The plan was simple. Get in, rescue Ezra and get out. It wasn't going to be that simple, obviously, but nothing ever is. As we exited hyperspace, we cloaked the ship and docked I the hanger. Taking a spare blaster, I step out with the rest of the crew. While Kanan, Zeb and Sabine move to find Ezra, Hera and I stay and defend the ship.
"Find Ezra, we'll be ready" Hera orders. Sabine begins spraying the floor near some crates with her explosive paint before joining the others. All that was left to do was wait. Focusing in the Force, I enhance my senses, allowing the sounds throughout the ship to be heard more clearly. While doing that, I notice the Troopers splitting up.
"Ezra must have escaped. The troopers are splitting up between this hanger and the upper hanger." I report through the comms. Before they leave the hanger entirely, Ezra jumps down from a vent. Zeb then punches his helmet, sending him skidding towards Kanan and Sabine. I shake my head and call out, "Hurry up and get back here!" As soon as I say that, Agent Kallus and a squad of Storm Troopers run down the corridor. As everyone runs back, I open fire on the troopers, killing the two in front. Once everyone is on board, we raise the ramp and take off. As we leave, Sabine detonates her artwork, opening the hanger to the cold vacuum of space. Before they could launch any fighters, we made our escape to hyperspace. Ezra and I then make our way to the cockpit to see Hera.
"Welcome aboard… again." She says relieved.
"Thanks. Thank you, I really didn't think you would come back for me… well… Vex would have at least." Ezra thanks the Twilek. I chuckle to myself.
"Let's get you home now." Hera says.
"No, besides, I know where they are really taking the Wookie's. Ever heard of the Spice Mines of Kessel?" He asks. The crew stifles. After an eerie silence, Sabine speaks up.
"Slaves taken there last a few months, maybe a year." She says solemnly.
"And for Wookie's, born in the forest, it's a death sentence." Hera finishes.
"Then I guess we better go save 'em." Ezra says determined, as the crew look at him.
"We?" Sabine asks.
"We've come this far, might as well finish the job." Ezra elaborates.
"Setting course for Kessel." Hera smiles. Kanan looks concerned about Ezra, but I shake my head in his direction, saying its fine.
As we entered the Atmosphere, we turned on the lights and blasted the Stormtroopers. As we came around for another pass, we opened the ramp and moved into combat. Using a blaster, I instantly kill three hostiles before they were simply replaced. We hid behind cover while Ezra freed the Wookie's. After eliminating all threats, with the help of the Wookie's, the whir of TIE Fighters sounded as they began hammering the Ghost's shields.
"Hera, get out of there. Come back once you've lost those bastards." I say through the comms. As they shoot down one TIE Fighter, a Gozanti Freighter appears from the smog and fires at us, scattering us. The freighter then lands and out walks Kallus and a squad of troopers. While everyone takes cover, the young Wookie, frightened, runs away. As the father is shot while trying to get him, Ezra watches, saddened.
"I cant maintain position." Hera comms.
"GO! Lead the TIE's away and then double back for us." Kanan says.
"NO! I'm not leaving you behind!" Hera replies. Kanan then changes his mind.
"No your not. We're running a 22 pickup." He says.
"Seriously?" Sabine asks.
"You have a better option?" Kanan asks back.
"Alright, I'll be back. Make sure you're ready." Hera agrees.
"22 Pickup? Gonna let me in on a secret?" Ezra asks unsure what a 22 pickup was.
"Kid, I'm about to let everyone in on a secret." Kanan says, walking away from cover. He holsters his blaster and just dodges the incoming bolts with little effort. Kallus orders his troops to hold fire. Kanan connects the two pieces of his lightsaber and ignites it, positioning himself to defend.
"That's the Caleb I know." I say to the crew. Shocking them. Kallus and his troops were shocked as well.
"All troopers. Focus fire on… on the JEDI!" Kallus orders. As he deflects bolts, the crew help the Wookie's aboard the crates. I began to follow after Ezra. As I get in range, I notice Agent Kallus. "It's over for you, Jedi. A master and an Apprentice. Such a rare find these days." He says. I speak up.
"You seem to have missed one, Agent." I say, igniting my own topaz blade. Kallus turns towards me in amazement. "Ezra, jump." I order, and he does while taking the Wookie child with him.
"This is an interesting day indeed." Kallus says.
"It gets better, Kallus, just wait." I say, disengaging my blade and returning the hilt to its home. "But you have a job to do. And I'm not one to ruin that." I say, opening a portal to the Ghost, and walking through.
As I enter the cargo bay, I see all the Wookie's talking happily. The one who looks to be the leader, is with his child, and Kanan has his shoulder on Ezra. But I notice how he looks, and walk up to him.
"This could be your new home, you know?" I say.
"Yeah. But what about you?" Ezra asks.
"I go where you go. That is my mission. But we still need to pick up someone from Lothal." I say. Ezra just nods and walks away.
As we wait on Lothal, I transmit my beacon to Fives, and wait for him to get here. Meanwhile, I watch as Ezra goes back to his tower. Using the Force, I project my consciousness nearby and listen.
"What is the Force, Vex never told me." Ezra asks to the presence of Kanan behind him.
"The Force is everywhere. It surrounds us, penetrates us, it binds the Galaxy together. And its strong within you Ezra. Otherwise you wouldn't have been able to open the Holocron." Kanan says.
"So. What do you want?" Ezra asks.
"To offer you a choice. You can keep that Lightsaber you stole, let it become another dusty trophy. Or you can give it back and come with us. Come with me, and be trained in the ways of the Force. You can learn what it truly means to be a Jedi." Kanan says.
"I thought the Empire wiped out all the Jedi." Ezra says.
"Not all of us." Kanan says. Ezra looks down, and when we looked back up, Kanan was gone. I brought myself back and noticed Fives sitting with me.
"How long have you been here?" I ask.
"Not too long. Besides, we found what we were looking for." He says.
"Yeah. Just can't promise you any good relations with Kanan. We should head back." I stand up with Fives and we walk to the Ghost. We meet with Ezra as he opens Kanan's door. He hands the lightsaber back as Fives and I walk in. "I guess you now have another three spectres." I say to Kanan.
"Three?" He asks.
"This is Fives. In normal continuity, he is shot by Commander Fox of the Coruscant Guard for discovering the chips and Order 66. He removed his chip and eventually, his death brought up questions that the Jedi answered. They knew of the chips but did nothing about it. So I did. Fives, Rex, Echo, Wolffe, Gregor and the few clones stationed back at my home, all removed their chips. Everyone had a choice." I say, but Kanan still was not happy. "If I find you threaten Fives in any way, he won't be the worst of your problems Caleb." I leave the room with Fives, leaving Kanan and Ezra to think it through before our next mission.
A/N – OK, next chapter will be Rise of the Old Masters. Until then, Nut Out.