The Jedi King II: War for the Rim

by Blitzkrieger

The Militia have made their move plunging the Galaxy in a new war, with the Rebels caught in the middle. After Ahkilleon chose stayed in Militia and the New Jedi, he enters an arena of politics, light and dark. Facing either his past he left behind or going forward to seize a future as prophecy fortold to become the Jedi King, but nothing is ever certain and no one can be trusted.

35. Inside Man

Chapter 35

An Inside Man

Ahkilleon heard thunder overhead, no cannonfire leaping into the trenches running through the storm. He had his saber in his hand and cut down the nearest stormtroopers, their white armor stained from the mud and rain. He cut down another one and then deflected the one who tried to shoot him in the back. Other militia followed him into the tight muddy corridors with metal to keep the ground hard beneath their feets. The rain pelted his armor and he could feel it into his bones the cold dampness tempered only by the fire inside, he ran down the trench and took a right there were more stormtroopers there who opened fire, their blasters useless in close quarters compared to a trained jedi who unleashed his fury.

Above him Hawk fighters flew overhead to the city, they were at the trenches dug by the Empire, now he had to head north, the city would be refortified and the ruins would still be there, used to create more chaos in the coming fight. He cut down more stormtroopers, his red and blue sabers catching steam from the rain followed by the explosion of another bomb being dropped near them.

Danger close, acceptable given the prize.

The rain stopped and a cloud was shadowed him, no. Looking up Ahkilleon saw a walker above him it was one of their spide walkers they used on Serenno, but he never fought in trenches before?

"DIE JEDI!" a blaster bolt smashed right into his chest his armor taking the blow, he staggered back and saw a stormtrooper who saw Ahkilleons helmet rise, the stormtrooper opened fire. Ahkilleon deflected it right back into him, he ran down the trench cutting down stormtroopers who stood in his way, one of them fell back into the mud, scurrying back on his hands "Wait- wait Ahkilleon stop!"

Ahkilleon froze, "How do you know my name?" he asked the stormtrooper as lightning crackled overhead, was it lighting or laser fire, he wasn't sure. No, this was the enemy he had to die, Ahkilleon raised his lightsaber just as more stormtroopers leapt from over the trenches at him.

"NO!" Ahkilleon felt Corto grab his arm and Fatima the other, Rulf was there too with Kraggen and Fatima wrapping their arms around him so he couldn't move, lightning ripped the night sky over the Temple and Ahkilleon saw where he was, he wasn't in battle. He was home in his Masters Temple his friends had restrained him up against a wall. He looked around still in his robes, dropping both lightsabers. Jay was on the floor with Yumi helping him up, looking back he saw the 'stormtroopers' he'd cut down were the Sentinel Droids laying in pieces. The rain outside hit the windows and he looked around in shock.

The doors to the hallway opened and the Specter's came in, from the other corridor Lord Asimov appeared in his armor with his helmet on lightsaber in hand but not on. "I… what- what happened?"

"You went karken mad?" Rulf said loosening his grip seeing Ahkilleon had stopped.

"Look at me." Corto said getting his attention, he looked Ahkilleon over and felt his pulse on his wrist, "Release him." Lord Asimov said, Rulf, Kraggen, Fatima and Corto let Ahkilleon go. Lord Asimov approached as Jay got up "He almost killed him!" Fatima said

"OUT, all of you!" Lord Asimov shouted at the young padawans and Cadets.

Ahkilleon looked over at them, "Jay- I'm sorry I-" "Be silent." Lord Asimov grabbed his arm, squeezing it tightly.

When they were all gone, Lord Asimov let go of him "Where were you?"

"I… a dream, a nightmare I-" "Come with me." He said walking down the opposite of the hallway the others left. They entered into the great hall of Temple Asimov and the doors opened with the rebels with their weapons drawn "We heard fighting." Kanan said lightsaber in hand.

Asimov passed them briskly "The danger has passed, return your ship." He told them, Ahkilleon followed and Lord Asimov led him "Doesn't feel like it?" Ezra asked.

"OUT!" he roared using the force to push them out of the door and slamming it shut, he dragged Ahkilleon into a side room near the edge of the cliff, "How long have these dreams been happening, dreams of war?" Lord Asimov asked. The room was small with a few windows overlooking the valley, there were two armchairs between a fireplace and cabinets on each end of the room.

He pushed Ahkilleon into one of the chairs "A few… a few weeks ago, but I never attacked anyone like- just now?" Ahkilleon rubbed his forehead as Asimov opened the cabinet, Ahkilleon saw him take something out and then return, with two glasses and a bottle of dark red liquid medicine? No it was alcohol, "Drink." Asimov said, pouring Ahkilleon a glass.

Ahkilleon looked at the red liquid "Drink, it will calm your nerves."

Ahkilleon remembered the last time he drank was with Jay and the boys, but he'd almost killed Jay, he took the glass and took a big gulp "I would never do anything to harm Jay, or anyone on our side I-" "Lost control, it happens."

"Happens, HAPPENS any second later and I would have killed-" "I know." Lord Asimov said sternly sitting down and in a lower voice he said "I know." He said hand out.

Ahkilleon sensed his Master was telling the truth, "This… happened to you?"

"In a way, drink." He said as Ahkilleon took another shop, the wine started to take effect in making him relax, "One of the greatest weaknesses of the old Order was its inability to take into account what happened to its members who faced death, war and trauma on a scale we have." Lord Asimov said, he reached up and removed his helmet. Petro's face missing one eye, the five claw mark scars on his left face and the burns. "I still have nightmares of Order 66, of the Inquisitors, all of it." Lord Asimov said to him his one good turquoise eye meeting Ahkilleons.

"What if Kanan is right, that training in the light and the dark is making us crazy?" Ahkilleon asked.

"We need balance, you are trying to balance yourself but something changed since Ruusan, to much light, too much dark, that is what we will find out." Lord Asimov said setting the glass down "You are not going on the mission to Lothal with the Specters."

Ahkilleon jumped up "What- No, I-" "Are not fit for combat, we will send Hyena Squad instead with Jarrus and Bridger, Captain Scintel has a history with the Wolves and yours feud with Lord Bloodwolf is… known." Ahkilleon sat back down.

"... Yes Master." Ahkilleon replied "What will we be doing then?"

Lord Asimov set his glass down, "The next step of your training."

THE FOLLOWING MORNING

Ezra was sitting outside the Temple steps, the rest of the rebels were standing outside the Temple with anxious air around them, Kanan stood at the bottom of the steps, the rest behind him "We need to get going soon." Kanan said.

"This mission to get onto Lothal, we sure the Militia can get you through the blockade?" Zeb asked them.

"Fives- the General said he'd be sending a stealth warship to get us past, we used them in the Clone Wars to run a blockade, but we also found a way to track them so it won't be easy." Rex said to them.

Ezra looked back over his shoulders as the doors opened for Asimov to walk out, "You're shuttle will be arriving soon Jarrus." He said to Kanan.

"I want to talk to Ahkilleon." Ezra said getting to his feet.

"My padawan is resting, last night's incident has given me pause. He will not join you on this mission." Lord Asimov said to them.

Ezra frowned "All the more reason-" "You ship is here." Asimov said.

The rebels looked to the sky but didn't see anything, "Uh where?" Hera asked.

"Right here rebels!" a loudspeaker blasted out from the empty platform next to the Ghost and the Revenant, everyone looked and didn't see anything before a flicker of blue light and out of thin air appeared the stealth vessel was a small ship shaped like a dart, with a long pointed nose and three engine exhaust ships, it was painted dark black with blue Militia lines on it, "Hmm looks like the one we used against Trench in the clone wars, but smaller?" Rex said

"Lord Hood's latest creation from the same schematics, he calls it…." Asimov grunted "The Owl."

"You do love naming things after animals don't you?" Hera asked him, "Says the woman who's squadron is named after mythological creatures?" Lord Asimov said turning around "May the force be with Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger." Lord Asimov said, turning around.

Hera folded her arms "We better get going, we're long overdue for Sato." Hera said to the crew.

Asimov stopped "I ask that Sabine Wren stay."

"What?" Hera asked back.

"As a representative of Phoenix Squadron, she can speak on your behalf and report back to you on my Padawan's status." Asimov replied, hands behind his back halfway up the steps. Hera frowned disapprovingly "No, we've stayed long enough" Hera replied.

"Hera I'll be fine." Sabine objected, "Besides, I'm not even going on this mission."

The Captain thought on it and she looked back at Asimov, "No harm will come to her I swear it." Lord Asimov said "That doesn't help considering the last time." Hera said.

"We'll let you two discuss this." Kanan said heading to the stealth ship, Ezra followed him with Chopper in tow, "We'll be back before you know it." Ezra said, trying to sound confident. The rebels watched the jedi and chopper go into the ship before it took off into the sky. Hera turned her attentions back to Asimov and followed him up the steps "Why?" She asked.

Asimov leaned in "Don't be coy, you and I both know why?"

"If he hurts her, I'll let Chopper blow up your precious dreadnought." Hera threatened.

"Noted. She can have the spare guest room in the Temple, just ask her not to paint it." Lord Asimov said walking up the steps.

LOTHAL

Dropping out of hyperspace in secret was a ship that no Imperial Star Destroyer could see, it was, it flew past their sensors and between their ships down to the surface, coming out of the clouds it parted them coming to the outskirts of Capital City surrounding the capital of the planet were dozens of Militia Dreadnoughts that had fallen from the sky and scattered across the once golden planes. Some were still burning their oil spilled out onto the grass. The black fuel was also mixed with dark red ichor of thousands of dead Militia. The Stealth ship flew alongside one and landed appearing, the vessel was a small ship shaped like a dart, with a long pointed nose and three engine exhaust ships. As its exhaust flowed out, the Hyena squad inside all sighed with relief "We'll need to let Lord Hood know his stealth ship is ready for mass production." Captain Scintel, said the Zygerrian woman had flown the ship down with Lt. Stratos in the copilot chair.

