Hello my friends, forgive Hondo as he must type very softly. Some friends of his weren't so happy with their discount. But Hondo has come through and has a wonderful chapter for you. He finds that Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm is a very appropriate song for this chapter. Now back to typing ever so quietly…
Empire Day
"Kanan, there's a reason people build walls." Sabine said, unable to hold back her opinion a moment longer. "We can't all be Jedi."
As Sabine follows Zeb and Hera down a street leading into the small settlement of Jhothal, she stops and removes her helmet. She approaches the corner of a building and leans against it, her eyes looking wistfully out of the golden plains of Lothal and focusing on two silhouettes in the distance. All Sabine could think was that it was about kriffin' time. At the rate things were going, they would need another Jedi. Ezra's training needed to truly begin if they were going to have a chance. But most importantly, to Sabine, Ezra deserved this. And she eagerly anticipated the galaxy witnessing his potential.
Ezra had watched the others enter the small town, but it looked as if Sabine wasn't following. Was she watching me train or are my eyes playing tricks?
"Hey, Kid, pay attention." Kanan said.
Ezra rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Kanan and this impromptu lesson of his. Of all the days to show interest in my training, he picked today for a lesson? A lesson with no point to it.
"Step outside yourself." Kanan said in that Professor's voice of his. "Make a connection with another being."
"Can we do this another day?" Ezra said.
"We can do it now." Kanan said and picked up a small rock lying on the sun baked dirt. "Focus."
"Just throw the rock." Ezra grumbled.
Screeching. Growling. Snarling and out of the tall grass pops a feral Loth-cat, not at all happy to see Ezra standing nearby.
"I don't think he wants to connect," Ezra commented and took a step back.
"You're resisting. He can sense it." Kanan replied stoically.
"What do you mean sense it? What is he, like, a Padawan cat?"
With a screech, the Loth-cat jumped and threw itself into Ezra's face, clawing and slicing. "Oh!" Ezra exclaimed and fell backward.
Kanan chuckled. "You don't seem to be getting this."
"I get that the furball's trying to kill me." Ezra shot back as he wrestled the cat, trying to keep it from his face.
Kriff this.
Ezra sat up and held it out away from him, grunting as he fought for control as the little creature screeched. Its claws swiping inches from his face, Ezra threw it across the ground.
But the nimble cat landed on its feet and snarled at the boy, a warning.
Oh, I'll give you something to be scared of!
"Give me your lightsaber," Ezra said. "And I'll make the connection."
"Excuse me?" Kanan said. His eyes furrowed in concern, and his voice was severe at Ezra's implication.
Kriff! I really just said that.
"Sorry," Ezra said, but threw his arms up in frustration. "I just don't see the point of this."
"The point is that you're not alone," Kanan said. Ezra watched as the Jedi then closed his eyes and held out his hand in the cat's direction. "You're connected to every living thing in the universe." The cat continued to snarl. "But to discover that, you have to let your guard down."
Ezra crossed his arms, feeling a growing unease at his Master's words.
"You have to be willing to attach to others."
And then, just like that, the ferocious furball had calmed and was meowing happily. As always, Kanan makes it look so easy.
"And what if I can't?" Ezra asked, his mind dwelling on that one word and the unease that filled him inside.
Attachment.
"If you hang onto your past, if you always try to protect yourself, you'll never be a Jedi." Kanan pronounced and dropped his arm.
"Then maybe I'll never be a Jedi," Ezra said.
"Kid, whatever's going on with you, you need to spill it." Kanan said.
Ezra sighed. Attachments. Kanan didn't know. How could he? And to have this conversation today, today of all days?
"I'm sorry, Kanan. I don't mean to wear you out." Ezra said, deciding a half-truth was better than nothing. "Today's not a good day. It's never a good day."
"Today?" Kanan questioned.
"Empire Day."
The cat meowed, then growled and ran for the grass as three TIEs flew past them overhead. Drawing both Kanan and Ezra's attention.
"What are so many TIES doing out this far?" Ezra asked.
"Nothing good. Come on." Kanan said and pointed toward Jhothal, where the rest of the crew was.
Together, the pair broke into a run. There was only one place those TIEs would set down, and it was right outside Old Jho's Pitstop, the only cantina in the small settlement. And exactly where the rest of the crew were likely to be.
Kanan entered the cantina first, which was probably a good thing. Because when Ezra entered and saw the three black armored Imperial pilots brandishing their blasters at the patrons - his friends included - it was only Kanan's firm hand on his wrist that kept Ezra from blasting away at them with everything he had.
"Not unless we have to," Kanan said and released Ezra's wrist before anyone saw. He then led Ezra to the bar.
Meanwhile, the Imperial pilots were having fun pushing people around. But not the Spectres.
Ezra noticed that his space family must've seen the Imps coming, given how they had strategically placed themselves around the bar. One Imp stopped and stare at Hera and Zeb. But the cool calm in Hera's eyes and the imposing build of Zeb were more than enough to keep the pilot from doing something stupid.
Still, the threat to his family had Ezra's fingers touching the grip of his holstered blaster.
"Easy," Kanan said quietly enough so only Ezra could hear. "No need to risk someone getting hurt in a gunfight."
"Can't you just do your mind trick on them?" Ezra hissed.
"These aren't knucklehead stormtroopers, kid. Only the Imperial's best become TIE pilots."
"Here," Old Jho said quietly and passed the antsy Ezra a drink. "Wait it out, Ezra. You're not who they're looking for."
Kanan thanked the trustworthy old Ithorian as Ezra took a small sip from his drink. Carefully, he glanced around and saw that Old Jho was right.
The pilots had begun to check faces, Rodian faces. They each carried a datapad with an image of a light green Rodian that they're comparing other Rodians to.
"Over here," one pilot called. A dark-skinned Rodian whimpers as the three pilots come together to rough him up and check his ID against the image of the Rodian they're hunting.
It was then that the picture in one of their datapads was angled in such a way that Ezra could make it out clearly. A face Ezra never thought he'd see again. "Tseebo." Ezra whispers in realization.
