Note: Here are the incomplete plans for my Rebels "Expanded Universe" chronology: (BBY = Before Battle of Yavin/ ABY = After Battle of Yavin ). It is tentative and can change.
5 years BBY – "Star Wars Rebels season 1" (Disney XD series)
5 years BBY – "The Truth in the Lies" (In Progress - Part One of the Mandalore Trilogy)
4 years BBY – "The Loss of Hope" (Completed and Updated)
0 years BBY – "A New Hope" (In Progress part 1 of the Star Wars Trilogy)
0 years BBY – "Blood and Water" (working title – coming soon)
2 years ABY - "Revenge of the Death Watch" ( working title - coming soon – Part 2 of the Mandalore Trilogy)
3 years ABY – "The Empire Strikes Back" (coming soon – part 2 of the Star Wars Trilogy)
3 years ABY – "Rise of the Duchess" (coming soon – part 3 of the Mandalore Trilogy)
4 years ABY – "The Return of the Jedi" (coming soon – part 3 of the Star Wars Trilogy)
5 years ABY – "In the End, At the Beginning" (Coming soon)
9 years ABY "The Thrawn Crisis" (Coming soon)
Note 2: This chapter contains a reference to the season finale of Rebels as well as my other story The Truth in the Lies.
Star Wars Rebels
A New Hope
Chapter 2: "The Voice of Rebellion"
Princess Leia Organa sat silently in her dark, empty, utilitarian cell. Truth was she was frightened, and had never been in such a tight spot. She hadn't been in a cell for many years. And usually it was just for minor teenage rebellions… not charges of treason.
Yet, no matter how frightened she felt, she wouldn't show it. Not to the Inquisitor, not to the Emperor's attack dog Vader, Not to anyone.
She remembered the transmission all those years ago; the young Rebel, who came to be known as The Voice of Rebellion, and his message of unity and strength. Like the Voice said, she wasn't alone. Even when she was trapped in this cell, the Rebellion was still out there. That hope was worth fighting for.
The Alderaanian Princess glanced up when a group of Storm Troopers with Lord Vader and his Inquisitor entered her cell. The Dark Lord of the Sith motioned for the Troopers to take her, and she gave a short struggle before they dragged her to her feet and on down the hall.
Vader and Adeptus hung back slightly, watching them escort her to the Command Center.
"She is strong with the Force, my Master," Adeptus stated watching the girl being dragged down the hallway, "She doesn't realize the power she holds. She could be turned and trained."
"Perhaps, but it is doubtful she could easily be turned to the Dark Side," Vader replied, "She is as stubborn as she is strong in the Force, Inquisitor. She will fight till her last breath. I can feel it. Not unlike the Jedi who leads the Rebel cell on Lothal. Though, I feel you may be able to turn him… when you are ready."
"The… Jedi still lives?" Adeptus asked.
"For now, Inquisitor," Vader stated as they approached the command center, "Be mindful of your feelings. Focus on what must be done, and nothing else."
"Yes, my Master…" Adeptus nodded.
Vader and Adeptus joined the troopers and the Princess as they joined the commander of the space station.
"Governor Tarkin, I might have known…" Leia said boldly, more brave than she honestly felt, but as her parents had always said she was a terrific actress. "Only you would be so bold. I should have known I'd find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board."
"Charming to the last," Tarkin, a tall, evil looking man gave a tight smile, "You don't know how hard I found it, signing the order to terminate your life."
Leia wasn't cowed; she continued to stare the man down. "I'm surprised that you had the courage to do it yourself."
"Princess Leia, before your execution, I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this Battle Station fully operational." Governor Tarkin said, motioning to the massive command center of the Death Star station. "No Star System will dare oppose the Empire now."
"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin," Leia growled confidently, "The more star systems will slip through your fingers."
"Not after we demonstrate the power of this station," he gave Leia a mock-thankful look, "In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that'll be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel Base, I have decided to test the destructive power …" He motioned for the main display screen to be turned on, revealing a beautiful, peaceful looking planet that was very familiar to the Princess. "… On your home planet of Alderaan."