Both of them wore their traditional black and orange Militia armor to show their rank, behind them in the navigator spot was Jay, he wore his brown Militia beret but instead of his usual cadet uniform he was sporting black Militia regular armor with orange stripes. "No sign of Imperial activity Captain, we're in the clear."

"This is your stop Jedi." Scintel said, her catlike eyes looking back at Kanan and Ezra who were in the passenger seats, "Rendezvous is in forty eight hours, get with your contact then get ready to leave, we already know how to find the Wolves." she told them.

Kanan got up "Gotcha, so pick us up after the explosions." He said he nudged Ezra whose mind was elsewhere, Ezra got up and followed Kanan out of the ship. They watched it turn invisible again before lifting off and vanishing like a gust of wind, Chopper beeped at the two of them "No, we don't have one of those." Ezra replied.

They started to make their way to the city and Ezra couldn't help but look up "Look at all those ships." Ezra said as they walked under the cover of night, Kanan didn't look up, not that he could see "Ryder said it was bad, but this is worse than bad." Ezra added.

"Lothal is my home, Kanan, I can't stand seeing it like this." Ezra said looking through a pair of binoculars as they passed by dead Militia forces, their bodies being eaten by carrion animals, their blood staining the ground red.

"So let's do something about it." Kanan said as he sensed something, "Get down." he dragged Ezra to the tall grass just as a squad of TIE fighters flew overhead, they passed over in a tight formation lights sprayed out over the grass looking for any signs of movement. Hidden by the grass the TIE's didn't see the rebels "Whats with you?" Kanan asked.

Ezra sat up saying nothing, "It's Ahkilleon isn't it?"

"I could sense it Kanan, something is happening to him?" Ezra said.

"I need you here and now Ezra, Ahkilleon is safe on Raxus or… at least I think he is?" Kanan said as they got up and made their way to the city.

Ezra and Kanan waited on a small building near a checkpoint on the highway near the Capital, a small town or what was left of it was on each side of the road, less than two dozen buildings half of them demolished from the Empire's lightning campaign to retake the planet. Walkers patrolled the streets, with stormtroopers on guard with floating signs with blood red Imperial sigils on them. Scattered around the buildings were broken battle droids or left over Militia machines that had been scrapped "If only Ryder would hurry up and get here." Ezra said looking through a pair of binoculars, he saw something moving in a blur "There he is. And he's been spotted."

They saw the former governor of Lothal in a heated race, Ryder in a landspeeder being pursued by two Imperial 614-AvA speeder bikes and an AT-DP walker. Ryder pulled up to the building they were on houting "Hurry. Get on!" Both Jedi leaped on it lightsabers drawn and Chopper flew down on his rocket booster, they dashed through the streets of the small town toward the exit where the Empire had set up a roadblock with E-web turrets opening fire "Look out! Blockade!" Ryder sped up and turned the speeder sideways as a walker came to block their path, the rebel landspeeder flew through the legs of the walker with both Jedi slicing the legs right out from under it breaking out of the town.

Ryder swerved back around and "Sure is good to have you back on Lothal." Ryder said as the Empire chased them, they doubled back through the speeder bikes that swerve to go after the through the streets.

"I think you're the only one who feels that way, Ryder." Kanan said while he deflected shots.

"Ryder? What's the plan? We can't outrun these guys." Ezra snapped.

Ryder kept driving them just out of reach "Don't need to outrun 'em. Just have to get 'em up to 190."

"Does this thing go up to 190?" Ezra asked frantically.

"Sometimes. Think fast thoughts." Ryder said calmly

"I'm thinking fast thoughts. Nothing's happening." Ezra replied still nervous at the surrounding Imperials "Keep watching." Ryder said, Ezra and Kanan looked back and saw the bikes were gaining on them when their engines began to, glow? No they were overheating to-

KABOOM

Both bikes exploded, taking their riders with them "Those bikes are from the Imperial factory." Ryder told them "I have people on the inside who build them to break."

"You've infiltrated the assembly line? I'm impressed, that's the perfect cover to do some serious damage." Kanan said to them as they sat down in the back "I wish I could take credit. Idea came from an old friend of yours." Ryder said as they drove off the main road and into the wilds passing through fallen Militia dreadnoughts.

Ezra looked them over, "How bad was the attack?" he asked.

Ryder's face grew grim "Bad, the Empire came out of nowhere, at first it looked like the MIlitia fleet would hold but the Empire's ships cut through them like they knew the Militia's every move, and then the ground forces came."

"They didn't bomb the city?" Kanan asked.

"The smaller towns yes, but Capital City is still full of Imperial factories like the one we've infiltrated, the Empire's invested a lot in Lothal, and now they have it back." Ryder grunted, Ezra looked over to see more fires burning "Did the Militia even fight for the city?"

"... No, my son- The Warlord ordered the entire 'Lothal Militia' to evacuate the city, the planet is split down the middle between the Empire ruling the skies and the Bloodwolves, have gone underground attacking Imperial supply lines, launching raids…" Ryder started to get quiet "What is it?"

Ryder didn't speak "We're almost there." The landspeeder pulled up to a lit camp with tall lamposts lighting up a series of tents around lage rocks giving it a defensible position. When the speeder landed, Ezra recognized a familiar face, a middle aged man with blonde hair and a mustache, dressed in farmers clothes "Mr. Sumar." Ezra said seeing him and his wife, along with the ithorian bartender Jho.

"Is that Ezra Bridger? I hardly recognize you. You're so tall." Sumar said seeing Ezra, "And you cut your hair." Ezra blushed at the praise from the man, "It's good to see you, too."

"You know, it's thanks to you I got a chance to make a difference against the Empire, your parents would be so proud to see you now." Sumar said back.

"And they'd agree there's much more we can do." Ezra said with Kanan and Chopper coming up behind them "Tell them about your plan, phoenix Squadron is enlisting the help of the Militia to take out the Imperial factory here on Lothal."

"An attack?" Sumar said as his wife said "Finally. At last."

Ryder walked up "Wait you're working with the Militia now?" Ryder asked.

Kanan nodded "Given the circumstances, yes, but a lot has changed."

"You can say that Bloodwolf's forces have taken all the food, and said that any people have, they say it's for the war effort, they've even started to conscript anyone the Empire hasn't taken for the factories." Sumar said disgusted, Kanan and Ezra looked at one another "We were smuggled onto the surface by a Militia stealth ship, they'll be meeting with Bloodwolf soon I'm sure we can put a stop to this." Ezra said.

Ryder came up "Right now we need to focus

"When will this strike happen?" Sumar asked them.

Ezra nodded enthusiastically "Soon, hopefully. It depends on what we learn while we're here, our contact, Fulcrum, said the Empire's building a new type of weapon." Ezra said to them.

"If we knew what it was, the other cells might agree to attack sooner than later." he added, Sumar and his fellow rebels looked at one another, he stroked his mustache.

"They did just tighten security around section A-2, transferred their best workers over there. That must be why they had to recruit us to their labor force." Sumar added as he explained it to Ezra.

Kanan walked up "Can you get us into that factory?"

"Well, I don't know." Sumar thought it over "Do you have any manufacturing experience?"

Ezra shrugged "Not really."

"Then you'll fit right in." Sumar said smiling. That smile was cut short by thunder in the distance, but the night skies were clear from what Ezra could tell, he followed the gaze of Sumar and Ryder to the south where he saw the horizon flash with great bright lights of red and green.

Thousands of miles away from the rebel camp, the Owl, the Militia's stealth ship flew over the smoking fields of Lothal where the long tall grasses began to show signs of battle, crashed TIE fighters and Hawks tangled with the dead bodies of droids, stormtroopers and Militia Bloodwolves. The grass burned away and the earth was overturned from the craters made by crashed ships, explosions. Imperial forces had set up a forward base camp with pop of barracks of light metal with TIE fighters in mowed over landing fields, AT-AT walkers marched forward leaving the ground full of tracks, with dozens of TX-225 GAVw "Occupier" combat assault tanks treds leaving marks in the grass that began to turn into overturned dirt and mud. The earth itself carved open with trenches like a god had drawn a massive dagger across the ground making a maze of trenches that stormtroopers and Imperial Army aka mudtroops were moving. The further the Owl flew they saw red cannon fire from Militia tribarrel droid canons unleashing volley after volley of ordinance on the Empire.

"I had no idea it was this bad?" Jay said looking through the camera showing the birdseye view of no man's land.

"It gets worse before it gets better." Lt. Stratos said as he checked the systems anti radar system, "They haven't spotted us yet."

They arrived at the front of the Imperial trenches, their trenches were like small streams of thousands of white and gray beads piled up, down on the surface and Imperial officers shouted, and the trenches emptied. Thousands of Imperial mudtroopers poured out of the tents with stormtroopers at the very front of the forces leading the charge. Reinforced by a dozen AT-AT the cannons opened fire on the tanks that tore across no man's land. A mile ahead of them in their own trenches were thousand of battle droids with Militia Regulars dug in deep with mounted E-Web turrets.

The tribarrels opened fire on the tanks while the gunners held their position, when the first line of Imperial helmets appeared over the torn up hills the machinegun nests lit the lines up with green laster fire. "The Wolves have been busy." Naqia said her catlike eyes seeing the stormtroopers run head first into enemy fire with no fear, sights only on victory.

"Heads up, Militia ships are heading our way." Stratos said.

"Elevating to three thousand feet." Captain Naqia said raising them up as squadron of Vulture droids flew not right over the imperial forces but into the tanks hammering them with suicide droids that exploded on impact taking out half the tanks.

The Owl flew over the Militia trenches that were similar to the Imerials but wider, with metal reinforcements, they made their way to a heavily fortified town with a shield generator. "Send it." Naqia said.

Jay nodded flipping a switch "This is Hyena Squad calling to any Militia forces, do you copy."

"What the hell, who is this?" A voice said back.

The Hyena's all looked at one another "Transferring our verification codes." Jay said as he did so, "Landing do south of your shield generator."