"What?" Kanan asked and looked at his apprentice, concerned.
"Nothing." Ezra said and shook his head, brushing it aside.
"He's not the one," the lead pilot said and shoved the Rodian back onto his stool. The poor Rodian whimpered as the other two pilots continued to have fun. Again, Ezra had to fight down the urge to intervene. He took a gulp from the drink and felt a calming sensation.
Something special Old Jho must've whipped up just for him.
The lead pilot approached the bar and slammed his fist down onto the bar. "The Imperial HoloNet broadcast should be played here at all times!"
Old Jho placed a cup of purple booze in front of the pilot, but the pilot smacked it aside. So much for niceties.
"No one's requested it for, well, ever," Jho tried to explain.
"It's the law," the pilot said, with menace in his voice.
Seeing the Imp was going to push this, with a sigh, Old Jho pressed a button under the bar and the wall's large viewscreen turned on. The bright red emblem of the Imperial Holonet broadcast filled the center of the screen.
Ezra gripped his cup tightly and glowered at its sight.
"...because today is Empire Day, celebrating the 15th anniversary of the galaxy's salvation, when our great Emperor Palpatine ended the Clone Wars and founded our glorious Empire. On Lothal, Governor Pryce has commissioned a parade."
The pilot next to the Rodian looked at him and the other patrons and then pointed an E-11 blaster at them. "You heard the man! Raise your cups to the Emperor..." The cantina goers complied, not wanting to be shot.
Ezra hoped they'd get a chance at these guys later. See how tough they are when someone pushes back.
And then the viewscreen flickered and turned into static. All watched as before their eyes the Imperial propaganda vanished as the pirate broadcast with the face of Gall Trayvis filled the screen.
"Citizens, this is Senator-In-Exile Gall Trayvis. I bring more news the Empire doesn't want you to hear. I urge you to boycott all Empire Day celebrations to protest the ongoing injustices of the Imperial regime."
The lead pilot slammed his fist down on the bar. "Shut this off!" he demanded, his blaster in his other hand.
"Can't," Old Jho said and shook his Ithorian head in amusement. "It's the law."
With a final slam of his fist on the bar, the lead pilot called for attention. "We're done here," and then led the others out of the cantina and back to their TIE starfighters. The Spectres had remained as cold as ice through the entire ordeal and as the TIEs lifted off, the Imperial Broadcast returned.
"So come see the parade and-" Jho went and shut off the viewscreen. No one wants to hear that crap. Sabine and then Hera and Zeb joined Kanan and Ezra at the bar.
"TIE pilots on search patrols?" Kanan asked Jho. "What's going on?"
"Imperials have locked down the ports and put Destroyers in orbit," Jho explained. "It's a full planetary blockade."
"They're after a Rodian," Kanan concluded and looked back at the innocent Rodian the pilots were roughing up.
"Just be glad they're not after us for once," Sabine replied, trying to spin this unforeseen turn of events into a positive.
Kanan smiled. "With what we've got planned for today's parade, they'll be after us again tomorrow."
Ezra knew they had something special planned. Something that'd peeve off a lot of Imps. But all he wanted was to go back in time five minutes and shoot those three Imp pilots dead. Don't need to be a Jedi to pull a trigger.
"Well, you're gonna have to do it without me." He said, surprising the others. Bristling with anger, Ezra turned from the bar and made himself ready to leave.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kanan asked.
"I just need to be alone," Ezra answered and paused in his steps. He looked back at Jho. "Can I borrow a bike? Have it back to you tomorrow? Today has brought back some memories." He said in a way of explanation.
The Ithorian nodded and Ezra left the bar to head to the Pitstop's garage where Jho kept things like speeders on hand for emergencies.
The rest of the Spectres meanwhile watched as their youngest leaves, none knowing what was troubling him.
"I recognize that look," Old Jho said as he wiped down his bar. "But never in young Ezra before."
Kanan looked over at Jho.
"Who then?"
But the old Ithorian only shrugged and focused on his bar. "Not my place to say."
With the wind blowing through his hair, Ezra rested on his balcony's railing and stared off into the distance at Capital City and where tonight's festivities would be happening. It was near sunset and Lothal's skies were as beautiful as ever.
"Why are they looking for Tseebo?" He asked himself and then turned to head inside his old dwellings in the remnants of the aging tower's communication hub.
The ride from Jhothal to here had taken a few hours by bike, but it'd been helpful. The anger that had been building up steam inside of him at Jho's Pitstop cantina had cooled off. An effect of just being back home again with no missions or Jedi training occupying his mind. But there was something occupying it.
Inside, Ezra turned to his workbench. On top is a small red toolbox. After hesitating a moment, Ezra opened it and took an aged red keycard of some sort. Holding it tight to his chest, he closed his eyes and sighed.
And then he heard them.
"Ezra."
"Mom?" Ezra replied instantly and looked about the empty room. Only there was nothing. He sighed and focused back on the keycard in his hands.
"Ezra."
"Dad?" Ezra asked, recognizing his voice too.
And then he recalled one of Kanan's earliest lessons. One about how the Force can reach out to us and, when it does. Listen. Ezra listened and heard his father's voice.
"Ezra, we have to stand up for people in need, especially those in trouble with the Empire."
And then it clicked, and Ezra opened his eyes in realization.
"Tseebo. I know where he is."
With renewed determination, Ezra pocketed the keycard and hurried out. It looked like he'd be attending tonight's festivities after all.
Minister Maketh Tua had but one question in her mind. What possessed Governor Pryce to leave the preparations for tonight's celebration in the hands of Commandant Aresko? Did the Governor really expect another chance in a long string of chances to show Aresko was worthy of his rank?
As orchestral music played, the military parade of scout walkers, troopers, and transports moved down the street. The small crowd showed little enthusiasm, but they were there.
