Chapter 2: Ezra Knows What Self Preservation Is. He Just Doesn't Care.

Summary: Ezra's visit to Thrawn ship gets far more intense than he was expecting. The Emperor has a tried and true method for swaying young Jedi to his side. He'd never miscalculate right?

TW: Mentions of blood and canon typical violence. Canon

Hera had been right of course. Not that he'd expected anything less. Within seconds of stepping off the little shuttle he'd used to get to Thrawn's ship, stormtroopers had him disarmed, handcuffed and on the move. Marching further into the depths of the Star Destroyer surrounded by a wall of white was far from the most terrifying thing that had happened in his life, but it was unsettling.

Inhaling deeply, Ezra focused his attention on the goal ahead of him, mentally reviewing the plan - such as it was - that had been forming in his mind the past few days. There were still a lot of unknowns, but Ahsoka's promise and the warmth of his connection to Kanan served as enough to steady him as they approached Thrawn's office.

His exchange with the Grand Admiral was short and tense, Thrawn playing the role of liberator and claiming to have lost no moral ground in his assault on people who'd done nothing to deserve it. If Ezra had been in a different mood, the imperial's emotional detachment from his actions might have been frightening. As it was he had bigger things to be afraid of.

Then the man had to go and surprise him yet again. Opening and closing his mouth once, the non-human reached out as if to touch Ezra's shoulder before pulling his hand back. When he spoke his voice had lowered an octave or two, as if in confidence.

"The Emperor intends to make you an offer Bridger. Ordinarily I'd warn you to think very carefully about refusing but in this case I believe the same caution should apply to your acceptance. He has his own defiant purposes behind-"

"I know exactly what he wants. Are we going or not?"

Thrawn's stoic expression was unchanged but Ezra caught a trickle of uncertainty bleed off him before it was quickly dismissed. The grand admiral was an independent being of vast intelligence but he was also a soldier through and through. Which meant in the absence of a very definitive reason to the contrary the young jedi was certain he would behave as he was ordered to.

And indeed he was correct. With an indifferent remark, Thrawn moved to the exit gesturing for the troopers to ensure their prisoner followed. Taking what he knew would be his last look at some of the treasures of his homeworld, Ezra obeyed their direction, reaching out to Kanan for one last burst of reassurance before he looked the dragon straight in the mouth.

"You can save them. I can show you how."

"I can't. It's already happened."

"You of all people should know that's not exactly how things work here. You can stop your parents' deaths. You can change anything you wish. Get them out, bring them home, never get separated from them in the first place. It's all yours for the taking my boy."

Gritting his teeth at the endearment - only Kanan was supposed to call him that - Ezra forced himself to detach his emotions from the scene in front of him.

"No. They wouldn't want that."

The hologram's features hardened minutely. "No?

"Come on Eph, it's not much further. We can make it."

"Pyaar, you know that's not true. We have at least three more floors to climb and then Force only knows what there'll be to deal with on the roof. We can't afford to get caught in a crossfire."

"You can't stay-"

"Yes. We can. You know you'd do the same in my place," He gestured to his half crushed right leg. "I'm slowing you all down."

"He won't be alone," one of the others spoke up. Mira glanced at him, taking in the man's bloodied scalp and slightly unfocused gaze. "Those of us here were ready to make the ultimate sacrifice the day we arrived. Don't take that away now."

Another escapee, a woman who was nearly doubled over - in pain from a non visible wound or simply exhaustion it was difficult to tell - shuffled over and removed Ephraim's arm from around his wife's shoulders, bracing it around her own instead. "We'll buy you the time you need," she said, "you have my word."

Pure agony rippled across Mira's face but she nodded, leaning in to kiss her husband one last time.

He squeezed her hand. "Go now. Make sure our boy knows I'm proud of him."

"I will."

The doorway shimmered and the scene jumped.

"Mira? Mira, where are you?" Ryder's anxiety ridden voice crackled over the com.

"Control room. They've locked down the outer hanger doors, I'll have to do a manual override."

"It'll never hold long enough for you to get back!"

Taking a deep breath she tugged on the hem of her overtunic, glancing down at the red staining her side.

"Getting back was never an option."

"What are you- no! No, wait now, let's think this through."

"There's no time-"

"We can hole up here. Extend the delay on the explosives and get down here. We'll close all the blast doors between the docking bay and the generator and get loose after we blow this place."

Mira shook her head with the faint smile Ezra remembered her making whenever his dad did something cute but dumb.

"That won't work and you know it."

"It will. I've seen the way those seals were forged. They're the best you've ever made."

"The best thing I ever made is back home. With the family he needs. The family he deserves. And this is the best thing I can do for him. For all of them."

"You don't know that!"

"Oh yes I do."

"No one can love that boy the way his mother does!"

"Perhaps not. But the point is he is loved. That's all I need to know." She looked down, tears and laughter sparkling in her sapphire eyes. "Goodbye Ezra."

"MOm!"

The doorway rippled one last time then went blank.

"You see? There was plenty of time before their deaths. You can stop them. Call on the Force. This gateway is dormant now but that's easily changed by someone of your power. Use your will and have it show you those moments again. Once it does, all you have to do is just reach out…"

For a single long moment he was tempted. The heartache of learning for the third time that he'd never see his parents again was almost too much to bear. If he could time it exactly right… Clenching his fists, Ezra shook his head firmly.

"They knew what they were doing, the risks and the odds of success. They knew, the same way they'd known my entire life. I have no right to change their decision. Not when I know they were doing the right thing."

He turned and faced the now flickering hologram. Gathering his resolve he pushed against the dark fog surrounding them, and was rewarded by a burst of warmth from Kanan's side of their bond. Concern, comfort, support, a flash of love so deep it almost brought him to tears, he breathed it all in, letting it brace him for his final refusal.

