Ezra didn't have the chance to bring up Outbound Flight again nor did he wish to do so. Ranu had scrubbed her computer clean and the three of them made a pact agreeing that would never speak of it again. To do so would send them to the bottom rankings of the junior fleet if not be immediately expelled. Yet Kyler and Ranu would still remain among the Chiss and serve out their punishments accordingly before other duties would be assigned to them.
But for Ezra, the unknowing future beyond Csilla's frosty borders was a risk he dared not take. So he wisely kept his lips sealed regarding the mysterious matter.
If he caught a fleeting glance at Thrawn in the oncoming weeks Ezra quickly averted his eyes away. But if Thrawn suspected something disturbed the young Jedi, he did not speak of it.
Time slipped by like beads on a chain, one month folding into another. Flight classes went from local terrain to the space above Csilla. Weapons changed in combat practice. Another trip to the smuggling space station with Eli; another mechanical purchase that could be sawed down into a potential inert power insulator. Some nights Ezra sat at his dormitory desk and tried to fit the different pieces into the hollow torches. He imagined how the finished product would look when the kyber's energy channeled itself safely through the larger chambers without overheating the metal's surface.
The outcome still appeared crude to him. He learned not to get frustrated with the lack of results and rather, savored the moments when his mind wandered. He would close his eyes and let his fingers turn the pieces over and around in rotations. Then he'd put them back in the box and slid it beneath his bed.
Another trial of patience came from reading the book Mikh'al had found. At a first glance Ezra had quickly thumbed thought it to see if kyber crystals went by another name. Then he went over it again, this time slowly turning the pages and taking the time to read the detailed descriptions of the stones and admire the colorful pictures.
Some days he read in the Atrium. There was a small grove tucked away in a corner of the hothouse that had become Ezra's favorite place because the ground was infused with lush green grass. It was blissful to stretch out upon his stomach and be comfortably cushioned with the crisp sweet scent of grass while beams of light streamed in through the windowpanes.
A small rock propped up the book towards Ezra's face while Genet was resting between his shoulderblades. Having learned to behave in the Atrium (and perhaps the wiser a tooka for not eating any more strange plants) Genet had made himself comfortable on the Jedi's back and was trilling pleasantly.
"Bakorite is a semi-precious stone based on the mylora mineral," Ezra read from the book. "It is best known by its deep red color but other shades such as pale green and bright yellow have been found. Ancient miners called it 'shizhu ki ramu' which translates as 'heat of the sun' for its remarkable crimson hue. When tempered with intensely high temperatures, Bakorite can maintain heat for hours. Meteorites of Bakorite have been found on various planets still hot from their space-bound descent."
This was interesting and he read on. "Laboratory Bakorite must only be treated with dry heat. Unnatural moisture will invade the stone and cause cracks on the surface. Bakorite has been a valuable asset for holding beams together in desert-located homes, carved into baking dishes, and as a long-lasting ornament in ritual ceremonies."
"Ritual ceremonies," Ezra said aloud. "Hmm. I wonder if the Jedi used Bakorite for anything."
His comm-link chirped in his pocket and Ezra groaned. He was too comfortable to want to stop now. Reluctantly, he pulled out the comm-link and turned it on. Admiral Ar'alani's firm voice came through the tiny speaker.
"All members of the circuit eight junior fleet are to report to the central training room in on hour," she announced. "Your presence is mandatory. There will be no excuses for tardiness and anyone who fails to appear will automatically be demoted in the fleet."
The warning in her words shook Ezra to attention at once. He arched his back so that Genet slid harmlessly off onto the ground and then got to his feet. "C'mon, Genet. We'd better hurry before the Admiral takes attendance."
The tooka followed his master through the winding paths of the Atrium. Ezra only stopped when he heard the silky strands of music to his left. He turned and detoured long enough to see Ashray was practicing again. She drew the flute out from between her lips and looked at Ezra.
"Was I disturbing you?" she asked.
"Not at all," he assured her.
Ashray smiled and gestured to the bench beside her. "Would you like to hear some more?"
"Another time. Admiral Ar'alani's just summoned everyone in my class and I'm not sure why."
"Perhaps an additional lesson for the junior fleet?" suggested Ashray.
"Maybe," Ezra said. "But I've got a feeling if she didn't want to tell us right away, it must be important."
Ashray set aside her flute and walked up to Ezra. Her red eyes scanned his face. "You seem concerned," she said at last.
Ezra rubbed his left shoulder. "The admiral usually doesn't make changes like this."
Ashray rested a dainty hand upon his arm. "But if she has summoned everyone in your class then it means you have not been singled out for any task. And if you have advanced this well in the fleet, surely you have the skills to face whatever the admiral has prepared."
The assurance of Ashray's words and the gentleness in her voice was as soothing to Ezra as her music. Suddenly, he did not want to go into the training room and do the admiral's bidding. He wanted to stay in this warm green room of life with a loyal tooka at his heels and a pretty girl by his side.
But his desires would have to be delayed. Ezra took Ashray's hand into his own and allowed his fingers to close securely over hers. He held her hand a moment longer than he had expected to before letting go. Already the lack of contact was a loss such as a warm sun that had just slipped behind a heavy gray cloud.
Nevertheless, Ashray nodded thoughtfully to him as she gestured to the doors of the Atrium. "Good fortunes to you, Commander Bridger."
"Thank you, Ashray."
A-A-A
One hour later, Ezra stood in line beside the nine other young adult Chiss in his team. Everyone stood rigid in his or her place with their hands clasped tightly by their sides. No one dared to slouch or smirk when Admiral Ar'alani walked into the room.
But Ezra's mouth nearly fell open when he saw she was followed by several members of the Ascendency, four Chiss guards, and finally….Thrawn. They all stood at one end of the room while Ar'alani approached the junior officers.
"As you all know, we have been testing your abilities over the last several weeks to determine who is prepared to advance to the senior fleet," said Ar'alani. "Today you will face a new challenge."
She gestured for Thrawn to step forward. Ezra's heart was vibrating faster as his adversary drew closer.
"Thank you, Admiral Ar'alani," he said politely. Thrawn nodded to his superior officer and then addressed the junior officers. "I am here to give a demonstration so that you may show the Ascendency what you have learned. You will prove your strength and stamina by facing me in combat."
Oh no no no. This was bad. Very bad. Pairing up with each other was one thing but fighting Thrawn would be an entirely different trial. Had Thrawn deliberately arranged all of this as part of some master scheme?
Thrawn was already removing his jacket to reveal a sleeveless black shirt. Even through the fabric one could notice the broadness of his chest and how his arms and shoulders were hard and corded with muscles from years of exercise. It was the body of a master strategist; the body of a warrior who could endure storm and fire to achieve his ambitions.
Ezra's stomach muscles clenched up.
"Make no mistake: you will not be granted a second opportunity," Thrawn announced. He walked over to the weapons rack and removed a heavy wooden bo staff. "Defeat me and you automatically graduate. Be defeated and be disgraced."
He walked to the center of a training mat and gestured for the first officer to approach. Kyler walked down the line past his fellow officers and when he approached Ezra the young Jedi whispered, "Good luck."
"Thanks," Kyler murmured. If he had anxieties, Kyler managed to restrain them while he chose a fighting staff for himself and then took his place before Thrawn.
"Begin!" Admiral Ar'alani commanded.
Ezra was enraptured as his teammate traded blocks and blows with Thrawn. Kyler had been an attentive student and Ezra was proud to watch his friend maneuver his staff to collide with Thrawn's own, keeping it in view without blocking his range of vision. But his confidence in Kyler faltered when he missed one of Thrawn's jabs up in the air that left his chest open. The older Chiss drove the end of his staff into Kyler's ribcage, knocking him backwards several feet. Kyler swiftly grounded himself to regain composure but the stagger had cost him greatly. In the few seconds he attempted to reclaim lost ground Thrawn had already encircled him on the side and landed a final blow across Kyler's shoulderblades.
The Chiss hit the floor with a defeated grunt. Someone in the junior fleet gasped aloud.