And here, at the receiving end of the parade on a hastily constructed but admittedly beautifully adorned dais of half a meter tall, Lothal's Minister Tua stood. On her right stood the accomplished Imperial pilot Baron Ruder, though how someone who had seen so little combat could proclaim such a reputation, Tua hadn't the foggiest. Still, his professionalism was preferable to the pathetic composure Commandant Aresko presented standing to her other side.
"Minister," Aresko said. "I'm honored Governor Pryce chose me to organize this spectacle."
"This is no spectacle, Commandant!" The Minister said, with no interest in holding her tongue or putting on niceties. Instead, she got in his face and forced Aresko to take a step back. Satisfied for the moment, she turned away from the weasel.
The Minister put on the bravest of smiles and addressed her fellow people of Lothal. "Citizens, I am Minister Maketh Tua." A titanic holo screen high above the parade with flags on either side focused on the Minister so all could see. "Governor Pryce sends her regrets, but she was invited to Coruscant to celebrate with Emperor Palpatine himself!"
Tua observed a brief scuffle in the crowd as Taskmaster Grint shoves the onlookers into action. "Let's get some enthusiasm!" he threatened. The intimidation works and some of the crowd applauds.
More incompetence of this farce, Tua thought. Aresko. Grint, and Pryce's feigned regret for not being able to make the event. The only one present doing his duty for their great Empire was ISB Agent Kallus. Searching the crowds for any signs of that Rodian.
Kallus would get it done, Tua thought confidently, and continued with her speech.
"Lothal is just as important to our Empire as any world in the galaxy. And she wanted me to show you why. Citizens, I present you with the latest vessel from Lothal's Imperial shipyards, the Sienar Systems advanced TIE starfighter!" As the Minister says this the new starfighter is wheeled out on anti-grav repulsor sleds.
"And who better to take this beauty on her maiden voyage than one of the best Imperial pilots on Lothal, Baron Valen Rudor," Tua announced and led the applause as a spotlight was put on Rudor who waved at the gathered crowd.
At long last, Tua was seeing some signs of life from the crowd. Scattered applause and maybe even a whistle. It did little to lift her spirits, though. Lothal had so much potential and through her affordable housing plan she'd saved countless Lothalites that would've ended up homeless, or worse! With a competent staff and some latitude to implement policies of her own design, her people could be so much more!
But with Pryce whispering in the Emperor's ear in far off Coruscant, Tua knew the best she could do for her planet and its people was to grit her teeth and weather whatever storm comes Lothal's way. To push for anything more? Well. She'd seen firsthand what the Empire did to such naïve fools.
Long live the Empire.
In a side alley not too far from the receiving section, Sabine and Zeb stood at the mouth of the alley. With Sabine's special brew of miracle detonators for the night and Kanan's blessings to begin when ready, Sabine and Zeb were all too eager to kick off tonight's real festivities.
"Feels wrong," Zeb suddenly said. "The kid not being here to see this. He loves seeing your work. Be sure to get a kick out of it tonight."
"You heard what the kid said back at the cantina." Sabine said over her helmet's voice module and hoped Zeb would drop it.
"Of course. But truth? This family of ours would be better off with a few less secrets between us."
"Yeah, well, people have a right to their privacy." Sabine replied, her response short and curt.
Zeb groaned, remembering whom it was he was talking to. "Fine! Still feels wrong, though. Ezra would've loved seeing this."
"I may have made one or two extra for later." Sabine replied, smirking behind her helmet.
"Oh?" Zeb said and grinned. "Only one or two?"
Closer to a full dozen, Sabine didn't say. She didn't know when they'd find the time to set them off. Maybe Ezra's birthday? It'd make for a great thrill. But he wasn't big on sharing, not with that sort of stuff. But hey, if not a birthday, then maybe when he gets his lightsaber. That'd be something worth celebrating.
"Okay," Sabine said to Zeb. "When I say "now," through this as high as you can," Sabine said and held a detonator to Zeb. She tossed it and watched with some amusement as the tough Lasat caught it nervously. The little device was already flashing red and beeping ominously in his hand.
Eager to be rid of it, Zeb looked at Sabine. "Okay. Now?" But Sabine said nothing, and the beeping grew faster. "Now?" Zeb asked again. It was beeping rapidly. Still, Sabine said nothing. "Now?" Zeb practically wailed, looking desperate.
Like a conductor, Sabine twirled her finger. "Now."
With a grunt, Zeb hurled the device as hard as he could. It reached its zenith and detonated, a beautiful display of fireworks exploding over the parade and causing a loud cheer from the crowd. Finally, something different and impressive.
Glancing at the enormous view screen, Sabine smirked and saw what looked like genuine excitement on the Minister's face. Figures. More importantly, the same excitement and interest was on everyone else's face.
Including the stormtroopers, which meant Kanan should be making his move right about now.
"Another?" Sabine said and passed another of her special firework detonators to Zeb.
"Don't mind if I do." Zeb smiled and hurled the second one as hard as he could. It too exploded into a shining dazzle of fireworks high above the crowd.
The pair kept it until, like clockwork, Kanan's own explosive detonator hidden under the prototype TIE fighter finished its countdown and detonated. Its explosion erupted into a large inferno that engulfed the entire starfighter. The concussive force from the blast bowled over the dais the Minister and her cohorts were standing on, sending them crashing to the street. As the crowd screamed and the stormtroopers looked on in shock, the Spectres were cheering.
Zeb and Sabine each raised an arm and were shouting excitedly.
Now that's how you celebrate Empire Day!
Zeb gave one last laugh, then he and Sabine were running to meet Kanan at the rendezvous point. She knew they would be needing that quick exit. But halfway, Sabine got a happy surprise when they found not just Kanan but Ezra too! Together, the four Spectres were running to the meet. At the sight of Ezra, Zeb couldn't help himself.
"Nice of you to join us, Kid."
"Wouldn't miss it, Furball," Ezra said, responding in kind.
But as happy as she was to see Ezra, Sabine was concerned. She had been since his very abrupt departure from them earlier that day. And as the two ran together, she looked at him with questions in her eyes. "Hey, where were you?"
