Hello again Hondo's friends, Hondo is here to provide the next new chapter - and so many things that happen! Things that Hondo did not first understand! So many quotes and philosophies about the Force, as well as decisions made. As you read this chapter, Hondo asks you three things. Is there a place for the Dark Side in the Force for a Rebel like Ezra? While Mira and Ephraim's intentions were admirable, did they wrong Ezra by putting themselves at risk of being captured? And finally, one or two (perhaps three)! Moments Ezra could have taken steps out of the friend zone! But to be fair to the young Bridger, he had a lot on his mind and no one there to guide him. Still! See if you can spot them. Onward Hondo's friends!
Gathering Forces
"I can see it. Feel it." The Inquisitor smiled with teeth like pointed daggers. "The darkness is too strong for you, orphan."
Her mysterious amethyst eyes bore deep into my own. Amethyst? No, amethyst was purple. Amber! Sabine had the most amazing eyes that had such an unfair way of seeing right through me. But at the same time, they made her impossible to read. They were like a magnetic seal clamping down on whatever thoughts her mind was entertaining.
And now those imploring eyes were looking at me. Searching. For what I couldn't tell. I know it's some sort of emotion. According to Tseebo, my parents were alive.
According to Tseebo.
And it was then I realized that whatever Sabine's past may have been, she was no orphan. Her not understanding how I was able to survive on the streets? My parents were dead. They had to be. If there was even a hint that they were searching for me, I wouldn't have survived on the streets.
And now here comes Tseebo with a head filled with Imperial secrets, telling me that my parents were alive? The same Tseebo who abandoned me? My parents trusted him!
How dare he!
Ezra's eyes narrowed and his fists balled so tight that it took everything Ezra had not to strike out and sock Tseebo across the jaw. How badly in that moment he wanted to feel the crack of Tseebo's jaw breaking from his punch.
We trusted him!
Anger. That was the emotion.
So angry that he paid no attention to the shuddering of the Ghost from the cannon fire of the squadron of TIEs hammering at the Ghost.
"Sabine! I need you in the nose gun now!" [ii] came Hera's voice from the ship's intercom.
Hera was right. There must've been at least a half dozen TIEs out there. Only Sabine didn't move. She stood there staring at me. Still searching.
"Didn't you hear Hera?" Ezra said, coming off a little harshly.
"Didn't you hear Tseebo?" Sabine countered just as harshly. "He said he knows what happened to your parents!"
She wasn't going to let this go! Kriff!
"I already know what happened," Ezra replied bitterly at how easily the lie came to him.. "They're dead. So go!"
Especially with the way she was looking at him now. Her eyes filled with apology and the desire to comfort him.
Ezra doubled down and stared at his best friend all the harder and finally, after another heavy rumble, Sabine turned and ran. Angry with the lie he just spat at her, Ezra turned his anger on the light green Rodian standing so innocently nearby.
Innocent? Innocent!
Ezra whirled on Tseebo and shoved him backward, fist raised high in the air, just begging to unleash his pent up anger on the alien.
Except. What if Tseebo was right?
"Are they?" Ezra asked, anger giving way to exasperation. "Are my parents dead?"
There was chatter over the ship's comm as Kanan and Sabine explained to Hera why Tseebo was so important. But it was just noise. Ezra had eyes only for Tseebo.
"The Bridgers should hide." Tseebo said, as though the events of eight years ago were unfolding in front of them now. "The troopers came. They took Mira and Ephraim Bridger away."
Ezra shoved Tseebo back a step, fist still raised.
"Where? Where did they take them?" the boy demanded.
But Tseebo's moment of clarity began to fade and Ezra knew he was losing him, and whatever answers were stuck in that head.
"Forgive Tseebo," Tseebo said. "Forgive him."
"Forgive you?" Ezra scoffed, but lowered his fist.
"Tseebo failed." Tseebo continued. "Tseebo was afraid. Tseebo could not raise Ezra Bridger."
"Coward!" Ezra shouted and grabbed Tseebo roughly. "You could have stopped them! Why didn't you stop them?"
Why did I grow up alone!
The whirring of Tseebo's implants broke the monotony of the Imperial laser fire, threatening to smash through the Ghost's shields. And just like that, Tseebo was gone again.
"Tseebo!" Ezra tried one final time.
"Shields down!" Hera's voice broke through on the ship's intercom. "Ezra, I need you in the cockpit!"
"Yeah. I'm on my way!" Ezra hollered loud enough for Hera to hear him. He then turned his frosty azure blue gaze back onto Tseebo. Tseebo. And what Tseebo was asking from him now.
"Forgive you?" Ezra spat. His eyes hardened. "My parents trusted you and you failed them and you failed me!"
Tseebo flinched, but Ezra didn't care.
"I'll never forgive you for that," Ezra said and then turned to make his way to the cockpit and the crew's current danger.
Running along the deck, Ezra schooled his face and buried his emotions. They would only get in the way, and his family needed him.
The cockpit door slid open and Ezra came to Hera's side ready to assist, though with the smoke and sparks coming from the console where the nav-computer was situated, he immediately knew what the problem was. And also knew he had no idea of what to do about it!
"Ezra. Nav-computer's offline. With Chopper down, I need you to fix it." Hera said.
"Not exactly my specialty," Ezra griped but got down on all fours to see what he could do.
"Well," Hera snapped back at him. "Make it your speciality and make it fast." Suddenly, her voice lost its anger and was filled with something he had never heard from her before. "Or this ship becomes a real ghost."
It was then Ezra felt the heavier blasts of night TIE fighters, but capital ship turbolasers.
Star Destroyers.
"Diverting all power to shields!" Hera yelled. "Could really use that nav-computer!"
Ezra frowned. Kneeling under the Ghost's control panel, things were a mess. Charred panels blown open. Dangerously exposed dangling wires. And who knew what else? Despite all his training since he came aboard, nothing prepared for such a disaster! He'd asked Sabine once what to do if it was up to him to fix something like a wrecked nav-computer.