"You're not- what where are you?" the voice replied.

Naqia flew the ship down to the surface around the south side of the shield, where already a hundred battle droids were coming out from the shield scanning for them. The Owl landed and she turned off the cloaking mechanism, all the droids raised their blasters with their Militia officers behind them. When they came out one of the Militia Commanders pushed through; he was a dragoon in Militia colors, "Captain Naqia!" he shouted, taking his helmet off.

"Colin, still alive?" she said, greeting the former mechanic turned pilot.

"Come on, he's waiting." Colin said as he turned back leading Naqia, Stratos and Jay back into the shield, "Jay, you've gotten bigger?" Colin said.

"Lots changed I see." Jay said as they walked through the small town, it had been taken over by the Militia, all the buildings being used for either wounded or for barracks, "Is the Warlord here?"

"No, he's leading out forces in the eastern hemisphere of the south, General Fragg has command." the Hyena's glanced at one another "General Fragg?" Stratos whispered. They walked into the center of the town where a large concrete building stood in the old republic style, reinforced with sandbags at its base. The Militia flag flew over it with the white reef of the militia and the crossed sword and blaster. They walked in "General, friends from high places." Colin said.

He stood out of the way for them to get a gander at the General, they turned around to reveal themselves to be not a man, but a machine. "A commando droid?" Stratos asked, seeing the droid, "BX-series, pre-Empire." Jay blurted out, this BX-Series Commando droid stood dressed in Militia officers fatigues, with the sleeves rolled up past it's metal elbow joints. The BX series Commando droids had a similar head size to the B5 but were leaner as opposed to the infantry units of the B5 series, the uniform and boots made the droid stand out among the others. "Your General is a droid?" Naqia asked.

"Now that we've established the obvious Captain, what can I do for you?" Fragg asked with a masculine programming, the voice was not as deep as the usual programming, and it had a bit of an attitude to it. The droid turned around folding his metal arms looking at a holomapd showing the Imperial lines advance on the Militia trenches, there were five rows of them one flashing red and blue showing it was under assault, less than half the Imperial walkers with left with heavy armor following them.

"... General, we've been sent to ascertain the situation here on Lothal, the High Command is already considering plans for a counter attack." she told the droid.

The Commando droid, or Commander Droid, glanced at her with his glowing white optics "In short, we're fucked, Warlord Bloodwolf has the main army on the south eastside of the planet." The droid pressed a button on the table showing the planet it cut in two, the red was the Empire, the blue the Militia, red on top, blue on the bottom. "The east is firmly under our control, the west is a shit show, myself and a dozen other forces scattered between enemy lines we've got no ships, running low medical supplies and personnel."

"Then why are you still here, the Empire has a full army out there." Stratos asked.

Fragg turned to him, "Follow." the droid said, gesturing them out of the HQ, "General, I've served in the Militia since it started, I've seen Commander and super tactical droids but never a General?" Jay said bluntly.

"They thawed me out of storage on Black Wolf Moon, I had all my previous programming from the last war, woke up we had a new war, needless to say Bloodwolf and I hit it off, end of discussion." The droid General said. He led them to a large building that had the roof caved in, guarded by two heavily armored Militia grenadiers, they opened the door and the floor went down, deep down. The floor had been carved open with massive metal steps built from metal beams and deep into the clay and rock of the earth, it was lit up with lights held by nails and cables on the walls to reveal an underground rail with a boxcar pulling up.

"This wasn't here before?" Jay said.

"No it was not, Cadet?" Naqia said.

"We new you'd dug in General, but not like this?" she said as the boxcar opened up with droids carrying out crates and the rest carrying in wounded soldiers to move them.

The droid folded it's metal arms again "After we took the planet, Bloodwolf ordered the construction of the underground rail system, connected to every major settlement, and our bases." Fragg explained.

"How did you all do this in… six months?" Jay asked, looking over at him "I forget how easily you meatbags get tired, in addition to the superior strength of droids we have a little extra help." The sounds of the Tanks was getting closer and the Hyenas ran out to see the tanks of the Empire start to crumble, fall and explode "What's that?"

"The extra help." Fragg said, the Militia went to the edge of the shield wall and Stratos handed Naqia a pair of binoculars for them to look out, from underneath the earth were monstrous droid crawling out of the ground, they were long massive multi jointed snake like devices, it was heavily armored with legs like a krab droid with it's massive head a drill that slithered in and out of the earth incredible speed. They watched one of the metal warmachines slither up around an AT-AT's legs and crush the before drilling through it's main hold and back down into the earth "You have your toys Captain, we have ours." Fragg said.

"IAT's?" Jay said.

"Very good." Frag replied.

"What?" Naqia asked, "Impeding Assault tanks, used on Umbara during the clone wars but I've never seen this model before, the others had more mounted guns along the back with a rounded head for the driver?" Jay said as he pointed to one it only had four turrets runninga long it's spine shooting at Imperial lines while most of the damage was done by the titanic beasts armored body breaking the Imperial lines. "Larger, faster, and more armored, the boys call them Wyrms."

Startos started to get a beep on his bracers comlink "Captain, the rebels have made contact."

"Rebels?" Fragg asked.

"The Militia smuggled in rebel operators, you know them as Specters they know the lay of the land." Naqia said as she nodded to Stratos who held his comlink up "Not out here." Fragg said.

They walked back into the command center and Fragg looked to colin, "Clear the room."

"Captain, I don't need to remind you that Warlord Reik doesn't care for the rebels." Colin said to her.

"I know that, but things have changed we're working with them to help take out an Imperial factory in Capital City. Surely the Warlord can see the enemy of our enemy is our friend?" Naqia pointed out, Fragg and Colin glanced at one another "Let's hear what they have to say." Fragg said.

The holotable came alive with Ezra, Chopper and Kanan "Specter One, Specter Six."

"Hyena One." Kanan said greeting her, "Looks like we all found our old friends?" Naqia said.

"We did, and they've been saying some troubling things-" "That the Militia are stealing from the people, forcing them to join against their will." Ezra blurted out, Naqia looked at Fragg who stepped forward "I am General Fragg, leader of this division, I take it you're in charge blind man?" the droid replied, ignoring Ezra.

"I am… General." Kanan said recognizing a droids voice but keeping his focus, "Warlord Bloodwolf doesn't care for you rebels, but I'm a position where I can't afford for pride to get in the way of victory, Captain Naqia says you have a plan to destroy an Imperial Factory in Capital City." Fragg said.

Kanan paused knowing Ezra wanted to press the issue of the Militia thefts, "We do, we have a way inside we need to get intel out first before we hit the factory."

"That could be tricky anytime our Vulture droids or Hawks get close they get shot down." Fragg stated "As for the accusations your rebel friends have, some instances have gotten messy with the more fringe civilians but it's all for the cause." The commando droid said to them.

Ezra looked disgusted. "Fighting for freedom isn't real unless people do it willingly." Ezra said to Fragg.

"I'm not here to debate with you kid, I'm here to win a war, so if Captain Naqia says you're planning to hit the Imperial factory, I've just got one question for you, when?"

RAXUS

Temple Asimov

RAXUS

Raxulon

Back in the Militia Capital, Padawan Yumi Vos-Ventress was walking through the Temple in the guest wing, she came to a door and pressed a button on it and it rang like a doorbell. "It's open." Sabine's voice came from the other side and Yumi opened it, Yumi's dark brown eyes widened when she saw Sabine had covered her room in graffiti in varying shades of Orange, purple and checkerboard, the wave of paint fumes hitting her nose made Yumi scrunch up her face "Well that's… colorful?" She said seeing it.

Sabine backed up "You like it, this place could use some color if you ask me?"

Yumi cocked a brow, "Um sure, Lord Asimov has asked me to escort you to the training ground."

Sabine looked at her funny, "For what?"

The bald headed girl raised her head, "Come and find out Mando." She said, Sabine smirked at the attitude before she followed, Sabine walked behind Yumi for about a minute before she walked up alongside her, Yumi was similar in height to Sabine but with her armor, she stood an inch taller than the padawan, "So, Kanan tells me your mom and dad were on opposite sides of the war, sith assassin and Jedi Master how does that work?" she asked.

"Mandalorian fighting alongside Jedi, you tell me?" She asked back.

There was silence as they passed through the hallway that Ahkilleon had nearly destroyed, "What happened last night?"

"It's not for me to say." Yumi said as they continued into the main hall, "But let me ask you this, was Padawan Tano as arrogant as he is now?" Yumi asked Sabine to stop just outside the doorway to the training yard steps.

Sabine stopped "I wouldn't call confidence arrogance, but no." She said curtly.

"Hmm, maybe it's just rogue jedi." Yumi said, opening the door. Sabine walked out to see Ahkilleon training with Lord Asimov, if one could call it training. Ahkilleon was sitting down in front of Lord Asimov legs crossed, Sabine looked out intrigued to see the two of them hands out doing something she'd never seen Kanan or Ezra do, Yumi looked at it with a mix of emotions. A strange emerald smokey flame glowed around lord Asimov's hands "Focus, Force Alchemy was long forgotten by the Jedi, if you are to lead in the future you know all aspects of the force." Asimov told him.

Ahkilleon had nothing in his hands though it was like he was trying to force something out, but from where only the force could say "What are they doing?"

"It's… old magic, my mother's people the Nightsisters could do it. She can, but rarely does, Lord Asimov and some of his followers are obsessed with it." Yumi said while watching them.

"The Nightsisters?" Sabine asked.

"Coven of witches from my mothers home planet, dominated the world, enslaved the men, etc. etc." Yumi said and Sabine smiled, "I'd like to visit."

They continued to watch as Lord Asmov closed his hands together with the flame and Sabine's eyes grew wide as Lord Asimov pulled them apart the strange green flame turned into bolts of force lighting and from the lighting forced a metal axe, Asimov took the blade in hand "Channel the thought into the force, command it to come forth."

