Empire Day
4 BBY
Within the town of Jhothal on the planet of Lothal, Hera, Zeb and Serah were making their way to Old Jho's Pit Stop.
But Serah stopped and took off her helmet, glancing her way just outside of the town, where she saw Ender and Kanan in the middle of another Jedi training lesson.
"Step outside of yourself. Make a connection with another being." Kanan told Ender, who seemed distant.
"Can't we just do this tomorrow?" Ender requested.
"We can do it now." Kanan retorted as he grabbed a rock by his foot. "Focus."
"Just throw the rock, will ya?" Ender groaned.
Kanan threw the rock into the grass as Ender had his arms out, causing a creature to screech and growl before leaping out and appearing before the pair, revealing itself to be a Loth-cat.
"He clearly doesn't want to connect." Ender told Kanan hesitantly as the Loth-cat snarled up at him, ready to pounce.
"You're resisting. He can sense it." Kanan pointed out.
"Seriously? He's some kind of Padawan cat?" Ender questioned.
The Loth-cat then leapt at him, landing on his face and making him fall onto his back.
"You don't seem to be getting this." Kanan chuckled.
"I get that he wants to maul my face up!" Ender replied as he held the Loth-cat in his hands, holding him out of reach from his face, as it screeched and tried scratching him up.
He then sat up and threw it away, making it land by the grass, snarling at him.
"Honestly, Kanan, I don't even see the point of this." Ender sighed in frustration as he got back up on his feet.
"The point is that you're not alone." Kanan replied before closing his eyes and holding his hand out to the Loth-cat, using the Force. "You're connected to every living thing in the universe. But to discover that, you have to let your guard down. You have to be willing to attach to others."
Ender looked at the Loth-cat, finding it was now sitting down with a smile, meowing.
"But what if I can't?" He then asked.
"If you hang onto your past, if you always try to protect yourself, you'll never be a Jedi." Kanan explained, opening his eyes.
"Then that means I'll never be a Jedi." Ender said bitterly.
"Kid, whatever's going on with you, you need to spill it." Kanan insisted.
"I'm sorry, Kanan, I'm trying not to wear you out, but today isn't a good day, it never has been for me." Ender sighed.
"Today?" Kanan asked, unsure of what he meant.
"Yeah, Empire Day." Ender replied bitterly.
The Loth-cat meowed before turning its head and snarled, running away a second later.
The pair looked to see three TIE fighters flying right for Jhothal.
"Why are this many TIEs out this far from the city?" Ender questioned.
"Nothing good. Come on." Kanan replied before he and Ender ran back to the town.
The pair reached the town as the three TIEs lowered into Old Jho's, which they entered through the stairs.
Upon entering, they saw the TIE pilots wandering through the establishment, like they were searching for someone.
The two then moved up to the bar, while Hera, Zeb and Serah sat at a table together, keeping their eyes on the pilots.
Ender and Kanan sat at the bar when one of the pilots walked up to and eyed the three sitting at the table.
"Over here." Another pilot called out, having them all gather around a green Rodian, who grew nervous, even more so when one of the pilots grabbed him and turned him to face him.
He held up a datapad that had the image of a yellow skinned Rodian with green eyes, which Ender noticed and recognised.
"Tseebo." He whispered, which was heard by Kanan.
"What?" He asked him.
"Nothing." Ender replied.
"He's not the one." The pilot with the datapad told his fellow pilots, who forced the Rodian back onto his seat, leaving him whimpering, while the pilot walked up to the bar to talk with Old Jho, the Ithorian who owns the cantina.
"The Imperial HoloNet broadcast should play here at all times!" He barked, slamming his fist down and knocking away a drink Old Jho gave him.
"No one's requested it for, well, ever." The Ithorian replied.
"It's the law." The pilot sneered.
So, reluctantly, Old Jho turned on the HoloNet broadcast, which, as usually, displayed Imperial propaganda, now about Empire Day.
