Summary: Ezra knew something was off the minute the Loth-Wolves ushered him to the temple. Brought into a place that defies all explanation he witnesses events that lead him to make a most dangerous gamble.
Fills in missing pieces to my story Kanan's Difficult Morning. Probably better understood if you've read that but you're smart so make your own choice. I'm not the boss of you.
I promised I'd post this in April, and it's still April where I live so here you go. I finished this chapter like 10 minutes ago so please forgive any errors until I have time to fix them. Thanks! 3
"There's something else going on here. Something more sinister."
It was making too much sense now and Ezra could have kicked himself for not realizing it before. Lothal was his home, he should have been more in tune to the empire's threat here. He shouldn't have let himself become distracted.
Even Saw had seen more than he had. For all his disparaging comments he had hit on something. Thrawn's pet project or not, the occupation of his planet was far stronger than the empire's presence on other worlds with shipyards and munitions factories. Ezra should know, he'd led raids on dozens of them.
And there was something else. An old assertion made by minister Tua as she'd begged them to rescue her. A plan for Lothal known only to the highest ranking agents of the siege force. A plan ordered by the Emperor himself.
It could only involve the one place on the planet that held a stronger connection to the force than anywhere Ezra had ever been.
In a matter of minutes (though it should have taken hours) the wolves were creeping up on the edge of the mountain range overlooking the temple valley. Or rather the excavation site the valley had become.
Ezra's heart clinched painfully and it took several minutes of deep breathing to curb the fury that fought to rise within him at the perversion of one of the few sacred refuges left to the Jedi.
As if sensing his emotion, the white wolf nuzzled his shoulder, its warm breath ghosting over his neck and soothing him somewhat.
Sabine meanwhile had been scanning the area through her helmet's sensors and, when she had his attention, briefly summarized their position.
"What's our next move?" She asked.
"You and I will go get a closer look," he said after a moment's thought. "Well keep to the perimeter until it's safe to approach, then we'll find out exactly what they're after. If we can take care of it just the two of us we will, if not we'll relay what we find to Kanan and Hera and see how fast they can get here. Zeb, Chopper, stay here and be prepared to clear an exit route. Chop record everything you see happen."
"Wha ho." The droid gave a little salute and crept closer to the edge of the overlook.
"Are you sure about this?"
Ezra glanced at the white wolf who gave a faint nod before retreating back into the shadows. "I am."
"Come on, we have to follow them!"
"Ezra!"
Despite the danger he couldn't help the thrill coursing through him. Stealing a glance at Sabine he saw her face lit up with an equal amount of fascination - if a bit more academic in nature. Moving paintings weren't something that happened everyday, although he supposed if any artist could make it happen, it would be her.
They stopped short as the glowing wolves shifted their march from a straight line into a circle.
"This is it." He watched them intently for several heartbeats. "There. Did you see that?"
Sabine blinked at him. "See what?"
"The stone I..I could have sworn it rippled."
"You've been staring at it too- oh" She cut off as he stepped forward and placed his hand against the temple only to watch it disappear inside. He quickly pulled it back, sparks of electricity following along.
"Intruders. Don't move!"
Ezra's shoulders tensed and his hand drifted toward his lightsaber, only stopping when a small hand gripped his wrist. "I'll deal with him. You get ready to move."
"Enough talking," the trooper ordered. "Hands where I can see them."
"Oh you're going to see them alright."
He didn't want to leave her. Not that he didn't think she could handle the enemy - far from it - but she'd had his back far more often than he'd had hers of late. He'd need to start balancing the scale soon before she got too far ahead for it to make a difference.
"Ezra go!"
With no time and very little thought he pushed further into the swirling color in front of him. The last thing he heard was the sweet sound of a beskar incrusted fist connecting with an oh so inadequate imperial helmet.
"Darkness rises. And light to meet it."
"You are a clan of two."
"People believe in Leia. They'll hear our message. They'll come."
"I like firsts. Good or bad, they're always memorable."
Ezra fell to his knees, hands clamped tight against his head. The voices had been bombarding him every few minutes from the second he'd regained consciousness. Sometimes in a shout, sometimes barely a whisper, but always here and gone before he could figure out any kind of meaning behind them.
