The Watcher looked as he saw the Stellar Sentinal was standing outside of the atmosphere of Lothal. "With the revelation of Maul, and this new female clone of Peter Parker, the Protectors have been hunting down any lead that they can follow to find him or information dealing with the clone. But it seems since their talk, Maul has gone underground. Making him much more difficult to track. So, to wait him out, the Protectors take a call from Kamala Khan who got word of a weapon being worked on by the Empire. They set up a base on one of Lothal's moons... since Ms. Marvel has been keeping them from taking over Lothal. Training cadets for when the time came to replace the Clone Troops in secret."
So, the Protectors decided to send their youngest members undercover in some sort of recruitment that the Empire is starting to try and replace the Clone Troopers. Showing that putting their money into them as valuable resources is too much and trying to show that the Clones have become obsolete since the end of the Wars.
Amber and Kyle used undercover names such as Ally Dawson and Austin Moon. Those names were Peter's idea since he got those names from the show he used to watch from his world called "Austin & Ally." When they heard that, Amber and Kyle were annoyed with the names but decided to just go with it. To keep her from being recognized, Amber dyed her hair blonde and kept her saber with Cheep, and the Empire never saw Kyle's face since he always wore his helmet. They had just been undercover for a few days now, trying to submit themselves to the roles they were playing.
The two of them were with a full group of cadets and walked amongst the Clone that was training them. "And halt! Squad LRC-077 for your inspection, sir!"
"Cadets, you entered this facility as children." The trooper told them. "And in a few short weeks, you will leave as soldiers. By the time you complete your training, you will be prepared to serve your Emperor. Today, we will test your strength and resolve. Are you ready to become Troopers?"
"Sir, yes, sir!" All the cadets say.
"At ease."
Then all of them remove their helmets, allowing Amber to take off her helmet and show she had her hair in a braid that Kate did for her to keep her from being recognized. Since she usually always had her hair up in a ponytail rather than a French braid as they called it.
Amber looked down at her helmet and stared into the eyes of the Cadet trooper helmet. She couldn't believe she was here after everything that the Empire did to her way of life.
"Hey, Ally." A voice tried to get her attention. "Ally Dawson?"
Amber shook out of it when she remembered that was her name. "Oh, what?"
Carly Benson was the cadet that was trying to get her attention. She was the friend that Amber made in the cadet ranking, trying to prove that they were committed to this. "You okay?"
"Yeah, sorry, just... just a little tired," Amber quickly lied.
"Wow." Carly scoffed. "You must really be feeling the pressure this time."
"Sorry, Carly, who's under pressure?" Amber asks. "Not me. I've won every assessment."
"Yeah, but today I can taste victory," Carly promises.
"You said that yesterday and lost." Amber reminded her.
Then the platform underneath them lowered downward and they found themselves at the bottom of a well of sorts. "Cadets, you are descending into the Well and must climb out with all deliberate speed. You will be given the honor of serving as aides in Imperial headquarters."
"I'm taking that prize." Andre Reeve, Kyle's friend in the cadets, stated.
"Not today, Andre," Carly stated.
"Back off, Carly," Kyle said.
"You too, Alley," Andre stated. "You're both going down."
"We'll see about that," Amber liked to one-up Kyle every day while undercover.
"The assessment begins in four, three, two..."
"Uh... How exactly are we going up?" Carly wonders, seeing nothing but walls.
"One!"
Then platforms using anti-gravity came out of the walls and showed that was how they were meant to travel upward.
"There's your answer, Carly," Amber said, running ahead and leaping on the platform.
Kyle scoffed as he wasn't going to let her take first place again. "See you at the top, Alley!"
"Yes, you will," Amber said as she leaped onto a platform,
"Failure is not acceptable." The troopers said, activating some electrical grid on the platforms. "This Empire has no use for weakness."
Amber was able to use the Force to sense when the platform was going to be electrocuted and managed to jump. Kyle wasn't as lucky, but thanks to his intense Mandalorian training, he managed to actually withstand the energy. He leaped off the electrified platform and grabbed ahold underneath a platform.
