Anakin had sent a few clones down to the surface to prepare for the pending funeral rite that was to be carried out just prior to the returning of the two men to their own timeline. He knew that watching the funeral pyre would be emotional for the woman's companions, and he wanted to spare them as much pain as he could. Especially the older of the remaining pair. The man felt very closed off as he tried to separate his pain from what they still needed to do to return him and Ezra to their timeline. If that was even possible.
Anakin still wasn't sure how this was supposed to work. Does their timeline even still exist? If it did, then would that mean that everything that had occurred since their arrival in this time did not effect anything in theirs? Or were their infinite possibilities? A timeline where he, himself, will still become a Sith Lord. Will the others return to a timeline where nothing had changed for them, except that they no longer had a member of their crew? Will her death be meaningless for them? For their sake, he hoped that wouldn't be the case.
Finally, after nightfall, it was time for Anakin, his padawan, the men from the future, as well as Master Billaba and her apprentice, to make their way down to the temple on Lothal. The funeral will be held in the shadow of the temple. With the death of Palpatine, the Shadow Chaser wasn't needed to hide the Skywalker family, so the ship was taken for the final flight for Ezra and Kallus as they headed to return to their own time. Anakin piloted the craft while showing the younger version of Kallus for his first lesson on operating the ship that was now his. The teen was excited to have the time to enjoy the brief lesson. Knowing that they'd have many more in the future. The teen would have to remain on the ship, so that he wouldn't be ill-affected by the duality of there being two of the same individuals. But Alexandr didn't mind. He'd be allowed to go into the temple, though, since it was thought that it would protect the young teen once inside it.
Anakin had thought about leaving the two children behind with his wife and Ahsoka, but he decided that it would do good for the young girl to feel that she was part of this Jedi mission. Especially since she knew who the woman had been before being killed by Palpatine. He'd had to explain to her that her future was now on a different path than the other version of herself had been on. And since he was bringing Kiara, it didn't feel right to leave Alexandr behind. He had just as much reason to witness the pair returning to their own timeline as the younger girl did.
Off to the side, Ezra stood beside Kallus as the fire enveloped Kiara in her final rites that he knew that the other man hadn't thought would come so soon after asking the her to marry him. Just the night prior he'd also learned that the two of them were expecting a child. Sadly, the man wasn't just mourning the death of his would-be-wife. But that of his child, as well. He'd not even been given the time to get used to the idea of being a father before his family had been ripped from him in one swift action, by Palpatine. The young Jedi couldn't help but feel for the man who had gone from being an enemy to a friend over the years. And he was practically family, now, after he and Kiara had planned to marry. Ezra didn't look forward to having to break the news of Kiara's demise to Kanan when they returned to their own timeline. But, looking as the fire slowly began to dwindle, with the lateness of the evening drawing ever closer to morning, he knew that it was time for the two of them to start on the next part of their journey home.
"Kallus. It's time." Ezra watched and waited for the man to give a curt nod as he swallowed hard.
Reluctantly, the man closed his eyes briefly to steady himself before he lifted Kiara's pack that she had intended to return with. He'd yet to even look inside it. He only knew that whatever was inside was what she had deemed important enough to take with her when she had to leave her ship behind in this time period. That meant that her pack was important enough for him to take with him along with the wrist shields that Kanan and Sabine had made for her. He figured that he'd return them to her brother, but what was in the pack was all that he'd have left of Kiara from now on. Kallus turned toward the Jedi who had given him as much time as they could before they needed to enter into the ancient temple of the Jedi.
Master Billaba turned to her padawan and explained to him that they both needed to commune with the Force, allowing the temple to sense their purpose. Together, she and Caleb concentrated as the temple began to rise from the ground, twisting around until a door was opened for the visitors to the temple. The Jedi led the way with Kallus and Alexandr following behind. The young teen took the opportunity to get a good look at the ancient temple, since he had never thought that he'd have a reason to be at the temple, before. Nor did he think that he'd have the opportunity again.
