Genet liked his new Master.
Master did not pull on his tail like Bay-bee. Master did not feed him sticky stuff that upset Genet's stomach like Sarh-uh did. Nor did he live on a ship with sounds that hurt Genet's ears.
Master lived in a room that was tidy and quiet. And every day he brought Genet meat to eat. Sometimes there was rice or vegetables mixed in or even a nice cooked egg on the side. But there was always good meat. Fresh meat. Genet liked meat very much.
When Genet lived on the loud ship, the people sometimes forgot to feed him and he had to catch skitter-mice. They were rubbery to chew on. He liked Master's food much better. Master even set out a bowl of clean water for him every morning!
While Master was gone during the day, Genet bathed himself with his tongue, drank water, played with his ball, and slept on Master's bed. There was a big window looking outside but it burned Genet's paws when he put them to the glass. Too cold to touch. He would sit and watch everything and wait for Master to return. Master was usually very tired when he came back into his room but Genet was so happy to be with him that he ran around Master's legs, leaping and barking until Master picked him up.
Genet liked being petted as much as eating good meat. He liked it when Master scratched his ears, tickled his chin, and rubbed his stomach. Sometimes Master was exhausted and had to lie down in his bed while petting Genet. Other times he'd sit up and speak to Genet while petting him. Genet didn't know all of the things that Master talked about but it he didn't mind. It was wonderful to rest in Master's warm safe lap with a full belly.
Master was good. Master was generous. Master…understood Genet. No other person could know when Genet was upset or hungry the way Master could.
But sometimes Master was displeased with Genet and that was not good. The tooka had learned this after poking his nose around and breaking something on Master's table. Master had said the word "no" several times to Genet in a loud voice that scared him. Then he picked up Genet and shut him up in the closet for the night. Genet did not like being alone in the dark. He whined and scratched at the door until Master let him out in the morning.
The next time Genet tried to jump onto the table, Master shouted, "No!" Genet did not want to be put back in the closet so he stayed put on the floor. Master looked happy with him. "Good, Genet. Stay," he said. So Genet learned to stop what he was doing when Master said the word "no", to follow Master when he whistled aloud, and how to catch a ball after Master threw it.
Ball-catching was fun. But being told "no" could be difficult when Genet wanted to explore new places or taste something new and interesting. It took Genet many times to learn to listen to "no".
Genet would hear noises through the walls and wanted to see if there were more rooms like Master's own. One day Master took him outside their room and let Genet run up and down a long hallway. Genet learned to come back when Master whistled for him or else he wouldn't be allowed back into the hallway.
There were some strange people in the other rooms who came out into the hallway. Their skin was blue and they smelled funny, not like Master's smell. Genet saw some of them speaking to Master and they did not like Master. That made Genet angry. They should not be rude to Master! Genet must defend Master! He almost bit one in the heel but Master told him not to. That was a very hard "no" to listen to.
When Master threw the ball and Genet caught it, the blue people looked surprised. They did not look as mean to Master. One of them tried to pet Genet but he growled her hand away. Nobody but Master should pet him.
Perhaps those blue people were not nice because they did not have good meat like Genet received from Master. If people had more nice meat, perhaps they would be nice too.
A-A-A
Csilla, Alpha Terrain
The speeder chased after the rising sun's light as it zipped across the endless fields of snow. The sky was an empty clear blue that blasted frigid air around the speeder. Though it was brutal weather, all six cadets inside the vehicle were safely dressed in appropriate weather gear. Their satchels had been dutifully packed with proper equipment for the day's expedition and everyone wore a pair of goggles over his or her eyes to protect themselves from the blinding snow.
The small hologram of Doctor Mikh'al hovered before them as the speeder zipped onward.
"This expedition should take no more than eight or nine standard hours," he announced. "Your mission is to follow the coordinates written down on your maps and take at least two samples each of geological or botanical findings."
Mikh'al warned the cadets, "You will all receive demerits if you do not return to the speeder before nightfall. Failure to return with suitable wildlife samples or without your teammates will also subtract points from your reports."
A young Chiss male leaned in over Ezra's headrest and asked, "What if we get lost or something unexpected happens?"
"Two of you packed torch flares. Use them to find each other," commanded Mikh'al. "Good luck on today's lesson."
The hologram shivered and then evaporated into nothing.
Ezra watched the whirling landscape began to slow down as they approached their destination. One by one, everyone drew up their hoods or slipped on caps. Ezra patted his backpack gently and was rewarded with a faint purr. He didn't planned to bring Genet along but he knew if he left the tooka in his room for a full day, it would get restless and likely tear up his room. Or worse, Genet could get loose and wreak havoc in the rest of the compound.
At least this way Ezra could keep an eye on him.
Now he pulled up his fur-lined hood and stepped out of the speeder and onto the snow. His boots crunched on the crisp surface and then he sank into snow up to his ankles.
"Where's the entrance?" he asked aloud, looking around. All he could see were miles of snow. Had Mikh'al sent them the right coordinates?
"There," said the first Chiss. He pointed with a gloved finger to a faint dip in the snow some yards ahead of them. Coming closer, Ezra could see the depression in the ground. He watched a slim Chiss girl turned on a light that was attached to her belt and then turn around. She bent down, planted her hands in the ground, and began to inch backwards into the hole.
He suddenly remembered being on Geonosis and how the timid creature Klik-Klak had easily slipped further into his homeworld. Did Csilla also have caverns and endless tunnels running through it?
Someone nudged him in the shoulder. "Commander Bridger, your turn."
"Right." Ezra turned on his own light and rotated around. There was a rope at the opening of the hole and he used that to scale himself backwards, slipping down into a dark damp tunnel.
