Chapter 14
The Completed Circle

Ezra smiled content and at peace, even in the middle of a rowdy celebration, even in a Galaxy preparing to tear itself apart in a vicious civil war. He was alive, he was married to his beloved, he now had two families, and they were both here with him in this hall.

Okay, there was one thing ruining his peace. Ezra twisted a little, uncomfortable with the plates attached to his new bodysuit. It was going to take some getting used to. Sabine told him he would grow accustomed to it and that they could make some adjustments to the fitting, but he had doubts. She had also promised that if it was a problem, they could remove a few pieces till he found the optimal configuration for his fighting style. After all, she had heavily modified her own armor.

Kanan was also missing from tonight, and while Ezra was at peace with that fact, he still wished his Master could be here. They had left an empty seat at the table of honor beside Hera for Kanan, and his lightsaber rested on the table. Ezra missed Kanan tonight. They all did.

Ezra looked at his friends sitting at the table of honor. Hera, his surrogate mother. Zeb the brother he had never had. Rex, the uncle with all the good stories. Chopper the, well Ezra wasn't sure what he was. Maybe Hera's obnoxious but useful pet?

And then there was Kallus. Hera had apologized for the mix up that led to Kallus being with them, but Ezra didn't mind. He knew that he and Zeb had become fast friends and that Hera would need new members for her family now that he and Sabine were no longer on the Ghost. While a part of him still marveled at Kallus being a new part of his growing family, another part saw it as natural. The Force really did work in mysterious ways.

There was some business to attend to that night as well. Ursa had to bind the clan to a new set of oaths, that after this night, Clan Wren would forget the name Ezra Bridger. After tonight he was Caleb Wren. To Ezra, it seemed like there were an awful lot of people he was placing his trust in, which seemed to create a lot of failure points. Ursa was confident in her people though. With nothing else to do, Ezra decided he would just have a little faith.

Finally, during the finishing stages of the celebration, there were the speeches. Close friends of the couple were expected to tell stories about them. Happy, sad, embarrassing, it was all fair game. Alrich and Ursa spoke first, of how proud they were of the couple and how they couldn't be happier. Ursa publicly apologized for the antics at the last feast. There was laughter at this. Clan Wren wasn't used to the Countess admitting she had made mistakes.

A couple of other Mandalorians spoke, mostly memories of Sabine when she was younger. One warrior talked of Ezra's dedication to the training hall and how much they were learning from Ezra and he from them. Most notably Fenn Rau said a few words that amounted to a very polite "Told you so" to the young couple, and that he had high hopes for their futures, specifically Sabine. Ezra wondered a little at this but didn't think much of it in that moment.

It was up to the crew of the Ghost to tell most of the stories as they had known the couple the best. To Ezra and Sabine's surprise, Kallus stood first.

"I have little right to be here, as I have not been... friendly with Ezra and Sabine for long. My name is Alexandr Kallus, former ISB agent, now defected to the Rebel Alliance." He looked at Ezra and Sabine. "I first knew these two as rebels and terrorists. Frustratingly skilled and elusive ones. I can think of at least three occasions that Ezra escaped from a prison cell on his own with no help from his friends."

"They didn't know me then. But I knew them. As the ISB agent tasked with capturing or eliminating the Ghost and its crew, I studied everything I could about them. I watched hundreds of hours of security footage of them. Interviewed dozens and dozens of troopers wounded in engagements with them." He smiled wryly. "The Ghost crew tended to use non-lethal force when they could. They sent my men to the med bay by the shuttle load with broken bones, dislocations, concussions, electrocution burns... The injury list was extensive, but the body count was low. There were plenty of survivors to interview."

"I knew the Ghost, and it's crew. Probably better than anyone outside their close-knit group." He pulled up a datapad. "I made a few reports that I thought the company here tonight might find amusing. Here we go. Nearly four years ago I wrote in a report that: It appears Bridger harbors romantic feelings for the Mandalorian. He seems to follow her everywhere she goes like a love-sick loth-cat."

There was a thunderous round of laughter in the Hall. Ezra chuckled. It was true.

