to the soldiers.
They answered with the salute also and went to their quarters.
Bridger turned around and looked angry at Daxar.
- Tell me, how did the imperials come there? You said that there would be no spy probes, but we found them - he asked Ezra loudly, demanding an answer.
Fengris was pleasantly surprised by what the Young Jedi said. At the moment, it seems as if he sent them into a trap.
- I have no idea, I swear! - started to explain himself, disturbed by the accusation - I am sure that the Empire didn't send the probes there in a procedural manner. It's impossible, I've inspected such things myself before.
- So how is it possible that they waited for them, huh? - angry Zeb asked, Ezra was like his brother for him, and because of Daxar, he could never come back again.
The former lieutenant only looked at them anxiously and lostly, he didn't know what to say.
- Daxar, forgive me, but because you are new here, we are forced to start an investigation. You are suspended in the service of the Rebellion, at least until the case is resolved - said Hera in a serious voice - Zeb, Kallus, take him to the cell.
- With pleasure - the Lasat answered, knuckle-cracking.
- WITHOUT violence - said Hera loudly.
- Are you sure? I'll only-
- Garazeb Orrelios! - Hera spoke full name and surname to her friends only when she was angry.
- Okay, okay - he replied, raising his hands in a gesture of submission.
- Come with us - Zeb said to Fengris - and it's better for you not to try to run away.
Daxar submitted to their will. He was saddened by Hera's words, but he was aware that they did it for safety reasons. Zeb, Kallus and Fengris moved away from the rest of the group going towards the base.
After a while Ezra noticed that in the group that welcomed him there wasn't one person who should come back before him. Slowly he started to be worried about it, but he didn't want to jump to conclusions.
- Hera, where is Sabine? - Ezra asked her.
His space mother's face was saddened when she heard the question. She looked at Kanan, who was also down on it. They had to answer that question.
- Ezra, Sabine didn't come back... or any other person from her unit - said Hera with regret.
"She is dead..." Ezra heard quiet words.
- What!? - asked Bridger, scared of that.
- Let's not assume any hasty conclusions, maybe still [...]
"She is dead" heard Ezra again, this time more loud and sinister. He started looking around, trying to find out where he heard it from.
- Who says it?... - Ezra said in confusion and slight panic.
- Ezra, is everything alright? - Hera asked, concerned about his behaviour. He didn't pay attention to what she said, but to something else, even though she had no idea about it.
Bridger's mind began to flow out, he couldn't keep his balance, he heard the voice of his master: "Ezra, what's going on?" but he was very unclear. At one point Bridger involuntarily closed his eyes, but he still saw something as if through a mist...
* ... He saw a space station the same as he had searched during the mission. A moment later he saw a white Loth-cat sitting at the end of this station's hangar *
* He saw her... Sabine. She was sitting by the wall in a dark room, she had her hands on the face... she was sobbing, he could see her tears flowing on the cheeks *
* He saw a man dressed in black, he had a strange helmet on his head, he looked familiar in some way. The character spoke in words: "So you came-" *
* He saw Sabine... someone cut her with a red lightsaber into her chest... *
* He heard a loud sinister voice... "She is dead! *
"Nooooo!"
Ezra opened her eyes with a scream, struggling, he didn't know what was going on. He was lying on the ground, his space parents were kneeling over him.
- Calm down, Ezra! You are with us! - Kanan yelled when he heard Bridger's scream.
Ezra, hearing the master's voice and seeing his familiar faces, slowly calmed down, but what he saw in his vision frightened him.
- I-I had a vision - Ezra said in a trembling voice.
- Calm down, breathe deeply - said Hera, keeping a cool head despite her space son falling on the ground and then being eaten up by fear.
Ezra listened to Twi'lek, and took a few moments lying on the ground to recover.
- Tell us what you saw - Kanan asked in a calm tone.
- I saw... White Loth-cat, probably in the hangar of a medical station... I s-saw... Sabine. There was also someone who had a red lightsaber, who looked like one of the inquisitors we had met before - said Ezra, trying to remember exactly what the Force had said to him.
Kanan was very worried about these words. He hoped that after the events in Malachor they would have a little more rest of the inquisitors. Unfortunately, the Jedi were an almost extinct species that was hunted.
- Something else? - Kanan asked.
Ezra stopped in his mind for a moment, remembering one of the things he had seen...
- I saw... Sabine.. dying - he answered, depressed.
A/N: That's it! I hope you liked my work :D
I am so sorry for any mistake I could make in that chapter.
Have a nice day :)