One by one, everyone made their way beneath ground. The moist cool air filled Ezra's breath and they began walking single-file in silence down the tunnel. Ezra removed his light and shined it upwards to see threads of silver glinting through the rocks. Perhaps this had once been a weak vein of minerals. But now he couldn't see anything that Mikh'al had been looking for.
They continued on in silence for almost an hour with no change in the terrain or on the walls. The tunnel forked into two holes and everyone stopped to check their maps. The team captain ordered them into the tunnel on the left. As they trekked through it, the tunnel started to widen and dip downwards. They were going further and further underground.
Ezra could now see bits of green moss growing on the walls. Twenty minutes later, they passed a red flower pepping out between rocks. The tunnel had now grown so wide that all six of them could walk side-by-side.
His neck was beginning to sweat. "Is it just me or is it getting warm in here?" he asked aloud.
"It isn't you," assured one Chiss. She had a long name he couldn't pronounce but her core name was Ranu. "Centuries ago, Csilla used to be a tropical world," she explained to Ezra. "But that habitat retreated further into the ground. Our ancestors wouldn't be able to live below in case of an invasion so they chose to stay above ground."
"While the vegetation continues to grow down here," suggested Ezra.
She nodded politely at his insight. "Some of Csilla's caverns are now mines that are constantly replenishing the minerals and metals we use for everyday life. But these tunnels were carved out long ago and should still be good for exploring."
Ezra unzipped his jacket and pushed the hood off his face. He was stunned when the wide path at last opened up into an enormous grotto. Even his peers slowed down and stopped to survey the underground world before them.
Cream-colored stalactites hung from the ceiling, the drip drip drip of water landing softly into the center of an enormous lake. The rocks beneath their feet had given way to gravel paths and small green bushes sprouted up to their knees. Ezra shined his light downward and could even see a few insects crawling around them. Surely they would find something interesting to take back to Mikh'al.
The team captain tested the water in the lake with a handheld device and after deeming it safe to drink, everyone refilled their canteens. The water had a peculiar sour aftertaste but it satiated Ezra's thirst.
He opened up his satchel wide enough for Genet to hop out and lap up some water. After noticing the other Chiss' wary expressions he said, "I'll be watching Genet. He's too small to do any harm to the expedition."
The captain glared at Ezra. When he got mad he looked like a baby rancor. "You had no authority to bring an animal on this mission."
"Doctor Mikh'al didn't say I couldn't," Ezra retorted.
"Did he even say you could?"
"Captain, we're losing precious time. We have to start collecting wildlife," said a fellow cadet.
"Right." He squared back his shoulders. "We'll divide into two teams. One will scale those boulders to get a better view of the grotto." He pointed to a series of stones shaped into stairways leading to the top of the cave.
"The other team will circle the lake. We'll meet back here in two hours. Sent up a torch flare if anything goes wrong." He smirked at Ezra and said, "Commander Bridger, you're with Ranu and Kyler."
Ezra heard Kyler let out a pessimistic sound behind him. He obviously wasn't thrilled about being stuck with the human and his frisky tooka. Ranu just looked nervous. But the three of them set off together following the curve of the lake.
A beetle sporting a gold and blue shell ran across their paths. Ezra watched Genet trot off in search of it. "Is it all right if he goes away?" Ranu asked warily.
"Genet knows to come back." Ezra let out a whistle that echoed across the cave. Genet lifted his head to his master but not being ordered to return, he went back to follow the beetle. Ezra wasn't worried; he'd fetch Genet when they were done.
For now he was intrigued by a massive protruding stone rising out of the ground. It was as big as Kyler with a milky gray base that dissolved into a clear, almost glass-like sheen, at the top. This quartz crystal didn't radiate with the powerful light of a kyber crystal nor did it hum a familiar song into Ezra's ears. But that didn't stop him from resting a hand upon the crystal's smooth surface and closing his eyes. Perhaps in this grotto, or elsewhere on Csilla, he could find something to help him regain his connection to the Force.
"What are you doing?" Kyler demanded.
Ezra's eyes snapped back open and he jerked his head away. "Um, feeling the crystal's temperature," he suggested.
"It'll be the same as it always was until your body heat changes it," Kyle replied as-a-matter-of-fact.
"Right. Of course."
"Bridger. Kyler. Take a look at this." Ranu was bent down on the other side of the crystal and pointing to something. All three of them shined their lights onto what she had found. It was the fossil of a fish, the skeleton bones nearly as small as Ezra's thumb. It hovered eternally inside the crystal like a memory frozen in time.
"There must have been an ocean here millions of years ago," Ranu exclaimed. "Think we can take for Doctor Mikh'al?"
Kyler shook his head. "The crystal is too big and heavy to move, even with all six of us."
"Could we just take out the part with the fossil?" suggested Ezra. "We should have enough cutting instruments between us. And if we're careful, it won't upset the rest of the crystal matrix growing."
Kyler's face relaxed slightly. "It's worth a try." He opened up his own pouch and extracted several archeological tools. Ezra and Ranu did the same. For the next hour they chipped away at the crystal bit by bit. But it was hard work and they had to take shifts, breaking up to rest from cutting away and drinking water from their canteens.
They were almost halfway through when Genet rushed back to Ezra's side. His fur rippled and then stood straight at once end. He bared his teeth at one of the bushes, growling softly.
Ezra glanced down at him. "What is it, Genet?"
Ranu rubbed at her forehead. "We have to finish up, Bridger. It'll be nightfall soon."