Ezra starred at Kyler and then forced himself to tear his eyes away, not wanting to see a fellow officer shamed. Thrawn serenely motioned for the next person to proceed. When Ma'rabif took to the mat, he attempted a different tactic by aiming at Thrawn's ankles in an attempt to trip him up. The other Chiss met the challenge by leaping off his feet whenever he caught Ma'rabif's staff coming towards him. Ma'rabif had to duck down several times to avoid Thrawn's staff swinging into the back of his skull. In a moment of extraordinary timing, their staffs locked against each other. Ezra knew one could use his momentum to push his opponent's weapon away. Instead, Thrawn broke off the hold and swiftly struck the end of his staff against Ma'rabif's right hand and then his left.
Ma'rabif let out a shout when the skin of his knuckles split open. Ezra knew he was done for now; the blood would make his grip slippery. Ma'rabif had held on long enough but he foolishly changed forward, lunging at Thrawn's face with his staff. The Chiss rapidly stepped aside and then brought his staff down into Ma'rabif's ankles, causing him to stagger over his own feet and go crashing to the floor.
One by one, each member of the junior fleet faced Thrawn. Some went down faster than others but no one brought him down. Ranu looked nearly gray with apprehension when it was her turn and even a reassuring smile from Ezra didn't help. He had good reason to be worried about her; Ranu's strength was in computers and analytics while she had barely passed in physical combat.
She had been paired up with a male Chiss who was of the same height and built and together they were instructed to face Thrawn. Ezra gave them credit for using their duality to the best of their abilities: Ranu made efforts to distract Thrawn while the other Chiss went on the offense. He darted back between both of them, blocking one with his staff and wounding another in the shoulder within the blink of an eye.
The technique eerily reminded Ezra of Maul and his red dual-bladed lightsaber. Had Thrawn encountered the one-and-former Sith before?
He had little time to ponder on this when Ranu's staff locked with Thrawn's own. She was attempting to hold her ground but his greater weight was boring down upon her relentlessly until her knees buckled. Thrawn sensed her comrade over his shoulder and with a final shove, he used his full strength to shove Ranu to the ground before turning on the other Chiss. He was fortunate to last another five blows before he too was flat on the floor.
All this time the Ascendency members watched their junior officers fall without betraying their emotions Even Admiral Ar'alani was a statue of azure marble, her arms bound tightly across her uniform and her lips compressed together. Ezra was perplexed by their lack of response. Did they want everyone to fail? What did they expect to accomplish by setting the officers up against an impossible adversary?
As fate, or the Force would have it, Ezra was the last person to stand against Thrawn. As he walked across the room and picked up a fresh staff, Ezra could sense everyone's' eyes upon him. He let a deep breath into his chest, filling his lungs with as much as air as possible before releasing it out in one long exhale through his mouth.
He turned around until he and Thrawn faced each other on the mat. The Chiss' eyes glinted keenly as Thrawn rotated his staff leisurely around his body. The battleground was his domain and he claimed every inch of it for himself. There was no need to hold back for a human being.
Ezra unlocked his jaw, bowed to his opponent, and then used his foot to kick the staff upwards into his hands. In the few moments when they took positions, he urged himself to repeat the mantra he had been instructed to follow for years.
"I am one with the Force and the Force is-"
"Chah!"
Thrawn let out a battle cry as his rod rammed into Ezra's own. Ranu watched with alarm and Kyler cringed inwardly to see Thrawn rain constant blows upon the young Jedi. Ezra was frantically trying to block the staff that kept jabbing for his head, shoulders, chest, and ankles and every time his own staff barely slipped away to avoid getting his bones cracked.
Ar'alani remained silent.
Ezra made sure to keep his feet constantly moving, using agility to prevent his enemy from using his body against himself. He couldn't permit Thrawn to trip him up. He nimbly averted to the right when the bo staff came slicing towards and attempted to move back into position. Thrawn swung his staff horizontally through the air, driving it into Ezra's stomach. The Jedi coughed in pain as the air was knocked out of him. Another swipe banged into his jaw, causing Ezra to nearly bite his tongue in two.
Now that his feet were off-balance, Thrawn took the opportunity to entangle Ezra's feet in the staff. He flipped upward and the young Jedi went crashing to the ground. Ezra's chin banged against the floor and send shockwaves through his skull. Instantly he felt a heavy knee pressing into his spine, pinning him into place. Panic seized Ezra and he flayed his arms and legs madly in a futile effort to break free. But Thrawn continued to drive his full weight down upon him.
He couldn't bear to look at them. He was only relieved Eli and Ashray weren't there to witness Ezra's humiliation. Ezra's face burned with shame as he felt icy breath sweep over his right ear. Thrawn bent over and whispered something so low that only Ezra could hear the taunt in his voice.
"Whelp."
His staff came down and cracked against Ezra's backside. The physical pain was nothing compared to the surge of rage that tore out of Ezra's throat. "No! Not like this!" his mind screamed.
He was not going to be beaten and disgraced like this! No Jedi would stand for it!
Ezra rammed his elbow backwards, driving it as hard as he could up into Thrawn's face. He had hoped to hit the Chiss squarely in the nose but his elbow collided with a harder surface and Ezra had the fortune to hear Thrawn let out a sound of frustration. It was just enough of a distraction for him to loosen his weight on Ezra, giving the young Jedi a split second to break out of harm's way and another moment to flip himself back on his feet.
In a heartbeat the tables had turned. Ezra's face was still burning from Thrawn's last blow but getting up again had rejuvenated his spirit. He watched the other Chiss also rising to his feet, rubbing his forehead where Ezra had jabbed him.
Ezra saw his staff at his feet and used the toe of his boot to flip it back into his outstretched palm. "Next time I'll aim between your legs," he warned Thrawn.
The Chiss lowered his hands and gave Ezra a quick taunting smirk. Then he beckoned with an open palm for the Jed to attack first.
But instead of advancing towards Thrawn, Ezra turned on heel and began running in the opposite direction. Everyone watched Thrawn relentlessly chase his prey across the room.
"Why is he fleeing like a coward?" Ma'rabif demanded.
Nobody could understand the logic behind Ezra's move. He was advancing towards one of the walls and if he did not turn away, would be trapped between an unyielding barrier and an unforgiving opponent.
But instead of moving to the side, Ezra continued to race forward. Just before his face was about to collide with the wall, he pressed his foot against it and used the momentum to propel himself upwards. His spine arched as his body whipped backwards, sailing over Thrawn's head and landing on both feet behind him.
The opening was clear and Ezra took it, swinging his staff around so quickly that Thrawn didn't have time to turn until he felt the Jedi's staff strike against his ribcage.
A hit!
Several of the junior officers murmured among themselves. Even Admiral Ar'alani looked intrigued. But Thrawn was clearly not amused and he drove his staff down towards the center of Ezra's forehead. Ezra stretched out his staff to meet Thrawn's but the Chiss' surprise stuck him in the face when their staffs collided, blocking the blow.
Then came the sound of wood breaking.
Ezra's staff had snapped clean in two, one piece already rolling too far away for him to reach. He found himself standing alone and holding only half a weapon in his hand.
But that was all he needed.
Thrawn observed him wrap both hands around the end of his remaining staff and draw it up towards his right ear. Ezra crouched in place, steeling himself for the next blow.
The Chiss lashed out at him with the speed of lightning. Ezra quickly jabbed forward to protect his exposed stomach, then blocked a high lunge.
This was Makashi, the contention form. "Effective against a single opponent", Kanan had told him. Ezra centered his attention on his feet, keeping them in constant circular motions as he lunged and struck out against Thrawn's staff. Everyone observed the peculiar yet effective momentum.
"Is this a fight or a dance competition?" Ma'rabif muttered under his breath.
Ranu clasped her hands together to contain her excitement. "I don't know. But it's working for Ezra," she whispered.
Kyler shook his head gravely. "Don't let those elaborate moves distract you from the fact that Mith'raw'nuruodo still has the upper hand."
Indeed, Thrawn could see Ezra's fighting stance had shifted and had altered his tactics. He ceased striking head-on and began maneuvering around Ezra in an attempt to confuse him, sending blows from every angle possible.
The young Jedi momentarily panicked until he sensed the oncoming attack was no different from dodging stormtrooper blaster fire. He smiled briefly. Soresu, form three. Kanan's favorite form to the point of obsession.
It required patience and endurance, constantly look-look-look to see where the attackers were coming from. No sooner did Ezra fend off one blow then he turned his head to protect his shoulders against another, even dropping to the floor with his palm pressed to the ground.
He couldn't anticipate Thrawn's attacks but he could control his own movements. Control his breath. Control himself. Feel the vibrations of the staffs when they struck against each other. Feel the foundation of the ground supporting his feet.
