Chapter 11: A princess on Lothal
It had been so long since Ezra had slept so peacefully. As he woke up when the sun was just rising and Kanan was standing guard outside of the shack, he still struggled to believe that he was actually seeing his parents sleeping peacefully near the campfire.
The boy, on the other hand was sleeping with his back against one of the small rocks they used as benches the night before, and Sabine was leaning on the right side of his body, her head on his shoulder as she slept with a small grin. He could clearly feel that she was having happy thoughts, and he liked to think that she was directing them to him and his newfound happiness.
As if she could perceive that he was awake, Sabine groaned slightly and opened her eyes. Ezra rushed his own to look at them.
"Hey." she whispered tenderly.
"Good morning, beautiful." he said, such was his state of grace that he decided to make cheesy remarks.
Sabine scoffed jokingly. "I get that you're happy, but please avoid those."
The two chuckled, than took each other's hand. Ezra's gaze wandered back to his parents, still asleep.
"It must feel nice." Sabine commented, sincerely happy for him.
"You're right." he said, then he remembered the conversation they had about Sabine's family and, thinking that she might be reminded of that, he tried to encourage her. "Next step is to reunite you with your family."
Sabine huffed, moved by his enthusiasm which still outlined how much he cared for her. Still, it couldn't hide the reality from her.
"I appreciate your intention, Ezra, but I don't know if that will ever be possible." she said.
"Stop saying that." Ezra dryly answered and looked at her eyes with a calm and serious face. "I didn't believe it would ever be possible for me to have mine back, and yet it happened. It might take a while before the chance shows before us, but I'm confident that we'll get you your family back. And I'll be there to help you, no matter what."
Sabine had nothing to say. Every word he said seemed crazy, but filled to the brim with Ezra's determination to do everything he could to make her happy.
She could feel a small tear swelling in her eye, but she decided to push it back by focusing on something else and used her free hand to help herself into reaching his lips and kissing him slowly and intensely.
Right then, Jordan started to groan and move from his position, awakening Mira as well. Ezra sincerely hoped that his father wasn't listening.
His parents finally sit up and gave Ezra another beaming smile.
"So it wasn't a dream." Jordan commented wittily.
"You can say that again." Ezra said with the same voice.
Azadi woke a few seconds later and the group met to consume a very limited breakfast as they discussed their next move. Jordan realized that they couldn't stay too long in the same place, otherwise the imperial search parties sent after the prison break would sooner or later find them.
Sabine proposed to take the Phantom and reach one of the old hiding spots, the Shadow Points, that the Ghost crew used when they were on their own. The idea was approved by Kanan, and they prepared to leave.
Ezra approached his father for a moment.
"Dad, I was thinking...should me or Jaral give back one armor to you? I mean, you could certainly use it."
Jordan smiled and shook his head. "Absolutely not, Ezra. You guys have made those armors your own, and you certainly earned the right to wear them. We'll come up with something for me as well."
Mira joined the conversation. "More importantly, we were thinking about joining your rebel cell."
Ezra's eyes widened in shock. "You...you would? But, Mum, you are not a fighter."
"Ezra Bridger, may I remind you that I was a medic at the biggest hospital in the Capitol, before the Empire took me away?"
Ezra pondered for a moment. "Come to think of it, all our medical staff is composed of old droids. But...I mean...you've been in prison for so long. You sure you still remember how to do that?"
Mira smiled. "A legitimate question. But just so you know, in prison I convinced the overseer to appoint me as the physician for the prisoners since the first week we were there."
"What?" the boy raised an eyebrow while grinning. "The Empire that takes care of his own prisoners?"
"Normally not, but the overseer was a pragmatic person, luckily. I made him understood that a wounded or sick prisoner would not be productive, and he wouldn't have to pay me for my services, so…"
"Wow…" was all Ezra could say. Even when thrown into a prison, his mother still had the force to care for the next.
"That's the word, boy." Azadi had heard the last explanation and intervened. "Your mother had worked miracles multiple times, considering how little the prison provided her with medical instruments and medicines."
