AN: Here you go guys! Enjoy and review for more!
Chapter Three
"Pawn"
The main room of the Ghost was a flurry of silence and annoyance.
Kanan sat across from where Ahsoka stood, her arms crossed over her chest. Overwhelmed. That was the best way he could describe the woman. She always looked so overwhelmed. By something…He didn't know what. Ever since he had first met her, her shoulders seemed to be carrying the weight of the world. And for what? For their Rebel cause that could come crashing down at any moment?
Seemed kind of…Out there, if you asked him.
Ahsoka was the first to break the silence when she murmured, "You know what I'm thinking."
He knew. He knew exactly what she was thinking and he didn't have to feel through the emotions of the Force to know. He could read it on her face. In her cheeks. Her eyes. She wasn't an open book by any means, but he had always been good at reading people.
"I do and I'm ignoring it," Came his response.
Ahsoka sighed, shutting her eyes. Kanan would have felt bad, if the situation wasn't so dire. She began to pace, keeping her eyes closed and her head down as if praying. Praying for patience no doubt, but it probably wasn't a moment to joke.
She began to explain calmly, "Kanan, you know his count is very high. And it's very rare. Master Yoda's count didn't even reach these levels and he was the most power Jedi Master-"
"I get it," Kanan interrupted. She stopped moving and looked at him with and exhausted look on her face. He was killing her. Slowly, but surely. Kanan glanced away, "There has to have been higher counts than this."
Ahsoka shook her head, "Only one comes to mind and Ezra's count nearly surpasses his."
"Whose?"
A chill entered the air between the two Jedi. It made Kanan pause and rethink his question, wondering if that one word had been offensive in some way. Not that he could tell. So he simply stared at her, awaiting a response as she glanced away, chewing her bottom lip.
"My master's," Ahsoka began, her voice hushed. "His was very high from what I remember hearing. The highest on record I believe. I don't know the exact number though, so there's no telling if Ezra has overcome that."
Kanan nodded, "Then there's your proof. Your master wasn't dangerous and neither is Ezra."
Ahsoka's eyes moved to the floor, causing her shoulders to become taught. Kanan looked at her curiously…It was almost as if something was on the tip of her tongue, but she just couldn't speak it. Not with him. He didn't push as she responded, "I never knew what became of my master…But, he could be dangerous. At times…"
Sighing, the other sat up straight. He looked tired. She looked tired. Neither really wanted to argue on the subject any longer. "I'm still not going to do it. I'm not putting Ezra into hiding. He doesn't need that. It'll only make things worse."
"Kanan, he is in danger," Ahsoka hissed, frustration causing her fists to tighten. "Something is inside of him. Something dark. I think…I think that Sith made a connection, and maybe he didn't even realize it. If he is young like you say he is, he might have made the mistake of bonding himself to Ezra. However, it's not a bond we can break considering there's no physical evidence besides what is in Ezra's mind."
Kanan removed his eye contact, discomfort growing within him, "I've been in hiding since Order 66. I'm not giving Ezra the same childhood I had."
"You brought him into this life, Kanan," Ahsoka said. "You made the decision for him."
Kanan stood suddenly and snapped, "Isn't it the Jedi way to pass down information? To train the next generation?" Kanan leaned on the table between the two and continued, "As far as I'm concerned, that boy is the best decision I ever made. Bringing him into this life wasn't a mistake. He's learning to keep the Dark Side out. He has to be taught."
"Do you know the kind of devastation a child this powerful could bring?" Ahsoka asked, desperation sinking into her features. "If Ezra falls into the wrong hands, he could be taught to destroy what's left of the Rebels."
Silence. Not an utter from Kanan. Not one from Ahsoka. Both just stared hard into each other's faces, causing a rift in time. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours. It felt as if the world was caving in and there was no one there to dig them out.
Just a mouth full of dirt and a silent scream that fell on deaf ears.
No chance of survival.
Just suffering.
"I'm protecting him," Kanan finally managed. "Sabine, Hera, Zeb, and I are protecting him."
Ahsoka crossed her arms over her chest, "He needs to go into hiding."
Kanan opened his mouth to argue, completely ready to continue his words of fight. But, suddenly, Hera's voice came from the doorway saying, "Maybe she's right, Kanan. Maybe Ezra does need to be taken somewhere safer."
Kanan whirled around, making eye contact with the woman. Something rose in his chest, and it completely made every argument he had vanish and dissipate into thin air. Not that he agreed suddenly, but a feeling had washed over him. A feeling of betrayal. Of being cornered. It felt like he was a wild animal and suddenly Hera was the trusted trainer who had turned the weapon.
