Ahsoka Tano was baffled. She'd had many adventures since she'd left the Jedi Order, a decision that spared her from being butchered like the rest of the Jedi during Order 66, but few things surprised her this much. A young man actually brave enough to face a Sith Lord and hold his own, even for a moment. She'd heard much about the Sith Darth Vader in her travels, how he was responsible for the deaths of Senator Amidala, all the Younglings in the Jedi Temple, and all the Jedi that were lured to the Temple with a fake distress signal.
In short, he was bad news.
Many perished by his blade, Jedi and not. Most certainly, there have been many foolish enough to charge in, head first, in a desperate attempt to end the Sith, whether for glory or survival. None of them succeeded. Some survived and were able to escape, but many of those were hunted down again later. She'd never admit it out loud, but Ahsoka was glad she'd never encountered the Sith before.
This young man was not so lucky.
Something she noticed the moment she laid eyes on him was his strange attire. She'd never seen anything like it. His pants were blue, and made of a strange, but tough material. His boots were fairly standard, though she hadn't seen the make or model anywhere before, and his shirt was a light grey, with the image of a strange tower-like object she'd never seen before either. Unfortunately, it was shredded by lightsaber strikes. The pants were in better condition, but some new clothes were being arranged for him when he woke up. His short hair was dark brown, and when the medical droid opened his eyes to see if he was concussed, she noticed his eyes were not unlike her own.
He also had several tattoos scattered across his body. A primitive-looking arrow on the outer side of his right forearm, a bird on the left of his chest that reminded her of Morai, a skull on his left wrist, some strange symbols going vertically on the right of his abs, some kind of serpent on his right bicep, and the words 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' on his right shoulder, written in Basic. It seemed he had an appreciation for body art.
That wasn't the most surprising thing though.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" She asked, her jaw on the ground as she stood in the med bay, looking at the medical droid that was tending to him.
"The young man's Midichlorian count is fluctuating." The droid repeated, ever calm and monotonous. "His immune system is fighting them away, not unlike an infection, but his body is adapting to their presence as more take their place. I believe this is the cause of his fever and elevated white blood cells."
"What's his count at now?" She asked. She'd never seen anything like this before.
"It is currently at 17 000 per cell, one of the highest in recorded history." The droid replied. Ahsoka was silent for a moment before speaking again.
"How could this happen? Or why for that matter?" She asked, mostly rhetorically.
"The best theory is that he did not have any Midichlorians prior to meeting Phoenix Squadron." The droid said, surprising her.
"That's impossible, they exist in all life." She returned, a frown of thought on her face.
"There are still cells in his body that the Midichlorians have not spread to." The droid said, bringing up a holographic screen, showing microscopic images of the boys cells. Several of the cells had Midichlorians 'crawling' inside of them.
"If he didn't have any Midichlorians inside him before, it makes sense that if a life form suddenly appears out of nowhere without any, they'd rush to fix this." Ahsoka mused out loud. Behind her calm exterior, she was utterly shellshocked. "Question is, why didn't he have Midichlorians in the first place? And how did he end up on Lothal?" She asked.
"I'm afraid those questions are beyond my ability to answer." The droid said. Ahsoka sighed. She expected as much.
"Just… notify me when he wakes up." She said, suddenly tired. She had a feeling this was going to get extremely complicated.
When I woke up, a bright light pierced through the slits of my eyelids. I groaned and covered my eyes with my forearm, finding the rough feeling of a bandage pressing against me. Blinking my eyes until I could handle the light, I saw that I did indeed have a bandage on my forearm. And my chest, my stomach, and thigh. I was definitely in a hospital of some kind, but not one I recognised.
"What in the fuck…?" I mumbled to myself as I tried to get up. A cold, solid hand gently pushed me down.
"Do not try to get up. Your injuries are still healing." A high-pitched, mechanical voice said. It came from… a robot? No, a droid. It was bipedal, not unlike C-3PO, but it was a dark blue, with thinner limbs, and weird eyes.
"Wasn't a dream then… Too much to hope for." I sighed, laying my head down again. I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose. "I don't suppose I could at least sit up?" I asked the droid. It said nothing and simply pressed a button on a panel next to the bed, raising the half with my torso on up a little, not unlike a hospital bed. "Thank you." I said quietly.
"You are welcome." It said, holding up a panel. "Please relay any discomforts or pains you are feeling." It said, ever monotonous.
