Star Wars Rebels 1. Battles of Separate Kinds

**And as it turns out, I'm not dead! Hurray!**

**Oh my goodness, I've been working on this night and day... and now it's finally ready for publishing. Since the reactions to Abducted were so positive and you guys were asking for a sequel with Vader... well, who am I not to write it?**

**Just a warning: if you haven't read my previous story, Abducted, I recommend you do so before reading this story. There will be major characters and plot-points that are from Abducted that are important here, so if you haven't read about them, I heavily suggest that you do to further enhance your 'reading experience.'**

**And, just because I'm in the spirit of Valentine's Day and have sorely missed writing, here's a super long beginning chapter for you all! Enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: Star Wars: Rebels belongs to Disney, which is like, a thousand miles from where I am. If heading over there would miraculously give me ownership of our favorite Rebels, be-li-ev-e me, I would be _gone_.**

* * *

The rain made the ground slippery.

That, of course, was true for any planet. But the fallen leaves made for treacherously slippery ground, and the cloaked figure running across them knew that only too well.

Being pursued by at least twenty men in white armor, the figure didn't exactly have time to carefully choose their footing. The best they could do was run as fast as their long, slender legs would allow, and curse whenever the foliage betrayed them. Other than that, there was no time for anything. The men chasing behind the figure were trained well, and their armor gave them more traction on the ground than the figure's own soft boots did.

A red blaster bolt hit a tree to their immediate right, and they slipped violently, only barely managing to stay on their feet. They _really_ didn't like the rain.

"Don't shoot to kill! Stun only!" _At least I've got that going for me._

The figure's breath was fast and erratic under their hood, and they knew they couldn't keep up this pace forever. But the soldiers behind them showed no signs of tiring, and they had ranged weapons to pick them off when they lagged. Over all, this was not an ideal situation for them to be in, especially since the only escape vehicle was miles and miles away. In the opposite direction. Heavily guarded. They would have groaned if it wouldn't have caused their breathing to distort even more.

This was just the perfect situation. Usually, the hooded figure's frequent recon missions went smoothly, even if their over-all goal failed. The figure hadn't been able to find a suitable time or place or anything else to help them high-jack the off-world transport the soldiers had for over a year, and since their own was broken, they were stuck here on the moon. Still, though, they had never been seen.

Until now.

The figure jumped over a fallen tree, long wet cloak slapping against their legs, and they realized: there might be a way out of this situation. This was the territory just a few miles from a huge cliff that fell to insane depths...if they could lure the stormtroopers there, it would prevent the Imperials from circling around and overwhelming them...

_Should I fight them? It might just be more troublesome for me later... but if I just eventually lose them they'll send out more search parties... well, they'll send out more search parties either way._

_What do I do?_

* * *

Ezra Bridger narrowed his eyes, willing them to adjust to the darkness faster. So far, the only things he could see were blurry shapes in the distance. Whenever he tried to look directly at them, they became fuzzy and blurred, so the _almost_ seventeen year old was forced to simply look at nothing while his eyes adjusted.

Easier said than done when you're fighting a man who could spring out and attack you from any direction at any time.

_Focus. You know this place better than anyone. Remember all the nooks and crannies? Which ones would he be able to fit in?_

Ezra started as a noisy clatter rang out around him, sounding just as violent as a canon shot in the silence. _That came from over there... could it be a trap?_ Ezra's eyes narrowed even lower, but this time out of thought. His target was a crafty one, and the noise could very well just be an attempt to distract Ezra from finding the man's true position.

_This is almost_ definitely_ a trap._

_But where else can I look? It's my only clue... and he'll probably jump right out at me when I go there. Well, if I want to get this over with quickly... better go._

And against his safety instincts telling him to run the opposite way, Ezra slinked silently towards the place where the noise had originated from. Just as he suspected, there was nothing there to point out where his target's position was... and there was no sudden attack either. Ezra squinted around the darkness, cursing silently that his eyes were taking so long to adjust.

And then Ezra saw something.

* * *

The hooded figure was panting for breath now, stitches in their sides punctuating each stride with pain. It _really _didn't help that they had to regain their balance with every step, but that wouldn't change until they reached their destination.

The trees thinned out suddenly, and the figure's stomach dropped to their feet. _Of course I forgot about the clearing._

Without the numerous amount of trees and foliage to block the stormtroopers vision, they would make for an easy target. But to avoid the clearing meant to add maybe forty feet to their run, and with the damp ground underfoot and their shortage of breath, going around the large space would be nigh on impossible.

_I'll have to run like the wind to get to the other side if I don't want them to shoot me._

"Over here! The rebel's over here!" The figure cursed under their breath at how the single moment of indecision had cost them precious time. Without needing a second show of how close their enemies were, the cloaked person took off across the field, legs moving faster than they had in years. Maybe it was a good thing they had had nothing but berries and meat to live off of for eleven months, as the figure hardly weighed anything. It helped them to run, and in situations like this, the speed was sorely appreciated.

But it wasn't fast enough. With an impact that stung like hell, the figure took a bullet to the left shoulder, directly where the arm connected to the neck. The shot was evidently set on stun, as it did not leave permanent damage behind, and the figure felt their nerves starting to become numb in that area. That wouldn't be good for what they had planned up ahead at the cliff.

But they escaped the clearing without any further damage, though they could hear the stormtroopers were still in hot pursuit behind them. The numbing sensation in their shoulder increased, but the figure gritted their teeth and kept on running. If they slowed down to baby themselves, only more shots would follow.

_Almost there..._

* * *

There was a shape moving through the darkness. Ezra couldn't follow it, it had moved too quickly for him to track it, but it had definitely been there. Over to his left. Although, he couldn't say whether or not what had caused the movement was still there. The man might have kept on running, or he might have stayed where he was in order to escape Ezra's detection. Either were plausible.

_Remember... keep your weapon still until you're absolutely certain you need it. Otherwise you're just lighting up the space and revealing yourself as a target._

Oh, Ezra just wanted the waiting to end... he was good at sneaking and fighting, not watching others sneak. That just wasn't his cup of tea. But now he had to, and there was no use in complaining. The fight had to be fought, yes, but it had to be lead up to first. Still, it didn't make the anticipation any better.

There was another noise behind him, and Ezra swirled around, expecting to see a shouting man brandishing a lightsaber at him- but there was still nothing but the blurry shapes in the darkness. _Another trick? Is he just waiting until I no longer respond to noise to finally come and fight? Or is there something else he's up to?_

Ezra's shoulders lowered as he forced the building tension inside of him to lower. Being agitated would only work against him. Besides, there was a trick of Ezra's own he was willing to try... Maintaining his appearance of observing his surroundings carefully, the teen reached out in the Force. That, if anything, would help him find the mysterious location of his enemy.

Almost instantaneously, Ezra was forced to activate a blue lightsaber in response to his opponent leaping out to attack him.

* * *

The hooded figure leapt over a rotting log, aware of the clearing of fallen trees. This was a good sign. Not only would the fallen tree branches pose as difficult obstacles for the stormtroopers, but it was a sure sign that the cliff they had been heading towards was coming up soon.

After all, having spent almost a year on the planet came with an almost inherent memorization of the terrain. The figure hadn't spent all this time in the forests just to have them become a weapon against them.

However, the branches posed just as much of a problem to the figure as they did to the troopers behind them. With the added obstacle of the wet ground and their own exhaustion, the figure couldn't get as much of a lift as they had been able to do in previous jumps. With a tug that pulled their head back sharply, the cloak that had been concealing them snagged on an upturned branch.

There was no time to unhook it, the men in white were rapidly approaching, their armored feet thudding down on the ground powerfully. With only a single pang of regret for the article of clothing that'd kept them warm and hidden for so long, the figure threw off the hood and ripped open the clasp, releasing the thin sheet of fabric from their shoulders. There was no time to waste on semantics. The cloak was a good one, and it had served them well over the months they had worn it, but it was not worth their life.

"This way! This way!" The troopers were acting in such a way that reminded the figure of hunting dogs, almost instantly sensing and seeking out weakness in their prey. They took orders just like dogs anyways...

Without the comforting presence of the cloak, the spot where the stun-shot had hit the figure was exposed to the cold night air, making the numbing sensation intensify. If they managed to get out of this situation, they would have to thoroughly massage the area until any side-affects were dispelled, because right now it was almost next to useless.

And then: the trees thinned out once more. This time, though, the figure wasn't filled with dread. The thinning of the trees meant the cliff was near, and the time to fight was at hand. Fighting was definitely more exciting than running- though, with the amount of adrenaline pumping through their veins, the figure doubted there would be much difference between the two.

A sudden twinge of warning made the figure leap through the remainder of the trees, as they did so snatching a small silver cylinder of metal off of their belt. Where they had been moment before, a ring of blue energy collided with the ground. As they landed in the open area just in front of the cliff, the tube of metal was activated. A bright green blade of energy illuminated the night, drizzles of rain eliciting smoke from the lightsaber.

Out in the open, without her cloak to conceal her, the female Togruta looked vulnerable. Her tan suit was muddy and stained- though not as much as the cloak had been -from prolonged contact to the elements. She was skinny, more so than usual as there was a limited amount of food one could find in the forests. Highly feminine proportions gave her a look most women would die for, though she herself did not obsess about her body image. Two long head-tails trailed down the front of her body, one down her back, reaching down past her waist. Two horn-like montrals extended from the top of her head, reaching maybe half a foot into the air. White paint swirled over her forehead in decorative patterns, giving her a pleasant face to look upon.

But now was not the time to be charming or pleasant. That wouldn't affect the stormtroopers.

Her lightsabers would.

* * *

The two blue blades collided in the air, staying in their positions for a fraction of a second before either party moved into further action. Ezra slid his lightsaber, custom built just for him by him, down the blade of his opponents, simultaneously moving his body out of the danger zone that doing such blade-work caused.

The man in return applied downwards force on the bottom end of his lightsaber, effectively keeping Ezra's weapon at bay. With a single flick of his wrist, Ezra disengaged the contact between the two blades, leaping a few feet away in order to have a run-up at his opponent. In the gloom, the lightsabers only illuminated part of their faces, making them glow eerily in the darkness.

With a lunge, the man closed the distance between the two in a single second. Ezra only barely got his lightsaber up in time, though when he did he immediately pulled his weapon away and made his own attack at the man, swinging at his head. The stroke was blocked, but something in the man's posture told Ezra he was now warier than before. As well he should be.

The two began to exchange blows, the brightness of the lightsabers leaving pulsing echoes behind their eyes in the gloom. If Ezra had been annoyed at how slow his eyes had been adjusting before, now he would have been furious if not for the intensity for which he fought. That, and anger had no place in a battle that required one to be closely attuned to the Force, something thrown off balance whenever the emotions of the Dark were thrown into the mix.

But the swinging bars of light made looking at anything else in the gloom impossible. If the man decided to once again hide in the shadows, Ezra wouldn't be able to see blurred shapes in the dark anymore than breath underwater. Well, he had his rebreather for that, but vision in the otherwise impenetrable gloom was futile.

The man swung at Ezra's head, making the teen duck hurriedly. In response, he swung his own lightsaber at the man's feet, causing him to jump up into the air. Ezra also jumped, but backwards, not following his opponent straight into the air. It wasn't smart to swallow the bait the man set out for him, especially since he was physically stronger than Ezra was. No, best to retreat and use his small size to his advantage when he could.

The man fell back down to the ground, landing in a crouched position. For a single moment, the two duelers looked at one another, studying and observing. Their lightsabers were held loosely to the side, each mirroring the other.

Then they both ran at one another once again, blades swinging at and bouncing off of one another.

* * *

The troopers bounded out of the tree line at high speed, much as the Togruta had done seconds ago, and immediately started firing bolt after bolt of stunning energy towards her. None of them made hit their mark. They were in the right area, no doubting that, but before any one shot could touch her skin, her green lightsaber deflected the blast to the side or back towards the soldier who'd shot it.

Not many were falling, as their armor absorbed most of the shots sent back to them, but a few lucky deflections were sent into the small gaps between armor pieces. The stormtroopers under the armor this happened to fell to the ground, twitching.

But they weren't falling quickly enough. There were too many of them. Because they were smart enough to only use the lowest stun setting on their blasters, the Togruta couldn't down them at the rate that they were quickly surrounding her.

When one such shot flew right past one of her montrals, she reached down to the right side of her belt with her left hand- who's shoulder was still numb from the shot it had taken several minutes ago -and pulled off another lightsaber. Once it was ignited, the second green blade added to the force at which she deflected, and she no longer had to move around as much to avoid the blasts coming straight at her. Both lightsabers were held upside down, allowing the Togruta to move them further across her chest than normal handling would have.

Even with the added power of a second lightsaber, however, there was still an overload in shots to deflect. She hadn't had this much of a challenge in years. But then, even more worries were dished out onto her already over-flowing plate. Even _more_ storm-troopers came crashing through the trees.

_They must have sent out a message to the base while they were chasing me... why didn't I think of that earlier?! Now this cliff is just a blockage from escaping!_

But there was no way around it. She was trapped at the edge of the cliff, with more enemies heading towards her position by the second. She supposed she could jump out over the edge and pray to the Force that she lived... but the height was too deep for that to be an option. What had originally been a useful tool to prevent the stormtroopers from overpowering her was now quickly turning out to be the biggest disadvantage in this fight.

* * *

Ezra knew he had the advantage.

Not only did he know this terrain better than anyone else, but he was also small enough to access it and use it to its' fullest potential. When he had been driven into a 'corner' by his opponent, Ezra had ducked down and slid beneath the desk he'd been pinned against, successfully taking him out of range of the man.

When he had emerged on the other side, Ezra had quickly flipped his lightsaber straight up, the leading edge of the hilt-guard facing towards his opponent's lightsaber. With less than a second's worth of aiming, he had squeezed the built-in trigger three times, sending out three blue bolts of energy. Two were intended to distract the man, which succeeded, but the other one had a special path laid out for it.

Just as Ezra had intended, the bolt hit a loose pipe in the ceiling, directly above his target. Even in the dark, Ezra knew this room like the back of his own hand. It was almost physically impossible for him to forget the layout of this place. The odd pipe that had caused him trouble in his growing years had always hung down just so, and he had always had to maneuver his head around it.

Now, it fell down on the top of his opponent's head with a crash that echoed out explosively through the room. Hoping it had served it's purpose and caused some amount of damage, Ezra leapt over the table he had slid under, bringing the blade part of his lightsaber about face once more.

But apparently it hadn't done as much damage as he hoped. Before he could bring his lightsaber down to deliver a finishing blow, the man swung his own up and blocked, engaging in a lightsaber block. The two simply stood there, each pressing on their blade with as much strength as they could muster.

* * *

This was definitely not good.

The stormtroopers were crowded all around, unable to approach because of her constant deflections, but still able to fire dozens of blasts at her. What was worse, a few were beginning to take cover in the tree line, making it harder and harder to actually take down the soldiers.

She was out of breath again, too. Well, not _again- _she hadn't had the chance to get it back since her hurried flight. All in all, she hadn't been in this bad of a situation since... well, better times. It might be odd to think that in _better_ times she had been in more danger, but it was true. She'd gladly be taking on droids instead of troopers. At least droids were stupid.

A blazing, numbing pain hit her right shin, and the leg attached to it fell down to the ground, knee thudding painfully on the muddy ground. She was still fighting, no doubt about it, but the lucky shot had reduced her mobility by half.

The stormtroopers, emboldened by their success, began to take steps out of the tree line, still firing their blasters as fast as they could. The Togruta's arms felt like lead, and she had lost feeling in her lower right leg, courtesy of the stunning shot they had actually hit her with. Her left shoulder wasn't doing to well either; it was by far harder to move around and manipulate than her right.

Although that problem was quickly solved for her when another shot found its' mark, blasting one of her lightsabers out of her hand and several meters away. Now her defenses were cut down in half, and the troopers were only gaining in numbers around her.

Her breath came out in wheezing gasps, chest heaving in and out as hard as it ever had. Her arms still shot out at speeds no ordinary being could hope to achieve, deflecting the shots that came her way... but they were tiring.

She couldn't run. Even if she managed to escape the current bombardment of stormtroopers, they knew her position. They had probably already sent out for even more reinforcements, to catch the rouge they had pursuing for a year.

For the first time in her life, the Togruta couldn't see a way out of her situation.

* * *

Ezra might be a good sword-fighter, but that didn't change the fact he was a teenager. The man before him had almost twice the strength he did, and it was obvious. It was all Ezra could do to keep the locked lightsabers from bearing down on him.

Still, though. Ezra had the advantage of mobility and flexibility.

With fluid movement, Ezra kicked off the ground. Not upwards- in fact, he didn't kick to move himself to a different fighting position. If anything, he was going_down_ because of his leg movement. Because the two legs he had flung up were heading straight towards the man's chest, as the rest of Ezra's body was pulled out from under him in response to his actions. The lightsabers were flung down in response to the sudden lack of pressure from Ezra's side, but he was moving so fast they never hit him.