"NO!" Leia cried out, her heart clinching in pure terror, "Alderaan is peaceful! We have no weapons! You can't possibly…"
Governor Tarkin got in the girls face, and motioned menacingly, "You would prefer another target? A military target? THEN NAME THE SYSTEM!"
Leia stared at her home silently as Tarkin grew angrier. "I grow tired of asking this… so, this will be the last time. WHERE is the Rebel Base?"
Leia swallowed hard before replying in a soft, broken voice. "Dantooine…" she said as she lowered her head in defeat. "They're on Dantooine…"
"There, you see Lord Vader? She can be reasonable," Tarkin said to the armored Sith, then turned to his command crew, "Continue the operation. You may fire when ready."
"WHAT!?" Leia gasped, fighting against the troopers who held her.
"You are far too trusting…" Tarkin smiled to the girl, "Dantooine is far too remote to make an effective demonstration. But don't worry, we will deal with your Rebel friends soon enough."
"NO!" Leia cried, as Tarkin turned back to the view screen to watch the show, as she continued to watch in horror as she heard and felt the space station's main canon begin to hum and roar to life.
"It is a shame she did not say Lothal…" Tarkin shrugged, noticing from the corner of his eye Inquisitor Adeptus' gloved fist clinched tightly.
Leia trembled and she felt her heart break as a blast of green energy shot from the Death Star's main cone-like cannon. It tore through the planet's atmosphere, digging through the Glarus Valley, the rushing rivers evaporated and snow covered trees were atomized instantly as the beam tore through the ground digging through on to the planet's core.
Alderaan was home to billions of men, women, and children of multiple species, animal life that exists nowhere else in the galaxy. In the planet's final death breaths a planet wide earthquake toppled palaces that had survived wars thousands of years before, volcanic lava and ash exploded into atmosphere before the planet's atmosphere collapsed and the planet's core exploded, breaking Alderaan up into an asteroid field.
Tarkin, while amused at his masterpiece's power, noticed the Inquisitor's fists were still clinched and could feel his eyes on him through his visor. "Is there a problem, Inquisitor?"
"No problems, Sir," the Inquisitor shook his head. "May I be dismissed? I need to meditate."
"Good… and as you wish," Tarkin said, and the Inquisitor bowed before leaving the bridge.
"Keep a watch on your lackey, Lord Vader…" Tarkin warned.
"You worry about your battle station, Governor," Vader's growling voice responded, "I will concern myself with the Inquisitor."
-SW-
Hours earlier, Tatooine
Ezra rode with Obiwan and Luke and his two droids in his speeder as they approached a vehicle selling lot. He stayed slightly behind with R2D2 and C-3PO as the group entered the lot.
Ezra crossed his arms and glanced to the golden protocol droid. "You're not going to sell us out again, are you?"
"I assure you, Sir…" C-3PO sounded scandalized, "In our last meeting I felt assured I was kidnapped by criminals, and was completely unaware of my counterpart's hidden objectives."
R2 beeped and chirped, bumping into 3PO's leg.
Ezra laughed, patting R2's dome, and glanced around at the shop. He was a little surprised at the fine artwork that decorated behind the desk. Sabine would love it.
"Is that all you're offering?" Luke gasped, "One Thousand Credits? This speeder is in terrific shape!"
"One and a quarter," the sales man, a large, chubby male Twi'lek crossed his arms over his chest. "Take it or leave it."
Obiwan started to lift his hand when Ezra leaned against the desk and waved his hand toward the Twi'lek, "You actually will give three thousand credits for the speeder…" Ezra said, staring the Twi'lek in the eyes.
"I… will give three thousand credits for the speeder." The Twi'lek replied in a trance.
"And, because it's such a nice vehicle, you'll throw in that painting of a star bird on the wall with it," Ezra waved his hand, motioning toward a painting on the wall.
"And I will throw this painting of a phoenix by Janura of Bith as an added bonus!" The Twi'lek pulled the painting off the wall and handed it to Ezra. Then, he handed the three thousand credits to Luke and Obiwan.
"Thank you, it's been a pleasure doing business with you," Ezra waved his hand.
"Thank you, it's been a pleasure doing business with you!" The Twi'lek waved in a friendly manner as the group walked from the shop.
