Peter, alongside Hank, Gwen, Yelena, and Dr. McCoy, has been tirelessly trying to repair their ships, which were damaged during a chaotic shootout during their escape. Tua was brought to Fury and a few other higher uppers in the Republic to reveal everything that she knew about the Empire and their plans. All she mentioned so far was something on Lothal that the Emperor himself was interested in after they destroyed the Death Star.
Taking a moment to unwind, Peter let out a sigh and stretched, feeling his suit adjust and twist slightly as he moved.
"You know when you said my training was going to begin today," Gwen commented as she sighed and threw some tools in a box, "this isn't what I was expecting."
Peter then retracted the suit into his body and sighed. "Well, it's not always going to be fun and glorious fighting the Empire. Sometimes we gotta get down and work." He then used the suit to grab the toolbox to put it in the nearby supply closet. "And don't worry, when we actually get a chance and the heat dies down a little, we'll start your training to use your powers properly."
"I thought I already knew that." Gwen was confused by his statement.
"You know how to stick to surfaces, but what you did back there...that zappy punch against that Mudhorn-Rhino guy," Peter commented, recalling when she attacked the Mudhorn Man. "You sent that guy flying with a single strike."
"I'm...I don't know what a rhino is, but I think that guy was a Mudhorn." Gwen whispered.
"Whatever he is." Peter moved past it. "You have bio electricity flowing through your veins. That is something I don't have. So, whatever kind of spider bit you, it's different to the one that I got bitten by. At least enough that you gained powers I've never seen before."
"So, how do we do it again?" Gwen asks.
"That's the right question." Peter nodded as they walked down the halls. "You wanna go and meet me at the command room?" He asked as they stopped in front of the doorway leading to the Ghost. "I've gotta get Sabine."
"Sure, no problem." Gwen nodded as she strolled away.
Peter made his way on board where he then knocked on Sabine's door. "Hey, Sabine, are you ready? There's a meeting in the command room about the loss of Commander Sato's command ship. Should I tell Hera to wait for you or-" That was when the doorway slid open, giving Peter a clear sight of Sabine. "Whoa."
Peter gazes at his girlfriend, taking in her fresh style. Her hair now boasts a vibrant jade green on the left, contrasting with a deeper hue on the right. It appears she's updated her armor as well since their encounter with Vader; her sleeves have turned to a sleek black, and the blaster scorch on her armor has been neatly repaired and concealed.
Sabine noticed Peter's look and was wondering what was the matter. "What? Something wrong?"
Peter began blushing as he scratched his neck. "No, nothing. It's just... You look really amazing."
Sabine then smiled and chuckled at his shyness. She watched him fight armies, stand up to Force wielders yet she still managed to make him blush. It was something she found adorable in her boyfriend.
"Thanks, babe," Sabine said as she pecked her boyfriend on the lips and walked towards the meeting. "Come on. Let's go. We don't wanna keep everyone waiting."
Peter stood there and watched her strut off the Ghost and even turned to show a grin as she exited the ship. Peter smacked himself out of his mind and walked behind her and couldn't help but think, "God, she's amazing."
They made their way inside the room where they saw a hologram of Sato telling them what's happened. "The destruction of our command ship has severely limited our ability to fight the Empire in this sector."
"So maybe we don't fight," Ezra said out loud. "Uh, Commander Sato, sir. When things got tough for me on Lothal, I'd go find someplace to hide."
"You are never shy with your opinions, kid," Bucky commented from the wall. "But he might be onto something with establishing a base; it is a good idea."
"Problem is, none of the potential bases we know of have the tactical advantage we need to protect what's left of our fleet," Hera commented.
"Or aid the nearby systems suffering from Imperial oppression," Kanan added in.
"We can't help others if we can't help ourselves, Kanan." Hera reminded him. "If only we had more allies."
"I know someone who might be able to help us," Ahsoka spoke.
"She speaks," Kate commented with a chuckle. "You've been quiet ever since our recent fight."
"I once knew a great military commander with a vast knowledge of the Outer Rim," Ahsoka tells them, ignoring Kate's comment. "He could assist us in finding a base, and his experienced leadership would make him a powerful ally."
"How do we recruit this guy?" Sam wonders.