"I… I can't." Ahkilleon dropped his hands a bead of sweat rolling down, Asimov stood, and like a bolt of lightning he drew his great saber, Ahkilleon barely had time to dodge and then draw his own lightsabers the red and blue, Asimov attacked again. "Can't is not a word I ever want to hear from you in training." Asimov said, attacking him.

Ahkilleon went on the defensive taking blow for blow, "Your father didn't become the warrior he was thinking he couldn't, he trained until his bones broke and your mother was a gifted prodigy and even then she still trained until her Master said it was enough." Asimov and Ahkilleon locked lightsabers "Prove you are enough."

With all his strength Ahkilleon broke the lock pushing Asimov back, "I defeated Inquisitors, I defeated Jerec, what more is there!?" Ahkilleon barked, walking around in a circle.

"There is always more." Asimov snapped, "Never settle for anything less, that is the path to power."

Ahkilleon gritted his teeth "You want power, fine- TAKE IT!" Ahkilleon unleashed a blast of force lighting so loud it clapped like thunder, Asimov raised his lightsaber with one arm taking the blast using the force to brace the long side of his blade "But how long can you hold it?" Asimov said as Ahkilleon tried to contain the darkness in him his eyes flickering between yellow and green, "I… can." Ahkilleon growled before Asimov deflected the lightning away from him, he pounced like a tiger and Ahkilleon felt Asimov's knee smash into his gut under his armor at a weak spot, Asimov slammed the butt of his saber into the back of Ahkilleons head and he hit the floor. Asimov summoned the axe from the floor and held it over Ahkilleon as he rolled over.

"This path in between you seek to walk, you mean you must push both limits, the light and the dark, if not leave?" Asimov dropped the axe a hairs breath away from Ahkilleon's face , the short handle with a palm sized blade reflected the disappointment in his eyes. Lord Asimov walked up the steps to the two young women, "Ouch?" Sabine said.

"Lady Wren, you are… creative, my padawan is distracted. Perhaps you could assist channeling that lack of creativity he has." Lord Asimov said walking past her.

Sabine huffed "I thought you were his Master, shouldn't you be there for him?"

"Yes I am, not his father." Asimov grunted back before he went inside, "And just when I thought he wasn't such a jerk after all." Sabine said to Yumi.

Yumi didn't answer, she just looked down at Ahkilleon who stared at the axe in dismay, Sabine looked down too and sorrow covered her face "You call him arrogant, but he's not, sure Ezra can be cocky when he needs to be we all do for that extra push, but Ahkilleon he always tries to do it all on his own, he has to show just how much he can take so everyone knows he can." Sabine said.

"My own Master would call that pride."

"In my culture, we call it gett'se." she said in Mando'a, she walked down to the steps of the training ground where Ahkilleon, Ahkilleon had gotten to his feet and was holding the axe testing out the metal, and when he noticed her.

He dropped the axe and it chopped itself into the ground, sticking up, "I've never seen Kanan or Ezra do that?"

"I didn't know the Jedi could do that, and I'm supposed to do it?" Ahkilleon said hands in the air, pacing away "Do you want to talk about what happened last night?" Sabine asked picking up the axe.

Ahkilleon went over to one of the nearby stone benches and sat down, "... no."

"Okay." Sabine hurled the axe at full speed at Ahkilleon and he caught it by the handle with an inch to spare from his face, "What the hell Sabine!" Ahkilleon snapped tossing the axe away clattering to the ground, Sabine blew back her hair over her face smiling.

"It means affection in Mandalorian." she said as she walked over hands behind her back, her hips taking a playful sway to them.

He looked at her red face "I think you just make up that mando stuff sometimes.' He said back to her, "You mean how Jedi make up proverbs and stuff?" She asked, bending over her face inches from him smiling.

Ahkilleon fought the urge to smile but couldn't help himself, "Stars help me." he said before she moved to sit next to him, they were under one of the "Don't know about stars, but I can."

"With the alchemy Sabine, I doubt multiple cans of paint would do me any good." Ahkilleon replied before Sabine grabbed his hand "I don't know about that, but I think I know a way to get your mind off it." She said as she pulled him up leading him to the edge of the training wall, Sabine lifted her leg and hopped it "Where are we going?"

"You're taking me out Princess." she cooed up to him "Taking you where?" Ahkilleon asked as he looked over the wall, and Sabine flew up on her jetpack "On a date."

LOTHAL, CAPITAL CITY

Imperial Factory

Far back across the stars, on Lothal the rebels had infiltrated the factory under the guise of workers, Ezra and Kanan wore bright orange mechanic suits with tinted gas masks that protected their identities. But also in the factory were some familiar foe faces of the Rebellion. Governor Pryce, the black haired older woman walked down the compound with her escort Agent Kallus and the lanky Lt Yogar Lyste, "Agent Kallus make sure the workers are all present and accounted for." the Governor said as she walked in front of the orange jumpsuits workers, not all of them wore the standard issue blackened gas mask that Ezra and Kanan used to hide their faces.

"Yes, Governor Pryce." Kallus noted.

"Kallus has a new boss. Must be the one Sabine told us about." Ezra whispered to Kanan behind him as they all stood in rows of two.

"Look sharp. This factory is being honored by a surprise visit from Imperial High Command." Agent Kallus said to the assembled workers, as they heard Imperial boots clopping toward them, and out from one of the shadows emerged, the white clad Grand Admiral Thrawn "Thank you for the introduction, Agent Kallus, my visit is not an honor, however, but an investigation."

Ezra tensed up "Thrawn." He whispered seeing him, "Vehicles assembled in this factory malfunction at a rate far higher than that of others. I believe poor craftsmanship is to blame... and it has cost your Empire troops and missions."

"This will not be tolerated." He said as he looked to the workers, his red eyes almost glazed over by the amount of red in them "Worker 5473. You were pressed into the Empire's service?" he asked Sumar.

"Yes, sir. After losing my farm to the war." He explained.

Thrawn walked up to him "Do you stand by your work?"

"I do." Sumar replied head bowed not daring to look him in the eyes.

"This 624-AVA is the last bike you personally inspected and assembled. Please, demonstrate for me how quickly it can achieve full speed." Thrawn said to Sumar, Sumar hesitantly looked at the bike knowing full well it wasn't going to work properly.

"We don't have all day." Thrawn urged him, Sumar reluctantly went to the bike and turned it on, it was held down by gravity anchors that kept the bike in place. Sumar turned it on and the engine started roar, as he went up to higher speed the engine began to overheep, Ezra along with other workers moved to help but the stormtroopers guarding Thrawn and the Governor pushed them back.

"Something's wrong. It's overheating- Gonna have to shut it down." Sumar said. As he began to turn the bike off.

But Thrawn held up a holopad in his hand "No. The demonstration is not yet over." He said softly turning the bikes engine up to full speed past ninety "I can't stop it!" Sumar yelled before the engine shut his eyes, Ezra yelped "No!"

"Now that I have your attention, know this. Whatever you build here you will test personally.I expect your malfunction rate to drop substantially." Thrawn said as he looked to Kallus "See to it that no one leaves or enters the facility, I wish to inspect the line for sabotage." Thrawn said before he walked away.

Kallus turned to Lt. Lyste "Hold them here. The factory is on full lockdown." Thrawn ordered as the workers started to disperse to do their work.

Ezra and Kanan slipped away from the others and ducted into a nearby corner "Ryder. Get word to Hera, we're trapped inside and need help." Ezra said but no response came through

"They've already jammed the comms." Kanan whispered.

"Workers, form two lines!" the stormtroopers shouted, Ezra and Kanan quickly rejoined the group and got in line "Prepare for verification and questioning. Present your identification card for examination." Lt. Lyste said.

"Better get lost before they take a closer look at our IDs." Kanan said, Ezra looked down to the black and grey painted Chopper who was also in disguise "Chopper. Get their attention." The droid gave a soft honk before it went haywire running through the crowd head spinning like it was suffering a malfunction.

Lyste saw the droid heading for them "Look out!" He leapt out of the way before Chopper had all eyes on him, then the rebels snuck away "Droid! What is the matter with you? Report to maintenance." Lyste shouted at Chopper who nodded before wandering off.

RAXUS

Outside Temple Asimov

Sabine dropped Ahkilleon down onto the grass outside the Temple, past the tree where the rebels had had met with Fives and his son, Jay, "I don't know if I liked you more with or without the jetpack." Ahkilleon said as she landed next to him, Sabine shrugged "Don't be jealous."

"Hmph." He grunted as they walked down the field and toward a small village in the distance, it had less than a dozen buildings all in old Raxulon style, the buildings weren't as opulent as the stain glass windows of the Capitol but they were made of sturdy wood with stone bases. Entering the street through the main road, Sabine looked around it, there were a few B5 battle droids patrolling and they did spy a single Militia officer in command who was speaking with some aqualish farmers. The village had a small stream running through it that went out the village along the road and then forked toward some trees and farmland.

Ahkilleon couldn't help but keep looking over his shoulder "What are we doing?" he asked.

"We-are or more specifically, you-are taking a break." She said as she reached for his hand and held it tight, she held up her gauntlet that connected with her jetpack and gave him a sly look, it was a look that was meant to goad Ahkilleon into his usual not following the rules.

She leaned in and in her best impersonation as an inquisitor she said "Give into the hookey, embrace the fun side." she said smiling, as she looked over some food that a vendor was selling.

"How much?" She asked.

The farmer, a man with a thick set of gray mutton chops under a straw hat, looked to Ahkilleon and recognized the Captain bars on his armor, "Um uh no charge, miss." He said.

"Come on." Sabine said as she reached into her pocket and gave the man some credits, "um, no it's uh… I can't." the man said as he caught the credits in his hand.

"What do you mean, of course you can?" Sabine said as the man gave Sabine back her money, "No, no it's not that I-" "Imperial currency click-click-click is not needed in the Militia."