"...because today is Empire Day, celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the galaxy's salvation…" A male voice said, earning a truly venomous glare from Ender as the screen now showed an image of Emperor Palpatine. "...when our great Emperor Palpatine ended the Clone Wars and founded our glorious Empire. On Lothal, Governor Pryce has commissioned a parade."
"You heard the man!" One of the pilots, pointing his blaster at a few patrons with their drinks. "Raise your cups to Emperor -"
The broadcast was suddenly changed, showing the image of Gall Trayvis.
"Citizens, this is senator in exile Gall Trayvis." Gall's voice said. "I bring more news the Empire doesn't want you to hear. I urge you to boycott all Empire Day celebrations to protest the ongoing injustices of the Imperial regime."
Ever since Gall's last broadcast about Luminara, Ender has been suspicious of Gall, though he has yet to have confirmation on Gall's true allegiance.
"Shut this off!" The pilot demanded Old Jho.
"Can't. It's the law." The Ithorian retorted.
"We're done here." The pilot snarled before he and his fellow pilots walked to their TIE fighters, got in them and took off, all being watched by the Ghost crew present in the cantina.
The broadcast was now back to normal.
"So come see the parade and -" The male voice said before Old Jho turned the broadcast off.
"TIE pilots on search patrols? What's going on?" Kanan asked him as everyone else joined his and Ender's side.
"Imperials have locked down the ports and put Destroyers in orbit. It's a full planetary blockade." Old Jho explained.
"They're after a Rodian." Kanan noted, glancing at the Rodian the pilots harassed earlier.
"At least they're not after us for once." Serah pointed out.
"With what we got planned for today's parade, they'll be after us again tomorrow." Kanan reminded her.
"You'll just have to do it without me." Ender told everyone, much to their shock.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kanan asked as Ender turned to leave.
"I need to be alone. Today's bringing back things I wish to forget." Ender replied before he continued on, leaving everyone confused and concerned for Ender. Especially Serah, considering she has grown to care for Ender very much.
Ender made it back to the comm tower he used as his home before he met the Ghost crew, where he leaned against the banister, looking out at the Capital City, and a Star Destroyer hovering above.
"Why would they be after you, Tseebo?" He asked aloud.
He then turned and entered his home and opened a small red box on the workbench, pulling out a remote, which he looked down at with sadness.
He then closed his eyes and unknowingly tapped into the Force.
"Ender." He heard a woman's voice, one he recognised instantly.
"Mom." He said softly as he opened his eyes.
He looked back down at the remote, which he stroked with his thumb.
"Ender." He then heard a man's voice, which he recognised.
"Dad." Ender said as he closed his eyes, feeling sorrow.
"Ender, we must stand up for those in need, especially those that are in trouble with the Empire." He heard his father speak, which made him realise something.
"I know where you are, Tseebo." He said aloud.
That evening, in the city, the citizens were all gathered on either side of the street that led to Imperial headquarters, cheering as the parade to celebrate Empire Day was commencing.
Orchestral music played the Imperial March as AT-DPs and ITTs made their way down the street.
Combat drivers also rode on speeders, all moving past a plinth, where stood Tua, Aresko and Rudor, the Imperial pilot Zeb took the TIE fighter from when he and Ender tried getting meilooruns.
"Minister, I'm honoured Governor Pryce chose me to organise this spectacle." Aresko admitted to Tua.
"This is no spectacle, Commandant." Tua snapped at him, taking him and Rudor aback, before she turned to speak via the speakers and broadcast with holograms. "Citizens, I am Minister Maketh Tua. Governor Pryce sends her regrets, but she was invited to Coruscant to celebrate with Emperor Palpatine himself!"
"Let's hear some enthusiasm!" Grint snarled, nudging a few citizens, who all reluctantly clapped.
A green Rodian was then grabbed by the shoulder and was turned, facing Kallus and some stormtroopers. The former looked at a datapad that had Tseebo's image on it, realising this Rodian wasn't him.
