Hey everybody!

Wow, I really left you hanging for a while there, huh? Well the good news is I actually have the next 4 chapters of this story already written, so hey let's celebrate, you're actually (hopefully ;D) going to get some regular updates with this one!

Hopefully you enjoy! Tell me what you thought about the chapter in the comments, because I love to read your reviews! :D

May the force be with you, always!

-Superherotiger

P.S I'm so sorry for posting late! It's been hectic being Christmas time and all! :D

…41 hours left…

Hera's POV

"There must be something, anything you can do," I pleaded to the hooded figure in the hologram. "Please Fulcrum, we need your help."

The mysterious leader sighed and bowed her head, replying in a robotic voice "I'm sorry Hera, but we do not have the resources to spare."

"But you don't understand! Ezra is everything to this crew," I argued fiercely. "He is the glue that binds us, holds us together. If we lose him… we lose everything that we represent."

Fulcrum took a deep breath. "I know that Ezra is extremely important to all of you, but you said it to me yourself. The boy is on his death bed. You know as well as I do that nothing I give you will stop the inevitable."

I pressed my head firmly into my hands and bit back the anger that threatened to rise. Ezra wasn't just a member of our team. He was family. And we would do everything in our power to protect our family. "Please Fulcrum," I murmured, my voice faint. "Even if you can't send us an antidote or medics, can you at least give us equipment that will make the next 40 hours or so less torturous?"

There was a long pause, before Fulcrum quizzed "For who? Ezra, or you?"

I pressed my lips into a thin line to stop them from quivering. "All of us," I replied, my voice cracking.

The figure sighed in defeat, speaking reluctantly "I'll check with my superiors."

"Oh thank you Fulcrum!" I exclaimed in relief. "You don't know how much this means to us!"

"It's quite alright Hera," she reassured. "How is the boy now?"

"Still in the med-bay. Sabine is sitting with him while he sleeps," I explained softly. "She… she's keeping an eye on all his health levels… she'll know when his organs start malfunctioning…"

"And Kanan?"

"Uh," I drawled for a moment, not really sure how to answer her question. "He's taken it upon himself to… retrieve the antidote. Subjects involving Ezra tend to make him a bit brash, it seems. He hasn't reported back yet but-"

And as if on que, the second line sprung to life, requesting contact from the Phantom to the Ghost. I sighed in both relief and concern, saying to Fulcrum "Speak of the devil. One moment…"

Kanan's POV

"Spectre 1, I hope you have some good news," Hera's voice cooed over the com.

Her voice was like sweet relief to my ears, and after travelling a good few hours or so through hyperspace, it was nice to hear a familiar voice. Snow pummelled the Phantom windscreen, the wind howling outside in an eerie whistle and sucking any warmth from within the ship. I slumped back against the pilot's chair and replied wearily "I thought I'd let you know that I've just arrived on Krachu."

The Twi'lek's expression shifted heavily, and she asked in a devastated tone "No luck?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. Vizago just laughed, and the black market even came up blank. This was the last option."

I could see Hera was sceptical, the way her eyes grew distant, how she bit her lip and even how her lekku twitched ever so slightly. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to that," she murmured drearily. "I really wish you had taken Zeb or Sabine with you. I'm not comfortable with you tracking these creatures by yourself."

"Hey, it hasn't come to that yet," I soothed, trying to sound confident. "There's still a chance I can just buy it from a local hunter or something. No-one's going to die."

Hera shot me an unconvinced look through the hologram, causing me to hesitate as I picked up what she was thinking.

Yet. No one was dying yet. But by the next 48 hours it may be a far different story.

The dread hit my body full force when the thought of losing Ezra crossed my mind, and my voice immediately drew shaky as I spoke "How… how is he?"

Hera's usually vibrant eyes darkened, creases forming in her brow as she answered "He's okay, he's just sleeping at the moment."

"Oh thank the force," I thought to myself. The tension unravelling from my shoulders, I asked "What's his condition?"

"Steady, for now. He woke up about an hour ago but he fell asleep again pretty quickly," she explained. "Sabine is sitting with him… She suspects he has about 41 hours left Kanan."