A familiar clicking voice echoed behind them, the two teens looked back to see Admiral Trench, with a parasol in one of his many arms, a pair of tinted six lens sunglasses over his face, hiding out the sun, Harch's living in dark underground caverns being out in the bright sun may have effected the arachnid. "Grandpa?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Hell my boy click-click-click, out for a stroll click-click-click?" Trench asked walking up one cane in his hand as he held out one of his free four hands to shake it, " Click-click-click-And with the lovely Lady Wren, click-click-click." he gave a polite bow always polite to the girl who brought him back to his mind.

"Does the Militia have a no pay policy now?" Sabine asked looking at the farmer who took his hat off after he heard the word Admiral, he stood up and Trench snickered his mandibles rattling "Captain Tano's bravery click-click-click, is payment enough no?" Trench asked.

Ahkilleon looked at the farmer who bowed his head, "Bravery isn't meant to inspire fear." He said taking the money from Sabine and giving it to the farmer, "Take it." he said as Trench clicked.

"You misunderstand my boy click-click-click." Trench said to them walking up to the farmer and procuring a basket from the farmers table, he started to take many fruits and cheese, bread and a dark bottle of wine, "The Militia does not charge them, click-click-click as the Militia has no currency click-click-click." Trench looked over the food and the farmer held up a holotab, Trench then reached into with one of his other three hands his metal one and produced a small device pressing it on the holotab.

Sabine cocked her brow "What is that?" She asked.

"The Militia click-click-click has no credits, as all is shared click-click-click, but we can discuss economics at a later date click-click-click, Lord Asimov has invited me to dinner click-click I will see you there click-click-click." Trench said to the two of them, he leaned over to the two of them "And there is a lovely spring, click-click-click not far from here click-click-click." he then pushed the basket into Ahkilleons arms "What?" he asked.

Trench patted Ahkilleon on the shoulder and strode off, Ahkilleon looked at the basket and then Sabine looked at the basket and eyed the bright fruit and crisp brown bread, "Um…" He looked around the village and noticed the stream, "So, a picnic?" Sabine asked.

"Follow the stream?" Ahkilleon said before they started walking again.

LOTHAL, CAPITAL CITY

Imperial Factory

Ezra and Kanan had slunk away from the security, and ducked into a nearby hallway "Now's our chance to find out what the Empire's up to." Kanan said behind his mask.

"From what Sumar said, section A-2 is a good place to start." Ezra said walking down the hallway coming to a turbo lift that would take them to the level "Not dressed like this, the workers are on lockdown, remember?" just then the turbo lift opened and a tall Stormtrooper and short scout trooper appeared in front of them.

"Hey." The Scout snapped "You two weren't dismissed."

Both Ezra and Kanan smirked at one another before they knocked out the two imperials to take their uniforms.

Meanwhile back on the factory floor, Grand Admiral Thrawn was walking with his entourage of Lt Laste and Agent Kallus, "Grand Admiral, you don't think the rebels have infiltrated section A-2 as well, do you?" Kallus asked him. "The secrecy of that project is-" "Is imperative. Which is why I've ordered anyone attempting to enter the area without my personal code... to be terminated on sight." Grand Admiral Thrawn said to the two men, the blue faced Chiss towered over them with his imposing red eyes looking at them intently.

"You should not have compromised security here by hiring locals." Governor Pryce said looking at the workers with disgust "This factory has quotas to meet. I can question the workers, but I won't know if they're lying without more information about this new project." Agent Kallus said looking over them.

"All you need to know is that the Admiral has a new fighter initiative here." Governor Pryce said to him "A new fighter?" Kallus asked.

Kallus paused for a second "Difficult to see how one small ship will change much?" He asked.

"Agent, victory and defeat are often determined by the smallest detail. For example, take this walker." Thrawn said looking up at a walker and then over to a worker nearby who was under guard "Is this your work?"

"Yes, sir. I oversaw its construction." The worker said, stepping forward.

"Have the walker step forward." The worker held up a holopad and commanded the walker to step forward, it didn't make two steps before it wobbled and fell forward crashing down into the factory floor "Get out of the way!" before Thrawn looked to the two stormtroopers guarding him.

"No, no. It wasn't that one. It was the one next to it!" the stormtroopers grabbed the worker before forcing him to his knees and shooting him in the back of the head.

Far outside the factory across the fields of no man's land, Jay was dressed in Militia browns working on a Droid Armored Marine suit, Whenua class, Stratos was standing in front of it making extra room for the chassis. Jay was knelt by it making sure the support joints on the legs would support the bulky battle droid suit. "Lt, can I ask you something?" Jay posed to him.

Stratos had his brown hair tied back into a ponytail, his beard tangled with rust, "Shoot kid." Stratos said a flashlight in his teeth as he worked, "My friend- I mean, Captain Tano he had a… episode last night?" Jay said, setting down his tools.

Lowering his flashlight, Stratos took it out of his teeth "Episode?"

"We heard him shouting, fighting the security droid, we tried to stop him… he almost killed me, I know he wasn't himself but… I'd never seen anything like it." "Battlescar."

"Battlescar?" Jay asked him, Stratos nodded "While back, way before you were born there was the Stark Hyperspace War, a volunteer force of Republic soldiers fought against a Pirate fleet, they came back with more than just scars, they called the scars Battleflags but the real Battlescars were the ones they relieved every night, sound of a loud blast, a scream… my father had them." Stratos said, looking down on him.

"What made them stop?" Jay asked.

Stratos kept working, "Sadly, when my father overthrew the Republic of Jabiim, started fighting for what he believed in, they stopped."

"That doesn't make any sense," Jay asked.

Stratos shrugged "I never asked him why, but I was there for him when he needed me, to patch him up, even when I only had pieces of him left to bury." Stratos said as he kept working he stopped to look at Jay "He doesn't need you or any of his friends to be his psychiatrist, he just needs you to be there for him when it matters."

Jay looked down as they heard Ryder Azadi ride into the shield covered town that General Fragg and Hyena Squad were at "The factory's on full lockdown. Communication is jammed." he said as he got out of his speeder approaching them, they set up a holotable alongside a row of Hawks, Vulture droids and one Interceptor, Collins with bright green stripes on it. Both Jay and Stratos stopped their work to head back over to the meeting at the holotable showing the factory on the edge of capital city.

"I can't reach Ezra and Kanan." Ryder said as he walked up "The new Imperial in charge is pretty thorough. Didn't catch his name, but I hear he has red eyes."

"Grand Admiral Thrawn." Captain Naqia said as she looked to Stratos and Jay, "My team will attack the Imperial compound's east gate. It's the weakest point, so this Thrawn might expect it."

"But at least it'll keep his eyes off the factory for a bit." Ryder added, Fragg looked it over "We're already planning a strike force to hit the factory, it'll be on the edge of the city so civilian casualty should be to minimum." Fragg said.

Ryder looked at the droid, "The droids in charge?"

"That droids our comrade Azadi, remember that." Colin grunted at him arms folded, "What's your plan?" Ryder asked.

"You're speeder will move in first, draw out the Empire, then we'll hit the west gate with Hyena Squad, that will deliver the payload." Fragg gestured down to the holotable that showed the factory.

Ryder's eyes widened "Payload?" he asked.

"He's talking about the bomb." Stratos said looking over to Colin and two B5 battle droids who were carrying over a large proton bomb, it was rigged with a timmer and wires around it, "That could take out that whole section of the city?" Ryder snapped.

Fragg looked back with his glowing optics, "Just the factory, Hyena Squad will infiltrate it with a dozen B5 units to get it into the very heart of the factory, Lt. Stratos will carry the payload on his DAM suits back, after they arm it the B5's will stay behind to make sure it goes off and no Imperials can disarm it."

"That's a proton bomb, those are meant for taking out warships we're trying to liberate Lothal not blow it to kingdom come?" Ryder argued.

Colin cleared his throat "Capital City is indefensible, it's why we abandoned it, I doubt anyone will miss one Imperial factory."

"There are civilian workers in there." Ryder argued "Plus Ezra and Kanan."

"When the attack begins, standard Imperial protocol is to evacuate the factory. You wanted our help Ryder, this is how we're doing it, end of discussion, we move out in ten." Fragg said before walking away while distant canon fire rang in the distance.

Ryder didn't look to pleased with the mission but he didn't object, as he headed back to his speeder. Jay walked up to Captain Naqia, "Captain?" He asked the zygerrian woman.

She turned "Cadet?"

"Permission to join you on the mission, ma'am?" he asked her.

She looked him over he stood up as tall as he could in his Militia browns with his blaster at his hip, trying to appear as much as a soldier as possible, "No, you're still to young."

"Captain with all do respect, the B5 units still aren't as good as a trained soldier, I'd be an asset." he argued.

She folded her arms "You've got nothing to prove Cadet, you're time will come."

"What right do the rebels have to risk their lives, and I don't get to risk mine, Imps won't care how old I am." Jay replied.

Naqia sighed shaking her head, "Ain't that the truth." She muttered, "Fine, but you stay close to me and Stratos, no heroics."

A smile spread across Jay's face "Roger, roger, Ma'am."

IMPERIAL FACTORY

Section A-2

Ezra and Kanan snuck around the Imperial factory, poking their heads around the corner to see two stormtroopers guarding the door as another pair approached them "Halt. I need your clearance code." The guards ordered Ezra and Kanan to watch them check the key card in a door.

"Code checks out. Proceed." the guard said letting the others in.

"Hey, if we can get Chopper one of those tapes, we can get him inside." Ezra said to Kanan behind the mask of his Scout Trooper disguise, Kanan wearing another set of Stormtrooper armor. "Then all he has to do is find the design database and download everything."

"Now we just need one of those droids." Kanan said as they started to get to work.

Meanwhile, up in Thrawn's office in the factory's top level, he was joined by Lyste and Kallus, inside Thrawn was surrounded by holographic pictures of the Specter's mixed with images of the Militia, their was even a Militia helmet with red paint on it, on the table with a E-7 blaster.