"Enjoy the celebration, citizen." Kallus sneered before walking off with his stormtroopers.
In the alleyway behind the citizens, the Ghost crew, excluding Ender and Chopper, all gathered.
"Okay, let's start the celebration." Kanan told everyone.
"Copy that, commencing celebration and festivities." Serah replied, putting her helmet on before everyone continued on.
"Lothal is just as important to our Empire as any world in the galaxy." Tua continued her speech as Kanan and Hera stopped to look up at the large screen showing her. "And she wanted me to show you why. Citizens, I present you with the latest vessel from Lothal's Imperial shipyards, the Sienar Systems advanced TIE starfighter!"
A new model TIE fighter was unveiled, with curved vertical wings, compared to the usual straight wings.
The crowd all clapped and cheered, even Hera couldn't help but clap, as well.
"Pretty, isn't it?" Kanan asked her.
"Yeah. I almost feel bad about blowing it up." She replied with an eager expression.
"I sense we'll need to make a quick exit." Kanan then told her before they split up.
"And who better to take this beauty on her maiden voyage than one of the best Imperial pilots on Lothal, Baron Valen Rudor!" Tua then said, a spotlight shining down on the pilot, who stood straight and waved at the crowd.
Nearby, both Zeb and Serah stopped behind some citizens in an alleyway.
"When I say 'now', launch this as high up as you can." Serah instructed the Lasat as she tossed him a thermal detonator that would set off some fireworks, which started beeping.
"Okay, now?" He asked as the beeping started getting faster. "Now?" The beeping was getting even faster. "Now?"
"Now." Serah told him as the beeping stopped and was primed.
Zeb hurled the detonator up in the air, exploding into a dazzling display of fireworks that made the crowd eagerly cheer and clap.
"Very good, Commandant. The governor will be impressed." Tua told Aresko, thinking he was the one who planned the fireworks.
"Thank you, minister." Aresko replied as he joined in with Tua, clapping.
Kanan then showed up, hiding behind an ITT, where he saw a couple of stormtroopers next to it, their backs facing him.
"Another?" Serah said, holding another detonator to Zeb.
"Don't mind if I do." He replied before throwing it up, where it exploded some more fireworks.
With the stormtroopers and those on the plinth distracted, Kanan crept his way towards the new TIE and planted a bomb on one of the hoverpads used to move it.
He then snuck back towards the ITT and backed away, getting caught by another stormtrooper.
"You there! This area's off-limits." He told Kanan, aiming his blaster at him.
"Did you see it?" Kanan asked, pretending to be an overly eager citizen. "It's so beautiful! All the colours! It's like a… like a rainbow!"
He then reached for his blaster when Ender showed up behind the stormtrooper.
"There you are, dad, I've been looking for you!" Ender said, getting between the stormtrooper and Kanan. "You'll have to excuse him, sir. He can be very patriotic."
"Empire Day! I love it!" Kanan cheered.
"See?" Ender said to the stormtrooper.
"All hail our glorious Empire!" Kanan continued.
"Right, well, move along." The stormtrooper told him and Ender, who walked away into the crowd.
"Thanks. Where have you been?" Kanan asked Ender.
"Made some connections. How's the plan, by the way?" Ender replied.
"Just watch." Kanan grinned.
Ender was confused for a moment until he heard beeping from the bomb, making him realise what was going on.
It soon exploded, destroying the TIE in a flurry of fireworks, also knocking over the plinth that had Rudor, Tua and Aresko on it.
While the crowd screamed in panic, Zeb and Serah cheered.
The two stormtroopers that stood guard near them helped up Tua, Aresko and Rudor.
"Who is responsible for this? Find them!" Tua raged as she got up on her feet.
Zeb laughed before he and Serah ran off, soon catching up with Ender and Kanan.
"Nice of you to join us, kid." Zeb greeted Ender.
"Where were you?" Serah asked him.
"Had to take some time for myself." Ender replied.