"Yeesh, Austin, how did you do that?" Andre asked his friend.
"Terrible childhood," Kyle answered sarcastically as he leaped on top of the platform and saw he was tied with Amber.
Amber smiled as she saw the platform was about to run into the wall, so she leaped off and landed on a platform before it came out of the wall. Kyle saw the challenge and waited for the next platform and leaped on it before climbing up.
"Alley, how do you do it? It's like you know the platforms are coming before they're there." Carly wondered as she was struggling to follow.
"What can I say? It's a gift!" Amber stated half-jokingly.
Kyle reached the top with Andre and they saw that Carly and Amber were on the platform across from the top. Andre went to try and push Amber and Carly, but she was able to sense it coming. She then grabbed Carly and leaped upward with her.
Andre ended up falling and Kyle leaped upward to be the third in line to finish the task. " First again," Amber stated.
"Yeah." Claire sighed. "Well, I'll get you tomorrow."
"You said that yesterday too." Amber reminded her.
"Quite a finish, Cadets." The instructor's commander said, getting Kyle and Amber to look and freeze. The commander was Tarkin. He walked over and Amber tried to keep her face hidden as she didn't want him to recognize her face. "It seems this trial was too easy. Alley, Carly, you both set course records." He then looked over to Kyle, "And, um, is it Moon?"
"Sir, yes, sir..." Kyle said, even though he was eyeing Tarkin under the mask.
"You three are today's winners," Tarkin tells them. "But rest assured, your next trial will be a great challenge. Follow."
Kyle, Carly, and Amber are led through the halls by Tarkin and a rookie TK Stormtrooper. As they were walking, they came across Cheep painted as an Imperial droid rolling past them. Amber gave a hand signal that Cheep caught and continued to roll off. As he did, the TK trooper took notice of the droid eyeing Amber and wondered what that was about.
Cheep rolled out of the facility where he then began to flicker a light towards Kate and Kamala who were waiting on standby to rescue the kids if anything were to happen. Kate has been spending the day shooting arrows around the facility, ready to burn the entire place to the ground when the time comes.
"Looks like the kid passed the first test," Kate reported back to the Stellar up above. "They're inside Imperial H.Q."
"Roger, Commander," Rex reported as he and Peter were sitting, waiting for their time to move. "Stellar Sentinal standing by."
"We've been standing by for weeks," Peter said with a sigh. "I'm sick of this."
Rex looked over to him and scoffed. "You're worried about the kids."
"Of course, I'm worried about the kids." Peter scoffed that Rex had to even consider that. "What were we thinking, putting them undercover?"
"What were we thinking?" Rex questioned. "This was your idea if I recall."
"Yeah, and when was the last time I had a good idea?" Peter asks.
Rex had to consider that question and thought back to all the missions the two have been on together. "Well, when you put it like that..."
"Okay, you didn't need to agree with me," Peter stated as he crossed his arms. "Who side are you on?"
"This one. The one that is a fine line between righteous and criminal." Rex reminded him. "At least that's what you've been telling us."
Peter sighed as he leaned into his seat. "This decoder better be worth the risk to those kids."
"What is the alternative?" Rex asks him. "We let the Empire keep those Kyber crystals from all of those Sabers from the Clone Wars? You of all of us know the power of those crystals."
"And if the Empire wants them for something, it can't be good." Peter nodded with a sigh. "I should've done this myself."
Rex chuckled when he heard that. "Oh, yeah. You'd make quite a Cadet."
"What does that mean?" Peter asks.
Rex laughed as he considered the idea. "I am just thinking how you wouldn't survive one day as my Cadet in the Clone Wars."
"I survived you in the Clone Wars," Peter muttered as he crossed his arms.