He was not just on Csilla, dueling with his enemy. He recalling the instances on his beloved home planet with his master who was telling him, "Keep your blade up!" as Ezra, an excited fifteen-year-old, eagerly listened to the instructions.
"I'm mediating with Kanan, he thought. "I'm stealing a TIE fighter with Zeb. I'm going through lightsaber forms with Sabine. I'm learning to fly a Y-wing from Hera."
"They're here in my mind and I am with them even now, every lesson I've learned and shared coming together."
The Chiss didn't slow down. For every step Ezra took forward, Thrawn caused him to stagger back two. And yet he had not been beaten. Ezra continued to keep himself him on the move, using his agility to dodge and block Thrawn's attacks. Sweat was pouring down the Jedi's face and stinging his eyes. He was hit once on the collarbone and another on the hand, causing the skin of his wrist to redden and swell.
But he was still fighting. Still moving. Still in focus with this moment and every other experience in his life.
I'm in the Jedi temple with Kanan. I'm on Malachor with Maul. I'm in a World between Worlds with Ahsoka.
I'm in the eye of a storm, in a blizzard of snow. I'm within ocean of sands and a sea of starlight. I am in the corners of the galaxy and the center of the universe.
I am one with the Force and the Force is with me.
Thrawn's hands slid from the center of his staff down one end and he stabbed forward in a pike-like motion. The staff's end collided into Ezra's forehead, raining stars upon his brain. He staggered back dizzily just before Thrawn swung his staff in a half-circle and hit Ezra with a final blow that sent him sprawling across the training room. His body rolled several times before it came to a complete stop.
Ezra lay flat on his back. His lungs burned as sweet fresh air crawled into them. His muscles twitched from the burst of exertion. He was fatigued beyond explanation yet relieved to be still at last.
"I lost," he thought. "But I fought, Kanan. I fought as hard as I could."
The young Jedi closed his eyes and let out a sigh of reluctance.
"Commander Bridger!"
His name came out in several different Chiss voices and he saw people hovering over him.
"Stay back," Mikh'al voice snapped. "Give him enough air. Commander Bridger, can you hear me?"
"Yes," Ezra heard himself say. After confirming that he could also see Mikh'al, Ezra was pulled to his feet and led to a nearby bench. Someone swiped a cloth over his brow to clean away the sweat while a cool drink was pressed into his hands. Despite Mikh'al's constant demands that Ezra re-hydrate himself, he couldn't bring himself to take a sip.
"I lost," he said at last. His shoulders sagged with the realization that he had failed to impress Admiral Ar'alani and her colleagues.
"No, Ezra. We were tested for stamina, remember?" Kyler said.
Still reeling from Thrawn's blow, Ezra blinked at him in confusion.
"You lasted longer than every other person in the fleet," Ranu explained.
Relief flickered within Ezra. "I did?"
She nodded eagerly. "No one else held their ground against Mith'raw'nuruodo half as long as you did."
Her words should have absorbed into Ezra, stirring up hope and inspiration within him. But as she was speaking further, a new image was rapidly forming in his mind. Ezra blinked and squinted to clear his sight but the person in his vision was becoming more focused. He could hear black boots thumping against the ground in perfect formation and the hissing sound of doors opening and closing. He could almost taste the cool dry air of another space.
A swirl of white fabric brushed against Ezra's thoughts…
She follows along meekly and feels the binders pinching the skin of her slim wrists. She is young, barely nineteen years old, with her hair pinned up into two professional buns and a simple white dress bearing the style of her noble ranking. Her skin contracts and she shivers from more than the frigid air around her.
"L-leia?" he stammered. Why was Ezra imagining her right now? And where were her bodyguards and the rest of her fleet? From all he could detect, she was alone. Leia's façade to her captors was that of a calm princess but Ezra knew she was terrified inside.
"I insist that you return to my laboratory so that I can be sure you didn't suffer a concussion," Mikh'al was saying. But his voice was fading in the background while Leia's own voice was growing stronger.
"Governor Tarkin," she snapped, doing her best to suppress her terror. Ezra recognized the tall thin gaunt man who had just slid into focus. Tarkin looked down at Leia and gave her an icy smile. He reached out and pinched her face between his fingers.
"Charming to the last," he was saying in a silky voice. "You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life."
Termination! Ezra's head was growing feverish from the sound of the word while his mouth had become dry. He had to save Leia from danger!
Ezra planted his feet on the ground and tried to stand. But he instantly reeled backwards as the images whirled within his mind. And Mikh'al was still nearby, arguing with Kyler about how to best treat their human ally.
"I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station…" Tarkin was saying.
"What battle station?" Ezra thought. No sooner had he posed the question when a third figure slid into formation. The powerful build of a being incased in black, the flowing cape of midnight, and the rasping wheeze of a respirator pumping air into the monstrous creature….
Darth Vader. He and Tarkin were holding Leia captive. But could the Sith sense Ezra's presence gazing into their conversation? Would he kill Leia at once to punish the Jedi? The wretched chilling shudder that came with the Dark Side slithered into Ezra's bones and he shivered.
"I don't feel good," he mumbled thickly. A surge of nausea encompassed Ezra and his head wobbled heavily. He tried to suppress the feelings but they were rapidly overtaking him until he could hear Tarkin's voice loud and clear saying, "….test on your home planet."
Leia spluttered, beginning him for mercy. "No! Alderaan is peaceful, we have no weapons—"
"Would you prefer another target? A military target?" he snarled at her.
"Ezra, here's the stretcher. We're going to help you get onto it." Ezra felt Kyler's hands come under his arms as the Chiss tried to lift him up.
"N-no," he groaned. Ezra's head crashed forward between his knees as he struggled helplessly against the horrible scenario unfolding before him. Tarkin continued to press orders upon Leia, who was trapped between the Grand Moff and the ruthless Sith lord. She managed to mutter something in a feeble voice before Tarkin gave an order and she cried out in protest.
"Have to help…Leia," he whispered. "Must save…princess.."
The universe shifted around Ezra and he saw in his mind's eye a beautiful planet floating serenely in space. Then in a flash, he saw a monstrous beam of energy burst out of space and strike into the heart of the planet. All at once, the world shattered before him in an inferno of flaming sparks and storms of ash. His ears filled with the blood-drenched cries as millions of souls all cried out in terror at once.
The unbearable sound flooded Ezra's body and all but shattered his eardrums. He screamed aloud, clutching his forehead. The young Jedi collapsed at Mikh'al's feet and writhed in pain as he howled out a single name.
"Leia!"
A-A-A
Later:
"This is medical audio log three two seven of Doctor Mikh'al of the Chiss Junior Medical Department."
"It has been four days since Commander Ezra Bridger has been brought to our senior healing facility and he has remained in a coma-like status ever since. At first I presumed he was experiencing a seizure and made sure to give him adequate space so that he could not hurt himself or anyone else. But after several moments his body went slack and he was rendered unconscious.
"Other physicians have examined him but since I have had the benefit of treating him before, Bridger was placed fully under my supervision."
"I was able to inject fluids into his body to keep his temperate down but he has shown no signs of improvement. Vitals are stable but the cause of his outbreak is uncertain. His fingertips did move at some point and the movement was recorded to see if he is communicating in code. From this I can concur that Bridger is indeed aware of his surroundings even if he is unable to reach further conscience. But that has become irregular and there has been no reaction in the last 24 hours."
"This concludes audio log three two seven."
*Click click*
Excerpt from Mikh'als private transcriptions:
I confess that I am at a loss. This incompetence on my behalf should not eclipse the greater concern that our guest is in physical and likely emotional pain. Nevertheless, I find myself growing frustrated that I cannot do more to restore him to proper health. Ezra Bridger is in my care and I am responsible for his well-being.
For now, monitoring his vital signs and making certain Bridger's fever does not spike back up are the only practical actions I can do.
His illness has had an empathetic effect on others. Officers Kyler and Ranu have visited him as well as Syndic Ashray and Commander Eli Vanto. For their sakes, I have made myself as professional as possible whenever they inquire about his progress. But one alone, I am disturbed and perplexed. I am tempted to agree with Commander Vanto that the cause of Ezra's inflictions are based in his supernatural abilities. But to do that would mean venturing into topics that I know nothing about.
