Episode 3 – Specters & Ghosts Part 2
Rebels! After tracing down a Rebel Cell that's been missing since the early days of the Rebellion, Jedi Master X2 has rescued these wayward Rebels only to learn that they've been in a form of stasis for more than thirty years! Now faced with the reality that the Galaxy around them has changed, the Rebels of Specter Cell must now cope with one of the most difficult changes of them all…
On the bridge of the Fearless…
The Rebels were stood before Anakin Skywalker, formerly the same Dark Lord that every Imperial dissenter feared as the Fearless flew through hyperspace, bound for Coruscant.
"You? You were Vader?" Kanan asked, finding it hard to believe.
"It is the truth. Whether you accept it or not, is your decision." Anakin stated as he reached for his lightsaber, taking it in his hand but not activating it.
"Look, I know it's hard to believe, but despite appearances, Master Skywalker is one of the most loyal members of the Jedi Council and has lived a life of martyrdom to atone for his crimes. I'm not saying its enough but it is worthy of recognition." X2 explained as Anakin held out his lightsaber towards Kanan.
"I will make you the offer I extend to every person I've met who's known my identity. I give you the opportunity to hand out the punishment I deserve for my crimes. Take my lightsaber and do what you will. No one will stop you. You have my promise." Anakin said as he dropped to one knee, the handle of his lightsaber held out towards the Rebels. Kanan, Hera, and Ezra were stunned by Anakin's actions. X2 had seen this before and had even been made the same offer before. He and Ronderu stood off to the side with the Stormtroopers, watching in silence. Zeb and Sabine were more decided.
"Well…go on Kanan, do it." Zeb said as Kanan looked at Anakin, a look of confusion on his face.
"Kanan?" Ezra asked, Kanan taking Anakin's lightsaber and activating the blue blade.
"Just remember, Kanan. If you strike him down like this, you will only be giving in to the Dark Side." X2 calmly stated, Anakin remaining silent. X2 quietly had a hand near his lightsaber, ready to step in if necessary. Kanan's hand was shaking as he looked at Anakin and at the lightsaber in his hand.
"Come on, Kanan!" Sabine said as she and Zeb kept their weapons trained on the Stormtroopers surrounding them, Hera and Ezra however were more conflicted. Kanan was visibly struggling with his decision. Anakin remained knelt before him, his head bowed towards Kanan, bracing himself for whatever fate Kanan would decide for him. Ezra could notice something was off though, something didn't feel right to him. Like despite the appearance of being surrounded by Imperial Stormtroopers and before a known Sith Lord, there was an odd feeling of peace on the bridge of the Fearless.
"Something's…different. Kanan?" Ezra said as Kanan grimaced before dropping the lightsaber, the weapon deactivating before it hit the floor.
"You're right. I still sense fear, anger, hate, but it's different somehow. I want to hate you but…my gut…it just won't…I can't…" Kanan stammered, trying to understand his conflicted feelings.
"It's because he's different." Ezra said, a little confused by his own statement, lowering his own lightsaber. Anakin slowly looked up towards them.
"The fear you sense is of falling back into the Dark Side, the anger you sense is anger at one's former self, and the hatred you sense is aimed at that same former persona. That is what I feel towards myself every day of every year. Those emotions are the path of the Dark Side, but those are not the emotions that drive me." Anakin said as Kanan continued to glare at him in anger before turning and storming off the bridge, Zeb, Chopper, Sabine, and Hera following after him while Ezra lingered behind staring at Anakin curiously. Anakin noticed his gaze and towards the young Padawan but said nothing.
"Ezra!" Sabine called from the turbolift. Ezra quickly turned and headed for the turbolift, Lando joining the rebels as they headed back for the hangar. X2 then approached Anakin as he picked up his lightsaber, clipping it to his belt and standing back up.
"What now, Master Skywalker?" X2 asked as Anakin turned back towards the holotable.
"Their destiny is no longer in my hands. They will either reject or accept the changes around them and act accordingly." Anakin replied.
"But you've shown them that redemption is not beyond even the most hardened of Sith Lords." X2 commented.
"This is true. The one known as Kanan is now on the precipice. He is the one to watch." Anakin said.
"What of the boy, Ezra?" X2 asked.
"His destiny is not yet decided. The force is strong with him. I sense the moment of decision will be upon them soon enough." Anakin said as he motioned for Commander Delta to approach.
"See to it that the Rebels are given historical data on the events of the past thirty years, especially any and all events surrounding Lothal, Mandalore, Lasat, the Jedi Order, and the Rebellion." Anakin ordered as Delta gave a nod.
"It will be done, Lord Skywalker." Delta replied as X2 turned to Ronderu.
"Ronderu, you be the one to bring them the data. I think it'll be better if a fellow Jedi brought them that information." X2 said as Ronderu gave a nod.
"I had been considering the same thing, Master. I shall do as you ask." She said as she turned and started to leave, Commander Delta following behind her.
Meanwhile…
Darth Talzin was stood upon the bridge of the Ventress, standing at a holotable where holograms of Admiral Daala and Darth Akul stood across from her.
"The raid on Ithor was an unexpected loss. Somehow the Republic managed to intercept our forces. From the looks of it, they merely lucked out in intercepting our forces with a lone Interdictor Destroyer. They hadn't anticipated catching us. Had they not gotten off a distress call, we likely would've been able to destroy that Star Destroyer and continued the attack on Ithor. The Admiral in charge of the raid didn't survive the destruction of his ship, as if he had a long life expectancy anyway had he survived to report back to us for failing." Daala reported.
"But we all know there's no such thing as luck. The Republic may not have intended to intercept our ships but intercept us, they did." Talzin said, annoyed at the unexpected defeat.
"There is a great disturbance in the Force. The Jedi have found something." Akul stated as she looked to Talzin who gave a nod.
"I sense it as well Master, but what does this have to do with a failed raid?" Talzin asked as a hologram of the comet appeared over the table, the hologram showing a time-lapse of the Ghost's emergence from hyperspace.
"This footage was transmitted to us from the lead Destroyer moments before it was destroyed by the Republic forces. We have identified it as an old Rebel freighter that has been missing since 5 years before Yavin. According to old Imperial Records, the freighter was carrying one of the few Jedi that survived Order 66 and the purge. They were part of a Rebel Cell based out of Lothal. Darth Vader attempted to force them out of hiding but they disappeared shortly after their ship entered hyperspace. From what we can gather with the evidence before us is that their hyperdrive malfunctioned, causing them to travel at a fraction of lightspeed while everyone and everything inside the ship was trapped in suspended animation. We believe the gravity-well generated by the destroyer knocked them out of hyperspace and back into real time." Daala explained as Talzin scowled in annoyance.
"So the Jedi manage to increase their numbers. Wonderful." Talzin grumbled.
