The Jedi King II: War for the Rim Chapter 17: Stripes of Cowardice, a star wars rebels fanfic

Chapter 17

Stripes of Cowardice

VIZSLA KEEP 009

The Vanguard

The Rebel freighter known as the Ghost landed inside the Shatterpoint, Lord Asimov's flagship and when it did, the rebels all looked tense in the cockpit, Hera let out a long sigh, "Remember this is not an alliance we fill up the ship, and we go." Hera said to them, "And we check on Ahkilleon." Kanan added, the rest of the crew being Zeb, Sabine, Chopper and Ezra looked at one another.

"What if he doesn't want to see us?" Sabine asked skeptics.

Zeb scratched his sideburns, "Definitely not the same kid we saw last time."

"The sooner we're out of here the better, can't believe your giving up the holocrons so easily." Ezra said storming out of the cockpit.

The others followed leaving Kanan and Hera alone, "Why did you give up the holocrons so easily, Kanan, the Sith one I understand but your holocron you told me that was all you ahd left to remember your Master, Depa Billaba?" Hera asked him, concerned.

Kanan was silent, "Do you trust me?" Kanan asked her.

"... Always." Hera said even though her face hid her real concern, "Then trust me now." Kanan said.

Ezra walked out of the ship to see the Revenant land beside them, but he also noticed a large movement in the large hangar, like the Separatist Providence Dreadnoughts, the two hangars of the Militia variant went from starboard to port, but the two stacked on one another had a large opening in the center for objects, cargo, or ships to move out of. Dark blue painted Vulture droids we're marching to the edge before taking off and landing on the large asteroid of Vizla Keep 009, approaching Ezra with two B5 battle droids behind them was the Super Tactical droid in yellow and teal paint, his green optics looked Ezra up and down and then scanned the others as they came down, "Is that a super tactical droid?" Hera asked.

"Greetings, I am designated as Trek the Shatterpoints Quartermaster, I am instructed to supply your freighter with anything and everything we can spare from our stores, how may I assist you comrades?" The droid asked them.

Kanan stepped forward, "Where did they take Ahkilleon?"

The droid scanned him and looked at his lightsaber, "Captain Tano has been reprimanded to the brig Master Jedi, for desertion, I am afraid my orders are to make sure your ships cargo stores are filled and that you remain in the hanger."

"We made a deal that we'd get the cargo and to see him?" Kanan asked.

The droid processed this, "He will be brought to you before you leave, Lord Asimov has given me his word, now if you look at this manifest it will show you the shatterpoints available stock."

He held it to Kanan and then stopped "Apologize, I was unaware you were damaged."

Hera walked up and swiped the pad, "It's my ship anyway." She said.

The droid looked at her, and Hera just glowered "Apologize Captain Syndulla, Lord Asimov has all droids programmed to assist Jedi upon arrival to the Shatterpoint."

"Uh-huh." Hera said before she started to look through the list, Ezra was looking over at the vulture droids now crawling over Vizla Keep 009, Militia gunship and transports started to fly too and head into the three hangers of the outpost and even though they were far away he could see droids and a few regulars moving into the interior.

Ezra looked over "Hey, Trek was it, what are you guys doing?"

The droid walked up hands behind his back "Lord Asimov has ordered that this outpost be repurposed as a new outpost, the Militia does not believe in wasting valuable resources. It will be manned, reinforced and allow us to maintain a presence in this sector, Padawan."

"Padawan?" Zeb chuckled hearing that "Sounds like a small lizard?"

"It's what a Jedi student is called Zeb." Sabine said. Trek then noticed Sabine's armor "Mandalorian, your people built this place, it is amazing it remains intact and operable after so many years of abandonment."

Sabine took that as a snide comment, "What that's supposed to mean?"

"It is merely an observation, Captain, have you had a chance to select what cargo you wish to take?" Trek asked Hera.