Master Skywalker and Master Billaba each spoke to their padawans, explaining what they were seeing as the group made its way down a corridor. To Ezra, he wasn't surprised to see the mummified masters, since he'd seen some just like them on his first trip here with Kanan when he was younger. But it didn't make it any less disturbing. After several corridors, the troop came to a stop in a large cathedral deep in the heart of the ancient temple of the Jedi. On the far wall Ezra caught sight of a familiar painting. One where he saw the three Mortis gods with their Loth-wolves guardians off to the side.
"Whoa!" The padawan to Master Billaba exclaimed when he saw the huge portrait.
"Indeed, whoa," Depa gave a gentle smile at the young teen's exuberance. She then turned to Ezra. "I believe you have experience with opening the portal that you require."
Ezra nodded as he walked over toward the daughter painted onto the wall. "The daughter is responsible for opening it. The son closes it. So, one of you will need to activate his image once Kallus and I are gone."
Ezra then matched the position of his hand with that of the daughter's as he felt the energy of the temple flow through him, activating the portal. When the Loth-wolves reacted he heard the children react to the movements of the painted creatures as they moved off to the side and then begin to move in a circle, creating the doorway for them to enter into the portal. He led the rest through the portal, since he was the only one there who had ever actually gone to the strange dimension that could only be described as a strange world between worlds.
The small group then followed behind the young Jedi, with Kallus bringing up the rear. His heart just wasn't in it, any longer, with trying to get back to where he and Ezra belonged. Not with what has occurred in the last several hours. For the young man's part, he had been waiting for so long to return home, and that was all that he focused on, for the moment. He closed his eyes, concentrated on his family, and listened as he heard the voices of the members of the Ghost crew coming from a portal in the not-too-distant portal. Upon hearing Kanan's voice, Ezra headed toward the portal that had activated, to show him his master as he appeared to be tending to a toddling young boy. The son that Ezra knew about by way of the force; the reason why he hadn't allowed Kanan to join him on his mission on Thrawn's ship. He wanted to ensure that he'd be there for Hera and the baby.
Ezra felt the emotions threatening to overwhelm him, as he blinked back the moisture in his eyes. He was going home. After such a long time, he was going to be with his family once more. He wanted to rush the portal, almost afraid that it would close before he could go through, but he looked down at the young girl who had been such a large part of his life over the last several months. Helping time to pass by easier; making it less lonely. It was like the force itself had wanted to send him a connection to his family, even if he hadn't realized it at the time. He'd already said his official goodbyes, but he still felt that she needed one last farewell. He knelt down and gave the young girl a hug and told her to mind her new master as he felt her tighten her embrace around him before finally releasing him. Indicating that she was ready to say goodbye.
With a smile, he stood back up and straightened his shoulders before he took a step through the portal. He saw the moment that Kanan sensed him, as he entered the room that was set up for the small family. Ezra figured that this must be the base that Kallus and Kiara had told him about. The one that the crew of the Ghost were stationed at when they were pulled through time and space by the purrgil. The next moments were a jumble of hugs, calling for the rest of the family to share the news, and questions to learn what had happened to Ezra after he and Thrawn had disappeared with the purrgil.
Kallus watched from his side of the portal with a sad smile. He was happy to see the reunion, but he understood that the moment that he crossed through, that the tone of the reunion would be altered. Still, he knew that he couldn't postpone any longer. He adjusted his pack on his shoulder and prepared to step through when he heard muffles from another portal not too far away from the one that he and the Jedi stood in front of. He tilted his head as he started to catch stray comments as he recognized the voice, the moment, that was being displayed in the portal down the next path in the strange dimension that served as a conduit between time and space.
Kallus wasn't the only one who heard the muffles. The Jedi Masters also tilted their heads as Kallus instinctively turned to walk toward the newly opened portal. Within the portal, he saw the image of himself. But not just him, but Grand Admiral Thrawn, as well. It was the night that the Chiss had followed him to the old communications tower that he'd used to send his Fulcrum transmissions. Kallus watched as the scene played out in front of him. Remembering the fight that he'd engaged in with Thrawn. Then the torturous evening, as the man tried to discern the information on the rebels.