Kallus continued. "It appears that she neither appreciates nor returns his advances. I must say that I hope this stays that way because the two have a certain synergy in combat situations that is concerning." Kallus cleared his throat. "A year and a half later I made another note on the two. It appears my fears about the Jedi and the Mandalorian have come true. While I cannot detect any outward evidence of an ongoing relationship between the two, the synergy I have mentioned in other reports has grown to be a very real threat. Alone they are dangerous. Together they are positively lethal. I am recommending that Imperial troops not approach or attempt to apprehend them unless at least four full squads of troops are available. My recommendation is that if they are sighted, keep them under observation and call for reinforcements. They will be needed."

There was a round of applause. This was a compliment fitting for a Mandalorian couple. Kallus turned to Ezra and Sabine smiling his tight smile and said. "I'm thankful your team relied on non-lethal violence. I'm sure it's the only reason I'm still alive to stand here, the only reason I lived long enough to no longer be one of the bad guys." Kallus smiled. "And I wish you both a happy future." He bowed and sat down to more applause.

Rex stood next. "Well, I'm not one long for words. The name is Captain Rex, and yes I'm a clone. I knew both Jedi and Mandalorians well in my day. I was there, at the Seige of Mandalore, in the final days of the clone wars."

There was a general murmur through the Hall.

"I fought beside my Jedi and the true and honorable Mandalorians fighting for their homeworld. It was the bloodiest battle I ever fought in. I think everyone there lost a piece of their soul." There were a few nods around the room. Rex wasn't the only survivor of the Clone Wars in the room. He shook his head "And then we all lost in the end. The Republic. The Separatists. Mandalore. All lost to the Empire and its new Emperor."

He paused. "I'm sorry if I wander off topic a little, you'll have to humor an old veteran." He looked at Ezra and Sabine. "These two always remind me of those times. Of both the good days and what happened at the end. It always felt.. appropriate to me when I saw these two, the Jedi and the Mandalorian fighting side by side. Just like they fought together at the fall of the Republic. Now I've been able to watch these two fight side by side to restore it. I'm proud of you two."

He laughed. "And now to see a Jedi and Mandalorian married, well. I think things have come full circle." Rex bowed and sat down. There was a thoughtful and introspective silence in the Hall.

Finally, Zeb stood. "Garazeb Orrelios. Lasat Honor Guard. Honestly, Rex how am supposed to follow that serious bit?"

Rex just laughed. "Tell us a funny one, Zeb. You were Ezra's bunkmate. I'm sure you've got some good ones."

Zeb smiled and turned toward Ezra. "Oh, I've got a couple, maybe."

"Oh no," Ezra muttered. Sabine laughed and took his hand.

"Well, you already heard from the good Agent Kallus about how Ezra followed her like a lovesick loth-cat? Heh, that's pretty good. I'll remember that." Zeb smiled broadly. "I'm here to tell you that that's not even the half of it. The kid had no idea how far out of his league Sabine was back in the day." He looked at Sabine and Ezra with a wink, "How far out of his league she still is, but eh, not my place to question. Anyway back then, he would follow her around pestering her with inane questions and complimenting everything she did. I love your painting Sabine. You're so good at fighting Sabine. I like when you're on kitchen duty the most Sabine.The rest of us hated when Sabine was on kitchen duty. Sabine is a terrible cook. And you were a worse liar, Ezra."

There was a round of laughter before Zeb started again. "Kid also had no idea how to keep a secret and would talk about her constantly in our room. Do you think Sabine would like this? Or what if I did this, would Sabine notice? Like, he actually asked me of all people for relationship advice. I was brought on board the Ghost to be the muscle, not the therapist. One day I got sick of it, pinned him against the wall, and told him to stop being annoying. I was tired of it, and I knew that Sabine was too."

"I thought I was going to die," Ezra said to some light laughter.

"Yeah, I thought about ending you. That's for sure. Then you started looking all sad and depressed and made me feel bad. So I had to actually come up with some advice. I told him the only thing I could think of. Have you tried just being her friend? Kid brightened up, said he could do that."

Zeb shook his head. "Crazy thing was it worked. Next thing I know the two were inseparable. And now I've turned my back on you two for, what, two weeks? And then you run off and get married? That doesn't even make sense. You two make me feel old and cranky sometimes, but I wouldn't have it any other way, I guess. I'm happy for you both." His ears twitched. "At a Lasat wedding, the guests give gifts. You two caught me off guard, so I've got nothing for you. But give me a couple of years, and I'll have the Empire overthrown so we can all retire in peace to Lothal. That's still the plan. And that's a promise."