"Don't count assume them victorious so quickly, my Apprentice. The situation has presented us with an unusually unique opportunity. This displaced Jedi will be disoriented and confused by its new surroundings. And with so many former Imperials serving the Republic now, especially Skywalker and the 501st Legion, they will likely be hesitant to trust them so quickly." Akul said as Talzin looked at the hologram.
"Then what can be done about them? Every minute the Jedi spends with its modern counterparts, the more trusting they'll get." Talzin said.
"This Jedi is likely to still be stuck in the ways of the early Rebellion. If such is the case, they'll likely jump to assist those in need, especially if the ones in need have a special connection to them." Akul said as Talzin, seeing her master's plan, allowed a dark smirk to cross her face.
"What is thy bidding, my Master?"
Back on the Fearless…
Inside the Ghost's commons room, Kanan sat at the dejarik table, looking his lightsaber over. He was clearly lost in thought and not really examining the lightsaber. Down near the boarding ramp, Hera was stubbornly keeping Zeb and Sabine back away from the ladder to the commons room while Ezra and Chopper sat nearby. Lando was stood quietly outside the Ghost.
"I can't believe he just let that big guy live! How's he any different than that Inquisitor we kept running into?!" Zeb asked, trying to make for the ladder up into the commons room but Hera refused to let him near it, blocking him with her entire body.
"I don't know but something about this just didn't feel right. I mean, what does it say about a person when they offer up their very life to someone, knowing full well that that person could choose to kill them? A lot has changed, for all of us. What's not to say that we're the ones stuck in the past?" Hera asked.
"It could all be an elaborate Imperial trick." Sabine suggested.
"I know and that thought hasn't completely left my mind either. But we've trusted Kanan this far, we can continue to trust him now. But as for the Sith Lord up there? I dunno. He may be exactly like that inquisitor." Hera replied.
"He is…" they heard Ezra say. They turned towards him curiously to see that he was seated on a crate nearby. He was hunched forward, looking straight ahead, lost in thought.
"Ezra?" Hera asked.
"He's just like the inquisitor, but at the same time, he's not. I sensed something up there. Fear, anger, hate. But there was something else, something that overpowered all three. Something that I can't quite put my finger on." Ezra explained. Hera seemed to understand and Sabine seemed unsure of her own feelings but Zeb was more adamant.
"Karabast. That Force of yours is starting to lie to you." Zeb grumbled.
"The Force cannot lie on its own, Garazeb Orrelios." Ronderu stated as she walked up the ramp with a box of datapads in hand.
"Ronderu." Hera greeted politely. Ronderu gave a polite bow in response.
"My Master asked me to deliver these datapads. They contain historical data regarding places you all might be interested in as well as general galactic history from the past thirty years." Ronderu explained as Hera started passing out the datapads. Ronderu started to hand Ezra a datapad but he looked at her curiously.
"You're a Jedi, right?" Ezra asked as Ronderu looked at him for a moment before giving a nod.
"I am but a learner, a Padawan." Ronderu replied.
"Then what's your take on the guy upstairs?" Sabine asked.
"Master Skywalker has lived a long and difficult life to say the least. It was he that led the purging of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, he that hunted the Jedi to near extinction, and it was he that the Inquisitors you mentioned responded to. At one time, he was second only to the Emperor but he cast it all aside and found redemption, turning away from the Dark Side of the Force and devoting his life to restoring that which he once tore down. To me, he is an inspiration, an example of one of the Jedi's greatest strengths. There is no emotion, there is peace. That is what he is to me. You can trust him with your lives, although I am certain he will understand any distrust on your part." Ronderu explained.
"So, what you're saying is, even someone like, say, the Inquisitor, could've had a change of heart?" Zeb asked, scoffing at the notion.
"That is precisely what I am saying. When one falls to the Dark Side, the person they were before ceases to be, they become prisoners of their new persona. But when or if they turn away from the Dark Side, that person returns. They may not fully return as the person they were before, but they return nonetheless." Ronderu replied but again Zeb scoffed.
"More of that old Force poodoo." Zeb grumbled but now Sabine wasn't unsure.
"Cin vhetin." Sabine muttered in thought.
"What's that mean?" Ezra asked but someone else answered.
"It's Mandalorian. It means white snow." X2 replied as he stepped onto the Ghost.
"You speak Mandalorian?" Sabine asked, mildly surprised.
"Gar serim, ner vod." X2 replied with a smile, surprising Sabine even more before turning back to the rest of the crew.
"Cin vhetin, white snow, refers to a belief among Mandalorians, that whenever someone takes up the armor to become a Mandalorian, their past, everything they were before, no longer matters. This point of view is very similar to the way the Jedi treat servants of the Dark Side that have turned away from the dark path and seek to redeem themselves. Master Skywalker has been traveling the road of redemption for twenty years but in his mind, there's no end to the road for him." X2 explained before glancing up towards the second level catwalk where Kanan was staring down at them. Everyone looked up towards him.
"Vader was willing to let innocent people suffer. He killed an Imperial Minister just to make us look like murderers. He could easily be doing it all again on a grander scale. I don't know who to trust anymore." Kanan said as X2 gave a somber but understanding nod.
"Trust in no one if you have to, but if nothing else, trust in the Force. It has been, and always will be, your ally." X2 said as he and Ronderu quietly departed the Ghost, leaving the Rebels to their lonesome. Ezra watched him leave with a curious look on his face, a look that Hera shared.
…
Some time had passed and the Fearless had dropped out of hyperspace near a Republic Supply Station to take on supplies. Anakin was stood on the bridge, looking out at the stars. He then sensed someone approaching him from behind but could sense who it was.
"I sense you have questions, Ezra Bridger." Anakin said to the young Padawan behind him.
"It's kinda hard to figure out. I mean, back on Lothal, you tried to kill me and Kanan. It seemed like it happened just a few hours ago when, in truth, it was thirty years ago. It's just hard to believe, but the way you acted a while ago, knowing that Kanan could easily have killed you…it just doesn't make sense." Ezra said, conflicted.
"I sense the conflict within you. You are torn between what you thought you believed and what you see before you. You seek clarity, understanding, simplicity, but it will be difficult to acquire. I can offer no evidence or assurances of my current allegiances as my very word is suspect to you and your friends, and rightfully so. You shall have to decide which of your instincts to trust." Anakin replied, not even turning to face Ezra. Ezra sighed and scratched the back of his head.
"Everything seemed so simple back on Lothal. Back when we were just fighting to make it tough for the Empire, to inspire hope among the people. Now…what good are we? We're thirty years out of date, obsolete. What good could we do in this day and age?" Ezra asked as Anakin turned towards him.
"More than you would think. It is true, the Empire you fought against is fallen, but there are still entire systems that are under the oppression of a new Empire, the Sith Empire. For all intents and purposes, these Sith and the old Empire are one and the same. And if there is one thing these people need now more than ever, it is hope. Even the simplest gesture of kindness can fill a Galaxy with hope." Anakin explained as Ezra looked contemplative. He then shivered with a look of alarm on his face. Anakin noticed his reaction as well as sensing something through the Force, quickly turning and looking towards the viewports.