Ezra smiled at her. "Then I don't think it will be a problem."
A few minutes later, although a bit cramped, everyone was aboard the Phantom, heading toward the meeting points which was agreed with the Ghost.
Finally the two ships met no more than two hours later. When the Phantom docked in its usual place on the Ghost, Ezra pointed to his parents the exit.
"After you." he said, smiling. He could feel that his sister was rushing there from the cockpit.
Jaral felt like she was about to pass out any moment now.
As she reached the common room with a rush and heard the first person climbing down the ladder, she was panting heavily and scratching her hands nervously.
It was a large man, who turned around as soon as he stepped down and the two froze. Soon after, a woman joined the staring.
Jaral made a shaky smile, which was quickly reciprocated by her parents with a moved smile and a huff.
"Hi Mum...Hi Dad…" she said.
When she was done, the three reached for each other and so Jaral hugged them with every muscle of her arms.
Ezra was the last to climb down and watched the scene with a satisfied grin. But Jaral noticed him and through her bond ordered him to join the hug, to which he obliged.
The crew of the Ghost couldn't have felt happier for their 'kids'.
After a minute worthy of suffocating hugs, the Bridgers finally broke apart, but still staying abundantly into arm's reach. Jordan brought a hand to her daughter's face, gently trailing it on her cheeks and part of her hairs, as to be sure that she was actually there.
"My little starlight...how have I missed you." he said almost choking. Jaral chuckled sonorously as if she was about to weep again.
Mira simply gave her an expression that meant more than a million words could ever say.
"All these years...I...I didn't even dare to hope…" Jaral said, still unable to believe that this wasn't a dream.
"It's alright, Jari." Mira said tenderly. "We're together again, now. That is all that matters."
The girl nodded and decided that the show of public affection could stop now.
Instead, she presented them to Hera and Zeb, the last Specters that the Bridgers still hadn't met.
Jordan and Mira renewed their thanks to the crew for looking after their kids.
"No need to thank us, Mr and Mrs. Bridger." Hera said politely and with a hint of affection. "It's been a pleasure for us."
"Now...I believe you said you had a mission?" Jordan asked Jaral, surprising everybody a bit.
'He is a soldier through and through, no doubt about that'. Was the general thought in the crew's mind. They all knew his background story, but it was also true that he had renounced fighting conventionally, as his past as broadcaster had shown.
Jaral nodded and she also assumed a more serious expression, though still optimistic.
"That's right." she straightened up. "After our escape from Garel, Senator Organa contacted us. Apparently he managed to found some spare resources. His agent is coming here to Lothal with three cruisers." she said with a hint of excitement.
"Three cruisers?" Kanan asked surprised. "The good news just keep coming today."
"So what's the plan?" Zeb asked.
"We're short on time, so me and Ezra will use the holograms to impersonate two stormtroopers and reach the spaceport of Jalat, where the ships are supposed to land." the girl explained with her usual professionalism. Something that positively impressed her father. "We can't get near with the Ghost, so we'll use one of the speeder-bikes we have in the cargo bay. Hera, if you wouldn't mind…"
"I'll set the course." Hera said with a confident face and headed toward the cockpit.
"We'll make contact with the agent. He or she will tell us how are we supposed to acquire the cruisers." she concluded.
"Daughter," Jordan said, straightening up as well. "I already told this to Ezra, but if you think we can help in any way, we would gladly do it."
"Are...you sure?" Jaral sounded a bit surprised.
"Oh I am itching for a fight." he grinned confidently. "And your mother has already offered her medical knowledge to the Rebellion."
"That's...great." the girl gave a little smile. "I didn't want to ask you anything, but if you feel like it."
Her parents gave her a confident face.
"Welcome to the fight, Bridger family." Kanan said respectfully, even if with a hint of joke.
Jordan then turned his gaze to Ryder, who was looking at the scene from a dark corner of the room where he was leaning against the wall.
