*****I AM SOOOO SORRY THAT THIS UPDATE TOOK ME SO LONG IT WAS COMPLETELY UNCALLED FOR! WRITERS BLOCK HAD ME IN A FORCE CHOKE! YOU HAVE EVERY REASON TO RUN ME THROUGH WITH LIGHT SABERS! I PROMISE YOU IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN! And Thank you SO MUCH for sticking with me, it means a lot to me***
Kanan felt a disturbance and knew that the troopers had entered the room where Ezra was. He took a breath, knowing he only had seconds to act now. He gripped Sabine's grenades tighter. The Jedi knew that she wouldn't be happy he'd gone through her stash, but he had more important things to worry about than the wrath of a teenage girl with a paintbrush.
He had the lives of 42 people on his shoulders. Kanan didn't allow himself to think about failing. He counted the seconds and honed into the Force. Waiting. Waiting.
The Force whispered in his ears and drummed in his fingers. Now. Now is when it happens.
The Jedi threw the grenades, one by one, into the hallway. Within five seconds they detonated, igniting the hallway in flames. The stormtroopers would only have three minutes to get the fire under control if they wanted to maintain atmospheric pressure. If a hole appeared in the ship's frame, especially so close to the gravity system, they would only have a couple of minutes before the gravity system failed, and one more before over half of the air would be sucked out.
Time was already ticking.
He hoped that Ezra got the kids out in time, before that happened. If not, he would have to rely on the stormtroopers to save them.
Ezra's life source brushed against his mind and he allowed him in.
What are those alarms?!
You'll see! Just get the kids out!
Okay! Ow!
Are you okay?
Yeah I just got hit by a trooper.
Did you forget to duck when he threw a punch?
Silence met him, but he staved off worry by reminding himself no fear was coming through the Force.
It took more than a minute before Ezra's Oh no! echoed through the Force.
What now!
Wall of armor! Literally!
You've gotta be more specific!
How can I be more Force damn specific! There is a wall of stormtroopers coming up on us! I had slam them away!
Then they aren't coming up on you anymore!
Stop arguing with me! I can take care of myself; I've been doing it for seven years!
Yeah and I've been having to save you time and again for two years now!
Well you don't need to!
Yes I do, kid… Kanan trailed off as he sensed where his padawan was coming from. Don't be ashamed to admit it. Everybody needs help once in awhile, especially in life or death situations.
Whatever… I just got the kids out of the room. I've gotta talk to them, tell them where to go. I'll be right back.
Okay kid.
Kanan began to walk through the halls, trying to get ahead of the smoke. With his distraction, he knew that most of the stormtroopers would be rushing to put out the fire and keeping
Kanan didn't notice the five stormtroopers sneaking up on him before the Force shouted a warning.
Ezra felt it too. Kanan! Watch out!
The Jedi spun around, instinctively crossing his saber across his chest. A round of electricity panged off of it, and he spun it to knock one of the bucketheads off balance. Knowing he only had about a minute left, he Force threw the remaining three into each other, where they all were rendered unconscious.
The fire was quickly spreading, the alarm ringing so loud he could feel the vibration of it through the metal.
Kanan gave a whoosh of relief before beginning to run towards his padawan's life source. If he could just make it to him fast enough they stood a chance…
Ezra turned around and looked at the kids as soon as he downed the stormtroopers, half expecting them to have started to cheer in relief at their liberation, or to rush the door, or yell his name (real or fake) and hug him. In fact, none of that happened, which was what threw Ezra so off guard. He looked around the room. The children were all backed against the wall, terrified as ever. Their eyes were wide, some were shaking.
The teen looked at them in puzzlement. "Kids, it's okay now. I'm getting you out of here. Just come with me." He held out his hand.
No one moved.
"Reddon?" He searched out the boy, trying to find him, his familiar face. His eyes were knitted at the brows, creases appearing across his forehead.
"I'm scared!" Came the voice among a forest of limbs.
Ezra looked toward the boy. He had tears rolling down from his eyes. "Reddon…! It's alright. I promise." He spread his arms, kneeling down slightly. "Reddon, look at me, I can feel how scared you are, how scared all of you are, but I swear to you guys that I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I'm going to save you. I'm getting you all out of there. It's almost over. My friend, he's here and he's coming to help."
"What are the alarms!" one of the kids shouted.
"Something that he set off." Ezra lied. "It's a distraction."
"Are we gonna die!" another yelped.
Ezra's mouth dropped open. "No way. No, no one is going to die today." Knowing he needed to calm the kids down if they would have any chance of getting out of there while Kanan was still distracting the stormtroopers, he took a deep breath and reached out to the Force. He felt their signatures in it, all tainted with fear and anxiety and some even with resignation.
They expect to die… Ezra realized.
Ignoring it, he pushed calm at them first. Their life forces were the first to change, their fear fading, replaced by calm and all the things that followed: peace, relief, joy, bravery. Some children felt it more than others, but it didn't matter. It had an effect on their faces next. The panic slipped off it, the air becoming lighter. Those that were crying dried their tears. The children that were whimpering quieted.
Ezra took a breath. "Come on, let's get you kids out of here." At that, some of the older children began to move forward. Among the kids was Reddon. Ezra looked at him in the eyes. "Reddon, come on. I'm getting you out of here."
The little boy gave a scared smile, but in his eyes was hope, there was happiness, there was trust. Reddon believed with everything he had that Ezra was going to save them.
As the child walked over to Ezra, the teen made a silent vow. He would get the children out, he would save Reddon. He would keep their trust. Failure wasn't an option.
You're going to be too late.
Yes I did end it like that AGAIN and yes this is slightly unfinished and YES it's probably the shortest chapter I will ever write! I'm sorry for keeping you all on edge!