Hello! I hope you like this chapter!
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Chapter 7 – Patient 0018
"This is a stretch, even for you," Hera said, turning around in her seat to look at Kanan.
"Yeah," Sabine said. "And I can't believe that we managed to steal an Imperial Sentinel-Class shuttle. These are only used for high-ranking officials in the Empire."
"Well," Kanan said. "Technically, we are high-ranking. At least, on the Empire's most wanted," he smirked.
"Yeah," Ezra joined in. "Just another reason this plan won't work. They'll recognize us right away."
"That's the point," he said.
"I'm not following."
"Were you not paying attention during the briefing?" Ezra stared at him with a blank face. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Kanan smiled, but braced himself for whatever snappy reply Ezra would make. However, when none came, he turned back towards the teen. "Everything alright?" Something had to be up. Ezra never missed the chance to sass anyone.
"Yeah, just fine," he grumbled, crossing his head and looking away. The ex-Jedi raised his eyebrows.
"Kanan," Hera said, and Kanan's words died in his throat. "We're coming out of hyperspace now." He bit his lip and turned back towards Hera.
"Alright. Let's do this."
"Wait," Ezra said. "I still don't know what's going on."
"It's simple. We're surrendering."
"Wait, what?" Ezra exclaimed. Kanan smiled and the blue swirl of hyperspace faded away, the ship jerking as it came upon the moon. Before them, four massive cruisers loomed, and the crew stared in silence. A voice crackled to life on the control panel.
"Landing Craft 2-059, identify yourself." Kanan stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"This is trooper LS-538, requesting permission to pass. We have the insurgents of Lothal captured and contained."
The crew held their breaths as they waited for a response.
"Trooper LS-538, we do not have confirmation that the insurgents were commandeered."
"The insurgents were captured during a secret mission by the Grand Inquisitor. It is not recorded as to keep the people on Lothal from aiding them. But if you look in section R-38, you'll see the report," Kanan explained. Another moment of silence passed.
"Trooper, you have permission to pass."
The crew let out the breath they were holding, relieved that the plan had actually worked.
"Nice one, Sabine," Zeb said, patting her on the back.
"I told you my codes would work," she responded. "They got us in, but they won't be able to get us out once we free the captives."
"Leave that part to me," Hera said, piloting the ship down into the moon's atmosphere. The clouds cleared, and before them, a jungle world appeared. The base was large and similar to the Spire that they entered when attempting to rescue Master Luminara Unduli. It was built alongside a cliff, with a long bridge that jettisoned over it, connecting to multiple landing platforms. But since they were a prisoner transport, Hera piloted the ship to the top of the tower, where a large landing platform was built.
"Ready?" Kanan asked, turning to the crew.
"As we'll ever be," Zeb responded.
"Sabine, tell the Wookies that we're ready to go." Sabine nodded and rushed out the door. "Zeb, Chopper, take out those turrets. Ezra, stick by me. Hera?"
The ship landed, and she stood up from her seat, pulling out her blaster. "Let's do this."
He smiled, and together, they ran out of the cockpit and into the main hangar of the ship, where around twenty Wookies stood, their guns and crossbows at the ready.
"Alright. Follow me!" Kanan shouted. They growled and roared in response, raising their weapons above their heads.
From outside, the sounds of firing began. An explosion told them that one of the turrets was gone, and soon after another loud blast indicated that so was the other one. Hera smacked the button on the side of the ship, and the ramp lowered, bursts of air hissing around it.
Kanan raced out first, with Ezra right at his tail. He felt exhilarated as they charged down the bridge, headed towards the turbolifts. His blue blade deflected the shots from the trooper stationed outside of the shaft, returning it to the source. The man went down with a grunt.
"Alright, pile in!" Kanan shouted, hurrying half of the Wookies into one of the three lifts. Hera and Zeb joined in. "Get down to the detention cells and free as many people as you can. Then make your way to the lower landing platforms; there should be a ship there."
"Got it. See you soon," Hera said, and the turbolift door slid closed.
The second lift opened up and Sabine, along with the rest of the Wookies, rushed in.
"Get to the power generator and see what you can do. Then go to the storage facilities and see if there are any miracles. Meet back at the landing platforms with whatever you can find."
"Miracles are my specialty," Sabine said, placing a hand on her hip as the doors slid shut.
"What about us?" Ezra asked.
"We're going to the lower detention cells. If this bounty hunter didn't want us to find this place, there must be something worth hiding."
The turbolift opened and the two Jedi stepped inside, followed by the grumpy droid. Kanan pressed the lowest button and the doors sealed shut.
"What are you thinking?" Kanan asked. Ezra looked to his left and met his gaze.
"What do you mean?"