"Ryder, won't you join us?" he asked calmly and directly, and now every gaze went on the former Governor.
Ryder shook his head lightly and spoke very clearly. "I'm sorry, Jordan. I owe you my life and I'll help you with this mission, if you need me. But I don't want to go back to prison. I'm sorry, guys."
Mira took a step forward and talked with a conciliatory tone. "It's all right, Ryder. Were it not for the fact that my children are into this, I'm not sure I would've joined right away either."
"Thanks, Mira." Ryder nodded and went back to frowning in the corner.
"Very well," Jaral concluded. "Ezra, let's gear up. Meanwhile, Sabine, why don't you show our mother the med bay?"
"Sure thing." the mandalorian answered eagerly. "This way, Doctor." she said playfully to Mira, who followed her with a smirk.
Meanwhile, the siblings powered up their armors. Jordan stood by and watched at his own old armor, which now was wore by Jaral. The girl noticed that her father was smirking with a bit of nostalgia in her eyes and came to the realization.
"Oh, right. This is yours…" she started saying, but Jordan lifted a hand to stop her.
"No, as I told Ezra, this armors belong to you. They were always meant to be worn by you, one day or the other." he said with a smile. "I see you didn't just changed the colors." he added while inspecting his children.
"Yes. In this fight, we need every possible advantage, so we're...experimenting." Ezra commented.
"Good." said Jordan. "A good Legionnaire must adapt to every situation."
Jaral chuckled. "Now that you're here, you might actually train us. You know, to use our abilities the best way possible in combat." she said with an eager tone.
The men were surprised by the proposition, but Jordan smiled.
"You surprise me more every moment, daughter. Of course I'll gladly train you, if you want."
"We should go, sis." Ezra said with a bit of regret in his voice.
"Right." she said, before turning to his father and give him a half-arm hug.
She couldn't help but find a bit funny that her father was taller than she and Ezra, towering with his 183 cm, while until now she was used to be the biggest of the group, even if Ezra had practically caught up with her.
"It's so good to have you back." she whispered one last time.
Jordan just put his hands on the sides of her head and kissed her on the forehead. Then he let her go, and watched with pride at his children as they marched toward the cargo bay.
Sabine led Mira to the med bay, which was at the middle level of the freighter, the one leading to the nose turret and to the gangplanks looking over the cargo bay.
"Here we are." the girl declared, opening the door.
Mira walked in and take a quick look around, mostly in the small pantries and opening a couple of drawers to check in.
"Well, it's definitely more than what I had in prison. It feels nice to be back on the job." the woman said jokingly. Sabine chuckled.
"I'm gonna run a checklist," the woman said. "would you like to keep me company, Sabine?"
The girl could imagine why so she made a small sigh but accepted. "Gladly."
Mira smirked and she started to make the inventory of the med bay while casually talking with her.
"So, what made a mandalorian warrior fall for my Jedi son?" she asked teasingly.
Sabine chuckled a bit louder. "It was gradual. When he first came aboard I thought he was...cute, but I was more interested in his and Jaral's armor first."
"Ezra says that Jaral pretty much pushed the both of you together.
Sabine smiled at the memories of her battle-sister poking her and Ezra continuously.
"Well, not immediately. She definitely was the first to notice when we started to have feeling for each other. Something that went way further than the mutual respect and trust we had built in only a few months. I respected him as a warrior and I'm pretty sure he did the same to me."
Mira hummed jokingly while she was cataloging the medicines that she found and Sabine kept going.
"Then, well...one day Kanan was captured by the Empire and...we tried to comfort each other a little bit. I-I mean...we just held hands, you know…but right before we stormed the Star Destroyer to rescue our friend, Ezra was so calm, so confident...and I think that's the moment I realized that I really loved him. After the mission we...formalized it. We've been together for almost a year."
Mira chuckled. "I wasn't expecting a full summary, but thanks anyway."
Sabine realized that she had just gone a bit overboard and blushed a little, scratching her head.