Back in Imperial H.Q., Kyle was currently sneaking into Tarkin's office. Amber was causing a distraction hiding in a closet and using the Force to move objects around to cause a disturbance. Tarkin exited the office and looked around, wondering where the noise was coming from. Kyle then sneaked over to the panel hacked the code and entered. Once inside, he simply made his way over to Tarkin's computer with ease where he then found a decoder.
"One decoder, one point for the Mandalorian." Kyle was happy to one-up Amber as he made his way out of the office.
But just as he walked to the door, the second he opened it, he saw something that caused him to freeze. He saw the TK trooper from earlier standing in the doorway and looking over at him.
"What do you think you are doing?" The trooper asked him.
But then an elevator went off and to his surprise, the TK trooper pushed him into the office. Kyle was a little confused as to what exactly was happening and then he saw the decoder in his helmet. He took the decoder, and Kyle was thinking of a few dozen ways of striking him down.
"Figured it would be something like this." The TK Trooper said.
"It's not what you think," Kyle said, wondering where Amber was.
"I think this device has a built-in sensor, which would trigger that." The TK Trooper stated, gesturing to a device above the office. "You try walking out with this thing, the whole facility goes on lockdown."
Kyle was now a little confused, "Wait. Are you trying to help me?"
"You really want to discuss this here and now?" The TK Trooper asks, hearing there were troopers outside.
"Mmm, not so much." Kyle agreed.
Outside of the compound, Kate and Kamala were waiting near the entrance for the team but watched as the doors closed for the night. All three of them were getting worried about why he didn't show up as he was overdue.
"Guys? Something is wrong. Seems the kid didn't come out," Kate said in worry, wondering what could have kept them.
"Copy that. Give him one more day." Rex called back.
"So... anything new with you guys?" Kamala wonders.
"Not since we last saw each other," Kate scoffed.
Back inside, while the other cadets slept, the TK Trooper led Kyle and Amber into a maintenance room where she knew nobody would be around. Once inside, he closed the door and ensured they were alone, they removed their helmets to have a conversation.
"Okay, kid, what were you trying to get that decoder for?" The TK Trooper asks.
"And why would we wanna tell you that?" Amber wonders.
"Because I just saved your asses from getting caught." The TK Trooper reminded her.
"My friends need it to stop an Imperial transport," Kyle informed him. "What were you doing in there?"
"Following you," The TK Trooper said. "Name's Troy Navar." He introduced himself. "Look, if you want that decoder, that means you have a way out, and I want out."
"You... want out?" Kyle wanted to clarify. "Why?"
"Look, I joined the Empire because I grew up in the Clone Wars. I thought I was joining something righteous," Troy explained. "But then I saw what the Empire was really doing. Harassing innocent worlds. Arresting civilians for crimes they didn't commit. Taking their homes and saying because of 'treason'? No, this is not what I wanted. I tried to consider walking out but... let's say I saw what happened to the last person who tried that. But when I saw you sneak into Tarkin's office, I saw a way out."
Kyle looked over to Amber, "What do you think? Should we trust him?"
"I don't feel anything through the Force to say he is dangerous." Amber shrugged. "Maybe we can trust him."
Kyle sighed. "I have got to stop asking the Jedi about trusting people." He then turned over towards Troy. "Fine. We'll help you if you can help us."
"And how exactly can you help us?" Amber questioned.
"I can get you to the air vents that will lead you to Tarkin's office and distract him for you." Troy offered.
"Oh, yeah, I say we trust him," Amber confirmed.
Kyle sighed. "Fine."
"Great," Troy said. "But the only way I'm gonna be able to help you is if you get in the top three again."
"Oh, we can take care of that," Amber promised.
The following day posed a significant challenge for Amber as she discovered that the assessment was essentially the same, except for the fact that they now had to shoot the platforms to activate them. Unfortunately, Amber was not a great shot, which gave Kyle an advantage. As Amber struggled with her aim, Kyle observed her difficulties but managed to use the platforms of others to ascend.
Despite her efforts, it was not sufficient. She had fallen too far behind and would not be able to make it to the top three. Kyle needed to devise a plan to assist her in reaching the top so that they could exit once they finished the mission.