I felt the colour escape my skin as my eyes widened in shock. 41 hours left. That's seven hours I had already wasted in fruitless attempts of searching and trading. And in the meantime the poison would work its duty, spreading its sick toxic throughout an innocent twelve year old boy and slowly extinguishing the light that spurred our crew…

I inhaled sharply and clenched my eyes shut, refusing to allow tears to form and accept defeat to that possibility. Nothing would make me quit in my search, and I wouldn't allow anything or anyone to get in my way of saving Ezra.

"I shouldn't waste any more time," I stated sharply as I rose to my feet and held my chin high. "I'll report back once I retrieve the venom."

"Kanan wait," Hera interjected before I almost cut the line. I flinched, watching her wavering figure with vacant teal eyes. She returned my gaze, but hers was one of sorrow, confliction. "What if the venom only makes it worse?" she quizzed

I released a tense sigh and replied "That's just a risk we'll have to-"

"No," she growled. "We don't have to risk it. We don't have to put Ezra through it!"

"Are you suggesting we just sit back and let him die?" I spoke, my tone harsher than I'd intended it to be.

"I'm saying that we can try and make his death as painless as possible, Kanan," she clarified.

A rumble sounded in my throat, my teeth clamping together instinctively. "You can't expect me to give up on him Hera," I snarled. "The antidote-!"

"May not work and you know it!" she argued. My brows furrowed, a fire rising in my throat, but whether from frustration or fear, I couldn't tell. Taking a calming breath, the pilot reasoned softly "Kanan, he's a smart kid. It won't be long until he figures out what's going on, and when he does, he'll want you right there by his side when he goes."

"Ezra won't be going in the first place," I snarled, believing 100% in my own words. "We've dealt with plenty of close calls, why should this one be any different?"

Hera groaned, her patience wearing thin as she tried to explain "Kanan, you can't protect him from everything. There are some things that are out of your control, but there is still something you have the power to choose for."

I arched a brow, and she finished "You can still choose to be there for him. There's still time to turn back and be there for Ezra before he passes."

I scowled and crossed my arms defensively over my chest, turning my head away in defiance. All was silent for a long moment, until Hera murmured "Ezra is still that little boy you found five years ago, Kanan. And that little boy needs you here, now."

My eyes shot open and my body lurched as if it had just been hit by a brick wall. Images of Ezra's bright, childish face flashed across my vision. His cheeky smile. His vibrant blue eyes. I could hear that familiar laugh echo in my skull as I remembered when I first took him in. The times when he would draw along the walls with a crayon, or when he used to wear his over-sized Stormtrooper helmet and play 'I spy' with Chopper… Even the times when he'd have a nightmare and wriggle under my blankets until he felt safe again, nuzzling close to my chest and listening out for my heartbeat. And I would just lay there, taking peace from the steady inhale and exhale of his breaths, slowly drifting to sleep as I held him secure in my embrace…

And as the tears blurred my vision, as the memories grew more vivid, I knew deep in my heart what I had to do.

"I'm sorry Hera," I whispered, my voice faint and ghostly. "But I'm not ready to lose him yet…"

I turned to face the hologram again, raising my gaze to meet hers as I rasped "I'd never forgive myself if I wasn't there… but I could never look at myself the same knowing there was still the chance he could have survived…"

Hera's expression softened, and I realised there were tears pooling in the corners of her emerald green eyes. "I don't want to lose him either," she murmured with a slight hitch. "I-I just don't want to see him like this… I don't want to see him suffer…"

I winced. "I know what you mean Hera, but you have to trust me on this one," I spoke in a silent plea. "Please Hera. Just let me do this."

Hera hesitated for the slightest moment, rubbing the tears from her eyes, before sighing in defeat and bowing her head. "Even if I told you not to, I know you'd do it anyway," she smiled weakly. "You always were a stubborn thing."

Life surged back through my veins, and I quipped "Ah, you love it though."

She giggled an adorable yet, exhausted laugh, replying "Of course Dear. Now hurry along, you're wasting time."