"Still," Mira commented. "I thought Mandalorians hated Jedi and outsiders, didn't your family object?"
Sabine lowered her gaze in discomfort. When Mira noticed she immediately apologized.
"Sorry, that was insensitive of me."
"No, no, madame." the girl tried to muster a reassuring expression. "It's a legit doubt and I honestly am amazed that you know that much about Mandalorians. But, yes, I left my family some years ago."
The girl snorted in amusement. "It's funny. Just this morning Ezra promised me that he would get my family back as well."
Mira walked up to the girl and put a hand on her shoulder. "Then rest assured that he will do it." she said to comfort her.
Sabine acknowledged the statement and gave her a thankful look.
The Ghost touched down to a modest distance from Jalat, enough so that the Empire wouldn't detect them, and the siblings mounted on the speeder-bikes. So far this had been a perfect day, and they had promised each other to make it even better by stealing those ships.
In a few minutes they reached the perimeter of the spaceport, right when they started to hear the engines of their 'reinforcements' coming down. The siblings parked the bikes behind another rocky deposit and engaged their cloaking device to cross the open plain separating them from the fence of the spaceport.
They had the chance to peek briefly at the ships that were just now hovering over them. They were three Hammerhead-class cruisers.
"Those old bangers are our reinforcements?" Ezra asked sarcastically.
"In our position, you take what you can, lil bro." Jaral replied wittily.
They disengaged the cloaking device and, after letting the omni-tool recharge for a few seconds, they activated the hologram that turned them into stormtroopers. They had brought only their E-11 with them exactly to impersonate them. As the first ship touched down, the siblings calmly passed through one of the openings in the fence and reached the ramp that was lowering.
Out of that ramp walked out a young girl, her attire included a jacket, tight pants and boot, all in various degrees of white and gray. Her face was very much well-groomed as it was her hair, she also sported some makeup on her eyes and the lips.
Jaral understood that she must have been Organa's agent, so the siblings walked up to her.
"Are you in charge of the delegation?" Jaral asked in order to keep appearances.
"Not much of a welcoming committee." the girl said a bit sarcastically. It sounded more like a code-phrase, though.
Ezra was stunned: that girl was probably the same age as him and yet she was leading this operation.
"I'm Jaral Bridger. This is my brother Ezra. We're from Phoenix Squadron." Jaral whispered behind her hologram.
"I know who you are." the girl said quickly but with precision. "And unless you don't want the deck officer to know as well, I suggest you keep your mouth shut." she imitated a zip on her mouth before heading toward the squad of three regulars coming toward them with scanning equipment.
Ezra wasn't liking that answer very much. "Who does she think she is?" he whispered to his sister, trying not to yell.
"You heard her," Jaral simply retorted. "shut it."
Ezra grumbled a bit but quickly fell back in line as he and Jaral stood behind the girl, impersonating her escort.
"Deck Officer," the young woman said to the NCO in front of them. "I'd like to start distributing my relief aid."
"Stand by." the soldier simply replied. "My orders are to inspect the cargo for contraband and detain this vessel until the lieutenant arrives. Scanning crew, move out." and the three soldier marched toward the ramp.
The siblings got near the girl once they were alone.
"Well, this plan is off to a good start." Jaral whispered sarcastically.
The other girl, however, had a satisfied grin. "As a matter of fact, it's going perfectly. Where is the rest of your team?"
"Waiting out of sight."
"Good. Then you can steal my ships."
"What?" the siblings asked in unison,
A couple of seconds later, a Sentinel-class transport landed in the small area of the spaceport and an officer with the tab of lieutenant came out of there.
"First we'll have to deal with the lieutenant." the girl said confidently. "Follow my lead and try to keep up." and she walked forward with an elegant posing.
"Why does she get to give orders?" Ezra asked with a bit of frustration. "I never get to give orders."
Jaral just chuckled and shook her head. "Do you ever listen to yourself?" and she went forward.
"Yes, and I happen to be very interesting." Ezra mumbled while falling back in line.