"You are quite good with the mind trick, my young friend," Obiwan smiled.
"It's probably the most useful of the tricks Kanan taught me," Ezra shrugged, Obiwan nodded while Luke studied the other Jedi.
"So, am I going to learn to do that, too?" Luke asked the aged Master.
"There's always hope, Kid," Ezra smirked, and Luke froze in his step.
"Say that again…" Luke said softly to Ezra.
"Say what?" Ezra and Obiwan glanced to the blond.
"Hope, say hope…" Luke stared at him with wide blue eyes.
Ezra blinked a few times, "Hope?" as soon as the word left his mouth, Luke gasped.
"You're HIM!" Luke pointed at Ezra.
"Him?" Obiwan glanced around then at the equally confused Ezra.
"The Voice of Rebellion…" Luke breathed; staring at Ezra like had just met a rock star.
"Not so loud, Kid…" Ezra glanced around.
"I can't help it… do you know what you've done? How much you've inspired… how much hope you've given by your messages?" Luke asked breathlessly.
"Better watch that kind of talk," Luke and Obiwan looked up to see a pink and purple armored Mandalorian approaching them, "The Kid's head is swollen enough normally. It won't fit on the ship if you keep that up."
Obiwan's hand went for his saber, but relaxed when Ezra waved and smiled. "Find who you went to talk to? Who was it anyway?"
"No one important, Ezra," Sabine said, pulling her helmet off and placing it under her arm and nodded to Obiwan and Luke. "Master Kenobi, annoying-gawking-Kid number 2."
"You recognize Obiwan, this is Luke Skywalker," Ezra said to his best friend, "Guys, this is Sabine Wren. Sabi, probably best not to refer to him as Master in public."
"Dually noted, annoying-gawking-Kid number 1," Sabine smirked.
"Sabine… now you're just showing off for the new people…" Ezra shook his head, then glanced down to the frame under his arm. "I guess I can take this back…"
"You got me something?" Sabine's brown eyes lit up. "Gimme!"
"What's the magic word?" Ezra smirked.
"I won't paint your face in your sleep… again." Sabine grinned.
"The OTHER magic word…" Ezra placed a hand on his hip.
Sabine crossed her arms and glared right back. Obiwan released a humph in amusement while Luke glanced between the two. Finally one gave. "Ok, fine, whatever. Here you go." He said handing off the painting.
Ezra smiled as Sabine's face lit up at the sight of the painting. "Ezra! This is a painting of the Marek Clan Crest! This … *gasp* this is a JANURA OF BITH!" She exclaimed, as her eyes traveled over the painting critically, "The darker shades and angry strokes tell me it was done during his depression period… The tone of the color combinations and angular strokes… oh Ezra!"
"Had a feeling you'd like it," Ezra smiled.
-SW-
Zeb climbed the ladder to the bridge of the Ghost. "Hera? You up here?" the Lasat asked, glancing around and found her nursing a flask.
"Hey! We may be leaving soon, don't need you getting drunk on us!" Zeb grabbed the flask away from her.
"Hey!" Hera reached for it, frowning disappointedly.
Zeb sat down roughly in the copilot seat and his greenish-yellow eyes settled on her.
She glared back a moment before sighing and sitting back in her seat. "Get us ready for when Ezra and Sabine make it back, Chopper," Hera spoke to the astromech droid in the back of the cockpit.
"You know, this is why we left you on the ship right?" Zeb said, holding up the flask. "You don't need to be around large quantities of alcohol."
"You talk like I have a problem," Hera frowned, glaring at the former Honor Guard. "And I don't!" She said, swiping for the flask, but Zeb jerked it away from her.
"When someone has a problem, that's always what they say," Zeb replied, holding up a finger. "Hera, no matter how much you drink, it's not going to bring Kanan back." He looked at the almost empty flask, "This isn't helping you, sweetheart."
"You don't know the first thing on what I'm doing or why," Hera took another attempt at grabbing her drink. "I just need… something to numb things for a little bit… to rest…"
"Is this what Kanan would want?" Zeb asked, frowning at the Twi'lek.