"No, wait. Something's wrong." Ezra could sense the emotion radiating off of Genet like an ember flaring and knew he was behaving this way for a reason. A peculiar sound rose up from before them, the sound of something rustling over pebbles.
Kyler raised a hand. "Nobody move," he whispered.
Ezra watched in horror as something scarlet flashed brightly against the ground. Then a blood-red trail slithered between the rocks as a long snake emerged into their encampment. The ruby scales glittered beneath their lights and Ezra could see it was twice as long as he was tall and thicker than his wrist.
His heart was banging back and forth against his ribcage. Of course the heat from their lamps would have attracted it to them. Ezra remained frozen in place, a bead of sweat already working its way down the side of his face until it slipped into his eye and stung. But he didn't dare move a hand to rub the pain away.
Kyler and Ranu were also transfixed, their eyes wide in fear as they watched the snake lazily glide on parallel to their feet.
What should he do? This was no creature he could connect or comply with. This animal lived with a single driven purpose: kill. Ezra dared not do anything to risk himself or the lives of his teammates. He glanced at Ranu who had let out a small squeak and her right foot made a loud sound when it slid an inch across the gravel.
The snake heard it and whipped its head around. The head rose off the ground, hood opening wide in a looming movement to strike—
"KSSH!"
Genet had bolted like a streak of gray lighting, leaping through the air and sinking its teeth into the snake's head. They both collided onto the ground, red coils and fur whirling around in a frenzied battle for life. The snake snarled and coiled itself again and again, trying to throw off the tooka.
Genet fell off once against the ground but instantly pounced back on his feet, baring all of his teeth to the snake. Its forked black tongue lashed at Genet and they collided into each other in another whirl of terror. The snake writhed with fury but this time Genet's jaws were locked tightly around the snake's head, riding around with every shake the reptile gave. They were struggling faster and faster until a sound cracked through the grotto.
BLAM!
Ezra nearly jumped out of his skin when the blaster went off. The smell of burnt powder filled his nose and quickly shook him out of his trance. He starred down to see the snake's head had been shot clean off and was lying at his feet. Genet was sitting upright and licking a paw, no worse for his fight.
The young Jedi started to move his rubbery limbs. His knees were still shaking with fear. "Everybody okay?" he managed to stammer.
Kyler was still fixated in place, both hands wrapped around the blaster still smoking from the shot. He didn't seem capable of moving just yet until Ezra met his steely expression. "Kyler?" he asked.
The sound of his voice being spoken finally brought Kyler back to the present and he slowly lowered his blaster. "I'm fine," he said. Though his voice was also shaky.
"You just saved our lives," Ezra murmured.
Kyler shook out his legs. "I did what I had to do," he muttered, jamming the blaster back into his holster. "What about Ranu?"
They rushed to where she lay sprawled out on her back. Ezra knelt down beside her. "Did it bite you?" he asked.
"I don't think so. It didn't come close enough to me. But I stumbled backwards and…" She gestured to a jagged stone before her. Ezra helped her get her boot off and he could see the blue skin had already turned black and was swelling up.
"Can you get up?" asked Kyler. Ranu tried to rotate her ankle but she winced and bit on her lower lip. Ezra could tell she was in pain.
"Take it easy," he said. He took out a bacta bandage from his satchel and carefully wrapped around her ankle. He had just finished when the captain and other two Chiss had coming running towards them.
"We heard the shot. What happened?" the captain demanded.
"That happened," Kyler said as he pointed to the snake's head. "And this happened," he gestured to Ranu.
"What do we do now?" someone asked.
"We can't continue the expedition," Ezra said. "We have to get Ranu back to the surface."
The captain pushed Kyler aside and strode up to Ezra. "I've been selected as leader of this mission. Not you, Jedi," he spat out.
Ezra ignored the barb. "I don't care about the mission. I just want to get Ranu out of here and into a medical bay."
"Well, you should care about the mission. All of our grades will be affected by this."
This time Ezra frowned in annoyance. Why couldn't this Chiss see their priorities? Did being leader mean the only thing to him?
"If you want to stay here with Ranu, you can. The rest of us are going on," the captain decided.
"That's illogical. Leaving two members behind, and with one of them injured, leaves them exposed to further dangers," said Kyler.
"And Doctor Mikh'al said we all have to come back as a team," added another.
The captain glared at everyone. "This is mutiny!" he shouted.
As much as Ezra would have liked to Force push him against the grotto walls, he was sure there had to be a better way to defuse the situation. He made himself take two deep breathes and approached the captain again.
"Like you said, captain. You're in charge of this expedition. You're the only one who can navigate us safely out of these tunnels," Ezra explained. That was only partially true but he let it slide and starred at the captain with calm blue eyes. "There's nobody else we would trust to get us to safety. But it'll be dark soon and if we split up, we'll compromise each other's well-being. We need you to be our leader."
The captain's red eyes glared at Ezra as if to challenge him further. But Ezra stood his ground and did not let himself even blink. Finally, the captain thrust out his chest.
"Of course I can get us out of here. Everyone, follow me." He snatched both Ezra and Ranu's bags and threw them over his shoulder. The other Chiss lined up single-file behind him, one lagging long enough to scoop the snake's head up into an airtight container.
Ezra let out a sigh of relief, pleased to have defused the situation without a single stroke of a lightsaber. He hoped Kanan would have approved of his actions. He helped Kyler finished the tourniquet around Ranu's ankle and then crossing their hands together, made a seat for her to sit on.
"Genet! Here boy!" Ezra whistled and instantly, the tooka proudly trotted up to him. He was holding a piece of the snake's body between his teeth with some of it trailing on the ground.