"I feel something. I feel, cold, fear, death. Lothal? I see Lothal burning!" Ezra said as Anakin turned towards the bridge, storming towards the holotable.
"Commander!" Anakin bellowed, Commander Delta quickly joining him.
"Sir!" the Commander replied as he stood at attention.
"Get me the latest intelligence data on Lothal!" Anakin ordered. Delta gave a nod and started entering information into the holotable. Ezra quietly stepped towards the holotable.
"We can confirm that the Sith are attacking Lothal. We're still waiting on the details from Republic Intelligence." Delta replied. Anakin heard the turbolift doors slam shut and could sense that Ezra had overheard.
Down in the hangar, Hera, Chopper, and a couple of technicians had just finished repairing the Ghost's hyperdrive as Ezra came running in.
"Lothal is under attack!" Ezra yelled, earning the attention of the Rebels.
"What?!" Hera asked as Zeb, Sabine, and Kanan emerged from the Ghost.
"I can feel it! I had a vision of Lothal under attack! The bucket heads on the bridge even said that the Sith are attacking it!" Ezra explained.
"The bucket heads said it? Kanan, we can't trust what they say!" Zeb argued but Kanan wasn't so sure.
"No, Ezra's right. Regardless of what the Imperials here say, I can sense Lothal in danger." Kanan said as Sabine spun her blaster pistols before holstering them.
"Then let's go check it out! That'll confirm whether we're right or wrong about this whole thing." Sabine said as Hera looked to Kanan who took a breath and nodded.
"Alright, let's go!" Kanan said as they ran aboard the Ghost, Lando watching them leave with a curious expression.
Back up on the bridge, Anakin was still waiting for the latest Intel on Lothal when X2 and Ronderu came running onto the bridge.
"We sensed a disturbance in the Force! What's happening?" X2 asked as they stopped at the holotable.
"Lothal is under attack by the Sith. We're waiting on the latest intelligence reports now." Anakin replied as X2 grimaced.
"Lothal? Now? The timing of this can't be coincidence." X2 said as Anakin crossed his arms over his chest.
"I share your suspicions, General. For the Sith to attack Lothal now so soon after we rescued the Lothal Cell, invalidates this as a coincidence. I suspect that the Sith are aware of the Lothal Cell's return." Anakin said as one of the bridge consoles started beeping.
"Lord Skywalker, the Rebel Freighter has just launched from the main hangar bay!" one of the bridge officers reported. Anakin, X2, and Ronderu all looked towards the front viewports just as the Ghost roared past the bridge before making the jump to hyperspace.
"They're walking into a trap." X2 commented in a low tone. They then heard a chime from the holotable.
"Milord, latest intel on Lothal coming in now!" Delta reported as the three Jedi turned towards the holotable in time for a hologram of Lothal to appear with five Sith Destroyers indicated by five red arrows. There were at least seven smaller red arrows moving lower into orbit. X2 and Ronderu both saw this and their eyes widened.
"Spirits of Alderaan. Lothal's not being attacked, it's being invaded!" X2 exclaimed.
"Intelligence also reports the presence of at least three Sith Interdictor Ships as well." Delta added. Ronderu then cursed in her native tongue.
"It's a trap! And Lothal is the bait!" she exclaimed.
"And our Rebels are the prize." Anakin stated as Lando approached.
"I assume, you have a plan, Skywalker?" Lando asked as Anakin looked to Delta.
"The Republic fleet nearest Lothal is the Endor Fleet. Get me Admiral Ackbar."
Meanwhile on the Ghost…
Hera, Kanan, Ezra, and Chopper were in the Ghost's cockpit, Ezra already at the nose guns below the pilot and copilot's seats.
"Kanan, I'm getting a really bad feeling about this." Hera said as Kanan let out a sigh.
"So am I but this will tell for sure whether or not we really have lost thirty years of our lives." Kanan replied.
"But we haven't really lost thirty years of our lives. Physically, nothing's changed for us. The Galaxy we left behind when we last left Lothal was a Galaxy suffering under the weight of an oppressive regime. Everything we've seen so far, only implies that, in the past thirty years, things changed for the better. The soldiers of this New Republic, they're of mixed races, all fighting for their homes, their friends, their loved ones. More importantly, the Jedi are not extinct like we once thought. They're alive Kanan, alive and thriving. I really wonder if, maybe, we're really the ones stuck in the past." Hera said as Kanan took a breath.
"I wonder if you're right. When we met Vader on the bridge, I didn't sense the same things I did back on Lothal. It was as if he was a completely different person standing before me." Kanan said, looking at the swirling tunnel of hyperspace in front of them. He then felt Hera's hand on top of his.
"Remember what X2 said? He said to trust in the Force. What is the Force telling you, love?" Hera asked as Kanan took a breath and closed his eyes in meditation. After a moment, his eyes suddenly opened in alarm.
"We need to turn back! N-!" Kanan yelped just as the Ghost was violently pulled out of Hyperspace.
"What happened?! Did the hyperdrive give out?!" Hera asked, Chopper wubbing an indignant reply.
"Hyperdrive reads in the green and X2 updated our navicomputer so we shouldn't have mis-jumped!" Hera groaned as Kanan checked the screens.
"I've got nothing over here!" he replied but Ezra knew what it was.
"Uh, guys! I think we've got company!" Ezra exclaimed. The two looked forward to see Lothal before them but with an entire Sith invasion fleet in orbit.
"Those don't look like the Star Destroyers we know!" Hera exclaimed, hitting the alarms, Zeb and Sabine running to the other turrets. Kanan grimaced in light pain, putting a hand to his forehead, sensing something in the Force.
"The Dark Side is strong here. X2 was right! This isn't the Empire we remember, this is worse!" Kanan said as Hera brought the Ghost around away from Lothal.
"We can't do anything on our own, we need help! I'm getting us out of here, hang on!" Hera said but as she pulled back on the hyperdrive lever, the hyperdrive let out a loud spluttering sound.
"What was that?" Kanan asked as Chopper wubbed something in alarm.
"Hyperdrive failsafe's kicked in! They're registering like we're in a planet's gravity well but we're too far out from Lothal for that to be the case! We should be at lightspeed by now!" Hera replied.
"Chopper! Go check the hyperdrive! Make sure we haven't been had!" Kanan ordered, immediately suspicious of the new hyperdrive. Chopper wubbed some kind of snide comeback as he rolled quickly off the bridge. From the dorsal turret, Sabine saw something that made her eyes widen.
"Uh guys! We've got TIEs and they don't look friendly!" Sabine exclaimed as several Sith Fighters came flying towards them, opening fire on the Ghost.