"Well, I've got a major headache, my limbs are tired, I'm a little nauseous, and my joints are achy." I listed off of the top of my head what I could feel. I hissed in pain slightly as I remembered the bandages. "Also, it stings under the bandages." I added.
"That is merely the bacta doing it's job. The rest are fairly standard of someone in your position." It typed away as it spoke. "Your condition is stable and non-critical. I estimate 72 hours before a full recovery." It said, bringing it's hand to the side of it's head. "Commander Tano, my patient has awoken." Wait, Tano?
"Very good. I'll be down in a moment." A feminine voice responded. It couldn't be…?
It only took a few moments, moments in which my head was spinning. I laid my head down as I comprehended what this means. If I'm right, and there's little reason to think otherwise, then one of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars universe is about to walk through the door I'm facing. And to top it all off, I'm practically naked, wearing nothing but my boxers, covered in bandages, and I have no idea what to say. Fuck me…
The door opened, and sure enough, a young Togruta woman wearing black clothing walked in. Her skin was orange, her… 'lekku' I think they're called, and whatever those horns are, were white, with blue stripes, and her eyes were an electric shade of blue. She was at least a good ten years older than the Ahsoka I knew from The Clone Wars series.
So, this is where she is during the Imperial Era…
The green Twi'lek, the pilot, from earlier was with her too.
"Commander Tano, I presume?" I asked redundantly.
"Yes, Ahsoka Tano." She introduced herself. "It's nice to meet you, Lance Mikaelson." She said politely.
"Likewise." I responded. I turned my attention to the Twi'lek woman. "I take it I have you and your friends to thank for getting me here?" I asked. She gave a small smile.
"It wasn't an issue. You helped us after all, and we weren't going to leave you without medical attention." She said. "And my name's Hera, by the way. Hera Syndulla." She introduced herself.
"I remember." I nodded. "I'd stand, but I don't think the droid will let me." I inclined my head in the direction of the medical droid. It just kept working, as if it didn't hear me, but I know it did. They're always listening!
"That's quite alright." Ahsoka responded, ever so slightly amused. "Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to ask you a few questions. Is that alright?" She asked. She's giving me a choice, a diplomatic move.
"Fire away," I said simply, leaning back. If I lie, she'd probably be able to sense it. Maybe I just withhold some info, I'll be in the clear. I'd rather not broadcast that she's a fictional character to me.
"First of all, what were you doing in the Imperial Complex where you encountered Hera and her crew?" She asked calmly, her hands behind her back. Is she a Togruta, or a Vulcan?
"Honestly? I don't really know why I was there myself." I said tiredly, massaging my temples as best I could, trying not to irritate my arm wounds. "I woke up in a field of incredibly long grass, walked for about an hour or two, and found myself outside the place. I didn't like the look of the soldiers patrolling, so I snuck in hoping to get some info on where the fuck I was." I informed them.
"Language!" Hera scolded me lightly. I gave her a weird look, but decided not to comment.
"How did you end up on Lothal?" Ahsoka asked, getting the conversation moving along again, though I could feel her amusement. And slight nostalgia. Wait, what?
"Lothal is the planet we're on?" I asked. The two women shared a look.
"Well, not anymore." She said weirdly, pressing a button on the wall. The wall opened up to show a window, outside of which was…
"Oh…" I mumbled, completely flabbergasted. Outside of the window, I could see nothing but what, at first glance, looked like the night sky. It was only after a moment that I realised that what I was seeing was the massive vacuum of outer space. Holy fuck… It took a moment for me to come back from that surprise. "Anyway, to answer your question, I don't know. Like I said, I woke up in the field with nothing but my bag, and the clothes on my back. I didn't even know I'd left my planet until later, when I saw the moons." I explained. They were surprised, but their faces didn't show it that well. How do I know that?
"Well then, where did you come from?" The next question came from Hera. I hesitated for only a second before I answered.
"My planet is called Earth, or Terra." I answered, to their utter confusion. "I gather from your reactions that you don't know of it?" I asked.
"We do not, I'm sorry." Ahsoka answered.
"Unsurprising." I said with a sigh. "What about Sol? That's the name of our sun." I said. I received two negatives. "Mercury? Venus? Mars? Jupiter? Saturn? Uranus? Neptune? Pluto?" I listed. Again, two negatives. "Fuck." I sighed, resting my head back again.