And I do not wish to do harm to one who has done nothing to threaten the Fleet or the Ascendency. Despite, or perhaps because of his eccentricities, I have come to enjoy Bridger's insightfulness. I believe he could become a positive boon to our causes and perhaps even a great ally to the Chiss…if he ever recovers.
A-A-A
"Hey, Ezra. It's me, Eli. I know you probably can't hear me but if you do, just wiggle your fingers or your toes. Yeah, I didn't think so."
"Well, a lot's happened over the last few days. As soon as Admiral Ar'alani saw you convulsing on the floor she had Thrawn put under arrest. A lot of the Chiss think his last blow must've done a hard number to your head and he's considered guilty for causing your condition."
"I have to admit, he is responsible for your fate here. I guess your destinies were meant to collide just as Thrawn's did with mine. But while you knew him at his worst, I knew him at his best."
"I spoke to Admiral Ar'alani and she said it wasn't just Thrawn's attack on you. The rest of the Ascendency have agreed to hold him in prison because…because he's going to face court martial at last. I guess they've decided whatever he did in the Empire is finally going to have to be paid up."
"Here's the worst part of it: they won't put him on trial until you wake up. Your attendance is expected to be a big part of his judgement. You can see why I'm conflicted now and-damnit! Karabast, why'd everything come this?!"
"Don't you see, Ezra? One of my friends is going to be pitted against the other and I'm not allowed to get stuck in the crossfire. I'm also scared; if I open my mouth and say something stupid, either you or Thrawn could pay the price. Or even worse, the Ascendency could turn on each other and they'd have a civil war on their hands. You think Mandalorians are violent among themselves; the Chiss would create their own bloodbath!"
"I've commanded ships and instructed officers in my lifetime but now I just feel so messed up right now…."
"Sorry about that, Ezra. I don't know much about Jedi but I do know you've got a huge duty ahead of you. I wish you didn't have to handle it."
"But please, damnit, please come out of it. I can't take any direction without you. Whatever is holding you down, fight it. Come back to us. Give us some hope for the future."
A-A-A
Where is Master? That question has been tormenting Genet.
He has been locked up in Master's room for days until Ash finally opened it and let Genet out. He was worried she wouldn't understand how hungry and thirsty he was. But Ash refilled his water dish and then brought him a bowl of chopped fish with spicy grains. Genet scarfed everything down and when his thirst was slacked, he darted out of the room and went sniffing around for Master. Ash followed him.
Now he finds Master in a strange cold room with sterile smells. Master is lying down in a bed with white sheets. But his face is somber and his body is stiff. Is he dead? Genet rushes forward and hops onto the bed, then pokes his nose against Maser's hand. The palm is cool to the touch. Not cold. Genet sniffs further along Master's face and notices air coming out of Master's nose. Master is indeed alive; that is very good.
But what is not so good is that Master's skin should be warmer. He should be sitting up in bed and smiling, his blue eyes full of life. It is not right for him to be sleeping this long.
One of the blue-skinned ones is shouting and Genet can tell he does not like the tooka. He tries to pull Genet off the bed but Genet hooks his claws into the sheets. He must stay with Master! Maser needs him! The blue-skinned one snarls at Genet, who snarls back. But Ash arrives and says some things to calm the other one down. Dohk-tor, she calls him. Dohk-tor is still mad at Genet but he does not put Genet away. He lets Genet stay with Master even if Dohk-tor does not like Genet.
Genet places his paws upon the pillow and licks Master's face. Maser does not wake up. Genet nips at Master's ear. Master will be mad and shout "no!" but at least he will open his eyes.
But they do not open! Genet whimpers unhappily. What is wrong with Master?
Ash sets Genet into her lap and stroked the fur along his spine. She speaks soothingly to Genet but her tone is sad. She also wants Master to wake up. She lifts Genet up to her face as she hugs him. Genet licks some of the dampness off her cheek and it tastes salty.
They wait. And wait. Master is still too quiet. The silence is far too long. But there is nothing Ash and Genet can do and so they wait some more.
A-A-A
The humming sound of a machine stirring in Ezra's ears. He opened his eyes halfway, groaning when a harsh white light nearly seared into his head. A hand lifted into the air and hovered above his brow but he had to let it fall back down because it was like a brick on the end of his arm.
His entire body felt heavy as stone. Even his eyelids. Ezra closed them back again and floated in a half-daze until the white lights dimmed slightly. Then he dared to look up again to see Ashray and Mikh'al standing over his bed.
"Commander Bridger!" the doctor exclaimed.
"Ezra!" Ashray gasped. She rested her hands upon the railing of his bed. "Are you all right?"
His throat instantly contracted as he tried to swallow. Mikh'al immediately said, "Don't push yourself. You haven't used your vocal chords in a week. Can I fetch you something to drink?"
Ezra gave a weak nod. Mikh'al ordered Ashray to adjust Ezra's bed to an upright position and then brought him a cup of purple liquid. The doctor helped Ezra prop the cup to his lips so he could take tiny sips of the sweet icy drink.
He swallowed again and heard a strange crackling sensation in his ears. "Hi," he whispered hoarsely.
Mikh'al wouldn't let him do anything else except finish the rest of the medicine, even though it took him quite some time to drink it all down. But already Mikh'al's remedy was sending strength flowing back into Ezra's limbs and clearing his mind.
"A week?" he repeated aloud.
Ashray nodded. "Everyone said you've been in a coma since the match against Mith'raw'nuruodo. Does your head hurt?"
Ezra's hand came to his head. He still felt groggy from waking up but no other sign of pain there. But then he recalled the Force vision and felt the black void form within his chest. Whatever he had seen, the people who had cried out, was real. Something terrible had occurred and someone—or something-was gone.
He tried to get out of bed but Mikh'al prevented him from standing up. "You're still my patient," he announced. "I insist that you wait at least 24 hours until I can confirm that you're back to sufficient health."
"Ezra, what is wrong? You look pained," said Ashray.
"Is there anything we can do to assist you?" Mikh'al added.
"Yes, Doctor Mikh'al. There is something you can do," said Ezra.
"I need to speak to Mith'raw'nuruodo."
A-A-A
Two days later:
It took longer for Ezra to get where he needed to be. Mikh'al demanded that he take in some proper nourishment and remain where he was until the young Chiss physician could conduct several tests and confirm that Ezra was no longer in any danger.
Once released from the medical bay, Ezra contacted Admiral Ar'alani and submitted his request to talk privately with Thrawn. Now half a dozen Chiss guards were leading Ezra to a compound that was brightly-lit compared to the dim atmosphere of Imperial prisons. One of them keyed in codes while two others kept their hands on their blasters.
"Are you expecting him to escape?" Ezra asked one of them.
"We cannot take any chances with Mith'raw'nuruodo," she told him. The doors swished open and Ezra was offered to step inside.
"You have fifteen minutes," she told him. The guard handed him a small rectangular transmitter with a flashing green button on the surface. "Should he attempt to attack you or escape, press that button and it will summon us to his cell."
Ezra slipped the transmitter into his pocket. He stepped into the prison room and the doors closed behind him.
Thrawn sat upon a simple cot. Binders shackled his hands and feet together. Though he was weaponless and wore the plain gray tunic of a prisoner, there was still an air of regal confidence around him. And his red eyes continued to glow with keen interest towards Ezra.
"Commander Bridger," he stated at last. "What brings you here?"
Ezra sat down on the bench opposite Thrawn. "We need to talk," he said.
Thrawn shrugged his shoulders. "Of course. How can I assist you?"
"I had an image through the Force," Ezra said. "I saw Princess Leia being held captive by Grand Moff Tarkin and Darth Vader. They were trying to get her to confess something. And then there was this machine, this giant Imperial device. I heard an explosion…"
Thrawn's eyes were flashing attentively now.
Ezra pressed a hand to his right temple. "I heard a terrible sound, like a scream magnified a thousand times. And then it was gone. But the effect is still here." He gestured to his chest. "Something isn't right. The Empire did something horrible."
He starred at Thrawn. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you? Saw Gerrera told us that the Empire was preparing some kind of 'super-weapon'."
"What else do you know about this 'super-weapon'?" Thrawn asked carefully.
"My friends and I learned that the Geonosians were involved in some big project but the Empire wiped them out with poisonous gas. They've been mining kyber crystals too. Lots of them."
Thrawn leaned back against the wall of his prison cell. "So," he said softly. "Director Krennic has finished his task and it is complete."