As the crowd ran for their lives, the various stormtroopers present walked around, trying to find the ones responsible for the attack.
Soon, the four stopped and turned back, seeing Kallus among the troopers.
"Been spoilin' to finish things with Agent Kallus." Zeb snarled as he wielded his bo-rifle, turning it into its blaster form, and aimed it at Kallus.
But then Kanan's heart sank when he spotted the Inquisitor appear by the destroyed TIE.
"Hey, if you want to take somebody out, take out that guy!" Kanan suggested to Zeb, pointing at the Inquisitor.
"Fine." Zeb groaned, aiming his bo-rifle at the Inquisitor, firing a few shots, which missed, though they hit the TIE, which exploded even more.
Zeb and Kanan then turned and ran away just as the Inquisitor noticed them, his left eye twitching in anger.
The four ran and turned a corner, running further into the streets.
"Spectre-2, we're en route to the rendezvous." Kanan informed Hera through his communicator.
"Negative, Spectre-1. The streets are blocked. I cannot, repeat, cannot reach rendezvous." Hera replied, making everyone stop.
"I happen to know somewhere we can hole up for the time being." Ender told everyone before turning to Zeb, in particular. "But you, big guy, may have a problem taking my route."
"Then we need another option." Kanan replied.
"Nah, it's fine." Zeb sighed before grabbing his communicator. "Spectre-2, can you make it to the Old Market?"
"Affirmative." Hera replied as Zeb put the communicator away and started climbing up the wall next to him.
"I'm on my way." He then said.
"Get back to the Ghost." Kanan told him.
"This way." Ender told him and Serah, leaning them away.
"We'll signal a new rendezvous when we can!" Kanan called out to Zeb.
Stormtroopers started searching through the streets and alleyways, searching for Ender and the others.
"Over here!" One of them shouted, and they ran away, all being watched by Ender through a vent grate.
Back with the destroyed TIE, Tua was fuming as she looked at its burning remains, while Kallus and the Inquisitor were sorting out strategies to find the Ghost crew.
"I want schematics of the city's ventilation systems, sewers, everything." Kallus told a stormtrooper, who ran off with his new orders.
"Lock down the entire city." The Inquisitor ordered through a communicator.
"Sir, yes, sir!" Aresko replied.
"These rebels have ruined Empire Day! They must be punished!" Tua seethed in anger.
"We all want that, Minister." Kallus replied, turning to her. "But our priority is still the Rodian."
Elsewhere in the city, after a couple of stormtroopers ran nearby, Ender led Kanan and Serah to an abandoned building that had a warning painted on it, and was charred and scorched by blaster fire with boarded up windows.
"An Imperial warning? This building's declared off limits." Serah noted. "What is this place, Ender?"
Ender didn't reply. Instead, he pulled out the remote he took from the comm tower and slid it through a slot that acted as a lock, opening the door, which didn't open all the way.
"You were coming here today." Kanan said, realising what this place was. "This was your home, wasn't it? Where you grew up?"
"I grew up alone on the streets." Ender corrected him coolly as he forced the door open wide for him, Kanan and Serah to enter.
Once they did, Kanan closed the door back up and Serah took her helmet off.
"Why here? Why now?" She asked Ender as Kanan looked out through the windows, keeping an eye out for stormtroopers.
"I just had this feeling…." Ender replied, looking around before walking up to a foot stool, which he moved, revealing a hatch with a ladder leading down. He looked down to see a yellow Rodian with an AJ6 cyborg construct around his head, whimpering fearfully.
"Tseebo, it's me, Ender Brand." Ender called out to the Rodian, who stopped whimpering and looked up at him, his construct chirping.
Tseebo then climbed up the ladder and joined up with everyone present. His construct chirped again and started speaking in Huttese, walking right to one of the windows, bonking his head against it.
"That's the Rodian the Imperials are hunting. You know him?" Kanan asked in disbelief.