Hera's hazy green eyes lit up angrily, "How do you know Kanan and I didn't drink together?" She growled, letting her rarely displayed fangs show, "How do you know we didn't do other things together? You don't know anything!"
She gasped when Zeb pulled her into a hug. "Look, Hera…" Zeb whispered against one of her lekku, "You're not alone. We're all here, me, the Kid, Sabine, even the bucket of bolt. Don't turn to the bottle… come to us. Any one of us will be there… especially the kid; he's worried about you as is. We all need you all together, Hera."
Hera took a breath to reply, but either it was agreeable or not to Zeb, he'd never know as the radio began to beep.
"Spectre Four and Two here," Zeb said, hitting the button.
"This is Specter Five," Sabine's voice spoke through the radio, sounding strained, injured, and the sound of muffled voices screaming and blaster fire could be heard in the background. "We got problems…"
-SW-
"What… a piece of junk…" Luke said as he, Obiwan, Sabine, Ezra, C-3PO and R2D2 stood before Han Solo and Chewbacca 's ship, the Millennium Falcon.
"Actually, it looks like Han cleaned it up a bit," Sabine noted, glancing over the Corellian freighter. "New paint job?"
"She'll make point five beyond the speed of light," Han Solo said, coming down the ramp. "She may not look like much, but she has it where it counts, Kid. I've added some special modifications." Han then gave Sabine a wink, "And yeah, gave her a coat of paint, but I had to pass on your color suggestions, Beautiful."
Sabine smiled behind her helmet, not at Han's flirtation, but Ezra stepping between them. The last few years, she's found his possessiveness enduring. She didn't need to be taken care of, no, but it was the thought that counted. And, 'Heroic Jedi Knight' looked good on Ezra.
"The Lasat with you, Kid?" Han asked the young Jedi, "He owes my pal money." He said, thumbing back to the Wookie, who roared in agreement.
"Zeb's back on the ship, Han," Sabine replied, placing a hand on Ezra's shoulder. "We're coming along to help these guys. Do you have a course set yet, so we can follow along in the Ghost."
"Yeah, we'll get you the coordinates…" He glanced up when the door opened and a unit of Storm Troopers entered. "Um, friends of yours?"
"FREEZE!" the Storm Trooper commander yelled.
"Golden Rod, hold on to this for me," Sabine passed her painting to 3P0, "AND DON'T MESS IT UP! IT'S WORTH A FORTUNE!" she ordered the droid, drawing his twin blasters.
Ezra unsnapped his lightsaber/blaster hybrid form his belt as Luke drew his own blaster. "Master Kenobi, get the droids inside the ship, we'll handle this. Cover the ramp, Luke." Ezra aimed his saber, and fired a volley of blaster bolts at the Storm Troopers, striking two in the chest.
"I thought that was a lightsaber…" Luke blinked, then his eyes widened as a pop hiss filled the air, and a blue blade extended from Ezra's lightsaber hilt.
"That's cause it is," Ezra smiled, deflecting incoming blasts away.
"Luke, get on board, Luke, we're going to have to get out fast," Ezra ordered as Sabine quickly moved closer to him, firing her twin blasters as she came.
"But…" Luke shook his head, firing his blaster at one, taking another trooper down.
"There's too many, Ezra," Sabine said as more troopers poured into the docking bay.
"We have to hold them off till the Falcon can get in the air!" Ezra said, making a swipe with his saber, to deflect more incoming blasts.
"Easier said than… AH!" Sabine screamed as a blaster bolt hit her in the shoulder, then the abdomen.
"SABINE!" Ezra screamed turning and time seemed to slow down as he watched her spin to the side, and fell face first to the ground. Anger welled up in his heart as he slowly turned to face the Storm Troopers, his dark blue eyes now having a ring of sickly yellow around them along with a few yellow specks throughout them. His face contorted in rage as he lifted a hand toward them, lifting the group of troopers into the air.