"I'm not gonna make it!" Amber warned Kyle.
Kyle looked around and saw Andre was going to be second. He sighed and knew that doing this was going to be for the greater good. "Sorry, man."
"What?" Andre asked.
Kyle shot Andre, the gun was set to stun, so he just ended up falling and landed on a lower platform. When he climbed up, Kyle, Amber, and Carly were the three top cadets to reach the top.
"Cadets, follow Austin's example. There is no friendship in war." Tarkin told them. "The only thing that matters is victory. Victory at any cost. Tomorrow's final trial will push all of you to your limits. The reward for success will be a training session aboard a walker."
Andre climbed up and pushed Kyle. "Austin, you sabotaged me!"
"I did what I had to do," Kyle stated as he marched off.
"Good to know." Andre scoffed.
Troy managed to bring Amber somewhere that she could sneak into an air duct that would lead to Kallus' office. That way she could grab and slip out with the help of the Force. Kyle was waiting on standby when she managed to accomplish the task so they could escape together.
"How do you plan to reach it from up there?" Troy wonders.
"Don't worry. I'm a Jedi." Amber informed him.
"Uh, what?" Troy asked.
Amber sighed as she leaped on a table. "Padawan."
"Oh, that makes more sense," Troy said.
"That is going to be following me for a while." Amber could tell as she climbed into the vent.
Amber then made her way upward and into the vents while Troy started to go over and get the next part of the plan. He was meant to distract Tarkin so that she could grab the disk whilst he wasn't at his desk.
"Come," Tarkin said when he heard the knock.
"Sir, your podracer parts have been delivered," Troy said, getting Tarkin to look in confusion as he walked over. "If you'll just sign off here, I'll bring them up."
Amber then got the opening she needed to begin to concentrate the Force to try and get the decoder. "Obviously, there's been a mistake. What would I want with podracer parts?"
"No mistake, sir," Troy said, watching as the decoder was flying towards Amber. "It says right here two crates of secondhand podracer parts for Admiral Tarkin? I enjoy a good podrace myself, sir."
Tarkin noticed he was looking at something and turned to see that there was nothing as Amber already escaped. "So were you gonna sign it?"
"Trooper, are you ignorant?" Tarkin asks. "I said this is a mistake."
Troy then nodded. " Sir, yes, sir! Sorry, sir."
Tarkin then approached the computers and activated a transmission. "As usual, the assessments have proven quite illuminating. I believe we've identified a few Cadets, Ally Dawson, Andre Reeve, Austin Moon, and Carly Benson, that meet your special criteria, Inquisitor."
Amber's body tensed with shock as the unsettling words reached her ears, compelling her to strain her eyes in an attempt to gain a more distinct view of the holographic image and determine the identity of the mysterious Inquisitor. The enigmatic figure was concealed by a helmet, shrouding their features in secrecy. Despite this, the voice resonated deeply within her, evoking a sense of familiarity that tugged at her memories. Having spent her formative years within the confines of the Jedi Temple, she had ventured beyond its walls on several occasions, yet this voice seemed intimately woven into the fabric of her past. It bore the indelible mark of a Jedi, or perhaps a soul that had once walked the path of the Jedi.
"Very well, I will come at daylight," She said. The voice was unmistakably a female even through the modulator. "I will test their skills myself. And if they pass, I will inform the Grand Inquisitor."
Amber didn't like the sound of that. These guys sounded dangerous. She has heard of Sith Lords and Acolytes, but never Inquisitors. This was some sort of new threat, and they were coming for her friend. And Kyle's. They needed to be warned before they left. She couldn't leave knowing that she could have saved them.
Outside of the imperial academy, the two girls were still waiting for the two of them and Cheep to show up. They were wondering what was keeping them when they saw Cheep roll up and had no sign of their Padawan or Mandalorian.
"You have the decoder?" Kamala asks the droid.
Cheep grumbled in his language and opened a hatch, showing he had it with him.