"Oh, right!" I spoke hastily. "I'll contact you once I have the antidote."

Hera inclined her head in acknowledgement, shooting me one last encouraging smile before soothing "Be safe Hun."

"I will. Spectre 1 out."

And with that the line dropped out, Hera's figure flickering and disappearing as the wind grew stronger outside. I glanced through the window with focused eyes, observing the environment in distaste. It was a pure white expanse of snow, ice crystals already clinging to the frame of the Phantom and its deathly chill leaking through the thin metal walls. Even now I could feel the cold seeping through my jumpsuit.

So twisting on my heel I headed straight for the extra supplies and rummaged around until finally finding the winter clothing Hera had placed aside. The navy jacket was thick and had a ring of fur around its brim, and paired with the frost glasses, insulated gloves and snow boots, I felt prepared enough for the harsh temperature that waited ahead.

Confident I was ready, I opened the door to the Phantom.

But the moment the metal unsealed, a flurry of wind and snow consumed the tight space like a flood. I stumbled backwards in shock, immediately feeling its icy grasp coil its way around my bones despite all the new padding. The air had gone stale and any exposed skin was numb within seconds. I scrambled towards the spare supplies and frantically searched for more protection, strapping on more armour, a piece of cloth across the bottom of my face, and even going as far to slip an emergency heat pack down my shirt.

Not that it did much to warm my already frozen body.

But stuffing my hands into the pockets of my jacket and standing up, I steadied my mind for the journey ahead. I had tried to land as close to the nearest settlement as possible, but since visitors obviously weren't common on this planet, there were no spaceports or docking bays to land at. The village wasn't too far away from where I had landed but with freezing temperatures and vicious weather such as this, I could see why people weren't too keen on dropping by.

I took a deep breath of the crisp, dry air and stepped to the edge of the Phantom.

For Ezra…

I strode forward, closing the Phantom door before heading in the direction of the small town. Yet as soon as I had paced a few steps and walked straight into the stream of the wind, I almost fell off balance from the sheer force of its power. I stumbled in the snow for a moment before regaining my footing and trudging forward against my better judgement.

As I continued on the minutes felt like hours in the deathly wind, my teeth chattering and my muscles completely rigid. I couldn't even remember which direction I was heading for after a while. "K-K-Kriffin' hell," I spat under my breath. "If-f-f this antidote d-doesn't work I swear I'll-"

And as if fate was testing me, my foot snagged on something solid, sending me face first into the ocean of white. Groaning, I pushed myself off the frozen ground and glanced up through the haze of moisture on my goggles. But my eyes widened in shock when realising I had just stumbled into a settlement, and the solid object I had tripped on was actually a shallow rock wall surrounding the village.

I immediately jumped to my feet, filled with renewed energy at the sheer relief of finding the small township.

It was only a simple place, houses lining the sides of the cobblestone roads and a few stores littered here and there. The buildings were made of what looked like thick, chiselled ice, surrounded in a layer of stretched animal hide and a few sheets of metal acting as a roof. The streets were deserted, and rightfully so, because no one was probably stupid enough to walk around in the middle of this kind of weather.

I glanced around for somewhere to go, somewhere just to get out of this freezing wind at least. Finally my gaze settled on a two story building on the corner of the first street, it being the only building with its lights on. I headed forward with determination, and as I approached the structure I began to get an idea of what it was.

Yelling and cheering roared from within the building, beer bottles laying empty by the side of the road as the rich scent of alcohol began burning my senses. A simple sign hung above the entrance, reading 'The Krystal Kreptors Pub'.

And the moment I read it, I smiled.

A bar was by far the best place to get information, and the bartenders often had the most intriguing things to share about. For a price of course.

I had been to many, many pubs during my lifetime, mostly because as a fugitive it's far easier to blend in with the crowd when everyone around you is either a criminal or off their face. So for me, this would be a walk in the park. I approached the pub doorway, two pieces of draping animal hide acting as a makeshift door. Beyond that the lights were blaring and the sound of hollering and music was almost deafening to the ear.