"That's the problem," Ahsoka informed him. "I lost track of him a long time ago, and all my transmissions have gone unanswered."
"We can find him," Ezra states. "Let us try."
"Well, there is one option I've not yet attempted," Ahsoka commented. Then she seemed to get an idea when she looked at Bucky. "Bucky, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to accompany them."
"Me?" Bucky asks. "Why me?"
"I think it'd be best to see for yourself," Ahsoka tells him.
Then they retreated to the Ghost where Ahsoka brought in a droid head to the cockpit of the Ghost. She placed it right on the na agate on controls, giving them an eye of the droid.
"Is that the head of an old tactical droid?" Gwen asked in surprise as she looked it over without moving it. "Haven't seen one of these except for the old Imperial archives."
"These droids were great at finding things, calculating," Ahsoka informed her. "Found my master and I a few times when we didn't want to be found."
"How in all the galaxy is that droid gonna find your friend?" Ezra asks.
"Well, I heard he was last seen in the Seelos system," Ahsoka said as she exited. "You can start there."
"You're not coming with us?" Bucky was surprised to see.
"I have something else to attend to," Ahsoka explained.
"The Sith Lord." Kanan guessed.
"There are questions, questions that need answering," Ahsoka whispered as she knew someone who could help her.
"I wish we could go with you," Ezra stated.
"You have your own mission, Ezra," Ahsoka stated. "And, Kanan, if you find my friend, you must trust him."
"If he's all the things you say, we can't afford not to." Kanan shrugged.
"Trust him," Ahsoka said sternly as the doors closed.
"What was that about?" Ezra asks.
"I have no idea." Kanan shrugged.
"You sure you want me to be coming along?" Gwen asked as she sat in the common area of the Ghost. "It feels like an important mission."
"Well, it's either that or leave you behind. Besides, bringing you along could help improve your skills." Peter shrugged. "Show what you can do in multiple environments rather than just one."
"And also a few aboard are still convinced you're an Imperial spy," Sabine commented.
"That too," Peter confirmed.
The Ghost jumped out of Hyperspace as they were searching in the area that Ahsoka suggested. But when they landed in the emptiness of space, Chopper ran around as a fire started in the middle of the control room.
"We get all the way to Seelos, and now you tell me the hyperdrive wasn't completely fixed?!" Hera questioned as she tried to stop the damage from spreading.
Chopper bleeped in response as BD leaped up and tapped on a small fire to help put it out.
"You finished the important repairs?" Hera questioned. "How did you define "important"?!"
"What's going on?" Kanan asked as he peaked in from the ladder.
"Chopper and I are staying here," Hera said as she tried to fix the controls. "To clean up his mess. I'll have BD help me out, just take the Phantom. Hopefully, we'll be ready to go by the time you get back."
They did just that as the group took the Phantom and began to make their way to the surface of Seelos. Sabine strolled over and placed the tactical droid head on the panel to begin leading them somewhere.
"Well, let's fire this thing up," Sabine said as the head did a whirring.
"I think it's scanning for a signal of some kind," Gwen commented.
"Good luck." Ezra scoffed as he saw nothing but open field for miles. "You could really get lost out here."
"Maybe that was the idea," Zeb commented. "What if this great commander we're looking for doesn't want to be found?"
That was something it seemed they hadn't considered. But as they considered that possibility, the tactical droid started to go off. "7567. 7567."
"It's homing in on something," Bucky commented.
"7567." The droid head kept repeating.
"There." Gwen pointed as her heightened senses, including eyesight, allowed her and Peter to see something in the horizon.
As they flew over it, they couldn't help but notice that there was indeed a transport of sorts on the horizon. It was like a tank with legs to the outworlders who have never seen something like this before. They flew around the transport in awe as they saw the modifications that had been done to it to turn it from a tank into a mobile home of sorts. But a mobile home for who?
"Whoa," Peter commented.
"Now that is a work of art." Sabine complimented.
"Looks like an old Republic tank, used during the Clone Wars." Kanan recognized it.
"7567." The head kept repeating.
The Phantom then stopped to park as the tank came to a stop. When they exited, they weren't really preparing for a fight as Peter and Gwen weren't sensing anything off. But it seemed Kanan was still on a different thought as he wasn't sure what his gut was saying.
