Spark of Rebellion: Test of Faith
It was a short few hours later that the Wookiees boarded a small transport that would take them to their home world. An arm wrapped around his son's shoulders, the leader of the Wookiees paid his final respects to the crew.
"Um, he says if we ever need any help, the Wookies will be there." Sabine translated.
The large Wookiee patted Ezra on the head who, much to Kanan's surprise, tolerated the gesture. Though, as soon as the large alien removed his hand Ezra was straightening his hat with a half-hearted mutter of, "Don't touch my hat."
The smaller Wookiee gave a low growl.
"He say thanks for the. . .stories?" The last word came out a question, but Ezra either didn't catch it or ignored it as he grinned at the younger boy.
"Glad you liked 'em! We meet again and I'll tell you another, 'k? Oh, and good luck, Kitwarr," Ezra called as the last two Wookiees left the Ghost. "Try to stay out of trouble."
"Look who's talking," Zeb snorted, moving past Ezra to shut the airlock.
"So. . .I guess you drop me off next?"
"Uh, yeah. Finally, right?" Zeb asked with a nervous chuckle.
"Right." Ezra muttered, walking back up the ramp to the main part of the ship. He leaned against the ladder leading to the dorsal gun, allowing Zeb and Sabine to pass him. Just as Kanan was doing the same the transport disconnected, rocking the ship and causing Ezra to stumble into Kanan.
"Oh. Uh, sorry." Ezra took a few hasty steps back, moving his hands ever so slightly behind his back. With an internal sigh, Kana followed after the others.
As soon as Kanan was out of sight, Ezra removed his hands from behind his back and, with a tiny smile, fitted the two pieces of Kanan's lightsaber together. He admired it for a moment before slipping it into his pack and climbing the ladder to the highest point in the ship, the dorsal gun well.
Once there, he dropped into the seat, exhausted, the small aches and dull throbbing in his head telling him it had been almost 24 hours since he'd last slept. He tugged off his backpack and propped his feet on the consol in front of him, being careful not to hit any of the buttons or switches as he made himself comfortable.
Something gabbed him in the side, and grumbling he pulled out the holocron. It was no longer a cube, the corners having rotated after it had decided to piece itself back together once 'Master Obi Wan Kenobi's' message had finished. Frowning at it, Ezra considered forcing the corners back into place, but if he did that. . .
"A test," he muttered scornfully. "Not bad enough they all but kidnap me, leave me at the mercy of Imperials, and then drag me into a nearly suicidal rescue mission, oh no! They have to 'test' me too."
His head throbbed painfully and with a tired sigh he shoved the device into his bag and pulled his hat down over his eyes. He was tired and thinking about anything, especially if it was related to that person, was the last thing he wanted to do. With a last look at the glowing blue tunnel of hyperspace, Ezra let the hum of the ship's engine lull him to sleep.
The sudden change in engine noise and light as the ship dropped out of hyperspace woke Ezra a few hours later, and he watched through bleary eyes as Lothal loomed closer and closer.
"Ezra?" Hera's voice came over the ship's internal comm. "We'll be landing outside Capital City. Is that close enough to home for you?"
He stifled a snort as he sat up.
'Haven't had a home longer than you've had this ship,' he thought bitterly, slinging his pack over his shoulders and straightening his hat.
"Yeah, it's fine!" He hollered down, unsure how the comms worked, but wanting to make sure they heard him. He winced slightly as his voice echoed back at him over the hidden speakers, but no one commented so he let his worries go with a sigh. His hand brushed against the holocron and he fingered it, thinking hard.
He knew what that person would do, oh boy did he know! And he knew what he should do, but was it really the right thing to do? And what about what he wanted?
He gave a bitter chuckle at that thought.
No, what he wanted didn't matter. It never did and it never would. All that mattered was that person. That person and all that was stolen from them because of. . .because of him.
The ship jolted as it landed and Ezra stuffed the holocron in a pocket as he stood up and stretched before making his way down to the loading bay and the exit. Hopping off the ladder he saw Sabine working on Chopper. He offered her a small smile and returned the droid's wave. He sighed and walked over to Zeb.
"So, uh, see you around?"