His legs connected with his opponent before his body did with the floor, resulting in that the man was thrown backwards, lightsaber lock ending abruptly.

Except there was a big difference in their situations. The man hadn't been prepared for the sudden alteration in position. Ezra had.

With quick reflexes and agility, Ezra stuck his left hand out behind him; and instead of bodily landing on the floor, he sprang back up to his feet, having been propelled back skyward by the single limb. His opponent, however was still in the air. Knowing he had the momentary advantage, Ezra sprang.

* * *

There wasn't even a remote chance she would get out of this.

The Togruta had probably known that since she had reached the cliff, and her stubbornness just hadn't allowed her to see it until now. But there was absolutely no way she could escape.

The stormtroopers were steadily advancing, her harried attempts to deflect their bullets not taking a single one of them down. And they knew it. Soon they would be close enough for physical combat, in which the Togruta was in absolutely _no_ shape to carry out with her numb leg and stupefied arm. The only reason why she was still fighting was that it had been ingrained in her never to stop.

But her stopping point was rapidly approaching, whether she accepted it or not.

Another shot reached past her defenses, this time striking the left side of her waist. Since the stunning shot was much closer to her core, it did far more damage than when one struck her extremities. Her vision blurred, and breathing became five times more difficult. Crouched as she was, it made no difference to her stature- other than to bow down even more, from pain- but now her right arm, the only one still holding a lightsaber, was slowing.

Another shot hit her left thigh. Another to one of the montrals of her head. The Togruta could barely see now, the Force being the only thing still guiding her arm to deflect the oncoming shots. But though she was warned by the Force moments before the shots actually were fired, her body wasn't in good enough condition to act on those impulses.

Within a mere ten seconds, her second lightsaber was shot out of her hand, and she was left kneeling on the ground, panting. There was a single second of silence, before three stun shots slammed into the Togruta's chest, instantly knocking the breath out of her.

She slammed backwards onto the ground, the fight over.

* * *

Ezra's kick had been the victory move.

Because he had been unprepared, the man had been sent flying, without anything to find purchase on in the tall room.

Because Ezra _had_ been prepared, he was able to leap at his opponent's landing spot, landing on his feet before the man had even finished hitting the ground. With a burst of the Force, Ezra called his opponent's lightsaber out of his hand and into his, activating the second blade.

With the loss of his weapon, the man could defend himself in no way, shape or form against the duel-wielding teen. But that didn't stop the young Padawan.

With the speed and accuracy that'd been accumulated through his two years of training, Ezra swung both of the blue blades in his hands to slice at the exposed neck of Kanan Jarrus.

* * *

The Togruta had been downed.

The stormtroopers lowered their weapons when it was confirmed that their target had been immobilized, unconscious from the multiple stun blasts she had received. The commanding officer of the charge, only recognized through the black shoulder-piece attached to his armor, activated his comm.

"The target has been apprehended, sir."

"_Is your company in need of transport__?_"

"Yes, sir. The Togruta managed to avoid us for long enough that our position has changed from A-0 to B-39. Requesting transport ship for relocation."

"_It will arrive within three minutes_."

"Sir. Officer out." The stormtrooper lowered his communication device, instead watching his men place restraints on the Togruta. She had been quite the illusive one, managing to avoid their constant searches for her for nearly a year.

While lesser men would have thought the female attractive, the stormtroopers merely took her appearance in stride. It was not their job to stand about slack-jawed like so many of the brigands they apprehended, nor to gawk about at faces. They had been ordered to take down the Togruta, and that had been what they had done.

Now, it was all up to his commanders as to what was to be done with the illusive Ahsoka Tano.

* * *

"Alright, alright, you win. Did you really have to go for the neck?"

"Sorry Master, but I needed a definite win. Last time you said that the gut-stab didn't count, and I had to have at least _one_ won fight under my belt."

"Still, couldn't you have just gone for the chest? You _know_ it stings."

"Hey, _I've_ been on the receiving end of that blade for the better part of a year now. Just think of this as a little pay-back." Kanan rubbed his neck, still looking at his Padawan with a mixture of annoyance and pride when Ezra flipped on the lights, exposing the cluttered living space that inhabited the communications tower he had grown up in.

The two had been dueling with lightsabers for nearly six months. Of course, the lightsabers' power levels had been toned down to practice-mode, where the blade produced no more than an uncomfortable sting to whoever was on the receiving end of the blade. Their battles had always taken place in a setting away from the_Ghost_, Hera not trusting the two anywhere near her precious ship, even if their lightsabers weren't fully powered up.

Ezra himself was proud. He had never _actually_ won a fight against him Master yet, though he had been close. Just the previous session, Ezra had landed a stab at Kanan's gut. Thinking the battle to be over, he had withdrawn his blade, only to be pronounced dead when the Jedi had swatted his head. But this: no one could say otherwise. Ezra had beaten Kanan. There was no way he could've survived the strokes to the neck his apprentice had delivered, if the lightsabers had been at their usual power level.

This was the first win for Ezra.

Six months of devoting his entire Jedi studies to lightsaber combat had proven worth it. And, of course, the five months spent before that where he and Kanan had actually gotten the crystal for the lightsaber, built it, and tested how well Ezra fit with it had also contributed to his skill with the blade.

Ezra knew Kanan was impressed with him as well. Though the man tried to keep it down, to prevent Ezra's ego from flaring up, Ezra could tell Kanan was proud in his apprentice. In _him_.

It had been almost a year since Ezra's rescue from the Inquisitor. Since then, he had built his lightsaber and trained with it, of course, but he had also grown. Nothing much, just an inch or two. But it was enough to make Zeb chuckle with how the 'little squirp' was growing into a 'moderately- bigger little squirp.' After all, he was still a few inches shorter than the average sixteen year old would have been, making him still a 'squirp' in the Lasat's eyes. He was now just under Kanan's chin, and it had allowed Ezra a _slightly_ easier time sparring than he would have had at his previous size.

Of course, ventilation shafts were still his friends. He had grown taller, not broader, something the teen was moderately surprised and content with. After all, that meant the crew still had access to the inner and upper workings of any Imperial base, compound, or ship that they needed.

Not only that, but Ezra was more... well, _aware_ than he had been in the past. The frequent training sessions with Kanan had forced him to sharpen his wits, duh, but that wasn't the only factor. Ezra had been a prisoner of the Empire. Since his rescue from that... occupation... the teen had been more cautious than before, which gave way to a more rounded out way of thinking. That had only led to improved combat, which Ezra was perfectly fine with.

"Well, I still think the terrain had a big factor in that."

"What, the tower?"

"Yup. You know this place better than anyone."

"Oh no, I am _not_ letting you blame your defeat on the place where it occurred. I won fair and square."

"Sure, sure... just make sure you turn your lightsaber back to it's normal levels. We wouldn't want you to head into stormtroopers with it still in practice mode, do you?"

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope. It's my job not to."

Ezra shook his head, cheeks lighting up in embarrassment over Kanan's mention of the one time his lightsaber had failed him in battle. Well, _it_ hadn't failed _him_... Ezra had forgotten to raise the power levels back to normal, and the result had been something the crew had laughed about for days afterwards once they'd all gotten away. There he had been, standing proud and confident, lightsaber drawn and blazing in the night. Of course, when the stormtroopers started firing at him, he'd realized in practice mode, the blade was just as useful as a tree-branch against the energy bolts the troopers had shot at him.

When they had all made it out alive, he had been the joke of the crew for at least a week, though Kanan had personally never let him live it down.

"At least you didn't forget again after that."

"Well, how could I? That'd mean bringing down another week of humiliation on my shoulders, and I can't do that!"

Kanan shook his head, smiling, then gestured at Ezra. "That was a nice kick, there. What inspired it?" Ezra shrugged.

"Nothing much. It just kinda happened. Worked out though, didn't it?" Ezra grinned sheepishly, but Kanan just shook his head, smiling.

"Well, I already said you won, didn't I? Now come on, let's get back to the _Ghost_. Hera said she wanted us back before too long, something about a mission for Axle."

"Ugh."Ezra pulled a face. He might have matured somewhat during the past year, but underneath that he was still the same street-rat the crew had picked up on Lothal, showing no hesitation whatsoever to express his feelings. Especially towards the slimy git that had replaced Fulcrum as their mission-giver.

"Hey, until Fulcrum decides they've had enough of him, Axle's our main go-to guy for missions."

"I know that Kanan, it's just... I _really_ don't like him."

"Your feelings are shared by the rest of the crew, I assure you. Just try not to let it show. It makes the meetings even more intolerable."

"Yeah yeah. Let's just go get it over with." Kanan smiled, and accepted his lightsaber when Ezra offered it to him. Together, they left the tower, Ezra once again flipping the lights out. Momentarily stunned by the bright lights outside, the two looked at the capital city of Lothal for a few seconds, the buildings just an urban sprawl within.

They headed back towards the _Ghost_, landed just a standard kilometer away where Hera had left it. Only when they were enclosed in the ship did Ezra allow himself to relax fully, letting the tension from the spar drain out of him.

He may have grown up in the tower, but the _Ghost_ was still his home.


	2. News From the Past

**I just want to put this in: this chapter was written before 'Vision of Hope,' so when I was writing it I had no idea Gall Trayvis was a slimy weasel... heh, just like Axle, actually...**

**Disclaimer: The best thing about this site is that it allows people who _don't_ own stuff to write about said stuff. Like me.**

* * *

"Ah, my two most _favorite_ people in the galaxy. How can I possibly be of service to you today?" Hera glowered at the man before her, taking in his greasy hair, short stature, fake gun-belt, and small, beady black eyes. Axle was still chewing a piece of gum, disregarding any sense of respect or manners for the two rebels before him.

Sabine's fingers clenched, and the Twi'lek knew that the Mandalorian was holding herself back as well. The only reason why she had been able to resist decking the human herself was that reason and logic made it impossible for her to willingly strike the 'apprentice' of Fulcrum, who still hadn't appeared.

Of course, it was right when she was okay with all of her crew meeting their main employer that they had chosen to vanish, leaving them with only a poor, obnoxious substitute.

"I was under the impression that you signaled _us_, Axle? Doesn't that usually mean that you have something for us to do?" Axle adopted a look of fake astonishment, bringing a hand up to one of his ammo-clips in a gesture of surprise.

"Oh my, has the experienced pilot Syndulla, one of the most active rebels in the Rebellion, actually acknowledged that there are beings other than her famed self worth her time?!"

"Can it, Axle, and just give us the mission." Sabine all but snarled, and Hera was glad that she chose to wear her helmet in all of her encounters with the man. It shielded the look that the Twi'elk knew she was giving Axle, which would have only given the man another weapon to pester them with.

"Certainly, certainly..." with a mock bow, the human reached into his side-pack, withdrawing a data-pad upon which they could see contained outlines of what looked to be an-

"Imperial TIE production facility. To be opened in the coming week. If all goes to plan, they'll have quite a few more ships flying around Lothal, unless your... _crew _can prevent its' grand opening." Hera snatched the data-pad from Axle's hand, quickly scanning it over.

"There isn't anything on here that couldn't have been sent over via long-comm. Why did you absolutely need to hand this over in person?" Since trips to Alderaan- all the way in the Inner Rim- was expensive for the crew of the _Ghost_ and many other Outer Rim flyers, Axle had simply beamed out their messages on secure, encrypted comm channels. Not only that, but he had been re-stationed on Naboo, a planet Hera though that Axle didn't deserve the beauty of in the least. While it was a long journey, it was no where near as taxing as the flight to Alderaan, as Naboo moderately was closer to Lothal in the Mid Rim.

But, for this mission, Axle had decided that a physical presence with the crew was absolutely necessary, and Hera needed to know why. She couldn't just make frequent trips to Naboo whenever the man pleased; she _did_ need to manage the _Ghost_'s fuel reserves.

The man shook his head softly, custom sneer already sliding back onto his face. "There's highly classified information on that pad that the higher ups don't trust to simple encrypt and beam out. Besides, they wanted me to deliver some news important to your region." Patience already taking a heavy toll, Hera was in no mindset to beat around the bush, so she got straight to the point.

"And what's that?" Axle looked her straight in the eyes, but there was a glint of seriousness that had previously been masked by sneers and disdain.

"Darth Vader has been said to be making a personal visit into the Outer Rim soon."

* * *

"Do we really need to go over this again?" Ezra looked up at Kanan, exasperated expression set. After all, this was the one area where he had _proved_ he could take the strain. Not through rigorous training, but an actual attack on his mental shields courtesy of a deranged power-hungry Pau'an.

"Yes, Ezra. Just because you defended yourself against the Inquisitor doesn't mean that you get an all-time pass. You- I -need to be absolutely sure that your mental defenses can hold up against anything that anyone could throw at them." Ezra raised an eyebrow.

"Can yours?"

"I- that's not the point. This is _your_ training, not mine." Ezra just smiled wryly, raising a single eyebrow.

"Whatever you say, Master." Kanan harrumphed.

"Just raise your shields and concentrate." Ezra shook his head, but closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. Within seconds it was completely stable, and he could feel Kanan preparing to assess what he had pulled up around him.

Raising up the barriers that had successfully kept the Inquisitor at bay, Ezra focused on maintaining them, on providing constant strength and energy throughout their entirety. Even if he had passed the ultimate test, the first few weeks after his rescue had been rife with sudden scares, mostly when Chopper entered the same room without warning. Even though he had known he was completely safe, Ezra had still had a hard time getting that message to his bodily reflexes.

But now he was completely in control. With a single solitary flick of the fingers to tell Kanan he was ready, Ezra steadied his focus and distribution, making the barriers surrounding his consciousness as strong as he could without over-exerting himself.

He could feel Kanan's gentle probe. Of course, the Jedi wasn't actually trying to ram through Ezra's barriers, instead he was simply over-viewing them, assessing their strength and solidarity. Whatever he told him otherwise, Kanan knew that he didn't need to actually attack. Ezra had already defended his mind from that.

Deep as he was in meditation, it was only when Kanan's probe radiated annoyance and withdrew that Ezra bothered to turn his focus back to the real world. Zeb was standing in the doorway of Kanan's room, leaning against the metal frame.  
"'Sup, Zeb?" The Lasat gestured further down the hall with his head.

"Hera and Sabine are back in the _Phantom_. They say they've got another job; and some news." Ezra and Kanan looked at one another, similar expressions of cautious curiosity mirroring one another. They stood up off of the floor.

"I guess we'll continue this another time, Ezra." The teen rolled his eyes playfully.

"Because we know it's_ absolutely_ necessary." Kanan pointed a solitary finger at him.

"Hey, don't be going all smarty-pants on me, young man." Ezra laughed, then pointed at his own head. "My smarts are here, not my pants, Master!" Kanan just sighed, shaking his head ever so slightly.

Zeb turned away, smirking slightly, and Ezra and Kanan followed him down the hall towards the launch-bay, where they were soon met by Hera and Sabine out in the common room. Chopper rolled in, presumably having finished his round in the charging station.

"Zeb says you got a new job?" Hera nodded towards Kanan, pulling out a data-pad from one of her voluminous pockets. Sabine huffed and threw the pad a dirty look, as though Axle's hair grease had somehow managed to contaminate it.

"Just a data-pad? Couldn't he have just sent out a beacon or something?" Ezra asked, knowing the overall procedures. Hera shrugged.

"Most of it, yeah, but there was '_highly_' classified information that absolutely couldn't be broadcasted. But something good -ish- did come out of all this." Ezra cocked his head, inviting the Twi'lek to continue. But she wasn't looking at him, instead directly at Kanan.

"Apparently, there are rumors flying around that Darth Vader will be paying this system a visit." Kanan stiffened. Ezra could see it most probably better than the rest of the crew could, he was _really_ good at reading body language. That, and his presence in the Force just became a lot more anxious than it had been before. He glanced at his Master. Ezra knew just how powerful Vader was.

Well, not personally, but he was powerful enough not only to make the Inquisitor take extreme measures to defeat him, and he had also taken down almost the entirety of the Jedi Order sixteen years ago. The fact that his Master would react in such a way was not odd, it was fairly expected, but Ezra was still surprised to see this amount of emotion radiate off of him.

"What kind of rumors? And from who?" Sparing his Master any questions about his sudden freeze, Ezra took on the job of asking the questions he knew would be buzzing around in Kanan's head.

"We don't know the exact nature of the rumors, but Axle was ordered to tell it to us, so I can assume that they aren't just some wild theory meant to stir fear." Kanan opened his mouth, but before a single syllable could escape it, a small beeping came from the right corner of the room.

"That's from the off-world transmitter..." Sabine turned a worried look at Zeb, while Ezra was already heading towards the small black box.

"Do you think the Empire might have managed to hack into it?!" But Ezra's voice called out to the Mandalorian: "No no no, I calibrated this thing a while back to beep whenever that senator guy came on again." Kanan looked surprised, momentarily forgetting his worries.