"You're nervous and anxious. What's troubling you?"
"Nothing," he answered.
"Ezra…" Kanan warned. He sighed, knowing that his teacher would not give up.
"Do you… do you think, that… there's possibly a chance, that…"
"Just spit it out, kid." Ezra nodded, biting his lower lip.
"Do you think my parents could be here?"
Kanan seemed to have frozen. Ezra glanced at him nervously, wondering what could have possibly made him react that way. Kanan probably was just not expecting that. It was a stupid question anyway, since Ezra knew that his parents had to be dead. They just… had to be. But there was that glimmer of hope that kept him from facing the truth. That glimmer only made it harder for him to move on, but in his own defense, it was hard to move on from something that was still unsolved.
"Honestly, Ezra… I don't know." Ezra nodded, knowing that there was no true way to tell. But was it just him, or did he pick up on the slight unease coming from Kanan?
But before he could say something about it, his teacher spoke again. "Let's just stay focused on the mission. And if your parents are here, then I'm sure Hera and Zeb will find them."
He nodded, letting the subject drop. He knew that this was not the best time to pick a fight. But even if he had tried to call Kanan out on the strange feelings he was admitting, he would not have had the chance to speak. The turbolift jerked to a halt.
"Are we there already?"
"No, something's wrong." Kanan pressed a button on the turbolift, and when nothing happened, he cursed under his breath. "I didn't expect the Empire to be this quick. We're going to have to find another way down." He drew his lightsaber, the weapon emitting the familiar sound as it ignited.
"Or," Ezra said. "I could just do this." He crouched down in front of the panel of buttons and removed it with ease. Pulling his trusty wrench out of his pocket, he got to work. Within a few seconds the turbolift was running again.
"That could work," Kanan said, reattaching his lightsaber hilt to his belt. "Where did you learn to do that?"
Ezra stood back up, pocketing his tool, and shrugged. "I use to hot wire these for fun. I'd switch up all the numbers and increase the speed just to mess with the bucket heads."
He turned to look at Kanan, who was shaking his head, feigning to be annoyed by him. But thanks to the force, Ezra could sense his admiration.
Chopper beeped at him.
"Of course I'm telling the truth, Chopper. I can also mess with their Imperial droids, so I'd watch my back if I were you," he threatened. The droid retaliated by pulling out his Taser, and Ezra jumped back.
"Hey, hey, break it up you two. Save the fighting for the Empire," Kanan said.
The turbolift dinged, and they all looked up as the doors slid open. Ezra's stomach dropped.
Before them was a dimly lit hallway that led to a sealed door. There was nothing wrong with the hallway per say, but he had a bad feeling about this.
"Come on," Kanan said, walking forward with caution. Chopper followed, and Ezra was a bit behind. He could hear bells ringing through his head, telling him that something bad was about to happen. The way Kanan's back muscles tightened made him think that he felt it too.
But Kanan kept on moving forward, so it must not be that bad, right?
Chopper plugged into the door control panel and began to unlock it. After a brief moment, the door slid open.
And the bad feeling he had felt hit him with full force.
He scanned the room before him. There were two rows of medical tables, all with straps for arms and legs. Each had a small metal table next to it filled with sharp and dangerous tools. There had to be six tables in all, with one light hanging over each of them.
"Chop, stay here and watch our backs." The droid beeped about not wanting to go in there anyway as the door slid shut behind them.
"What is this place?" Ezra asked.
"I… I don't know," Kanan admitted. He walked over to the closest table on the right, and Ezra followed a strange feeling towards the middle one on the left.
The table was just like the others, except for one difference. On the metal table next to it was a datapad. Ezra picked it up and quickly scanned the information.
Operation Limbic Adaptation
Patient 0018
Subject was submitted to dosage 918-C Variation X. Within minutes the subject was displaying memory loss. After approximately ten minutes the subject had no recollection of their past or theirself. The subject was then admitted to rehabilitation.
The subject went through rehabilitation smoothly. They are now working under agent Kallus as trooper LS-738, and has no memory of the process-
"Kanan," Ezra breathed. "Kanan!" He whipped around, datapad still in hand, to see the man hurrying towards him. "They're experimenting on them. On the prisoners! They're getting rid of their memories!"
"What?"
"Read this!" Ezra shoved the datapad at his teacher, who took it and began scanning it. His eyebrows furrowed. When Kanan had finished, he looked back up with worry in his eyes.
"We need to get out of here."
"I agree," Ezra replied, and the three of them raced towards the door.
"Leaving so soon?"
They froze in their tracks. Turning around, they saw the bounty hunter standing in the middle of the six tables. His black helmet reflected their faces, and he drew his blaster, pointing it right at Ezra's own chest.
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R & R
~ Kavella ~