"It?" Ezra demanded. "What are you talking about?"
Thrawn said nothing.
Ezra had lost his patience. "Tell me!" he shouted.
The Chiss closed his eyes for a moment. "I see there is no point in guarding it any longer," he said at last.
The terrible eyes opened again and fixed themselves upon Ezra's blue stare.
Then Thrawn uttered a few words that brought Ezra's world crashing down again.
A-A-A
"Death Star," Ezra repeated. The words dropped into the bottom of his stomach.
He had to rest his head between his knees to prevent passing out again. Everything was falling into place now: the sudden disappearance of the Geonosians, the enormous kyber crystal he had heard singing to him, Saw Gerrera's intel that came close but never fully materialized, and the importance of Protocol Thirteen.
"It is a mobile battle station that can travel through hyperspace. Kyber crystals power the Death Star's central laser beams," Thrawn explained quietly.
Ezra was trembling all over with horror. To think that the very same gemstone that empowered a Jedi's sacred weapon had been magnified and twisted into a weapon by the organization that had sought to obliterate them all.
"W-what can the Death Star do?" he heard himself say in a shaky voice.
"It has the capability to obliterate an entire planet…effectively."
The Jedi gaped at his enemy who had just uttered the comment as civilly as providing a math equation. The numbing effect of shock was wearing off, rapidly replaced by the swell of anger rising up within Ezra. The Empire had been creating, and now held, a weapon that could slaughter millions of people at once? And Thrawn had not only known but allowed such a terrible project to exist?!
He let out a roar and lunged at Thrawn. He seized the Chiss by his shirt and drove him up against the wall. The Chiss made no effort to resist.
"You monster!" he yelled, shaking Thrawn's tunic. "You murderer! How could you let something so horrible happen?"
"I did not approve of the Death Star since—"
Crack!
Ezra's hand snapped forward, breaking the Chiss's nose. Blood spurted down Thrawn's face like a writhing crimson animal. "Murderer!" Ezra screamed again, curling up his fingers for the next blow.
Thrawn swiftly balled his own fists together and cuffed Ezra hard across his brow. The Jedi went staggering back against his bench.
Thrawn took his place again and proceeded to wipe the blood off his face. Ezra was rubbing his sore head as hot thick tears swelled up in his eyes and streamed down his cheeks. "How could you?" he repeated. "How could you?"
"I'll give you a scenario: you and I face a dangerous predator that will devour anything in its path. We cannot outrun it and have limited weapons. What are our options?"
"I'm not answering any of your insane riddles now!" snapped Ezra.
"Then you will never understand my motives," Thrawn commented.
Ezra pushed a palm upwards and across his damp face. He couldn't think clearly now, let alone play along with Thrawn's strategy games. "I don't know and I don't care. This has nothing to do with the Death Star."
"But it does, Ezra Bridger. It has everything to do with the Empire's greatest feat."
Thrawn continued. "The most common option in facing the predator is for us to work together to defeat it. We band together to fight it or one distracts it while another finds a weakness. But what if the predator is too strong for the both of us?"
The young Jedi said nothing. Thrawn went on.
"The third option is that you strike me down to make me the easier prey. The predator will consume me while you escape to find a weapon to defend yourself."
Ezra grimaced in disgust. "That's immoral."
"It is practical. If you do not use the third option then we both perish. That is the Jedi way, is it not?"
"No! No Jedi would ever let himself or anyone else go blindly into death!" Ezra cried out, leaping to his feet. "What makes you think your own life is more valuable than another person's? Does being a grand admiral or a military genius give you the right to decide who lives and who dies?!"
"You still do not understand. In spite of all that you have learned here, you remain woefully naïve," Thrawn murmured. "When I was brought before the Emperor for the first time, I had a swift decision to make: consider the Empire an effective ally against the enemies of the Chiss or a useful distraction to fend off those enemies."
"When I learned about the Death Star, I advised the Emperor against pursuing such enormous and expensive projects. Nevertheless, he was confident that the Death Star's capability would be far more effective than a fleet of Star Destroyers. I knew defying his plans would be unwise but was able to redirect some of the Death Star's funding and attention towards Lothal's TIE defender factory."
Ezra was repulsed. The Chiss remained cold-blooded as ever.
"You've played all of us," Ezra accused him. "The Empire, the Rebellion, me, even Eli…all of this for what? To protect your people?"
Thrawn starred coolly at him.
"Isn't there ever anything your life you've regretted?" Ezra nearly begged. "A chance when you wondered if you made the right decision, knowing how many people you've endangered from your actions?"
"I do not permit myself the luxury of regret," Thrawn stated evenly. "Hope is an ineffective strategy. It does not arm your troops or fill their stomachs. Only efficiency and authority can fight off encompassing evils in the universe. For all of his errors, that is something the Emperor understood. But you continue to fail to comprehend the end game."
Ezra buried his face in his hands, feeling himself drowning in grief and shame. To think that all this time he had been focusing on freeing Lothal, on helping his own people, when Thrawn had quietly been watching the Death Star form in the depths of the Empire's mighty grip. If only the Force had told him sooner! If only he and the Ghost crew had learned before it was too late. Then Leia's beautiful world could be saved and all of her people remain alive.
"There is something else you must know," Thrawn went on.
"I don't want to hear it," Ezra groaned.
The Chiss was relentless. "What you want is irrelevant. The Sith lord that you know as Darth Vader was once the Jedi general Anakin Skywalker."
The knife Thrawn had plunged into Ezra's chest was being twisted further.
The young Jedi's head jerked up with shock. "No." The word died upon his lips. "No….that can't be! You're just messing with my head again!"
"I am not."
Ezra closed his wet eyes and delved into the Force, searching for the truth. Yes, the Chiss' wretched words were not deceptions. In his mind's eye Ezra saw the hologram of young General Skywalker, ambitious and smiling confidently as he demonstrated lightsaber forms.
It melted away and was replaced by the barbarous mask of Darth Vader.
"Ashoka," Ezra thought sadly. "Poor Ashoka." Two more tears chased down his face: one for her, one for her master.
No wonder she had told him that she couldn't save her master. She knew what he had become and could not reveal this secret to anyone else, no matter how much she trusted them. How could she bear knowing that the man who had treated her with kindness had become her sworn enemy?
"How did you know?" Ezra heard himself ask.
"General Skywalker and I met briefly during the Clone Wars before parting ways. The Emperor told me that his 'servant' had suffered a fatal wound on Mustafar. I discovered that Darth Vader's permanent stronghold was the same place of Skywalker's demise and knew it was no coincidence. Nor was it by chance that all public knowledge of Vader only surfaced after the Clone Wars had ended. Recognition was unavoidable when I finally faced Vader in person."
When Ezra found his voice again it was in a low heavy groan. "Why are you telling me these horrible things?"
"I am telling you this because we have little time left. Now that you have all of the facts before you, you may act without bias or confusion at my trial."
"I don't understand. Do you want me to condemn your life?"
Thrawn's binders clinked softly. "I want you to exact full judgement upon me without Jedi compassion or morals clouding your perception of me. There must be no mercy or half-formed decisions. I will accept all consequences as befits a warrior of my caliber."
"Then we'll both have blood on our hands," said Ezra bitterly.
Thrawn stood up from his cot, his great height towering over the crumpled form of Ezra Bridger. The doors behind them parted open and the guards swiftly descended down the staircase to take Ezra away. Thrawn's final words haunted the Jedi as he left the room.
"We already have, Ezra. We already have."
A-A-A
Later:
He slumped over in a corner of his room. His mind was reeling from all of the facts that Thrawn had presented to him.
The Death Star. Alderaan. Ahsoka.
Vader. No. Skywalker.
Each one was a weapon in Thrawn's arson, an effective campaign that he had launched to subdue Ezra. Each was a device of torture that had cut into Ezra's soul, bleeding out whatever small storage of courage he had mustered together since coming to Csilla.
Now Ezra had been commanded to take the life of his enemy into his own hands and deal with the outcome. He felt the burden of worlds weighing down upon his chest until Ezra was sure his heart would burst into two or crush into tiny splinters of glass.
"I have no idea what's right anymore, Kanan," he said aloud.
The mute resolution of the Force confirmed his fears. He had been sealed off from its ethereal greatness. Perhaps he was no longer worthy of it.