"Ha-ha! This is what I've been waiting for!" Zeb declared as he opened fire with the Phantom's blasters, hitting one of the fighters but the hits only impacted the fighter's shields.
"Karabast! These guys have shields!" Zeb grumbled.
"Yeah these guys seem way better equipped than standard TIEs!" Sabine replied as she fired at them from the dorsal turret.
"We've gotta fight our way out of here! Keep firing long enough for us to fix the hyperdrive!" Hera ordered. As the Ghost attempted to flee, its engagement with the Sith Fighters didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the Sith Fleet. On the bridge of the Ventress, Talzin was monitoring the invasion as one of the bridge officers approached.
"Lady Talzin, one of our fighter squadrons has engaged a small freighter matching the description of the ship we've been looking for. They've been caught in the gravity wells. What are your orders, milady?" the officer asked as Talzin smirked darkly.
"Lay in a pursuit course and ready the tractor beam. Order the fighters to disable the vessel and have the men set their weapons for stun. The Empress wants them alive." Talzin ordered as the officer saluted.
"Yes milady." He replied. Back on the Ghost, they were still attempting to evade the Sith Fighters, firing back at them as they attempted to get as far away from Lothal as possible.
"I don't understand! The hyperdrive diagnostics say its fine! Why aren't we going to lightspeed?!" Kanan asked as Hera tried to evade the Sith Fighters.
"I don't know! Hyperdrive sensors keep registering that we're still in the planet's gravity field!" Hera said as Kanan put a hand to his chin in thought.
"Gravity field? This far out? Maybe it's not the planet! Is it possible to create an artificial gravity field, like the one X2 said helped pull us out of Hyperspace near Ithor?!" Kanan asked as Hera's eyes widened in horror.
"If that's the case then that means that we've-…" "Fallen right into a trap!" Kanan replied just before the Ghost shook, bolts of electricity coursing across the panels.
"The guns aren't responding!" Zeb yelled, attempting to fire.
"Mine are dead too!" Sabine yelled from the dorsal fin, shielding herself from the sparks coming from the gun controls before jumping down out of the turret and to the deck below.
"We've been ion-ed! They must have ion cannons on those TIEs!" Hera grunted in frustration, pounding at the panels, trying to get them to work until Kanan grabbed her arm.
"Hera! Give it up, they've got us!" Kanan exclaimed as Ezra climbed out of the gunner pit.
"I am not giving up the Ghost that easily!" she argued angrily.
"If you don't, we'll all be giving up a different kind of ghost!" Kanan argued back as Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper entered the cockpit.
"We're dead in the water, Kanan! Even the Phantom's been Ion-ed!" Zeb said as Sabine noticed something out of the viewport and furrowed her brow curiously.
"Where are they going?" Sabine asked as she noticed the fighters flying away from the Ghost, towards something else.
"They retreating or something?" Zeb asked, confused, but Ezra and Kanan both sensed something far worse approaching.
"No. They're not retreating. They're leaving us for something much bigger." Kanan said, stepping towards the front of the bridge in time to see a Sith Destroyer, the Ventress, approaching them. The Ghost suddenly started shaking slightly.
"We've been caught in their tractor beam! They're pulling us in!" Hera said as Zeb growled.
"I've been itching to knock some bucket heads together!" Zeb said, pulling his Bo-rifle from his back, Sabine nodding in agreement and drawing her blasters.
"Yeah, we've escaped from Star Destroyers before, another one won't be a problem." Sabine said but Kanan and Ezra didn't look so optimistic.
"I don't think it's going to be as easy as before. There's something coming on that Star Destroyer." Kanan said, not taking his eyes off the destroyer. Ezra then shivered.
"I feel something. Cold. There's something bad on that ship." He said, worriedly.
"Another Inquisitor?" Hera asked, clearly nervous.
"Worse." Kanan replied as the Ghost started to enter the Destroyer's hangar. Inside were large numbers of Sith Troopers as well as what looked like a Dathomiri Nightsister flanked by a pair of figures in dark robes and wearing masks over their hooded faces.
"We need a plan." Kanan said as they headed into the main hold.
"I think I might have one." Hera said with a smirk as she eyed several large cargo containers and Chopper who wubbed a confused response. In the hangar bay, Talzin's smirk grew tighter as the Ghost landed inside of the destroyer.
"Arrest everyone you find on board. I want them alive!" Talzin ordered as a squad of Sith Troopers headed for the Ghost's boarding ramp, their weapons raised. The main cargo hold was dark, with only an old C1 astromech sitting near the back, wubbing an alarmed response, motioning erratically to the troopers with the grapplers on his head.
"Lady Talzin, there's no one here except for an old astromech. C1 model by the looks of it." One of the troopers reported over the comlinks.
"Oh there's most definitely someone there alright. I can sense at least one Jedi on board. Keep searching!" Talzin ordered as the troopers ignored the droid, starting to climb the ladder to the upper level. As the first trooper reached the upper level he came face to face with a young Mandalorian woman.
"How ya doing, bucket head?!" she asked before blinding him with her paint sprayer, spraying bright yellow paint across his helmet's eyes, causing the startled trooper to lose his grip on the ladder, falling off and landing atop two of his men.
"What the-?!" One of the troopers exclaimed before one of the containers popped open, Zeb grabbing him and one other trooper by the head, smashing their heads together and knocking them out. Zeb let out an amused laugh.
"It never gets old!" he laughed before noticing two more troopers turn their blasters towards him.
"Hey, bucket heads!" they heard Ezra yell before charging forward with a large crate on a repulsor trolley, the crate slamming into the troopers and carrying them out of the Ghost and onto the hangar deck, much to the bemusement of Talzin.
"They are trying my patience. Get them." She ordered coldly to the two Dark Jedi started walking towards the Ghost. The two disoriented troopers were starting to climb to their feet as Talzin approach them.
"L-Lady Talzin, they got the drop on us, they-AHHHH!" the trooper screamed as Talzin threw them both out of the hangar forcefields with an angry Force Push. She then focused her attention to the top of the Ghost, staring to walk towards the freighter. Ezra saw the two Dark Jedi approaching and grabbed his lightsaber, firing a few stunner blasts with it but the Dark Jedi ignited their lightsabers, deflecting the shots. Ezra, Chopper, and Zeb all saw the lightsabers and their eyes widened in alarm.
"Uh, Kanan?!" Ezra exclaimed. Before the two Dark Jedi could fully enter the Ghost, Kanan dropped down from the upper level, his lightsaber active.
"If you're looking for a Jedi, you just found one!" Kanan said, ready to fight as Zeb, Ezra, Chopper, and Sabine stood in the entryway with their weapons ready. Ezra's lightsaber was active now, Zeb's Bo-Staff extended and ready for battle, Sabine with her blasters trained on the Sith, and Chopper with his charge arm ready. Before either side could make a move, they heard the door to the upper level open.