"Great," Kate said as she took the card and began transmitting. She looked around and noticed no sign of their friends still. "Where are they?"
Cheep grumbled in response, and they still had no idea what he was saying.
"English, or whatever English is for you," Kamala demanded.
Cheep groaned as he then activated a hologram of Amber. "Guys, I know you're expecting us, but we have to stay at the academy. The Inquisitor is coming and some friends we made here will get scooped up by this Inquisitor fellow if I don't help them."
"Inquisitor?" Kate questioned.
"Look, I know it sounds dangerous, but right now, I am working on my training and my training tells me that I need to help them." Amber defended her decision. "After all, it's what a Jedi would do." She then took a deep breath. "It's what a Protector would do. Decode the hyperspace coordinates and get them to the others. Oh, and if you're not too busy, attack the Academy tomorrow at noon."
"Those kids might be spending too much time with us," Kate scoffed.
Peter and Rex were trying to entertain themselves any way they could with them now being down to just playing games against one another. Playing a game of holo-chess, watching as Peter made a bad move and allowed Rex to take the victory.
"Ha. Looks like I win. Again." Rex stated.
Peter groaned as he smacked against the table. "Damn."
Then they got an alarm on their comms, getting them to focus on it. "They got it. Sending coordinates for Imperial jump route. If you leave now, you should still be able to intercept."
Rex walked over to the systems and saw the "Coordinates received." He confirmed and typed the coordinates into the ships. "We're heading out."
"Good work, guys, and you too, Amber and Kyle," Peter stated.
"Uh, they aren't with us," Kamala warned him.
"What?" Peter asked as they jumped into Hyperspace. "Where are they? Kate? Kamala?"
"Sir, we're out of range." Rex reminded him. "We need to complete the mission and get back as soon as possible if we want to help."
Peter sighed as he agreed and slummed into his seat. "This team is getting so hard to handle and keep track of."
"Now you know how we all felt in the wars with you." Rex joked.
Peter froze as he remembered when he went off on his own many times during the Clone Wars. "Oh, god."
"Yep. That's the feeling," Rex saw he was feeling it. "Better get used to that. Don't always believe they will follow your orders."
"I might throw up," Peter whispered.
Amber and Kyle moved silently through the corridors, their footsteps muffled by the darkness that enveloped the dormitory. They approached the door to the dimly lit bedroom, where the other cadets lay sleeping. With the utmost care, they gently woke Carly and Andre from their peaceful slumber. Andre, bewildered by the unexpected awakening, looked to Kyle for an explanation. A slight nod from Kyle was all it took for Andre to follow them as they quietly made their way out with Troy in tow.
Seeking a secure location, they led the group to a secluded armory, ensuring that they wouldn't be overheard. There, they cautiously began to reveal the complexities of their predicament to Carly and Andre. However, they chose to keep their true identities hidden for the time being, uncertain whether the moment was right for such revelations.
"And that is why you need to come with us," Amber explained.
"No." Andre scoffed. "No way. This is just another dirty trick. You're trying to get me busted out of the Academy."
"Uh, yeah." Kyle scoffed. "But not the way you think."
"Look, this Inquisitor-"
"Please. I don't believe this Inquisitor exists." Andre stated. "And even if she does, then maybe it's a good thing. The Inquisitor trains me. I get a top rank in the Empire."
"And you spread fear and terror across the galaxy?" Troy spoke up. "Because trust me, Kid, I've seen what the Empire is doing. They are not interested in peace and saving worlds. They want all of them to be under their rule. Is that what you want?"
Andre considered his answer and nodded. "No."
"Then what is the plan exactly?" Carly wonders.
"I have a plan. But it requires all of us to win tomorrow." Amber said.
"But only three of us can pass." Andre reminded her. "Yeah, I know, that is a wrinkle in my plan. But I think I can make up for it. You guys just need to win. I'll catch up."
"You sure about this plan?" Kyle asks.
"No," Amber admitted.