I took a deep breath and pushed the cloth to the side, stepping through as casually as possible so not to attract attention. I was immediately hit with a wall of warmth, and though still cooler than an average temperature, it was a vast improvement to the wasteland outside.

Thankfully, most people were too busy singing along with the musicians to notice my arrival, maybe one or two creatures near the door glancing at me from the corner of their eye before going back to their drinks.

I noticed that most people seemed to be in work uniforms or tradie clothing, probably hitting the bar after a long day of physical labour and exhausting tasks. So not to look too obvious, I took off my winter gear and placed them to the side, then proceeded to walk up to the bar and take a seat. An intoxicated Ithorian sat to my left and a Rodian flirting with a waitress at my right, but my focus was on the humanoid bartender cleaning the bench.

He had short black hair and a scrawny beard, his hazel eyes flickering up for the slightest moment before he nonchalantly strode up to in front of me. He leant against the bench and pointed out gruffly "Haven't seen your face around 'ere before. You new?"

I hunched my shoulders and hardened my jaw, answering swiftly "I'm here on account of business."

He arched a brow. "Now, what type of business would drag you to this frozen hell hole?" he quizzed.

"Something of a need to know basis," I growled.

He straightened his back, pulling an empty glass into his reach and wiping it with the rag. "So, what can I get'cha then?" he asked cautiously.

Leaning forward, I slid a credit along the bench and spoke softly "I'm in the market for something valuable."

His eyes gleamed at the sight of the tip as he pulled it close and inspected it in the light, until slipping it into his pocket and resting his arms against the bench. "What'cha looking for, and I'll see if I can recall anything," he spoke, a small grin lining his lips.

My brows furrowed, and I murmured quietly "I… I need Kreptor venom…"

"Kreptor venom!?" the Ithorian beside me exclaimed with all his might.

The bar suddenly went deathly silent, the music halting abruptly as all attention was diverted towards the source of the outburst. Even the bartender's expression had gone as blank as slate. I immediately tensed and placed my hand carefully on the blaster strapped to my leg, trying not to be concerned by the many gazes now fixed in my direction. But despite the freezing temperature, I could feel sweat perspiring under my skin. This was not how I was expecting things to go.

"What'd that fool say?" someone spoke out, breaking the awkward silence.

The creature that had so kindly announced my intentions stood up in a slur, pointing a curled finger towards me and calling "This man be lookin' for Kreptor venom!"

Murmurs suddenly broke out across the room as people now stared at me specifically, looks of distaste and confusion spreading across their blurred expressions. I prepared myself to run as the tension continued to rise throughout the crowd. Maybe if I was lucky I could still find another settlement not too far off.

But suddenly, a single figure emerged from the row of spectators, wearing a thick, tattered shirt and bulky pants that fell all the way down to his worn snow boots. There wasn't much muscle on his scrawny frame, wiry sprouts of grey hair growing from his almost bald head. And judging by the experienced, worn down look in his hazy blue eyes, I would have assumed him to be an older male. Far older than most of the others in the bar to say the least.

He stormed forward, coming straight for me as he barked "Aye, what idiot be stupid enough to even consider trackin' one of those devils?!"

I rose to my feet and remained calm, even as the man spat "What fodder-brained being dare hunt the hunter?!"

He continued forward until finally stopping right in front of me, the putrid smell of alcohol invading my senses as he raised a scolding finger to my face. "Those who want what cannot be given die in the jaws of the beast, and those who take what cannot be taken will perish at the toxin of its fangs!" he roared.

I brushed his hand away with a lax attitude and spoke sharply "I need the venom."

"Aye?" he quizzed, murky blue eyes glancing over me quickly before he continued "Well, since ye obviously ain't from around these parts, lemme ask something. Have ye ever seen a Kreptor?"

I flinched slightly.

At my non-existent reply, someone from the crowd yelled "A creature as big as three men combined!"

"Whose impenetrable teeth and razor sharp claws can rip through the flesh of a man like paper!" another claimed.

"Beasts that drag you through the billowing frost until the snow is stained red!"

"Monsters whose strength can compare only to the winds they endure."