Ezra shook his head. "Stay with us, Genet." He and Kyler let Ranu drape her arms around their shoulders as they carried her out of the grotto and up the tunnel. Genet trotted after them dragging his prize along.
"Sorry I ruined the mission," she mumbled to them.
"It was a one-day venture. At least we can get you back to the doctor," Kyler said. To Ezra he asked in a much quieter voice, "How did you get Ma'rabif to comply? He's usually so big-headed he won't listen to anyone beneath than him."
"Like you just said, he's bigheaded. So I appealed to his arrogance," Ezra said.
Kyler's face relaxed. "Good call, Bridger."
A-A-A
Csilla, medical bay 437
The snake's yellow eyes looked no less intimidating when dead. It starred defiantly back at Mikh'al who was holding it between a pair of tongs.
"Crimson asp," he concluded. The doctor placed the snake's head into a metal basin. "Very dangerous. Lethal bite. You're sure no one else was wounded?"
Everyone shook their heads in agreement. Mikh'al looked relieved. "You were wise to retreat early this time. Your judgement saved the lives of all of your teammates," he said to Ma'rabif. The Chiss nodded respectfully to the doctor and grinned with pleasure.
"Commander Bridger helped too," Ranu piped up from her medical bed. Now with her ankle fixed in a proper cast, she pointed to him from across the room. "His tooka sensed the asp coming and attacked it head on."
Ezra felt his face flush from the attention as all the Chiss starred at him. "Is this true?" asked Mikh'al.
"Well..." He fumbled for the right thing to say.
"I'll validate for Bridger," said Kyler. "Our casualties would have been higher if he hadn't brought a predator along."
"Much higher," Mikh'al concluded. His satisfaction quickly turned into disproval when he examined the flares they had taken with them.
"I can overlook your incident with the asp but one of these flares is outdated and the other has a burned circuit. You didn't test your equipment before the mission. This reflects poorly on all of you," he said. "Two demerits will be added to each of your reports."
Everyone frowned or looked away, including Ma'rabif. "You are all dismissed. Return to your dormitories."
The Chiss students reluctantly shuffled out of the room. Ezra stayed behind long enough to give Ranu a grateful smile. She nodded back at him.
"Was there anything else, Commander Bridger? I have a great deal of work to do," Mikh'al grumbled.
Ezra pointed to the flare torches. "Can I take those?"
The doctor shrugged. "I've no use for them."
"Thank you." Ezra picked up the torches in one hand, his satchel in the other, and returned to his room.
Once inside he flipped open his satchel to find Genet sitting on the top. The tooka was gnawing on a chunk of snake meat and had slobbered all over the contents of Ezra's bag. He opened his mouth and panted eagerly.
The Jedi sighed and said, "You're worse than Chopper." But instead of cleaning out his bag immediately, Ezra left Genet to his meal and sat down at his desk. He took a leather case out of one drawer and unrolled it on the table. Ezra chose a wrench from the set of mechanical tools and being removing the outer casing of one torch.
Ahsoka had told him that after the Clone Wars had ended but before she had reunited with Senator Organa, she planet-hopped her way across the galaxy. She started collecting random bits of metal and gears that that she had found on her adventures and carried them around in a drawstring bag. Ahsoka's "junk bag" grew heavy and cumbersome but she liked to take out the pieces one at a time and feel the weight of them in her hands.
Years passed until she heard the call of her new crystals singing out to her across the galaxy. Ahsoka followed the song but was horrified to come face-to-face with an Inquisitor. She managed to defeat him in combat while the crystals in his weapon cried out from being stolen and forced to "bleed" to the Dark Side. Ahsoka released them from the Inquisitor's blade and the one-and-former Jedi apprentice fitted them into her new crude blades. Though she had experienced bitterness and sorrow in her life, Ahsoka Tano had never relinquished her connection to the Force. It reflected her kindness as the crystals restored themselves into glowing white sabers beneath her hands.
Ezra smiled to himself remembering the last time they parted ways in the World between Worlds.
"When you get back, come and find me!"
"I will. I promise."
It was possible that kyber crystals didn't exist on Csilla at all. Maybe nowhere in this part of the galaxy either. But he'd worry about that later.
Ezra grew calmer as he focused on taking the flare torches apart. Each one had a coil of copper wire wrapped around the bottom of the handle and he fell into a pleasant meditation as he unwound the copper, rubbed it through his fingers, and bending it into several different shapes. He used a clean rag to rub around the inside of each torch casing until they were free of debris.
"Now what?" he asked aloud.
Genet rubbed against his leg holding a glow wand in his mouth. Ezra took it from between the tooka's teeth and continued with his work. The tooka leapt onto the table and curiously sniffed around. Seeing that the cold metal pieces weren't for hunting, Genet made himself comfortable by settling around Ezra's shoulders. The Jedi found himself wearing a living breathing scarf that purred contently and warmed against his skin.
He continued to work diligently for the rest of the evening.
A-A-A
Later:
"Gmmph! Genet!"
Ezra woke up to feel Genet nipping on his right ear. He groaned flipped over in his bed. "Ow! It's the middle of the night." He sat up in bed and switched on a light. Ezra watched the tooka hop off his bed, run to the door and place both paws on it.
His master rubbed his jaw. "Fine. One time up and down the hallway. But that's it," he insisted. Ezra threw on an extra shirt and opened the door a crack. Genet took off in a flash.
"Wait! Come back!" Ezra called out. He tried to keep his voice a whisper but loud enough for Genet to hear. He rushed after the tooka who kept his master chasing him up one level and down another. Genet was clearly enjoying the spectacle while Ezra was getting exhausted and impatient.