She looked up at the droid like he was spitting in her face, "I have, we'll take everything I marked off." The droid took the datapad and scanned through her request, "I will return shortly with the cargo, Militia Invictus." the droid said before walking off leaving the rebels to look around the hangar, though most of them looked like they were doing their best to ignore them there were militia regulars all armed with Blasters and B5 battle droids scattered around the hangar to keep an eye on them.

Meanwhile, down in the brig, Ahkilleon was sitting alone he had his lightsaber and helmet taken away and was rubbing his hands together when the laser door opened, stepping down into the cell Ahkilleon looked up to see Commander Sigma, he had a tray of rations and he set it down on the bench Ahkilleon was sitting on, "Thought you may be hungry kid."

"What's going to happen to me Sigma?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Told you to read the codex, desertion is a serious crime you abandoned your brothers." Sigma told him looking down at him, getting to his feet Ahkilleon paced the room "I didn't abandon anyone, I couldn't just wait for the Militia and Jedi Council to get bogged down talking it over when I could do something, Sigma?" Ahkilleon asked.

Sigma scoffed at him, "You really think we didn't take this seriously, the strike team was picked immediately, the Shatterpoint was already ready to go, they were going to have you come along as backup and an advisor since you fought Maul before recently, and then we learned you ran off with five jedi trainees and two cadets, one who is General Freemans own son!" Sigma barked at him "Ahkilleon, we went chasing after you before anything else?" Sigma pointed out.

Ahkilleon looked at him stunned. "What?"

"Yeah 'Captain' the reason why we didn't get here before Maul could be captured, was because we got a tip from that padawan girl you ran off to Iago, had to take a detour there before you came here."

"I… didn't know." "No you didn't think." Sigma said pressing his finger to his helmet "Lord Asimov is furious with you and…. And he can't help you this time." Sigma said heading to the exit he walked out leaving Ahkilleon to wallow in his own stupidity.

Elsewhere in the Shatterpoint, Yumi sat down in the mess hall with a plate of rations she sighed as she broke some bread "I can't wait to get back to Arcadia, eat some of Zhao's cooking." she said as Urrde, Kraggen and Fatima all looked at her squarely. Urrde and Kraggen had their arms crossed, Fatima was tapping her fingers on the long table "What?" she asked in a dark tone and they all bowed their heads.

Yumi ate her food miffed before she felt someone drag her by her collar, "Hey?!" she snapped only to see her brother dragging her out of the mess hall, "You, me, now." he said, Corto's tone and his face were hard like his mothers and when they were out in the empty hall he let go of his sister. Yumi fixed her collar "Geez brother what was that for."

"Why?" He asked sternly arms crossed.

"Why what?" she asked.

Corto glared at her hard, "Why did you betray Ahkilleon?"

She pressed her hand to her chest like she was being accused of something wrong "I didn't, he's the one who ran off to chase down a Sith Lord who's killed, not one, not, two but Ten Jedi and maybe even more we don't know about, I was looking out for our friends, for you." she counted off all ten Jedi on her fingers and then held her hands up grasping at his confusion.

"Ahkilleon is our friend, he needed us." Ahkilleon pointed at her one hand on his hip, and she scoffed, "Ha, maybe your friend but not mine, my friends are back at that table, and on Arcadia where we belong, not here Jedi shouldn't go to war." She said gesturing around the metal walls.

Corto frowned even more lowering his arm "Jedi go where we're needed, in war and peace. And he needed us to be there for him after it was finished."

"Oh what, after he killed Maul and took his place as the next big bad Sith we have to worry about, you didn't see him fight Corto, I did he's already walking- practically running the darker path."

"Like mom?" Corto asked, bringing up their mother, former Assassin and now Jedi Master Asajji Ventress "I did this for mom!" she shouted back.

Corto looked at her puzzled "His dad, the big great Hero Leo Rock, first to fight the Empire, everyone always wants to forget what he did to mom, her people-" She pressed her fist to her chest "Our people, he slaughtered them like animals."