"Ezra, be on guard." Kanan tells his Padawan.
As they were waiting, the door to the back of the tank opened up and three old men came out with some heavy weapons. They marched to the balcony to the back of their tank and looked down on them.
Zeb scoffed when he saw them. "It's just a bunch of old geezers."
"Well-armed old geezers," Gwen commented as she looked at the guns from afar. "I haven't seen those models anywhere but the Imperial archives."
"What do you want?" The old man in the middle asks.
"We're looking for someone who was supposed to be out here," Bucky explained. "Not looking for any trouble."
"Well, that's too bad, 'cause there's nobody out here." He informed Bucky.
"Hey, uh, does the number 7567 mean anything to you?" Ezra asked as he stepped forward.
"What did you just say?" The old man asks, the other two seeming to tense up.
"Uh, I said 7567," Ezra repeated.
"I haven't heard those digits in... well, that's my birth number." He said in surprise.
"Birth number?" Peter was confused. "That's a thing?"
"They're clones!" Kanan cried as he stepped forward, lighting his lightsaber.
"Kanan, wait!" Ezra tried to calm him down. "Stop!"
"Jedi." Wolfe, the man to the left of 7567 stated, aiming his blaster. "They've come for revenge."
He sent off a few blasts to Kanan, which he managed to block with his saber. Peter quickly created a shield with his new suit, shielding himself, Bucky, Sabine, Gwen, and Zeb.
"Drop the blaster, old man!" Peter demanded, creating tendrils from his back without even realizing it. He then created blades with his arms, preparing to strike him down. "Or I'll make you!"
"Don't try it, boyo! I'll gun you down." The man to the right of 7567 proclaimed, aiming his blaster.
"Stand down, troopers!" 7567 demanded his men, forcing them to lower their blasters. "Now! That's an order, soldier."
"But he's a Jedi. A Jedi!" The one on the left said.
"I know. I know. But they weren't the ones that betrayed us." 7567 informed him. "Remember? Wolffe, remember?"
Ezra stepped forward to try and calm the situation. "Kanan, Ahsoka said to trust them."
"Yeah, but do they trust us?" Peter asked, preparing to fight.
"Sorry about the, um, weapons malfunction." 7567 said. "My friend here is just a little defensive. See, we haven't seen a Jedi since, uh Well, it's been a while."
"Well, my name's Ezra." Ezra introduced himself. "This is Kanan. That's Sabine and Zeb. Over there in black and white is Peter and Gwen. And the guy with the beard is Bucky Barnes. It's nice to meet you, 7567."
"Actually my name is Rex." He said as he stood straight like a soldier would. "Captain, 501st Clone Battalion. Meet Commanders Gregor and Wolffe." He introduced his comrades.
"We were sent by Ahsoka Tano," Bucky explained. "She said you could help us."
"Ahsoka Tano." Rex breathed when he heard that name. "I fought by her side from the Battle of Christophsis to the siege of Mandalore. And a friend of hers is a friend of mine."
Ahsoka was en route to Tatooine, skillfully creating a landing strip before touching down just outside Kenobi's homestead. Stepping out of her ship, she made her way towards Kenobi, who appeared to have received her message and was awaiting her arrival.
"I received your message," Kenobi said as she stood a few steps ahead of him. "You seemed to be in distress."
"Something happened." Ahsoka tried her best to ease into this conversation. "Our friends... they had an encounter with a Sith Lord on Lothal."
Kenobi seemed to tense up when he heard that. "You sensed, it, didn't you?"
Ahsoka nodded. "I sensed a familiar presence in the anger. The hate. The cold... Anakin is labeled as dead. Could there be a chance that... he's alive?"
Kenobi sighed as he looked around. "Luke just left from his training. Come inside." He then started to head inside. "We have much to discuss."
Ahsoka followed him into his homestead and wondered what he had to tell her.
Back with the other rebels, they entered the colossal Republic tank. To their surprise, it was outfitted like a homestead, reminiscent of an RV, much like what Peter and Bucky might recognize as home on the road.
"Hey," Greggor said as he saw Zeb. "You're a big one, aren't you?"
"Bigger than you." Zeb snarled, appearing menacing only for Greggor to laugh.