"We'll hold you to it, Zeb," Sabine said as the hall applauded.

Hera stood, smiling. "Apparently I have to translate for Chopper." The hall chuckled. A droid giving a speech wasn't an everyday occurrence.

"Whomp, Whumpa Whuuh"

"He says, despite what everyone may think, he does actually like Ezra. He just played pranks on Ezra and Zeb because he was too afraid Sabine would paint him like her armor."

"I could still do that if you'd like Chopper," Sabine called.

"Whooooomp Whuh."

Hera translated. "He says no thank you and that... Chop I can't say that out loud. No, it's rude, and there is no way I'm using that language." The hall laughed again, particularly those that knew binary and had heard what the droid had said. Chopper grumbled then continued. "He says that he always hoped that Ezra and Sabine would get together because he thought they would be happy together." Hera eyed her droid as if he was broken. "I promise that's what he said. He actually just said something nice."

"Aww, Chop that's sweet," Sabine said.

Ezra just shook his head. "I'm not sure that's actually Chopper. This must be some nice new droid that Hera got after we left."

"Whomp. Whumpa Whom."

"And he's back to saying things I can't repeat out loud," Hera shrugged.

"Whumpa whomp."

"And in conclusion, Chopper says to take care of each other. Otherwise, he'll come terrorize you."

Ezra laughed. "Trust me. Chop. That's the last thing I want to happen."

Ursa stood and thanked all of those that had spoken then turned to Hera. "Hera I would have you speak last, in the place of honor," Ursa said politely.

Hera nodded and paused for a moment to collect her thoughts.

"I must speak for two tonight. For there is one who cannot be here." She lifted Kanan's lightsaber off the table and held it for all to see, igniting the blue blade. "This is the lightsaber of Kanan Jarus. When I first met him, he was a miserable drunk I found in a bar. But he rose from the ashes and became a mighty and noble man, a Jedi worthy to stand among the legends of old. And I loved him. It is for Kanan that I must speak tonight as well as myself."

She began slowly, her eyes closed. "I think back now over all that has happened to us, our family and at last I see all the threads of purpose woven together. I can see it clearly now, the story we have lived these past years. It was a simple story, about a Boy who was lost... And a Girl who was broken."

"They fought alongside a Survivor, a War Veteran, and a Fallen Knight. I led them into battle against an evil so terrible it tried to black out the stars. We fought for each other. We fought for those who could not. But we never imagined it would end like this..."

She smiled eyes still closed. "The Survivor remembers the past and leads what remains of his people to a new home. The War Veteran," she patted Chopper's dome "is stubborn and proud; enough to endure another war. And my beloved Knight. The Knight gave his life for those he loved, and through his fall, ascended beyond this life into legend."

"But the story was always about the Boy and the Girl. The boy that was lost has been found! He knows himself and has found his purpose preserving what has been forgotten. And the Girl that was broken was made whole! No more is her heart broken, for she has redeemed her past and found peace with herself. And somehow here at the end of the story, and by the will of the Force, they have found each other. And the story can end a happy one."

She opened her eyes. "Ezra, Sabine. Kanan and I love you both dearly. But you don't need us anymore, though we will always be here for you. Now you will rely fully on each other, two halves of one whole, perfectly complimenting each other. Kanan and I couldn't be more proud of the man and woman you've become. May you find your joy in each other, and may the Force be with you."

She smiled, tears on her face and she extinguished the lightsaber. There was a solemn silence in the hall. Ezra and Sabine stood and walked to Hera. Hera clutched the lightsaber to her breast and laughed. "I'm not sure my kids are kids anymore."

Ezra and Sabine looked at each other then back at Hera. Then Ezra smiled that big dumb grin. "We'll always be your kids, Hera."

Author's Note: We've come to the end, except for a short epilogue tomorrow, which if you've enjoyed this story you won't want to miss. I think it does an excellent job of tying things together.

I really hope everyone has enjoyed this. See you tomorrow for the epilogue!