"Not if we see you first." Zeb chuckled, punching him on the shoulder. Ezra let the hit spin him around, wincing.
"Don't worry," he snapped back, irritation and anxiety making his voice sharper than intended. "You won't."
Kanan and Hera stood just off the ship, waiting for him. The sight made his heart tighten painfully. When was the last time anyone had waited for him? And why, why, did he care so much?
"I think you have something that belongs to me," Kana said, arms crossed. Ezra reached for the hidden pocket containing the holocron, then changed his mind.
'If they're going to test me, I'm gonna do the same,' he thought and tossed Kanan his lightsaber instead. 'Time to see how serious you really are.'
"May the Force be with you, Je'daii," he whispered, just loud enough for Kanan to hear him as he passed, and broke into a run.
"Well, at least you got your lightsaber back," Hera commented dryly before continuing in a more serious tone. "Still don't know if he passed the test or not."
"He did," Kanan answered, frowning after the shrinking figure.
"How do yo –"
"He as good as told me." He hung the laser sword back on his belt and headed after the boy. His mind was racing with a thousand questions and reasons why this was a bad idea, all fueled by doubts and uncertainty. But, more strongly than anything else, was the innate, Force driven sense that this was right.
'Please, don't let this be a mistake.' He prayed as he quickened his pace.
Ezra paused outside the door to his 'house.' He didn't want to go in. He never did. There were just too many reminders, too many memories of that person.
Stealing himself, he opened the door and made his way over to the small table. He set down his pack and pulled out the stolen device. The feeling he'd felt so many times the past day came again and without even looking he knew who was staring at him.
"What's the Force?"
"The Force is everywhere." Kanan answered. "It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together. And it's strong with you, Ezra. Otherwise, you'd never have been able to open the holocron."
He gestured to the object in Ezra's hand as he glanced around. The circular room was sparsely furnished. The tools scattered across the table said it doubled as a work bench and a few stormtrooper helmets stacked on top of some machinery told him the kid was no stranger to messing with Imperials. Idly, he wondered exactly how the kid had gotten those, but pushed the thought aside for later.
Besides those, there was almost nothing that showed anyone lived here. The only thing that suggested it was more than the abandoned tower it appeared to be was the kid standing in the middle of it.
The whole place felt dead and lifeless, which was why it confused him to no end that he could clearly sense two people in the room when there was, quite plainly, only one.
"So, what do you want?"
"To offer you a choice," Kanan replied, focusing back on the task at hand. "You can stay here, let your collection of dusty souvenirs grow, or you can come with us – with me, and be trained in the ways of the Force. You can learn what it truly means to be a Jedi."
He put special emphasis on the last word, unsure if Ezra saying 'Je'daii' had been a mispronunciation or deliberate. Ezra, meanwhile, was torn between laughing like a mad man and crying hysterically. In an attempt to keep from doing either he cast about for something to say.
"So. . .Either way it doesn't sound like you're going to let me keep this?" He waved the holocron.
"No." Kanan shook his head and held out his hand. "That I need back."
"Figures," Ezra sighed. "The one thing the Imperials didn't take is the one thing you shake me down for."
Kanan rolled his eyes. "I'm not sha–"
"Whatever." Ezra threw him the holocron with a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away. The instant he did so the presence at the door vanished. Looking back he confirmed what he already knew, Kanan was gone.
He closed the door and leaned against it, letting his feet slide out from under him. He pulled off his hat and looked at it. It looked so old and faded, a far cry from the beautiful gift it had once been.
"I know you're there." His voice carried easily in the small, empty room. "You've been following me all day, and I know. . .I know what you're going to – what you would say: that I should go with them, but. . ."
He swallowed thickly. "I'm not brave like - like you. I'm scarred."
A calm reassurance swept through him.
"I'll do it." He scrubbed the back of his hand across his face and took a shaky breath. "For you."
That person's presence radiated a happy reassurance.
"But! I'm gonna need help. I'm not - not strong like you. Can you help me?"
Determination that was most definitely not his shot through him.
"We'll always have each other's backs, right?" he asked with a grin, placing his hat back on his head. He looked up and for a second, he could almost swear he saw that person standing in front of him, smiling broadly as a single word drifted through the air.
"Always."