"You mean ex-senator Gall Trayvis? Why?" Ezra paused his fiddling with the knobs on the communicator, turning a small smile to the Jedi.

"I figured if there was anymore news the Empire didn't want anyone to hear, we'd better hear it." Then he resumed his twiddling. Over his shoulder, the teen was aware that Kanan and Hera exchanged looks. They would probably talk more in depth about Vader later on, and Ezra was okay with that. If they thought it was too much for the rest of the crew to listen in on, he could live with that.

Besides, he could always eavesdrop on them if he really wanted to.

"There!" Ezra had successfully tuned into the channel that the Senator was broadcasting from, and his low-toned voice was sounding out through the common room. The rest of the crew gathered around the small black box to hear his words better.

"-_re news that the Empire doesn't want you to hear. Fourteen-and-a-half standard hours ago, former Jedi-Padawan Ahsoka Tano was captured by the Empire. While staying this long out of enemy hands in and of itself is remarkable, what is even more so is the fact that she has been trapped on the surface of Yavin 4, evading detection and imprisonment for just over eleven months! Someone in possession of this much skill and talent surely deserves much more than imprisonment in some remote Imperial prison! I beg of you, as citizens devoted to the cause of p_-" The transmission cut out, fuzzy static taking its' place.

Ezra looked at Kanan, who was wearing a bemused expression. Vader seemed to have been driven completely from his mind; though Ezra knew that it was still causing his Master discomfort under the layers of restraint he had thrown over himself.

"Who's Ahsoke Tano?" Zeb asked, also looking at the Jedi. Kanan shook his head slightly.

"Ahsok_a_ Tano was the apprentice of Master Skywalker... I never even considered..." Scratching his head slightly, Kanan sank down opposite Ezra on the holo-chess bench. But two words were echoing around in Ezra's head, so he didn't give Kanan any thinking time.

"What did he mean by '_former_' Jedi-Padawan? Even if she wasn't a Jedi when they fell, wouldn't she still be considered a Padawan?" Kanan looked up at him, blinking like an Endorian owl in the light.

"Ahsoka... this all happened when I was young, understand, but she... left, the Jedi Order." This time it was Ezra's turn to blink stupidly. Left? As in... stopped being a Jedi? Who would ever want to do such a thing!? Even he, who had only been in training for a mere almost two years, couldn't imagine turning from the life-style he currently led. It was just... being a Jedi meant everything to Ezra.

"Something happened that betrayed her trust in the Jedi, and she left their order. That was why I hadn't even considered..." Kanan put his head in his hands, shaking it slightly. "After all this time, I never once thought that she, too, would have survived the purge. She just never crossed my mind..."

"Kanan, love, you said she was the Padawan of Master Skywalker. Anyone important?" At Hera's comment, Kanan snorted softly.

"Only the prophesied Chosen One of the Jedi." Ezra frowned. He hadn't heard of any prophecy, Jedi or otherwise from Kanan, but judging from his Master's reaction, it was something important.

"This... this is big news. Master Luminara was one thing, but Ahsoka... I never met her in person, but I was told she was a pivotal fighter in the Clone Wars. She was a talented student."

"Do you think this might just be another trap, like last time?" Zeb spoke up, causing Kanan to narrow his eyes in thought.

"I... it _could_ be, but I don't think so. Hera said that Vader might be coming into the Outer Rim system. He wouldn't be able to for just any random reason... if Ahsoka was captured, he'd actually have a reason to be down here. So no, I don't think this is a trap like last time." He looked up at Hera, determination blazing in his blue-green eyes.

"We have to go rescue her. If she's the reason that Vader's coming personally to the Outer Rim, I can see why. He was the only one who was able to defeat Skywalker, and she was his student..." Hera nodded, but then held up the data-pad again.

"I agree, Ahsoka is a top priority. But so is this. Within a few days, there'll be a newly commissioned Tie production facility stationed just outside of Lothal. If we don't take it out now, while we can, we'll probably never get another chance to." Kanan bit his lip.

"But if Vader's on the move to deal with Ahsoka, we'll probably not get another chance at rescuing her either. Once she's with him, I doubt he'll keep her alive long enough to allow us a shot at saving her."

"But we can't split ourselves into two, and I-"

"Yes we can." Ezra's comment surprised everyone, momentarily causing silence as all of the crew looked at their smallest Spectre. A faint red tinge appeared on his cheeks, but he kept going.

"What? We have two ships, don't we? The _Ghost_ and the _Phantom_. One party can go for the Tie-station, and the other can go and rescue Ahsoka. If security's so tight around her anyways, wouldn't it be easier to approach in a smaller ship with a smaller team?" A small smile crept onto Kanan's face, dispelling some of the tension there. He exchanged a glance with Hera, who was also smiling slightly, before responding.

"You really have grown, haven't you?" Ezra just gave a sheepish smile in return while Zeb snorted doubtfully in the background.

"Well... I suppose there's merit to your thinking-"

"What, was there any doubt?"

"Yes."

"Shut up, Zeb."

"Both of you, quiet. Ezra's right, he and I can take the _Phantom_ and go rescue Ahoska before Vader arrives, while the rest of you can go and destroy that facility." Hera bit the inside of her cheek, but she nodded reluctantly.

"The schematics I got from Axle showed that, for the time being, the station is relatively simple in design. Sabine, you should have no trouble at all taking it out with some well-placed bombs, with Zeb acting as cover-fire." The Mandalorian nodded, though she was looking at the two Force-sensitives before her.

"And you two? Will you guys be alright rescuing her on your own?" Master and apprentice looked at one another briefly, before Ezra turned back the cocky smile that he almost always wore when talking about the bucket-heads.

"Of course we can, Sabine. You just watch, Kanan and I will have her out in no time!"


	3. Safety's Sake

**Yes, I did it, I included Ahsoka. While watching the Clone Wars, she was one of my favorite characters, and I really hope that we actually get to see her in Rebels soon.**

**In response to Lt. Basil's question about Trayvis: He doesn't really play a pivotal role in Deadly Intrigue, so there wouldn't really be much of a difference if I made him a slimebag or not. If you want to imagine him as a traitor as you read you can, it doesn't affect the overall story that much. Again, this was made before 'Vision of Hope' aired, so, yeah. Freaking slimy sleemo Senator.**

**Disclaimer: Rebels belongs to some genius like Dave Filoni, not me.**

* * *

"Okay Kanan, spill. Why is Ahsoka so important to you? _Really_," The Twi'lek added, seeing the Jedi's protest before it even fully formed. Kanan sighed, rubbing an eye. He held up a single finger to Hera, to wait, and poked his head through the door of his cabin out into the hall. A quick glance-around told him that the Spectres had allowed Kanan and Hera this one moment of privacy to discuss what had happened.

After ducking his head back in his room, Kanan swatted at the single air-vent over his room, also checking for any small eavesdroppers that may or may not be residing above them. The absence of a protesting shout proved that they were alone.  
"Hera..." He laughed once, not out of mirth but tension, before continuing, "I guess there's no easy way to say this, but I... I'm scared for Ezra."

The Twi'lek cocked an eyebrow, not out of judgment or vice, but in an invitation for him to continue. That was one of the things Kanan liked about Hera; that she always saved judgment until she had all the facts. Kanan cleared his throat.

"When we were escaping the _Imminent Pursuit_ with Ezra, Vader probed both of us." Hera nodded, he had already told her this, but Kanan now went into more detail than he had before.

"Hera... if he wanted to, he could have crushed both of us then and there. Ezra was out cold and I, well, I was no where near as strong as I had to have been to hold him off. But he didn't. Vader just... he just kind of,_ retreated,_ after he saw both of us, and I swear, he was... amused.

"I couldn't think too much about it then and there, because we were flying for our lives, but afterwards... I thought about it some more. I think he's interested in Ezra." Upon seeing the worried look Hera was showing, Kanan waved his hands hurriedly.

"Not like the Inquisitor was, for power, but... I don't know. It was the only thing I could think of that explained why he didn't just kill both of us right then and there." Hera nodded, but her eyes were still narrowed in worry.

"That would also explain the increased wanted level on your heads. _And_ why the Imperials are still trying to find you two with vigor even though the Inquisitor's gone." Even though the main Jedi hunter in the Outer Rim had been vanquished, the Imperials were still doing their best to hunt down Kanan and Ezra. That wasn't too surprising, but so far Kanan hadn't heard of the instalment of a new Jedi-vanquisher. So the fact that the efforts to catch to two Force-sensitives could only be because of direct orders to locate them, delivered by a higher-up in the Empire. A higher up like Vader.

"So? Why do you think Ahsoka could help with that?" Kanan looked up into Hera's emerald eyes.

"Because she was the apprentice to Master Skywalker, like I said. The Chosen One."

Kanan had long ago told her about the prophecy of the Jedi, in which a single boy would destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force. Kanan himself had never delved too much into it as a Padawan, instead learning how to fight efficiently in the Clone Wars, as was wont for the Jedi to do in that time-period.

But he had known that Skywalker was one of the essential pivots in the Clone Wars, using his head and gut in equal pairings to pull himself and his men to victory even when it seemed impossible. Frustratingly, Kanan knew even less about his apprentice, other than that her talent had seemed to stem directly from her Master. Then, she had left, for reasons almost completely unknown to Kanan, and had never been heard from again.

"Master Skywalker was the hope of the Jedi through the Wars. They thought that he would be the one to end it all... and he would have been, if events hadn't played out the way they did. He was un-beatable in the Wars. Wherever he went, victory followed.

"But then he was defeated. Darth Vader killed him, seemingly on Mustafar. After that, the Jedi just fell like dominoes, one by one, until we managed to get enough sense through our skulls that this one fight couldn't be won... after all, our main go-to guy had been downed; killed off. What chance did we stand against Vader?" Kanan rubbed his eyes, plopping down onto his cot.

"And if _that_ is taking an interest in my Padawan, I just can't help but feel that our days are numbered."

"Don't say that!"

"Hera..." Kanan leaned forwards, putting his head in his hands.

"If Vader really is interested in Ezra, he won't stop until he's converted or killed him. The only reason why he hasn't done so until know is that we've been staying in the Outer Rim. Vader, being one of the highest commanders in the Empire, can't just come down here whenever he fancies it to check on a pet project of his. He most probably has to receive orders from the Emperor.

"Now, with the rumors you brought back to us, I'm convinced that he's been given leave by the Emperor to personally deal with Ahsoka. That gives him access to _us_. And even if we somehow aren't detected by him and he leaves the system without ever catching our scent, he'll keep looking. He'll keep looking until he finds Ezra... or kills him." Kanan rubbed his temples soothingly, trying to get across to Hera everything that was going on inside his head.

"That's why I've almost been training Ezra non-stop the past year. I'm scared for him. I'm so scared, Hera, because I know nothing I can teach him will be good enough or powerful enough to protect him. Vader's just too strong." Kanan took a deep breath, steadying his breathing and focusing on the news the senator-in-exile had delivered to them.

"_That's_ why I want- need -to rescue Ahsoka. She was apprenticed under the man who only Vader was strong enough to defeat, and if she can teach what she knows to Ezra, he might just have a chance against Vader. It's my only hope right now." Kanan looked up at Hera, to see her staring at him with an odd look in her eyes.

"What?" The Twi'lek shook her head gently, leku swaying slightly.

"You two really are something. I don't think I've ever met someone so determined as either one of you to keep each-other safe." Kanan blinked, caught off guard. Hera smiled.

"Now, how's about we go prep for our missions?" Kanan smiled slightly, nothing more than a twitch of his upper lip. Hera knew to take him seriously, the Twi'lek was probably just as worried as he was. But she knew to conceal it; to concentrate on the task at hand instead of dwelling on it. He could learn from her in some areas.

"Sure. I'm pretty sure you're just itching to take out that facility, aren't you?"

"Well, a girl has to stay busy somehow, right?"

* * *

"No matter who gets done first, everyone flies to these coordinates after their mission, alright? We need a safe rendezvous point, and if we're going to have Imps on our tails, we'll need to keep it away from a planet to avoid them pulling out reinforcements too quickly." Hera pointed at the blank space of space on the star-chart somewhat close to the planet of Yavin Prime, where Kanan and Ezra would be heading to.

"Isn't that a little too far from us to be an equal distance to jump to? That'd take a lot more fuel out of the _Ghost_ than the _Phantom_." Hera nodded at Sabine.

"That's intended. The _Phantom_ can go into hyperspace, but it's just a small excursion vessel. It wasn't meant for extended periods of jumping. Besides, don't you think that our convict would appreciate a shorter ride in the _Phantom_ than a longer one?" Sabine chuckled slightly, looking back at the star-charts.

Yavin Prime, a giant gas planet in the Yavin system, was uninhabitable for humanoid life-forms. Three of it's twenty-six moons however, were. The particular moon that the rescue team was heading for, Yavin 4, was lush with jungles and forests. If the ex-senator's information was correct, then Ahsoka had been stuck on that moon for a while, nearly a year. The Mandalorian could see her wanting a short trip off of the planet, instead of going from one type of confinement to another.

"And since neither me nor Ezra are complaining," Kanan added, "we're gonna stick to this. You're mission should be a short one, so by the time you finish it, we'll still probably be carrying out the mission. Sorry, but you guys are most likely gonna have to wait a few hours before we finish and rendezvous back with you." Ezra nodded, hair bobbing slightly as he agreed with his Master.

"Now, if you two-" Hera pointed in the direction of Kanan and Ezra, "even _think_ about getting yourselves hurt, I swear I will personally scramble both of your skulls. Ahsoka's important, yes, but so are the two of you. _Don't_ go getting yourselves killed, am I clear?" Kanan smiled slightly at the Twi'lek, while Ezra gave a mock-salute.

"Ma'am, yes ma'am. Don't get killed. I'll add that to my priority list, numero uno." Hera nodded.

"Then that's everything set. If we want to act fast, we'd better get going. Kanan, you'll want to pack some rations and med-supplies, just in case Ahsoka's in worse shape than we hope." The Jedi nodded, having already gone over this with the pilot.

"We got that taken care of; Ezra's gonna be our pack-mule." Said teen pulled a face at his Master, who'd referenced the bulging orange pack on his shoulders, filled with whatever Hera had thought might be useful in their journey. Like, _whatever_ she though could be useful. Sabine was surprised Ezra could even stand with the thing on his back, but he did indeed look like some form of transportation animal. "Are you guys sure that you'll be alright taking out the Tie base without us?" Zeb rolled his eyes while Sabine crossed her arms.

"We've been alone on a Star Destroyer before, haven't we? We'll take care of the bucket-heads, you two just do whatever you Jedi-folk do." Ezra smirked, while Kanan shook his head. "Just be sure to blow them sky-high for us."

"Oh! Speaking of which," Sabine pulled out three metal spheres from her side holsters, throwing them to Ezra, who caught them. "Just wanted to make sure that you two are set with some of the best miracles I can make." Ezra looked pleasantly surprised, tossing the small bombs in his hands. The Mando knew that he appreciated her work, and knew just how useful having three small explosives could be, whether they had lightsabers or not.

"Thanks, Sabine. I'm sure these'll make themselves veeery useful in the future." Sabine cocked her head, raising an eyebrow. "Would they ever be anything **but** useful?" Ezra chuckled, pocketing the devices. "Well, maybe if we weren't highly dangerous terrorists against the Empire..."

Sabine just smiled.


	4. Reminiscence

**Okay, so this is like, the shortest chapter I've ever written in the entirety of my brief writing hobby. But it needs to be said, and I wouldn't have it paired up with any other view-points. I gotta tell you guys, writing from the perspective of Darth Vader is tough... especially when you have to second guess everything with the thoughts 'would one of the most awesome characters in the Star Wars universe actually say this?' 'would he actually do that?' 'am I making him too much like the Inquisitor?' 'would he actually react like that?' and so on... but it's so worth it in the end. So yeah, short, but I hope you guys like it!**

**Disclaimer: Star Wars: Rebels, Vader, Ahsoka, and just Star Wars in general don't belong to me.**

* * *

"How long until the hyper-drive re-fitment is complete?"

"_Sir! If all follows schedule, the _Executor_ will be ready for launch within four standard days! Sir!_"

Darth Vader disabled the communicator. He was sitting within his meditation-sphere, reaching out into the Force for the newest interest that had managed to seek him out: Ahsoka Tano.

He had only received the report of her capture three standard hours ago, but had not yet been able to jump to the Togruta's location. The _Executor_\- and a few other Star Destroyers- were being remodeled with the improved hyper-space engine.

Usually such a thing was not done, instead newer models of ships designed with the engine in mind were created for the Imperials. But the _Executor_ was the command vessel of Darth Vader, one of the most powerful men in the galaxy. It would not be discarded, nor was it to be out-run by any ship in the Empire.

Instead, it would be painstakingly re-fitted and re-wired to accommodate the new hyper-space drive, which would enable the ship to travel almost twice as faster than before. The procedure had begun nearly three standard months ago, with the engineers and planners working as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Still, it was a large ship, and most of the navigation and circuitry had to be remodeled to accommodate the more powerful model of engine.