Ezra grinned at her. "Why? Did you miss me?"
"Yeah, right," Zeb interrupted.
Thankful for her helmet, Sabine rolled her eyes. Keep dreaming, kid.
The team stopped at an intersection and searched for threats. They remained undetected, but spotted someone. Agent Kallus. Zeb unfolded his bo-rifle and brought it to his shoulder. Sights set on the Agent. "Been spoilin' to finish things with Agent Kallus."
But Kanan, upon seeing the Inquisitor investigating the remains of the destroyed TIE, got into Zeb's ear. "Hey, if you want to take somebody out, take out that guy!"
At the last moment, Kanan's instruction registered in Ezra's head, and the boy stopped and spun on his heel to warn them. But it was already too late.
"Fine," Zeb said and shifted his aim from the Agent to the Inquisitor. Just as Ezra feared as soon as Zeb squeezed the trigger, the Inquisitor instantly felt the danger and reacted appropriately. He adeptly dodged the blaster bolt and set his yellow eyes firmly on Zeb and Kanan.
Knowing the fight was already over, Zeb and Kanan made a run for it with the other escaping parade goers and soon caught up with Ezra and Sabine. Ezra and Sabine traded looks, and she shook her head. No need for a lecture. Neither of them would be dumb enough to do that again.
Assuming they lived long enough for such an opportunity!
Kanan turned down an alley and brought up his comlink. "Spectre-2, we're en route to the rendezvous."
"Negative, Spectre-1. The streets are blocked," came Hera's response and put a halt to Kanan's step. "I cannot, repeat, cannot reach rendezvous."
"Haar'chak," Sabine cursed in her native Mando'a language. They were going to be circled and trapped!
"I know a place we can hole till things calm down," Ezra suddenly said, but then looked at Zeb. "But "Shoulders" here might have a problem taking my route."
"Then we need another option," Kanan decided.
"Nah," Zeb said. "It's fine." He took out his own comlink. "Spectre-2, can you make it to the Old Market?"
"Affirmative."
Sabine watched as Zeb grabbed hold of a ledge from a nearby window. "I'm on my way," he said and started climbing his way to the rooftop.
"Get back to the Ghost," Kanan said to the climbing Lasat.
"Follow me," Ezra said to Sabine and headed in an unseen direction by both her and Kanan.
"We'll signal a new rendezvous when we can!" Kanan yelled to Zeb before chasing after the two teens.
"I want schematics of the city's ventilation systems, sewers, everything." Kallus ordered the Stormtrooper Commander.
"Lock down the entire city." The Grand Inquisitor said into his comlink, a direct line to Commandant Aresko.
"Sir! Yes, Sir!"
Despite being accompanied by the two of the most capable Imperials she had ever met, Minister Tua was far from impressed. They had been after these Rebels for too long, and with this latest disaster on Empire Day! This could not stand! The Minister turned her attention to the Inquisitor. While at first impressed with his stature, his own failures at capturing these Rebels were increasing and influenced Tua's belief in him getting the job done.
"These rebels have ruined Empire Day! They must be punished!" Tua demanded.
"We all want that, Minister, but our priority is still the Rodian." Kallus said and stepped to her side to reassure her.
Ah yes, the Rodian, Tua thought. As if one person could hold so much peril to the Empire? But if the information was correct, and he escaped? Minister Tua closed her eyes, her fear for both herself and Lothal mounting.
Agent Kallus was right. That Rodian - Tseebo - took priority, even over this most disastrous of embarrassments!
Tua looked around, helpless in the sea of disaster she found herself in. We can't allow this to continue. We need to stop these rebels. Once and for all.
Kid knows his way around, Sabine thought.
With Ezra leading the way, the three of them carefully navigated the back alleys and avoided dozens of searching stormtroopers in only the way a street rat could. And even then they only slipped through the Empire's net by the slimmest of margins. Ezra had been right. No way Zeb would have been able to take this route without the big Lasat being sighted.
"We getting close?" Kanan asked as Ezra led them away from the back alleys and into an older part of the city. Sabine sensed they were getting closer to their destination, but with these wider streets and larger spaces, they were increasing the chance of being sighted.
"Yeah," Ezra said, his shoulders becoming more rigid the closer they got to this spot of his.
They darted down one last street before he stopped in front of a boarded-up and abandoned house. Condemned was Sabine's immediate thought. Now used as a stash house of some kind? And then she saw the bright orange large lettering adorning the side of the house. Why would Ezra risk leading them here?
"That's an Imperial warning," Sabine spoke up. "Declaring this building off-limits."
"What is this place?" Kanan asked.
Ezra's back was as stiff as any Mandalorian warrior standing at attention, and he was gripping his hands tight enough to dent durasteel. But his expressive blue eyes gave him away. Whatever this place was, it was of the past. Ezra's past. And something terrible had happened here.
And he's ashamed to show us.
Undaunted, the kid lifted his hand, revealing a keycard and with a practiced swipe fed it through the house's keyreader and its door slid partially open.
"You were coming here today," Kanan said and watched his apprentice carefully. "This was your home, wasn't it? Where you grew up?"
"I grew up on the streets, alone." Ezra shot back and pushed the doors open further to make room.
Okay, Sabine thought as she and Kanan entered and shoved the door close behind them.
Her eyes surveyed the old house scattered with items in disarray, many broken and beyond repair. She saw the boy standing over what must've been his family's dining table at one point, one of its chairs knocked over. Did a lasting memory happen there? Ezra had always clammed up about his past, almost as much as she did. But for better or worse, fate forced them here. So why?
"Then why here?" Sabine said and removed her helmet. "Why now?"
"Had this feeling," Ezra answered vaguely and turned away from the table and approached a small pale purple ottoman footstool. He shoved it aside and revealed a small and cleverly hidden trapdoor. It was open and from it came the sound of someone sobbing.
Ezra gasped.
"Tseebo." Ezra called out. "Tseebo, it's me, Ezra Bridger."