Ezra walked in and saw there were a few Clone helmets at the doorway. "Whoa." He said, picking one up.
"Hey, hey," Rex warned as he took a seat. "Easy with those, son."
"Oh, yeah, yeah." Ezra chuckled as he then put the helmet down. "I might move the dust."
"How is Commander Tano?" Rex asks as he relaxes.
"Uh, well, in need of help." Peter shrugged.
"We all are," Bucky repeated.
"Look, we're trying to fight the Empire, but we're outnumbered, overmatched, and taking a beating," Ezra explained. "We could use your help."
"Well, I'm not sure I'm much help to anyone these days," Rex said as he laid back. "Didn't you hear? The Emperor said the clone army had outserved its purpose and retired us. Now we spend our days just telling stories and slinging for Joopas."
"This was a wasted trip." Kanan scoffed. "You heard the clone. He's not interested."
"I can't say I don't get it," Bucky said, getting them to look over to see him in the corner. "I think I get it. Not interested in getting into another war after fighting for so long."
"You're a soldier?" Rex asks.
"For too long," Bucky stated with a sigh, crossing his arms, and showing off his metal arm. "Lost a lot of me during my time serving. Tried to fight to bring a better world...only for me to lose everything in the line of duty."
Rex was surprised to hear that. "Looks like he does get it."
"You aren't like fans of the Empire then, right?" Bucky asks.
"Well, the Empire certainly isn't the Republic, but you can't do anything about that." Rex shrugged.
"You could fight," Peter commented.
"Sorry, son," Rex said as he stood up with a sigh. "My days as a soldier are over."
"Well, okay." Gwen shrugged. "Okay, then maybe there's one thing you can help us with. We need a base."
"Yeah, Ahsoka said you knew about all sorts of secret locations in the Outer Rim," Peter remembered.
"Well, my memory isn't what it once was, but, um, there are a few spots I never bothered to report to the Empire," Rex confirmed as he stood up. "Look, why don't you wait outside and I'll put together a list of coordinates."
The team shrugged and decided to do what he asked as they headed outside and let him do his thing. "Listen, they are in some kind of trouble," Wolffe stated. "If we help them, we are putting ourselves in danger."
"Wolffe, relax." Rex tried to calm him down. "We got the situation under control."
"Oh, really? Really? What do you think the Empire will do to us if they find out that we are helping a Jedi, hmm?" Wolffe asked.
"Yeah, I don't know what the Empire would do, but I'm going slinging," Greggor said as he headed outside. Everyone was waiting around the railing while the Phantom was now parked on the hood of their vehicle. "You know, I was thinking, since we're providing you with a list of bases, um, there's something you can do to help us."
"No, thanks." Kanan denied.
"It sounds fair enough to me." Gwen shrugged. "What can we do?"
"Out there, deep below, roam the Joopa," Greggor said as he pointed out to the distance. "Elusive big game. When we're lucky enough to sling one in, it'll feed us for the whole year."
"Okay. What do you need from us?" Bucky wonders.
"Him." Greggor gestured to Zeb.
"Huh? What?" Zeb asks.
The battle rages on, as both Master and Padawan continue to slash at each other, and at the same time, climb up. But the structure soon floats closer to a lavafall. Realizing this, Obi-Wan leaps towards a cable, and takes hold of it, Anakin soon following suit with another one. All it took was one slash for the former to figure a way out of this. He safely leaped into an empty mining platform and watched as the structure melted and fell down into the bottom of the lavafall, thinking it was over.
But Anakin was faster, and was able to run all the way up...and after a miraculous landing on top of a mining droid, he began to control and steer it over to the platform where his master was.
The poor droid drops his payload to melt into the lava as it is unable to continue with its normal programming with Anakin's overriding. Both soaked in sweat and exhausted, they continue to exchange swings at each other, but of course, at a much slower pace now. They eventually stop after 10 seconds to catch their breaths, which Obi-Wan takes advantage of...to try to reason with his student one last time.
"I have failed you, Anakin!" Kenobi cried. "I have failed you!"
"I should've known the Jedi were plotting to take over!" Anakin proclaimed.
"Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!" Kenobi tried to get him back.
"From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!" Anakin cried.
"...WELL THEN YOU ARE LOST!" Kenobi cried in anger.