"Yeah. His name's Tseebo. He was a friend of my parents." Ender replied as he sat down on the circular sofa. "But what's with that thing on his head?"
"The Empire tends to implant lower level technicians with cybernetic enhancements." Serah replied, examining the construct. "Personality sacrificed and replaced for productivity."
"Tseebo's productivity is nineteen percent higher than average Imperial data worker." Tseebo replied in Basic, the most common language in the galaxy.
"He went to work for the Imperial information office after the Empire took my parents away." Ender bitterly revealed.
"Your parents? You never told us." Kanan said, surprised to hear this.
"Because there's nothing to tell. They've been gone for eight years." Ender replied before standing. "I've been all on my own since I was nine."
"Seven. Imperial…." Tseebo muttered after his construct beeped again, going back to speaking Huttese.
"What's he saying?" Kanan asked Serah, since he can't understand that language.
"He's talking of Imperial fighter deployments on Lothal." Serah revealed, eyes wide with realisation.
"That's it. Tseebo has intel the Empire doesn't want getting out. Serah, can you access it?" Kanan said.
"I'll try, Just give me a few minutes." Serah replied hesitantly, working on the construct.
"Ender. You okay?" Kanan asked, turning to see Ender about to climb down the ladder.
"I'm fine." Ender replied bitterly.
"I told you, sometimes you have to let your guard down." Kanan reminded him.
"I said, I'm fine." Ender sternly repeated.
"Ender Brand, son of Axel and Minerva Brand. Born eighteen years ago today." Tseebo revealed, shocking both Kanan and Serah.
"No wonder he's upset. His birthday's also Empire Day." Serah said, the two now understanding why Ender's been dour.
Ender reached the bottom of the ladder, entering the basement, which he looked around, seeing a thick layer of dust covering pretty much everything. He then spotted a radio that his parents used, and pulled out a holodisk out of it.
"The risk you Brands take. Tseebo say you must think of your son." He heard Tseebo's voice through the Force, recalling a memory.
"All we ever think about is our son!" Axel snapped back. "We're teaching Ender to stand up for those in need of help."
"And we're fighting for our son's freedom, as well as the people of Lothal's." Minerva then said.
"Tseebo not fight battle Tseebo know cannot be won." Tseebo replied gravely. "Neither should Brands."
"You'll want to see this." He then heard Serah right next to him, making him jump. "What's with the disk?"
"My parents did underground broadcasts down here, speaking out against the Empire." Ender replied, sighing as he put the disk down on the radio. "Probably just one of them."
He then climbed back up the ladder while Serah looked at the disk.
A moment after Ender climbed back up and joined Kanan and Tseebo, Serah joined up. She then used one of her computer-linked gauntlets, which activated Tseebo's holo-emitter, displaying Imperial information.
"What are we looking at?" Kanan asked Serah.
"It's… everything!" Serah gasped, reading what was being shown. "There's Imperial specs on the new TIEs, new T-8 disruptors, schedules of troop movements, tactics and strategies, and so much more. Half of this stuff's encrypted, but there seems to be a five year plan for Lothal and every other planet in the Outer Rim."
The display was then shut off and Tseebo groaned as he wobbled, leaning against the circular table behind him.
"It's no wonder he's out of it. All that information would overload anyone." Ender noted.
"The secrets in his head must be damaging to the Empire." Kanan pondered. "We'll need to smuggle him off Lothal."
"But we need to smuggle him out of the city, first." Serah reminded him. "The only reason the Empire hasn't caught Tseebo yet was because they were occupied with Empire Day. And today's almost over."
As she was talking, Ender and Kanan watched Tseebo walk right for a door, which he knocked his head into, and fell onto his back, making the two, and Serah, groan.
Outside, nearby were a couple of combat drivers on speeder bikes and ITT.
"Tear open every rathole in the sector. Find that Rodian!" One of the drivers told the other before they split up and sped through the streets.
A couple of stormtroopers walked by the ITT when one of them was shot down, making the other turn to see Serah, who spin kicked them in the helmet, knocking them out.