Her brother chuckled, "Our people, we've never been to Dathomir, or Kiffu and Kiffex, besides both our parents' so called 'people' their families gave them up to the Jedi or worse for mom." Corto argued "The Jedi are our family, and that includes Ahkilleon, was going to kill Maul maybe, but we were going to be there for him good or bad, to make sure he didn't fall to the dark side."

"Why do you care so much about him Corto? Ahkilleon is arrogant, ruthless and unreliable and thinks he's better than all of us. He's a jerk to you all the time. Why do you want to make sure he's okay-" "BECAUSE HE'S IN PAIN!" Corto screamed with her fist raised, his shout was so loud some force blew back Yumi's robe and Corto's soft brown eyes grew dark with malice before he sighed and stood up straight looking at the ceiling "I stop pain, I heal people you know I do and I can fix wounds that would kill people, but there's something in him that's broke, Maul was a part of that, if bringing him to justice could have brought Ahkilleon some peace who are we to get in his way."

Yumi shook her head and mouth open, "I can't believe what I'm hearing, you want him to succeed?"

"I want him to be better, and we can't do that if we aren't all on the same side, I'm glad you found yourself a Master, really I am but you should have told me you were spying on us."

"I wasn't spying, I told them where we were going before anything bad happened, and we're saved?" she argued.

Corto flung his hands up "Were never in danger."

"Ahkilleon is the danger-" "Enough you two!" a voice snapped over them, both Corto and Yumi looked down the hall to see their mother Asajj walking toward them. She stopped just short arms crossed like her son.

"Mom, so good to see you." Yumi said, Asajj held up her thumb and index finger pressing them together before she dragged them across her lips "Zip it, both of you, you and the rest of the trainees are getting on my ship and we're heading back to Arcadia, then the three of us are going to have a long talk with your father and I."

"But mom-" "Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, I don't want to hear it, you two are grounded for… till Knighthood." "For Till Knighthood." Both Yumi and Corto said at the same time, and Ventress returned to her sith assassin ways ""For Till Knighthood!" she said pointing her finger at them like it was a spear.

Back in the hangar, Trek had come back with a small army of B1 battle droids that were pushing crates on a hover cart to the rebel ship. They left them at the mouth of the Ghost where everyone was waiting, "Thats far enough, we'll load them our selves." Hera said hand up to Trek, "Roger, roger." Trek replied gesturing to the B1's to leave the carts and go.

Hera shuttered hearing that "We have to do all of this, by ourselves?"

"After we check to make sure none of them have hidden trackers, I'm not risking our base like last time." Hera said making both Ezra and Zeb moan, Sabine noticed Hera was on edge as the two started to check the crates.

"You okay?" Sabine asked, watching Hera who was watching the ship full of droids and Militia regulars moving through the hangar, the rock of Vizla keep was already starting to get drilled in by droids on the asteroids oxyngeless surface adding in turrets and communication equipment.

Sabine touched her, "Hera?"

"What- no, I'm not, I saw droids just those ones invade my world, they did terrible things to my people, to my family I… let's focus on checking the cargo." Hera said not wanting to talk about it.

Zeb and Ezra were looking at a crate of medical supplies, casks of bacta gel stacked neatly inside the crate, in compact sockets, Ezra was pulling them out one at a time checking them when one of them slipped it landed on the floor and rolled out away from him. Ezra chased after it, bending over to reach for the bacta before a metal boot stopped it.

Ezra looked up to see Terro and Ventus the two armored war jedi standing in front of them, "My my Terro, a lost little brother."

"Indeed Ventus, very little." he said bending over, Ezra got up and noticed their leather brown robes tucked under their breast plates, gauntlets, pauldrons and hooded heads, covered in the facemask.

"I'm not your brother." Ezra said as Terro picked up the bacta "You are a jedi aren't you?" Terro asked, offering him the bacta, Ezra took it "Yeah?"