The two stare at each other, with Obi-Wan having given up on trying to bring him back to his senses. He was sweaty, tired...and did not want to continue to fight any longer. And as for Anakin, while also exhausted, he still had a lot of energy left in him to stop Obi-Wan once and for all.
He coldly stared at him while waiting for a chance to attack him. "This is the end for you, my master."
Deeply hurt by what he just said, Obi-Wan got back on his guard. To catch him off-guard, Anakin somersaulted behind Obi-Wan, and after almost falling into the lava, the two slashed at each other again some more...before entering into their final blade lock. Obi-Wan then leaps into a nearby embankment, gaining the high ground while Anakin stares down at him.
"It's over, Anakin!" Kenobi cried as he showed off his position. "I have the high ground!"
"You underestimate my power...!" Anakin cried.
Kenobi seemed to know what was about to happen. "Don't try it..."
Anakin leaps towards Obi-Wan in an attempt to attack him from behind again. Only to get the rest of his organic limbs sliced off, causing him to tumble down and stop near the lava river in agony. Obi-Wan could only watch in horror... and grief... as Anakin attempted to crawl towards him, the Dark Side now beginning to fully consume the former.
"YOU WERE THE CHOSEN ONE!" Kenobi cried in anger. "IT WAS SAID THAT YOU WOULD DESTROY THE SITH, NOT JOIN THEM!"
Anakin continues to struggle almost blindly as his now-former master, driven to tears, continues berating him for his failure.
"TO BRING BALANCE TO THE FORCE; NOT LEAVE IT IN DARKNESS!"
With these words, he then picks up Anakin's lightsaber and turns to leave...before he is stopped by his former student, now fully embroiled by the dark side, cursing him out.
"I HATE YOU!"
Kenobi turned and looked heartbroken. "You were my brother, Anakin...I loved you...!"
Ahsoka stood in the dimly lit chamber, hanging onto every word Obi-Wan spoke. As he recounted his encounter with the Sith Lord, she couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that gnawed at her when she delved into the mind of that dark presence. It was as if Anakin's echoes lingered within the malevolent darkness. Anakin Skywalker, her esteemed former Master, once hailed as the Chosen One destined to restore equilibrium to the Force, now concealed behind the menacing façade of Darth Vader, the Sith Lord. The revelation cut through her like a blade. It was incomprehensible that the very hope of the galaxy had succumbed to the treacherous allure of the dark side. Her Master, someone she considered a friend.
"How...why?" Ahsoka asked.
"Padme," Kenobi explained and noticed her face. "You know, didn't you?"
"I... I had my suspicions." Ahsoka confirmed. "When she died..."
"He wanted to save her," Kenobi explained why their friend fell. "He did everything he could to try and save her, and it ended...he fell to the darkness for her."
Ahsoka stood up as she needed to process what she had learned. She walked off and headed outside to watch as the twin suns of Tattooine began to set. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the last time that she saw Anakin. She told him 'good luck' as he went to go save the Chancellor. That was the last time that they ever saw one another face to face. Or at all.
Back with Rex and the crew, the rebels stood on edge as Zeb trudged ahead, attached to a creaking wire and leading the way for the tank. The tension in the air was palpable as they cautiously made their way through the area, alert and watchful for any sign of danger. Meanwhile, Kanan remained hidden in the Phantom, keeping a close eye on the situation, while Ezra ventured out to confer with him, their hushed voices barely audible amid the tension.
Amidst the mounting pressure, Peter resolved to do everything in his power to aid Gwen in harnessing and controlling her burgeoning powers, despite the overwhelming odds stacked against them. Though the situation seemed dire, he remained steadfast in his determination to support Gwen through the challenges ahead.
"So...how is this going to help me learn to control my powers?" Gwen asked as she leaned on the railing. "I mean, I don't get it."
"Well, we have a lot of powers." Peter reminded her as he walked next to her with Sabine watching Zeb. "Strength and speed. But there is also one other power that can help us."
"Spidey sense?" Sabine asks.
"It's powerful. And if we are here to catch some big fish out in the desert like we're Paul Atreides." Peter said as he noticed the confusion on both of their faces. "Right. I really gotta find out how to get movies in this world. It would help if people understood my references."