"My mother is right. I have a family. I don't need anything from you."

If Kanan and Hera knew the meaning of what he was muttering under his breath just now he'd most certainly be grounded. But what was he supposed to do? He'd already been nearly crushed by tons of falling stone, held in some sort of energy trap that set his nerves on fire and now shot in the shoulder! He was entitled to a few choice words. On top of the fact he was trying to concentrate on holding the bridge door shut, holding Thrawn in the grip of the Purrgil, and holding tears back from forming in his eyes as his family pleaded with him to return to them.

"And just what makes you think you'll be able to escape this ship?" Thrawn sneered at Ezra's latest reassurance. "You are trapped in circumstances of your own devising. You sought my destruction and have brought about your own. Nothing worthy of such a prideful display."

"Sheesh, Kallus is right. You talk way too much. For your information I've every right to be proud of myself if for no other reason than I remember one little fact that you and your illustrious emperor seem to have forgotten."

"And what fact would that be?"

Tilting his head, Ezra cracked a smile as a faint hooting sound reached his ears.

"Ḍhōkā du'ī bāṭō khōlcha."

"I beg your pardon?"

He snorted a laugh. "Really? The so-called cultural expert can't understand even a simple phrase in the native language. You disappoint me Grand Admiral."

In that moment the Chimera jolted forward as the purrgil's tentacles twisted around it then began pulsing with light.

"Ezra! Ezra get out of there now!"

Never taking his eyes off his adversary Ezra lifted his wrist to his mouth. "I can't do that. But don't worry, I'll be fine. May the Force be with you."

Static crackled across the com leaving him unsure how much of his message got through. Another hooting sound followed by a loud screech kept him from focusing on that thought.

Cracking a smile Ezra took a couple of steps to the side and released his grip on Thrawn, swinging his now free arm across empty space. "Enjoy your next adventure. If my so-called Jedi Develry is willing, I will never see you again. If not, I do sincerely hope you'll have learned a thing or two by our next encounter."

With that he stepped off the catwalk and onto a sea of stars.

Crying in Kanan's arms was seriously cathartic even if he hadn't allowed himself to do it for long. His father's sorrow over Ezra's loss was obvious but he hadn't tried to say anything. Seemingly knowing words weren't what was needed.

Ezra's tears had stopped by the time Hera and the others arrived in the medbay. The Twi'lek had plenty to say. Well one thing, but it was a lot in itself. Sliding her arms around Ezra's shoulders, she wrapped him up tight, leaning in to whisper a firm "you are in so much trouble" in his ear, before kissing his head and pulling back. He relished every second of the exchange. Hearing his birth mother speak of his new family with such pride had erased a worry he didn't realize he was holding onto. Kanan and Hera were his parents now, as real as the ones he'd let go. That He could love them that way now without reservation eased a little of the pain he'd carried with him since he'd joined their crew.

Sabine moved to hop up next to him on the cot, holding his hand as Hera explained the plan for the next few days. Once all of them had more or less made it clear they knew their family was getting a new member in another 9 or 10 months, Ahsoka shooed them all to bed.

To his complete lack of surprise Ezra failed miserably to fall asleep. Too many raw emotions circulated through his mind and while he wasn't feeling the need to do something impulsive or irresponsible he certainly wasn't in the mood to lie still and stare at the ceiling.

His wandering feet soon led him outside where the pale light of two waning moons shone on him as he sensed more than saw his way back to the cave his family had spent the last few weeks occupying.

A deep sniff and shuffling feet answered the sound of his footsteps entering the room. The white Loth-Wolf stood and padded his way over to Ezra, nudging him gently.

"Been a long few days huh?"

"Safe," the wolf murmured.

"Yeah," Ezra agreed, scratching the wolf's chin. "I think we just might be. At least for a little while."

"Need guardian."

A frown tugged across his brow. "You lot have taken care of yourselves for centuries. What do you need a guardian for?"

Light reflected in the wolf's golden eyes as he (Ezra knew now it was a he) turned to give him a thoughtful look. After a few moments he took a few steps outside and stretched his head out in the direction of the temple.

"Protect. Other leaving."

"Other? Oh, you mean Ahsoka. Yeah, Vader knows she's alive. Or he might. Either way she doesn't want to do anything to keep the Emperor's attention on Lothal. She won't tell me but…well I get the feeling bigger things are coming, new players in this sick game the galaxy is playing on us. She and Morai have to disappear for a while. She'll come back if we call her though."

"You stay."

"That's right." Ezra murmured, resting a hand on the soft snout. "I'm not going anywhere." He didn't know much about his immediate future, but that fact he was sure of.

"Vow?" The wolf pressed, a faint anxiety rippling off the beast.

"Yes." Ezra reassured him. "I made a vow months ago. The rebellion's fight is important, but it got along just fine before me and it will long after I'm gone. That game I mentioned? I'm done playing on other people's terms." Looking out on the horizon he took a deep breath. Despite the darkness of the predawn hour he felt more at peace - more hopeful - with this choice than any other he'd made. Turning back, he looked his planet's steward in the eye.

"This is my home, and I'm here to stay."

Pyarr = Love or Dear (Hindi)

Annnnd done. Thanks so much to everyone who read and especially to Elenaji for motivating me to round out this story with these little bits and pieces. I hope you liked them.

Here's hoping Ahsoka brings us a satisfying canon continuation of Ezra's character and storyline. :) What do you all want to happen the most? I'm super excited for Sabine and Ezra's reunion of course, but I also want to see Sabine kick serious butt with her lightsaber! And I hope Ezra at least gets to talk to Hera (I really want them to hug but I'd settle for talking) and meet Jacen. I will probably cry when/if we see that. Don't let me down Dave please!