After two levels he slowed down long enough to catch his breath. "You'd better not 'tinkle' out here," he warned Genet. He had expected them to run into a dead end but instead of turning back, Genet continued to trot forward to a pair of silver ornate doors.
"Oh no…."
"Genet, get back here!" he hissed urgently. "We're not allowed in there!"
This was the Atrium; an exclusive area for elite Chiss citizens. Ezra hadn't been given permission to enter it and Eli had warned him that violating protocol could lead to trouble. Ezra watched with alarm as his tooka easily butted his head against one of the doors and it opened a crack. The tooka slipped inside. That was odd because it should have been locked up…which meant someone was still inside.
Ezra groaned aloud. Better he get into trouble for sneaking into a private room than let the tooka continue to run amok. He pulled one of the doors further open and stepped inside.
The Atrium was a vast room inlaid with glass windows for the ceiling and secured with metal beams. The stars burned cold and fierce through the windows while faint green lights created a path at Ezra's feet. The ground felt soft and spongy beneath his bare feet. He bent down and pressed a fingertip to it. The imprint came back covered in dirt. Ezra stood up again and allowed his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. No, those weren't lights he was staring at. They were some kind of phosphorous plants that opened and closed with an almost magical green light.
The Atrium wasn't a compound: it was an indoor hothouse. Now that Ezra could see better, he noticed vines wrapped around the poles and patches of purple flowers planted along the pathways. Staircases held pots of leafy green ferns and tall yellow stalks.
The further Ezra headed down the path, the more plants and flowers he saw growing. There was even a fountain with three pools of water perfectly still without so much as a ripple moving across the surface.
"Genet," he whispered again. The Jedi whistled and clicked his tongue. "Here, boy."
The tooka poked its head out of a flower bed and gave a playful mew. Ezra lunged for the tooka and landed on the ground, grabbing it in both hands. Genet growled in protest but Ezra held him tightly to his chest. "No you don't," he said as he got back to his feet. "We're getting out of here."
A sound off in the distance made Ezra's senses twitch. Should he make a run for it? Or hide in the bushes?
The sound rippled through the air like a spring breeze blowing across a spring pond. Ezra's ears strained for the peculiar melody of wind being draw through a pipe. It was…music. Soft haunting beautiful music that wove itself around the Atrium in a mysterious melody and stirred up strange emotions in Ezra. Even Genet stop squirming long enough to listen. Unable to keep away, Ezra's feet softly advanced towards the source of the music. He pushed aside a large leaf hanging in his path to find the source of the music.
It was coming from Ashray.
She was sitting on a stone bench with a long reed-like instrument fitted to her lips. It appeared to be made out of wood and inlaid with silver as it glinted whenever her hands moved back and forth over the keys. Her arms were bare and she wore no ornaments except the band of silver on her forehead. Her white dress seemed to glow beneath the moonlight that streamed in through the ceiling and her black hair swept down one shoulder like an ebony blanket.
She looked like a fairy.
Ezra starred in dumbstruck awe at her, watching her continue to breathe life into her reed and transform into that wonderful sound that joined the sleeping flowers and resting trees around them.
Suddenly, Ashray stopped playing and took her mouth away from the reed. The magic had broken. The silence was dreadful and the shadows seemed longer and darker than they were a moment before. She opened her eyes and turned her head aside, the red eyes starring directly at Ezra. Her gaze was sharp and focused.
He didn't wait for a response. Ezra turned around and raced out of the Atrium with Genet squeezed against his chest. His bare feet slapped against the cold metal tiles as he urged himself to go faster and faster, racing through bare corridors and up sinister staircases. Ezra skidded around the last bend and threw himself into his room. He slammed the door shut and dropped Genet, knees knocking and heart vibrating inside his chest.
Once his body accepted that they were no longer in danger, he felt the surge of adrenaline that admitted it had indeed been a thrilling venture. A troublesome one, no doubt, and there'd be hell to pay tomorrow. But Ezra knew he'd be lying to himself if he said he hadn't enjoyed it.
He glanced down at Genet. "Let's never do that again," he announced.
A-A-A
Ezra had been walking on eggshells for days, dreading the moment when someone would tell him he had violated their rules by trespassing in the Atrium. But nobody did. Over time his fears dissipated and he managed to assure himself that the matter had been swept away. Perhaps the incident hadn't even been real and it was a mere dream forged out of his imagination.
His verdict was incorrect.
Ezra discovered the truth one day when he was heading off to his next class. He had just stepped out of the lift when he found himself starring face-to-face with Ashray, dressed in a formal jacket and with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Good morning, Commander Bridger," she said pleasantly.
Ezra gulped. "Good morning, Syndic Ashray," he mumbled. He managed to step out of the lift and around her without making eye contact.
"Leaving so soon?" asked Ashray.
"I have a flight lesson," he explained, holding up his helmet.
"Let me escort you to the hangar bay."
His heart skipped a beat. "There's no need. Besides, it's a long walk," he explained quickly.
"It would be my pleasure. Walking is excellent exercise."
"But…" Ezra began feebly.
"Unless you're disgusted to be seen with me in public," she suggested. A tinge of accusation rose in her voice and he flinched inwardly. Was that a double meaning?
"No, of course not," he relented.
"Then by all means, lead on."
Reluctantly, Ezra fell into step alongside her. For a few minutes neither of them spoke. Then Ezra had the courage to break through the silence.
"I'm sorry about trespassing in the Atrium," he said at last. "It was an accident. I promise it won't happen again."
She glanced at him but continued her pace. "How did you get inside?"