"Sir?" Kallus asked as Thrawn looked at the wreckage of a demolished wall "Lieutenant, what can you tell me about this?" Thrawn asked, it had bright orange paint of a great flaming bird.

"It looks like a section of the retaining wall, sir." Lt. Lyste asked him, ignoring the paint.

Thrawn didn't look back "Agent Kallus?"

"It's the mark of the Phoenix Squadron." Kallus said "A creature of flight rising in the flames, a symbol of their commitment to victory."

"It is that and more. I've seen it everywhere, marking territory, it is a commitment, but to this world specifically, these rebels have an attachment to this place and will always return." Thrawn said then he turned over to the nearby table and picked up the red marked helmet "And this Kallus."

Agent Kallus looked at the helmet "A standard issue Militia helmet, with Bloodwolf marks, a raider?"

Thrawn set it down, "Very good, the Militia here call themselves Wolves, be it homage to their Separatist forebearers and their use of fauna inspired droids, what do you make of the name Agent Kallus?" Thrawn asked.

Kallus saw Lyste looking at him with envy, "Wolves are pack animals Grand Admiral, they are predators and often fight together in large numbers. The Wolf is a symbol of strength and unity, it was the symbol of the Okami people who first started fighting in the insurgency here, but there was nothing connecting them to the rebels before if anything they were hostile."

"Quite. So, have you found more subversives?" Thrawn asked changing the subject.

Lyste spoke up "Actually, sir, we've lost some, two workers went missing after your speech." Lyste said as he stepped forward "We found their uniforms."

"I am confident we will locate them once we issue an alert." Agent Kallus said, Thrawn looked over the E-7 blaster next and then said "No, I think not, the defectors will have new disguises by 'll hide as technicians or troopers to gather data and escape."

"So you think the rebels are more than just saboteurs?" Kallus asked Thrawn.

"Indeed I do, Agent Kallus, these rebels are after information likely heading to section A-2. Secure it."

Down in the hallways, Ezra and Kanan were still in disguise "What's taking him so long?" Kanan asked before a Stormtrooper sergeant with a shoulder pauldron came up to Ezra and Kanan with two more stormtroopers.

"What are you doing here?" The sargent asked.

Ezra quickly lied "We're on guard duty, sir." "And what exactly are you guarding?"

"We go where we're ordered, sir." Kanan replied.

"This is highly irregular. What's your operating number?" the sargent asked more directly.

Just then Chopper rolled up around the corner to them, "He's got it. Let's go."

"Wait. Is this section B-17?" Kanan asked, the sergeant shook his head "A-2."

He turned to Ezra and snapped "I told you we were in the wrong section."

"Sorry, Commander. We're new transfers." Ezra apologized pretending to be a scout trooper. "Come on." Kanan said under his helmet. He and Ezra made their way out of the hallway around another corner where they saw Lt. Lyste appear speaking to stormtroopers "I want exits locked down and all IDs checked and verified."

Ezra pulled him away "Not that way.

When he saw the two uneven troopers he cocked a brow "You there. Halt! Come back here!"

"Okay. This might get messy." Kanan said running to a nearby turbolift, but they weren't sure it would open in time.

"You two." Both of them spun around to see Agent Kallus in the elevator, "Come with me to secure the perimeter."

"Stop them!" Lyste shouted as they jumped in.

The two rebels didn't say anything as Kallus stoot behind them raising a blaster "Don't move, rebels."

Both rebels looked at Kanan and in the short instance they had they attacked him smashing the blaster out of his hand and pinning him to the wall, he tried to kick them off but the two overpowered Kallus in the confined space. "Listen to me. I'm Fulcrum."

"Yeah, right." Ezra asked "You want us to believe that?"

Kallus quickly replied "By the light of Lothal's moons."

"The code phrase. He's Fulcrum?" Kanan gasped taking off his helmet, then Kanan removed his helmet.

"Your friend Zeb trusted me on the ice moon, I saved Sabine Wren at the fighter academy, and now I'm trying to save you." Kallus said to the two jedi in disguise. "But you have to trust me." Kanan and Ezra looked at one another, Chopper honked in approval. "Your droid trusts me."

"Yeah, that's not a good thing." Ezra teased.

"Fine." Kanan thought it over and sensed Kanan was telling the truth "You wanna help us so badly? We need to get a signal to our friends."

Kanan looked at them thinking the best plan and said "Then we'll have to move quickly."

RAXUS

Somewhere hidden

Back on the safety of Raxus, Sabine and Ahkilleon had made their way up the stream that widened into a small river that flowed up the forest hills, the canopy of branches and pine leaves cast down over them letting in rays of light, the sound of birds chirping in a chorus of music, to the backdrop of a waterfall. Pushing past a low branch Sabine and Ahkilleon came to the edge of a radiant pool with the sun above them casting warm light on them. The falls went up near three story cliffs down into the pool, Sabine's eyes lit up "This place is beautiful."

"Yeah." he said looking over at her as she walked past "Beautiful." He said watching her take off her greaves, she unclasped them and slipped her feet out, taking off her socks to dip her feet into the water. Sitting down she let out a relieved sigh "Feels good to relax, no?"

Ahkilleon sighed and removed his boots to join her feet deep in the water, setting down the basket, she slipped off her weapons belt and Ahkilleon did the same tossing them aside "... yeah." He said as he looked up at the swaying branches, the rustling of the pines and the sounds of birds. "This place reminds me of a cabin Turok and I built it on Arcadia." He said looking around the small hidden falls.

"You, in a log cabin, I doubt it?" Sabine said.

"You know I actually like to get away from stuff sometimes Sabine." He said back smiling at her, she looked back smiling the light catching her silver hair making her glow- suddenly they heard a rumbling sound and Sabine snickered, "Hungry?" She asked.

"Well I-" Sabine's stomach growled, "Guess we are." she said, Ahkilleon grabbed the picnic basket and pulled it toward them, flipping it open, Sabine took out a some of the fruit, bread and cheese.

One was a set of orange grapes, the bread was seasoned with seeds and small spots of something, the cheese had a pungent smell to it, "Whoa?" Ahkilleon reached into the basket and pulled out a glass bottle of dark red wine.

"Is that?" Sabine asked seeing it, Ahkilleon pulled the cork out with his teeth and smelled it "Mandalorian Wine." He said as he was about to take a sip.

Sabine snatched it out of his hand, "Should you really be drinking?"

"What?" he asked.

Sabine looked at him with some concern, "I thought you wanted me to take it easy?"

She looked at the bottle and then she took a big gulp, before she gagged and wiped her mouth "Gezz."

"Don't tell me the mighty Mandalorian doesn't drink?" He asked taking the bottle back, she quickly ate some of the bread to wash it down, "Not a lot of alcohol on Chopper Base."

"Is that a logistical thing or a Hera thing?" Ahkilleon teased her.

Sabine glared at him "You know Hera only wants what's best for us, you know that."

"Hera wants what She 'Thinks is best." He replied, taking a swill, he plucked some of the orange grapes from the vine they were on and ate them.

"She's worried about you, we all are, last night, what happened?" She asked him, pressing the question that had been on her mind.

Ahkilleon didn't answer, she reached for his hand and took it on her own, "I promise, I won't tell them."

He sighed, "I dreamed I was fighting, and soon enough I was sleepwalking- sleep fighting I almost killed Jay."

"Ahkilleon, have you had flashbacks before?" She asked softly, leaning in, he nodded. "My mother taught me that warriors only have nightmares because they regret what they've done."

Ahkilleon looked at her "I can't live with such regrets."

"Is that Ahkilleon or Asimov speaking?" she asked him, Ahkilleon pulled away and got up taking four steps away "I know my Master isn't perfect, but I- we need him if the Militia and Rebel alliance is to work?" he said turning around arm outstretched.

She got up too "I'm not talking about the alliance, or whatever the deal is, I'm talking about you Ahkilleon, the way he treats you, talks to you, Kanan never does that to Ezra?"

"Well I'm not EZRA?" Ahkilleon said, raising his voice "No one is asking you to be." she shot back at him, Sabine had her hands up and then dropped them pacing "I'm just trying to understand why you're putting up with it?"

Ahkilleon gapped at her "Putting up with it?"

"All the abuse, the manipulation, their- we're worried they're using you Ahkilleon?" she confessed to him turning around clutching her arms, a strong gust of wind blew through the hidden falls, makings some mist spray on their faces. Ahkilleon looked at the waterfall, he looked at the beads of water on his metal fingertips "I could say the same of the Rebellion to you?" He asked.

"Thats-" Sabine cut herself off "Not entirely untrue, but I chose the rebellion I know you didn't you were born into it, but your mother she wanted to protect you from it." she said.

Ahkilleon didn't say anything about Sabine's mother knowing it was a sore subject, "She wanted to hide me, hide what I could do because she knew what was inside me." He said looking out at the rippling reflection in the pool, he knelt down and drew his fingers around in it "I just wish she could have seen what she saw in Ezra, in you, in all the Specter's but not in me."

Sabine tucked her lip knowing that feeling too well, he rose up letting the drops of water flick off his hand "But why Asimov?" She asked.

"Because I don't need a father, or a mother, I need a storm to test myself against. I don't just want, but I need to be faster, stronger, more powerful to never stop pushing myself, to always test my boundaries, do or do not there is no try." he said quoting jedi scripture turning to face her "I… think I understand." She said walking up to him "Just promise me, you don't forget who you are, snip and go all?" she held her hands up "Evil Jedi?"

He got closer to her and hand on his hips he looked down, "You'll shoot me if I do, won't you?" he asked smiling "Between the eyes." she smirked.

He snickered when something caught his eye, it was a glint in the tree of a sniper's barrel "GET DOWN!"

The sniper shot rang out and Sabine's shoulder pauldron was nicked by the blaster bouncing off the beskar, Ahkilleon and Sabine hit the ground and rolled up behind the tree "Sabine!?" he shouted worried.

