"Yes?" The disembodied voice was disconcerting.
Kanan searched the upper mezzanine for the speaker. There was a vague shape just out of the doorway to an office up there. The voice was barely above a whisper, croaking and husky.
"It's Hera. She has been taken by the Black Sword," Kanan tried to keep the impatience out of his tone, knowing it would serve no purpose.
"A pity. She was a fine operative."
"I want to know where their base is."
"I can't help you. I am sorry that Syndulla has been captured, but it is of no concern of mine." The shadowy figure blended in a little more.
Desperation flared in Kanan's chest. "I will owe you!"
The statement was loud in the echoey chamber. His words bounced back at him, but he would not take them back.
"Owe me?" The question was a little mocking, but there was intrigued as well.
"If you tell me where the Black Sword base is, I will owe you. Mission. Favour. Whatever. I will do it."
"I see." There was silence for a long time, and Kanan's fists clenched, his jaw aching as his teeth clamped together. He wanted desperately to scream into the yawning silence. He pressed his finger tips over his heart, trying to push back the pain.
"Very well." The voice was cool. "A favour for a favour."
Kanan's breath hissed from between his teeth. "Thank you."
"Stay on your comms." The shadowy form disappeared.
Kanan rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ease the tension that made his head ache. His booted feet were propped on the dash as he stared out at the planet below - the jewel-like greens and blues taunting his impatience.
She was down there. Waiting. Hurting. He knew she was hurting. That's all the Black Sword knew to do.
"Freighter Two-Two-Six-Three, this is ground control."
Kanan dropped his feet and scrambled for the headset.
"This is Freighter Two-Two-Six-Three."
"You have clearance for landing. Please maintain trajectory eight-six for approach and link up to docking ring seven, bay five. Have a nice day."
"Thanks, ground."
Kanan smiled grimly, switched the comms to ship wide and spoke to the crew. "We have clearance to land. Get ready."
The crew stepped out onto the busy docks, wariness keeping their eyes flicking over faces. Kanan murmured a command to Chopper to lock down the Ghost. The whirring reply was all but lost in the loud hum of the docks.
"Where to?" Zeb asked, shouldering his way through the crowds, clearing a path through the busy port for the others to follow in his wake.
"Ground vehicles." Kanan jerked his chin at the ranks of hire vehicles.
Ezra hoisted his pack on his back. "We really couldn't take the Phantom?"
"Nope," Kanan shook his head. "Unless we wanted to drop into the Black Sword compound." He looked down at his padawan. "Jungle is too thick out there."
"Jungle." Sabine shuddered. "Ugh. I hate jungle."
"Aww, come on, Sabine." Zeb drawled. "It's not so bad. Only half the wildlife wants to eat you."
Ezra grinned. "Yeah. The other half just wants to use you for bait."
Sabine sighed. Paused. Looked at Kanan. "They are joking right?"
"Yeah." Kanan gave a faint smile. "Maybe."
"I hate jungle." Sabine scowled.
The speeder hummed through the trees, Kanan relying more on the instincts honed by the force than visual cues so he could keep the speed up. He was ignoring the winces of the others.
He glanced at the map he had been given by Hera's contact and slowed the speeder in the midst of dense vines and low scrubby plants. The trees soaring overhead were a canopy that blocked out most of the insipid sunlight.
He glanced at Zeb. "Got this?"
Zeb grinned irrepressibly. "We'll get her back, Kanan. No worries." He leapt easily from the vehicle, it bounced with the weight change. Sabine paused as she moved to follow. She glanced at Ezra who was watching her with a worried expression. She gave him a faint grin.
"Look after him." She nodded at Kanan.
"I will keep him out of trouble." Ezra returned the smile, though it faded fast. "Be careful."
"Where is the fun in that?" she winked at Ezra and ran after Zeb, her long legs easily vaulting a fallen log.
Ezra watched until she faded into the undergrowth, multihued armour and all, and turned back around in his seat as Kanan guided the vehicle onward.
"Are you sure this is a good plan?" he asked Kanan warily.
"Nope." Kanan's reply was abrupt, but he relented when he glanced aside and saw Ezra's troubled face. "We can change on the fly. You trust me, right?"
"Sure, but…" Ezra's voice trailed off.
Kanan kept his eyes on the path ahead. Through the trees he could see a glimpse of the compound down in the valley below.
"I trust you, Ezra." Kanan drew the vehicle to a full stop outside the perimeter sensors. He clambered from the speeder and rummaging in the backpack he had slung into the back seat, he pulled out the lightsaber in its disguised canister and clipped it to his belt. "You can do this."
Ezra took in a deep breath. "Yeah. I can."
Kanan dropped his hand onto Ezra's shoulder and squeezed. "May the force be with you."
The corner of Ezra's mouth dragged down. "And you."
He watched the lean figure of his Master approach the perimeter. Kanan looked back at him and nodded. Ezra closed his eyes and concentrated.
The subtle whine from the sensors increased, creaked, and shrilled before stopping.
Ezra released the breath he didn't realise he had been holding. He climbed into the speeder and reversed it. His hands tightened on the steering yoke, hesitating. Then he gritted his teeth.
Kanan was trusting him. He could do this.