"I was chasing my tooka. He saw the door was open so I followed him."
"Then your tooka is responsible."
Ezra shook his head. "You can't blame Genet. He was just following his instincts. If you're going to punish someone, it should be me."
Ashray looked thoughtful. "It would be pointless to punish you for your tooka's actions. And if he is an animal acting upon instinct, it would be illogical to blame him either."
He glanced at her hopefully. "Then you won't tell anyone?"
"I see no point in mentioning it."
Ezra's shoulders relaxed in relief. "Thank you."
"You are welcome. Is your concern for the Atrium why you keep staring at me?"
The young Jedi shook his head. "I wanted to know if you always wear that."
"I always wear clothes," Ashray said dryly.
His ears reddened. "No, I meant that." Ezra gestured to her forehead.
Ashray's fingertips reached up to touched the silver band. "The diadem? Yes. I always wear it except when I bathe or sleep."
"It means that you belong to the Fourth Ruling Family, doesn't it?"
Her lips curved upwards. "I do not 'belong' to anyone. But yes, it does signify that I am under their scrutiny until I come of age."
"What happens after that?"
"Then the Ruling Family decides if I am to permanently join them. Or not."
He eyed her thoughtfully. "Is that what you want?"
Ashray stopped walking and turned to face Ezra. "What I want or do not want is irrelevant. What matters is what is beneficial for everyone. This path was put before me and so I must walk on it as best as I can."
Her tone was tranquil, suggesting that she had embraced this destiny long ago and was content to let it unfold. But she did not appear to mind Ezra's curiosity.
"For your sake, I hope they let you join," he said.
"Thank you." She flipped some hair off her shoulder. "Are there any other questions you have for me?"
Ezra knew he should probably restrain himself but he couldn't resist. "Are those phosphorous plants in the Atrium poisonous?"
"No. Why?"
"I think my tooka ate one," he admitted.
"Did you see him eat it?"
"I'm pretty sure he did."
Only now did Ashray's facial muscles twitch. "How can you be certain?"
"He threw up on my bed the other day," Ezra said without thinking.
This time Ashray flinched in disgust. He babbled on quickly, "But don't worry. I got all the vomit cleaned up. Doctor Mikh'al doesn't have to worry about spreading diseases."
"Oh Force, Ezra shut up! Stop telling the frost-princess about tooka vomit!"
If possible, Ashray's small upturned nose turned even further up. "Commander Bridger, do you deliberately go out of your way to appear incompetent?" she demanded.
Frustration prickled in Ezra. "I'm not incompetent. Sometimes bad things happen and I can't control them," he protested.
"But you can regain some sense of control, can't you?"
He was starting to get annoyed with her. "What makes you think I can't?" Ezra shot at her.
"I never thought of such an accusation," Ashray remarked coolly.
Damnit, she was worse than Leia!
"Good morning, Commander Bridger. Syndic Ashray." Thrawn's voice murmured to them as he appeared around the corner, facing both young adults.
"Speak of the devil," Ezra thought grimly.
The Chiss had both hands clasped behind his back and was giving Ezra that hint of a smile that suggested nothing but uttermost politeness and restraint. For all Ezra knew, Thrawn was prepared to deliver an eloquent speech, threaten the Jedi, or break his arm.
He'd probably do all three. The Chiss went on. "How long have you two been acquainted?"
"Just recently," Ashray informed him. "Commander Bridger was considerate to take some time out of his busy schedule to have an informal conversation."
Thrawn looked intrigued. "I see. What have you two been talking about?"
"Breaking and entering, wearing and not-wearing clothes, and puking pets," Ezra mentally rattled off.
"We were discussing music," explained Ashray.
"Krayt spit, karabast, and kriffing of all kriffs."
"Really?" One blue-black eyebrow cocked up slightly. Thrawn's red gaze shifted from Ashray to Ezra. "I was not aware that you were a patron of the arts."
Ezra wanted to choke the smugness out of the Chiss' throat. But two could play at this game. He managed to unlock his jaws and respond to Thrawn with a careless shrug. "I'm interested in many topics. But when you're being chased across the galaxy by a grand admiral, you don't always find time to learn new things."
"Which I hope you will be able to do at your next flight lesson," Thrawn remarked.
Ezra glanced at his chrono. Damnit! He was going to be late.
"Well, thank you for walking with me. Syndic Ashray," he nodded to her. "Mith'raw'nurodo," he added to Thrawn.
Ezra walked off at a usual pace but as soon as he rounded the next corner, he took off as fast as his legs could carry him.
"An interesting young man," Ashray said at last. She pressed her fingertips together. "But he shares little resemblance to our mythology about Jedi and their abilities."
Thrawn said, "His training was informal."
"Hmmm." She rested her fingertips against her chin. "I hope we are not being misled by taking in an infiltrator who was brought here under your recommendation."
Thrawn's eyes narrowed at Ashray. "My loyalty to Csilla is unwavering."
Her eyes slid upwards to meet Thrawn. "I don't question your loyalty, Mith'raw'nurodo. It is your methods that concern me, as do many others in the Ascendency. The verdict has yet to come out if you are guilty of the crimes you have been accused of. Our ban of capital punishment may yet be revoked."
"Be careful, Ashray," he warned her in a dangerously quiet voice. "You may be ward to a Ruling Family but you do not have authority over me."
"And as Commander Bridger reminded us both, you are no longer a Grand Admiral of any kind," she countered.
Thrawn leaned forward slightly, his great height towering over Ashray. His tone was glacially calm as he asked, "Is that a threat?"