But the towering black machine of a man had felt... restless, almost, since first hearing the report. Tano was a figure from his past, when he had not been known as Darth Vader, but a respected Jedi Knight of the council, as Anakin Skywalker...

Not only would he be pulling up reminiscent tid-bits of the past, but he would also move into the territory of the rouge Jedi and his apprentice.

Vader had had research done on to presence he had felt. With little more than a mental over-view, he had not had much success in the Imperial data-bases... but there had been an uncounted Padawan that had escaped the slaughter of the Jedi sixteen years ago. The certain youngling Vader had looked into would have now matched the supposed age of the rouge, and while Vader didn't have the visuals, he was almost certain that if he had, the rouge and the Padawan would be similar in appearance.

The boy he had sensed, though, he had only what the Inquisitor's data-bases had yielded.

He was Force-sensitive, no doubt about that, but extremely so. So much so that the Inquisitor had thought the ability to defeat Vader would have come with the addition of the child. Well, he had seen how that had turned out...

Ezra Bridger. Sixteen years of age, seventeen this coming Empire day. He had been born the same exact day thousands of Jedi had died. And who had somehow made his rouge Jedi Master throw away years of teachings of discipline to shield his mind from Vader's probe. He, too, warranted an investigation.

It was almost like... like a mirror. Between himself and his previous Master, Kenobi. Between himself and his own previous apprentice, Tano. In each of his Jedi bonds there had been attachment, more so than would have been in a normal Master-Apprentice bond between the Jedi. Just like the bond he had observed between the rouge and the boy.

So, there was... not anticipation, Darth Vader was above such things. Instead, a certain inclination towards heading to to Outer Rim territories. Vader was almost certain that the Jedi would have somehow heard the news that Tano had been captured, which made his appearance there only too likely.

With the possibility of encountering the three Force-sensitives in mind, Vader could only wait for the_ Executor_ to be finished, while Tano and the Jedi pair would converge in one spot until he arrived, to confront the past belonging to Anakin Skywalker.


	5. History Lesson

**I just want to point out before this begins because I forgot to in 'News From the Past,': Kanan doesn't know that Vader is Anakin. The entire galaxy (except for Obi-Wan and Yoda and maybe a few others) view Vader as the man who killed Skywalker, so I'm just assuming that's how Kanan views it too.**

**Oh, this will also be put into play with Ahsoka... *evil face***

**Disclaimer: Star Wars: Rebels, if you didn't already know, isn't mine.**

* * *

The thrum of hyperspace was almost like a lullaby to Ezra.

He was sitting on the right side of the _Phantom_'s multiple fold-able seats, taking up three in a row with his legs crossed. Kanan, opposite him, also was sitting cross-legged. He had been meditating for a few hours after they had taken off, using the lengthy flight-trip to prepare himself for the coming battles. Ezra had -to an extent- done the exact same thing, but questions kept buzzing around in his head like annoying mini-Zebs flying around.

"Hey, Kanan?" The Jedi raised an eyebrow, inviting him to continue even though his eyes were closed.

"Um... what was all that about 'the Chosen One' earlier? Only, it sounded important, and I had _no_ idea what you were talking about." Kanan sighed in a slight exhale, opening troubled eyes.

"What? Did you mention it in one of our lessons and I just completely forgot about it?" Kanan shook his head, slightly smiling, but his eyes were looking at the floor. Ezra knew his Master was thinking about the exact wordings he was going to use, which bothered him to some extent. Kanan had Jedi roots, attachments, to this 'prophecy' about the 'chosen one,' and it was obviously important to him. The fact that Ezra knew nothing about it made him feel... not exactly isolated, but as though there was a barrier between the two that had yet to fall down.

"No no no, I never mentioned Master Skywalker or the Prophecy in out training. It's... it's a piece of the past that I'd hoped you'd never have to tangle with." Kanan took a deep breath, still looking at the floor.

"Long ago, before you were born, there was a prophecy that there would come a child with a connection to the Force never seen before. That child was would become one of the most powerful Jedi in history, and... and was destined to destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force."

"Balance to the Force? I thought it was its' own being, partial neither to the Light or the Dark, so how...?" Kanan smiled, finally making eye-contact. "Ezra Bridger, once again proving that he can, in fact, be taught."

"Come on, Master, you know me better than that..." Kanan just shook his head.

"A few years before I was born, Master Qui-Gon Jiin and his then apprentice Obi-wan Kenobi discovered a young boy on Tatooine, who had no biological father and appeared to have a strong connection to the Force. He was too old to be properly trained in the Jedi way, but Qui-Gon was persistent."

"Wait wait wait, there was an age limit to being a Jedi?!" Surely he hadn't heard that last bit right... an _age limit_? As in, if you just happened to be in the right place at the right time at the wrong age, you might never become a Jedi? Ezra couldn't imagine that. Kanan must have said something wrong. But the Jedi nodded, apparently gauging Ezra's reaction with a glint of humor in his eyes.

"That's right. I think it topped off at around age two... past that, the Masters of old considered you to be too old for training."

"What!? That, that, that's absurd!" Kanan chuckled, but Ezra couldn't see anything funny about the situation. Age two? How would the Jedi have known whether or not a child was destined to be a Jedi or not? Did they just randomly go around the galaxy plucking up random toddlers along the way whenever they got a tingle from the Force? If that was the case, it was no wonder that the Jedi had had a hard time in the Clone Wars. With the age limit for a youngling capping off at two, successfully picking out potential fighting candidates would have been hard and time-consuming.

"It might be absurd, but it's what was. Any older age would have had a harder time shedding their emotions, their connections to their families, and it would have made the teachings they were expected to go through nearly impossible." An unnerving chill ran through Ezra's spine.

"So... when you took in _me_ as your apprentice..."

"Yup. I was pretty much completely disregarding the Jedi Code for you, buddy." Ezra fidgeted slightly in his seat, widening his stance. "...why?" Kanan looked surprised, eyebrows going upwards slightly, before answering Ezra's question.

"Haven't I already answered that?"

"No... you said why you came back for me when Kallus nabbed me the first time, but you never said why you took me in as a Padawan."

"Oh. Well, I guess the reasons were pretty much the same... I could feel it was the right thing to do, and I just genuinely _wanted_ to. Besides..." the bemused look on Kanan's face evolved into something more serious, and Ezra allowed the man to continue on without interruption.

"I guess you haven't exactly realized it until now, but..." Kanan looked Ezra directly in the eyes. "I was your age- no, younger, -when the Jedi Order fell." Ezra inhaled deeply, blinking. He wasn't surprised, this news wasn't exactly shocking to him. After all, Kanan was still a relatively young man. He would have _had_ to have been Ezra's age. He hadn't actually taken the time to hunker down and dwell on his Master's age, but he had probably always known deep down. His street smarts didn't account for nothing.

"That... the opportunity to teach another Force-sensitive... was a dream that I thought would never be realized long ago. When you stumbled into our lives, that hope was re-kindled again. Ezra, _you_ were what made me revert back to the Jedi ways. _You_ were the one that allowed me to move on from the past. Well, that and I thought it'd be fun to teach a bumbling idiot like you." Ezra didn't laugh. How could he?

Joke aside, Kanan had just divulged something completely personal, that hadn't been necessary to tell Ezra. Not only that, but it had been with minimal provocation from the teen... he just didn't know how to react to that.

"Anyways, I digress. Qui-Gon was killed before he was properly able to take on the boy, who we know as Anakin Skywalker, so Obi-Wan was assigned his Master instead. He was trained in the Jedi ways, proving to be just as strong in the Force as Qui-Gon had assumed, and by the time the Clone Wars started, he was one of their strongest fighters. The belief that he was the Chosen One grew stronger as he ground out victory after victory. He also took on Ahsoka in that time period.

"But then it all fell apart. Darth Sideous, who was hiding behind his role as the Chancellor, lured Anakin to Mustafar, where Separatist leaders were. There he met Darth Vader. They fought... and Anakin died there. Order 66 was carried out, the Jedi were betrayed by their one-time allies, and the ones who survived were forced to go into hiding.

"The Chosen One was supposed to bring balance to the Force. But Vader killed him before that ever happened, and the prophecy was left unfulfilled." Kanan took a deep breath, something that Ezra couldn't quite place in his eyes as they once again stared at the floor. But then he looked Ezra in the eyes once more.

"Does that answer your question?" Ezra nodded. "Thanks, Kanan. I just... it looked like a big deal to you when you heard about Ahsoka, and I; it just surprised me that you felt so strongly about it." Kanan's brow furrowed slightly, but then he gave Ezra a smile. A beep came from the _Phantom_'s control center, and Kanan unfolded himself from his meditation pose. Copying his Master, the two moved forwards to the pilot's chair, Kanan sitting down just as they emerged from hyperspace.

The orange gas-giant of Yavin Prime loomed in front of them, nearly taking up the entire view-port. Kanan flipped a couple switches on the dash-board. "Signal masker is operational. We won't be seen coming into the atmosphere of Yavin 4 unless they're peeling their eyes out their windows."

He veered the _Phantom_ to the top right, where the comparatively small Yavin 4 was in orbit. Even from this distance, Ezra could see almost nothing but green on the surface, evident to the thousands of trees and forests that covered the moon's surface.

"Um, you _do_ have the coordinates for the base she's being held at, right? Because, I don't think we'll be able to find her in all of _that_ without a map." Kanan chuckled.

"Of _course_ we have the coordinates. We just have to complete the scans first."

"So, what you're telling me is that you _don't_ have the coordinates, you're just hoping to find them with the _Phantom_'s scanners."

"No! I would never say I'm _hoping_ to find them... I'd say I'm trusting in the Force to find them. With the _Phantom_'s scanners." Ezra shook his head, but the quiet beep of the scans showed the location of what looked to be an Imperial compound. Kanan, however, frowned.

"We'll have to land a bit further away than I'd like to, though. _Their_ scanners are a lot more powerful than anticipated."

"I thought you said the _Phantom_'s signature masker was on?"

"I did, but their scanners aren't looking for ship signatures. They're looking for gravitational fluctuations."*****

"Um, Basic, please?"

"Signature masker or not, the _Phantom_ is still displacing otherwise empty space. Their scanners can detect that, and it'll immediately call out our position." Ezra frowned.

"So are we in any danger right now?!"

"No no, the _P__hantom_'s scanners have a longer range than theirs do. We aren't in their range yet. But we'll have to land about seventeen kilometers****** away from the base if we want to avoid detection." Ezra sighed. They'd have quite a bit of walking to do.

"Well, the moon's isn't going to be in its' night cycle for about six or seven hours, so by the time we actually infiltrate, it'll probably be dusk. That'll give us some extra cover to get Ahsoka out sneakily." And Kanan began piloting the Phantom down to the moon's surface.

Ezra smiled, despite the fact he knew they'd probably spend the next few hours running or walking or both. He was excited to meet another Padawan, even if she was twice his age. It'd let him see how far he'd grown, how far advanced he was, which was something Ezra was looking forward to.

That, and causing general mayhem to the bucket-heads on the surface below.

* * *

***The scanners Kanan is talking about are the ones used in the Clone Wars, with the weird Spider-General guy and the invisible ship, so if I didn't explain them well enough you can watch those episodes for more**

****Seventeen kilometers is roughly equal to 10 miles, just for fellow Americans :)**


	6. Travels

**Just another friendly reminder that the team still kicks Imperial-but, even without their Jedi. Oh, and that reminds _me_ of the newest episode, Rebel Resolve... OOoooOOooOOoOoh that left me shaking...**

**Disclaimer: Rebels belongs to Mickey Mouse. *clears throat* I mean, it belongs to Disney.**

* * *

"Sabine, punch it!"

The Mandalorian brought out her detonator, jammed her thumb onto it, and there was a vibration as the station behind them was blown apart from the inside. Safely inside the _Ghost_, they were more or less unaffected by the blast, but the multitudes of Tie equipment was not. Boo-hoo for them.

Zeb ran through the metal halls of the _Ghost_ towards the aft gun, while Sabine headed towards the nose gun. They might have blown up the main base of operations, but there were still Ties flying around out there that posed a threat to the ship.

Hoping into the small seat, Zeb's big hands grasped the yoke to the turret, swinging it around in an almost 180 degree turn to fire at a pursuing Tie. One explosion later, the forces firing shots at them had diminished slightly.

"_I'm guessing it was a success?_"

"'Course it was Hera, how could it be anything else?! These bucket-heads can't fight back against us an' you know it!"

The _Ghost_ rocked on its' side slightly, but the Twi'lek pilot was too good for the Imps to have any hope of damaging her ship.

"_They might not be able to resist us, but they aren't helpless!_"

"_They might not be helpless, but they can't dodge, that's for sure!"_ Sabine's voice crackled on the comm as she took her place in the nose gun, adding to the _Ghost_'s offense power.

"Can't shoot for much either!" Zeb shouted back, destroying yet another Tie fighter. He might not be as good as Kanan with the gun, but he could still pull his weight.

"_Just keep it up while Chop plugs in the coordinates, you two._"

"_I could say the s__ame thing to you, Hera! You're kinda the main reason we haven't been blown out of the sky!_"

"_Why thank you Sabine, the compliment is acknowledged._" Zeb shook his head at the behavior of his two female companions. Sometimes they were just as foreign to him as a fyrnoch was to sunlight. Moments later, he had run out of enemies to shoot thanks to their sudden entrance of hyper-space.

Zeb pushed back the controls, stepping out of the chair and sliding down the ladder to the lower-decks of the _Ghost_. He was soon joined by Sabine, and the two headed back to the cockpit.

"You sure you don't want to put some bacta on that burn?" Sabine gestured to the Lasat's right forearm, where there was a small patch of burnt fur where a bucket-head had gotten lucky. He snorted.

"It's nothing, Sabine. The shot literally just grazed the fur. If anything, what I need is a good session in the 'fresher."

"I'll second that." They entered the cock-pit, where they were greeted with a few beeps and chirps from Chopper. Hera was still in her seat, fiddling with the numerous buttons and screens of her ship.

"Somethin' wrong, Hera?" Zeb asked, plopping down into the co-pilot's chair. Without Kanan there to claim it, Zeb was free to do so, leaving Sabine still in her personalized seat.

"No, nothing's the matter. I'm just double-checking the coordinates we put in, so that we really _do_ arrive at the rendezvous point instead of some random point in space. Because we'd never know the difference if we did."

Sabine chuckled lightly from behind Zeb. "And then the boys'd be stranded all alone in the wild wild fringes of space... in a small ship... with another woman." Zeb laughed heartily, but Hera just turned a raised eyebrow to Sabine.

"I don't know where you get your delusions. Kanan is a trained Jedi, sworn not to make romantic attachments. And so is she. And I don't think Ezra'd even have a slimmer of a chance with her if he tried." Sabine just continued shaking her head, giggling silently, so Hera returned her focus to the dash. Zeb sighed slightly.

It was just too weird to be alone with the two girls of the crew and hear them commence girl-talk-stuff. He hoped Ezra and Kanan would make it back soon.

* * *

"Wow, they really didn't slack off on the guard patrols, did they?" Ezra was staring at the dozens of stormtroopers patrolling and guarding the Imperial base they had come up upon.

Made of grey metal, it was as featureless as any other Imperial compound. It had slightly slanting walls that reached up towards the flat roof, giving the entire building a spread-out look. It was a large base, to be sure, with a decent hangar-bay full of ships and compounds that stretched almost to the end of the cleared area the Empire had created. All in all, it was a big slab of metal plunked down like a sore thumb.

Ezra knew Sabine would have hated it.

"You forget, their goal had been to find and capture a highly Force sensitive for nearly a year. With their vehicles being the only way off of the moon _or_ for her to communicate with others, they had to make sure the base was protected well, or she'd've escaped long ago." Kanan said, peering out behind the foliage.

Of course, they were no where near the actual base. The two were using macrobinoculars, little devices perfect for seeing without being seen. They both knew that the station was most probably outfitted with body-signature sensors, which would immediately alert the compound that the two were on the prowl.

They couldn't just storm it, as per usual, because the soldiers inside would most likely send off Imperial broadcasts about their situation. They had been lucky so far in that Vader had been held up, for whatever reason, and had not yet visited the system, or indeed the Outer Rim. But if the troopers stationed here sent out a distress signal reporting that their compound was being attacked by two rouge Jedi, the Sith would probably throw away whatever was keeping him and come to investigate it himself.

So, they were currently scouting about, too far away to actually see the base without the macrobinoculars, but close enough to begin their operations before dark. However, the sun of the Yavin system was close to setting on the moon of Yavin 4, and if they wanted to use the darkness as cover, they would have to move quickly.