Ezra closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall, speaking whatever came to his mind. "I can't fight this battle anymore," he said aloud. "I wish I was never a Jedi. I wish I had never been born."
Weighed down with melancholy and the grief of a lost world, Ezra drew his knees into his stomach and rested his head upon them. He did not weep or speak. He remained in place for hours, never moving a single muscle, as the amber twilight faded into darkness.
Sometime long into the night, Ezra was rustled from his daze when he sensed the air around him had shifted.
He slowly lifted his head up. He had not heard the sound of his door opening or footsteps upon the ground. And yet here the newcomer was, standing straight and noble as she gazed down upon him. Her presence had come as softly as a gentle breath of air yet was so overwhelming that he gasped aloud.
She was so tall as to tower above him. There was no wind and yet her hair and garments swayed slightly against her luminous pale skin. Her hair was green as spring grass and it flowed and rippled around her shoulders, cascading down her back like a river. Golden robes encompassed her slender body and a jeweled headpiece rested above her brow. Her lips were red as coral but set into a firmness that spoke of solemnness, not smiles.
Her eyes were green as emeralds and glowed with ancient wisdom. She was a being that spoke of a loveliness that was timeless, infinite in grace and eternal in dreams as in waking.
She was beautiful, achingly so, and Ezra knew he could have stared at her for a thousand years and never tire of looking at her.
The question of who she was rested upon his tongue but he dared not ask. Somehow, it dawned upon Ezra that he had indeed encountered her before in his life and he must not trifle her with useless words. She continued to stare at him as he gazed back in awe, waiting to see who would respond first. It could have been a moment or an hour later when Ezra finally had the courage to ask in a trembling voice:
"Are you Morai?"
Her chin tilted slightly up. When she spoke her voice was clear as glass and deep as an ocean. It was a proud voice, grave and firm, and it sent a tremble through Ezra.
"It is one of my names. But you know me as the Daughter."
He nodded weakly. "I've seen you before, haven't I? From the painting Jedi temple at Lothal."
She inclined her head towards him.
He struggled to swallow the tight lump in his throat. "Why are you here?"
The ancient eyes glistened at him. "Because you are here, Bridge-Maker."
The name she used for Ezra was peculiar on his ears, as though the Daughter spoke of someone else other than him.
"You are in great pain, Bridge-Maker. What troubles you?"
"Everything." Now that their silence was broken, the words streamed out of Ezra's mouth. "Everything is wrong. I should never have come to Csilla. I should have stayed in my part of the galaxy. Now my friends are in danger because of the Death Star and I'm trapped here with my enemy. And I can't use the Force like I used to before. I can barely move anything."
"You are mistaken. You have moved far more than you know."
"How?" Ezra burst out at her. Fresh energy finally brought him to his feet and strengthened his voice. "How can I help protect anyone when I can barely take care of myself? I know it's not what a Jedi should think but all I can think of doing is getting strong again to punish the Empire."
"I want Thrawn to die, I want to destroy the Death Star myself, I want….I want to drive a lightsaber through Darth Vader's heart!" he ended on a frantic shout.
The Daughter's lips pinched together and Ezra sensed from the narrowing of her eyes that he had spoken words that displeased her. But then her expression softened into something that resembled sadness.
"Then you will perish," she said softly. "You were fortunate to resist the Dark Side before. But should you face the Sith ever again, you will surely turn or you will die. The ones you care for will suffer for your loss."
He sank back to his knees and bowed his head, humbled by her words. "I know. I'm, I'm sorry. I should have known I couldn't face another trial like I did on Lothal."
"Do not berate yourself," she told him. "You are a Force-wielder, a bearer of the Light Side. It is a gift to embrace and a burden to carry."
"But why is it so hard for me here on Csilla? Why did the Force leave me when I needed it the most?" Ezra begged her.
The Daughter's cool green eyes shimmered. "Why do you think it has forsaken you?"
"Because if I had all of my powers I could have shown the Chiss was I was really capable of," insisted Ezra.
This time she frowned at him and her beautiful features hardened. She was almost terrifying as she demanded, "And then would the sons and daughters of Csilla feel?"
The harshness of her words caused him to shrink within himself. The question reshaped itself into new scenarios and feelings. He could imagine what would have happened if he had marched up to the Ascendancy with all the scope of his abilities. Ezra closed his eyes and inclined himself towards Daughter.
"Fear," he said at last. "Jealousy. Resentment. Suspicion. Anger." He opened his eyes again, now understanding her words. "They would have seen me as a threat. They would have hated the Force and myself."
The harshness he had sensed radiating off the Daughter had passed and now her essence was serene again. She nodded in confirmation. "It was not great powers or feats that made you worthy to them. You have found favor in their eyes with your merits, courage, and integrity. In doing so you have been fulfilling your destiny."
Ezra let out a small sigh. "I think I understand now. But what about the Death Star? I can't stand by knowing it's still out there hurting people."
The Daughter turned her head aside as though observing something Ezra could not see. "The weapon you speak of is no more."
"What do you mean?"
"There has been much conflict in the galaxy recently. The ones who have fought by your side have destroyed it." She faced Ezra again. "They still have much to endure. But for now, no planet will share Alderaan's fate."
For the first time in many days, joy filled Ezra's heart. "But who did it? And how?" he begged. "Please, tell me."
She shook her head at him. "I have already revealed enough. I can tell you no more lest it do harm."
"Once a secret is known," the Bendu had warned him. "It cannot be unknown."
Sensing Ezra's inner conflict, the Daughter continued speaking.
"You have forged a noble spark of a rebellion and it has ignited across worlds, Bridge-Maker. You have brought hope to many lives. Now another must bear that torch if the Force is ever to regain balance again. Are you willing to let go of that responsibility and trust your friends to carry on the fight?"
"I, I suppose so," he yielded at last. "If it will bring peace to the galaxy. But what about Darth Vader and the Emperor? If I can't face them again, is there someone who can?"
The Daughter said nothing. Yet in her silence, Ezra understood the answer she gave him.
"And what about Thrawn?" he went on. "Is it my destiny to decide upon his fate?"
"The son of Csilla chose to spare your life. Now you must choose what to do with his."
He sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair. Ezra pondered to himself as he remembered Eli's fable.
"If this is where I'm supposed to be and this is my new responsibility, I must ask the Force to help me decide the right thing to do with him," he said at last.
This time the Daughter gave him a smile that warmed Ezra all over. "Your request is just and honorable, Bridge-Maker. I will help you to obtain it."
She lowered herself until the Daughter could meet Ezra's gaze. A hand came under his chin and lifted his face up so that he could now gaze into her endless eyes. In them he saw endless stars, whispers of mysteries as he thought of when he had once walked World Between Worlds. But her radiating beauty overwhelmed Ezra and he had to shift his gaze from falling and losing himself in that great and mighty secret.
"I cannot remove the burden that has been placed upon your shoulders. But I do know that if you carry on this path, and continue to trust in the Force, what was once a hardship shall become a blessing and boon to you," the Daughter promised him. "You will live, Bridge-Maker. And your life shall be blessed ever more for knowing the Force."
"T-thank you," he managed to stammer. The Daughter drew her hand away from him and he felt his heartbeat begin to steady again.
Ezra added, "Will you stay with me? Just a little while longer?"
The Daughter shook her head. "I have lingered here long enough and must return beyond the veil. But I will grant you a gift to ease your wounds."
She reached out to him and his eyes instantly closed again, humbled by her greatness. He anticipated feeling a hand upon his forehead but instead, Ezra was awash with the warmth of Lothal's spring sun that embraced him from the crown of his head down to his toes. It was an embrace of light and glory that flooded him with a cleansing energy until his spirit felt refreshed and calm.
"I bless you with the grace of the Force."
She drew back her hand. Instantly, Ezra felt his body growing relaxed. His eyelids were growing heavy and he felt himself falling into a soft safe place. This was not the Dark Side but something else, an essence of the Force that protect in the night as well as the day, and he let it wash over him like a hot bath. It was the guardian of dreams for mortals who slept to replenish their spirits. He welcomed it like an old friend as it led him into deeper conscience and into slumber.
Somewhere in his thoughts came the last words from the Daughter.
"There is another like you, Bridge-Maker. There is another hope."