"I'm fine- I'm fine who-" "Whoever it is their DEAD!" Ahkilleon roared, tearing out around the tree. He tore off into the woods "But you don't have your lightsabers!" Sabine shouted seeing Ahkilleon had left them by his boots. He saw the rifles scope again and sensed the shot, it loosed and Ahkilleon dodged it a bright red bolt zipping past his head before he leapt into the trees swinging off one branch and bounding over the thicker ones toward the assassin.

There was another shot not at him but the next branch he was heading for, he missed it caught onto the next closer branch and flung himself up, onto a nearby thicker branch from where the shots had come. It was thick enough to hold a speeder bike and a sniper, he saw a robe attached to a nearby branch and looked down to see the assassin fleeing into the woods.

Ahkilleon jumped down the rope and felt the course bindings start to tear and burn off his metal hand when he landed on the forest floor. The assassin spun just before reaching a speeder bike, garbed all in black armor with a red tinted visor on his helmet, a single antenna, he held an E-11s sniper rifle, when they saw Ahkilleon they tensed up their speeder bike right behind them. Ahkilleon's eyes were full of bloodlust ready to end him "Wait-" The Assassin said as Ahkilleon took a step.

"Talk." Ahkilleon said when he heard Sabine' jetpack coming up from behind, he looked back and the assassin saw his chance lining up his sights he shot at Ahkilleon, who reacted on instinct hand up he sent a force push so powerful it sent the energy bolt flailing off into the distance before it hit the assassin like an invisible cannonball the Assassins head, arms legs and body twisted back from the sheer power with bones breaking before he landed on the ground in a pile of twisted bleeding limbs.

Ahkilleon turned back around and walked up to the assassin, he noticed a holo disk on the killers belt, pulling it free he wiped the blood that had seeped into it turning it on. "What is it?" Sabine asked as she saw him turn it on, He showed her the hologram, an imperial sigil next to Sabine's face and the orders to kill her.

LOTHAL

Imperial Factory

Back at the factory, Kallus crashed through a doorway into one of the Imperial control centers shooting at Kanan and Ezra who had their lightsabers drawn. "Watch out. They're rebels!" Ezra kicked the agents blaster out of his hands and then used the force to blast the two stormtroopers on guard in the room back knocking them out and hitting Kallus.

After Kallus got up he said "You could've warned me you were going to do that."

"Where's the fun in that?" Ezra asked.

Kallus grunted looking to Chopper "Your droid can open your comlinks from this port. I'll provide the access codes." he said as Chopper started to plug into the computers.

"He doesn't need them?" Kanan told him, Kallys cocked a brow "This C1 of yours is quite efficient." Chopper looked to Kallus and beeped at him in gratitude of the praize.

Ezra grumbled, arms folded ""Figures Chop'd get along with an Imperial spy."

Kanan went over to one of the comlinks and started to switch it to the rebel frequency "Ryder, it's Kanan. Are you there?" Kanan asked.

Far outside the factory speeding over the field with his own landspeeder Ryder and the Militia were moving in, "Closer than you think. We're about to hit the east gate, give you a chance to escape." Ryder said as he looked to Naqia who was driving a mustang speeder bike with si other B5 droids and one land speeder that had Stratos head to toe in the Droid Armored Marine sit "You'll need to move if you want to make it out, our friends… they have a bomb."

"A bomb?" Kallus gasped

"We will. And thanks" Kanan said before he cut the transmission, "You're going to destroy the factory today?" Kallus asked, "Looks like?" Ezra said, smirking.

"Make for the east vehicle pool, you'll find a walker there you can escape in after your attack begins I'll activate the evacuation protocol." Kallus said not arguing with the rebels on their plan "Now, I just have to make this look convincing."

Ezra smiled, "Okay." And he unleashed a powerful force push sending Kallus through the glass monitor and into the wall knocking him out cold.

"Ezra!" Kanan snapped.

"What? That is convincing."

Pausing, Kanan replied "Yeah…. but I was gonna do it." He said disappointed before they ran out of the room.

"Well, if he's one of us now, you'll get your chance." Ezra replied while they fled.

Up in Thrawn's office he was looking over the holographic pictures of the Specter's and the piece of debris from the Phantom that showed the Phoenix, he heard a beep on his desk and walked over to see his monitor showing a warning "An unlicensed droid accessed the computer in section A-2." He said as he looked up to Lyste and Pryce "I can only assume that they have acquired my plans, but something has changed. The rebels should have attempted to escape via the factory by now." Thrawn said, scratching his chin.

"Maybe they realize they're trapped." Pryce suggested, and Thrawn walked around the table to the door "More likely they have found an unexpected ally….Or perhaps an expected one." He noticed that they were missing someone.

"I'm not sure I follow." Pryce asked following him.

Thrawn smiled at her softly saying "The rebels will attempt a different means of escape, and we must adapt our strategy accordingly." he said walking out of his office into the hallways of the factory, as they walked they heard the alarms starting to go off.

"Grand Admiral, there is a small band of rebels attacking the east gate." Lt. Lyste shouted into his comlink as Ryder road up to the east gate with Sumar's wife armed with a rocket launcher, she opened fire on the gate and took out a walker before the alarm was sounded on the west. Naqia drew her cutlass and shouted "MILITIA INVICTUS!" the B5 drids opened fire on the Mustang speeder bikes each with a side car that had a turret on it, they opened fire on the gate and Stratos, stood up on the land speeder he was riding, in the Droid Armored Marine suit he launched himself off twice his size and curled up into a ball before bouldering through two walker legs and uncurling into a run. The bomb strapped to the back of his armor with magna locks, he charged straight for the gate like a fullback before crashing through it.

"I've deployed two AT-ATs. Should I send a backup?" Lyste asked Thrawn, the chiss smirked seeing the game was afoot.

"Yes, Lieutenant. Let's play their game." Thrawn ordered.

Back with Ezra and Kanan who were hiding in the hallways as they heard Lyste's voice over the intercom "Deploying walkers to the east gate and send all nearby ground personal to the west gate, now."

"You hear that? We'll fit right in." Ezra said, the three of them made their way to the east lot where the walkers were set up, Ezra and Kanan hopped inside with Chopper "I hope this is one of the good walkers." Kanan said before they activated it and started to move toward the East Gate.

Ryder drove the speeder around the gate avoiding canon fire as Sumar's wife sent another rocket.

With the stole walker moving with the others, one of the Imperial walkers noticed them "AT-DP-216, what are you doing here? You're not part of this operation?"

Ezra thought up a lie "We're your reinforcements." he said quickly.

Up in the command center overlooking that gate, Thrawn recognized the voice "Attention, walkers. Disregard the speeders, that AT-DP is under rebel control. Destroy it."

"Kallus set us up!" Ezra yelled hearing Thrawn order their deaths, the walkers started to turn around and focus fire on the rebels. "Maybe, maybe not." Kanan objected "We'll figure it out later. Now get to cover!"

Meanwhile in the factory, Naqia, Jay and Stratos fought their way through the Imperial hallways, the Droid Armored Marine barely fitting through the doorways as he took the brunt of the blaster fire from the front. "Keep moving, the factory floor isn't far away now." Naqia said as she used her revolver to shoot an imperial officer dead.

Up in the command center Thrawn, Pryce and Kallus noticed the second strike team moving through the factory, "A Militia strike force?" Pryce said.

"Send all additional ground forces to secure the factory floor, that was their objective all along but for what?" Thrawn asked himself, scratching his chin, "They have the intel for my plans, what…" Thrawn suddenly realized, "All non-walker forces, ignoring the rebels return to the factory floor immediately, stop the intruders by whatever means necessary."

Behind them the B5 squads that followed them covered the flanks, one stormtrooper opposed out from behind a hallway and shot at Jay, Jay saw the stormtrooper and dodged shooting him before he could shoot Jay, Jay froze for a moment seeing the stormtrooper go down, his first kill "Jay, you hurt?" Stratos called back, not seeing the blaster shot that was meant for Jay had hit the bomb on the magnetic lock.

"N-no sir, I'm fine." Jay remembered his training and continued to follow them. Hyena Squad made their way to the factory floor where the walkers and speeders were being built, "Alright, let's do this." Naqia said as the B5 units went to all the entrances sealing them except for the one the organics would use to exit.

Stratos knelt down and Jay came up to the bomb, "Deactivating magnetic lock- wait, wait no." He said seeing the lock had been melted from the stormtrooper's blaster shot.

"What is it?" Stratos asked.

"The magnetic lock, it melted the bomb to the suit you gotta get out of it." Jay said walking over to Stratos, but he didn't open the suit. Suddenly one of the doors blasted open and then another and another with stormtroopers shooting the B5 units where they stood.

"Cover!" Naqia grabbed Jay and pulled him behind some crates where they had taken up a position, the remaining B5 droids retreating to join them or being shot down. "If we set the timer now it still doesn't guarantee the Empire won't disarm it, they reacted faster than we expected." Naqia said shooting out from cover.

The doorway that was their exit had the two B5's who were guarding it shot, "Your exit window is closing fast Captain, go." Stratos said.

Naqia looked at him and Jay gasped "What, Captain? No we aren't leaving you Lt."

"This factory has to go, the High Command needs to know Lothal is still in the fight." Stratos said as he hunkered down beside them shooting from his arm mounted cannons, his suits glowing eyes looking down at him.

"You know that means Lt?" Naqia asked him.

Stratos opened up his suits faceplate, he nodded "Go." Was all he said.

"No, no, we can still-" Stratos held his other turret arm up at Jay "Go or I will shoot you myself." he said as the last of their B5's were shot down. Naqia went around Jay and Stratos to arm the bomb strapped to Strato's suit.

Jay looked in horror before Stratos resealed his shoot, "Live free Jay." Stratos replied.

"... Die well, Stratos." Jay said, turning as Stratos burst out from behind the crates drawing all the fire to his warsuit and unleashing a barrage of canon fire on the stormtroopers as the bomb started to count down. Naqia grabbed Jay by his arm and held him low as they ran behind other crates and walkers to the exit.