'In the event you were the only person left alive to fix the thing? Pray.'
Praying to chance, Ezra only hissed when he crossed the wrong two wires and got a nasty burn.
"Ezra!" Hera shouted as she managed to find a patch of free space of laser fire for the Ghost to regenerate its shields.
Ezra gritted his teeth and popped his head out from under the console. "Rewiring fast as I–"
"For fast travel over interstellar distances, hyperspace is optimal," Tseebo lectured as he entered the cockpit and, to the others' astonishment, knelt down next to Ezra and went to work on the exposed wiring.
Hera worked to keep the Ghost free of TIE and Destroyers, but she was rapidly running out of room. "What is he doing?" Hera demanded.
Ezra stumbled to come up with an answer when suddenly a series of beeps were heard and the nav-computer glowed blue. Tseebo had fixed it!
"I don't believe it," Hera gasped and reached forward. "Hang on!" She said, warning all aboard through the ship's intercom.
The famed pilot punched it and the Ghost jumped right between the two Star Destroyers and vanished into hyperspace.
Meanwhile, in his Sienar TIE fighter advanced prototype, the Grand Inquisitor removed his helmet and glared at the spot the Ghost had just been in. Over a dozen TIE fighters. Two Star Destroyers. He didn't need a physicist to tell him what the odds were.
And yet once again the Rebel ship had eluded them - again. But instead of fear of reprimand from a… higher authority. The Inquisitor smiled at his foresight and looked down at his flight instrument panel and the blinking light of the tracker he had managed to attach to it.
No matter the distance, the tracker continued to blink.
No, there would be no reprimand. Only a brief delay.
A delay of the inevitable.
He could still sense the Jedi and the Padawan. Kanan Jarrus would have to be eliminated, but the boy? He wondered if there was still potential? Or had the Jedi had trained the boy with enough ancient Jedi dogma that he would be a waste of time as an apprentice?
The Inquisitor banked his TIE into the Star Destroyer's hangar.
Time would soon tell.
Zeb was looming behind her, watching Sabine work on the knocked out Chopper. Not that she minded, in particular. It wasn't like there was much else to do. Meanwhile, Tseebo remained standing motionless like a statue, only this time he had an admirer with Kanan.
The Jedi was trying to get through to the Rodian through non-verbal means, but it wasn't a winning strategy. And his apprentice (the only one who had managed to get through to Tseebo) sat at the dejarik table, still sulking over the events of the day, not that Sabine blamed him,
The bleeping sound of Tseebo's implant and the sounds of Hera's hydrospanner and the sound of the wrench in her hand were the only sounds filling the common room. The entire crew had gathered, but the nervous energy of uncomfortable tension being bounced around the room was nearly palpable.
Just like family dinners back home, Sabine thought as she twisted her wrench. She glanced up and found herself accidentally catching Ezra's blue eyes. And he held hers as their passing glance lingered.
Crouched over the dejarik table, he was doing a killer Kanan impression. Not that she would tell him that today. It was still his Birthday after all. And she wanted to continue their discussion. But judging how Ezra's stormy blue eyes, unusual for someone so affectionate, stared back at her. Sabine knew any conversation would be an uphill battle.
But she had to try.
"Sabine," Hera whispered and Sabine looked back at Hera, who was eyeing her suspiciously from the other side of Chopper. The introspective female twi'lek had caught her. Sabine turned back to her work.
It was an unwritten rule that none of the male members of the Ghost would ever go so far as to offer aid to Chopper. So, as per norm, it was up to her and Hera to make his repairs. Still, she couldn't help but glance back at Ezra.
He was twiddling his fingers now, a sign of nervousness. She offered him a small smile and then focused back on the disabled droid. They'd be okay. And the sooner she and Ezra could talk, the faster things could get back to normal around here.
And less like whenever her mom was peeved about something.
"So have you come to a decision yet?" Ezra asked Kanan, regarding Tseebo.
"I have a few ideas." Kanan said, and then approached Ezra. "But you're the one who has history with Tseebo."
Sabine saw how Ezra leaned back in his seat, uncomfortable with suddenly being the center of attention. But Kanan pushed on, as he always does.
"What do you think we should do?" Kanan asked, putting Ezra on the spot.
And Ezra, after a moment of staring back at his master, didn't disappoint. He picked up the cadet helmet that was sitting beside him, the same cadet helmet she had painted for him recently, and put it over his head.
"Don't know. Don't much care." Ezra said, while denying Kanan the chance to read his facial expressions for clues.
Very smooth.
"Ezra, you'll never advance as a Jedi if you can't be honest," Kanan said and took a step back. "With yourself, at least," he added.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ezra said and got to his feet. As he walked past Kanan, the Jedi took the chance to stop Ezra in his tracks and pluck the helmet right off his head.
"It means Tseebo matters to you," Kanan replied. He set the helmet on the table. "You do care what happens to him."
Standing an arm's width away from the Rodian, Ezra looked at Tseebo and sneered. "Why should I? He did nothing to save my parents."
"Sabine," Hera whispered again, but it was no use. The teen girl's eyes were glued to the scene unfolding before them.
"What could he have done against the entire Empire?" Kanan asked and folded his arms.
"And besides," Sabine said, seeing her chance. She got to her feet and approached Tseebo. "Look at what he's done since. The Imperials encourage these implants, but they're not mandatory. Not yet. He must have volunteered."
She paused and glanced at Ezra and then the rest of the room.
"And then he uploaded their secrets and ran." Sabine looked back at Tseebo and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe he's trying to make up for letting you down. Why else would he take on the Empire alone?"
Ezra remained stoic, but one of Sabine's words triggered something as Tseebo's implant began to whir and the Rodian was snapped out of his daze-like stance.
"Great," Ezra muttered.
"Empire," Tseebo said and lifted a finger as if to make a point, only to switch to Huttese. And what he said left Sabine with a stricken look on her face.
But she got the gist and slowly looked at the others. "He says that the Empire can track the Ghost."