The lieutenant spoke up.
"Greetings. Lieutenant Yogar Lyste, at your service. You must be Leia Organa, Princess of the Royal House of Alderaan." the officer said with a bit of conceit.
The siblings shared a small spark of surprise through their bond. A princess! No surprise that she seemed so bossy and well-finished, then.
"And aide to my father, Senator Bail Organa." Leia completed, adding another surprise for the siblings.
The princess assumed a tragic tone. "I come with relief supplies for Lothal's needy who are suffering terribly as a result of the rebel insurgency here. Surely you don't want innocents to starve."
The lieutenant made a half-grin. "No, of course not." he said, though his tone let the siblings know that he probably didn't like Alderaanians very much ans was mocking the entire enterprise.
"Lothal has indeed suffered, as has Alderaan." the lieutenant kept going. "From what I hear, your ships have an unfortunate habit of falling into rebel hands."
Leia raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"I assure you, that won't happen on my watch."
As Lyste finished his statement, three big mechanisms were brought into the landing zone by some troopers and attached to the frontal landing gear of the ships.
"Gravity locks?" Leia asked as if it was a mild annoyance. "This is hardly necessary."
"I insist." the lieutenant grinned. "Plus a trooper detachment, and for extra security…" he looked at the horizon behind her.
Leia and the siblings both turned around and watched concerned as a Gozanti transport was dropping two AT-AT.
"Walkers will guard your ships from the rebel insurgency." the lieutenant added smugly. "All for your security, miss."
Leia frowned. "It's 'Your Highness'." she stated harshly. Then put her hands on her hips and looked at the officer straight in the eyes. "As my ships are detained I will require your shuttle to begin my work." she said with authority.
Here the lieutenant stammered. "My shuttle? I...I'm sure I can arrange a better transportation…"
"No! Your shuttle. I need to leave immediately." Leia was irremovable. "You two!" ordered at the siblings, who stood at attention. "Bring those supplies and escort me to the trauma area at once."
The siblings grabbed two crates behind them and started pushing them with the anti-gravity.
"Yes ma'am, right away." Jaral exclaimed almost instinctively.
The shuttle departed with Jaral at the controls and Leia sitting in the co-pilot chair.
"Well, I guess we'll have to come up with another plan, Highness." she said optimistically. Leia, however, looked a bit dejected.
"I'm sorry. I should've foreseen this."
"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. The Empire usually doesn't deploy all of this resources for a humanitarian mission." the girl added with a mixture of sympathy and sarcasm in the last part.
The siblings had already removed their holograms and dematerialized the helmets.
Leia appreciated the encouragement and took a better look at the two teens sitting the cockpit with her, and remembered.
"So you are the Bridger siblings I heard of."
"Oh great, our fame precedes us." Ezra said with a mock smugness.
"Forgive my brother's rudeness, Your Highness," Jaral said with a smile. "it's just that today we're on a great mood."
Leia seemed to absorb part of the joy and smirked. "May I inquire why?"
"Yesterday we found our parents. After they broke out of the prison that held them for almost 10 years." Ezra explained.
Leia smiled at them. "Good, I'm happy to hear that. It's not everyday we get good news like this in this fight."
"I know, right." Jaral concluded. "Now, let's focus back on the mission."
"We need to get back on the Ghost first, but how do we justify the Princess' disappearance?" Ezra asked, stroking his chin lightly.
The siblings mumbled thoughtfully for a few moments, then they both seemed to have the same stroke of genius.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Ezra said with a confident grin.
"I'm in your head, so of course I am." Jaral replied in tone as she set up the auto-pilot.
Leia seemed confused.
"Specter-7 to Ghost, lock on my signal and follow us in flight. We're doing an 11 pickup." Ezra said in the comlink.
"Copy that, Specter-7. We're on our way."
"What is going on?" Leia asked.
"We're leaving the ship. While in flight." Jaral explained.
"What?" Leia's asked in a hushed tone while widening her eyes in disbelief.