Ventus and Terro looked at one another, and rested their hands on their lightsabers "Show us." Before Ezra could say anything the two of them turned on their blue and green lightsabers, making Ezra step back as he reached for his own and ignited it, the rebels saw the swords drawn and the other rebel came running "Ventus, Terro stop!" Tai had run up getting between the two and Ezra, her hands up "Lord Asimov promised them safe harbor here until they filled their ship."

Ventus and Terro didn't put away their lightsabers "We have droids for that work, we're in the mood for some sport, right Ventus?" Terro said, holding his green saber tight "Indeed." Ventus replied.

"I'm not letting a single one of you set foot on my ship, droid or otherwise." Hera said a disruptor pistol aimed at them, Sabine and Zeb had their weapons drawn ready to fight.

"Stand down, both of you are embarrassing yourselves and your Lord." Tai said as Kanan stepped forward his saber still at his hip undrawn.

Terro and Ventus looked at him then looked at one another, "Come on, there no challenge." Ventus said turning his saber off, "There are just rebels after all" Terro did the same before they walked away.

"Who-the-hell were those jerks?" Ezra asked turning his lightsaber off, Tai sighed stood up straight arms at her side "Lord Asimov's prized pets, Terro and Ventus is so called War Jedi and personal guard." she explained turning to them, she gave a bow "I apologize for their rudeness."

Everyone put their weapons away, "War Jedi… doesn't sound very Jedi you know?" Zeb said skeptical.

"The New Jedi are different from the last, the Knights have more power and the congress have joined the war effort under Lord Asimov." She said with disdain.

Kanan watched them go even though he couldn't see them he could feel them, "I thought there was a Council, what about Master K'Kruhk and other survivors right?"

Tai hesitated to answer "There is 'a' Council yes, I actually wanted to talk to you about that Ca- I mean Kanan, can we talk?" She asked him, offering an open hand to show her sincerity. Kanan looked back at Hera, she had a narrow stare on Tai before she went back to stocking the crates to make sure they weren't bugged or had any trackers.

"Only for a few minutes." Kanan said back to her, "Thank you." Tai replied before he followed her away from the Ghost, they headed over to an open part of the hangar both out of earshot of anyone, Tai had her hands behind her back and Kanan at his side.

She looked at him and his mask, "What did you want to talk about?"

"I see your injury hasn't dampened your senses, maybe enhanced them in the force, isn't that ironic?" she asked.

Kanan stopped and fixed his jaw "Can we skip the small talk, what do you want Tai, if it's about Ezra and I joining the New Jedi the answer is still no?"

"Things are changing, the Militia is growing more aggressive then the New Council anticipated, we've counseled the General and the Warlords but they're grabbing up territory everywhere, they don't know the Empire like you and your padawan do and… there's an empty council." Tai said to him, "Kanan, the New Jedi Council has told me to offer you the vacant seat, as a Master on the Jedi Council."

Kanan gaped upon hearing that, "Me, a Jedi Council member?"

Tai nodded "The other Masters need a fresh perspective, someone who knows the real galaxy, how it works, how it operates, how we can be the Jedi it needs."

That made Kanan frown, "Like Asimov?"

"Asimov doesn't speak for the whole order, yes he leads most of the Knights but that's because most of them are terrified of another Purge, that the Militia would turn on us like the Republic." she explained to him "The Republic didn't turn on us, the Sith manipulated the Jedi and the Republic into their downfall." Kanan told her.

Tai gapped "You… can't honestly be that naive Kanan, more than half of the Republic's senators are still in power in the 'imperial' senate, still getting rich and fat from the outer rims suffering."

Kanan looked away, "This is what the Jedi warned us about, getting into politics Tai."

"We need to be in politics Kanan or else we don't have any cont- I didn't come here to argue, my offer just… just think on it."