Zeb rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. The Imperials can't follow us through hyperspace." The Lasat then looked thoughtful. "Uh, can they?"
Tseebo snapped to and his implant activated a holographic projection of a small black cylinder device. Then he began to recite: "Imperial XX-23 S-thread tracker was developed by Sienar Systems to trace ships through hyperspace to destination."
"Hera, could they have tagged us with that thing?" Kanan asked with a gesture to the tracker holoprojection.
"Guess we better find out," Hera said and fitted Chopper with his dish array on the dome of his astromech chassis. Her tone was tense, the implications of what that meant. Both now if they were currently being tracked as well asfor future mission planning.
With a couple of button presses, Hera had Chopper coming back online. After a few seconds of beeps and twisting his dome around to figure out where he was and what happened, the predictable Chopper tornado happened as the little astromech droid activated all of its limbs and began spinning around threateningly.
"Who, whoa, whoa. Calm down, Chop." Hera said and placed her hand atop his dome to soothe the little guy. The last thing he remembered was getting blasted after all. "You were just offline for a few minutes," Hera said with a sigh.
Sabine smirked. Always trust Chopper to be such a drama queen about these sorts of things.
Hera got to her feet and pointed at the tracker holoprojection. "We need you to scan the Ghost for that."
Chopper wasn't done yet, and shot out a few more complaints. Namely about plot armor and survival odds as well as this Rodian better not be another gross and icky organic meatbag he'd inevitably have to save at some point.
Sabine bit back a laugh as Zeb stepped up and loomed over Chopper. "Stop grumbling and find that tracker, you rust bucket!"
As Chopper wheeled away, followed closely by Zeb, Hera reconvened the conversation to the cockpit. It'd take Chopper some time to scan the entirety of the ship, and meanwhile the Captain knew just how to spend that time most effectively.
Of course, it involved listening to a lot of groaning and colorful language, as Hera quizzed Ezra on all he had learned about the nav-computer up until this point. Then they proceeded to the practical portion.
"Don't touch that!" Hera said before Ezra accidentally yanked on two wires that had been carefully spliced together.
It was the only thing keeping them in hyperspace.
"Okay, no touching! See?" Ezra said. He sighed. "Also, what's the point?"
"The point is that in times of crisis, you may not have Tseebo there to back you up," Hera explained rationally. "Knowing how a nav-computer works may just save your life someday. Like today, for example."
Sabine covered her mouth when she picked up a few more choice words from Ezra about the necessities of knowing all the ins and outs of spaceships.
"Well… If you ever want to fly my ship someday, you're going to have to learn, Ezra." Hera said. "A ship with no working nav-computer and no way home is as good as lost."
Ezra grumbled, but relented and refocused on the lesson. Sabine had to admit it was a good distraction, as well as entertaining to watch. Her thoughts drifted back to Ezra's home and the holodisc she found there. She had a few chances to look the old disc over, imagining what could be on it, and had all the tools in the cabin to fix it up. All she needed was a moment to herself.
"Found it!" Zeb announced as the doorway opened and he stood triumphantly on its threshold.
"You found it - ow!" Ezra squeaked as he hit his head from under the nav computer, and Sabine winced.
"Where they tagged us!" Zeb said. "And you'll never guess where."
"Gather round," Hera said from her spot in the pilot's chair. Gradually, the crew reassembled themselves in their usual spots. Although that meant Spectre-6 without a chair but Ezra looked grateful just to be done with the nav-computer stuff.
For now, at least.
Instead, like the rest of them, he focused on Chopper's holoprojection of the Ghost generated in the middle of the cockpit so everyone could see. A holoprojection with a very distinct red crosshair on the rear of the Ghost.
"So they did tag us," Sabine said at last.
"Yes," Hera answered. "But the good news is the tracer's actually on the hull of the Phantom."
Makes sense, Sabine thought. The TIEs had been all over them yet also made certain to stay behind the Ghost during their tangle. Sabine had been put out and felt annoyed sitting there in the nose gun through all that with nothing to shoot at.
"On the hull of the shuttle," Zeb said as he looked at the spot marked on the holoprojection. "And how is that good news exactly?"
"It'll allow us to detach the Phantom and lure the Imperials away from the Ghost and Tseebo," Kanan answered.
Wait!
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Sabine gestured frantically with her hands. "You want to detach while in hyperspace? Do you know how incredibly dangerous that is?"
"Not as dangerous as what I plan to do with the ship." Kanan said.
"Can't wait to hear this," Zeb said with a grin at Kanan's bold proclamation. Sabine felt very different, but braced herself for whatever insanity Kanan had cooked up.
"I checked our current trajectory." Kanan said in that no nonsense voice of his. He then looked at Hera. "If you can modify the hyperspace coordinates…"
"I could," Hera replied.
"Then we can pass by the asteroid field where the old clone base is."
"You mean the base with the nasties who live in the shadows?" Sabine asked as her mind conjured up the recent experience of her and Hera nearly getting eaten by those fyrnock monsters.
"Wait, what? Why would we want to go down there?" Ezra said and looked at Kanan like he was crazy.
"He's right, Kanan," Hera said, adding her word to theirs. "Why not just drop the Phantom into our trail and let the Imperials chase after their tracker?" Hera suggested instead.
"Because there's more than a tracker at work here." Kanan said. His eyes then looked past them all and focused on Ezra. "Back on Lothal, I sensed it. The Inquisitor is on our trail and as long as Ezra and I are on board the Ghost, we're jeopardizing Tseebo's escape."
They can do that? Sabine thought and looked at Ezra.
"So," Ezra said, his stormy eyes in rhythm with the hostility in his voice. "I gotta leave the Ghost and go to this nasty-filled asteroid as a favor to Tseebo?"
"As a favor to all of us," Kanan corrected. He smiled. "And don't worry. I'll be right beside you."
Because that's worked so well so far? Sabine wanted to yell. Instead, she kept her eyes focused on Ezra. To his credit, he kept himself together and just sighed in resignation. He nodded and then left the cockpit without further word.