"Just leave it to us and you'll be completely fine." Ezra reassured her as he materialized his helmet.
A couple of minutes later, the Ghost entered in their field of view, flying right in front of the rear door of the Sentinel's cargo bay and opening his own.
The siblings led the Princess there and opened the door, letting gusts of wind blowing in.
"Excuse me, Your Highness." Jaral said before grabbing Leia by the waist with her right hand, lifting her to her level (Leia was barely 172 cm high, meaning that the sibling were pretty much giants in front of her) making her squeak in surprise as she put her arms around Jaral's neck.
When the Ghost was sufficiently aligned, Jaral shot her grappling hook, and used it to yank herself and Leia into the cargo bay.
Ezra did the same with his own and they landed in the cargo bay where they were greeted by Jordan and Sabine.
Then they headed to the cockpit, where they needed Jinx to tap into imperial communication and contact the spaceport.
Once this was done, Ezra cleared his throat and started the show.
"This is shuttle S146, we're under attack by a rebel vessel. Requesting assist-" and he cut it off.
Right then, Jaral gave Hera the signal to shoot at the shuttle. The Twi'lek hit it on the left engine and the shuttle started to fall down, but crashed not too hard, so it would appear that the rebels had boarded the shuttle and taken the two supposed troopers and the Princess as prisoners.
Listening to the Empire chattering, the voice of Lieutenant Lyste didn't arrived too much later. As soon as he was informed that the shuttle with the Princess was attacked, he freaked out.
"She's under our protection. Deploy search patrols, NOW!" he yelled, prompting a laugh from everyone in the cockpit.
"Man, I'd love to see his face right now." Jordan commented.
"Me too, dad, but now we have to think about the ships." Ezra said.
"Good point." the father replied. "Did you make a scan?" he asked.
"Of course I did." Jinx intervened from Ezra's omni-tool.
"Great." Hera added. "Then let's start the briefing.
They all moved into the common room. Except for Mira, who, Sabine informed, was still cleaning the med bay from top to bottom. She wasn't supposed to leave the Ghost for the mission anyway, so everyone left her to her devices.
The common room was obscured as Jinx projected the model he made about the spaceport and the defenses inside and around it.
"The main problems are those walkers." Kanan pointed out. "Even if we get to the ships, they'll shoot us down immediately."
"Come on, Kanan, where is your hopeless optimism?" Ezra encouraged him as he and Jaral walked near the table and knelt down, analyzing the hologram from every possible point and mumbling.
"Here comes the brainstorm." Sabine commented, earning a light chuckle from the audience.
For a couple of minutes, the siblings murmured, gestured and probably communicated through their bond while looking at the hologram, envisioning the upcoming battle. Jaral did most of the work, though Ezra was rapidly learning the art of strategy and gave some good inputs.
Then they nodded to each other and raised to their feet as Jaral spoke.
"All right, let's take this one thing at a time. First, we can easily take out the walker by using the same tactic we used on Seelos: the Ghost drops a strike team on the head of the one lagging behind and this hijacks it and uses it to shoot at the other one before it can react.
"Second, we need someone to remove the gravity locks. Me and Ezra can easily infiltrate the platform and draw their attention when they inevitably notice us.
"Finally, we need enough people on the ground to steal the ships."
"Valid points," Jordan intervened. "but we better try to delay the gunfight until it's absolutely necessary."
"What do you suggest?" Kanan asked.
"I'm confident that we can steal one ship before they react, if we manage to distract them long enough."
"I can provide that." Leia said, stepping forward confidently. "If you two mask as troopers again, you'll be able to enter the camp without raise any suspicion."
Sabine liked the idea. "You can use the Phantom and tell that you rescued her from us. They might allow you to leave as reward, so you can hide and wait for the main event to start without the imperials noticing it."
"Sounds like a plan." Jaral approved. "What about the locks?"
"Can't we just blow them up?" Zeb suggested.
"It won't work." the voice of Azadi intervened from behind. He was still keeping some distance, but now spoke up. "You can't forcibly remove the locks."
