Chapter 21- Rebels Again

"According to the ship's records, yes. We really need a Jedi for this sort of thing," the dark-maned Bothan in the hologram gave a self-deprecating smile.

"We trust your information," Alexsandr Kallus assured him. "Hold your position until we arrive."

"Acknowledged, sir." The Bothan saluted and the holoimage disappeared.

"The monsters," hissed Hera Syndulla Dume from the pilot's seat of the Ghost. She began working her instruments with lightning speed. "Comm the rest of the fleet and tell them to assume positions."

Alexsandr flipped the comm switch and typed in the codes. "Opening channels now. Ruwelyn fleet, this is the Ghost. Acknowledge."

"Ghost, this is the Honour Guard. Just dropped from hyperspace," a deep, gruff voice reported. "Preparing to blast that star destroyer to smithereens!"

"Negative, Honour Guard! Hold your fire!"

"What? But we've got to stop them!"

"You heard Alexi, Zeb!" Hera interrupted. "Do not fire on that ship! There are twenty-five Force-sensitive beings on board, according to our reports." Her voice softened, trembling slightly. "We believe they're mostly younglings."

"We're too late," groaned the Lasat.

"It's never too late," returned Alexsandr, as the Ghost plunged from hyperspace.

"The Bothans, Alexi and I are going to board the destroyer. We need the rest of you to keep her crew busy without blowing her up. Can you do that?"

"You can count on the Dark Saber, Lady Syndulla," the Mandalorian leader assured her.

"You just do your part and we'll do ours," added the deep, burbling voice of Admiral Ackbar. The Mon Calamari had left retirement to join in the new fight.

"Without blowing her up?" Zeb repeated dubiously. "And how are we supposed to do that?"

"Fire across her bow, her stern." Alexsandr tapped the console as if to emphasize his instructions. "Inflict minor damage, play Loth-cat and Loth-mouse, but do not destroy her until Hera and I give you the signal. Do we have your word of honor?"

"All right, all right. I want those kids safe, too. But you'd better not take long."

Outside the Ghost's viewport, a Mandalorian warship, a Mon Calamari cruiser and a balloon-shaped Lasat fighter took up positions to harry the larger New Republic star destroyer. Although they could not see it, Hera and Alexsandr knew that a cloaked Bothan spy ship was hovering nearby. A flash lit up the darkness of space as the Honour Guard fired.

Hera's face set in determination. "Let's go."

Using the Phantom and leaving Chopper to man the Ghost, they slipped into an almost empty hanger bay. Red lights flashed overhead and the sound of an alarm floated to them.

"Our diversion is working," Alexsandr whispered as they descended the ramp. "It appears the captain has scrambled all his fighters to combat our fleet."

"Yes, but where are the Bothans?" Hera whispered back. "Without them, we have no way of knowing where the younglings are."

"Don't worry- they'll find us. The Admiral personally assigned them to us."

"That's right," purred a lilting, male voice, almost at Hera's shoulder. "Come, no time to lose. They are in the medbay."

The Bothan Captain led the way through a nearby door, followed by Hera, Alexsandr and six other Bothans. The little band encountered no resistance until they reached the medbay.

"Halt!" shouted the lead guard. His four men leveled their blasters at the former rebels. They were instantly cut down.

Hera pushed through the door and came to an abrupt halt. "Oh, Alexi!"

The twenty-five prisoners lay lined up along the walls, strapped to gurneys. Medical bags hung above the beds with tubes running down to arms and necks.

"They're drugged!" growled the Bothan Captain.

"How are we going to get them out if they can't walk?" Alexsandr glanced around as if he might spot a solution on the walls or floor. "We can't carry them- there are too many."

Hera stood with her eyes closed and spoke dreamily. "We won't have to. All we have to do is get them to call on the Force. The drug will no longer have any effect on them."

"But they're not trained," protested the Bothan Captain's wife, shaking her long braid.

"Exactly," Hera nodded. "These drugs would have done nothing to Ezra or Luke, but they've incapacitated these younglings because they're not trained. They don't know how to call on the Force. We just need to train them."

The Bothans and Alexsandr stared at her, slack-jawed. At last, Alexsandr found his voice.

"But … Hera… we're not Jedi! We can't train them!"

Instead of answering, Hera walked to the first child. She gently removed the needle in his arm and place her hands on his shoulders. Softly, she whispered in his ear.