Almost as if on cue, the sobbing stopped and after a moment, a familiar light green Rodian in an Imperial tech uniform emerged from the hole. But that wasn't all. It looked like the Empire had fitted him with a specialized implant. An implant that was possibly affecting his spatial awareness as he ignored everyone else in the house's foray and walked straight into a boarded-up window.
Ouch!
"That's the Rodian the Imperials are hunting." Kanan said. "You know him?"
"Name's Tseebo. A friend of my parents." Ezra shrugged and sat down on his family's old couch. "But something's wrong. What's that thing on his head?" Ezra asked.
"Empire's been known to implant lower-level technicians with cybernetic circuits." Sabine said and approached Tseebo with as much gentleness as possible. She stood by him and examined the device around his head. She bit her lip, holding back a sigh at the sight of the poor creature. "Personality sacrificed for productivity."
Instantly, Tseebo's demeanor shifted from someone lost and confused to one of confidence and well articulated. The implant, no doubt.
"Tseebo's productivity is 19% higher than average Imperial data worker."
This peculiarity was charming, but Sabine's heart ached for his obvious suffering.
"Tseebo went to work for the Imperial information office," Ezra explained. He snorted and threw his hand up. "After the Empire took my parents away."
Sabine's head whipped around and her almond eyes widened in realization.
"Your parents?" Kanan said and approached Ezra. "You never told us."
"What's to tell?" Ezra nearly shouted, his voice laced with pain. The teen got to his feet. "They've been gone for eight years. I've been on my own since I was seven."
The electronic chirping from Tseebo's implant briefly stole Sabine's attention. "Seven," Tseebo said as he aimlessly walked the room. "Imperial..." He continued to ramble, but switched to his native language, and Sabine struggled to keep up with the rapid Rodianese.
"What's he saying?" Kanan asked. There had to be a reason the Empire was so intent on this one Rodian. And now Sabine knew.
"He's detailing Imperial fighter deployments on Lothal," she said and her voice grew in excitement.
"That's it!" Kanan exclaimed, eagerness in his teal eyes. "Tseebo has intel the Empire doesn't want getting out." He turned to look at me. "Sabine, can you access it?"
"Uh, think so. I need a few minutes." Sabine said and walked to Tseebo. Truthfully, she had no idea, but then that never stopped her, Sabine thought and then examined the device.
What's your story, Tseebo? How did you know the Bridgers? You. Old Jho. The Sumars? The Bridgers weren't farmers. The Empire didn't want this house for anything. Why were Ezra's parents taken away? Why was Ezra forced to live on the streets?
"Ezra." Kanan said. "You okay?"
Obviously not, Sabine thought, but held her tongue.
"I'm fine." Ezra lied and then snuck off toward the trapdoor and started down a ladder built into the wall.
"I told you," Kanan said. "Sometimes you have to let your guard down."
"I said I'm fine." Ezra hissed behind clenched teeth and continued his way down. Sabine rolled her eyes.
"Ezra Bridger." Tseebo said suddenly. "Only son of Ephraim and Mira Bridger. Born 15 years ago today."
"Empire Day," Sabine breathed as the implications hit her. She paused in her work. "It's Ezra's birthday."
"He never said anything," Kanan said as he looked at the hole Ezra had gone to.
That's it! I've had it!
"Kanan, there's a reason people build walls." Sabine spoke loudly, unable to hold back her opinion a moment longer. "We can't all be Jedi."
"I know," Kanan said and sighed, realizing who it was he was talking to. "I know, Sabine."
"Do you?" Sabine challenged. "He lost his entire family. That kind of pain isn't something you just open yourself up to."
Kanan was quiet, and then sighed and shook his head. He didn't. Not in the way Ezra had, at least. Losing his master was hard enough. But when he tried to imagine losing someone like Hera?
"Can you talk to him?" Kanan said and looked at Sabine. "Remind him that-?"
"Remind him he's not alone? It's all going to be okay? Look around us! We're standing in the spot where Ezra's entire innocence was stolen." Kanan stood quietly, still waiting. Finally, Sabine nodded. "Okay, I'll try. Just let me - whoa."
Kanan turned and saw what had grabbed Sabine's attention.
"Get Ezra." Kanan said.
Finally, Ezra thought as he landed in his family's hidden basement. Not that he was happy to be down here. But with these memories? And these voices? Today was always tough, but something else was happening. It happened back in his tower when he first touched the keycard. And now that he was here, the epicenter of where it happened, the memories compounded by these voices were only getting worse.
But there was something down here. Or rather, in his parent's old radio. Ezra approached the pile of junk and a degraded recording chip jammed into it. He closed his eyes as the voices continued to build. Reaching out, he took it and pulled, and as he held the chip, the levees broke and a flood of voices and memories crashed into Ezra that had been holding back and ascended into a crescendo.
'The risk you Bridgers take. Tseebo say you must think of your son.'
'He's all we think about!' Ephraim shouted, outraged by Tseebo's accusation. 'We're teaching Ezra to stand up for people in need.'
'We're fighting for our son's freedom.' Mira said, Ezra's mother taking her husband's side.
'Tseebo not fight battle Tseebo know cannot be won.'
Ezra's eyes opened, glistening with unshed tears.
'Neither should Bridgers.'
Was Tseebo right? Ezra wondered and glanced around, eyeing the few possessions down here that he could remember of his childhood. His gaze fell on his father's old guitar and could almost hear the songs his father would play.
Songs from a childhood robbed.
His parents weren't rebels. Not in the traditional sense. They were peaceful people who had never touched a blaster once. Not that it would have helped against a squad of soldiers determined to take them away. They had to have known how this would have ended. Had to know what would happen to me.
"And they did it anyway," Ezra whispered mournfully.
Was I so horrible? We were happy! Why? Why'd you leave me?
The pain lanced through him and it was all Ezra could do to hold himself together. Especially when he heard the small cough behind him.
Kriff! Did she see me? Ezra felt around his eyes and patted dry the corners of his eyes. After a few moments, he felt satisfied he was tear-free and gave Sabine a disarming smile.