"Right, spidey senses." Gwen nodded, ignoring the reference. "Ability to sense danger."
"Yes, at first it was just an ability to dodge bullets," Peter said as Sabine walked off to talk to Greggor. "But now, I learned to hone my sense to alert me where the danger is coming from. If we focus, we can..."
Gwen then seemed to sense something, and Peter was quick to follow as they looked out and saw that dust was beginning to swivel in the distance. The tank came to a stop, seeming that the crew saw the dust moving.
"Just a little bit more," Greggor said, seeing the wind picking up.
"Little more." Zeb scoffed as he kept going. "Oh, really?"
"You know, we really appreciate this," Greggor tells Ezra. "I mean, we, we should do well today, with your friend here."
"Yeah, well, Zeb packs quite a punch," Ezra stated.
"Oh, oh. I'm sure, I'm sure." Greggor said, getting Peter a little nervous at how he said it. "But really, I mean, Joopa supposedly loves Lasats."
"They love them? What do you mean?" Gwen asked as she got off the railing.
"Well, they say they love the smell, or I guess they love the taste as well," Greggor said as they watched the sand come closer. "And maybe it's about the texture. You know."
"Wait, Zeb's not the hunter." Ezra suddenly came to a strong conclusion. "He's the bait!"
"Oh, hunter, bait, it's all the same." Greggor shrugged.
"No, it's not!" Kanan cried as he marched over. They watched as the holes were blasting out of the ground, making their way closer to Zeb. "Zeb, you better get back here right now!"
"What is that?" Sabine asks.
"Buddy, run! You're the bait!" Peter cried.
"Zeb, it's gonna eat you!" Ezra warned.
But it was too late as the holes got close enough to the floor underneath him. "Oh, karabast." Zeb sighed.
Then a tongue came and wrapped around Zeb, dragging him underneath the sands of this planet. The line around Zeb acted as both a fishing line and a lifeline for him. The Big Bongo was making its way down and was like a Graboid in the sands was beginning to swim off.
"Whoo-hoo! This could be him! Our Big Bongo!" Greggor cheered.
They then began to make the tank move off again to keep up and make sure that the line wouldn't begin to yank back on them. Rex was in the line that used to be the gunner.
"Hey, I bet you know a thing or two about mechanics," Rex said as he called Sabine and Gwen over.
"Yeah, good bet." Gwen shrugged.
"Keep an eye on this regulator," Rex said as he showed them. "The line can overheat and shut down. No line, no joopa, no Zeb."
"Got it," Sabine said.
"Well, what about me and him?" Ezra asked, gesturing to himself and Kanan.
"You got the best job of all!" Greggor said as he handed two rods with tasers. "When the line swings around, you'll charge it with the electro-poles. Hit the line with the rod, and it'll send a bolt of energy down to the Joopa. Do it enough, and you should bring it up to the surface." He handed it to Ezra and then one to Kanan. "Here's one for you, General."
"Don't call me that," Kanan demanded. "I was never a general."
"Uh, my mistake." Greggor apologized. "Sorry, Commander."
"No, it's not..." Kanan gave up and took the staff.
Peter saw that he didn't have a specific job and looked down. "Well, I always wanted to do this." He then stood up and stood on the railing of the tank. "Time to do what I have dreamed of since I read that book."
"Pete." Bucky noticed him. "What are you doing?"
"I'm gonna wrestle me a Sandworm," Peter stated with glee.
"Pete!" Sabine cried when he leaped off the tank, the Symbiote forming around him during his descent.
Peter then dove into the holes left behind and landed on the top of the Big Bongo. Peter then kept himself latched onto it. Thankfully one of the many additions to the Symbiote he learned, Peter was able to see through certain environments. Made sense the suit enhanced his skills since it was made out of his blood. He crawled his way ahead, being shoved around by the dirt as the Joopa kept making its way further into the sand.
Peter reached the mouth of the creature and prepared to strike it. He punched it in the face, causing the creature to resurface by force, throwing him crazy as Peter tried to keep himself on the head of the creature.
"Hit it! Now!" Greccor cried. Kanan and Ezra did so, watching as the Joopa began to then touch the wire with their tasers, causing it to go off and zap the creature. "That's it! That's it! Ooh! He didn't like that! Hit him again!" The Joopa then made it into the sands again and was trying to get away.