"We knew that already Jedi." They heard a voice say. Kanan glanced over his shoulder to see Talzin standing on the upper level with one of her lightsabers active, holding Hera captive with the lightsaber to her throat. Talzin was smirking towards them.
"Hera!" Kanan exclaimed in alarm.
"You know the drill, Jedi. Drop your weapons and the Twi'lek lives." Talzin said but Kanan knew better, scowling towards the Sith woman. He looked towards Hera, noticing her hands by her side. Hera subtly made a fist and extended her index and middle fingers. Kanan understood Hera's message.
"I know not to trust an Inquisitor with two lightsabers!" Kanan said, earning an impressed smile from Talzin. She quietly raised her other hand, holding her second lightsaber up.
"Very observant of you, Jedi, but it changes nothing. Surrender or be destroyed." Talzin said, shoving Hera off the second level but luckily Zeb caught her.
"How'd she get behind us?" Ezra asked.
"She opened the side airlock. With the power out, a droid could've done it." Hera muttered in annoyance. Talzin then activated her twin lightsabers.
"Final chance, Jedi! Surrender!" Talzin ordered, still smirking. The moment was tense, the Rebels all standing ready to fight to the end. Before either side could act, the entire ship, even the Destroyer shook violently, the alarms blaring.
"What was that?!" Talzin asked in alarm as the ship's comms systems clicked on.
"Alert! Republic Forces inbound! We are under attack! All hands to battle stations! Repeat, all hands to battle stations!" The Ventress's Captain ordered. Talzin snarled in fury.
"No! It can't be! Not now!" she hissed. Sure enough, in space, the Ventress and its invasion fleet was under fire by the Republic's 2nd Fleet, the Endor Fleet, with Home One itself as the flagship. There were at least four other Mon Calamari Cruisers and numerous smaller vessels were engaging the Sith fleet but they weren't alone. The Fearless was with them with Lando Calrissian in command of the Star Destroyer.
"Fearless is on station, Admiral. Our scanners indicate that our objective is on board that Star Destroyer." Lando said to the hologram of a Mon Calamari woman.
"All craft assume attack formation. Disable that Star Destroyer long enough for boarding crews to get aboard. All other craft prioritize their landing craft! We must stop the flow of troops to the surface!" Admiral Jesmin Ackbar, the niece of retired Admiral Gial Ackbar, ordered as she sat in the command chair on Home One, the chair swiveling around the room to face out towards the Ventress. Back in the Ventress's hangar bay, the Sith forces were in disarray and scrambling to their stations, leaving the Rebels surrounded only by Talzin and her two Dark Jedi escorts. Kanan saw his opportunity and quickly used the Force to push the two Dark Jedi back and out of the Ghost. Sabine quickly tossed what looked like a thermal detonator towards them but the detonator exploded in a colorful cloud of yellow, pink, and purple smoke, blinding the Dark Jedi and giving the Rebels an opening to escape.
"Let's move!" Kanan ordered as the Rebels made a break for the cloud, slipping through it but the Dark Jedi had recovered and were now giving chase, although their armor and cloaks were now splattered with yellow, pink, and purple paint. Talzin snarled in anger as she saw her quarry escaping.
"You won't get away that easily!" she hissed as she leapt down and started chasing after them. The Rebels managed to get out of the hangar and into a corridor, Sabine quickly shooting the door controls behind them as they got through, the hangar doors slamming shut in the Dark Jedi's face.
"That won't hold them for long! We need an escape plan!" Kanan said as they ran down the halls. Most of the ship's crew had reported to their stations when the alarms sounded so the halls were largely deserted.
"We won't get far with that tractor beam still functioning. We can let the Republic handle the gravity wells." Hera said.
"Plus there's those three goons with the lightsabers." Zeb commented.
"We'll split up. Ezra and I will lead those three Dark Jedi away from the Ghost. The rest of you find the tractor beam and shut it down." Kanan ordered.
"What about you?" Hera asked.
"I'm still working that out." Kanan said as they heard an explosion from down the hall behind them. They turned to see Talzin and her two Dark Jedi lackeys run out into the middle of the hall, noticing them immediately.
"Thought you could get away from us that easily, Jedi?!" Talzin asked, twirling her lightsabers menacingly.
"Run!" Kanan ordered, he and Ezra running off one direction while the others rushed off in the opposite direction. Talzin and the Dark Jedi gave chase.
"You two! After the Rebels! I'll deal with the Jedi!" Talzin ordered as she chased after Ezra and Kanan, the Dark Jedi chasing after the others. Hera and the others made it to one of the Destroyer's control rooms but were quickly noticed by some of the ship's crew.
"It's those Rebels!" "Blast 'em!" the crew said as they drew blasters. The Rebels dove for cover, Chopper quickly plugging into a terminal near the door and jamming the doors they'd just come through, even closing the blast doors as added security. The exchange of blaster fire was tense in the closed quarters of the room, Sabine and Hera managing to pick off a few of the Sith Crewmen, as Zeb primed a thermal detonator.
"Rebel scum THIS!" Zeb yelled as he tossed the detonator out from behind his cover.
"Thermal det!" "TAKE COVER!" the Sith yelled immediately before the detonator exploded. When the smoke cleared, most of the Sith were dead or unconscious.
"Nice work. Now let's see if we can't find the tractor beam on this tub." Hera said as Chopper rolled up to one of the terminals in the room and plugged in, wubbing some kind of statement.
"We know the system's different from what you're used to! You're thirty years out of date!" Zeb groaned before they heard a hissing sound coming from the doors. They looked and saw the blast doors starting to glow red with heat as the red tips of two lightsaber blades melted through the metal.
"Uh you want to hurry it up, Chop?!" Sabine asked as she and Zeb pointed their blasters towards the doors, expecting them to give way at any moment. Finally Chopper wubbed a response as he unplugged from the system, rushing towards the opposite door.
"Two decks up and aft! Let's move!" Hera said as they rushed out into the corridor. As they ran, they had to stop to hide from a squad of Sith Troopers to rush past at an intersection, not even noticing them.
"Hurry!" "They'll be breaking through any minute!" "Republic scum!" the troopers said to each other as they ran. The Rebels looked at each other curiously in response to the troopers before looking down the hall to see the troopers taking up defensive positions near an airlock, hearing a loud metallic clunking sound coming from the airlock. Suddenly the airlock door started letting off a shower of sparks, a loud grinding sound echoing from the door before it was suddenly blown out of the frame, crashing to the ground inside the ship. The darkness behind the airlock was suddenly illuminated by a green lightsaber.
"JEDI!" One of the troopers exclaimed, the troopers opening fire but the lightsaber deflected the blaster shots as its wielder rushed into the light. The wielder was clad in customized Phase II Clone Trooper armor with the markings of the Jedi Order and the Republic Starbird in grey on it with brown Jedi robes over the armor as well as with a brown kama. Behind the wielder was a squad of 501st Stormtroopers, firing at the Sith from behind the safety of the Jedi's lightsaber. Within seconds the Sith Troopers were starting to fall back as the Jedi and 501st laid waste to their numbers.