"Hey," Ezra said. "Snuck up on me."
"Sorry," Sabine said, her compassionate voice cutting through the torrent and throwing Ezra a much needed lifeline to hold on to. "My boots aren't as loud as Zeb's," she said with a wry smirk.
Her words were like a soothing balm that instantly both comforted him and gave him confidence that she had seen nothing.
"Nice guitar," Sabine said as her eyes drifted around the small basement.
"My Dad's," Ezra said and gave a small shrug.
"Oh," Sabine said and peered at it closely. "It's pretty worn looking. And not from old age."
"Did you find anything?" Ezra asked, clearly not wanting to talk about the guitar - or anything else related to his childhood.
"We did," Sabine answered and turned back to him. Then she noticed something else. "What's with the old disk?" Sabine asked and pointed at the old disk Ezra was still holding.
Might as well come clean.
"My folks used to do underground broadcasts from here," Ezra explained at last. "Speaking out against the Empire." His eyes flared with resentment and set the disk back on the old radio. "It's probably just one of them," he said and then climbed up the ladder. The basement no longer was welcoming when he had first retreated to it.
Besides, Sabine said she had something he should see. With Sabine close behind, Ezra climbed out of the well and found Kanan and Tseebo waiting. When everyone looked ready, Sabine pressed a button of her armor's vambrace and activated Tseebo's implant. Instantly, a hologram projection was generated that lit up the room in a pleasant blue glow. A hologram with a lot of data.
Imperial data.
"What are we looking at?" Kanan asked, looking at Sabine again.
"It's..." Sabine hesitated and then watched as the holo flipped to schematics of some large vehicle Ezra thought he might have seen somewhere. "Well, it's everything." Sabine said. "Imperial specs on the new TIEs and new T-8 disruptors. Schedule of troop movements, tactics and strategies."
Kanan scratched at his beard as his mind absorbed just how valuable this information could be in the right hands. Friends like the ones Hera has had them working with.
Ezra meanwhile scratched his hair at the enigma that was Sabine and her endless talents from art to breaking Imperial encryptions. Ezra shook his head. She knew so much about him, now more than ever, and the only thing he knew about her was she came from Mandalore.
"Half of it's encrypted," Sabine continued and flipped the holo to another screen of even more data. "But it looks like there's a five-year plan for Lothal and every other world in the Outer Rim."
Five years? Ezra shook his head and spared a glance at Tseebo. "No wonder his brain's shorting out. All that data'd overload anyone," Ezra commented.
"The secrets in his head must be damaging to the Empire." Kanan said. "We'll need to smuggle him off Lothal."
Sabine crossed her arms and gave it all some thought. Kanan wasn't wrong, but the Empire wasn't about to just let Tseebo go either.
"Gotta smuggle him out of town first." Sabine's mind whirled with tactical ideas and she paced. "You know the only reason the Imperials haven't caught him yet is because their forces were occupied with Empire Day." Sabine came to a stop. "But the day's almost done."
Clang!
The others turned their heads to see Tseebo fall to the ground, having evidently walked himself into a door. Getting him out of town may be more difficult than any had first considered.
"They're going to have the city sealed off," Ezra said. "Armored transports. Walkers. Not to mention those bikers we had to deal with that first time we met."
"Not to mention our own private squadron of TIEs," Sabine added. "They'll have every exit covered."
"You're right," Kanan said as an idea formed in his head. "Which means we'll just have to get a little... creative."
As it turned out, his Master's idea was less creative and more brute force. The original one Ezra and Sabine had voted together against. As highly as Kanan thought of his skills with a lightsaber, deflecting blaster bolts from walkers and transports and a dozen stormtroopers wasn't a winning strategy. Not that Kanan was happy to be told as much by the two teens.
"Let's call that one, Plan B," Sabine said.
"More like Plan K. K for Kanan and K as in Kiss our butts goodbye." Ezra commented.
"Okay, hotshot, let's hear it." Kanan said to him.
"Hear what?" Ezra said and blinked.
"Your plan," Kanan elaborated.
"Well," Ezra said and rubbed his chin. "The bucketheads are after both us and Tseebo. But what they don't know is that we and Tseebo have teamed up."
It was just then that Tseebo walked face first into a wall. The others sighed. There were obvious downsides to having Tseebo with them on the team right now.
"Still, with the knowledge in Tseebo's head, that gives us the advantage," Sabine said and stood next to Ezra, a look of excitement on her face. Then she saw Kanan's sour look on his face. "Not that your plan was bad! I'm all for smashing things and explosions and-!"
"The plan," Kanan stressed.
"Well," Sabine said and turned to Tseebo, who was now sitting in the chair at the dining room table. "Let's take a peek inside the Empire's playbook for Lothal."
Ezra bit his lip as Sabine finished giving him her 30 second crash course on how not to die driving an armored transport.
"We could really use Zeb right now," Ezra commented from his place in the driver's chair. "Also, this isn't much of a deviation from Plan K."
"Thought we agreed it was Plan B," Sabine replied as she made her preparations in the aft compartment of the transport.
"Plan A could've worked, could still work," Ezra insisted.
"It'll be okay, Tseebo," Kanan said softly to the Rodian sitting in the passenger seat and made certain to buckle the Rodian in securely. Then he shook his head at the two bickering teens. "Stealing a TIE draws unwanted attention," he lectured. "Even with Tseebo's intelligence on TIE fighter deployments. There'd be a lot of questions about why one unscheduled TIE was leaving the city. Not to mention just one chair. If we got into trouble, Tseebo would end up hitting his head on something."
He stopped his tirade and looked at Ezra. "You sure you know what you're doing?"
"He'll be fine!" Sabine said loudly. "Now get back here and help! Even with Tseebo's surprise presents, we don't have much time. Whenever you're ready, Ezra."