What was this place? What did it want? Desperately he reached for his center, a difficult task when the force was whipping around him so fast he could barely think, let alone focus.
The little bird that had greeted him on arrival fluttered back to his side. Alighting on his shoulder it trilled comfortingly in his ear until the voices fell quiet again. Somehow he found his feet, moving slowly down the pathway that seemed the brightest of the ones surrounding him. It was as good a direction as any, and the convor seemed to approve.
"I'd never let anyone hurt you Ahsoka, never."
"Every choice you have ever made has led you to this moment."
"I didn't have a choice. I had to leave."
"Little Soka."
"I'm Ahoska Tano."
"Ahsoka…"
"AHSOKA!"
Wait. That had been his voice.
Memories flooded back and he had the picture perfect in his mind even before his eyes spotted the portal.
His friend engaged in a battle to the death with the twisted black being in front of her. He'd never known just how her last moments had gone and the sight reached deep into his mind, pulling on every thread of the tiny child he'd once been. A child who'd seen nothing of the horrors of life but knew enough to be afraid of the dark. Vader had her at his mercy with no intent to show any.
As if under a control not his own, his hand shot out. Grasping her shoulder he put all his strength into pulling her backwards. The resistance disappeared and they both collapsed to the ground.
Hissing, she got gingerly to her feet, blinking slowly as she took him in. Raising a hand up parallel to the top of his head she cocked her own in confusion. "Ezra? What happened? Is Kanan alright? Where is he?"
"Yes. I don't really know. He's fine. Probably annoyed at me by now, but what else is new? He's back at base."
"Back on Atollon?"
Ezra shook his head. "No. You've missed a lot. We - my family - we're on Lothal. The empire is harvesting the temple. They're looking for something. Probably this place. Have you ever heard of anything like it?"
Ahsoka shivered, rubbing her arms. Morai cooed gently in her ear. "Inside the force?"
"What?"
She raised her voice. "I said it feels like we're inside the force."
"What do you mean? The force isn't… it's everywhere."
She looked around slowly, head tilted as if listening to the same voices he'd heard upon entering. "True. I think that's what this place is. Everywhere. Places that have been," she paused, eyes tearing slightly, "places that could have been."
As if in response to her words the portal beside them sprang to life again, showing a tall woman with a purple headwrap scolding a young man who it took Ezra a few minutes to recognize as himself.
"How many times are you going to come home late and unannounced young man? Just where have you been?"
Ezra rubbed his neck, long strands of his hair bouncing wildly. "Sorry Mom. I would have commed but but General Sato wanted to talk to me and then I was so excited I just..."
A deep chuckle sounded and another man stepped into view. Tall and dark, with flecks of gray showing in his thick beard. "Take a breath son. You can't tell us your news if you're hyperventilating."
Other Ezra paused, inhaling deeply before pulling a data pad from his pocket. "Look. I got 100's on both my finals. My instructors said that means I can skip the early entry exam for ORFA. I can start the winter semester instead of having to wait until next year!"
Mira covered her mouth with her hands while Ephraim's split into a blinding grin. He pulled his son into a hug. "That's wonderful Ezra! I have to say I never pictured you as a pilot, especially not for the Republic but I'm beyond proud of you."
"We never counted on him meeting someone like Hera." Mira reminded her husband. "We owe this amazing young man to her influence."
Ezra frowned. "No. That's not true! Mom, Dad. I'm who I am because of you. Because of what you taught me, because of how much you've been there for me. I never could have done this without you. I love you both so much."
His mother smiled warmly, her hands reaching up to rub his unscarred cheek. "Oh Ezra…
"Ezra!"
The young jedi's vision was filled with the concerned face of a Togruta,
"Did you see that?"
"No, but I could hear voices. Yours. And… your parents?"
He nodded.
Side by side they traveled further into the field of starry pathways, pausing along the way as a scene played inside one portal or another. Some only Ahsoka could get a clear picture of, others Ezra. Each one, good or bad, killed him a little inside. None more so than a replay of two, or was it, three nights ago. Except not an exact replay. This time the explosion went off a few seconds earlier, and instead of doing a leap that Ezra still didn't where he'd found the strength for, Kanan had thrown all his energy into shoving their transport ship away, the flames taking him before they could do anything more than scream in horror.