Peter and Rex found the transport ships with the Kyber Crystals, but there were three cargo ships that all looked similar to one another. Rex sighed as Peter was making his way towards the Defender to take off.
"So, what is the plan here?" Rex asks. "Last I checked, we can't detect Kyber Crystals."
"We can't," Peter confirmed as he pulled out a scanner and placed it on the ship controls. "But this old doohickey that the Guardians used to use can."
"Why did they have that?" Rex wonders.
"They were mercenaries, Rex, remember?" Peter asked. "They needed to do something to make money when they aren't working with us."
"I had to ask," Rex sighed. "And what is your plan when they send out their V-Wings?"
"That's where you come in," Peter stated, seeing the scanners picking up the Crystals. He then flew too close as the V-Wings were beginning to approach and try to make contact. "Oh, boy. Rex, get ready to shoot them down!"
Rex started to prepare their cannons on board and charged them up. "Tell me when."
Peter scanned and found the ship. "Now!" He then opened fire and shot the ship with the Kyber Crystals. "Fire, Rex!"
Rex unleashed a barrage of blaster fire, taking aim at the oncoming V-Wings. Meanwhile, Peter skillfully maneuvered his ship in an attempt to outwit the V-Wings while simultaneously targeting the cargo filled with valuable Kyber Crystals. Drawing the attention of the Y-Wings, Peter succeeded in diverting their focus away from Rex, allowing him to unleash a relentless stream of laser fire.
With precision, Rex launched their targeting missiles, resulting in a direct hit on the enemy ship, triggering a massive explosion. Seizing the opportunity, Peter swiftly piloted his craft back towards the Stellar Sentinal just as the Kyber Crystals detonated, engulfing the area in a blinding explosion. In the chaos, Peter and Rex seized their chance to make a daring escape.
Amber was helping her friends reach the top of the training course. They were allowed to enter the Walker while Amber was catching up. Troy managed to volunteer as the commander of the Walker, getting them inside.
"So, what is the next part of our plan exactly?" Carly asks.
"I was actually pretty amazed that we made it this far," Kyle admitted.
"You are just a little rain of sunshine, aren't you?" Troy asked as he began to use the Walker to march forward.
That was when the distraction took place with Kamala using her powers to attack the Troops and Kate blowing the arrows she had placed, allowing the entire place to go up in flames. The troops were focusing on where the attacks came from, not realizing they were already placed. Cheep placed a few detonators on the other Walkers, blocking the entrance so the gates couldn't close.
Amber saw their distraction was working and ran over to the Walker, leaping onto it. "Let me in!"
The door opened and Andre dragged her inside. "You're welcome."
"I'll say thanks if we get out of here," Amber said.
"Uh, who is that?" Kyle asked, seeing someone at the entrance.
Amber walked over to the front and froze when she saw who it was. "That's the Inquisitor."
"Oh, this isn't going to end well," Troy could guess.
The Inquisitor raised her hand and the Walker's legs were being tampered with, one falling off, another malfunctioning, and the other two were being crushed. That ended up causing them to tilt over and crash. Amber used the Force to keep their injuries from being too deadly. But then she saw the Inquisitor approaching the Walker.
Walking towards the exit, she left the Walker and approached the Inquisitor who reached behind her and drew her blade. "So, you are the Inquisitor?" She said as she saw the villain in person. "Gotta say was kinda expecting a bit more."
The Inquisitor didn't say much else as she activated her blade. "Surrender yourself, Jedi."
"Padawan." Amber corrected, causing herself to smack herself. "I mean... oh, forget it."
Amber then whistled, causing Cheep to come forward and activate a rocket of sorts in his head to shoot her lightsaber out of it. Amber then caught the weapon and activated it, turning towards the Inquisitor and preparing to fight. She quickly got into her formidable stance and stared down her opponent.
The Inquisitor then prepared to fight Amber was the first to strike as she ran in to strike the Inquisitor down. When she swung to strike the Inquisitor, she was quick to block the attack and leap to the side while Amber swung again to strike. Their blades met in the middle as they started to circle one another.