A-A-A
Ezra didn't recall getting into bed or how he fell asleep. But the next thing he knew it he waking up in his dormitory room with the blankets tucked around him. Genet was curled up into the crook of his arm with his furry stomach rising up and down with every breath as he trilled in his sleep. Ezra propped up his head up with one hand and rubbed the tooka's back for a few minutes. Then he tentatively placed a palm to his chest.
The wound of Alderaan's loss remained. But the sensation no longer stunned Ezra and he knew he could carry it within him, aware it would heal in time. He could not undo what the Empire had done but he could do his part to remedy another error.
He got out of bed, bathed, and dressed with carefulness and precision. Ezra made sure to select his best-ironed uniform and slipped on a formal black jacket reserved for special occasions. He observed his face in the mirror while combing out his hair.
"Maybe it's time to cut it short again," he thought. Time to let go again. It would be no disrespect to his mentor. He would find other ways to show his gratitude for the wisdom of Kanan Jarrus.
He glanced down to see Genet sitting on the table with a leather cord in his mouth. Ezra gave the tooka an affectionate pat on the head and took the cord from him. When he was done binding his hair, he turned on his comm-link.
"Eli, how soon can the Ascendancy be assembled for the trial?"
"The trial?" he confirmed. "By this afternoon. Do you want me to contact Admiral Ar'alani right now?"
"Yes please."
"I'll get started at once."
"Thank you, Eli. I know this can't be easy for you. But whatever the outcome is, I know you're an honorable man."
"Don't know if I'll feel the same after the trial."
Silence. Then Eli's voice came again through the comm-link. "What about you, Ezra? Are you all right?"
There was a pause. "No, Eli. I'm not," the Jedi admitted. "But things will be."
A-A-A
Junior Officer Tentivra'aanu was annoyed that she wasn't allowed to attend the trial. She knew it was unnecessary to permit the junior members attend a matter of great importance such as the future of Mith'raw'nuruodo but who could ignore such a crucial event? Admiral Ar'alani finally consented by permitting a single person to represent the junior fleet at the trial, so long as that person not speak a single word or cause a distraction.
Kyler had been chosen for that great privilege and he promised to tell Ranu everything. He arrived early and took his place in the back of the small elegant room where he wouldn't be noticed at the top of the raised seats. Twenty representatives of the Ruling Families entered afterwards and he bowed respectfully to them. They nodded politely and took their places in their green velvet chairs. The Chiss senators and judges who served the Ascendency followed next, all taking their seats behind the large silver dais at the other end of the room.
Commanders Eli Vanto and Ezra Bridger followed the Ascendancy and took their seats nearby. Vanto had dark circles under his eyes and his facial muscles were strained. He must have endured a restless night.
Bridger, on the other hand, looked composed but remarkably pale. His skin was almost translucent and his eyes burned steadily like blue flames. He carried himself with composure as he bowed to the Ascendancy and then took his place beside Vanto.
When everyone was seated and counted for, a silence filled the room. Then Lord Nirasu, noble and somber in his dark green robes, stepped out from behind the dais and stepped up to the podium.
"The Council of the Ascendency will now listen to the testimony of Mith'raw'nuruodo to determine if he is guilty of violating the rules and protocols of the Chiss," he began.
Kyler leaned closer to hear the testimonies. Thrawn was informed by Lord Nirasu, Admiral Ar'alani, and several other Chiss officers of the laws held most sacred to their people. By swearing his allegiance to the Empire and carrying out the orders of Emperor Palpatine, Thrawn had not only violated their legal regulations but disgraced the Chiss people.
In a few sentences, Thrawn calmly explained his need to observe the Empire to the best of his abilities. He reminded the Ascendency that the safety of Csilla was his first and foremost priority and he had done nothing to compromise the well-being of their world.
"And yet you exercised your own judgement by providing Eli Vanto with navigation charts so that he could find Csilla," said Lord Nirasu. Everyone except Ezra starred at Eli. His face reddened uncomfortably.
"Did it occur to you that Vanto could have betrayed you by taking the charts to the Emperor and showing him the way into our regions?"
"Never," Thrawn said.
"Why not?"
"Because Commander Vanto is trustworthy," stated Thrawn. "I have worked with him for many years and know that he is incapable of betrayal. On more than one occasion he could have thwarted my Imperial career to advance his own but he did not."
"Hmm." Lord Nirasu's brow wrinkled. "Commander Vanto, please rise."
Ezra watched him reluctantly stand up. "You have heard the words of the accused. Does Mith'raw'nuruodo speak the truth?"
"Yes your excellency," Eli said in a weary voice.
"Then you never considered betraying Mith'raw'nuruodo?"
Eli looked uncomfortable. Then he confessed, "Just once."
"When?"
"Back when we were still cadets in the Imperial Academy on Coruscant." Eli coughed to clear his throat and then continued. "We were attacked by rivaling cadets and Mith'raw'nuruodo pushed me aside to protect me. I realized if he was injured seriously, he'd have to drop out of the Academy. I'd be free to go back to my supply officer track."
Eli sounded ashamed of himself. "It was a moment of weakness and I regret it."
"What did you do next?"
"I flung some gravel in the face of one attacker and he ran off. Some other cadets came onto the scene and our attackers fled."
"But you never made an affirmative action to jeopardize Mith'raw'nuruodo's career, did you?"
"No, Lord Nirasu."
"Thank you, Commander Vanto. You may sit down."
Eli did as instructed. Then it was Ezra's turn to stand up.
His own discussion with Lord Nirasu was longer and more complicated. As the Ascendency had been informed, Vanto had encountered Thrawn as a fellow Imperial officer while Bridger had met him as an enemy in a galactic war.
Eli was relieved that he was no longer the center of attention. He was also surprised and impressed with Ezra's performance. The young Jedi answered Lord Nirasu's questions frankly and clearly so that his words could not be misinterpreted.
No, he hadn't heard of Grand Admiral Thrawn until his Phoenix Squadron had established their own base. Yes, their first encounter was during a personal mission to obtain a family artifact for a friend. Yes, the Rebellion had sent out "Fulcrum" agents to gather intel but no, Ezra hadn't known their own Fulcrum agent was an Imperial officer named Alexsander Kallus until he had revealed himself.
Ezra proceeded to tell the Ascendency about the list of Thrawn's crimes: confiscating private property from the citizens of Lothal, forcing them to work in the factories against their will, endangering the lives of civilians, obliterating cargo ships instead of permitting them to surrender, and launching full-scale bombardments on public cities.
When he was done speaking Ezra watched Thrawn step forward to face the charges.
"Do you deny the actions that you have been accused of?" Lord Nirasu said.
Thrawn gave his answer in a single flawless note.
"No."
Lord Nirasu appeared unsatisfied. He returned to the dais to speak privately with the other Ascendency members for several moments. Then he returned to the podium and addressed Ezra.
"We hold Mith'raw'nuruodo's actions in disdain. However, since he pledged himself to follow the Empire's orders with the intentions of using their abilities to assist Csilla, we cannot hold him accountable for violating our laws."
A murmur of surprise rose up from the Ruling Members. Ar'alani uttered a few sharp words to quiet everyone down.
"But he didn't follow the Empire's orders," Ezra insisted. His voice echoed in the silent room.
Lord Nirasu jerked his head back to the Jedi. "What do you mean?"
"It's complicated," Ezra warned him.
"Please explain to the best of your abilities."
"All right." Ezra urged himself to straighten his spine as he continued.
"As you've heard me say, I.S.B. Agent Kallus became one of our Fulcrum agents. Mith'raw'nuruodo must have known he was a traitor but waited until the right opportunity to attack."
"Mith'raw'nuruodo, can you confirm Commander Bridger's words?"
"Yes, Lord Nirasu. I was aware of Kallus' betrayal to the Empire but permitted him to continue his service so that I could gain the location of the Phoenix Squadron's base."
Thrawn's confidence was precisely what Ezra needed. "Then Mith'raw'nuruodo also knows that Fulcrum listened to a private conversation between Grand Admiral Thrawn and Grand Moff Tarkin. The Grand Admiral was ready to launch a strike attack upon our Rebel base at Atallon. Tarkin agreed and ordered him to have our leaders captured alive to "show an example" to the galaxy.
"But once the transmission with Tarkin had been turned off, the grand admiral told everyone else in the room that he intended to obliterate the entire fleet."