Ezra's cold eyes slowly began to turn from blue to yellow as he tossed the screaming Storm Troopers around like rag dolls. The few that he hadn't been able to grab with the Force, tried to fire on him, but he effortlessly dodged the blasts. He finally caught sight of the Storm Trooper Commander, who had been the one who hit Sabine, and reached toward him with his hand. A moment later the horrified trooper lifted into the air. Ezra slowly started to close his fist, and the trooper began to scream as his armor began to construct and crush in around his body.
Obiwan had returned to the ramp, sensing the Dark Side presence, and reached for his lightsaber as Ezra continued to slowly torture the Commander. All the while, the few remaining troopers tried to shoot him. As this was going on, Sabine slowly came through at the ramp of the Falcon. Her eyes widened behind her helmet when she saw what was happening.
"This is Spectre Five…" Sabine breathed weakly into the comlink built into her helmet, "We've got problems…"
Sabine forced herself to her feet and saw Obiwan staring at Ezra as he dangled so dangerously close to falling to the Dark Side. "No," Sabine said to the aged Master as she removed her helmet. Fearlessly, with practiced ease she approached her best friend. "Ezra…" She whispered softly.
"Ezra, listen to me," She said, lifting her good arm, and touching Ezra's shoulder. "Ezra, hear my voice. I know you're in the darkness… in the cold… you're lost in it right now, hear me. Come to me… come back to me, Ezra. Come back to the light. You're stronger than the Darkness…" She said, letting her hand trace up his shoulder, his neck, to cup his cheek, "C'mon, Ezra, come back."
Sabine moved a little closer, keeping her hand in contact with his cheek. "Let the trooper go and come back. Come back to the light…"
Ezra slowly let his hand drop and with it the trembling trooper fell to the ground. The dark haired Jedi closed his eyes and stumbled slightly, but Sabine was expecting it, and as she had before, she caught him, and held him close as he trembled from the chill of the Dark Side. "Welcome back, Honey…" Sabine smiled.
"Are… you ok?" Ezra asked, his eyes, once again ocean blue turned to his friend.
"Not really… I'm hurting like hell right now…" She said, glancing to her bleeding side and shoulder. "Not sure we can make it back to the Ghost."
"This… is Spectre One to Spectre Two, Three, and Four… get the Ghost in the air, contact Solo and get a meeting Nav Point and we'll go from there… I'm getting Sabine out with them." Ezra spoke into his com-link as more Troopers stormed in.
They quickly followed the Jedi Master up into the Millennium Falcon, "We're on board, Captain Solo, get us out of here. I'll take care of the young Mandalorian, Luke join Captain Solo and his First Mate in the Cockpit.
Once they were alone, Obiwan guided her to the large table in the commons room, and helped her lay down on it. "I'm going to have to remove your armor to assess the damage, my dear."
Sabine nodded and glanced to the side. "Ezra…" She half moaned from the pain.
He read her unspoken request, and helped the aged Master remove her armored chest plate, and protective undershirt. He grabbed a towel from the kitchenette area and placed it over her chest to protect her modesty as Obiwan examined the bleeding burns on her shoulder and side. "You are very lucky my dear…" Obiwan said, closing his eyes and focusing the Force onto both of the injuries. And Sabine felt the pain edging away to a warm numbness. "That should do until we can find out if the good Captain has any Bacta to go on your wounds. Though I feel we may need some sedatives…"
"No… No, I hate drugs and I'm not feeling any pain right now anyway…" Sabine said, shaking her head.
"Oh no, my dear, Not for you, for your friend," he said, glancing to the panicked-looking Ezra.
"I'm ok, Ezra, see?" She held out her hand to him, and he took it without missing a beat.
"Are you sure?" Ezra asked, glancing to the partly healed wounds.
"Tender but ok," Sabine smiled at her best friend.
"I think you just liked how my scars looked on me and wanted to copy," He said, meaning the scars the Inquisitor placed on his cheek five years ago, but her mind instantly went to the two blaster burns she had placed on his chest herself. An event she had yet to forgive herself for.
"Now that she is stabilized, there is something else we must deal with," Obiwan said, holding out his hand, and Ezra's lightsaber flew from his belt to Obiwan's hand.
"What?" Luke said, as he walked into the commons.
"You are no Jedi," Obiwan said, staring Ezra in the eyes, "Not yet."
To Be Continued…