Kanan shut his eyes and breathed deeply, "They may not even be looking for him. Those ships could have something to do with the Imperial count rising."
"No," Ahsoka shook her head fiercely. "Not to this magnitude. And especially not if that Sith is on one of the ships. There are no coincidences."
Kanan eyed Hera through the side of his vision, "You agree with her?"
"I do," Hera confirmed, her face faltering into a solemn expression. She looked lost, but honest. Always so brutally honest and sometimes Kanan was thankful for it, but at times like this he wished she would cushion the blow. He felt the feeling in his chest tighten and give way, before he stormed from the room.
He could feel her heart break at the action, but she deserved it. She had done the same to him by asking him to put Ezra away.
As Kanan turned the corridors, he stopped suddenly, his body slamming into a shorter one. Kanan blinked, making eye contact with Ezra who had an ill look on his face. As if he was seconds away from puking bile.
Ezra whispered in a small tone, "They want to send me away."
He had heard. Kanan didn't need to ask how; Ezra had weird ways of finding things out. Kanan reprimanded him anyway, "You shouldn't eavesdrop."
Ezra looked at Kanan with hurt in his eyes, completely ignoring him, "Is it because of what I did earlier? The pulse?"
Kanan shut his eyes a moment, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Gently, he took Ezra by the shoulder and led him from the hall into his own cabin. He shut the door behind them, gesturing for Ezra to sit on the bunk. Mine as well get cozy. They were hitting rock bottom.
The older took a seat beside the boy and began to explain, "Ezra…They think you're in danger."
"More like Ahsoka thinks I'm dangerous," Ezra scoffed, shaking his head ruefully.
"She thinks you have the potential to be a Sith if they get their hands on you," Kanan pressed, trying to drag the glare away from Ezra's eyes. "Which is what she thinks is the Empire's motive for sending those ships…Even though all we have to go on is the connection you have with the apprentice."
Ezra bit his lip and leaned forward, his hands shaking, "They're going to burn the city, Kanan. They're going to burn it all to the ground to weed us out…"
He blinked, his eyes watering, "Just like my dream."
Kanan swallowed as he saw the devastation on his padawan's face worsen. It was molding itself into the child's forehead. It was making a home there, in his features. It slightly frustrated him that he could do nothing to ease Ezra's anxiety, not even through the force. No matter how many calming feelings he sent the boy's way, they seemed to be pushed out by whatever was living inside of him.
"Don't worry about that right now," Kanan ordered. "Ahsoka wants you to go into hiding. Hera agrees."
"Do you?" Ezra whispered.
"I don't," Kanan swallowed thickly in the response, looking Ezra in the eyes. "But, I want what's best for you."
Ezra jumped when the door to the room slid open and Sabine appeared. She looked concerned when she saw the two on the bed, but there was something else. Something in her shoulders, so much like Ahsoka's Kanan could have thought they were carrying the same weight.
"You two need to see this," Sabine said, turning and rushing down the corridor without waiting for a response.
The two glanced at each other before rising from the bunk and trotting after her. Once entering the main room of the ship, they could see the entire crew, and Ahsoka, gathered around a small transmission. The face made Kanan's blood boil in annoyance…
Kallus.
Kanan asked distastefully, "What is this?"
"A message transmitting all over Lothal," Hera hummed before Kallus began to speak…
"This broadcast is aimed towards the Rebels of Lothal. Due to recent Rebel activity on this planet, the Empire has decided that drastic actions are in order for the sake of our galaxy. The Empire is ordering that the Rebel troops hand over their young Padawan in exchange for the safety of the planet. If the requirement is not met by morning, Lothal will undergo…extreme measures in order to ensure order."
Ahsoka looked back at Kanan with a solemn look, "I don't believe in coincidences."
Kanan's head snapped in Ezra's direction, seeing the teen's face had turned as white as a sheet. Reaching over, Kanan touched the back of the boy's head, only for Ezra to rush from the room. Kanan's heart dropped into his stomach.
Zeb kicked the wall suddenly, exclaiming, "What the bloody hell does the empire want with the kid!?"
Ahsoka sighed, "You have no idea."
Isaac could sense him.
The boy was obviously on the planet. Lothal was the home of the Rebels after all, and Ezra's presence rang through his mind. He was there…And close…But, he couldn't pinpoint him. He had always struggled with such as that in training. He had excelled at the mind manipulation, but seeking things out had always been rather…tedious.
"Where are you," Isaac hissed under his breath, holding his eyes closed tighter. His knees pressed against his elbows as he leaned forward in his chair, digging. He dug through the minds of distant Lothal inhabitants, and yet the boy's was nowhere.