She met his gaze with her own cool stare until Ashray yielded with a shake of her head. "I wouldn't dare battle someone whose strength and experience exceeds my own," she answered.
"For your sake, I hope you remember that."
A-A-A
3 weeks later:
One of the disadvantages of the Rebel Alliance was a limited budget, which meant precious resources like fuel for ships and carriers had to be regulated. Pilots who had previous experience, even farmers or freighters, were preferred combat soldiers since they didn't need to be trained as often out in space. Others had to make do with computer simulations until the real battles broke out.
Ezra knew he had been granted an advantage from living on the Ghost. Hera supplied nearly all of the fuel for her ship from performing "milk runs" and was able to give Ezra hands-on lessons in the cockpit. You couldn't ask for a better education than being taught by one of the best pilots in the fleet and traveling in one of the fastest ships in the galaxy.
Now seated in a one-person ship called a Cloudbreaker, Ezra was climbing higher into Csilla's sky. Cloudbreakers were logically named for their abilities to withstand intense climate but this day the only clouds he could see were faint wisps of white in the air.
Ezra tilted the steering lever downward and his Cloudbreaker tipped to the right, dropping into an elegant swoop. The ground rushed up to meet him, sunlight flashing off his windows as a surge of excitement leaped up from his stomach.
He had nearly forgotten how much fun it was to fly! Even if this was a training exercise, it was still a thrilling experience to be soaring above the ground.
Four other Cloudbreakers rose up to meet his own and they continued onward in formation.
"Steady with increasing altitude," cautioned another pilot. His voice came through loud and clear through the comm-link in Ezra's helmet. "Our target should be up ahead."
"My scanners are picking up something! Two thousand meters ahead and approaching!" someone called from her Cloudbreaker.
A black metallic drone with a hexagonal dome on the top slid into Ezra's focus. The dome ejected several feet up and began flashing red and blue lights at the Cloudbreakers. Ezra chose to slow down his speed and save his fuel. There was no point in approaching it until he knew what it would do. For now, he kept his thumb on the target button.
"Incoming!"
Something glinted in the center of the dome just before hundreds of metallic spikes shot out of its holes and tore through they air. They rushed towards the ships and smashed into their hull plates causing chaos and confusion. Ezra heard a muffled thunk thunk sound as several spikes tore into the sides of his Cloudbreaker. His computer scanner was beeping and flashing red lights, warning him that the rear rudder of his ship was damaged. He was still flying but his movements were jerkier than before.
"Fall back! Fall back!" Kyler shouted.
One by one, the Cloudbreakers broke off their formation and flew away from the drone. Ezra could see though the scanners that it was still chasing them, more metal spikes swarming towards them like a wave of hungry locusts. Some of them smashed into one Cloudbreaker's wings and he watched a trail of smoke bleed out of the ship.
"I'm hit! I've got to land before I lose all control," the pilot announced.
Ezra was relieved to see that ship descend further to the ground, out of the way of the drone's firing power. But he and the other Cloudbreakers continued encircling and spiraling in the air, trying to avoid further direct hits. Ezra increased his speed as he tried to get a lock on the drone but it continued to evade him.
"Come on, come on," he muttered under his breath.
"We'll split up into pairs and try to lose the drone in the mountain range up ahead," called the leader. "Kyler, Bridger, you two ready?"
"Yes."
"Roger, roger," Ezra chimed back.
"What!?"
"Never mind." Ezra couldn't resist adding in a little Clone War humor even in the middle of a fight. Though as he and Kyle steered their Cloudbreakers down and into the mountain range he could still imagine Rex warning him, "Settle down, soldier."
He knew he shouldn't get cocky with that drone on their heels. But remembering Rex gave Ezra an idea.
"Kyler, how are you holding up?"
"Weapons are still online but my shields are at thirty percent. Why do you ask?"
Ezra adjusted his audio sensors so that he could communicate with the other pilots. "Everyone, I have an idea. When we regather formation at the end of the mountains, use the Sword and Shield maneuver."
"What's that?" someone asked.
"Three of us block, one of us fires. That drone has to slow down between launching its first and second wave of assault. If we can mow down the first wave with our blaster shots, Kyler has a chance to hit the droid with his missile."
"Me?" questioned Kyler.
"I saw how you kept your cool when you killed that snake in the grotto," explained Ezra. "You've got the focus and aim we need to take out the drone. Don't worry about your shields. We'll provide cover for you."
"Not like we've got other options," one pilot muttered.
"I'm in," Kyler announced.
"So am I," said another.
Ezra tilted the controls so that his ship was scaling up the side of one craggy peak. "Then let's do this."
A sweet rush of energy fueled his mind when they exited the range and saw the drone before them. Ezra instructed Kyler to draw his ship back to protect himself while he and the other Cloudbreakers advanced towards the drone.
This time when the drone launched its next assault of spikes, Ezra angled all his attentions in on the oncoming shots. His thumbs pressed madly up and down on the firing buttons, blasting every single spike he could see coming his way. His mind was burning vigorously, all attentions on the menacing entourage and eliminating it as fast as possible.
"Keep going, keep firing," he told himself as he continued shooting away. He could feel the controls getting hot even through his pilot's gloves. His head was getting damp inside the helmet and breaking out into sweat. But Ezra had to take out as many of those spikes so that Kyler could get a clear shot.
A fresh spike landed in the side of his engine and Ezra felt his entire Cloudbreaker jostle from the impact.
"Bridger! You still with us?"
"Yes! Take your shot!"
He watched in his computer panel as the glowing green triangle that was Kyler's ship maneuvered into position. A red bullet burst out of his Cloudbreaker, racing just below Ezra's vision, and hit the drone squarely in the center. It exploded into a shower of yellow sparks and billowing clouds of smoke.