Far from the hangar up in the base of the command tower right below the bridge, Lord Asimov sat in darkness in his private chambers, the light of the stars coming in on a big window as he sat in an armchair. The room was large but had a simple structure to it, a large bed, table for eating and 180 degree open window for him to look at the haul of his ship and the asteroid field. He himself sat alone in the chair, his helmet off in his hand, looking at the scared reflection, his missing right eye, his long five streaks of claw marks and the burn marks he'd endured. "What are we going to do Petro…" he muttered to himself.

A knock on the door, "Enter." He said resting the helmet on his knee.

Commander Sigma came in, his helmet under his arm, "Are you sure you want to go through with this my Lord, he is your padawan?"

"... When I was his age, I led a small band of young jedi to try and fight the Empire, this was before we joined the Militia, we found ourselves in the mid-rim on a world sympathetic to jedi." Lord Asimov said getting up and walking to the window a large armored silhouette against the glass.

He pressed his hand on the window looking at his own reflection still, "I was young, brash, we had found a rebel group who were inspired that jedi would fight side by side with them like in the Old Republic." Asimov pressed his head against the glass "I led my friends and those rebels, just normal people against an imperial clone garrison. I knew… i thought I knew that we had the force on our side, we had trained and when we attacked the rebels were slaughtered my friend Zatt was nearly killed they barely escaped with their lives."

"What about you my Lord?" Commander Sigma asked.

He lifted up his helmet, "I was captured by Inquisitors, holding the entrance to the rebel stronghold I told them it was to buy my friends time, but in truth I wanted to die, I wanted to make a great last stand like Skywalker in the Temple, go down fighting but the Inquisitors captured me and made me Asimov" he said slipping his helmet on.

"That is why I must do it, so that my apprentice doesn't suffer the same fate."

The rebels looked at the stacks of supplies the militia had delivered to the crew and loaded up by Zeb, Sabine and Ezra it was almost to the brim of the Ghosts haul a narrow walkway leading to the ladders "Hera I don't know what will give out first the room or our backs." Ezra said, rubbing his lower spine.

"I'm not letting any militia on to my ship." She said staunchly as she and Kanan brought up another crate, "Medical supplies, rations, and spare parts the Phoenix squadron won't have to go looking for scraps for at least a year." Sabine said, looking at all of the stuff.

There was one thing they didn't have "We sure we don't want to make room for some weapons?" Zeb asked

"No." Kanan and Hera said, setting down their crate.

Just as they did, Commander Sigma approached them with his helmet under his arm, it was strange or them to see the spitting image of Rex in the slicked back mullet haired Sigma, "Commander Sigma, we're almost done, where's Ahkilleon?"

The commander looked there but said nothing. That's when they noticed the militia hangar was nearly full with a full platoon getting into basic formation with Lord Asimov walking out followed by Admiral Zygote and other officers. "What's this a fond farewell hehe?" Zeb chuckled.

"Not exactly." Sigma grunted as the doors opposite of the officers opened and Ahkilleon was walked out by two super battle droids. On each side of him he wasn't wearing his armor, just his sleeveless tunic and wrapped up hands. They escorted Ahkilleon to the center of the room, the tension building with every step "Kanan I don't like this." Hera muttered.

The rebels watched Asimov step forward and without a word the entire platoon stood at attention. Among the crowd of soldiers, pilots, officers, droids the New Jedi stood, Nausea, Ventress, Tai, Yumi, Corto, Urrde, Fatima and Kraggen even Jay and Rulf were there with the other cadets dressed in their uniforms, with berets. "We are the Militia, we have done what no one else thought possible declared war on the Empire, retook territories hard won with blood sweat and tears and we have done this by being united as one!" Lord Asimov said to the hangar "We were sent out on a mission to catch a monster to justice, we failed that mission because of one of our own, driven by pride and selfish arrogance." He pointed towards Ahkilleon and there was silence. "In doing so he risked the life of two cadets, and five jedi trainees our most sacred resource, the future of the Militia."