"He's a-runnin'. Hit that line! Bring him up." Rex called.
Ezra reached up to do just that.
Then all of the yanking was causing the regulator to overheat, and the tech wasn't exactly pristine. "We're losing the regulator," Sabine warned as she tried to stop it.
"Full stop, Wolffe! Dig in!" Rex called as they pulled the tank to a stop. "This is where we finish the battle!"
"Whoa! I can't reach it! Kanan, lift me up!" Ezra said as he got on his shoulders.
"Sabine!" Bucky cried, shooting at the spots in the dirt that were weakest.
"I know, I know," Sabine said as she and Gwen worked on it.
Meanwhile, Peter was growing frustrated as he tried to wrangle the Joopa. "Okay, I am starting to get sick of all of this dirt getting in my face!" He then punched his fist against the Joopa's top, causing the Symbiote's tendrils to stretch out and latch onto the mouth of the Joopa like a saddle. "Let go of my friend!"
Peter then forced the Joopa to head back upward, where Bucky started to try and scope out the creature for it's eyes, while Wolffe was trying to keep the tank still. They wrangled the
"Sabine!" Ezra cried.
"Working on it!" Sabine cried.
"Got it," Gwen said, the line straightening out.
"It is Big Bongo!" Greggor cheered.
As the Joopa emerged from the ground, its massive size was revealed, with Peter perched on top of it. He extended additional tendrils as the creature emerged to take a breath, showcasing the incredible strength of the Syymbiote. However, when the big Joopa let out a deafening roar, Peter clutched his ears in agony, realizing that the new suit was sensitive to sound.
The instability of the suit became apparent as it began to unravel. Sensing an opportunity, Rex took action and unleashed a powerful blast that struck the Joopa, causing it to stagger and collapse.
"Pete! You okay?" Bucky called out.
Peter let out a deep groan as he struggled to regain control of the alien Symbiote. Slowly, he began to reform the suit around his body and managed to pull himself to his feet. However, the excruciating pain in his leg made him realize that it was broken from the fall and being crushed underneath the Joopa. As he looked on, the Symbiote slithered down to his injured leg, working its mysterious powers to mend the broken bones and set it back in place. He let out a scream in pain for a second before calming down.
"I'm fine!" Peter snapped in anger as he stood up on his newly fixed foot. He then started to walk towards the mouth of the creature. "Zeb?"
Zeb exited the mouth of the creature and gagged. "What a smell."
"Nice catch, old-timers," Sabine said to Rex who saluted.
"Yeah! Way to go." Greggor cried as he ran over to Zeb to help him stand. "Now that, that was impressive."
"Impressive? You almost got my friend eaten!" Kanan cried in anger.
"Yeah," Zeb recalled, getting angry at the clones. "Ugh. I was in that thing's mouth!"
"Oh! Head to toe." Greggor stated, looking to the creature. "But look at you. You brought in our biggest catch ever."
"I- I did?" Zeb started to see it in a new light. "Actually, it wasn't so bad, Kanan. I- I knew I had the beast from the beginning."
Peter retracted his mask so Zeb could see his face. "Really? Did you, now?"
"And you are a natural," Rex said as he walked over to Ezra.
"We held up our end of the deal, Captain," Bucky tells him, placing his blaster away. "Now it's time to get us those coordinates so we can go."
"I'll get 'em," Rex promised. "But you might consider staying for dinner."
"It's gonna be delicious!" Greggor promised, looking at Big Bongo.
"That thing tried to eat me," Zeb stated. "Only fair I get to see how it tastes."
"Can't say no to that." Gwen joked with a laugh.
Peter leaped his way up to Gwen's side. "You were pretty good. Kept your head cool in such a stressful situation."
Gwen blushed at the compliment. "Thanks. That means I am doing well at my training?"
"Off to a good start." Peter complimented.
As dusk fell, Zeb and Gregor started to prepare a piece of the massive Joopa, while the rest of the crew awaited instructions. Meanwhile, Kanan reached out to Hera to update her on all the events.
"I've assembled a list of potential bases and clearance codes and a few protocols the Imperials still use," Rex said to them. "Should be of some use."