Ezra pumped up his arms with excitement. "Yes! Way to go, Kyler!" he shouted.
A-A-A
His feet were wobbly and his heart was still dancing away to a wild beat but Ezra couldn't stop grinning when they landed back in the hanger bay. No sooner had he climbed out of the Cloudbreaker than two technicians rushed in to examine damages.
"Your rudder will have to be replaced," said one of them.
"Is that bad? I did the best I could but our mission was to take out the droid."
She assured him it was not a major problem and that he and his fellow pilots would receive excellent reports for completing their task.
"If you enjoyed flying a Cloudbreaker, you should see some of our larger ships built for extensive space travel," she added. The Chiss technician pointed to a much larger vehicle at one end of the hanger bay.
It reminded Ezra of the Saffur, but this one had twin sloping wings similar to star skiffs and a cone-shaped nose made of a smooth hard ceramic material. The ship was deep blue with silver strips running along the sides. Walking towards it, Ezra thought it had an efficiency yet elegance design that was unlike the Ghost or any Rebel ship he had flown.
This one was still missing a few major pieces, given by the gaps where some metal panels had to be fitted into the hull. But there was no denying the presence of this ship commanded respect and Ezra's fingertips tingled when he came to a halt in front of it.
He reached out to touch the side of the ship when a mechanic on top yelled, "Hey!" He flipped back the shield protecting his blue face and scowled at Ezra. "This is off-limits to junior officers," he snapped as he brandished a plasma cutter.
"Sorry, sorry." Ezra stepped away quickly and headed towards the dormitories. He had only gone a quarter of the way when a voice spoke nearby.
"It's the Springhawk," said the man. Ezra found himself walking alongside Kyler who had just caught up. "What do you think of it?"
Ezra glanced back at the Springhawk wistfully. "It's beautiful. I hope I could travel in one of those ships someday."
"Those Chiss cruisers have at least two pilots and a navigator," Kyler informed him. "But they're in high demand and the Defense Fleet decides on every member of the crew."
"So the chances of me getting to serve on a cruiser are as likely as catching lightning in a bottle, huh?"
Kyler looked perplexed but then nodded. "If your allegory means 'not likely' then yes. But we may get our chance in few years."
"We may," Ezra agreed. He took a breath and dared to go on. "We make a good team, don't you think?"
Much to his delight, Kyler showed a genuine smile full of strong white teeth. "We do indeed. I was just blind not to notice it before. That Sword and Shield maneuver was a clever tactic."
"Thanks, but it wasn't mine. I learned it from a Clone War veteran."
"The Clone Wars?" Kyle sounded intrigued. "Mith'raw'nurodo told us briefly about that conflict."
"The war ended before I was born," Ezra confessed. "But my friend Captain Rex told me everything about his years on the front lines. If you're interested, I'd be glad to share his stories."
"Really?" Kyler's eyes glowed with fascination. "Then I'd be glad to listen to them, Commander Bridger."
He found himself grinning back. "Ezra," he insisted.
Kyler nodded. "Ezra it is."
They shook hands and promised to swap tales in the dining hall that night. So despite the back of Ezra's uniform sticking to his spine, he was elated when he came back to his dormitory hall. In fact, he hadn't felt this good since fighting with Phoenix Squadron.
"Commander Bridger." Admiral Ar'alani stood before his door in her fleet uniform. He clamped his hands to his sides, hoping to restrain the sweat seeping through his skin.
He bowed respectfully to her. Her face was impassive as a marble statue as Ar'alani stared at Ezra for several moments.
Then she said, "Some member of the Defense Fleet, including myself, were concerned at the start of your education here. But I have read the reports from your instructors and you have made considerable improvements over the last two months."
He let out a little gasp of relief. "Thank you, Admiral."
The tepidness of her tone did little to assure him it was a compliment. Ezra hoped she would dismiss him soon. He desperately wanted to peel off the sticky uniform and wash the day's grime away in the refresher.
The admiral waved a hand regally through the air. "You will dine with the Fourth Ruling family and myself tomorrow night," she announced. "Garments will be sent to your quarters beforehand and an escort will take you to the hall."
This was clearly a command, not an invitation, and the shock of this instant surprise left Ezra speechless for a second. Overcoming the tight knot that had just formed in his gut, he cleared his throat and said, "I would be honored."
The admiral gave him a nod of approval, turned on heel, and walked off.
"Well, this just got a lot more interesting," he thought. Just when you thought you found your footing, something new tries to trip you up. A nice dinner should be easy compared to taking out a murderous drone. But to be under the watchful eye of a Ruling Family for an entire evening did not sound easy.
"I'm sure everything will go horribly wrong," Kanan had once said before a mission. That was before battle droids nearly killed them all and the Empire decided to show up for the party.
Ezra knew he would prefer facing the a droid army to a formal meal. But that wasn't his decision to make and he'd just have to put his best foot forward.
He sniffed under one armpit. Phew. A shower was definitely mandatory. There was no way he would going to show up for dinner reeking like a stale onion.
"A bath would be better," he concluded. Ezra stepped into his room and Genet leaped happily into his arms.
A-A-A
Genet's personality is inspired by the delightful character Rikki-Tikki-Tavi from the short story of the same name by Rudyard Kipling. Bibliophiles will also know him as the writer of "The Jungle Book". Many a happy childhoods have been spent curled up on a sofa reading his literature and I count myself among those fortunate souls.
If you've read "Hyacinth" then you know I love throwing crazy women at Ezra. ^_^