"Let's give them a hand!" Hera said as they jumped out of cover and started fighting the Troopers, downing them in seconds.
"Karabast it feels good to do that again!" Zeb laughed as the armored Jedi saw them and deactivated his lightsaber.
"Hera!" X2 called as he removed his helmet, approaching them as the 501sts checked for survivors of their attack.
"X2! Are we glad to see you!" Hera replied.
"Likewise. Where's Kanan and Ezra?" X2 asked.
"Off trying to ditch one of those Inquisitors." Zeb replied as X2 furrowed his brow suspiciously.
"Inquisitors? Describe them." He said.
"Ugly schutta with dreads and some primitive threads. Two lightsabers." Sabine reported as X2 took a deep breath, his expression implying dire worry.
"Darth Talzin. I only hope we find them before she does. She's far stronger than the Inquisitors you've encountered before. She's a fully-fledged Sith Lord. She'll be a difficult opponent for even a Jedi Master." X2 said as the Rebels looked to each other.
"We still need to disable the tractor beam so we can get out of here!" Hera said before suddenly hearing a loud crash from the hall behind them. They turned to see the two Dark Jedi come running in behind them. They slid to a halt when they saw the Rebels, their lightsabers active. X2 stepped out from around the Rebels, moving towards the two.
"Hera, deal with the tractor beam. I'll take care of this." X2 said, putting his helmet back on and activating his lightsaber. Hera gave a determined nod.
"Right, let's move!" she said as she and the Rebels took off down the hall, some of the 501sts following after them, leaving X2 to face the two Dark Jedi on his own.
…
Meanwhile, Kanan and Ezra were managing to keep ahead of Talzin, jamming doors and sealing blast doors in her path to slow her down.
"How much longer are we going to keep running, Kanan?!" Ezra asked as they rounded a corner.
"Still not sure about that yet!" Kanan replied before they ran through a door into one of the control rooms for one of the Ventress's turbolaser batteries and sliding to a halt as they saw several Sith Troopers with their blasters trained on them.
"I think we took a wrong turn." Ezra said, eyeing the troopers worriedly as he and Kanan ignited their lightsabers. Suddenly they heard two more saber ignitions before a familiar masked face dropped down from some of the machinery above, landing in the center of the troopers and beginning to cut them down, taking the troopers by surprise.
"It's that masked girl!" Ezra exclaimed, watching as Ronderu, a look of peace in her eyes, forced the surviving Sith back while on one of the upper levels, 501st Stormtroopers burst in and started shooting at the Sith. Within seconds of Ronderu beginning her attack, a path was cleared to the opposite side of the room.
"Hurry to your vessel my friends! I shall deal with this Sith slime, myself!" Ronderu said through her mask, starting to approach the two Jedi. The two looked back and saw Talzin approaching.
"If you're sure! Come on! Let's go!" Kanan said as he and Ezra started running for the door. Ronderu started to spin her green and blue lightsabers menacingly, prepared to face the Sith Lady one on one. Talzin grinned as she entered the room, seeing Ronderu.
"Well-well, Sheelal's brat. If only I wasn't in a hurry!" Talzin said as she lunged towards Ronderu but the Kaleesh Padawan easily blocked both blows, the two exchanging fast strikes with their lightsabers for a few brief seconds before Talzin slipped around to one side and launched Ronderu back with a powerful force push, forcing her out of the way and into a set of exposed power couplings. The shock wasn't enough to kill her but it was enough to disorient her. Talzin was about to finish her off but was forced back by the 501sts, firing at her from the upper level of the room. Talzin growled in frustration, rushing out the door to continue her pursuit of the two Rebel Jedi but she quickly turned and ran down a different corridor. The 501sts quickly descended to the bottom floor to help Ronderu while one of them put a hand to his helmet comlink.
"General, the Sith Lord has managed to disable Commander Sheelal. She's continued her pursuit of the targets. We're tending to the Commander's injuries. Orders sir?" the 501st asked, awaiting a response.
…
Meanwhile Hera and the others had made it to the tractor beam control room, Sabine rigging it with explosives as Zeb, Hera, and a few 501sts held the line against several Sith Troopers attempting to get in. Chopper was helping with the explosives.
"How much longer Sabine?!" Hera asked, ducking in and out of cover.
"I've told you several times before, you can't rush art!" Sabine argued back, continuing to set the charges.
"We don't need pretty colors or decorations! Just blow it up!" Zeb yelled, popping out of cover but one of the 501sts suddenly tackled him to the ground, an RPG flying past right where Zeb would have been standing had the 501st not tackled him, the RPG exploding against a bulkhead wall, damaging some secondary equipment.
"Well, that saved us some time!" Sabine commented, surveying the damage to the destroyed equipment and quickly returning to her own work. The 501st was climbing off of Zeb, getting onto one knee and helping Zeb sit up.
"Are you alright, sir?!" the trooper asked as Zeb looked at him in disbelief.
"You saved my life. A bucket head saved my life! I guess maybe some things do change!" Zeb said as he climbed to his feet, the trooper handing him his Bo-rifle.
"We do our best, sir!" the trooper replied as they retook their positions at the door just as Sabine finished setting the charges.
"Alright! We're set! Let's move!" Sabine yelled.
"Covering fire!" Hera yelled as she, Zeb, Sabine, and the 501sts started pouring on the blaster fire on the Sith, forcing them into cover long enough for the Rebels to rush out of the room. As soon as they were clear, Sabine pulled the detonator from her pocket and hit the button, the tractor beam generator going up in a large explosion.
"Alright, now back to the hangar or else we're getting trapped here!" Hera said as they turned to run but stopped when they saw one of the Dark Jedi standing in their path. Before any of them could react, the Dark Jedi dropped to the floor, dead, revealing X2 standing behind him.
"What a waste of good midi-chlorians." X2 said, removing his helmet while clipping his lightsaber to his belt. He then used the force to pick up the Dark Jedi's lightsaber, clipping it on his left side next to another Sith Lightsaber from the other Dark Jedi.
"Tractor beam is down, X2! We can leave now!" Hera said as X2 nodded in agreement.
"Right, let's get to your ship as fast as we can!" X2 said as they started running towards the hangar, Hera and X2 leading the charge.
…
In the hangar, Kanan and Ezra had managed to evade most of the Sith forces, making it back to the Ghost but the minute they entered the hangar, the hangar blast doors slammed shut behind them.
"Trapped!" Ezra exclaimed as Kanan looked ahead, revealing a smirking Talzin with her lightsabers active.
"You really didn't think you could lose me in my own flagship, did you? For one who claims to be a Jedi, you really are pathetic." Talzin said as Kanan and Ezra both activated their lightsabers.