"Thanks, Captain," Bucky said.
"They're on our main computer," Rex said, gesturing to the inside. "You're gonna need-"
"Data tapes? I got this." Sabine said as she headed inside.
Peter chuckled. "Never seen her go anywhere without them. Always thought they were just a waste of space on her belt."
"You were brave today, kid." Rex complimented Peter. "You jumped right in there to help your friend in danger."
"Thanks," Peter expressed, glancing over as Gwen examined the web shooter he had handed her, attempting to master the art of web shooting. Although the setting wasn't right for teaching her the full extent of swinging, she could still get the hang of firing webs. And with his suit equipped, Peter didn't require the device himself. "I was inspired by the best," he added with a smile.
"A great Jedi once told me that the best leaders lead by example," Rex said as he knew that Peter seemed to be teaching and leading Gwen. "You seem to be doing that well."
"Thanks," Peter said as he looked to Kanan who had become a part of his inspiration. "I've learned from a great Jedi, too."
"Mmm," Rex muttered as he saw Kanan look out into the distance. "You know, I don't think he likes me. Or ever will. Can't say I blame him." He then looked out to the emptiness. "The war left its scars on all of us.
"Won't you reconsider joining us?" Ezra asks.
"You know, I've outserved my purpose for that kind of fighting, I'm afraid," Rex said. "After the war, I questioned the point of the whole thing. All those men died, and for what?"
"For what they thought was right," Bucky said as he was listening. "I've been in a lot of fights, a lot of battles, and have survived one war after another. I know what it is like to lose friends and people I see as brothers. I have wanted to stop fighting myself, thinking it was all for nothing. But if I gave up, then who was going to continue to fight for what they believe in?"
Rex seemed to understand what he was saying, going through something similar himself. But as they were talking, Peter's senses alerted him of danger and got him to look in worry. He walked towards the Phantom while Sabien came out with some news.
"The clones gave us up!" Sabine warned everyone. "They warned the Empire we're here."
"Wait, what?" Ezra asks.
"You're mistaken." Rex denied. "We would never do that."
"Oh, I found the binary transmission to the Empire," Sabine said and showed them a tablet. "And there are messages Ahsoka sent to Rex, and he never answered her!"
"What?" Rex asked as he took the tablet and looked it over. "I never got any messages from Commander Tano."
"I knew it! I told you, - they can't be trusted." Kanan stated in anger, preparing to fight.
"Kanan, wait." Ezra tried to stop him. "Is this true?"
Rex tried to figure it out when he sighed and looked over to his friend. "Wolffe. What did you do?"
Wolffe didn't seem to be trying to hide it. "I- I contacted the Empire. If they found out that we were helping Jedi, they'd wipe us out."
"Sabine, go warn Hera," Kanan demanded. "Tell her to scan for incoming ships."
"I wanted to protect you guys, protect our squad," Wolffe explained.
"The war is over." Rex reminded his friend. "We are free men. We can't live under the fear of the Empire for the rest of our lives, Wolffe. That's not freedom."
That seemed to calm Wolffe down. "You're right. They're not our enemy. I'm sorry."
Peter walked into the Phantom where he saw a probe droid. "A probe?"
As Sabine approached his side, the Probe droid unleashed a barrage of fire towards her and Peter. Reacting swiftly, Peter enveloped them in a protective barrier formed by the Symbiote. After a few shots, with a fluid motion, he then conjured a spear from the same material in his second hand and hurled it with precision, piercing the droid's armor and disabling it effectively.
"You're getting better with that thing," Sabine complimented.
"I know," Peter stated.
As night began to fall, the team looked over the probe droid Peter stabbed. "How long has this thing been watching us?" Zeb asks.
"Long enough." Gwen sighed, knowing the Empire well enough. "They're going to check this out if this thing sent an image of your ship. They'll see it as a lead, and might even send troops."
"Great." Bucky sighed.
"How's the Phantom?" Kanan asked Sabine.
"Well, the engine took a direct hit," Sabine said with a sigh. "We're not going anywhere until I can fix it."
"Wait. You mean we're stranded?" Kanan asked.
"Yep," Peter said with a sigh as he looked up to the sky. "And the Empire's on its way to kill us all."