"You may have transmitted your warning, Agent, but in doing so, you've given me the last piece of the puzzle. Now this is the trajectory of General Dodonna's fleet, and this is the trajectory of your Fulcrum transmission. Taken separately, they mean nothing. But together..."
Kallus saw that the two lines met where the map showed empty space. He grinned. "Nothing. There's no planet there. The rebels are smarter than you give them credit for."
"A pity you do not study art, Agent Kallus. There is much it can show you if you know where to look. Such as, a system which doesn't appear on Imperial charts but is represented in the art of the ancient people of this sector. I believe they call this Atollon, now the home of your rebel base." Thrawn pulled out a communication device and signaled his latest flunky. "Admiral Konstantine, deploy the fleet to these coordinates. I will join you shortly."
Kallus caught it. He remembered this moment in time by heart and he heard when there was a variation between his memories as well as what was playing out in front of him. Thrawn said the word, "I"; not "We". He then watched as the scene continued to shift from the way he'd remembered as he had lived it.
Thrawn turned back to the rebel spy as he put his communicator back to his belt where he'd kept it. "I thank you, Agent Kallus, for your assistance in locating the rebel base. Know that you have brought what is to come to your rebel friends down upon them, and will not be able to help them further. I will share with them of your sacrifice, Agent Fulcrum. But for now, I have someplace to be."
With that, Thrawn pulled out his blaster and shot Kallus at point blank, where he hung, strung up from ceiling of the communications tower. He then signalled toward the stormtroopers at the entrance of the communications tower to collect the corpse of the traitor. "Dispose of that. And make sure that when you return to the Dome, that you are seen with ISB-021. So that any who may have the inclination following his lead, that the punishment for such treason is known to every single one of them. That no one is above suspicion. Nor would they be granted clemency upon discovery of their treachery."
The troopers gave a curt affirmative as they worked together to remove the agent from where he had been strung up during his interrogation. In short order, they hauled the body out and took it out to the gunship just outside of the communications tower to return to the Imperial Complex. The gunship and Thrawn's shuttle both departed mere seconds from one another.
Kallus watched as the tower grew silent after the Imperials departed from his view through the portal in confusion. Why would the force show him how he could have died that evening on Lothal. He hadn't, of course. He'd instead been taken by Thrawn so that he could gloat to Kallus. He wanted the rebel spy to witness the defeat of the rebel cell that he'd risked so much for. A mistake, perhaps? But Kallus just witnessed that there had been a different possibility. That he could have been ended right here in this place where he and the Chiss had their confrontation.
Kallus remembered that Kanan had a similar experience when he and Ezra had come to this temple the night that they had first met with Kiara. The previous night, she had responded to the visions given to her by the force. As a result, she had saved Kanan's life. But he knew that without her intervention, that he would have died a fiery death up on top of the fuel pod in the Imperial Manufacturing Wing of the complex.
"I don't get it," Anakin finally spoke up from behind the other man. Clearly, the scene that had played out in front of them in the portal depicted Kallus's death that never was. "Why would the temple show this?"
"Kallus?" From the portal that Ezra had gone through, the young man sounded confused that the other man hadn't joined him yet.
Kallus lifted his head as he suddenly thought of something. It appeared that he now had the choice between two portals to go through. He could join Ezra and the Ghost crew or he could...
Kallus adjusted the pack on his shoulder and stepped forward before the Jedi realized what he was going to do. He walked from the temple's portal and stepped into the communication's tower that was still in disarray from his doppleganger's interaction with Grand Admiral Thrawn. He knew that the moment he stepped through that there was no going back. But he didn't care. He had to take this opportunity given to him by the force itself.
He looked outside and saw that the Imperials had left and the area was deserted. He looked off into the distance, where the mountains were. The same mountains where the Shadow Chaser was tucked away, hidden from the rest of the galaxy. Awaiting for the day that Kiara would need it again. That was where he was heading.
The force had given him a second chance. He was taking it.