"Well considering we didn't even have a plan to begin with, I'd say we didn't do too badly." Kanan said, not taking his eyes off of Talzin who chuckled in amusement.
"For a Jedi who's thirty years out of date, you're pretty crafty. Probably all due to your having to be quick on your feet to keep away from the Empire all that time. But now times have changed. There's not much call for a Jedi helping to stir dissent anymore. You're useless, washed up, obsolete. The Jedi of this era have nothing to offer you. And besides, they allow murderers and killers like Darth Vader into their fold as if nothing ever happened. Do you really want to be part of a Republic that would let someone like that walk around freely? Oh, and have I mentioned that the Chancellor of this Republic is Vader's own daughter, and that the Grand Master of the New Jedi Order is his son? And what about the Supreme Leader of the Republic armies? He used to be Vader's apprentice!" Talzin said as Kanan scowled at her from behind his lightsaber.
"I'd rather take my chances with them than help the Sith!" Kanan said as Talzin sighed with a smile.
"And here I thought you'd be smarter than that. You're at least relatively handsome to look at. I can sense your confusion. I sense the conflict within you, Kanan Jerrus. You want to believe this all to be one elaborate Imperial hoax. That this whole thing is a charade. Sad fact is, it's not. It's one hundred percent real. The days of ducking and hiding from the Empire are over. Now, it's time to make a choice, Jedi. Join the Sith Empire and embrace the Dark Side, or you and your friends, will die. And I don't mean quick and painless deaths either." Talzin said as Kanan narrowed his eyes.
"You won't harm them, because I won't let you!" Kanan yelled before charging towards her, Talzin grinning as she started deflecting his attacks, easily defending his attacks.
"You call this swordplay?! How pathetic a Jedi are you! You fight like a rank amateur!" she laughed as Ezra came running in.
"Kanan!" Ezra exclaimed but suddenly found himself lifted in the air by the throat with the Force, all while Talzin was easily blocking Kanan's lightsaber with one hand while force choking Ezra with the other.
"Ezra!" Kanan exclaimed, before being launched towards the back wall of the hangar, causing him to hit the wall hard and drop his lightsaber which hit the corner of a nearby crate, dislodging the two halves of the lightsaber, rendering it useless. Talzin was chuckling at the sight of the defeated Kanan.
"My Master wanted you amongst our Order?! You really are pathetic! I bet you were only a Padawan when the purge began, and here you are, with the gall to try and train this whelp to become a Jedi when you yourself aren't even a Jedi yourself!" Talzin said, pulling the struggling Ezra closer with the Force, Kanan was starting to climb to his feet when Talzin pulled the hilt of his lightsaber towards her, grabbing it out of the air and clipping it to her belt before reigniting her other lightsaber.
"Nah-ah-ah! Not this time. Tell me, were you ever a Jedi Knight or are you really just a mere Padawan, trying to pass on what little he knows to a poor boy you managed to sucker with your dogma?" Talzin taunted as Kanan called Ezra's dropped lightsaber to his hand, igniting it.
"Let him go!" Kanan ordered but Talzin smirked.
"You really don't want to do that, Jedi." She said just as the hangar door opposite them opened, Hera running through and the others not far behind. Talzin grinned at this and dropped Ezra long enough to spin around, use the force to activate a forcefield between Hera and the rest of the Rebels, X2, and the 501sts, trapping Hera in there with them. Kanan had seized the opportunity to try and attack but was launched towards the back wall again. By the time he climbed to his feet, Hera and Ezra were both struggling in Talzin's grip as she held them mere inches from the hangar forcefield.
"Hera! Ezra!" Kanan exclaimed, taking a step towards Talzin but she noticed with a grin.
"Nah-ah! Attack me and they both take a long walk out the airlock! Make your choice, Jedi! Who lives and who dies? The schutta or your Padawan? You can't save them both not as you are. But embrace the power of the Dark Side, and you'll have power to save them both." Talzin said with a grin. Kanan was stood at a crossroads. Ezra and Hera were inches away from an agonizing death and there was no guarantee he could save either one of them. Talzin smirked towards him as she saw his expression.
"Yes…I can feel the conflict within you, the fear, the anger, the hate. Use it and save them both." Talzin said as Kanan looked between Hera and Ezra, unable to choose. The decision was made for him though when they heard the hangar door behind him open up and a familiar breathing sound echoing into the room.
"I once feared losing the ones I loved and that led to anger at my inability to protect them. That anger led to hatred at those I once called Master for not preparing me to protect the ones I loved from harm. That hatred led to twenty years of a suffering as a pawn of the Dark Side." Anakin Skywalker said as he entered the hangar, moving to stand next to Kanan, his lightsaber in hand and active. Talzin was looking at Skywalker in alarm and fear, knowing she couldn't beat him as she was.
"It is not too late to turn away from this dark path, Talzin. You know it to be true. If I could find redemption, so can you. Join me, and together, we can finally know peace." Anakin said, practically begging her to turn away. Anakin's words surprising Kanan. The fact that Anakin was trying to convince Talzin to turn away from the Dark Side was astounding him completely. Talzin's look of fear switched to anger and quickly snapped her gaze towards her two hostages.
"NEVER!" she screamed before pushing both Ezra and Hera out the forcefields.
"No!" Kanan exclaimed but was stunned when they were both yanked back inside, landing on the top of the Ghost. Kanan looked and saw Anakin's arm out stretched towards the two. He then turned his attention to Talzin as she charged towards him, screaming at him in anger but he stretched his arm towards her, grabbing her in midair with the force and throwing her away into an empty maintenance alcove. As she started to recover, she saw Anakin and Kanan approaching her. Anakin then pulled the other half of Kanan's lightsaber from her belt to his hand, handing the hilt off to Kanan who reaffixed the two halves together, reigniting his lightsaber.
"Once again, the Dark Side has failed you Talzin. You are beaten. It is useless to resist." Anakin said as Hera blasted the forcefield controls to the field blocking the rest of the Rebels, X2, and the 501sts, allowing them to enter as she and Ezra climbed down from atop the Ghost. X2 quickly joined the two Jedi.
"I might have a lot to learn, but I'd rather finish learning from a Jedi over a Sith any day!" Kanan said but Talzin scowled at him as she climbed to her feet. Suddenly the ship shook violently, giving Talzin an opening to flee, bounding over them with a single mighty jump, landing behind them and running for the doors out of the hangar.
"What was that?!" Ezra asked as the Ventress's Captain came on over the speakers.
"All hands, prepare for hyperspace! Time to jump: sixty seconds!" the Captain reported.