Ezra shifted on his sore feet. They had spent almost five hours straight walking through the forests, moving slower than usual to avoid any scaners the Imperials might have set when on the lookout for Ahsoka. The pack on his back full of medical supplies and rations made his shoulders hurt as well, but Ezra was well past the point of complaining. Besides, the materials strapped to his back were of value to the mission, especially if Ahsoka had been treated with as much 'hospitality' as Ezra had.

There was a hard, set look in his eyes whenever he thought back on the practices that the Inquisitor had tried to use to convert Ezra. If any one of them was being used on Ahsoka, the supplies in his pack would mean the world to her. Ezra doubted that she was being tortured, however, because they didn't want anything from her, simply to hold her until Vader came to deliver judgment personally.

Still, though. No logic or reason could take away his determination to make sure that those things never happened to Tano. Ezra might have never met the woman before, but no one, Jedi or not, deserved or should have to hold up against that type of treatment.

So it was with vigor that Ezra searched the compound for any weakness. The scanners and how to disable them he would leave to Kanan, while he looked for the quietest way to sneak into the place. That, however, was proving to be a little harder that he had originally thought it to be.

"Well... there are a few vents which I could fit through, but you'd be stuck outside."

"No way I let you go in there alone." Kanan replied gruffly, still staring through his own binocular device.

"As I thought. There is, of course, the main door... but that'd probably be worse than just simply shooting at it with the _Phantom_ stealth wise." Ezra frowning in the general direction of the Imperial base, watching the soldiers patrol around the perimeter. Their time was limited.

"Can you think of any other way to get inside, Master?"

"Hangar-bay?"

"No. Again, too obvious, and it's probably guarded heavier than the front door. Maybe... OH!" Ezra peeled the macro-binoculars off of his face, an idea striking the young teen that he was amazed he hadn't thought of earlier. Kanan also looked away from his device, turning a curious look towards his Padawan. "Sudden stroke of genius?" Ezra nodded.

"The Empire. They use their resources to the best advantage. Did the _Phantom_ pick up the signatures of a river or lake or stream or some other body of water?" Kanan frowned, but nodded once. "There was a decent size river maybe twenty minutes that-a-way," he pointed to their right. "Why?"

"Because I'm guessing that instead of using ships to constantly bring in supplies, they'd use the river for a supply of fresh water, and possibly a waste-removal site." Kanan's eyes lit up, and he turned to face the direction he had pointed to earlier.

"And where there's intake or outtake, there's a grate..."

"And lightsabers can cut through grates. There'll still probably be sensors, but I'm guessing they won't be anywhere near the intensity of the ones surrounding the bulk of the compound and can be disabled easier." Kanan turned a smile back to him.

"You really have grown, Ezra." He felt his face heat up a little bit, but Ezra appreciated the complement none the less.

"Well, a kid's gotta when they want to commit high treason to the Empire. We going?" Kanan nodded, and they resumed their long trek through the forest.

Ezra realized, by the time this mission was done, he'd probably have to buy a new pair of boots. Because the ones he was currently wearing would most likely have no sole from all the hiking he was doing.


	7. Infiltration

**I know, I know, there's not much happening in this chapter, don't hate...**

**But the next one should be uploaded really soon, like, ten minutes after this one soon. So don't worry about it too much.**

**Disclaimer: The billion-dollar franchise known as Star Wars belongs to the trillion-dollar company known as Disney. Not some random chic on a computer.**

* * *

Even if Ezra's idea of infiltration had been a brilliant one, Kanan wished sorely there had been another way. The smell was killing him.

What once must have been a beautiful river and surrounding banks had been turned into a sluggish flow of brown, trashy, muddy water on the opposite side of the water processing unit. And that was because the machinery they saw acted as a water-processing unit _and_ as a disposal unit. The clean water flowed in one end, where half was sent to the compound and half was allowed to flow through. On the opposite end, there was a grate that released all of the dirty, used water from the base, adding to the polluted state of the stream. Attached to the machine were two tunnels, one for the clean water going in, and one for the dirty water going out. Maybe five meters or so from the bank, they sloped down into the ground, and Kanan had no doubt they continued underground all the way to the actual compound for maximum stealthiness. Though the pollution of the river kind of gave away their presence, big time.

Currently, they were on the dirty side, where the smell was so intensive, Kanan had to make a conscious effort to not gag. Ezra, however, seem to be doing just fine. Remembering that he had probably gone through the sewers often as a youth, Kanan pieced together Ezra was probably immune to most of the smells the galaxy could throw at him.

"And there's the grate. You don't mind getting a little dirty, do you?" Ezra hopped over a sludgy pile of trash, heading over to the sewer opening. Kanan made a face as he passed a suspicious looking pile of mud, but he walked over to Ezra without contaminating his boots needlessly. Then he frowned. The grate was small. It was designed to accommodate waste, and nothing more. They would have to travel down the narrow tunnel while crouching, and due to the exact nature of the shaft they were going in, he doubted that would be fun.

"Can we not move down the cleaner side? We'd be moving _with_ the current of _clean_ water, instead of against... that." Kanan gestured to the fishy sludge all around them. Ezra smiled while raising an eyebrow.

"Well, we _could_... but we'd have to be about ten times smaller than we are right now. Imps generally purify their water further in these shafts, so there are grates and mesh sheets abundant in them. Not only that, but the entire tunnel is smaller than this one, which is built to accommodate _any_ package they send down the disposal units. So, this is the only way we can go in if we want to remain sneaky. Sorry." Kanan just shook his head sadly. He'd have to keep his clothes inside the cleaners for days on end just to make sure they were thoroughly washed out. Not to mention spend half his remaining life in the 'fresher.

"Didn't your clothes ever get monstrously dirty? How'd you deal with that?" At this, Ezra turned a crafty face back to his Master, pulling out his lightsaber to cut away the meager restraints on their entrance point. He gestured to the pilots suit.

"This was made with dirt and grime in mind. It's slightly water repellent, and that gives a _great_ advantage in cleaning. Even in conditions like-" he activated his lightsaber and cut away the mesh, releasing a huge glob of oily slime from the top of the tunnels, which fell and made a disgusting 'bloop' in the muddy pools of drainage below, "that."

Kanan sucked in a breath, almost immediately regretting it when he allowed the smell in through his mouth. For once, he was envious of his Padawan. No- the Jedi were not envious! But Ezra- and his clothes -sure were going to fare a lot better in the coming journey than he would.

Anything for another Jedi, he supposed.

* * *

Ezra hopped out of the ventilation once the door had closed shut behind the stormtrooper, silently transferring his mass from the ceiling to the floor.

Even if they had made it to the insides of the base without detection, the entire stinking trip through the sewers would have been for nothing if they managed to make it in, only to be discovered and reported to Vader instantaneously. And so, it was Ezra's job to disable the main off-world communication systems, so if the Imperials sounded the alarm, the only ones who would know would be the ones who actually inhabited the base.

He had left Kanan in the water-processing room, much to the Jedi's discomfort, but it had to be done. Ezra was still the only one of the crew who had enough experience and the correct body-type to go snooping through the ducts. Since the entire point of his venture was to remain sneaky and cover their tracks, it wouldn't really make sense to have Kanan walking around right underneath him. He had promised to come right back, though, once the alarms had disarmed. Kanan _really_ didn't want him to sneak around the compound alone. While Ezra disagreed with the concept of this idea, he wouldn't disobey Kanan.

Not because it felt wrong to disobey him or anything like that... though Ezra did harbor respect for his Master over the past two years, he also had a sort of... well, _fatherly_ bond that made it hard to disobey his orders. Scratch that. Not hard, just sort of nagging. He could go against orders any time he wanted to. That was just who he was.

But what made Ezra need to keep his promise to Kanan was the fact he was... anxious about meeting another Padawan. While he was still excited, there was still just a little bit of nervousness that had taken root in him. Jedi were trained since the age of two. That meant they would most definitely be calm, precise, logical, emotionless, and whatever other words Kanan had thrown at him. Ezra, a student for a mere two years, was nothing of the sort.

So what if she thought he was a poor apprentice? She had actually been taught all her life, with the entire Jedi Council there to chaperone his actions. Would he seem just like an immature youngling to her, acting rashly on impulses, running blindly into situations, falling short of what a real Jedi Padawan would have been?

Usually, conforming to others' sense of what he should or should not be never bothered Ezra. But this was something different. Because what a trained apprentice of the Jedi saw in him would show whether or not he was actually learning what Kanan was teaching him, and if he actually had the ability to become a Jedi.

So, to say Ezra was nervous would be... accurate. He didn't think he'd _want_ to meet Ahsoka on his own, without the comforting presence of his Master as the perfect support for this type of experience.

So Ezra had dutifully crawled through the ventilation, keeping as quiet as possible while suspended above the ground, tensing every time a soldier walked by below him. In the compound armed to the teeth, this was quite a lot. Once he had reached the main communication room, he had had to wait until the two visiting troopers had left before he'd deemed it safe to enter it.

Of course, there were still four other bucket-heads in the room.

Using the advantage of surprise and sound-proofed walls, Ezra connected with the Force and flung two of the four guards back to the far side of the room, their helmets connecting with the metal with a loud 'thud.' Then it was blaster time.  
Ezra dived behind a comm-console right as the first few shots flew through the air. Whipping out his own lightsaber-blaster hybrid, Ezra charged up the shot and fired at the soldier to his left. Not ready for his sudden attack, the trooper fell down to the ground, twitching. His friend was momentarily shocked at Ezra's quick dispatch of the trooper, but he got over it within moments.

"_There is no friendship in war..._" The Imperial agent's words rang through his head, and Ezra's eyes narrowed as the memory replayed itself in his mind. The Empire really was the exact opposite of their crew.

Ezra didn't give the man the chance to communicate to his superiors about the breach in security. With another single charged shot, the soldier was down before his hand could reach over to his helmet.

Adrenaline still pumping through his system, Ezra stood up, surveying the damage caused to the room itself. Other than the burn marks where the bucket-heads had missed, there was nothing. _Guess I'll have to do it by myself._

Ezra hopped over the console he had been hiding behind and reached down to the access panel in the front. When the metal covering had been removed, it exposed a knotted mess of blue and green and red wires, reaching all over the place. Not wasting any time trying to find the right wire to pluck, Ezra pulled out a wire-cutter from the mass of materials in his pack and simply cut them all. Better safe than sorry, right?

Quickly scanning the room for any other off-world communication devices, Ezra leapt back to the ventilation shafts when he confirmed there was none. Even if they set off every possible alarm in the compound, the Imperials wouldn't be able to call in back-up from any other world for a while. And that gave them more time away from Vader, something they desperately needed if they wanted to survive and get Ahsoka out of there.

Ezra was almost half-way back to Kanan when the red-lights started flashing and the sirens started to blare. He had a moment of nostalgia to when those exact same red-lights had come on when the crew of the _Ghost_ had tried to rescue him the first time...

Would Ahsoka be filling with as much hope as he had been then?

Ezra hoped out of the vents once he had reached the waste-disposal room. Even in here, it smelled awful. It was only because of experience that he wasn't doubled over gagging. "Their comms are down, and we are a-okay for rescue."

"Thought those alarms meant something. Any trouble?" Kanan pulled himself up out of his kneeling pose, where he had been trying to scrap off the gunk that had accumulated on him from their trek through the tunnel. During their journey it had sloshed over his thighs and mid-riff, and Ezra knew he didn't look much better. Though the waste was only thigh-deep, the shafts were so low they'd both had had to crouch in order to move through them, putting them at much closer proximity to the filth than normally.

"Nothing I couldn't handle. You _know_ the Imps can't keep up with me." He flashed Kanan a cocky grin as the Jedi just shook his head.


	8. Discovery

**As promised, another chapter right after the previous. And this time, there's a cliffie-ish-sort of thing... mua-ha-ha-ha... except it's not _that_ bad. Well, maybe for some of you. You'll find out of your own!**

**Disclaimer: Rebels doesn't belong to anything nearly half resembling me. Unless Disney looks like a single girl alone in her room. Well, maybe it does...**

* * *

Kanan and Ezra raced down the halls. Now that the off-world communications had been disabled, there was no point in being sneaky any-more. Besides, it was the only way Kanan could actually move around the compound.

The lower parts of his outfit were absolutely caked with filth, and his Padawan hadn't fared too well either. But it had been the only way to get into the base, and he was still grateful for it. Even though he looked like he had just came out of a bantha's rear end.

They had been lucky so far, they hadn't run into an obstacle to get in the way of their mad dash. With the possibly hundred bucket-heads inhabiting the compound, that in and of itself fell just short of a miracle.

But when they rounded the bend and almost ran into a patrol of a dozen stormtroopers, Kanan counted that miracle as broken.

His lightsaber- and Ezra's -were out instantaneously, and it was a good thing they were, to. The soldiers weren't the least bit phased at their sudden appearance and open-fired on the two of them before they even had a chance to fully gain their bearings.

Blaster bolt after blaster bolt flew off of Kanan's blade and back into the midst of the enemies firing at them, and he could see Ezra was faring much the same. But though neither one of them was getting hurt, this still wasn't a good situation. Attracted by the noise, more stormtroopers would only come, which would make busting out Ahsoka even more difficult-

But it looked like Ezra had come prepared. Hardly breaking pace with his deflecting, the teen reached his left arm up to his pack and withdrew one of Sabine's bombs. He threw it into the fray, and before the bucket-heads had any time at all to react, the charge detonated in their midst.

It was small enough so that it didn't have that big of an impact on _them_, but their enemies went flying.

"Nice one, Ezra!" His Padawan grinned in response.

There was a slight haze of smoke lingering in the now empty hallway, but the two didn't pause to wait for it to dissipate. Pushing on through the littered floor, they reached a junction, where Kanan led them right.

Of course, neither one of them knew _exactly_ where to go, but judging on the basic shape of the building and what they already knew of Imperial layouts, Kanan was guessing Ahsoka would be somewhere in the top-right center region of the compound. Since the sewers had been in the bottom left, they still had quite a ways to go: hence the speed at which they tore through the halls.

That and he had just a slight... not pressure, but a sort of light presence in the Force that was sort of telling him 'this way'. Kanan couldn't sense Ahsoka's definite presence in the Force, so he was guessing that the Imps had dosed her with the same sort of Force-inhibitor Ezra had told him about earlier on, when they'd rescued him.

"Oh! I can't believe I didn't think of this until now!" Kanan looked nervously down the halls, but if there were any stormtroopers around they would already be going after the noise their feet made on the metal flooring of the halls. His apprentice exclaiming loudly probably wouldn't affect much.

"What, Ezra!?"

"Does she have a lightsaber?!" Kanan could have kicked himself. Lightsabers would, of course, be kept _away_ from their Jedi counter-parts. Most probably in the prisoner's belongings, though they had as much as an idea of where that was as her actual cell.

"If I remember correctly, two. We'll have to find their location first, but that'd take away precious time that we can't afford to waste." And Kanan was right, even if they had been lucky that Vader had been stalled for this long to come and make a personal dispatchment of Ahsoka, they couldn't rely on luck to keep the Sith out of the system for much longer.  
But, Ezra, crafty as always, gave Kanan a sly smile.

"All we need to do is to find her. You forget, I know these Imperial compounds like the back of my hand." But then his devious smile slid off of his face. "Wait, _two_ lightsabers?! How come-"

"Not now!" Three more troopers had caught up to them, and blue bolts of energy were flying down the halls, narrowly missing them. _Wait.. blue? Stun shots?!_

Well, it made sense, in a messed up sort of way. Jedi were more valuable to the Empire in captivity than dead, especially if Vader had taken a personal interest in one of them. Still, though, it caught Kanan off guard that the bucket-heads were _actually_ attempting to stun them. Like they really thought it would be any more effective than their regular blasts. Cute.

Lightsabers once again drawn and deflecting blasts as they went along, this time neither Kanan nor Ezra stopped running. These troopers were behind them, and posed to direct obstacle to them reaching their goal. Their lightsabers were all the offense and defense the two needed, and it showed as two of the three guards pursuing them were taken down by their own shots.

"Did you manage to take out their inner communication units as well?"

"Kanan, I disabled the whole thing! Pretty sure that the inner _and_ the outer were taken out, but that doesn't jam their signals. They're still gonna be able to talk through their helmets, but-" Ezra shot the remaining trooper with his lightsaber, something Kanan never got used to seeing, "-if we can take them down before they reach for their helmets, they won't be able to pin us down." That was good, it meant that the stormtroopers knew they infiltrated, but had no idea where they were.

They rounded the bend, once again heading right, and immediately saw the isolation deck of the compound. It wasn't as large as the one on the _Imminent Pursuit_ had been, since it was simply a ground-compound, but there were still around ten cells there. One of which was under guard by five bucket-heads.

_Guess we know which cell she's in_.

The two rebels sprinted down the hall, Ezra firing shots at the troopers while Kanan deflected the ones heading towards either one of them. Within nearly twenty seconds, all five guards were taken down.

"Ezra, can you get the door open without sounding any of the alarms?" Kanan glanced at the single panel of buttons to the right of the blast-door, a small computer monitor above it. Even if the bucket-head's communication was limited to what they were able to send in through their helmets, an alarm being broadcasted from the once cell occupied by a Jedi would give away their position rather quickly.