"We all know the law, the punishment for desertion is one of the greatest crimes our Militia can commit, and he must be reminded that no one fights alone in the militia." Asimov said as a droid walked up with a metal case and opened it. Lord Asimov pulled out a long leather whip bound and twisted together the hand a dark brown leather coiled out into a long black tail.

He flung it followed by an ear shatter CRACK-

Just looking at the whip made Ezra tense up, "The punishment for a deserter's crimes against the Militia is to be flogged on the back for their transgression, seize him."

The droids reached for Ahkilleon and he pulled away making them raise their blasters but Ahkilleon didn't fight, instead he undid his robe and tossed it to the floor hautly before he turned around holding his arms out showing he'd accepted his punishment with the droids taking hold of his arms, and readied himself for the lash, the only thing left on his torso were faded scars and the leather string coiled around the nexu fang, he still had it always. When he did, Master Uzuma pushed through the crowd of soldiers "Asimov what is this!" She snapped.

"Discipline. Asimov said as he rolled up the whip on his fists, "Not like this he's a Jedi-" "And a soldier in the militia under my command and tutelage, that doesn't put him above the law, he swore and oath and broke it." Asimov said to her.

Tai gapped and looked at Ahkilleon who was breathing hard out of his nose waiting for the whip. "You can't…. Your own apprentice?" She asked.

"I must." Asimov said, pushing her aside, she spoke to object again but "Master Uzuma!" Ahkilleon snapped, he was breathing hard out of his nose "I…. accept… my punishment, I broke my oath and disobeyed orders." he said turning back around

Lord Asimov drew back the whip with a flick of leather before he flung it at Ahkilleons back.

CRACK

The whip struck with speed faster than expected, every muscle in Ahkilleon's broad built body tensed flexing to the pain a red streak across his back the muscles getting hit so hard and quick the skin cut open in a long cut from shoulder to hip and another.

CRACK

"Hmmrrr-" A grunt of pain from Ahkilleon but he didn't falter as another stripe was cut on backside, sweat starting to form.

CRACK

Asimov hit Ahkilleon again and the rebels watched, "Kanan we have to do something?" Ezra said to him, Kanan winced hearing another

CRACK

Still Ahkilleon held back the pain, "This is wrong, guys." Sabine said setting down the case she started to draw her blasters when two lightsabers appeared at the entrance to the Ghost, both Terro and Ventus stood in her way and behind them Trek with a dozen B5 battle droids, "This is the Law." Terro said.

CRACK

Blood ran down Ahkilleons back from the lashes across his broad muscular back, the heart racing pain made it pump out faster and still, he kept his jaw locked tight pressing, grinding his teeth so hard together they looked like they would break. "Kanan-" Hera said, looking to him, but Kanan had his head turned to Ezra who was watching it, all "We can't just do nothing." Zeb growled in agreement with Sabine.

"He made his choice." Ezra said coldy.

CRACK

Among the Jedi, Nareau closed his eyes and looked away, Tai squeezed her fists tight, Ventress watched and Yumi tried to look away like the other trainees "No, watch." Asajj said.

CRACK

Yumi couldn't stand the sight of all the blood and puked up her lunch all over her boots.

CRACK

Lord Asimov paused the punishment, his whip arm hung there for a moment, he looked at his padawan and then down at the whip, he did not want to do this, but he had to. He was the Warlord of the Vanguard fleet, of the Jedi, he had to maintain order in the ranks.

CRACK

Lord Asimov drew back his arm again for another blow, when a bridge officer came running up to Admiral Zygote and whispered in his ear, the look on Zygote's face would make a rancor's blood run cold "My Lord!" Admiral Zygote approached him and whispered something in his ear. Lord Asimov dropped the whip and turned to him, he then walked up to the bridge officer and they started speaking in hushed tones. Across the hanger Ahkilleon's legs wobbled, his back was red with his own blood soaked in the back of his trousers and pooling on the floor.

