This is a gift for my good friend Joanna, who you may know as Lady-Grey93 here on . Check out her stories and show her some love.
After the Eye of Sion made its way to Peridea, Morgan Elsbeth brought it into orbit over a small jungle world.
"Scan for technology", the Nightsister told her droids, "If Grand Admiral Thrawn is here, he will most likely have set up a base of operations." After a few moments, one of the droids spoke up. "We are detecting technological signals from the planet's surface, Madame Elsbeth. Unclear whether locals or Imperial refugees."
Baylan Skoll stepped forward and admired the planet through the viewport. "We mustn't take any chances." He turned around and faced Sabine, who was still in binders beside Shin. After staring the Mandalorian down for a moment, he looked to his apprentice. "Take her with us." Shin was taken aback. "Master, surely you don't trust her?" The old man gave the young woman a scolding glare. "Unlike the Jedi, I keep my word."
Sabine said nothing through all of this, her guilt for giving Baylan the map weighing heavily on her. She had done it so she could get Ezra back, but had also possibly doomed the galaxy to another war. Was the fate of the galaxy worth less to her than healing her soul? She still didn't know what the answer was.
After boarding their retrofitted Eta-class shuttle, Baylan brought the craft down to the planet's surface near the source of the signal. Once they were on the ground, he instructed Shin to keep a close eye on Sabine.
"Just because I gave you my word that no harm would come to you doesn't mean I trust you", he said matter-of-factly to the Mandalorian, "I'm sure you understand." Sabine scoffed. "Trust me, the feeling's mutual."
The two Dark Jedi and their Mandalorian prisoner began trekking through the jungle towards the origin of the signal, stepping over vines and roots. As they walked, Sabine was running around in circles in her head trying to come up with an escape plan. Baylan had her... no, Ezra's lightsaber, hanging from his belt. Maybe if she was fast enough, she could disorient them both and grab the weapon before making a run for it. Either that or she'd be killed within moments of making one wrong move.
Suddenly, Baylan cried out in shock as a smoke bomb of some description went off in front of him, another one exploding between Shin and Sabine. The Mandalorian took advantage of the confusion and grabbed Ezra's lightsaber from Baylan's belt, running off into a random direction in the jungle as fast as her legs could carry her.
Can't stop... have to run... have to get away...
After running for several minutes, she tripped over a root and rolled down a hill, groaning in pain as she finally came to rest next to a small stream. There was no sign of pursuit, so the young woman sat up and tried to get her bearings back. After using Ezra's lightsaber to sever her binders, Sabine dipped her hands into the stream and splashed herself in the face.
"Get it together", she scolded herself, "Remember why you're here... for..." She trailed off when she saw a humanoid figure cloaked head to toe in gray on the other side of the stream. She grabbed the lightsaber and took up a defensive stance, staring down this new unknown threat. "Stay back!!", she shouted, "Who are you?"
The figure raised their hands slowly and and then removed their hood, and Sabine's heart stopped.
It was him. He may have had his hair done up in a ponytail and a beard that absolutely did not do him any favors... but it was him. It was Ezra.
She dropped the lightsaber and ran through the stream, throwing her arms around him and squeezing tight, never wanting to let go. Ezra returned the embrace and smiled from ear to ear, tears stinging at his eyes. The Mandalorian pulled back from the hug and placed a hand on Ezra's face to make sure he wasn't an apparition, and he did the same. They stared into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity before Ezra finally spoke. "Sabine... I knew I could count on you."
Before she could respond, they both heard the sounds of lightsabers cutting through the jungle as well as rapid footsteps. "No time for a chat just yet. Come on, I know where we can hide." He took her hand and started running, the Mando using her grapple line to grab his lightsaber on the way. They ran through the jungle until they reached a cave, which Ezra stopped at and pulled Sabine into.
"Okay... I think we're in the clear", he panted as he leaned against the wall. Sabine simply stood and stared at him, wanting to say so much but finding herself unable to form words. Once Ezra caught his breath, he stepped over and took Sabine into his arms again. "Hey... are you okay? Did you lose your voice while I was gone?", he joked. Sabine released a choked sob before she finally let the dam break, her tears flowing into Ezra's chest as she gave her guilt free reign over her emotions.
"I'm so sorry, Ezra... I betrayed you... I put everyone at risk just because I was selfish... I'm so sorry..."
He raised an eyebrow and pulled back to look Sabine in the eyes. "Sabine... what are you talking about?" She sniffled and wiped her face in a halfhearted attempt to seem tough. "There... there was a map... a map to this galaxy... Imperial loyalists had it and they wanted to come here to find Thrawn... I had it in my hand and I... I could have destroyed it... but one of them got inside my head... he manipulated me and took advantage of my desire to see you again and... I gave it to him... I gave him the map... and now they'll be able to find Thrawn and go back to start another war... all because of me." Ezra embraced the Mandalorian tightly and rubbed her back gently.
"Sabine... it's okay... I promise. You have nothing to apologize for."
"But... but, Thrawn..."
He pressed a finger to her lips gently. "Shhhh. Thrawn isn't what I'm worried about, and you shouldn't be either. All that matters is that you came to find me... like I knew you would."
The Jedi hugged her again and softly caressed her back, Sabine melting into his embrace as her worries seemed to wash away.
Maybe... just maybe... her choice was worth the risk.