"Language!" Hera scolded, again. I gave her deadpanned stare.
"All in all, I can't find it all surprising really." I said honestly.
"Why is that?" Ahsoka asked in curiosity.
"My planet is rather primitive compared to what you guys have at your disposal." I said, gesturing to the tech around us. "Not to say we're running around, clobbering each other with sticks and stones, but we don't have anything as advanced as this. We've sent people to our own moon, but that's about the furthest. Probes have been sent as far out as Neptune, but nothing manned. We also have some very basic holographic technology, but nothing commercially available." I explained. "Our droids are also very basic. None of them have any real intelligence, just programs that respond to verbal commands." I went on. "The planet is also not governed by one government. It's split up into about 200 countries, maybe less." I added.
"And which of these countries are you from?" Ahsoka asked, more out of curiosity than necessity,
"Australia. That's where my accent comes from." I told them.
"And what do you know of the Empire?" Hera asked.
"Only what I can gather from my experience back on Lothal." I responded. "If the guy with the red laser sword is any indication, they don't seem like good guys." I shuddered as I remembered Vader's breathing. One can spend all their life making fun of that, but when you have an experience like what I had, it suddenly becomes truly terrifying.
"You're right there." Hera conformed, crossing her arms. "The Galactic Empire. They're a dictatorship that formed 15 years ago. They rule with an iron fist and many suffer under their laws. They're brutal, unfair, and harsh, except to those that serve well enough." She explained with a frown. "There's something I'd like to know though." She told me. I nodded. "How did you know Sabine was a Mandalorian?" She asked, her eyes narrow. Crap… I'm sure Ahsoka could sense my ever so slight panic, but my expression never changed.
"On my planet we have myths and stories about Mandalorians." I told her. That is true. "Books, movies, etc. they depict Mandalorians in different fashions, and they all show, generally, the same armour." I went on. "I recognised the helmet, and just called her Mando. I wasn't sure if she was an actual REAL one." I continued.
There, everything I said was 100% true. Hera seemed to buy it, which makes sense. From her point of view, it doesn't seem impossible that a Mandalorian got stuck on an uncharted planet and never left, leaving his mark on said planet before passing away. If Ahsoka had any inclination that I was being dishonest, she didn't bring it up.
"Well, I'm sure that covers everything we needed to know for the moment." She said, catching my attention. "Was there anything you wanted to ask?" She inquired of me.
"Well, you already told me about Lothal and the Empire, and I can gather that you're some kind Revolution or Rebellion, no explanation needed there, and information about the galaxy as a whole can wait until later." I said, cricking my neck. "What can you tell me about the guy I fought?" I asked.
"He was a Sith Lord named Vader." Ahsoka said, contemplative. "The ancient enemy of the Jedi. They utilise the Dark Side of the Force." She explained, before stopping. "Do you know of the Force?" She asked.
"I've heard the words before." I said. "Vader said it was strong with me." I added. I really wonder if that is true.
"The Force is an energy field. It surrounds, penetrates us, and it binds the Galaxy together." Ahsoka explained. Now where have I heard that before? "And Vader was right, it is strong with you." She paused. "Extremely strong." She added.
"What exactly does that mean?" I asked. I know the Force, obviously, but hearing an explanation from someone like Ahsoka may provide more clarity.
"You are what is called 'Force-sensitive.' The Force resides in all living things, at least it should…" She backtracked for a moment before continuing. "Some people have a lot more of it than most, allowing them to harness it in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to: acrobatics, telekinesis, and empathy." She explained.
"That explains that." I mumbled, catching their attention. "My bo staff." I said. "At the time, I figured it was just adrenaline and the desire to survive that pushed me to do better, but I fought like a master, on par with my teacher at least, against Vader." I explained. "I'm not that skilled. I've only been training for two years with the staff." I went on.
"That is consistent with just about any Force-sensitive." Ahsoka nodded. "The Force does grant a substantial increase in one's natural skills and reflexes." She explained. "If you've been training for two years, it makes sense you'd be that skilled."
"But why only now?" I asked. That's when she got a little weird.