"Open yourself to the Force. Let go of yourself."

As she continued to murmur encouragement to the youngling, he first relaxed then tensed. Finally, his eyes opened and he sat up.

"Excellent." Hera nodded her approval.

The Bothans looked at each other, then spread out among the prisoners to imitate Hera's technique. Alexsandr hesitated a moment, then shrugged and joined them. Long minutes later, all twenty-five Force-sensitive individuals were sitting up, dazed and awake.

"Let's go." Hera ordered.

A soft thump sounded behind her, followed by a reptilian hiss. Spinning around she saw a large, russet-colored Barabel in a fighting stance with a gleaming blade held high.

"Step away from the hatchlings and perhapz this one will let you live." The Barabel swung her weapon and a hum filled the room. A lightsaber? Was it possible?

Hera stepped back, motioning for the others to follow suit. "We came to help the younglings, not to harm them." Hera met the Barabel's angry glare. "But if you're a Jedi, you know that. You can sense our intentions in the Force."

The reptilian cocked her head, regarding them silently.

"This one is not a Jedi, only a follower of the Force. And the Force sayz you are friendz." She raised a scaly hand and lowered her weapon. Four small Barabels scurried to her side. Sissing with joy, she gathered them up and addressed Hera. "This one must apologize. She has recognized the great Hera Syndulla, but has not introduced herself. This one's name is Saba Sebatyne and these are this one's hatchlings."

"I'm honored to meet one so strong with the Force," Hera inclined her head in a slight bow.

"We would be even more honored to have you join us in our fight," ventured Alexsandr.

At the word "fight", Saba's dark eyes sparkled. "It would be this one's pleasure. Perhaps you will introduce her to your friend, Master Skywalker. This one could use some tipz on proper lightsaber construction." She held up her blade.

"I'm sure Luke would be glad to help you," Hera smiled at Saba's enthusiasm. "But first we have to get off this ship. Do you have a ship?"

Saba sissed in laughter. "This one is a stowaway!"

"Then you can come with us," Hera offered. "Let's get going."

She scooped up the two smallest younglings and followed Alexsandr and the Bothan Captain back down the hallway, where the red alert lights still strobed. They hurried through the first hall and turned into another. More halls branched off to each side and Hera cautiously watched both ways. As they neared the final turn, a shot sizzled from one of the side halls, narrowly missing Alexsandr.

The Bothans and Alexsandr instantly returned fire while Hera gathered the younglings around her. A loud crash echoed down the side hall, followed by a satisfied growl from Saba. With her hands still raised, she bared her sharp teeth in a smile.

"This one's practice is paying off. She has never Force-thrown so many foes all at once before."

"Well done," agreed the Bothan Captain. "We'd better get moving before any more show up."

Quickly, the group made their way through the last hall and entered the hangar bay. It too was still deserted. Hera helped the younglings board the still-cloaked Bothan ship, while Alexsandr loaded the Barabels into the Phantom. As soon as both former Rebel vessels cleared the hangar door, Hera opened a channel to the Honour Guard.

"Mission accomplished, Zeb. Give them one chance to surrender. You know what to do if they don't."

"They just did!" laughed Zeb. "I have the captain on the comm right now."

"Good. Have them evacuate the ship and take possession of it. Then escort them back to the base on Ruwelyn." She ended the transmission.

Alexsandr chuckled. "The base? Looks like we're Rebels again."

"If it comes to it," Hera replied. She guided the Phantom to its docking port on the Ghost and led her guests down into the ship.

"Chop, we made some new friends," Hera indicated the five Barabels. "I want you to help Alexi get them settled in."

Chopper beeped his disapproval at being given work, grumbling as he rolled off to the cabins.

"This way," Alexsandr motioned for Saba and her brood to follow him, while Hera hurried to the cockpit.

A ding sounded from the Ghost's comm station. Hera flicked it on. A blue figure appeared above the console and her eyes lit in joyful recognition.

"Ezra! It's so good to see you. Tell Luke we've found some new Jedi for you two to train. We just rescued them from a ship that was taking them to a 'rehabilitation center', as Agati calls his prisons for Jedi."

"That's great, Hera." Ezra's holoimage smiled with just a hint of sadness. "I've got some important news for you, too." He paused, his blue eyes peering intently into her green ones. "I've seen Kanan."