"That was our cue to leave! Everyone on the Ghost!" Kanan yelled as they all hurried for the freighter, Hera already inside the cockpit and starting up the Ghost's engines. Outside in space, Republic Boarding Craft were detaching from the Ventress, carrying Ronderu and the rest of the 501st Marines, as the Ventress moved away from the battle. The Endor Fleet had destroyed the Sith Interdictor Ships and stopped most of their assault ships from landing. Ships from the 501st Fleet Group had arrived during the battle and were decimating the other Sith Destroyers while the Ventress attempted to flee. The Ghost soon emerged from the ventral hangar of the Ventress, clearing the destroyer mere seconds before the ship made the jump to lightspeed. On the Ghost, the 501sts were cheering the successful rescue mission, Zeb celebrating along with them, his arms around two of the Stormtroopers. Kanan saw the celebrating in the main hold and smiled with relief. Anakin was standing on the opposite end of the level overlooking the main hold with Kanan, looking at the 501sts with a smile hidden beneath his mask.
"I guess I owe you an apology, Master Skywalker, and my thanks." Kanan said as he approached Anakin.
"I cannot accept your apology as you have done nothing untoward me to warrant one. I, on the other hand, owe you an apology." Anakin said as he turned towards Kanan.
"Probably, but I think you made up for it just now. It may take a while before I can learn to trust you completely, but you have shown me that redemption is not impossible for anyone. Something I forgot in all this chaos. We might be in a different galaxy, but it's better off than the way we left it." Kanan said as Anakin turned his gaze back towards the celebrating 501sts.
"On that, we both agree. Much has changed for us all, only you and your friends can see the changes far more clearly than the rest of us. I can only hope that the change is favorable to you and your friends." Anakin said as Kanan gave a nod.
…
Soon the Ghost was docked with one of the 501st's Tartan cruisers to take on the 501sts and Master Skywalker for transport back to the rest of the fleet. Anakin, X2, Ronderu, and the rest of the Rebels were in the Ghost's main hold.
"We managed to thwart the Sith Invasion of Lothal. The old Sienar Factory here is being brought back online to manufacture new fighters for the Republic and the people of Lothal wish to express their gratitude to us all for helping to drive the Sith away." X2 reported as the Rebels exchanged smiles of relief.
"We're just happy that Lothal is safe." Kanan said.
"What will you do now? You've got the whole galaxy before you, a galaxy for you to get reacquainted with. We can arrange separate transports if there's somewhere you want to go separately from the main group." X2 said. Zeb cleared his throat, hesitant to speak up.
"Well…I'd like to see Lasan again. It's been…ages since I saw it last and these say that my people have resettled there again." Zeb said, holding up one of the datapads as X2 gave a nod.
"I'll arrange transport to Lasan for you." X2 said.
"You will find that your people are thriving once more. Much of what has been lost has been rebuilt. If you wish, I am prepared to provide you enough credits and supplies for you to make a fresh start. I am prepared to provide this for all of you should you ask for it." Anakin said but Zeb scoffed.
"Yeah well, I'm not lookin' to settle down or anything. Someone has to keep these guys in line. Heh-heh." Zeb chuckled, motioning to the Rebels.
"Wouldn't be the same without you, furball." Ezra commented with a smirk.
"What about you, Hera?" Kanan asked but Hera shook her head.
"The Ghost could use some tuning up but aside from that, all I could ever need is here." Hera replied, putting a hand on Kanan's shoulder and on Chopper's head. Chopper wubbing out his agreement.
"I'd like to see Mandalore again. To see what's changed. I know there's not likely to be anyone I know there but it's still my home. I don't plan to stay forever, just long enough to get reacquainted with my people, my culture, to see if anyone of my clan is still around." Sabine said as X2 gave a nod.
"I don't know what clan you belong to but I'm sure you'll find someone." X2 said before looking to Kanan and Ezra.
"What of you, Padawans Dume and Bridger? What do you choose?" Anakin asked as Kanan looked towards him.
"Well for starters, you can stop calling me Caleb Dume. I haven't been Caleb since my Master died. I think, maybe with this new era should come a new identity. Caleb Dume died along with his Master, and Kanan Jerrus took his place." Kanan said as Ezra looked at the two Jedi Masters.
"Well, I want to finish my training, to become a Jedi. But I don't want just any Jedi to train me, I want Kanan." Ezra said as Kanan looked to Ezra.
"Ezra, you know that I never really became a Jedi Knight. I was still in training when my Master died." Kanan said but got a sly look from Ezra in response.
"I can wait until you're done." Ezra said as Kanan blinked in surprise for a moment then chuckled while shaking his head.
"Well, I guess I better put that braid back into my hair." Kanan said, earning a stifled laugh from Zeb, Sabine, and Ezra.
"Braid?!" they all asked, clearly amused by the idea.
"The braid is optional, Kanan. The new order isn't as strict as the old one was. Most of the younger Padawans wear the braid, like Ronderu here, but some don't. I know Grand Master Skywalker didn't wear one during his training, nor did I for that matter. Although I think I grew one out for my knighting ceremony. I know my wife put it in a keepsakes box." X2 said, surprising Kanan.
"Wife? Wait, I thought Jedi couldn't marry." Kanan said.
"In the old order, perhaps. In the new order, no such rule exists. The new order recognizes the redeeming power of love itself. It is passion that must be guarded against and carefully monitored. Love itself can save you, not condemn you. I know this lesson from personal experience." Anakin replied as Kanan noticed Hera making an obvious smirk towards him.
"Good to know." Hera replied.
"Then it's settled then. As Members of the Jedi Council, we confer upon you, Kanan Jerrus and Ezra Bridger the level of Jedi Padawan and welcome you into the Jedi Order." X2 said as Kanan and Ezra both stood up and bowed to the two Masters.
"It's good to be back." Kanan said as the Masters bowed back.
Meanwhile…
Darth Talzin, a scowl on her face, entered the Empress's throne room, kneeling before her Empress's throne.
"The Rebels are loyal to the Republic and the Jedi have gained two new Padawans. The Invasion of Lothal was averted by the Jedi and the Republic." Talzin reported as Darth Akul scowled.
"This was not unforeseen. The Jedi was already loyal to the Republic. Their loyalty will be hard to break. Nothing has truly changed. But they are still susceptible to the power of the Dark Side. We shall have another chance to break them." Akul said as Talzin looked up at her.
"And when they do, they will become a powerful weapon against the Jedi." Talzin said with a dark smile.
End Episode 3.
And with this, the Lothal Cell is officially part of Shadow Wars canon. As Rebels is still on going, I will gradually be including information gained from the new episodes or dismissing it as I see fit. Until then only assume that Season 1 of Rebels and most of the episode Siege of Lothal is canon in this universe. While they won't be exclusively featured like they are in Star Wars: Rebels, members of the cast will be appearing from time to time.
I do not own the Rebels characters and nor do I own Admiral Jesmin Ackbar.
IMPORTANT REQUEST! Out of common courtesy to those who have NOT seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens yet, please REFRAIN FROM MENTIONING ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FILM! No exceptions! You can comment all you want on the contents of THIS story but NO MENTIONING ANY OF THE EVENTS OF TFA! We now return you to your regularly scheduled daily life.