Ezra smiled at the sound of his name from her lips. Much better than 'kid.' As Kanan left to join Sabine, Ezra put the transport in gear and they started off. He did his best to 'drive casual' as Kanan had advised. But this hunk of moving durasteel was easily five times bigger than any speeder Ezra had ever driven.
"Okay," Sabine said from the rear, as she finished the last of their preparations. "That should be all of them,"
"Tseebo rates this plan as having a 23.6% chance of success." Tseebo said.
"Hear that?" Ezra said as he managed his first of a series of dangerously wide turns. "Tseebo says this plan has twice as much a chance as your original idea!"
"Uh huh," Kanan said and conversed some more with Sabine. Then he turned back to Ezra. "Does Tseebo have anything to add about your TIE fighter idea?"
"Tseebo says the likelihood of Ezra Bridger's plan of succeeding as 22.6%."
"A tie," Ezra replied.
"No," Kanan spoke. "This plan is still one percent better."
"Can we please stop talking about the odds!" Sabine said, the warning tone in her voice putting an end to the banter. "How far are we?"
Suddenly, the comm flared to life. It was Agent Kallus.
"Commandant Aresko. An Imperial troop transport has been reported stolen from the Lower City. I'm on my way, but do not let it pass."
"Acknowledged. We're ready." Replied Aresko. Seeing the opportunity, Ezra activated the transport's comm.
"That's a negative. We spotted the stolen transport headed toward the spaceport," Ezra said in his best Imperial.
An eerie silence filled the transport as they waited for the response. On pins and needles, they waited, hoping they'd go for the bait. Finally, Kallus replied.
"Nice try, 'Jabba.' But not this time. Enjoy the rest of your Empire Day. Kallus, out."
Ezra flinched. So much for the element of surprise, he thought as the transport made one last turn. And then straight ahead he saw the Imperial roadblock blocking their escape.
"Only one way out now, kid," Sabine said. "Hit it!"
Ezra increased the throttle, and the transport began gaining speed. But it wasn't long before the blaster fire began rippling against the hull.
"Opening the hatch. Good luck, you two," Kanan said. Ezra heard the hiss of the hatch unlocking and opening, and then the sounds of his Master climbing out.
"Tseebo calculates you will not gain enough speed in time to ram through the roadblock."
"Then we'll just have to make a hole. Be back soon," Sabine said cheerfully as she followed Kanan out and climbed on top of the transport.
More blaster fire. Ezra leaned forward and hit the switch for the transport's two front blasters built into its hull. He couldn't aim and drive at the same time, and Ezra didn't trust Tseebo enough to take control of the weapons. But this was fine. The poorly aimed shots were at least causing some stormtroopers to lose their nerve and bolt for cover. The two scout walkers looming tall had no such compunctions and aimed their heavy laser cannons on the transport. Ezra had figured their armored hull could handle two shots, three max, depending on where it hit.
But it never came to that as a sudden missile streak shot from their transport, its trajectory perfect as the anti-armor missile hit the left walker directly in its canopy and exploded. The walker's two legs lost all power and balance and crashed to the ground.
Sabine's idea of using Tseebo's knowledge of locating and looting the Empire's own shoulder-fired missile launchers had been a stroke of genius.
"One down," Ezra said, and then smiled as the blow glow of Kanan's lightsaber could be seen as he began batting away as much blaster fire as possible. But an Imperial armored transport, having joined the walker and stormtroopers, still blocked the road, trying to stop them.
But it didn't last as a second missile streaked from above them, and this one scored a direct hit against the armored transport that was blocking their patch. Correction - had been blocking their path. That still left the second walker, but Tseebo's information showed only one ammunition cache in the Lower City, and that cache had only two anti-armor missiles.
Suddenly, the sound of a loud explosion nearly caused Ezra to lose control of the transport. All he could think of was that something had hit them, that was until he could hear again and what he heard had the hairs on the back of his neck standing up straight!
"The Rodian!" A voice gasped behind. A voice with an Imperial accent. "Stop the vehicle!"
With no hesitation, Ezra grabbed his blaster and aimed it over his shoulder and blindly fired it into the rear compartment. He couldn't be certain if his shots had hit the Imp. All he could do was punch it and increase the speed.
"Whoa," Ezra heard Sabine say as she reentered the transport. "Looks like we're missing a door. Sorry Imp, no free rides on this transport!" With a heft, he heard Sabine throw whomever had boarded the transport out the door. She then joined them up front as the transport barreled down the straightaway and the giant hole in the roadblock caused by the missile.
"Kanan?" Ezra asked, only to see a blur of blue light swipe protectively across the front viewport and deflect another powerful laser cannon blast from the remaining walker.
"He's staying up top," Sabine said as his lightsaber blocked yet another blast from the walker. "Good thing too!"
"Well, hang on!" Ezra said as their transport reached the roadblock and slammed its way forward through the remnants of the burning transport.
There was still a pretty big collision, but not enough to stop Ezra and their transport. He just kept pushing the throttle and increasing the speed. And it worked! They were through!
"Not bad driving, Diasa'yr," Sabine said from behind her helmet, and then leaned forward and activated the rear gun. "Now, where's that last walker?"
"Already taken care of," Kanan said as he reentered the transport and looked around.
"What?" Sabine asked. "How? Kanan just patted the lightsaber on his belt. "You mean that thing can cut through the legs of a walker?" Sabine asked.
"All in the wrist," Kanan said and smiled ever so slightly. And then stuck his hand in Ezra's hair and gave it a good ruffle. "Nice driving, Kid."
"Yeah, well, I had a good teacher," Ezra said and shot Sabine a smile. Then he frowned. "Umm. Where are we on our pickup?"
"Spectre-1 to Ghost," Kanan said into his comlink. "We're clear of the city."
"Spectre-1, you're clear of the city but you've still got fleas!" Hera replied.
"Stay here," Kanan said to them and switched his lightsaber out for his blaster pistol. Sabine, meanwhile, leaned forward and activated the transport's rear turret targeting camera.