"Well, when we were scanning your body for treatment we noticed that your Midichlorian count, your strength in the Force, was increasing at a strange rate." She explained. Dafuq? Can that even happen? "This doesn't usually happen. One's strength in the Force isn't like a muscle, growing stronger the more you work it. Everyone is born with the Force in them, and they rarely, if ever, lose or gain any. At least, not naturally." She went on. "Amputations and organ extractions have been known to reduce Midichlorian counts, and the only known ways of increasing them are unnatural and dark, with the potential to go horribly wrong."
"So why is mine increasing?" I asked.
"We don't know the real reason, but we do have a theory." She told me. "Several of your cells didn't have any Midichlorians in them only hours ago, now your count has settled at a steady 21 000 per cell, one of the highest in recorded history." Well, she just dropped that bomb, didn't she?! "It leads us to believe that your planet is outside the reach of the Force, so when you suddenly appeared on Lothal, there was a 'gap' that the Force wanted to fill."
"I remember being incredibly nauseous and feverish during my walk in the fields. I even puked a few times." I recalled.
"That was your immune system fighting off the Midichlorians like an infection. They exist as microscopic life forms inside your body, so it makes sense that your body would try to fight it off, but you eventually adapted." She explained. So that's why I was so sick when I woke up.
"That only makes it more confusing as to how I got to Lothal in the first place." I sighed, looking at the two women. "I can't help you there. I have no idea how I got on that planet in the first place."
"We understand." Hera assured me. "Now, the only thing we need to figure out next is what to do with you." She told me. I don't like the sound of that… "Since you opposed Vader and helped us, it is likely that the Empire will be coming after you as they are us." She explained.
"Yeah, I'd rather not be stranded alone in a galaxy where an entire fucking Empire has it out for me." I sighed, anxiety filling me. What in the hell am I supposed to do now?!
"That's why I'm prepared to make you an offer." Ahsoka said, getting my attention.
"I'm listening." I said after a moment.
"When one opens themselves to the Force, they become vulnerable to the Dark Side, a corruptive and addictive side which can lead them down a path of evil." She told me. Yeah, I knew that all too well. I just fought one of the most prime examples after all. "I'm offering you a place in our Rebellion. I will teach you the ways of the Force, and how to resist the Dark Side." She said as I sat up straight, looking her in the eye. "I can also teach you how to use that." She pointed at the table on the side of the room, where my bag, clothes, and staff were. I also saw the lightsaber I'd stolen from Vader.
"You'd be willing to teach me?" I asked. "Why?"
"Because I believe that you could be a powerful ally, and I don't buy that you ended up in that Imperial Complex by coincidence." She told me seriously, her arms crossed. "You're here for a reason. What the reason is, I don't know. What I do know is that we can help each other, and I wouldn't feel right about leaving a young man alone in a galaxy where an entire Empire is hunting him." She said. Hunting me, what a fabulous way to put it. I looked her in the eyes and was about to respond, when suddenly, a beeping sound emitted from Hera's wrist.
"Spectre 1, this is Spectre 5. You better get the bridge. We have a problem." A voice said from the device attached to her wrist. I think that was the Mandalorian girl's voice.
"I'm on my way, Spectre 5." Hera said, nodding at both me and Ahsoka before running out of the room.
"You want to see what's going on?" Ahsoka guessed. I looked at her and nodded. She returned the nod and turned to the droid. "I will be keeping an eye on the patient while he's out." She told it.
"I advise against strenuous physical activity and active combat." The droid returned as I stood up, putting my clothes on.
"Duly noted." I said dryly as I slipped the shirt on. It seems my own shirt was discarded and replaced with a simple black tunic, but my jeans and boots were fine. I quickly put everything on, threw my laptop bag over my shoulder, and pocketed my staff. I spent a moment staring at the lightsaber before grabbing it and following after Ahsoka.
"It seems our guest has recovered." A middle aged gentleman with short, ever so slightly greying black hair commented as Ahsoka and I walked onto the bridge. Hera and the rest of her crew were there as well. "Commander Sato of the Phoenix Squadron." He introduced himself, albeit with a slight urgent edge to it.
"Lance Mikaelson." I responded in kind.
"What's going on?" Ahsoka asked. From the tense atmosphere, I could tell that it was not good.
"Chopper said that a transmitter activated on our shuttle moments ago." The Mandalorian girl with colourful hair said. Sabine, I think her name was?
"Meaning that the Empire has tracked down the ship we're on now." I deduced.
"And the entire fleet." Ahsoka added grimly.