"Just give me a second..." Ezra pulled out one of his multiple tools from the stuffed pack on his back. To Kanan, they all looked alike, but his Padawan obviously knew them all personally. He plugged in one of the rods and looked intently at the data the scrolled over the screen, reading through the lines of code and Basic. Kanan contented himself with simply standing guard in case any more bucket-heads decided to show up. Time like these were when he wished for back up, so they could do this for him, and for the extra level of offense it gave them.

Ezra punched a few buttons. "There were a few, but not anymore. And her lightsabers are in the room down the hall to the left, storage compartment A-28. I'll go get them, you get her out." And Ezra dashed away before Kanan could object. It wasn't as though he was _going_ to, but he still shook his head at Ezra's behavior. He pressed the main big blue button, and the blast doors opened softly. Kanan stepped in, his eyes straining slightly to see in the lower light levels.

"Kanan Jarrus?" A soft voice spoke out from the back of the room, and Kanan immediately diverted his attention to the corner it had originated from. He'd heard that voice before.

A female Togruta about the same height as Kanan was standing in front of a metal slab. Her two orange head-tails hung down almost to her waist, and the horn-like montrals projected themselves maybe half a foot in the air. Her skin was a coppery-orange, accented with white facial markings that framed calm, curious blue eyes. Her red outfit was stained with mud and grime- much like Kanan's own.

He should have been confused that a Jedi Padawan he'd never met had recognized him based off of a single glance at his face. But Kanan wasn't. He was confused, yes, but not because she knew him. It was because _he'd_ seen _her_ before: but not as Ahsoka Tano.

"Fulcrum?!"

* * *

**Aww yis, Ahsoka is Fulcrum.**

**Not that I would actually know anything about that, but I'm just gonna assume that she is, and that Kanan wouldn't have known her true identity, and that they'll have a big reveal in the beginning of the second season... or I'm completely wrong and Fulcrum turns out to be someone else. But hey, a girl can dream, right?**


	9. There's Always a Wrinkle in the Plan

**So sorry for not posting yesterday... I have fallen ill, and staring at a screen for too long made/makes my head hurt. So, unfortunately, only one chapter for right now, maybe another one if I feel up to it.**

**Disclaimer: Star Wars. Created by George Lucas, expanded upon by countless authors, and currently owned by Disney. So can we please stop assuming that just because I'm writing about it it belongs to me?**

* * *

"Kanan Jarrus?"

Ahsoka had seen this man before. He was the captain of the _Ghost_, one of the most successful ships in the still-growing Rebellion. He worked along with Hera Syndulla, and together they had completed hundreds of missions working against the Empire. Not only that, but she knew he was one of the few Jedi who had escaped from Order 66. She wasn't entirely surprised he was the one to bust her out of here.

"Fulcrum?!" Although at the moment, he seemed very much so confused.

"You- _you_-" He was staring at her, mouth hanging down slightly.

"There's not a lot of time to spend gawking, judging by the sirens overhead. I can answer any questions you have later, when we're _not_ at risk of being shot." Kanan shook his head, blinking, but he pulled himself out of the momentary funk.

"Right. I just... I didn't expect... can you run? My Padawan had medical supplies if they're necessary." Almost as though mentioning him, a navy-haired youth sprang into the door-way, panting slightly. His eyes were almost electrically blue, bright and enthusiastic. Even before her year of imprisonment on the surface of Yavin 4, Ahsoka hadn't seen Kanan's apprentice, only heard about him from Hera. He looked young, almost as young as she had been when she'd first been assigned to Anakin. There was indeed a large yellow-pack on his back, but Ahsoka shook her head.

"Medical supplies aren't vital at the moment, the only thing the Empire wanted from me was to keep me here." Ahsoka paused, eyes narrowing sadly. "But they did ensure that I would be unable to connect to the Force. Since I've woken up, I haven't been able to feel anything." It seemed they had done their job well, because Ahsoka hadn't felt _anything_ for the twenty-something hours she'd been captured. For someone who'd been reliant on the Force since day-one, this was very much so unsettling.

The Padawan's eyes contracted slightly, and Kanan looked at him through the corner of his eyes as the youth spoke. "Don't worry too much about that. The Empire's serums don't last much longer than a standard day; your immune system should take care of it soon." His voice was still slightly high-pitched, as though it had yet to fully mature. But the seriousness of which he spoke about Force-inhibitors gave Ahsoka no doubt that he'd experienced situations beyond what his apparent age belayed.

What surprised Ahsoka even more was that he handed her the two objects she missed the most besides her connection to the Force: her lightsabers. With relief that visibly showed on her face, Ahsoka clipped the two weapons on her belt, their comforting weight settling back onto her waist.

"Thank you, Padawan." He looked surprised for a moment, then flashed a cocky grin that showed he had _definitely _started learning late enough so that he wasn't completely boring and emotionless. A lot like her, actually.

"Call me Ezra. But don't thank me yet, we need-"

"-to get out of here, and soon." Kanan interjected, finishing his Padawan's sentence. He gestured to the red lights flashing above them. "In case you didn't notice, the bucket-heads _kinda_ know we're here."

"Speaking of which, you're sure that you don't need anything? I know a protein bar can go a long way after experiencing the Imp's _delightful_ hospitality." Ahsoka's suspicion that Ezra'd seen more than he let on increased, but she gratefully accepted the small bar of rationed protein he handed her from his pack. Whatever the case may be, he still knew what he was talking about. Food hadn't really crossed the Empire's mind as a priority for their temporary guest.

"Alright, let's go. Ezra, do you think we can go out through the sewers again?" The teen shook his head again, navy hair flopping slightly. "They'll have been trying to find out where we came in. It's possible that they haven't found the damaged mesh yet, but more than likely they know how we came in and they'll have guarded it heavily to prevent us from getting out the same way. With as many bucket-heads as they have here, I'm guessing it's a lot of men there." Kanan nodded before turning to Ahsoka.

"The report we got that led us here said you've been on Yavin 4 for nearly a year?" She nodded, already finishing the ration bar Ezra had handed to her. "In that time, have you ever found any less-than-obvious entrance or exit points? We have a ship, but it's landed a ways away." Ahsoka frowned.

"In all my time of observing this place, the only entrances I could find without being detected were the hangar-bay, main entrance, side-entrance, and the emergency landing pad on the roof." Almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth, Master and Apprentice looked at one another. Ahsoka almost laughed at the next few lines that either one spoke; they seemed almost in sync.

"They'll probably expect us to go out either the main or side-doors, because we don't have a ship on their scanners to take us away from the base. So if we went to the landing pad on the roof..." Ezra finished his Master's statement for him.

"There'd be less guards in the way, and we'd probably have a better time getting away from the actual compound itself." Ahsoka held up a finger.

"There are a few surface-canons on the top of the compound. If we go out there, the Empire'll be able to pick us off at will, no sweat." Once again, her two rescuers looked at once another. This time, though, Kanan was looking at him with a little warning in his eyes, mouth open, apparently ready to shoot down whatever he knew the youth was about to say. But Ezra spoke faster, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"The other three exits are going to be too heavily guarded, Master. You _know_ I have to. I already took out the off-world comms, so why would this be any different?"

"Because the controls to the canons are going to be more highly guarded, and we're short on time."

"But do we have time to think of another plan? The hangar-bay, front and side doors are all going to be absolutelly crawling with soldiers. If we get up on the roof, we'll be able to slide down and run back to the ship before they can react, giving us the head-start we'll _need_ if we want to make it out without injury. Remember," he held up a single wagging finger, "Hera said not to get ourselves captured."

Kanan groaned slightly, but Ezra was wearing a slight smile. Ahsoka felt one coming up on her own face as she watched the two banter.

"Fine. Just _make_ _sure_ that you aren't cornered while you go." Ezra mock saluted before turning to Ahsoka. His flippant demeanor gave way to one that was slightly more serious, though she could still see the ghost of a smile on his face.

"I'm going to go find and disable the commands for those canons, but you two will have to make your way to the emergency landing pad while I do that." Ahsoka raised any eyebrow.

"How is that in anyway less dangerous than just walking out the front door? The path to those command junctions are going to be crawling with Imperials." But Ezra shook his finger, pointing to the single vent in the left-hand corner of the room.

"It's less dangerous for me because I can fit in there. Do you have any idea where the controls are?"

"Only that they're a lot closer to the center than we are." Ezra nodded, then moved outside to the computer terminal. Kanan gestured that they followed him, and Ahsoka complied, stretching her sore limbs. Sitting still for a standard day hadn't exactly kept her in the best shape.

Ezra was fiddling with the controls to her door panel, and once they had all exited the small room the doors shut closed behind them. Ezra was still typing away though, reading and absorbing complex diagrams faster than Ahsoka could comprehend exactly what was on them. More questions about this Padawan's past arose.

He inserted a small chip, pressed a few more buttons, and pointed further down the hall. "Landing pad's that way. If you need the exact route," he pulled out the chip and handed it to Kanan, "you can look at it on here. I'm going to be heading that-a-ways," he pointed in the opposite direction they were heading, "but it shouldn't take me too long to get in and out. Five minutes, maybe a little more." Kanan nodded.

"Good luck."

"See you on the other side, Master, Ahsoka." He nodded to both of them before heading over to the nearest ventilation shaft, a little ways behind them. "Come on." Kanan started running down the hall, where Ezra had directed them, and Ahsoka followed, all too used to running. She turned back her head just in time to see a pair of orange legs disappearing through a vent on the ceiling before the entire hall was back to normal.

"Is he really going to be okay on his own like that?"

"Don't worry too much about it. He's been doing this kind of stuff since before he met us. He knows what he's doing. All we can do to help him is by following the plan."

"Once we get out of here, you're really going to have to explain more about him, Jarrus."

"And you as well, Fulcrum. I think we _all_ need to know what exactly happened with one another. But first we need to concentrate on getting out of here!"

* * *

The hum of her ship had always been soothing.

On Ryloth, she had gone to sleep next to the buzzing of her home's power generator. Hera guessed that that was why the slow murmur of space was so comforting to her, but whatever the actual reason was, it was just... relaxing to her.  
Maybe that was why she was content with just being the pilot. Not only because she had _considerable_ skill maneuvering vehicles, or that she was most likely the only one who could actually be trusted with the the responsibility of being the get-a-way driver. Especially with the members of her particular crew.

And so, when that relaxing, calm, uninterrupted ebb of space was suddenly punctuated with high-pitched bleepings from her off-world comm, Hera's first reaction was annoyance. Seconds later, it was excitement, then wariness.

"Zeb, Sabine, I got a signal!" Hera routed through the _Ghost'_s internal comms, successfully drawing the two Spectres from their respective cabins. After all, there wasn't much else to do.

Since the explosion excitement from the Tie-producing facility, the crew hadn't had anything to do but to wait. Kanan and Ezra hadn't come back from their mission yet, and likely wouldn't for at least twelve more standard hours. They had only just left maybe three hours ago, and would most probably only now be arriving at Yavin 4 after their trip.

So who was comming the _Ghost_ in the middle of nowhere?

"You got a signal?! Already?!" Sabine had entered the cock-pit, Zeb not far behind her.

"Geez, I know their fighting power's gone down three members, but did they really turn tail now?" Hera didn't even have time to shoot Zeb back a look, her concentration was so spent. Whoever was signaling them, their message wasn't even coming in through the transponders right. Whenever Hera thought it would come in clearly, there was some sort of interference.

"It's not them... someone else is trying to reach us..."

"Imperials?!"

"No, Sabine, I don't think the bucket-heads would have this much trouble just getting out their message... I think it might be one of ours, trying to reach out through a jamming frequency!" Immediately, the silence in the cabin gained in tension. Another rebel cell? Calling for help? Within range?

"_...to any shi...he area, requir... sistance... unned dow... Dathomir syste... Repeat: to any shi... equire immedia... again, immediate assistan..._" No matter what Hera did, she couldn't get the signal to come through any clearer. But the message was out, and they didn't need much else to understand about it.

"There's a rebel ship at Dathomir in need of assistance..." Zeb looked at Hera questioningly. "Hera, aren't we _really_ close to Dathomir?" The Twi'lek stopped her fiddling with the controls. The rest of the message wasn't really needed anyways. But the underlying question to Zeb's comment was in need of discussing.

"We... yes. Dathomir is, actually, only a little farther from us than Yavin is. But... we have to stay and wait for Kanan and Ezra. We can't." Zeb and Sabine traded dubious looks, then the Lasat once again turned to face her.

"How long is their mission gonna take? A few hours? More?"

Hera opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. She nodded. "Probably more than a few hours, yes. But the moment they come here, we'll have to be ready to take off, like, immediately, because we don't know how much security and ships they have around Ahsoka."

"True, true, but they," Zeb pointed to the comm unit, which was still crackling slightly, "need us right _now_." Sabine spoke up.

"And we're probably the only ones in the area who actually received the message. We might be their only hope. Don't get me wrong, I know we have to be here in time for the _Phantom_ to dock, I do. But, like you said, it might take them hours to finish... and like Zeb said, they need us right now. Their lives could be at stake."

"When are our lives _not_ at stake?" But Hera scratched her head, already weighing the dangers. It was true, Kanan and Ezra would most likely be a few hours in coming. And where the signal had originated from, it would only take the _Ghost_ five minutes to reach them, tops, if they went at their max speed. And they had sounded pretty urgent...

"What if whatever's taking them out if too powerful to us to handle? Or Kanan and Ezra head back early, for whatever reason?" Even though she still pulled out objections, Hera was already forming battle strategies in her head. It was now just her mother-hen nature wanting to make sure that every single possibility was ironed out and taken care of before departure.

Zeb and Sabine looked at one another. "If they're too big for us to handle, I guess we'd come back here before they got a chance at firing at us," Zeb said, scratching his head. Sabine picked up for him.

"And I know something we can do to make sure Kanan and Ezra know where we are even if we're not there." Hera cocked her head, devoting her full attention to the Mandalorian.

"A while back, when we were out resupplying, I ran across a transmitting beacon." Hera blinked in thought, drawing up her finger to her chin. Beacons, as their name suggested, sent out coded spurts of message, usually bits of text so that any other space-faring vehicle in range could intercept and read it. The device would allow Hera to tell Kanan and Ezra exactly what had happened, and where they were if the two showed up early and the _Ghost_ still wasn't back from their scouting trip. Hera could also give Kanan the coordinates, allowing him to rendezvous with her again if he showed up early; and if all went to plan, they could just pick up the beacon and put it into storage before Kanan had even arrived. And since their meeting place was in a fixed spot, there was absolutely no way Kanan could miss it. Hera just saw one problem.

"What if they're being chased? The Empire will know exactly where they're heading to if we leave out a beacon."

"Well, if they're being chased, the Empire's gonna know where they are regardless, Hera. A beacon and a changed meeting spot won't change that." Hera bit her lip. Zeb was right, and she knew it, but she was still trying to find any wrinkles in their plans. When she could find none, she nodded to Sabine.

"Prep your beacon, tell Kanan we received a distress call, and I'll route the coordinates I got into the message so he knows where we'll be." Sabine nodded and sprinted out of the door, towards the cargo-bay. Hera looked at Zeb, a tired look on her face.

"If I was superstitious, I'd say that the universe is constantly trying to put a wrinkle in all of our plans."


	10. Exodus

**Once again, sorry I haven't been updating as fast as usual. Fevers of 101 tend to make computer activity a no-go, so... yeah. But I'm better (ish) now, so things should be getting back to normal! Anyways, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: As the very word 'disclaimer' says, I have no claim to anything related to Star Wars.**

* * *

If Ezra hadn't known better, he would've assumed that the Empire's security had gone lax.

It had almost never been easier to sneak in and out of his intended destination, even with all of the alarms and flashing red lights keeping the soldiers constantly on the move.

Well, technically he hadn't actually gone _into_ the room... he had stayed in the air vents, mainly due to the sheer numbers of soldiers inside the control room. He'd forgotten, when they were in a crisis, the Empire almost always took refuge behind their panels and buttons.

The main control hub, where his target had been, had housed over twenty personnel inside of it. While Ezra was sure his fighting skills were- to be modest- alright, he wasn't foolish. Taking on a room full of enemies by yourself was a stupid plan, and not one that would help their situation out any. Even if he did manage to take them all out, at least one of them would have the sense to give his position away, which would lead even _more_ guards into the room, which, as you might think, would only lead to disaster. So Ezra had done the next best thing: let the Force do the work for him.

Stationed up in the ventilation shafts, out of sight and out of mind, he had observed the room below him with a tint of amusement at the Imperials scurrying around like ants before he got to work. Within half a minute, the entirety of the wiring inside the turret controls had been un-wired, fried, and generally messed up. A few seconds later, once the bucket-heads had realized something was wrong, the entire console had been crushed. If it was worth doing, it was worth overdoing, right?