The first man slunk to my side and swung his arm around my shoulders, dragging me close as he pointed off to the far wall. "See that matey?" he spoke, the scent of his breath churning my stomach. I glanced hesitantly in the direction he was pointing, only for my eyes to widen in shock at the sight of the creature pinned above the mantel.

It was huge, slightly bigger than me with bulky, rounded shoulders and thick muscly limbs. Bluey-grey fur flowed across its back and four beefy legs, covering every inch of the animal in an insulated layer of warmth. It had a set of pointed ears and two enormous fangs protruding from the sides of its mouth, gleaming in the dim light. Its eyes were small with pitch black pupils that never seemed to end, and every time the lights flickered they flashed in what I could only assume was rage.

It was dead obviously, stuffed and hung above the wall as a prize, a trophy so to speak. But even from here, across the other side of the room, staring at a still version of what I would soon to be facing, I felt a wave of fear wash over my body.

The man beside me chuckled heartily, before snickering "And that be only a child, ye fool."

Everyone broke into laughter, but at this comment I felt sick. If this was only a young creature, then what would an adult be like?

I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to regain moisture in my mouth as everyone began settling down from their joyful little outburst. The man beside me walked a few steps forward, then glanced over his shoulder and yelled "So foreigner, see now how ye far out of your depth? Not even locals are crazy 'nough to go after one, so why would an ill-skilled show-pony like ye bother chasing a death sentence?"

At his question, I felt all fear disappear from my heart as it was replaced only with my stubborn determination. My expression hardened, and I replied loud enough for everyone to hear "I am doing this for my… for my son."

The room went still, and everyone stopped their childish laughing. It seemed this extra bit of information had taken the humour from their little tease. The first man glanced around with weary eyes, before turning towards me fully and quizzing "Now, what would ye son need Kreptor venom for?"

I inhaled sharply, hesitating at first, before answering "He's… he's very, very sick. He got poisoned, and if I don't get an antidote to him within the next 2 days, he'll die."

The room was now completely silent. Even those who were drunk had the decency to remain passive. The first man's expression softened, and he spoke after a long moment "Aye, a noble cause. One worthy fightin' for, I agree."

"So you'll help me?" I asked optimistically.

This made the man burst out laughing again. "Aye, I said it was a worthy cause. I never said it was a good idea though," he bellowed.

I sighed deeply, filled with disappointment, until he added "But don't get ye hopes down matey. There may be one person who'd lend a hand."

At that I perked up. "Who?"

"Why, there's a man named Thomas who lives on the borderlands to the east, and he's obsessed with Kreptors. He's probably ye best chance."

"You mean I can buy venom off him?" I asked cautiously.

The man scoffed, shaking his head as he replied "Wouldn't be too expectant. Tommy out there hasn't caught one in years."

I could feel that familiar disappointment itching away at my skin again, or maybe it was just the cold, until he added cheerfully "But, he might be able to give ye some tips and catchin' them ye-self."

"Perfect. Where can I find him?" I quizzed.

"Three clicks to the east. But I wouldn't try flying out there just yet matey. Those winds are pickin' up, and they'll toss ye around like paper if ye not careful," he pointed out. "Do ye have somewhere to hunker down at?"

"Well, my ship is a few minutes out of town-"

"Ye won't be getting to it any time soon," he smirked. "That snow would've cover'd it by now. But tell ye what, 'cause ye got yer son on the line here, how 'bout ye come crash at me and me wife's house for the night?"

"R-Really?"

"Aye. I got three beautiful daughters me-self," he explained fondly. "Anything for a fellow father in need."

I glowed internally, and for once since the moment I'd landed on this frozen ball of ice, I actually felt warmth seeping back throughout my body. Offering my hand, I greeted "I'm Kanan. Kanan Jarrus."

The man smiled a toothless grin and shook my hand, replying warmly "I'm Corey. Now, how 'bout ye join me for a drink 'til the wind dies down me friend?"

Super Bomb #3

The Light in the Dark

Remember Me

Lost Chapters

O' Family of Ours

There is no Death, There is the Force

To Mend the Bond

Beasts of Legend

Family Ties