"Commander, we're scanning a ship entering our sector." One of the rebels sitting at one of the stations said. At that point, a 3D holographic map appeared over the circular table in the middle of the room, showing all the ships in the fleet. "We're tracking a single target, no other ships have entered the system." The Rebel said.
"Move Phoenix Squadron to intercept." Sato ordered.
Within moments, one could see a squadron of eight fighter ships in front of the massive ship we were on now. They looked almost like arrowheads, painted mostly white with blue markings. If I was younger, I'd probably be geeking out right now. But, as I have concluded since waking up, this is not a movie or a video game, these are real people, and if the dark, cold feeling I have is any indication, they're about to have a difficult battle on their hands.
"Fighter coming in at Mark 3!" One of the pilots communicated by comm as a red arrow mark appeared on the map.
It was difficult to see with the naked eye, but in the distance, there were red laser blasts firing from the fighters. The new ship, which I could barely see, expertly dodged all of them. I think it might have been a TIE fighter, but I'm not sure. It was too far away to see. That being said, I could feel a tightness in my chest, and chill sweep up my spine, giving me goosebumps. I felt this once before, back on Lothal. It couldn't be… Could it?
"He's coming in too fast!"
"Fleet, raise deflector shields." Hera commanded the other ships.
"We've lost Phoenix 1 and 2!"
I could see the explosions, and feel the deaths of the pilots. Yeah, this is a movie… Note the sarcasm. I think the enemy fighter tried firing at one of the larger ships in the fleet, but it did little, if any, damage. On the map, the red mark that signified the enemy's location flew towards the ship we were standing on right now.
"He's heading right for us!" Ezra, the kid in the jumpsuit, voiced my thoughts.
He was right. I could see him out the window. I could feel the malevolence and coldness within the very being of the person attacking, and it seemed I was the only one. As the fighter got closer, it fired a few blasts at the command ship, causing it to shake like you see in the movies and shows like Star Wars or Star Trek. The lights flickered for a moment and the whole room tipped. I quickly grabbed the nearest railing to keep balance.
"How can one fighter best our entire squadron?!" Sato exclaimed in awe, and not the good kind. He was angry.
"Your pilots are outmatch Commander." Hera said, running towards the door.
"What are you doing?" Kanan called after her.
"Getting involved." Hera shot back before continuing,
Kanan let out an annoyed scoff before replying. "Not without me you're not." He shot back before running after her.
"Let's go." Sabine said, running after them. Zeb, the cat-ape guy, followed suit. "Ezra, come on!" The girl shouted at the kid.
He was about to follow before Ahsoka approached him. "Alright if we tag along?" She asked of him.
"We?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. They didn't acknowledge me.
"The more the merrier." Ezra quipped, taking off. Ahsoka looked at me with an expectant gaze.
"You coming?" She asked. I sighed, slightly annoyed, but nodded nonetheless.
I followed Ahsoka through the halls of the ship until we came across a strange looking hatch. It must have been an airlock. As it opened, Kanan was there to let us in, seemingly expecting us. Or, at least, he was expecting Ahsoka. If he was surprised to see me, he didn't show it. I immediately noticed the difference. The walls of the Command Ship were clean, shiny, and white, but now the walls were grey, more metallic-looking. Not to mention the abundance of paintings on the walls. I'm guessing this is the ship that Hera Pilots.
We came up to a room I think was on the front of the ship, with four seats, and a large glass dome. Yeah, this was the cockpit, most certainly. Hera was pressing buttons and flipping switches, so she was probably getting the ship, the Ghost, as I'd learn later, ready for take-off. Ahsoka sat to her right, with Kanan sitting behind Ahsoka. With only one seat left, and not much else to do, I sat on the chair behind Hera.
"Everyone check in." She ordered over the comm.
"Tail gun, check." Zeb's voice responded.
"Turret, check." That was Sabine.
"Nose gun, check. Check." Ezra.
"Alright kids, do Mom and Dad proud." Hera quipped as she finished up with the switches.
"Here he comes!" Kanan pointed out the window.
Sure enough, the enemy fight was headed right for us. It flew right over the Command Ship again, firing it's blasters, causing more explosions. Following that, it merely flew over said explosions, probably preparing to make another round and fire on the ship again. And with the damage the ship had already taken I didn't think it'll last much longer.