And now, Ezra was only a few meters away from where he had given Kanan directions to head to. The sound of lasers being fired- and deflected- told Ezra that yes, his Master had found the right place, and yes, the Empire was still being a massive thorn in their side. _Let's change that, shall we?_

Quickly unscrewing the bolts to the grate he was currently leaning on, Ezra nimbly flipped out of the metal shafts. Directly behind the three soldiers taking cover behind shipping crates that were currently firing at Kanan and Ahsoka. _Too easy_.

Quickly pulling out his lightsaber, Ezra managed to stun two with blasts of energy before the third found out his position. Momentarily stunned by his sudden appearance, the bucket-head didn't have time to react to Kanan's quick blaster shot, and he fell down to the deck.

"Nice one, Ezra!"

"I try, Kanan. I try. We good to go?" Ezra jogged over to the group, clipping his lightsaber back onto his belt. He saw Ahsoka give the weapon a curious glance, and felt a moment of pride for his weapon and its' uniqueness.

"You'll have to access the controls for the lift to raise it up." Kanan gestured to the large pad in the middle of the hangar-like room. It was large enough to accommodate a small Imperial shuttle and not much else, but at the moment it was empty. There was a blast door over the space in the ceiling where it would rise up out of, but that too was currently closed. Ezra ran over to the computer terminal by the platform, reaching in for one of his tools.

"You know, sometimes I think I don't get enough credit for what I do, Master. If you didn't have me, you'd never be able to get access to what I get you." Ezra set to work on the little computer pad, fingers flying deftly over the appearing figures and codes. The Empire loved their codes.

"If I didn't have you, I'd have a lot less headaches, that's for sure."

"But you still wouldn't be able to do stuff like_ this_, would you?" Ezra pressed the activation button with a flourish, and the platform rose dramatically, blast door opening above it. Kanan rolled his eyes with amusement, gesturing to Ahsoka to hop onto the platform. They all did so, watching the sky rise higher and higher to meet them.

"I'm assuming you _did_ take out the surface turrets, right?" Ahsoka asked, casting a cautious look at the appearing turrets dotting the roof of the compound. "Wouldn't have come back if I didn't, now would I? But still, might want to hurry." The grin slid off of his face as he eyed the multiple canons himself. "No telling if they had a secondary control somewhere."

Aided with the Force, the three leaped off of the platform before it had fully ascended, landing with a heavy 'thud' on the roof-top. The grey metal was slippery under their feet, and it didn't take long for Ezra to see why.

The sky was a pretty shade of purple, the sun of the Yavin system having just set over the horizon. The orange gas giant of Yavin still hung in the sky, but it didn't do much in the way of lighting the ground on the surface of the moon. Their timing had worked almost impeccably, and the dark would act as a cover-shield. Unfortunately, it had also brought on a light drizzle, which was why the metal was still slippery under their feet.

It seemed to be winding down, but for now, the cold rain was falling down just enough to fall under the 'annoying' classification. It wasn't fine and misty, which Ezra had no problem with, nor was it heavy and pouring. Instead, it was light and drizzly-ish. Again, under the annoying category.

But all thoughts of the weather could go someplace else. Like, _far away_ someplace else. Because nearly a dozen stormtroopers had just come out of the main entrance, and were currently heading their way.

Ezra pulled out his lightsaber, but he was already running, along with Kanan and Ahsoka. It wouldn't do to make a stand here, when there were possibly tens of dozens of stormtroopers around, waiting for action. Besides, if they wanted to use the darkness as cover, now would be the best time to do so, and the cycle didn't last very long.

Within seconds, the trio had jumped down onto the ground and had run into the tree-line, dodging the few stray red lasers the bucket-heads chasing them fired out. Ezra hoped Kanan knew where they were headed in relation to the _Phantom_, because he himself had _no_ idea whatsoever. But he followed along, occasionally firing back a few blue bolts at the soldiers pursuing them. Whether they actually did damage or not, he had no idea. There wasn't any time to check.

"Head to the left!" Ahsoka's instructions rang out, momentarily distracting them.

"Our ship is-"

"Going to be surrounded if you bring them anywhere near it! I know this terrain, and we can lose them quickly_ if we head left_!" Wasting no more breath for arguing, Kanan veered their trajectory to the left. Ezra just trusted Ahsoka wouldn't lead them into some horribly-dangerous scenery- and then immediately regretting trusting that. Because turning left had taken them into view of one of the most freaky looking places Ezra had ever seen: and with the crew of the _Ghost_, he'd seen some freaky stuff.

They were standing on the edge of a cliff, the height of which Ezra didn't want to know. But the cliff wasn't the freaky part, it was what was beyond the cliff.

Hundreds- maybe thousands -of huge stone spikes littered the ground beyond the cliff-face, stretching far into the distance, looking to be almost a hundred feet long. Some were thick, some were thin, and they all were various heights*****, but there was one thing they all had in common: if they jumped off of the cliff in the wrong fashion, any one of them could skewer them straight through.

_AND THEY WERE HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THEM._

"There's a series of ledges leading to the bottom! The Empire won't be able to reach us down there for a while!" Ahsoka cried out to them, red blaster bolts behind them accentuating her point.

"I hope you know what you're doing!" Kanan responded, before they had reached the cliff-face.

Even if Ezra had tried to stop, his momentum wouldn't have allowed him to. There was also the fact that even if he could stop, there were still dozens of bucket-heads running after them. So, he did the only logical (if you could call jumping off a cliff logical) thing to do. Ezra prayed to the Force that Ahsoka wasn't wrong, and plummeted downwards.

They hadn't Jedi-jumped, because that would have taken the soaring off of the edge and into one of the pokey-spikes of death. Instead, they kind of hoped off of the edge, where they landed on their feet, standing on solid rock once more. But before Ezra could even begin to thank his lucky stars, Ahsoka had them moving again.

"Keep going down! There's a few more ledges that'll lead us to the bottom, where-"

"Where we play hide-and-seek with the Empire in-between the spikes?" Kanan was clutching a stitch in his side, but he wasn't tired. Neither was Ezra. Honestly, who _could_ be tired if they had just jumped off a cliff? Ahsoka grinned at Kanan.

"Essentially, yeah." And she hoped down, presumably to the ledge she had been talking about earlier. Ezra found himself liking Ahsoka more and more. She wasn't some stuffy Jedi apprentice, without a sense of humor and banishing her emotions. She was... well, like _him_. Fun. Ezra could feel his fears and doubts about her judging him- and through him, Kanan- fading away.

Kanan smiled slightly, shaking his head just so, and followed the Togruta down the cliff-side. Ezra jumped as well, still remembering the bucket-heads pursuing them.

Another ledge later, and they were safe on the rocky ground. Directly in front of them, a forest of stone pillars rose from the slightly slanted ground, reaching high up into the sky. Ezra had a thought about one of them tumbling down to the floor, then immediately banished it with a shiver.

"This way!" Ahsoka called out to them, beginning to weave back and forth between columns. They followed her jogging pace, clutching their sides and panting slightly.

"That cliff-face... it won't stop the Imperials, will it?" Even if the bucket-heads couldn't Jedi-jump, they still had equipment to bring themselves down a measly forty-foot ledge.

"It won't stop them, but it'll buy us time to get out of range of their scanners. Where's your ship?" Ahsoka paused, in the midst of the hundred of stone pillars. Closely grouped together as they were, the stone formations reminded Ezra of the narrow streets and alleys of Lothal. He doubted they'd find their way through them if it weren't for Ahsoka.

Kanan looked at his wrist-device, then pointed to their direct right. "It's a couple miles away from here, we had to land far away to avoid them detecting the ship." Ahsoka nodded, then frowned, casting a glance at the now-dark sky before resuming their journey through the thicket of stone. Though they weren't being directly chased, the trio still kept a jogging pace, just for safety's sake. Ezra was now also scanning the shadows around them for any sign of pursuit around them.

But within maybe a half-hour of travelling through the stone pillars, they still had yet to be located, and Ezra was beginning to think it'd stay like that. Even if the bucket-heads were still looking for them, as he had no doubts that they were, Ahsoka had led them so deep into the wilds of Yavin 4 that the Empire had almost no chance whatsoever of finding them. Once again, he felt his respect for the Togruta increase.

But the stone pillars thinned out, and trees were re-introduced into the mix. Ezra breathed a sigh of relief. Even though the pillars provided them cover from the bucket-heads, the giant works of nature gave him the chills. He didn't know what it was, they just seemed to emanate a presence of... creepiness.

"Alright! Back into familiar territory. Although," Ezra gave Ahsoka a humorous glance, "I guess it's all familiar to you, huh?" Ahsoka smiled darkly at him, checking their backs as she did so. Evidently, she was still concerned that the Empire would manage to track them through the maze of stone pillars.

"How could it not be? This was my home for just under a year, I think. It's hard to keep track of time without tech." She turned to face Kanan, slowing their pace down to a quick walk. "How long _was_ I gone?" Kanan's brow furrowed, and so did Ezra's. Kanan had never met Ahsoka, right? So, how would he have known when she'd been captured? What confused Ezra even more was that Kanan answered her.

"I think we might have been in the middle of a mission when you left. Things," he glanced at Ezra, so quickly he would have missed it if he'd blinked, "were complicated around a year ago." Ezra's confusion momentarily was replaced with bad memories. It had almost been exactly a year since Ezra had been captured by the Empire. In fact, the happy anniversary should be any day now, actually. A year ago had been very complicated indeed.

"You'll have to tell me about it later. What have I missed since then?" Kanan shrugged, and Ezra's confusion returned once again. He was acting like he knew her!

"Not much. Axle's been keepi-" As soon as Axle's name was brought into the conversation, Ahsoka's face momentarily darkened in anger. Well, if Ezra needed any more proof that she was unlike the image of a Jedi he had conjured in his head, that was it.

"Axle is the slimiest...foulest... backstabbing bastard that I have ever had the misfortune to meet." Even Kanan seemed surprised at Ahsoka's abrupt change. Her very voice was dripping with dis-like, and Ezra could just barely make out in the dark lighting that she was shaking slightly. Sheesh, Ezra didn't like Axle, but to just have his name brought up in conversation make a former Jedi angry... he kind of felt a dark pleasure at someone else sharing in his detesting for the man. But he was still confused as all hell about the first order of business.

"Um, excuse me, so sorry to bother you two, but, um, how in the world do you two know one another?" Ezra looked Kanan in the eyes, still able to make them out in the gloom. "I thought you said you never met Ahsoka before?" Kanan smiled slightly.

"Well, that's true... in a way. Until now, I'd never met _Ahsoka Tano._"

"Then how..?!" Kanan let loose a single bark of laughter, clearly enjoying whatever look was on Ezra's face. Ha ha.

"Because I _have_ met her before. Only then, she called herself _Fulcrum_."

"She's... you're Fulcrum?" Ahsoka nodded, a smile also on her previously darkened face. It seemed they both enjoyed his ignorance.

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**Ha ha, everyone's poking fun at Ezra...**

***Just in case my description of the weird 'spikes' was too vague, they were inspired by The Grand Tsingy in Madagascar, if you want a visual reference you can look it up on Google or Bing or whatever you use as a search engine. Oh, just in case, I don't own Google or Bing either.**

**Like I said above I'm still recovering from illness, so if there is another delay in chapter posting, thats probably the reason why. Anyways, thank you all for reading! :)**


	11. Howls in the Dark

**I just wanted to point out before this chapter began, partially in response to Delta General 42's review, that YES, Axle was Ahsoka's apprentice. And YES, her reaction to Kanan saying his name in the last has a meaning, not just because no one likes the guy (well, maybe his mom...). But that will be addressed in an upcoming chapter, two away from this one. So don't worry, all will come out as good in the end.**

**In the meantime, enjoy this animalistic chapter, and pray for the blueberry as he gets himself into even more trouble! He he...**

**Disclaimer: Rebels, sadly, isn't mine. That honor belongs to Disney and Disney alone.**

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Ezra knew it; Kanan had grinned at the look on his face. How could his Master not? They both took every opportunity to tease one another, so Ezra had no doubt the cowboy Jedi had smiled at what must have been a hilarious look of confusion on his face.

"So... you're Fulcrum." Ezra was still looking at Ahsoka, one eyebrow raised, one lowered. He was still pulling off the most amazing faces tonight. "That's right."

"And you're Ahsoka Tano."

"Yup."

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?! Do you know how awesome it would have been to know there was another Jedi out there?"

"I apologize, but there were safety reasons. Being one of the main resistance leaders has its' own risks." Ezra, instead of being put out, actually brightened up. Where the he got his constant energy, Kanan would never know, and would always complain about. But it did come in handy, especially when they had to keep up their endurance.

"_One_ of the main resistance leaders? There are others? How many? What do you guys do?" Ahsoka turned an exasperated look towards Kanan. "So many questions! How do you deal with them?"

Kanan shrugged. "You just have to learn to ignore them, I've found."

"Kanan!" He smirked back at his apprentice, shrugging half-heartily. "It's true. After all my time time with you, I've kind of developed a filter. It's pretty useful, filtering out half of what you say."

"Hey, I'm not that bad wi-" Both of them tensed suddenly, playfulness gone quicker than you could say 'bad-mojo.' Ahsoka didn't react as they had, but upon seeing both Master and apprentice stiffen and still, she too stopped, crouching with them. "What's wrong?"

Ezra was scanning the forest floor, watching the shadows intently. To his upper left, Kanan was doing the same. "Has your Force-inhibitor worn off yet?"

"No. What are you two sensing?" Almost instinctively, the group huddled close, watching each-others' backs. Ezra didn't know exactly what was out there, but he was getting really bad vibes coming through the Force. Even if he had only been studying for two years, he didn't exactly need to be an expert to know that whatever was out there, it didn't want hugs and kisses.

"Not sure. Some sort of-" Kanan was cut off by a loud shriek, so shrill and ear-splitting, Ezra's first reaction was to cover his ears. His second, of course, was to unhitch his lightsaber off his belt. The screech faded into silence, echoes ringing out weirdly through the trees.

_Did I just see something move?!_

A second scream rang through the air, on the opposite side for the trio than the first one had been. Even though he was on the side with three lightsaber wielders, Ezra couldn't help but feel a little pit of anxiousness and worry blossom in his stomach. He'd gladly take on the Imperials than whatever was making those shrieks.

"Did you forget to mention whatever these things are?!" Ezra got goose-bumps as a second shrill shout was projected into the air, almost immediately joined by another. Whatever the things were, they were surrounding them- or had already done so.

"I didn't think they'd come out!" Ahsoka sounded genuinely worried, which doubled the anxiety in his stomach. She'd been there for nearly a year. She knew what was in the forests, and she knew what was surrounding them. She also knew they were all skilled fighters. And she was still worried.

"What are they?" Ezra wouldn't be surprised if his voice was a little higher than it was normally. It was just a natural response to the increasing intensity and number of shrieks that permeated the air, and the fact that, as of yet, there wasn't a single assailant visible to them. But they were clearly all around them.

"Howlers.*****" Ahsoka's voice was grim, and she huddled slightly closer to the two of them. "They have a natural hunting method where their screams induce panic into their prey, stunning them until they can't move, and then they go in for the kill."

"Uh, you wouldn't happen to know if this screaming method works on humans, would you? And, like, if they eat people?" Once again, his voice was slightly higher pitched and shaking just ever so slightly, but Kanan didn't miss a beat.

"Ezra, they're closing in all around us, screaming at the top of their lungs. Pretty sure they like to eat people."

"Don't worry _too_ much, Kanan. Their screams won't incapacitate us, we're bigger than what they normally eat as prey. It does make you lose focus a little when they get too close, but if you keep your wits about you, we should be fine."

"Should?!" Ezra couldn't help it, the word had caught his attention.

"Well... anything can happen." Ezra swallowed nervously, readjusting his grip on his lightsaber. They all had their weapons out, but none of them were ignited. Yet. After all, their foes hadn't showed themselves. Yet.

Both him and Kanan twitched and turned to their right as a sudden signature in the Force revealed itself. Ezra had to squint to see it, but even then it was hard. The shadows of the trees made judging depth almost an impossibility, and the creature seemed to be taking advantage of that. The shrieks continued, and they could definitely hear the one in front of them adding to the chorus.

From what Ezra was able to make out, it was short, maybe standing two feet off of the ground. It had four legs, and crouched low to the ground. Its' front legs seemed larger than the back ones, and there were spines on its' back. Another nudge in the Force told Ezra that a second Howler had decided to show itself, on the opposite side of where he was facing. Kanan shifted to face it, making sure that they weren't flanked, trusting Ezra to protect their side from that particular beast.

"Should we, like, run? Maybe to a different spot? Where we can actually see them?" Ezra's panic was slowly rising. He didn't know what it was about these things, they were just... scarier than anything else the crew of the _Ghost_ had faced. Maybe it was the fact that they weren't human? Or that they kept on screeching at the top of their lungs?