Kanan ran past her towards the ITT just as the driver popped out, having heard the blaster fire. He turned and faced a grinning Kanan, who threw the driver onto the ground, knocking them out.
"C'mon, Tseebo, move!" Ender groaned as he pulled Tseebo by the hand to the ITT, then pushed him by the back, as he was speaking in Huttese. "Will you shut up?"
Everyone got inside the ITT, and both Kanan and Serah got in the drivers' seats, activating the vehicle and drove off, just as the driver woke up and watched them go.
At the main gate leading to the southern highway, Aresko and Grint formed a roadblock made up of a couple of walkers, an ITT and a couple of combat drivers on speeder bikes.
"Commandant Aresko, an Imperial troop transport has been reported stolen from the Lower City. I'm on my way, but do not let it pass." Kallus informed Aresko through his communicator.
"Acknowledged. We're ready." Aresko replied. "Positions!"
A couple of stormtroopers joined among the combat drivers as everyone aimed their weapons down the road leading to the city.
Eventually, the ITT that was stolen made a right turn and headed right for them.
"That's far enough, rebel scum." Aresko spat.
But Kanan and Serah kept driving the ITT forward.
"If they think I'm gonna stop, then they're idiots." Serah told him and Ender.
"You'd think they'd learn by now." Ender shrugged, watching through the windshield between her and Kanan.
"STOP!" Aresko ordered, holding his hand out, but the ITT kept heading for them.
"Punch it!" Kanan told Serah, who accelerated the ITT.
"Fire!" Aresko ordered everyone.
They all fired at the ITT, missing as they did so, with the ITT firing back, causing the speeder bikes, Aresko, Grint and the stormtroopers to move to the sides.
A couple of shots hit the ITT, making it shake, which had Tseebo mumble and look over Ender's shoulder.
Serah kept driving the ITT forward, being able to miss more shots.
"Stop, I said!" Aresko demanded, but realised it wasn't gonna stop. "I said stop!"
He dived out of the ITT's way, which then rammed through one of the walkers' feet making it crash down, and then rammed into the other ITT, making it crash onto its side as Serah kept driving, now on the highway itself, which had Ender chuckle, especially with how bumpy it was.
But, of course, they were now being chased, both by the drivers on the speeder bikes, and by an ITT.
Within the ITT was Kallus.
"This is Agent Kallus, ISB-021, calling the Inquisitor. The rebels are through the main gate and headed south." Kallus told the Inquisitor through a hologram, who was walking in a hangar with a couple of pilots with him.
"Their ship will be waiting. Slow them down. We're on our way." The Inquisitor replied before the hologram shut off.
One of the combat drivers caught up to the ITT Serah was driving and planted a grenade on the left door.
Inside, Ender watched as the left door started sparking until it exploded, making him cover his face, because of the sparks and smoke.
When the smoke vanished, he looked outside, seeing the speeder bike, but its driver was missing.
Knowing the driver was about to jump inside, he waited for him to show up.
When he did, he tried kicking Ender away, but Ender ducked down and did an uppercut before kicking the driver in the chest, having been trained to fight in hand to hand combat by the crew, knocking the driver out onto the other combat driver's speeder bike, knocking them away and off onto the highway itself.
"Looks like that training paid off." Serah complimented Ender.
The ITT chasing them then fired a few shots before hitting the back, knocking Tseebo onto his chest.
The right door opened up and Kallus climbed up on top of the ITT and wielded his bo-rifle in its staff form before jumping onto the rebels' ITT, which Ender was barely able to hear.
"I think we have an unwanted passenger above." He told Kanan and Serah.
Kallus would've tried to jump inside, but he turned to see that the Ghost was flying above, the ramp opened up with Zeb looking down at him.
"Remember me?" He called out to Kallus, wielding his bo-rifle in its blaster form, which he fired, trying to hit Kallus.