The conversation went on and then all of them nodded, Lord Asimov stepped forward "The Empire has launched a series of offensives on our positions along the borders of the Mid Rim, our fleet at Serenno has fallen back, Garos has been lost, we are to regroup with the fleet to launch a counter attack you are to report to your stations immediately and prepare for combat, Militia Invictus."

"MILITIA INVICTUS!" The army cried aloud in union before they all started to disperse. The rebels looked at one another as Lord Asimov approached the two droids holding Ahkilleon, "Release him."

Ahkilleon hit the floor with a heavy thud, and the rebels were about to do something but Ventus and Terro were still guarding them, Asimov walked up to Ahkilleon and around him. He knelt down and bent over, "Of all the soldiers punished by the lash, none have never cried out past five lashes…." Asimov said to him as Ahkilleon breathed hard wincing, he turned his head up one eye looking at Asimov "Hate if you want, but I need soldiers in this war, not rebels, you want to rebel and run off chasing shadows, there's the Ghost." Lord Asimov stood up and said "You want to be a King, let go of the past, of the ones you lost or ambition will suffer like your body has. If I find you in the medical bay I know I still have a padawan, if not make sure the rebels stay out of my way."

Coughing on the floor, Ahkilleon dragged his nails across the metal floor; he pressed his hands on it and pushed off arms weakly, burning as he got to his feet. Bent over he stood up, after taking all those lashes he was still standing. He looked over at the Ghost, who were looking at him a mix of look in their eyes, all except Kanan. Hera was concerned, Zeb was shocked he'd taken the punishment and could still stand, Sabine's were wide in a mix of emotions, Ezra wasn't even looking.

He limped toward them.

Doing his best to stand up straight there was a slight lean due to the lashes still dripping blood on his back, "Get the ship ready to go and the medbay ready." Hera said to Chopper, expecting Ahkilleon to join them.

But he bent over, it looked like he was about to fall, but he picked up his torn off robes, he took one last look at the rebels. Slowly, he turned away heading to the exit when he stumbled, reaching he felt something break his fall, Beetoo the astro droid was there to catch him, then he felt someone take his arm. It was Jay and then Corto he looked at the two of them and no words were said. They helped Ahkilleon out of the hangar and to the medical bay.

The rebels looked to one another on what to do next, "Come on, let's go home." Ezra saidf following Chopper into the bridge, "Wait, Ezra, you just want to go what about Ahkilleon?" Zeb asked.

"What about him, you saw he went off with his 'new' friends." Ezra said in disgust, before he climbed up the ladder to the cockpit.

"He doesn't really mean that, does he?" Zeb asked the others, Sabine said nothing and followed Hera wanted to say something but she couldn't find the words, so they looked Kanan, blind though he was he did still have the habit of seeing things others couldn't "Ahkilleon is walking a different path then us, it's like Ezra said he made his choice we just have to hope he makes the right ones going forward." Kanan said to them.

Zeb still wasn't convinced "But we saw what they did to him, he's Ahsoka's son shouldn't that count for something, loyalty at least?"

"And where was his loyalty after she was gone, he's Militia now." Hera said following Kanan, Zeb seeing he was alone in this shook his head "karabast."

The rebels all boarded the Ghost with somber hearts and they took off in silence from the Shatterpoint, the vulture droids were returning from Vizla keep that now had a militia presence there. The Shatterpoint bridge saw them go and Lord Asimov walked onto the bridge just as they jumped to hyperspace, "Report."

"The Cyberspider fleet is holding their position along the Hutt space borders, General Kleeve's One Eyed Devil's fleet is spread out across the Garos sector engaged in multiple battles, Serenno's conscripts tried to surrender but the Empire is bombing the capital." Trek explained to them. "What of General Steela and the Free Company?" Asimov asked.

"She pushed the first wave back but reported another assault a few minutes ago." Just then the Vanguard fleet dropped out of hyperspace all twelve Dreadnoughts and a dozen of their frigate support ships, Lord Asimov walked around the holotable and took his seat on the bridge "Soldiers of the Militia the true war begins!"