"This is nuts," Sabine said once Ezra was out of earshot. "The detachment in hyperspace alone. The physics you're messing around with are bad. Very bad."
"And then you and the kid plan a showdown with the toughest the Empire had on an asteroid filled with monsters that almost killed us," Hera added.
"Even now I can feel the Inquisitor." Kanan said and shook his head. "It's the only way."
The meeting broke up after that, with Hera asking the cockpit to be cleared so she could reach out and contact Fulcrum about Tseebo. Normally Sabine would've given her grief about still holding out, but right now she had someone more important to talk with.
The galley door slid open and for a moment, time paused for Sabine. She saw Ezra standing there with a mug in his hand and just taking some time for himself. Meanwhile, she stood in the doorway tongue tied and twisted, not knowing what to say.
It reminded her a lot of when they first met, or had their first real conversation. The irony wasn't lost on her that that conversation had also been about their parents.
The door automatically closed behind Sabine as she made her way over to Ezra. Tseebo was there, off in his own corner, completely in his own world. For now, it was just her and Ezra.
Only even now, just the two of them, he was still far from his cheerful self. His eyes were still so stormy in their appearance and he seemed… paler than usual. Acting as casual as she could, Sabine went through the motions and made herself a cup of caf.
"You think I can do it?" Ezra asked, breaking the silence at last.
"Survive being ripped through interdimensional walls separating hyperspace from realspace?" Sabine said and gave him a wry grin. "That's more up to the Phantom and how well built it is."
Ezra rolled his eyes and sipped his caf. "Yes," Sabine said after a quiet moment passed between them. "I do think you can do this." When Ezra didn't say anything, Sabine turned her attention to the Rodian in the corner. "As for the rest of the plan? If Tseebo's intel wasn't so valuable-"
"Seven," Ezra said suddenly. Sabine turned and looked at Ezra. "There's your Mando'a and Basic, so two languages."
"Uh huh," Sabine said and blew on her caf as she played along with this latest game of his.
"Then there's Binary and understanding Chopper. Then there's Aquafish-"
"Aqualesh," Sabine corrected politely and smiled.
"You not only understand but can speak it too, and I'm pretty certain the same could be said for the Wookies too, given how well you interpreted them."
"That's five," Sabine said and softly sipped. "Where'd you come up with seven?"
"Well, I've been around enough Rodians to recognize their language. I don't understand it, but I know what it sounds like. Only Tseebo stopped speaking with Rodian and switched to something else, something you still kept up with. Can't put my finger on it, but it sounds familiar."
"Huttese," Sabine said quietly and let out a breath as she quickly did the math.
Then Ezra gave her what was probably the boy's first genuine smile she'd seen from him all day. Which made what she had to say next all the more delicate, if not downright difficult.
"You know you can talk to me," Sabine said and took a more cautious sip of her caf. He was hesitant, thinking her words over carefully, and it was then that Sabine realized how her words might be misinterpreted. "I mean, the Empire hurt my family too," Sabine quickly clarified..
"I know," Ezra said. "It was one of the first things we talked about."
"But you never told me what happened to yours. Though I guess now the Loth-cat is out of the bag. Isn't it?" She saw his hesitation again and went for it. "Do you really believe they're dead?"
"Yes!" Ezra's response was immediate. But then, so was that hesitation. "No. I-I don't know," Ezra admitted to her. "Does it matter?" He asked, hoping his friend would just let it go.
"Yeah, of course it matters!" Sabine spoke loudly.
If there was even the slightest chance Ezra's parents were alive.
"You have to talk to Tseebo before we go."
"Tried that already," Ezra said.
"Okay, so try harder!" Sabine insisted.
The boy set his cup down and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Once Hera takes him away, you may never see Tseebo again." Sabine said, reminding Ezra of just how secretive Hera's fellow Rebel contacts were.
"Maybe that's for the best," Ezra said and pushed off the counter and took a step toward the door. But Sabine set her caf down and then stood in his way.
"How can you say that?" She demanded.
"Sabine," Ezra said, reluctant to discuss this with her. "I've been on my own since I was seven, okay? If I'd let myself believe my folks were alive, if I let myself believe they'd come back and save me."
Ezra paused and Sabine held her breath.
"I'd never have learned how to survive." Ezra confessed at last.
Sabine shook her head and tried another approach, only for the door to swish open. Sabine looked over her shoulder and saw the last person she wanted to see right now.
"You ready?" Kanan asked, his focus on Ezra. On Ezra's capabilities as a Jedi instead of whatever his… student's inner turmoil.
Ezra stepped past Sabine, but then paused right before the doorway. He stopped and looked back at Sabine. Then his eyes shifted to the non-responsive Tseebo, still standing in the corner.
Please, Ezra, she thought.
But he said nothing and turned back to Kanan, a look of determination in his eyes.
"Okay," Kanan said and then turned and headed to the Phantom with Ezra dutifully following behind.
Haar'chak.
Sabine shook her head and looked back at Tseebo and the missed opportunity, an opportunity that Ezra let slip right through his fingers like sand.
It's not his fault, Sabine told herself. He did what he had to to survive. So what was Tseebo's excuse? As annoyed as she was with Kanan for interrupting when he did, right when she was getting through to Ezra. It was the Rodian who held the secrets.
Sabine set her shoulders and approached Tseebo. If Ezra couldn't bring himself to do it, then she would. It was also a good distraction from the danger Kanan was about to put himself and Ezra through. That was something Sabine didn't want to think about at all.
"Tseebo," Sabine said to the Rodian. "Are you in there?"
The whirring of his implant was Tseebo's only response.
Haar'chack.
"Come on," Sabine said and grabbed Tseebo by the hand. He didn't resist as Sabine made her way to the common room, then found a safe spot on the crew couch to sit the rest of the mission out.
"Just keep still and you'll be safe there," Sabine said and gave Tseebo one last beseeching look and then took her leave.
Other thoughts began to invade her mind. Like how Ezra and Kanan were doing right now. She gave a slight huff of annoyance.