"Spectre-5 to Ghost. We're coming in hot." Serah informed Zeb.
"Can see that. You got company upstairs." He replied.
"Take them down!" Kallus ordered his ITT, the driver fired the turret up at the Ghost, hitting it and making it shake.
"Shield's holding, but I need that transport taken out." Hera informed as she flicked some switches above her. "Chopper, you got this?"
Chopper grunted as he made his way into the Phantom and pulled a lever that fired the turret repeatedly until the ITT kicked up in the air and crashed upside down, which had the astromech whooping and flexing his mechanical arms.
Kallus glared up at the Ghost, where he saw Zeb peek out from where he was and fired down at Kallus, making him yell as he fell off the back of the ITT.
"Okay, you're all clear. Pull over, and we'll -"
"Belay that." Hera cut Zeb off. "Have to be a scoop job. Sensors reading multiple TIEs incoming."
"TIE fighters will begin mass-production on Lothal within the next six weeks." Tseebo said as Ender helped him sit up.
"You just love giving us fun facts, don't ya?" Ender questioned.
Kanan got out and climbed onto the top of the ITT and pulled Tseebo up, with help from Ender, just as the Ghost lowered itself so that everyone could jump onboard.
"Ready?" Ender asked Serah.
"Yep. Autopilot is engaged, so it'll keep going until it's out of fuel." Serah replied, pressing a button, as Ender climbed up.
She followed after him just as the ramp extended.
"Get in!" Zeb said, and Kanan ushered Tseebo up first, but then he heard grunting, making him look to see Kallus, who had managed to hang onto the back of the ITT, aiming his bo-rifle at him and firing a few shots that missed.
"Go! Go!" Kanan told Ender and Serah, who jumped onto the ramp, while he connected his lightsaber emitter with the hilt, activating it as Kallus climbed back up.
He blocked and deflected the rest of Kallus' shots before he jumped onto the ramp as the Ghost was lifting up in the sky.
"Kallus to Inquisitor, the Rodian Tseebo is confirmed aboard the rebel vessel." He informed through his communicator, seeing five TIE fighters in the sky, one of which had curved wings, which was piloted by the Inquisitor.
"Acknowledged. TIEs, assume attack formation. Fire at will." The Inquisitor said, leading the TIEs after the Ghost, and firing at said ship.
"I need my gunners." Hera told everyone through the Ghost's comlink. "Shields won't hold long under this barrage."
"Almost there!" Kanan informed her as he climbed up to the dorsal turret.
Chopper warbled, firing the Phantom's turret, missing the TIEs, before Hera performed some manoeuvres among the clouds.
The Inquisitor's TIE locked in on the Phantom and he fired a shot, directly hitting it and taking Chopper out.
This also made the Ghost violently shake, making everyone that was in the common room (Ender, Zeb, Serah and Tseebo) stumble and nearly fall over.
"Karabast! That came from behind!" Zeb grumbled before climbing up to the Phantom. "Is that scrap even payin' attention?"
"I'll man the nose gun." Serah told Ender, turning to leave.
"Wait for me." Ender told her.
But then the ship shook again, making him fall on top of Tseebo, who sat by the table, bonking their heads together.
Ender groaned as he lifted his head up while Tseebo shook his head, his construct chirping.
He then looked around before laying his green eyes on Ender.
"Ender? Ender Brand," He said, making Ender gasp and back away, while Tseebo stood up and approached him, speaking Huttese. "It is you!"
"Yeah, it's me. Now's not the best time for a reunion." Ender told him, being heard by Serah, who turned to see what was going on as the yellow Rodian grabbed Ender's shoulders.
"Ender Brand…." He said before speaking in Huttese again, shaking Ender slightly before his hands were forced off.
"What did he say?" Ender asked Serah, who was wide eyed.
"He just said he knows what happened to your parents." She revealed, leaving Ender shocked.
For an idea of the voices for Axel and Minerva, think Chris Evans and Angelina Jolie.