Ahsoka had to do a lot more than block his path to the portal that time.
Minutes - or was it hours? - later they were both on their feet again, in silent but mutual agreement that they'd seen enough of whatever tricks the force may have been playing on them.
On the way out he voiced the thought foremost in his mind. "Whatever we do, the emperor can't find out about this place.
Whatever her response might have been, it changed immediately as Morai alighted atop yet another portal. "Ezra. I think he already knows."
"You have your orders Grand Admiral. I have arranged for the artifact to be brought to be transferred to your ship upon your arrival in the Lothal system. I give you clearance to do whatever you deem necessary to convince the boy to surrender to you."
"Forgive my skepticism Lord, but are you certain Bridger can accomplish what you seek?"
"I have foreseen it. His connection to his planet provides the last missing link. Once the rebels with him have been eliminated he will have no future but the one I will shape for him. After I have adequately tested his abilities you will bring him and the gateway back to Coruscant."
"What do you wish to happen to the rest of the temple?"
"Once the boy and his power are under my control it will be of no further use to me."
"He will not bow to your command easily, My Emperor."
"His resistance is of no concern. I've broken far stronger Jedi than him. And the opportunities this opens up will give me plenty of leverage to bring him under my influence. The best slaves are those who do not even understand they've been enslaved."
"He has a very strong will."
The sith lord laughed a sickly silky laugh. "Willpower is nothing when everything you've wanted the most is laid at your feet. He's proved unable to resist the dark side's call in the past. Once he is in my possession nothing will stop it from enveloping him completely. Now, you will make preparations to leave at my command."
Thrawn bowed at the waist, his face revealing nothing. "As you wish."
Ahsoka's face twisted with pain, her signature broadcasting a full spectrum of emotions that caught Ezra off guard. Even including the Jedi he'd met - which was all of three besides Kanan - she was the most controlled individual he'd ever come across. Seeing her like this frightened him almost more than the emperor's words.
"Is that going to happen or has it already happened?" He finally managed to ask. "Or was it even real? My parents, I know that didn't happen. Kanan-" he swallowed hard, "I'm pretty sure that didn't happen. Is this…?"
She shook her head slowly. "You're better suited to know that than I am."
"I don't understand."
"I think you do." She placed a hand on his shoulder and lowered them both down to kneel on the walkway. "Focus on the force, only that. Replay the scene in your mind, ignore what you see and hear, concentrate only on our need for the truth."
He closed his eyes and made an effort to do as she asked. After a few frustrating seconds he felt fingers brush against his forehead, smoothing the wrinkles there. "Easy," she murmured. "You don't have to push. Breathe slowly and let the answer come to you."
The answer didn't bother taking its time. He could sense the truth in bone and sinew as clearly as he could in the eddies of the force around them.
"It's true," He whispered. "Every second of it. We need a plan, and we needed it yesterday."
"Are you sure you'll be able to do this?"
"It's the best chance we have. Of course it'd all be easier if you were with us."
She shook her head. "Don't worry, when the time is right, I'll return to our world. We'll see one another again. But until then I must ask you to keep my survival a secret. From everyone, even your family."
"But why? We miss you Ahsoka. Everyone misses you. Just knowing you're alive-"
"Will put them in danger. Ana-Vader may know something happened but he doesn't know what. If word gets out I survived the Emperor will search for me. You said he already has people working to uncover the secrets of this temple. We can't draw any more attention to it or to Lothal. I know it's hard, but you're going to have to make everyone believe nothing happened here. For all our sakes."
"I can't leave you here alone."
"I won't be alone." She reached up and stroked Morai's feathers. The bird trilled contentedly. "This is your journey Ezra. I'm grateful to you for saving my life, but I can't follow you. Not yet. The Force is telling me I need to wait. I don't know why but I need to trust it."
"I understand. May the Force be with you."
She smiled faintly. "Good luck Ezra Bridger. And thank you."
There you have it. Chapter two coming soo- whenever I finish it. Right now my thoughts are consumed by a story I will probably never write that follows on the end of the Mandalorian S3 (Which I loved so shut up!) I really want to see Ezra and Sabine interact with Din, Bo-Katan and Grogu.