Back outside, Ezra tried to pilot the walker away from the others but they were caught in a pincer by two AT-AT tanks "Not a whole lot of that around- wait something on the scanner?"

Up above them, Ryder saw a squadron of Vulture droids and one Militia Interceptor, with green stripes. "We have incoming Militia fighters." Up in the command Center Thrawn's eyes narrowed "So the rebels and the Militia are still working together?" Pryce said aloud.

Before having to give the order a swarm of TIE fighters flew overhead to engage the Vulture droids, the Vulture droids flew right at the TIE's and the Interceptor hit the gas, it soared straight at the AT-AT,s Colin was inside the cockpit before he ejected his rocket boots carrying him toward the two tanks, he adjusted himself in the air and reached into his thick leather and fleece bomber jacket taking out two rolls of detonators, he somersaulted in the air to slow his descent just fast enough he ran along the top of the tank throwing the detonator at the first of the two Walkers neck and then leaping from the first to do the same to second before his interceptor piloted by his droid flew between the legs of the walkers for him to safely land back in and take off just before the walkers necks exploded.

"I don't believe it." Ryder gasped as the Dragoon flew off his mission done, the rest of the Vulture droids a distraction for his attack.

Kanan and Ezra wobbled their damaged walker to the rebel land speeder and hopped out running to the escape "Sumar?" Ryder asked, Ezra looked up to Mrs. Sumar and sadly said "He didn't make it." Their moment of silence was cut short by more imperials pouring from the factory.

"More walkers incoming!" Ryder shouted as the speeder bikes around the west side of the factory came blasting by, with Naqia and Jay on them shooting back at the pursuing Imperials, "Where's Stratos?" Kanan asked, shooting at the tanks.

Naqia pulled up alongside them and shook her head under the helmet, Jay looked back knowing he was all alone.

They looked back at the factory, and deep inside the factory floor, Stratos was surrounded on all sides by the stormtroopers, walkers, and everything they could throw at him, he had both his droid armored marine's cannon arms unleashing a full fury of his suit. The cracked chassis echoed out his screams of defiance. Up in the command center, Grand Admiral Thrawn looked at the last stand and noticed the glowing crack in the armor, the bomb, Thrawn's red eyes widened "Governor Pryce, Agent Kallus, issue and evacuation order." he said clearly.

"What?" Pryce asked, Kallus looked at the feed "That's not a suit it's a bomb." He slammed he alarm and everyone moved quickly to the exit. Down on the factory floor the stormtroopers heard the alarm and Stratos snickered as they all ran off, he looked down at the bomb embedded in the spaced interior of the suit he looked at the bomb. Arms out wide Stratos closed his eyes and shouted "MILITIA INVICTUS!" the bomb ignited. As the rebels and Militia drove away they saw the factory explode a giant plum of fire and smoke rising in a mushroom over the city, shaking the very earth. Taking Stratos with it.

TRENCH TOWN

Militia Front

The Imperial advance had halted after the destruction of the factory, back inside the ruins of the town the Militia and Rebels had returned in solemn silence, for the sacrifice of victory. Ezra and Kanan had their disguises removed dressed in their iconic orange and green, standing with Ryder and Mrs. Sumar, "Mrs. Sumar, I'm so sorry about your husband but he… he died a hero." he said.

"So did Stratos." Kanan said noticing Jay and Naqia weren't far from earshot.

Ryder patted Mrs. Sumar on the shoulder, "Sumar would be proud of what we accomplished, and good to his word, General Fragg's intercepted reports show the factory was the only major building destroyed."

"The Empire will only tighten their hold now." Kanan said to him, "True, but we'll be ready."

"That we will." A familiar voice shouted, the rebels turned to see riding from the far end of the town on the back of a black loth wolf was none other than Lord Bloodwolf himself, Reik Azadi, the Warlord of Lothal's Militia, he was flanked by two of his raiders also riding Lothwolves, both of them darker shades of gray. Reiks stood taller than them with blood red eyes and wild fur, it lowered for him to get off and the Militia stood aside saluting him as he approached. General Fragg came out of his command tent to greet them, he saluted fist over his chest "Warlord, the mission was a success, but we did suffer casualties."

"Noble deaths for the cause." Reik said looking over at Naqia and then at Ryder, his father, now standing tall and muscled, the two men, Reik and Ryder were clearly father and son from theri strong jawlines to imposing eyes, a small crowd had started to gather to see the Warlord approaching the rebels.

"Father, Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger… our last meeting was under duress." he said noticing the crowd "We could not have this Victory without you!" he shouted loudly, "Or the sacrifice of the brave Sumar, or Lt. Stratos, I did not know Sumar well, but he was a farmer like me, like most of us!" Stratos said shouting to his men "But when the time came for Sumar to put down the plow and pick up the sword he did his duty to his world, Stratos lost his world to the Empire, he came here to show me how we could take ours back and he has given us one final lesson. THAT THE PRICE OF FREEDOM IS NEVER TO HIGH!" Reik shouted to his men slowly spinning as he spoke before he came full circle "AND THAT WHEN WE STAND, WE STAND UNITED AS ONE!" he held up his arm and hand out toward Ryder, leader of the Lothal cell "Embrace me father, and we can save Lothal together." Ryder looked at his sons hand and then clasped his to Reiks.

A cheer went up around the Militia, "LOTHAL FOREVER!" Reik shouted.

ATOLLON

Chopper Base

Ezra and Kanan had returned Chopper base with the data, everyone was gathered around the holotable, Ezra, Kanan, Hera, Chopper, Zeb, Commander Sato and both Jay and Naqia who had dropped Ezra and Kanan off at their base. Holograms of Lord Asimov, Trench, Ahkilleon and Sabine where standing idle as Chopper plugged into the holotable to upload the data "I think I almost got the data decrypted." Sabine said in a hologram form looking at the holotable from Raxus.

"Whoa. I've never seen an Imperial fighter like that." Sabine said looking at a hologram that appeared, it was a TIE fighter with the eyeball body, but the winds were more dagger like pointing out instead of the solar hexagon shape of the standard issue fighter "Sabine, talk to me."

"Looks like some new kind of TIE interceptor, but this one has shields." she said looking at the ships designs "But TIE fighters never had shields before." Zeb asked.

"Maybe that's why it's so secret." Ezra pointed out.

"If they're actually building these in numbers, our pilots won't stand a chance." Commander Sato said looking at it grimly "And neither will the rebellion." Hera added.

Asimov and Trench looked at one another, "We will dispatch additional Rogue-class starfighters on Captain Tano's return to support your numbers, the offer of Vulture droids still stands." Asimov said calmly.

"We will consider it." Sato replied, Hera looked over to Kanan and Ezra "How'd you get past Thrawn with these plans?"

"Someone's losing more than their job for that." Sabine added.

Kanan shrugged "I guess we can thank Agent Kallus." Ezra said as Kanan threw in "He knew Fulcrum's secret code phrase."

"Wait, wait, wait. Kallus is Fulcrum?" Hera asked "How does that even make sense?" Sabin asked aloud.

"Karabast. I must've recruited him….You know, accidentally." Zeb said, scratching his purple fur.

"You mean when you were stuck on that ice moon with him?" Ezra asked him.

Zeb nodded sheepishly "Yeah, well. We didn't kill each other, so I guess we're friends now?"

"Still, we'll use caution with our new friend until we're sure we know what game he's playing." Hera said candidly, "Sabine, when can we expect you back?" Hera asked.

Sabine looked to Ahkilleon, "As soon as I'm able." She said leaving out the part of the assassin.

RAXUS

Temple Asimov, Communications Tower

They cut the transmission to the rebel base, and Lord Asimov spoke first "Thank you, Lady Wren for your cooperation in keeping this breach of security under wraps." Lord Asimov said.

"How did an assassin get past our fleet?" Ahkilleon asked, hands on his table. The sun had started to go down outside the communications tower turning the sky red, much like Ahkilleons mood.

Trench stroked his mandibles clicking "It must have been months ago click-click-click, a spy embedded to strike click-click-click?" Trench said as Ahkilleon looked as Asimov.

"We should have an answer soon." Asimov said as walking up the steps of the tower's cylinder stairwell in his purple robes and bindings was the Warlord of Shadows, the golden masked Caliban. He was holding the holopad that Ahkilleon had recovered still stained with the assassin's blood "ISB Kill order, no denying it, the assassins prints and key code identity are scrubbed from Imperial record he's a ghost." He said, tossing the bloody holopad on the table.

"Why would click-click-click the girl be a target click-click, why not me- click-click you, Lord Asimov?" Trench asked the room.

Sabine stepped forward "The Empire has to know the Militia and rebellion are working together, if I died, then so does our agreement?" she asked.

"I very much doubt one Assassin would be able to slay one so formidable, 'Lady' Wren." Caliban snickered as he tapped his wrapped fingers together, Ahkilleon paced the where he stood "How do we respond."

"Respond, no we investigate my dear Captain." Caliban said before Ahkilleon slammed his fist on the table cracking the holomonitor screen "That's not good enough!" he shouted.

The whole room was silent "They hit his us, on our home, they invaded Lothal, we need to respond Master, we hit them where it hurts."

"By all means, send the order to attack Coruscant while we're at it." Caliban said behind his golden mask the smile on it looking at Ahkilleon, "No, we're at war with the Empire, not it's people but it's Military machine and the person leading it, the Emperor, this assassinaton attempt was a message we need t send him one." Ahkilleon said.

Asimov leaned forward "Go on?" Asimov asked.

Ahkilleon walked over to the holotable controls. "We need to show the people of the galaxy, even the Emperor is weak, by taking something of his."

"And the Capital isn't that?" Caliban asked.

"No, he breaks into our house; we break into his." Ahkilleon brought up a bright green and blue world, "Naboo click-click?" Trench asked.

Ahkilleon nodded, "Homeworld of the Emperor, you want to attack Naboo?" Sabine asked.

"No, I want to raze it to the ground."