A collective sound of disbelief filled the room. Ezra pressed on. "Fulcrum wasn't the only witness. I was with my team on Atallon when the grand admiral contacted us and said he was not interested in terms of surrender. He made it clear that he intended to annihilate all of us."
Upon hearing this, Ar'alani rose from her seat and joined Lord Nirasu at the podium. To Thrawn she said in a frigid voice, "Explain yourself."
"There is nothing to explain, Admiral Ar'alani. Commander Bridger has told you the truth."
"Why did you defy the orders of your superior officers? What did you intend to achieve by obliterating an entire enemy fleet?" she demanded harshly.
"I understand that my ambitions at the time appeared drastic," said Thrawn. "But considering the situation, Phoenix Squadron had escaped capture on several occasions. It would endanger my reputation as an Imperial grand admiral, therefore jeopardizing my fellow Chiss, to allow them to survive."
He shifted his eyes to Ezra and added, "And it would be hazardous to let the public know that Jedi were still alive after the Empire had confirmed they were extinct. They were too great of a threat to be allowed to survive."
"You would have terminated Commander Bridger? Sentence a youth of nineteen standard years to death?" Ar'alani nearly shouted.
"At the time, yes."
Thrawn lifted his gaze upwards and turned his head to speak to all the Ruling Family members. He drew himself up to his full height and spoke in a firm commanding voice. Despite being shackled and unarmed, he remained assertive as ever. In his voice was the resilience that Ezra now know could inspire others to follow Thrawn into battle.
"Some of you must consider me a murderer. A traitor. But I have tolerated humiliation, disgrace, and danger during my days in the Empire without betraying a single Chiss," he announced. "While you have remained in safe comfort here, I was taking affirmative action. Consider what limited options we have in our future before you decide how to end my existence. All I have done, every option I have calculated, was for the sake of all Chiss. To my accusers I have nothing more to add in my defense."
Thrawn sat back down in his chair. The Ascendency ceased the trial as they talked in low voices among themselves.
Ezra whispered to Eli out of the corner of his mouth. "What's the Chiss view on capital punishment?"
Eli wiped his brow with a handkerchief. "They find execution to be repugnant. Exile is the worst form of punishment. But considering Thrawn's past…." Eli let the sentence trail off.
After nearly half an hour, the council restored with their case. Lord Nirasu placed both hands on the podium and addressed everyone.
"Members of the Ruling Family and fellow officers, the Ascendency has come to a verdict. We find Mith'raw'nuruodo guilty of defying the orders of the Chiss Defense Fleet, endangering his cover, acting without approval of the council, and intentionally causing the unnecessary loss of life in battle."
Eli closed his eyes and dropped his head to his chest.
"However, his crimes were not directed towards the people of Csilla. Nor were they intended for the Galactic Empire. The one he has faulted is Commander Ezra Bridger of the Alliance to Restore the Republic." Lord Nirasu gestured to Ezra.
"Therefore, the Ascendency has decided that you will choose his sentence. Exile has been considered the uttermost disgrace. And capital punishment has not been used for centuries. But if you can provide a logical explanation for why Mith'raw'nuruodo is deserving of death, we agree to his immediate termination."
The breath was instantly knocked out of Eli's chest. He gripped his kneecaps with sweaty palms, starring at Ezra along with every other person in the room.
"I understand, Lord Nirasu," the young Jedi said in a soft but firm voice. "I have considered his punishment ever since knowing my presence here today was mandatory."
"Then you have already chosen a sentence?"
Ezra Bridger nodded. "Yes, I have."
"Tell us what it is."
Eli could barely breathe. His lungs contacted and he hoped no one else could hear the deep thumping of blood within his ears. He watched Ezra slowly walk towards the dais, his human eyes sweeping over the rows of Ruling Families, resting upon Thrawn for a moment, and then facing the Ascendency. When he spoke it was in a grave but confident voice without regret.
Mith'raw'nuruodo is indeed guilty. And since he shows no remorse for his actions, I know justice must prevail. Therefore I ask that the Ascendency to sentence him to….."
Eli Vanto's entire body froze up and Kyler leaned as far out of his seat as possible.
"….life imprisonment," finished Ezra.
Eli all but collapsed upon himself in relief. He continued to wipe beads of sweat off his face as Ezra explained.
"You have heard Mith'raw'nuruodo testify that his intentions were for the benefit of his people, even at the risk of sacrificing other worlds in place of Csilla. Therefore, his people must become his guardians."
The young Jedi's voice grew steadier. "This is not intended to be an act of kindness. He is to be stripped of all military rankings and honors. Mith'raw'nurodo must never again serve in the fleet, hold any form of office, or command a military ship. He must remain on Csilla the rest of his life. No weapons will be provided for him and if he attempt to procure one, he will be held under tighter supervision."
Lord Nirasu's expression showed surprise and then firmness. He seemed relieved with Ezra's answer.
"Your proposal is sound, Commander Bridger. The Ascendency agrees to your terms and will have Mith'raw'nuruodo transferred to a maximum security prison for the remainder of his life."
He gestured to the Ruling Families. "Can anyone here protest this outsider's judgement?"
Not a single Chiss spoke out against him.
"Then by the sacred laws of Csilla and the judgement of the Ascendency, we sentence Mith'raw'nuruodo to life imprisonment."
He gestured to the guards who were at Thrawn's side in a heartbeat. They pinned his hands behind his back, fitted them with new braces, and led him out of the room. Never once did he face show a hint of fear or concern. Nor did he look at Eli or Ezra.
The young Jedi had already returned to his seat to see Eli in front of him. Eli clasped a hand on Ezra's shoulder, his terrified face finally calming down.
"Thank you," he murmured. Something wet glistened in the corners of Eli's eyes. "Thank you, Ezra."
To this Ezra had no idea of what do say. "You're welcome"? "I'm sorry"? "I did only what a Jedi could"?
He chose not to say anything at all and just nodded knowingly to Eli. Eli dropped his hand away and went to speak to Admiral Ar'alani.
Other Chiss rose to leave and Kyler swiftly descended the steps so as not to get crushed by the crowd. He almost lost Ezra who had quietly slipped out of a side door but managed to catch up with him.
"Ezra," he called out, slowing his run down when he was eye-to-eye with the Jedi.
"That was remarkable," he said at last.
The Jedi shook his head sadly at Kyler.
"Would it help if we did some sparring together?"
"Thanks, Kyler. But I need some time alone."
Much to Ezra's relief, Kyler did not appear insulted. He nodded politely to Ezra. "Of course. Take all the time you need."
A-A-A
Back in the privacy of his room, Ezra kicked off his boots and flopped onto his bed. He sighed aloud and closed his eyes. He was physically and emotionally drained out from carrying on in front of the Chiss.
"I did it, Kanan," he said aloud. "I did what I had to do."
At least he had done something right, or at least as close to right could be in dark and difficult times. Mith'raw'nuruodo would live after all. But for a warrior, a life spent away from the battlefield was a tedious one. He would watch others go into battle while he would be restrained and confined from that opportunity. That was what the Force had told Ezra: that this blue-skinned man would have only himself and his pride to rely upon until he could come to terms with his errors.
So the Ascendency was satisfied, Eli was relieved, and Ezra remained in the junior fleet.
"Then why am I not happy?" he thought. Maybe this wasn't about his own feelings in the end. Maybe it wasn't about anyone's feelings. It was about which actions did the most good and least harm, regardless of who was satisfied or displeased. Everyone had a personal sacrifice to make.
It was a humbling thought.
He let the lesson linger in the air until Ezra lightly dozed off. He dreamed of nothing and no one until a face flashed before him like an ember flaring within a fire.
The Daughter's dazzling green eyes were before him and she shouted, "Go!"
Ezra bolted up in bed.
"What?" he blurted out, looking around his room. She wasn't here. Had he just dreamed her up? He nearly fell back against his pillow when her voice vibrated again from inside his head.
"Save them!" she cried out.
"Save who? What!?" Ezra shouted back. Suddenly he began coughing, feeling his lungs burn as though they were filling with water. It passed after a moment but he was startled by the dangerous sensation that had briefly overtaken him.
The Force was trying to tell him something. But instead of closing his eyes and remaining still, Ezra got up and put his boots on while listening to the warning humming around him.
Someone was in danger, someone close. But this one he could save if he acted fast.
"I understand," he said as he threw on his heavy parka. "Don't worry. I'll find them."
He rushed out the door and dashed off to find the nearest speeder.