With their luck? It was anybody's guess. She felt the small holodisc in her pocket and made way to her room and tools. Tseebo was a bust. But there was still one thing she could do for Ezra.
Ezra liked to think he was always up for trying new things. But the moment the Phantom detached from the Ghost and the comforting familiar blue of hyperspace turned into an angry whirlwind of red that was now spinning the small shuttle out of control, Ezra thought that maybe Sabine had had a point about step one of Kanan's crazy plan.
Space wasn't supposed to be like this, Ezra thought. What could only be described as a mountain of G-force slamming him backward into his jump seat and making it impossible to move. All Ezra could do was grit his teeth and wait for it to end. If it ever did.
Breaking down interdimensional walls, Sabine had said. Ezra didn't even know what that meant! But the shuttle was in a tumultuous out-of-control spin as it tried to crash its way out of hyperspace.
He heard the hull creak and threatened to cave from the pressure. As if at any moment the Phantom would be crushed in an instant, with him and Kanan along with it. That or die from the increasing pressure wracking his body to the core!
Ezra was on the verge of passing out when suddenly the pressure on his chest ceased. He glanced around and instead of the angry spectrum of red and other colors that had nearly blinded them, what greeted his eyes was the familiar stars and black canvas of realspace.
"Okay. Okay." Kanan said and glanced backward at Ezra. Then the man actually chuckled. "That was the easy part."
How he had pulled them through that Ezra couldn't begin to guess. His body hurt all over from the pressure of the shuttle as it crashed its way out of hyperspace. But what about the easy part?
The Inquisitor, Ezra remembered, and let out a groan.
"Can he really track us?" Ezra asked.
"I think so," Kanan said. "With the proper training. Once he has a feel for us, and after everything on Stygeon, he definitely knows our signatures. He'll be after us. And there's only one way to keep the others safe."
Ezra frowned, thinking over how Kanan phrased that last part.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ezra said.
"Exactly what it sounds like," Kanan said and guided the tiny shuttle past the massive asteroids as they drew closer to the abandoned base.
"You love Hera."
"Yup," Kanan said and began a diagnostic of the shuttle. "Don't tell anyone," Kanan threw in with a teasing tone. "We like to keep it a secret."
Ezra rolled his eyes. As if everyone on the ship didn't already know. "That's bordering on Dad Joke lame."
When Kanan didn't rise to the bait, Ezra let his head flop back against his jump seat, grateful for the duraweave safety harness that had kept him alive through their exit from hyperspace. A thought crossed the boy's mind and made him frown.
"We're alive. And the ship's engines survived. But what about the rest of the ship's systems? Like the Nav-computer?" Ezra asked, recalling Hera's earlier lesson.
"A Jedi's life is about putting others before them." Kanan the Professor said in lecture-mode. "Whether that means facing down an Inquisitor and an army of stormtroopers. Or a dangerous maneuver like the one we just pulled."
Ezra thought over Kanan's words of wisdom as the base came into view. He couldn't imagine fighting for a bunch of nameless faceless people. Even a galaxy full of them. Not the way his parents could and how eerily similar his memories of them teaching him to 'do what's right by standing up for others' sounded like what Kanan had just said.
"A galaxy of strangers doesn't really help me," Ezra said at last. Doing what they do. Risking what they risked. For a bunch of people they never met and never would.
"You think it helps me?" Kanan said glibly and activated the Phantom's exterior lights as it entered the dark and scary hangar that Ezra knew was filled with dangerous monsters that wanted his bones for lunch! The creatures - the fyrnocks - shied away from the shuttle's lights but Ezra knew it was only a matter of time before they figured out they were in no danger.
And he and Kanan were easy pickings.
Nervously Ezra felt for the blaster holstered at his side. He didn't need to physically see the fyrnocks to know they were out there. The warning sensations he got sometimes were signaling him of just how much danger they were in.
"You won't need that," Kanan said as he restricted the shuttle's foils and landed it behind some old and decrepit Clone Wars ship. "Not with my plan."
"Yeah, speaking of." Ezra retorted as he undid the straps of his safety harness. "You never did fill me in on how just the two of us were going to survive here. Only one of us has a lightsaber, or did that slip your mind?"
"You remember the nasty creatures Hera and Sabine found here?" Kanan said. As Ezra stood he caught a reflection of his Master off the pane of the transparisteel cockpit. Was Kanan actually smiling?
"Yeah." Ezra said from over Kanan's shoulder and glanced nervously through the transparent canopy and into the darkened hangar. "Oh, I'd rather forget them, but yes."
"Well," Kanan said leisurely. "I'm gonna need you to connect with them like I was trying to teach you before if we're going to survive this."
"Is now really the best time for a lesson?" Ezra said and looked up at the ceiling of the shuttle in disbelief.
"It's more than a lesson Ezra," Kanan said and Ezra saw his Master's shoulders slump. "Like it or not we're on the Empire's radar. I love Hera but the less amount of danger I put her in the better."
"Then by that logic we should just leave and never look back," Ezra said.
"And you think that'd stop them from risking their lives fighting the Empire?" Kanan replied and shook his head. "Besides. While you and me may be the priority, the Empire knows the Ghost and its crew. Whatever's inside Tseebo's head isn't just what's best for the galaxy. It's about what's best for all of us. And we need every edge we can get if we're going to keep them safe."
"Them?" Ezra asked.
Kanan turned his head and smirked. "I care about the people of Lothal. And the galaxy. But it's the people on that ship who I would give anything for. Which means plans like these."
Ezra bit his lip, but finally came clean.
"Kanan I can't. I'm afraid," Ezra said, and felt a ripple of shame course through him.
But Kanan only chuckled. "I got news for you, kid. Everyone's afraid, but admitting it as you just did, makes you braver than most and it's a step forward."
"Yeah," Ezra retorted. "Into the jaws of a nightmare."
"Nightmares come in all shapes and sizes, now come on. It's our own imagination's that determine how big and scary they are." Kanan said and opened the shuttle's door to the dark and hangar. Already Ezra could hear the faint warning hisses and screeches of the fyrnocks.