"We've lost our shields!" Someone from the Command Ship cried.
"Ghost moving to engage." Hera said, grabbing the controls.
I would have loved to enjoy the sight of outer space completely around me as the Ghost flew about, trying to get a good shot on the enemy, but that wasn't an option. I had to remind myself we were in danger as the Ghost followed after the fighter.
"I'm on him!" Sabine fired at the ship. I could see the shots from the turret coming from on top of the ship. Not a single one hit. "Who is this guy?" Judging from her tone of voice, she didn't like missing.
"Phoenix Home to Ghost." Commander Sato's voice sounded from the comm. "We can't withstand another attack from that fighter!" He cried.
"Copy that." Hera responded. "Phoenix Squadron, form up and focus fire." She ordered over the comm. As she followed after the fighter, the remaining Phoenix fighters followed after the Ghost.
"The Force is strong with this one." Ahsoka said softly. Seriously? Did she just say that? "Kanan, let's find out how strong." She said to the Jedi.
"How can I help?" He asked.
"Just remember your training." Kanan nodded at her answer, letting out a calming sigh.
He reached out and placed his right hand on her shoulder, extending the other one, Ahsoka doing so as well. I could feel the Force working around them, and that weird whistling sound from before was present again. That sound must be caused by the Force then. As they focussed the Force, something happened to me as well. I suddenly felt lightheaded, not as if I was dizzy or tired, but it was like I was losing myself in the Force. Maybe I inadvertently hitched onto their connection? I don't know what happened, but I suddenly felt cold. It was eerie and dark, and… familiar.
Yeah, there's no doubt about it.
"I know who it is…" I whispered. I wasn't sure if anyone acknowledged me. It was like the whole environment around me had melted away, and there was only the darkness and cold surrounding the pilot. Surrounding Vader…
"The apprentice lives…"
A scream pulled me out of my trance, and I just barely opened my eyes in time to see Ahsoka fall back, Kanan catching her. If the feeling I just had wasn't enough to prove it, then that certainly was. If you know what I know, then Ahsoka's reaction made perfect sense. Assuming she didn't know what happened to her old master until right this second.
"It's him, it's definitely Vader." I said, suddenly dizzy.
"You can tell?" Kanan asked, surprised. I nodded with a hand on my head, a groan of strain escaping me.
Suddenly, Vader broke off from his attack on the Command Ship and veered off and around, so he was now behind the Ghost. It was clear that he was no longer interested in the fleet, only the Ghost. Given who was on board, it made sense. But, nobody else knew that.
"Captain Syndulla, whatever you're doing, keep it up! The Fleet can recover!" Sato's voice sounded from the comm. He was excited.
"No, Commander, you have to get the Fleet out of here, now!" Kanan shot back urgently.
"I agree." I jumped in. "This isn't some schmuck in a pilot's seat."
"I will not abandon our Command Ship!" Sato vehemently denied.
"You don't have a choice sir!" Hera said, avoiding fire from Vader. "Without a hyperdrive, you have to abandon ship!" Her words fell on deaf ears. Only seconds later, I felt a foreboding feeling snake it's way into my chest.
"Something's coming…" I said under my breath. Only Kanan seemed to hear me. At that moment, several incredibly large ships came out of hyperspace. Star Destroyers, no doubt.
"You could sense that?" Kanan asked. I nodded. Suddenly, the Ghost shook. Vader must have hit us. "It's now or never Commander." Kanan said to Sato.
"I regretfully agree." Sato sighed in defeat. "All hands, abandon ship!" He sent the message across his whole ship. "You'll have to keep that fighter occupied." He told Hera.
"Don't worry Sir, we seem to have his attention." Hera responded, almost wryly.
"Why is he the only one firing at us?" I asked, noticing the Star Destroyers were only blocking our exit.
"I think he wants us alive." Kanan answered, grim thoughts coming from the idea.
"Suddenly there's a lot to do back here!" Zeb called over the comm.
"Sorry to spoil your fun Zeb, but I'm ordering Chopper to reroute all auxiliary power to the hyperdrive, including Cannons." Hera said, flipping more switches. Behind us, the droid, Chopper, gave a salute with one of his 'hands' and a whoop of confirmation before inserting his link thingy into the wall.
"Hera, what are you doing?!" Sabine asked, her tone of voice shocked.