After a few moments of toying with it, she panned the camera around just in time to see two swoop bikes overtake their transport on the left. Not that that did the bucketheads much good. A couple barks from Kanan's blaster and Sabine and Ezra both watched in amusement as both the bikes and their riders went spiraling out of control and crashed into heaps of twisted metal and burning fuel. Kanan had some fancy shooting, but Ezra didn't see what good a blaster pistol would do against the armored transport that had snuck up behind them. A transport slowly gaining on them.
"Osik. We must've took some damage ramming the roadblock," Sabine said. "Easy up on the throttle or you'll cook the engine."
"But they're gaining," Ezra said, eyeing the rear camera.
"And they're going to try to board," Sabine replied. "Still, it's just one transport. Spectre-5 to Ghost. It's just one transport now."
"Ghost copies but it's a scoop job now. I've got multiple TIEs on the scope!"
"Hey!" Ezra exclaimed and pointed at the viewscreen. "I'd recognize that helmet anywhere."
Kanan returned from dealing with the bikers and then frowned at everyone's favorite ISB agent on the screen.
"I'll handle him," Kanan said as Kallus jumped from his transport to theirs.
"Yeah," Ezra said. "And see if you can get him to tell you the story about his dorky helmet."
Kanan smirked at his apprentice's gusto and, with a sarcastic two-fingered salute, he exited the transport and climbed back on top of it, fully expecting to face off with Kallus. Only to pause and watch as the Ghost swept in and opened fire with its heavy starship cannons against the armored, but ultimately defenseless transport in comparison.
In a bright flash, the transport's engine exploded, and it lost half its repulsors. Kanan stood tall, looking back as the transport spun wildly out of control and smashed itself to pieces across the highway. There was no way anyone could survive something like that. Then the Jedi's teal eyes focused on the lone ISB agent, who looked a lot less convinced of his idea to storm the transport alone.
"Hey! Remember me!" Zeb's voice boomed out from the Ghost's loudspeaker system.
When Kanan had first arrived atop the transport to face Kallus, he expected some sort of showdown. Now he was doing his best to keep a straight face as with nowhere to hide, the ISB agent was dodging Zeb's blaster fire until the overconfident ISB agent ran out of space to dodge, and fell off the end of the transport! Kanan smirked and waved at Zeb, then activated his comlink to get everyone moving.
Those TIEs would be on them soon.
First came Tseebo, then Ezra, and lastly Sabine, after she had made certain to set the transport's autopilot. Hera piloted the Ghost so its ramp nearly touched the transport and the ground team easily made their way aboard.
"Nice work with that roadblock," Zeb complimented Kanan. "Walkers never stood a chance."
"Thanks," Kanan said. "But it was Sabine's idea to use Tseebo's intel to find an Imperial weapon's stash."
Zeb turned and smiled at the young girl, which was when disaster almost struck.
"The Rodian!" Kallus said, the Agent hanging onto the very back of the transport with all the strength he had.
Sensing the danger, Kanan immediately activated his lightsaber and deflected Kallus' blaster fire and then directed one right back at the agent. It caught the man in the chest and the impact tossed him from the transport.
So long Agent Helmet, Ezra thought.
"Let's go," Kanan said and the rest hurried inside as the cargo bay door swung closed behind them.
"TIEs incoming! I need my gunners!" Hera's voice chirped over their comlinks. "Shields won't hold long under this barrage."
Kanan passed by Ezra in a blur as he rushed to the nearest ladder and headed up, intent on taking the Ghost's top turret. Ezra and the rest led the frightened Tseebo to the common room. There they had a moment's respite before cannon fire from the multiple TIEs shooting at them hammered at the ship and its shields. They heard Kanan shooting from the upper turret, but there was no return fire from the Ghost's rear cannon.
"Karabast!" Zeb said and left to go check on Chopper's condition at the rear cannon.
"I have to man the nose guns!" Sabine said.
"I'm coming with," Ezra said and moved to follow, but just then the ship took another hard hit and the deck quaked enough for Ezra to lose his footing and knock into Tseebo. The pair fell down together in a heap of twisted limbs.
As Ezra untangled himself, he heard the constant electronic whirring from Tseebo's implant come to a stop and the Rodian shook his head - and then stared at Ezra as if seeing him for the first time.
"Ezra? Ezra Bridger."
Ezra gasped and backed away as quickly as he could. "It is you!" Tseebo exclaimed and walked toward him.
But Ezra kept the space between them and held up his hands to ward Tseebo off.
"Yeah Tseebo, it's me. But now's not the best time for a reunion."
But Tseebo laid his hands on Ezra's shoulders and looked Ezra in the eyes. "Ezra Bridger..."
Then Tseebo began chatting away, only in his native Rodian - impossible for Ezra to make any sense of it. But whatever it was, Tseebo animatedly focused on Ezra while explaining. Fortunately, Tseebo's commotion had momentarily stopped Sabine from leaving, and the girl was hanging onto Tseebo's every word and piecing his ramblings together.
"What's he saying?" Ezra demanded when he saw her still standing there.
"He says..." Sabine's eyes widened when she made the translation, and she looked at Ezra worriedly. "He says he knows what happened to your parents."
Ezra turned to look back at his parent's old friend and could only stare as his entire world threatened to unravel.
As Hondo says: Speak Softly, AND DRIVE A BIG TANK! Right through the roadblock! But also right off a cliff into a cliffhanger! What will happen next to Young Ezra? Hondo wishes he could say but right now he is still preoccupied with some friends of his who were not happy with Hondo's friends and family discount! And so Hondo is uploading this emotionally charged chapter a day early! To get a head start on the next also equally emotional followup to this chapter! Oh look, Hondo's friends found him. Shhhh… Hondo must be very quiet as he types… So what makes a Jedi. Hondo wonders. Is it all natural? All talent? Because Ezra seems to be having problems connecting. An interesting parallel to when - Oh hello! Got to run! Hondo's friends found him! Hondo thanks you and your reviews! Most inspiring! Now where is the submit button! So much fun it is to type and run! Now if only Hondo had a tank right now…