"There must be a dozen of them," Ezra breathed as he stood next to Kanan on the shuttle's small ramp. "And no, that's not my imagination."
"Only a dozen?" Kanan quipped as he looked over the hull of the shuttle and quickly found the troublesome tracker. "I was hoping for at least twice that. As confident as the Inquisitor is, I can't see him showing up alone without a squad of stormtroopers."
"Yeah, I think we've learned today that he's officially done playing," Ezra replied and then yelped as not one but three of the creatures began to circle him. "Kanan!" Ezra cried but his master was gone, off to plant the tracker some place else.
Knowing a blaster was pointless, Ezra held out his hand and desperately tried to recall the Loth-cat lesson back on Lothal. "One with the Force," Ezra muttered anxiously. "I'm feeling one with the Force."
The creatures snarled, and it was only his quick reflexes that allowed Ezra to dodge the fyrnock's chomping teeth.
"Kanan!" Ezra cried but there was still no answer. And as his eyes searched the darkness there must've been at least a dozen pairs of golden fyrnock eyes staring at him hungrily.
Ringed in from every angle, Ezra knew there was no escape and held up his hands protectively. Closing his eyes he waited for the inevitable as the creatures drew within striking distance.
"Ezra!" Kanan called out and a loud thud sounded that came from the top of the shuttle. "You're blocked!" Kanan shouted. "Let go!"
"I can't!" Ezra shouted back. He lowered his arms enough to look around and see that Kanan was doing something with his hands that was pushing some of the creatures back. But whatever it was, it wasn't enough as many still prowled near Ezra waiting for their chance. "I can't," Ezra repeated.
"Don't be afraid," Kanan stated as he continued to hold them back.
"I'm not afraid of them," Ezra cried but did as was instructed and held out his arms. Trying (and failing) to channel the Force.
"Then what?" Kanan demanded.
"I don't know!" Ezra replied quickly.
"Yes you do!" Kanan shouted.
The two now stood side by side as the fyrnocks closed in for the kill.
"I…" Ezra stumbled, fighting for the words.
"Ezra!" Kanan shouted. "What are you afraid of?"
Nearly sobbing at this point, Ezra finally gave in.
"I'm afraid of… I'm afraid of knowing."
A fyrnock snarled so close Ezra could smell its breath.
"I'm afraid of knowing the truth!" Ezra confessed aloud and closed his eyes tight.
And it came then, The Call.
"I'm sorry!" Ezra yelled.
A million light years away Tseebo snapped out of it and tilted his head to listen.
"I'm sorry. I forgive you, Tseebo!" Ezra cried, unknowing that the Force carried the boy's message to the Rodian that he had blamed for so long. Tseebo blinked and didn't see anyone in the common room.
Still, he stood and closed his eyes, reaching out with his arms.
"I too am sorry," Tseebo said. "Forgive me… for everything."
"For everything."
Tseebo's voice filled Ezra's head and in that moment the boy finally let go.
"Whoa," Kanan whispered as he looked at his apprentice and the power Ezra was displaying.
With just one arm outreached, Ezra had single-handedly tamed the horde of ravenous fyrnocks who now sat by on their haunches, sitting quietly at attention for direction from their new master.
"Hurry," Ezra said and broke the silence. "He's coming."
Kanan took a breath and put the troubling sigh of his apprentice wielding such power out of his mind for the moment. Closing his eyes the Jedi focused and sure enough he felt it. The Inquisitor. They had moments at most.
"Well," Kanan said and knelt on the floor of the hangar in a meditative pose. "I sure hope we don't disappoint him."
Following his Master's lead, Ezra knelt and copied the pose. He found it less taxing to control the fyrnocks sitting like this.
Ezra felt comforted by his Master's presence by his side. He had complete dominion over the creatures but he trusted Kanan and his lightsaber more and knew Kanan would do whatever it took to keep him safe.
And with an army of fyrnocks at their side - maybe Kanan's plan wasn't so crazy after all?
With eyes closed and his emotional state settled, Ezra stretched out and connected with more of the creatures. He drew them to him to add more to their numbers.
"Patience," Kanan said quietly as the Imperials - Stormtroopers most likely departed the Imperial shuttle. Just as easily as Ezra could feel the fyrnocks, he could feel them too. But above all, he felt the presence of the Inquisitor.
"Keep your calm," Kanan said. "The Force is all that matters."
Ezra couldn't tell how long it took before they were spotted but once they were, things happened so fast.
"Sir! They're not alone!" A voice distantly shouted.
And at once he and Kanan outstretched their arms and the docile fyrnocks lost all inhibition and became lost in their aggression as they tore the stormtroopers apart in a battle of fangs and useless blaster fire. For a moment Ezra swore he felt an odd chill run up his spine as the beasts tore into the stormtroopers and the sounds of their dying screams echoed in his mind, but Ezra dismissed it.
Concentrate, he instead thought and continued to let himself fall deeper into his meditation.
And then he felt the Inquisitor and his connection with Kanan was altered. Jedi and Inquisitor crossed blades as Kanan exchanged both blades and banter with the Inquisitor. Which was fine, Ezra reminded himself.
This was according to plan. All of it. Until it wasn't, and suddenly the fledgling connection that Ezra had been building with Kanan this past week fell apart.
"Kanan!" Ezra cried and ran to his Master's side. He found Kanan face down with his lightsaber deactivated at his side. Knocked out but alive.
"Your meager training is nothing in the face of true power," the Inquisitor taunted.
Without thinking Ezra used the Force to call Kanan's lightsaber to him. With a whoosh it activated and Ezra blocked the Inquisitor's advance in the Form 1 stance he had been practicing. In that moment it had been clear the Inquisitor had intended on finishing Kanan off, the only real threat in his eyes.
But bravely Ezra held up the lightsaber, determined to not let that happen. "You're not going near him!" Ezra said.