"I think I know." I could hear the grin in Ezra's voice as Hera sped up the ship, right towards the Star Destroyers. I could feel Vader hot on our tail as the escape pods jettisoned from the Command Ship.
"Ghost crew, the escape pods are secure." Sato reported. "Fleet, commence hyperspace jump."
"Copy that Commander. We'll meet you at Safe Haven." Hera responded. In the distance, I could see the other Rebel ships jumping into hyperspace. It looked just as it did in the movies, but to actually see it was a completely different experience. I have a feeling I'll be seeing it up front and personal in a few moments.
"The fleet is away, get us out of here!" Sabine cried through the comm.
"Everyone, hang on." Hera ordered. I felt compelled to grip the edge of my seat. "Chopper, angle all deflectors astern!" She instructed the droid, who responded with a mad beeps and a wave of his arm things. "The Star Destroyers aren't the ones firing at us!" She shot back. "Now do it, fast!" She yelled.
"Hera?" Kanan's voice was laced with worry as we soared right between the two foremost Star Destroyers.
"Wait… wait…" Hera whispered, before smirking. "Gotcha!" She pushed a lever. Suddenly, the stars in front of us extended, as if the ship was going at Ludicrous Speed, before blending into a swirling mass of blue and white, almost like going through a Stargate. That was seriously the coolest thing I'd ever seen. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding as I relaxed in my seat.
"Is it like this for you guys all the time?" I asked of the two conscious people in the room.
"Everyday." Kanan sighed, prompting Hera to smirk. I let out a sigh myself. What have I gotten myself into?
A few hours later, I was sitting in the cockpit again, with Ahsoka. She was eerily quiet, no doubt due to the experience she'd had when feeling Vader's presence. I'm guessing she'd already figured out who he was, but was having trouble believing it, much less accepting and coming to terms with it. I mean, the guy was her Master, her mentor and friend. If I found out someone I cared about had become that, I'd have a hard time too.
After a few moments, the door behind us opened, and Ezra and Kanan walked in.
"Ahsoka, Hera said you wanted to see us?" Ezra asked.
"Please, come in." Ahsoka responded. SHe maintained a polite tone of voice, but one could tell she was still a little strained.
"Are you OK?" The kid asked as he and his Master took a seat.
"I am, thank you." Ahsoka nodded. "I wanted to ask about the Sith Lord the three of you encountered on Lothal." She informed us. So that's why she asked me here.
"You know we'd encountered an Inquisitor before, but this was nothing like that." Kanan said with a shake of his head. "The fear, the anger, the hate…"
"The pain…" I added in, shuddering at the memories.
Kanan nodded in agreement. "I haven't felt a presence like that since…" he trailed off.
"The Clone Wars." Ahsoka finished.
"Yeah." Kanan sighed out.
"Ahsoka, do you know who, or what, he is?" Ezra asked.
"No… I don't…" Ahsoka responded after a second. She doesn't want to say anything about Anakin, which makes sense I suppose. Everyone's entitled to their secrets I suppose. Plus, I'm not convinced that she's not aware I'm hiding a few things. It would be hypocritical, and possibly detrimental, to call her out on it. "But I do know that he'll be coming. They'll all be coming now." She turned her gaze to the vacuum of space.
"Then we gotta be ready to fight." Ezra said with determination.
"We must find the strength to fight, but the greater courage is knowing when not to fight." Kanan said to his apprentice wisely. As I pondered his words, the door to the cockpit opened, and the rest of the Ghost crew walked in.
"And we'll be beside you either way." Hera assured. A moment of silence passed before I sighed, catching everyone's attention.
"As will I." I told the former Jedi.
"You'll be accepting my offer?" Ahsoka asked. I gave a single nod, earning a small smile.
"Why would you do that?" Sabine asked, her voice carrying undertones of suspicion and mistrust. She seems like the type.
"Because I have nowhere else to go." I told her. "I have no friends or family, my planet is who the fuck knows where,-"
"Language!" Hera scolded me. I had to roll my eyes as half the people in the room chuckled.
"-and I'm now on your Empire's shit-list." I told the Mando. Before Hera could scold me again, I continued. "So, whilst I admit that my decision is not entirely selfless, it's not as if I have NO desire to help the people who suffer under the Empire." I went on. "So, as long as I'm stuck here, I may as well help, and be helped by, the Rebellion while I can." I finished with crossed arms.