Amber went high while the Inquisitor leaped backward to try and dodge the attack. That was when Amber used the Force and shoved the inquisitor to slide backward. The Inquisitor activated the second blade and then began to spin the blade with some sort of connection piece that allowed her to stop.
Amber then went in and tried to strike again, but the Inquisitor used her saber to block her attacks, seeing how tired she was getting. "The Jedi are gone, Amber."
Amber froze when she heard this person somehow knew her name. "How do you know my name?" She asked, swinging in for another strike.
The Inquisitor dodged the strike again and shoved her aside, allowing Amber to tire herself. "They paid for their hubris, but you don't have to."
"Hubris?!" Amber asked in anger. "We were struck down!" She proclaimed, running in to attack her legs, but the Inquisitor leaped around. "Betrayed!" She cried in anger, trying to strike her while the Inquisitor blocked the strike. "My fellow students were gunned down by the very troops who swore to protect us!" She then used the Force and flung the Inquisitor into the Walker. "We were slaughtered!"
The Inquisitor got back up and drew her weapon. "Please. Set down your weapon and come with me."
Amber raised the blade to her head, preparing to fight again. "Never!" She promised to never die in vain like her friends at the Temple. "If you want me to surrender, you are going to have to get me on my knees. Begging!"
The Inquisitor seemed to even consider that as she then walked over. "I know what it is like to be deceived. But that is over now. Turn yourself in. You have a chance of a new life. Aren't you tired of running?"
Amber stood transfixed as the figure drew near, her mind racing with thoughts of what she should do or say. When the distance between them closed, she instinctively reached out and seized the Inquisitor's helmet. At that moment, she activated her Force Echo ability, and a torrent of memories engulfed her, revealing the tumultuous history of the individual who wore that helmet. She witnessed lightsabers clashing, the chaos of the Clone Wars, and the profound trials endured by the helmet's owner.
"I did it. Because I've come to realize what many people in the Republic have come to realize. That the Jedi are the ones responsible for this War. That we've so lost our way that we have become villains in this conflict. That we are the ones that should be put on trial, all of us! And my attack on the Temple was an attack on what the Jedi have become. An army fighting for the Dark Side, fallen from the Light that we once held so dear."
Amber vividly remembered the sound of that voice. It was the same voice she had heard when Anakin Skywalker confronted her. It was the voice that was accused of detonating an explosion in the Jedi Temple, and yet it was also the voice that had once told her she had the potential to become a remarkable Jedi.
Amber gasped as she let go of the helmet and eyed the Inquisitor. "Barris?"
The Inquisitor was frozen with shock when she heard that name. Before they could react, a massive fist came out of nowhere, delivered by Kamala, and struck Barris, sending her crashing into the Walker and creating a gaping hole large enough for the others to escape through. Without wasting any time, they fled, leaving before the other troops could come to provide backup.
As the Inquisitor got up and looked around, she realized that they had vanished. She then took off her helmet, revealing that it was Barris Offree underneath the disguise.
The Watcher eyed them making their way across the galaxy, the Stellar Sentinal got as far away from Lothal as they could. They needed to drop these kids off somewhere safe. They were all for helping others, but they didn't have the room for this many new members at once. They dropped Kamala back off with the Bridgers, and they took off as far away from the Empire as they could.
"So, where are you going to take us?" Carly wonders.
"We are working it out," Kate admitted,
Troy then remembered a location far from the Empire. "I might know a place." He said, quickly giving the coordinates into the computer. "Somewhere that we will never be noticed."
The coordinates led them to a wondrous location known as The Wheel, previously identified as space station BDT-0978. This colossal orbital structure was positioned in the Besh Gorgon system of the galaxy's Mid Rim during the illustrious High Republic Era.
The station, fittingly named, boasted a main fuselage that resembled an immense rotating ring with the diameter of a small moon. The entire structure gleamed with the radiance emanating from a myriad of portholes. At the hub, two elongated spokes converged, giving rise to a bulbous center from which extended a vertical axis supporting two smaller rings, one of which was known as the Upper Ring.