And with a flick of the Inquisitor's wrist, Kanan's blue lightsaber was pulled from Ezra's grasp and into the offhand of the Inquisitor.
"I believe I am," the Inquisitor said with amusement.
Whoops.
Putting on his best charming smile Ezra held up his hands and backed away slowly.
"You see, boy, this past year you and your seemingly minor disruptions have caused the Empire considerable losses and embarrassments. While others, fools, may chalk it up to simple luck. The evidence of your mastery of these beasts here today, I see the apprentice has come a long way from when you and I first met back on Stygeon."
The Inquisitor spared Kanan's unmoving form a glance before centering his focus back on Ezra.
"And your friends managed to escape with the Rodian. No, boy. It's time to end both Jedi and Padawan - for good…"
Ezra gulped and continued to step backward. Meanwhile the Inquisitor continued to advance on him, dragging both lightsaber blades across the ground causing an intimidating array of sparks to fly about.
"Your devotion to your master is admirable. But it will not save you. Nothing can. And when I'm done with you?"
The Inquisitor made another simple flick of the wrist and Ezra felt himself thrown backward. It was his own connection to the Force that caused him to reach out at the last moment and hold on to the edge of a cliff, temporarily saving him from a perilous fall to his death.
"Your friends will be next." The Inquisitor smiled.
Images of what could happen should they fall into the Inquisitor's hands flickered through Ezra's mind. And it triggered something deep inside of him.
Pulling himself from over the edge, Ezra got to his feet and glared at the Inquisitor.
"Get back!" Ezra said and took a threatening step forward regardless of the danger.
The Inquisitor paused and studied Ezra for a moment and then smiled.
"Ah, yes, good." The Inquisitor praised and his smile widened. "Go on," he encouraged and laughed. "Unleash your anger."
Ezra clenched his fists, the still body of Kanan not moving. The thoughts of what this monster would do to Hera? To Zeb? To Sabine?
It was then that Ezra felt it once more, The Call. Only it felt different somehow. And it fueled his body with a cold fury but tremendous power.
"I will teach you what your master could not."
"You don't have anything to teach me," Ezra shot back.
"I can see it. Feel it." The Inquisitor smiled with teeth like pointed daggers. "The darkness is too strong for you, orphan"
Ezra shook his head and tried to push back the anger boiling inside of him.
"It is swallowing you up even now," the Inquisitor said as he closed the distance between them.
"No!" Ezra gasped.
"Your master will die."
"No!"
"Your friends will die and ever you've hoped for will be lost."
The Inquisitor smiled at how his words were making Ezra tremble. Each one a deadly blow that hit its mark perfectly.
"No!" Ezra said and felt the Force swirling around him with a deafening roar.
The Inquisitor laughed, but it was a mere whisper compared to the raw power that had been building up inside of Ezra. A dark power that promised Ezra one thing. Protection.
Let go and save your master from certain death. Let go and protect your friends from this threat. Let go and destroy this 'Inquisitor' once and for all.
Ezra closed his eyes and let go.
All movement around Ezra ceased. Loose rocks and pebbles were slowly lifted into the air and even the currents of air moving throughout the hangar were stifled as Ezra reached out with his arms and drew the darkness into him and allowed it to fuel his desires.
Blue eyes shot open, eyes promising death.
The Inquisitor suddenly realized the danger he was in and began to step back.
Kanan shook his head and came to, only to see one of his worst fears realized as his apprentice radiated with the power of the Dark Side of the Force.
Ezra lowered his arms as the biggest and most powerful of all fyrnocks Kanan had ever seen rose up behind Ezra, completely under his control.
"Ezra?" Kanan whispered. "No!" The Jedi shouted.
But Ezra had completely given in and was allowing the Dark Side to direct him. The mother of all fyrnocks waited for Ezra's orders. But right now there was one thing Ezra wanted more than anything.
"Him." Ezra said and pointed his finger at the Inquisitor.
The Inquisitor ignited his lightsaber's second blade as the giant fyrnock and gave a wild roar and charged forward. The Inquisitor tried pushing it back with lightsaber strike after lightsaber strike but unlike her offspring, this fyrnock was old enough and tough enough to shrug off the strikes.
Its glowing yellow eyes were focused on its prey and nothing would get in its way. And as it pressed its attack, Ezra felt as though finally he could rest.
With one last instruction for the fyrnock to kill the Inquisitor, the pebbles and rocks floating around Ezra dropped to the floor of the hangar, and so did Ezra. With the Inquisitor sufficiently distracted, Kanan picked up his fallen blaster and rushed to the side of his fallen apprentice.
Backwards the Inquisitor was pushed, he tried to keep pace with a feral creature and use his second lightsaber to his advantage but with a snarl and wild swing of its claws the Inquisitor was forced to let go and Kanan's lightsaber fell to the floor.
But none of that mattered, for Kanan the only thing that mattered was Ezra. And as he reached him he took Ezra into his arms, he patted his cheek and shook him ever so gently.
"Ezra," Kanan said.
"Kanan?" Ezra asked, his voice groggy and eyes tired as if awakening from a deep sleep. Then Ezra felt it. "What happened? I-I feel so cold."
"I know." Kanan said and looked about at the fights between the Empire and the fyrnocks that had begun again all around them. "It's okay. We're leaving."
Ezra felt himself being carried as Kanan ran for the Phantom. And then there was a flying red lightsaber that Kanan blocked at the last moment? Ezra couldn't be sure. He was so tired but as time went on, he began to feel strength and sense of awareness both return to him.
He felt Kanan strapping him into the Phantom's jump seat and saw a large explosion as Kanan used the guns on the Imp's shuttle to make certain they wouldn't be followed. And then. Then Ezra just closed his eyes and wondered.
What happened? It was like there was this big piece of his memories missing. Something important happened. But what was it? He had a feeling it wasn't good but at the same time they were as good as dead. So whatever he did must've saved them. Which was good, wasn't it?
He had never been so confused.
Ezra pulled his knees up and curled his arms around himself protectively, wishing it was his bunk back on the Ghost and he could just curl up under his blankets and wish it all away.