"Right," Jordan remembered. "You worked on their assembly line."
"And I know how to remove them as well. If you cover me, I'll take care of them." he said calmly.
"Does it mean you're back in the fight?" Jordan asked with a lopsided grin.
"I'm doing my part, as promised." Ryder dismissed every other thought.
"All right, then." Ezra decided to close it. "I think it's better if Kanan takes the walker, as you're gonna need a lightsaber to force the hatch open. Dad, do you feel like jumping with him and act as co-pilot?"
"Of course I do." Jordan replied crossing his arms confidently.
"Good." said Kanan. "Let's gear up."
As night fell, Lyste was still sweating cold. The patrols didn't found any trace of the Princess and this could have been a terrible stain on his still short career.
"Sir, over there!" a stormtrooper pointed at the sky, indicating a small vessel that was landing in the airfield.
As the Phantom touched down face first in front of him, Lyste could finally see its outline clearly in the quite dark night.
"This is one of the rebel ships we've been looking for!" he exclaimed. "Set your weapons to stun!"
The two stormtroopers around him obliged and pointed their weapons toward the rear, from where soon appeared two stormtroopers and Leia, who scowled at the lieutenant.
"I'd thought you would be pleased to see me again, lieutenant." she protested to the welcoming committee.
"O-Of course, Your Highness…" the lieutenant awkwardly smiled as he pushed the rifle of the NCO next to him down. "just...surprised."
Leia smirked and pointed behind her. "These brave troopers saved me from the rebel vessel. They deserve a medal." she said while walking forward.
The fake stormtroopers got near the NCO.
"Sir," Ezra said with the most professional voice he could create. "permission to go file the report and call the day off."
"Granted, trooper." the NCO said calmly. "You deserve it." and he reached back to the lieutenant.
Jaral and Ezra went back into the Phantom while no one was looking at them and switched to the cloaking device, but not before signaling a squad composed of Ryder, Chopper and Sabine to sneak past the other guards and go slicing the first lock.
While their friends started the plan, the siblings stopped to eavesdrop on the very much dumb lieutenant boasting the fact that the ships were safe, while right behind him Sabine had already went on the bridge of the first one and was lifting it.
"If you're trying to impress me, lieutenant, you're doing a very miserable job at it." Leia scolded the officer.
"What do you mean?"
"You don't know?" she said pointing at the ship behind him,
"I didn't authorize this." the lieutenant yelled in confusion.
"Sir!" one of the stormtroopers pointed at Ryder and Chopper.
That was the moment, Ezra and Jaral grabbed some smoke grenades that Sabine gently gave them and threw them around the lieutenant's squad, creating a smokescreen all around them and firing a few bursts up in the air to confuse the imperials.
Meanwhile, as planned, Jordan and Kanan had hijacked the furthest AT-AT, so when Sabine was almost ready to take the ship off, the walker right behind her transport was hit from behind, again and again.
When Sabine finally spirited away, the walker behind her was falling down in flames.
Ezra and Jaral then entered in action, removing the cloaking and blazing all around, causing mayhem and blasting some victims, yet making sure that Leia was out of harm's way. Jaral even knocked out Lyste by using her batons for the first time.
Then Kanan and Jordan joined the fray, after evacuating and destroying the second walker from the inside. Jordan went right behind his kids, who shielded him and smirked at the new, somehow fulfilling sensation of having their father fighting at their side.
Kanan boarded the second ship as soon as Ryder and Chopper were done freeing it and took it away. As the Bridgers basically wiped out even the reinforcing stormtroopers arriving aboard an ITT, Ryder and Chopper liberated the last ship. While the man took controls, Chopper used the opening in the enemy lines to go and recover the Phantom.
The Bridgers boarded the last transport, and Leia went to say farewell.
"Time for us to leave." Ezra said as his sister and father ran up the ramp.
Leia smirked and grabbed one of his hands with her own two.
"Help. Help! Stop the rebels!" she screamed trying to sound convincing.