"This is the Wheel," Troy tells them as they make it to the landing port inside a large garage. "My grandfather used to live here. When he died, he left his place to me since I was the only living relative he had left. I had the place be rented out when I joined the Empire, so that means we have a bit of a nest egg."
"So, they know what nest eggs are?" Kate asks. "How do the similarities work?"
"Leave it be," Peter said when he eyed some uniforms on the wall. "What are those?"
"Oh, gramps used to run a garage of sorts from in here, that was how he spent his days here," Troy explained as Peter caressed the uniforms, getting an idea. "Those are probably the old uniforms."
"You plan to use these?" Peter wonders.
"Probably gonna throw them out," Troy guessed. "Depending on what I do with this place."
"How about I take them?" Peter said. "The Protectors have been having a bit of a branding problem. This might fix that."
"Okay, whatever floats your hover-craft," Troy said as he walked over and shook Kate's hand. "Thanks for helping us."
"No problem," Kate said. "Stay out of trouble."
"I'll try," Troy said.
Amber was saying goodbye to Carly. "Sorry that all of this happened."
"Well, you mostly saved my life." Carly reminded her.
"Still..." Amber said, seeing Kyle and Andre weren't talking. "Looks like our Mandalorian isn't big on goodbyes."
"I don't know, it is a big galaxy," Carly said. "You never know what will happen."
Amber chuckled as she and everyone headed towards the Stellar Sentinal to finally leave. The Watcher looked on as they flew off and smiled as he eyed the Wheel. "Oh, they don't know what's coming for them..."
On the bustling Wheel, a space station teeming with travelers and traders, there existed a unique shop where blasters changed hands amidst the constant hum of activity. The establishment was managed by a tenacious mother and son duo, who navigated the challenges of survival in this unforgiving environment. The shopkeeper, an Ithorian bounty hunter named Gai, oversaw the transactions with a watchful eye.
Amidst the throngs of visitors, a mysterious figure cloaked in secrecy roamed the bustling corridors of the Wheel. Concealing her identity, she chanced upon a "help wanted" sign outside a bar and saw an opportunity to evade attention. As she reached for something hidden beneath her robe, the unmistakable hilt of a lightsaber revealed her true nature - she was a Jedi Survivor seeking refuge amidst the chaos of the galaxy.
"The galaxy managed to put a lot of dominos in place to bring all of these pieces together..." The Watcher said as he watched how events will unfold. "And this is only half of those dominos."
Peter meticulously added the final details to the uniforms, ensuring that each aspect was perfect. When he revealed the finished uniforms to the crew, they were filled with awe at what would soon become the iconic attire of the Protectors.
The previously dull and dusty garage uniforms had undergone a remarkable metamorphosis, transforming into sleek, deep blue suits with bold red accents embellishing the buttons, edges, and corresponding pants. A striking symbol resembling a raging fire was prominently featured in the center of the chest, lending a daring and symbolic flair to the newly crafted attire.
"What do you guys think?" Peter asked.
"I like it," Amber said.
"I am not wearing that," Kyle promised.
"Meh, I do need to get out of this armor eventually." Rex agreed as his clone attire was becoming too obvious for them.
By day's end, the uniforms had been tailored to fit each member perfectly. Kate received hers with a unique modification, leaving one sleeve open to accommodate her robotic arm, allowing her to move more freely and maintain her balance.
The fabric from Kate's altered sleeve was repurposed to create Rex's custom uniform. Kyle, already clad in his Mandalorian armor, required minimal adjustments. Cheep's uniform was personalized by spray painting the symbol onto his eye, aligning him with the rest of the team. Amber's uniform was modified to include a belt and strap, providing a convenient place to holster her lightsaber for quick access, as well as the ability to cloak the weapon when necessary during their missions.
Raymond Cham as Troy Navar
Kayla Compton as Carly Brex
Billy Unger as Andre Reeve