He heard Kanan's footsteps and then the jump seat across from him being lowered. He looked up and saw Kanan sitting across from him.
"I saved us?" Ezra asked.
It was the only possible explanation.
"You did," Kanan said with a nod, though his expression showed that it wasn't that easy. Something else had happened. So Ezra continued.
"But something doesn't feel right."
Kanan nodded.
"If your will isn't strong enough when you open yourself to the Force, you become vulnerable to the Dark Side."
"Well, I was trying to protect you," Ezra protested.
"I know." Kanan said, quick to reassure. "But your anger and fear caused that giant creature to attack."
"I don't remember it." Ezra said and shook his head. Why couldn't he remember?
Kanan exhaled in relief and smiled. "That's for the best." He then had a contemplative look on his face. "Your powers are growing so quickly you weren't prepared. I didn't teach you what you needed to know. I'm sorry."
There was nothing else said between the pair. Kanan stayed a few moments longer and then returned to the pilot's seat to make preparations for the rendezvous with the Ghost.
Ezra, meanwhile, tried to get some sleep, but it was no use. Every time now he saw the Inquisitor's smiling face. And heard his chilling words.
'I can see it. Feel it. The darkness is too strong for you, orphan.'
Ezra buried his face in his arms, just barely thwarting back the tears.
"Knew I'd find you here," Sabine said as she entered the Ghost's nose gun.
"Yeah," Ezra replied, his voice sounding distant to her.
Which made sense from what little Kanan was willing to disclose to her and Zeb. Hera, Sabine figured, got the full play-by-play of whatever happened. Meanwhile all she knew was that Ezra's powers were growing and that the Empire would be after them now more than ever.
Which Sabine thought was already a given with all the details stored in Tseebo's head. Her one gripe was that she was once again denied a chance to meet Fulcrum face to face. But none of that mattered now, right now her friend was dealing with something big. Nothing else.
"How much did Kanan tell you?" Ezra finally said.
"That you managed to get past whatever connection issues you were having. And then went on to kick the Inquisitor's ass!"
Ezra snorted.
"Nice try." Ezra paused and then said. "How'd you know you'd find me here?"
"Can't beat the view," Sabine said simply and gestured to the vast void of space. It was the perfect place to give yourself some time away.
"I guess I'm pretty powerful with the Force," Ezra said after a moment. "Like more powerful than any of us thought. Which means the Empire either wants me fighting for them or it needs to kill me. Before Kanan helps me become even more powerful."
Whoa, Sabine thought. Talk about crappy then that thought reminded her.
"Well I got something to cheer you up," she said and from her pocket drew out the old holodisc she'd picked up in his parent's basement.
Ezra frowned. "You cleaned it up?"
"It was pretty degraded, but I did find myself with some free time on my hands." Sabien said. She was about to turn it on but paused. "Ezra, the thing about connecting?"
"Yeah?" Ezra said and looked at her.
"For better or worse your parents made their choice. To be, well, rebels."
"Given how it all turned out, I think it was the worst decision. Picking a fight they couldn't win? Tseebo was right."
"Some people would say what we're doing here now is hopeless. But if Mira and Ephraim Bridger could see their son now? Carrying on their legacy and on the Empire's Most Wanted List?"
That earned Sabine a smirk, and she swiped the holodisc through the nose gun's instrument panel? What was on it couldn't have been more perfect.
A family picture of what could only be a child Ezra climbing on his Lothalite woman's shoulders while an older man with the same hair as Ezra's looked on happily.
"Mom?" Ezra gasped. "Dad."
The wattage of the smile that was on Ezra's face could've lit up a Star Destroyer. Sabine smiled and gave a slight chuckle.
"Happy Birthday, Ezra Bridger."
As Sabine left Ezra to gush over his present, she couldn't help but think of her own family and what her mother or brother or even her father would be thinking if they could see her now? Sabine sighed. She knew what they would think.
Instead Sabine thought back on that smile on Ezra's face. She hoped Tseebo's information was right. Mira and Ephraim are heroes. And they deserved to see the man their son was becoming.
Did you see it? Did you? Hondo saw it! Hondo saw it a MILE AWAY! A perfect chance to try to slip out of the friend zone! Not that it necessarily would've worked, but it'd be a step in the right direction! But if you did not see it? Then that's okay. Hondo understands. Hondo may be a pirate, but he never lied about who he truly is! Unlike that washup 'smuggler' Lando! And yes, Hondo is referring not to Ezra's alias but the actual Lando! Hondo will have many things to say of such swine, but then that would be an insult to swine! And Hondo would never do that to his beloved Melch!
If there is one thing Hondo understands (besides profit) it is the selfishness of men like Lando, and the way they can manipulate others. And yes Hondo knows Lando becomes a 'good guy' eventually. But still!
Now! Where was Hondo? This chapter! So many revelations and so many sweet but alas friendly moments between Sabine and Ezra. But what a hard life Ezra has lived! Were his parents right in 'trying to teach their son to stand up to others?' Tseebo was correct. Their actions (while admirable) placed their family at risk! Would his readers do the same Hondo wonders?
And Hondo would also like to mention on Sabine's behalf, how manipulative Kanan was this chapter. Manipulative? Kanan? I know! I know! Uncle Hondo loves the Jedi as much as the next! But listening in on Ezra's confession to Sabine in the galley? And then using that to force Ezra to open himself up to the Force? Mama Sabine's reaction to when she learned of such underhandedness was most unhappy!
As for Ezra's brush with the Dark Side. Well, without giving the game away, Hondo again asks his readers what is your take on the Dark Side? Hondo never proclaimed Ezra to be a Jedi first, but a Rebel. And the Dark Side did aid Ezra (even help Ezra survive) many moments during the young Rebel's journey.
Let Uncle Hondo know! As well as what two (possibly three) moments you saw that Ezra might have slipped out of the 'friend zone!' A MILE AWAY Hondo saw it! Until next time my friends!