Ezra understood after a couple of seconds.
"Make it look good." Leia whispered.
Ezra chuckled under his helmet. "See you around, Princess."
He stun-shot her, just in time for Lyste to regain his senses and see the scene in horror.
"The Princess!" Ezra heard the lieutenant scream as the ship lifted him from the ground. Ezra went back inside and close the ramp.
Later that day, the cruisers were brought within the ranks of the Phoenix Fleet and filled with the indispensable crews.
The Ghost docked with the Liberator as always. Before leaving, Ryder announced that he decided to get back into the fight. Seeing the size of Phoenix Fleet alone was the last thing that convinced him that this Rebellion might have a shot at overthrowing the Empire.
Jordan and Mira were welcomed with open arms by the fleet. Jordan decided to put his experience as a naval security officer at use by drilling the enthusiastic but inexperienced rebels on the ships, though he also offered to be part of the Ghost's expeditions, and after his performance in the heist for the ships, the crew was more than eager to have him back anytime.
Mira was also very much welcomed for the simple fact that the fleet still lacked a medical officer. While every major ship of the fleet had a medical droid in every med bay, most of them were outdated and in need of almost constant upkeep. Having a real doctor, who could potentially train new students or contact some old colleague that might be tempted to join the Rebellion was indeed something that could severely improve the quality of life and the survival chances of the members.
Ezra and Jaral went to the observation deck of the Liberator.
"Crazy couple of days, uh?" Ezra commented.
"To say the least." the sister laughed as she went to the room's counter and prepared two glasses of juice. "I still can't believe it."
"Tell me about it. It's almost like those 9 years on our own had been an illusion. Though that time made us who we are now."
Jaral walked to him and offered him a glass. The two sipped the beverage and stared out in the starry sky. There were just so many things going in their heads that it was so difficult to express them. So they just communicated what they could through their bond.
Ezra found it an interesting experience: literally communicating to someone else through the Force. Recently he noted that he was developing a Force bond with Sabine and Kanan, two persons he kept particularly close in his life. Maybe it would be impossible with Sabine, since she wasn't even aware that they had this bond and that Ezra could always feel her emotions.
However, Kanan was a Jedi as well. For a moment, Ezra wondered if it would be possible for them to develop some sort of telepathy, or a more advanced form of communication than what he had with Jaral.
And now his parents were back. No doubt he would most likely end up developing a bond with them as well.
"You know," Jaral suddenly spoke up, interrupting Ezra's thoughts. "I was thinking that we should celebrate with a family dinner."
Ezra chuckled. "That sounds amazing."
"Obviously: it's my idea." the girl smiled, expressing a mock sense of superiority.
"Just us, Mum and Dad?"
"Yes. I think we'll have to do with a table at the mess hall here on the command ship. For tonight, it will be only us. But maybe next time I should bring Darvos and you Sabine."
Ezra snorted. "You want to embarrass them, by chance?"
"Of course not. Still, it sounds nice. Officially presenting our partners to our parents. And then we'll make great banquets with the rest of the Ghost crew." she said, smiling fondly at the prospects.
"Right...the Ghost." Ezra sounded a bit conflicted.
"What is it?" she asked, though she was pretty sure to know what bothered him.
"I grew accustomed to the idea of seeing them as our family...but now we have our real one back. I don't know how to feel about that."
Jaral smiled at his strange idea. "Ezra, if there is one thing you should've learn from them is that family isn't limited by blood. There's nothing stopping us from seeing them as a second family. Besides, Mum and Dad will not always be around...I mean, when we grow up we'll probably start families of our own…" she knew that she was about to trail off, so she shut her mouth.
"You're right." Ezra told her with a lopsided grin. "I guess I was overthinking. It actually feels nice to know that there will always be persons ready to love you as family. No matter what happens."
"See? I knew you were smart enough to figure that out." the girl mocked him.
Ezra just rolled his eyes and went back to stare out into the space.
The stars had never shone as brightly as then.