Finally he opened his eyes, sitting up straight. He let out a small grunt of frustration and hissed, "Send me to do the heavy work, Master. Just so you can have your new little apprentice. Indolent…"
Isaac paused. He had after all found the child and suggested his training to his master. If he didn't think the boy could be useful he would have killed him on the spot, along with his Rebel alliances. He should have. But, he had faltered.
The doors slide open, pulling Isaac from his thoughts as Agent Kallus entered. He stood at attention a moment, waiting for the teenager to stand. When Isaac didn't, Kallus remained silent and Isaac rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Well?"
Kallus seemed surprised by the lack of formality in the greeting. It made Isaac want to laugh. Agent Kallus, he had never met before today. Isaac pinned him as a coward from the beginning. Someone trying to get into the high ranks, but never could impress anyone but his own mother.
He had to hold in a grin at that thought.
Kallus eyed him, beginning to speak, "We sent out the broadcast as you requested."
Isaac raised an eyebrow and this time did smirk at the tone Kallus had used. It amused him that Kallus was so flustered about taking orders from a teenager. Kallus continued, "Either the boy is turned in or the city will burn."
"Good," Isaac huffed. "Lord Vader is growing highly impatient."
"As are you," Isaac thought silently.
"Why are we not trying to apprehend the entire group?" Kallus asked.
"So that's it?" Isaac thought. "You have questions. Bless your pitiful soul."
"Kallus, do you truly think that will work? Besides, my focus right now is the boy."
There was quiet and Isaac could register the look of confusion on the man's face. Isaac groaned is frustration at the ignorance before snapping, "Agent Kallus, my suggestion to you is to keep your nose and oversized sideburns out of Sith business. It'll keep you alive. Now, please get out of my sight with that stupid look on your face."
Kallus looked shocked, completely so that Isaac actually felt his anger dissipate and return to amusement. However, Kallus did not argue, he simply glanced back at Isaac…
He knew something else was going on and Isaac had to guess this wouldn't be last he saw of the man.
Shaking his head, Isaac leaned forward, shutting his eyes once more and sensing for the boy. This time he could feel something emanating off of him…An emotion…
Fear.
Isaac scoffed, "If you plan to survive Master Vader, you're going to have to get tougher than that, Little Brother."
The words bothered him. The name and thought bothered him. It didn't match up with his mouth and brain, but he had spoken it anyway on impulse. He knew it to be true; he could feel it through the force but still.
It disturbed him greatly.
Isaac jumped back when he felt a force push him away from Ezra and he growled, "Damn it, Kid…I put all that energy into a Reading and you think you can just push out?"
Isaac paused, his face contorting into confusion when he realized the force that pushed him out wasn't Ezra…
"Oh," Isaac mumbled. "No, you're his imposter of a master."
Ezra didn't want to go.
He didn't want to abandon Lothal and let it be burned to the ground just because the Rebels wanted to keep him alive. That wasn't fair to everyone who lived in the city. To all the mothers and fathers and children. They would be forced out and there was no telling what kind of hardships they would face after that. Their way of life would be altered…
He stood in front of Kanan's door, staring at his feet. They would leave in the morning. They would go somewhere the Sith couldn't find him. And for what? For him to be selfish and keep his own life safe while everyone else perished.
After contemplating entering his master's cabin, he finally pressed the button that ordered it to slide open. Immediately a force slammed into his mind and he saw Kanan on the floor meditating. Obviously he was very focused…
Suddenly, the man's eyes snapped open and he looked at Ezra. The boy entered slowly, taking a seat in front of his master who was studying him with a concerned expression.
"What are you doing?" Ezra asked, tilting his head.
Kanan sighed, "Just meditating. "
Something felt wrong about that. Something in the Force and the air around them. And the exhausted look on Kanan's face, as if he had been fighting demons. But, Ezra chose not to push the issue. Instead Ezra mumbled, "Kanan, I'm worried."
"You'll be safe where Ahsoka plans to bring us," Kanan insisted.
Ezra shook his head quickly, tightening his hands, "I'm worried for Lothal."
"They won't go through with it," Kanan explained, giving Ezra the calmest look he could muster. "Lothal is too important to the Empire."
Ezra shifted, his face still contorted into one of concern. Kanan leaned forward and said, "Everything is going to be alright. Trust in the force."
"The force is what is making my head all wonky in the first place."
Kanan sighed, "No, that's the Sith using the Dark Side of the force. There's a difference."
Ezra sighed miserably before standing to his feet and giving his master one last glance. He exited the room, moving down the corridors of the Ghost until he stopped and leaned against the wall. He stared at the floor intently coming to a conclusion before whispering to himself…
"If the city is going to burn…There's something I need to see first."
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