"Well said." Ahsoka told me with a small smile. "Welcome to the Rebellion, Lance Mikaelson."
Darth Vader strolled through the halls of the Star Destroyer that led the attack on the Rebel Fleet. Though his mission to drive them from the Lothal Sector was a success, he found himself unsatisfied, and frustrated. He'd failed to achieve what he wanted. During the mission, he felt a presence that enraged him to the core. The presence of someone from his past, from a time when he was weak.
Ahsoka Tano, the former Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker. After all these years, he had found her. There was no question, it was her. But, she escaped his grasp, hence the reason for his dissatisfaction with his mission.
And then there was the boy that he encountered on Lothal. At first glance, the boy seemed to be merely a young street rat attempting to steal a ship, but he now knew that wasn't true. The Force was strong with him, incredibly so. In fact, Vader would say that the boy's raw strength with the Force rivalled his own, perhaps even surpassed it, given his current circumstances. If that young man could be turned, he could be a powerful ally, perhaps even powerful enough to help him overthrow his Master. If that is to happen, however, he cannot allow his Master to learn of the boy's existence. But first, he needed more information about him.
As Vader entered the communications section of the bridge, he was greeted to the sight of Agent Kallus and Admiral Konstantine. Kallus was pleased with the mission's results, but Konstantine was leaking fear out of his ears. He most likely worried about getting Force Choked for latching Vader's fighter in the tractor beam instead of the Rebel ship. Fortunately for him, Vader had more pressing matters to attend to.
"With their Command Ship destroyed, the Rebel Fleet has been shattered. You have them on the run." Agent Kallus started with his report.
"Clear the bridge." Vader ordered them. They were clearly surprised at the suddenness of the order, but were wise enough to obey nonetheless. Once Vader was alone, he activated the Holoterminal and knelt before it. Above the terminal, appeared the form of his Master, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, more commonly known as Emperor Palpatine to the rest of the Galaxy. One could hear the evil and sinister tone in his voice as he spoke.
"Lord Vader… Have you dealt with the Rebels in the Lothal System?"
"Yes, Master. They are broken." Vader responded, plain and simple.
"And yet… I sense something… more, to your victory." Sidious noted.
Truly, Vader could not hide anything from his Master. At the very least, not much. And not for long, at that. Palpatine had earned Anakin's trust from long before he turned, slowly swaying him to the Dark Side with promises and prospects that were not as he'd said, and once Vader had learned the truth, it was too late. He was the Sith Lord's slave in all but name. Vader swore to overthrow his Master one day, but it was a timely task. If Sidious suspected any kind of deceit or mutiny, Vader would be killed with one blast of Force Lightning. The young man he'd faced on Lothal was the first step to putting his plans into motion, but he couldn't reveal that yet. Thankfully, he had something else that should please his Master.
"I believe that the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker lives, and is in league with these Rebels." Vader reported.
"Are you certain?"
"It was her." Even without the Force, Vader could sense the sinister grin on his master's face.
"This is an opportunity we cannot let pass. Skywalker's apprentice could lead us to other surviving Jedi." Sidious was pleased, good.
"Such as Kenobi?"
The mere mention of the name enraged Vader, despite the fact that he was the one who said it. His Master, who betrayed him and left him for dead on Mustafar. His brother, who turned the woman he loved against him, which led to the deaths of his wife and unborn child. Kenobi was to blame for his life of pain and discomfort in the suit that keeps him alive. Kenobi was the reason he now lived as more machine than man. The prospect of cutting down his old Master and showing he was now the Master was one of the few things that kept him going.
"Perhaps, if he still lives." He lived; of that, Vader was certain. "Be patient, my old friend. For now, dispatch another Inquisitor to hunt them down."
"As you wish, my Master."
I briefly considered splitting this chapter in two, but I decided against. That would have made for two rather short chapters.
Now, something I want to get out of the way. Assuming I actually continue with this story, Lance isn't going to be one of those SIs that's going to work his ass off to preserve canon, but he's not going to go out of his way to change things either. He's just going to do his best in each and every situation that presents itself to him, and let the Galaxy run its course, whatever that may be. That doesn't mean he won't ponder on what could or couldn't be changed though.
And hey, if any of you like Paint Pouring art, please check out my mother's YouTube Channel!
Colour Shyft Art by Tammy
Thanks a ton all!