"Good idea. Ahsoka, do you know a better spot to fight this out at?" Kanan's voice seemed unreasonably calm compared to what Ezra was feeling. Wasn't he sweating at the palms too?

"There's a small area a little to the east. The trees were knocked down a while ago. It's not much, but it'd give us elbow room." Ahsoka too! There was worry in her voice definitely, but shouldn't there also be, like, tremors? And irregular breathing?

"Better than nothing. Let's try and go slowly, try not to provoke them..." Provoke them?! They were already screaming at the top of their lungs and heading in to attack! How much more provoked could you get!?

Kanan and Ahsoka shuffled to his left, and Ezra copied them, stumbling slightly. Hard not to when your legs are trembling. Weren't their legs trembling?

The screaming intensified, and Ezra began seeing more shapes move in the dark. His breathing was erratic, fast and uncontrollable. _Was that another one? Or just a shadow? How many of them are there!?_

The introduction of light, and therefore Ezra's own shadow, made him jump. They'd reached the clearing Ahsoka had led them to, and it really wasn't much. Maybe just ten feet across, they were hardly better off here that where they had been before. Still, though, it meant that the creatures would have to step out into the meager light before attacking. And maybe they knew it, because the sheer volume of their screeches increased, until Ezra felt like they were screaming directly into his ears.

"Activate your lightsabers. It might scare them away." Ahsoka's voice reached Ezra's ears, strangely muted through all of the screaming din, and once again he couldn't help but focus on a single word.

"What do you mean, might!?"

"Well, it'll either scare them off, or it'll make them attack. Either way, this needs to end quickly. The Empire's still after us, remember." Yeah, but the Empire wasn't currently yelling at the top of their lungs, hiding in the shadows and freaking Ezra out anytime his imagination saw something twitch on the ground.

And was she serious about the 'end quickly' part? Ezra wasn't a big fan of the situation, but really? A fight with these things only seemed to have one end in Ezra's mind: and it wasn't pretty.

Why weren't the other two freaking out!? Weren't they also having trouble breathing? And, like, properly controlling their limbs?

The sound of three lightsabers activating in the field momentarily drowned out the sound of the Howlers, and then a sound of a fourth was added when Ezra's fumbling fingers managed to hit the small button on his device. The bright light of the four blades, two blue and two green, illuminated the small clearing of land they had entered, stopping just short of the tree line. The Howlers were still invisible to them. The shrieking intensified and grew, as though there were now a _lot_ more Howlers than there had been.

"Okay, guess they aren't being scared off." Usually, whenever Kanan made light of a situation, Ezra had a quip to go along with it. Something smart and snarky, most of the time directed at their enemies. Now, however, Ezra had absolutely nothing to say. His tongue seemed completely dry in his mouth.

Maybe Kanan realized that, because the Jedi shifted slightly, as though to look at his Padawan. But just then, a Howler bounded out of the tree-line, heading straight for him.

Ezra only had a few seconds to look at the creature while it was in the meager light. Green, scaly skin stretched over its' reptilian body. The front legs were, in fact, larger than the back ones, with almost human-like hands. Spine-like projections ran from the top of its' head down to the middle of its' back, which tapered down into a small green tail whipping back and forth as it rapidly crossed the distance between them.

And then, it was too close for him to be thinking about anything other than fighting it. Even though he was freaked out of his mind, Ezra had been a survivor for too long not to have reflexes of _some_ kind. He raised up his lightsaber, intending on blocking the creature's outstretched arms as it leapt up at him- and then it screamed so shrilly that Ezra couldn't move at all.

Seriously, _at all_.

Lightsaber deactivated in his hands, Ezra fell down on his right side, unconscious.

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**See, told you he'd get into trouble.**

***The Howlers were not my original creation, if you want to find out more about them you can go and check on wookiepedia (wikipedia for Star Wars), there's a short article about them there.**


	12. Worried Pleas

**Yay, some Kanan angst...**

**I just want to say: thank you to all who read, who follow/favorite, who review... it means a lot to me. A LOT. Thanks! :)**

**Disclaimer: So, how many people wanna bet that Disney got their inspiration for Ezra from Aladdin?**

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The fire was crackling slightly, the loudest noise in their surroundings. It was nice and peaceful compared to the screaming horrors they had left behind.

"The fire should keep them away. Howlers travel in packs, so that entire grouping of them will know to leave us alone." Kanan turned to Ahsoka.

"What if another group comes along that hasn't encountered us? Will they attack?" The Togruta shook her head, head-tails swinging slightly over her chest. "Howlers are territorial, with each pack hunting and living in about an area covering a few kilos. We're still in the space belonging to the group we fought earlier. There won't be another attack, and the ones we scared off know better than to try and pick a fight. Especially now." Kanan sighed lightly, relieved.

When Ezra hadn't acted out on Kanan's snarky remark, he'd known something was wrong. For crying out loud, he'd called one of the men he'd feared most in the galaxy 'Baldy,' so when the teen hadn't responded to his remark, Kanan had immediately picked up on the fact that his Padawan wasn't acting normal.

He'd had a moment of genuine fear when he'd turned around just in time to see Ezra collapse onto the ground. The Howler had pounced before Kanan had even started moving, jumping onto the falling form of his apprentice.

Kanan had managed to hurl the beast almost fifty feet before any real damage had been done, but Ezra's arm had still been injured in the process. After that, Kanan had... well, kind of gone into a frenzy. At that time he still had had no idea about whether Ezra was okay or not, and the Howlers had decided to attack them all at once... What they had been met with- an angry and scared Jedi wielding a weapon powerful enough to cut through metal- had certainly showed the Howlers not to mess with the group beyond that encounter.

After that, the trio had been left quite alone.

The Howlers- what remained of them -had fled into the night, and silence had never been more welcome. But Kanan had still been terrified over Ezra, who had been lying still on the ground, losing blood, unconscious.

Ahsoka had made a fire a short ways away, just in case the Howlers had other ideas, and with her help Kanan had gotten the pack off of Ezra's shoulders and extracted the medical supplies they'd brought. The Force had been with Ezra, because the bite wasn't serious, it'd heal within a few days, less with bacta.

But the experience had still shaken Kanan.

Thinking back on it, he could've kicked himself for not noticing Ezra's panic sooner. His voice had been trembling, higher than normal. He'd been moving jerkily, reacting at every single noise the clearing made, and had constantly looked deeper into what Ahsoka had said than he normally would have. Had he really been that negligent of his own Padawan?

Kanan stared at the sleeping form of Ezra, watching the even intakes and outtakes of breath he made. It'd never made Kanan relieved to see someone sleeping peacefully like that.

"You know... you two remind me of how I was with my own Master." Kanan looked at Ahsoka, polite interest on his face. "How so?" The Togruta chuckled.

"Well, neither one of us were very good at keeping our emotions in check. We looked out for one another, and when something happened to one of us, it was a big deal to the other," She gestured to Ezra, "like this is to you." Kanan turned his gaze back to Ezra, smiling slightly. Yeah, that described them alright... more accurately than he would have thought before. "Your Master... how was he? As a person, I mean." Ahsoka sat down on the exposed ground, wrapping her arms around her knees. Kanan also sat down, legs criss-crossed.

"Well... he was charismatic, but _not_ a diplomat. He usually left that to me. He was smart, he always knew the best way out of a situation. Well," she corrected herself, a thoughtful look on her face, "maybe not the _best_ way, but he looked out for me and his men. Master Obi-Wan, as well, they had a close bond. Anakin was always making sure that his friends were safe, no matter what sort of trouble we managed to get into." A small smile appeared on her face. "And we got into all sorts of trouble."

"I can relate to that part only too well."

"It seems most of us can. But I wouldn't have had it any other way. There couldn't be any other Master for me, and no other apprentice for him. It just... no one else could teach me what he did. No other Jedi would have meant what he meant to me. I wouldn't have wanted even Master Yoda to teach me. Anakin was my one and _only_ Master.

"What else was there? Oh, yes, he was an amazing pilot. Reminds me of Hera's skills." Kanan knew the Twi'lek would appreciate that complement immensely.

"Other than that? Well... like I said, he was a lot like you. Always exasperated at what messes I managed to get us into, but going along with it anyways." She chuckled. "He made quite a few messes himself." Kanan nodded, a smile creeping its' way onto his face. He and Ezra were, pretty much, almost exactly like what Ahsoka was describing.

"You know..." her voice softened, and she was looking into the fire, eyes slightly glazed over. "Sometimes I wonder... whether leaving the Jedi Order was the right thing to do or not. I wonder whether he... if he would have survived if I had stayed. If it would have made a difference." Silence fell after that, only broken by the fire's soft crackling.

"I don't think it would have changed anything." Kanan's voice was also soft, but he was looking at Ahsoka's thin frame. "Anakin was a powerful Jedi. But Vader still defeated him. The rest of the Jedi combined weren't able to stop him, I... I don't think you would have made much difference. It was good that you were able to leave when you did. The Rebellion wouldn't have been able to come to its' feet without people like you at its' head. The rest of us... we weren't so lucky." Kanan turned his own gaze into the fire, remembering that fateful day.

"Kanan, what exactly happened in Order 66?" He looked over at the Togruta, slightly surprised. She was looking straight into his eyes, a sort of plea hidden in their blue depths. "I was on the outside of the Jedi workings. All I know of what happened was what the Empire put out and what Obi-Wan was able to tell me. What was it like on your end?" Kanan turned his gaze back to the fire, chewing his cheek.

"Well... it was horrible. I wasn't at the temple, not immediately, but I still saw what happened later. Master Billaba and I had finished a mission on Alderaan and were in the hangar-bay, ready to leave the planet when..." Kanan knew this memory like it was yesterday. He'd never forget it for as long as he lived.

"A squad of our clones ran into the bay. At first, I didn't think anything was wrong. But Master Billaba knew that they wouldn't have interrupted our departure unless something was wrong. She... she walked right up to them and asked what was the matter. That was when I began to think something was up, because they hadn't saluted, or immediately given her a report, or anything. When they pulled out their guns, I knew that things had changed.

"Master Billaba was able to deflect all the shots sent her way, but there were more clones coming. I... I'd only just received my lightsaber; I still had little to no idea how to use it. She... she kept on backing up, drawing them further away from me, and I couldn't do anything to help her. She shouted out to me to run, to get to safety.

"I... I didn't want to leave her. Not like that. Not then. But she didn't let me argue. I ran. I ran while she kept the clones off of me. I took one of the ships in the hangar and flew back to Coruscant, thinking that the clones turning against us there was just an isolated event... I came back to the temple, but I was too late. Far too late. What I saw there, I'll never forget. Everywhere, the Jedi, the Padawans, the Younglings... they had all been slaughtered by the soldiers we'd once counted as our friends." Kanan swallowed. His throat was unnaturally dry and sticky.

"After that, I was hiding on Coruscant still, because I had no idea where to go. The Temple was my home. But maybe about a week after that day, the reports came. They were on the Holo-net, they were on the news, they were everywhere. Reports showing the names of all the Jedi that had been killed. The Empire, once Palpatine had taken control over the Republic, had proclaimed that the Jedi were traitors to the government, and so they made a very big deal about all of the ones they managed to kill.

"I saw a lot of my friends' names on those lists... but not Master Billaba's." Kanan shook his head slightly, reliving those few days of hope, when he had been convinced he could find his Master. "I'd convinced myself that if I could find her, we'd be able to set things right again... that hope only lasted for a few days. After that... I was sleeping when I felt it. At first I thought it was only a bad dream brought on by the situation, but... I felt my Master die through the Force. It was horrible, unlike anything I'd ever felt before. I actually thought I might die from it as well, it was so intense. And then, after that, her name started showing up on those lists."

The fire was mesmerizing Kanan. It twisted and turned, casting angry shadows on the bare ground, mirroring what had been the Jedi's emotions that day. If he concentrated hard enough, he could begin to see shapes in the tongues of flame, shapes that once again showed him the images of all of his friends dying... and they morphed into Hera, Zeb, Sabine... Ezra... Kanan looked at Ahsoka, a fierce determination blazing in his eyes.

"I can't let that happen to my crew. I've seen what the Empire can do, and I know what Vader's capable of. And I think he's after Ezra." Ahsoka's eyes widened slightly, and she shifted her position on the ground.

"When I'd rescued him from the Inquisitor, the _Executor_ was there. And Vader. He probed both of our minds, and he withdrew from them. He was _amused_. Instead of crushing us both right then and there, Vader let us go.

"And ever since the Inquisitor's death, the wanted posters have only increased in their rewards. The Empire's been on a tighter look-out for me or Ezra, and whenever they see us, they take _whatever_ chance they have to try and get us. Vader's trying to find us. And now that he thinks you've been captured, he's going to be making a personal visit to the Outer Rim." Kanan bit his lip, his next question weighing down on him quite a bit.

"Ahsoka... do you think you could teach Ezra? I... I've given him everything I have, everything I have to power to, but I'm scared that it's not going to be enough. Vader was powerful enough to destroy the Jedi Order, and he's coming for us." Kanan looked over at the sleeping form of Ezra, and a slight plea entered his voice. "I can't let him get hurt... you might be his only hope."

Over the past ten years, Kanan had experienced what he'd thought would be impossible. He'd actually formed a new family... a new group of people of which he would protect at all costs. And Ezra was one of them. Even more than that... he was Kanan's own shot at redemption, his own chance to make up for what had happened in the past. Ezra was... for lack of a better description... his son. And he'd do anything to make sure that his son survived.

"Kanan... were you not listening before?" He looked up into her eyes surprised. She was smiling lightly. "There was no other teacher for me than Anakin. In the same way, there is no other teacher for Ezra other than you."

"But I can't-"

"It doesn't matter what you can or cannot do._ You_ are Ezra's Master. There is nothing I could teach him that you can't."

"You have more experience than I do, Ahsoka!"

"But you are the only one who can teach him. Even if I was the most powerful Jedi in the universe, you would still be able to teach him more than I ever could. Do you remember what it was like, learning under your own Master? Could you have learned anything from another?" Kanan looked back into the fire, thinking.

Master Billaba had been perfect for him. She had been his Master. He had been her apprentice. Kanan remembered learning for a while under the tutelage of Obi-Wan, in the holo-library with a whole other group of Padawan learners... even then, Obi-Wans words had never seemed to have as much meaning or depth as Billaba's had. He had just... understood more from her than he had with any other teacher.

"I can help you, though. And I will. Until Vader leaves the system, I'm going to be stuck with you two anyways, right? I can't replace you as his teacher, but I can stick with you two until Vader's left the Outer Rim. I'll keep him safe however I can until we part ways. You and him both remind me of my own bond with Anakin, so it's kind of impossible for me not to." Kanan gave Ahsoka a grateful, if tired, smile. She returned it softly, before resuming her watching of the fire.

Kanan also looked into the flames. Though he was still worried for Ezra, and how Vader was interested in him, Ahsoka was right. He couldn't pawn off Ezra, just like with Luminara, no matter how much he wanted to keep the boy safe. He would teach Ezra, and Ezra would teach him. They'd look out for one another, keep each other safe and on their toes.

That was what a Jedi and Padawan did, after all.

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**The overall ending of this chapter was shaped by two things: Kanan &amp; Ezra's conversation at the end of 'Rise of the Old Masters,' and my own experiences in school. You know how whenever you have a substitute, they can never really explain the topic with as much depth and detail as your regular teacher? How the regular teacher just kind of make more sense to you? That's what I was trying to convey across. With the Jedi I'd figured it'd be a more stronger version of that, so that's what I was trying to convey.**

**Thanks again for reading, and I'll get the next one up soon!**


	13. Slime-Ball, the Spy

**And back to Ezra. And in this chapter, there's gonna be an ending I'm rather proud of, if I do say so myself... not exactly a cliff-hangar, not exactly a standard ending. But I like it.**

**And _this_ chapter is also the one where I explain why Ahsoka/Fulcrum was missing for so long, and why she reacted so badly to Axle's name... he he. No one likes that guy.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, the only thing I actually own (ish) in this story is Axle. And who wants him?**

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It was warm. Not uncomfortably so, nor was it all-encompassing, but there was actually a sense of warmth, emanating from somewhere... to his left.

Ezra opened his eyes, unnaturally tired. Like, seriously, unnaturally. They hadn't done much, considering what a normal day was to the crew of the _Ghost_, and yet all he felt like doing was going right back into the comforting arms of sleep.

No, those arms didn't belong to sleep... oh, they weren't even arms. He was wrapped in the thin thermo-blanket that'd been unceremoniously stuffed down his pack earlier on. Which was missing from his shoulders.

Was it bad that his eyes were taking a while to actually see what was above him? No, it was dark. The same source of warmth to his left was also providing a little light, but straight above him was still cloaked in shadow.

Speaking of above him, there wasn't much to look at. Well, there was if you liked trees. And giant orange gas giants. Okay, maybe there was something to look at. The tall, thin trees rose above him, stretching even higher into the sky than they normally would. That was normal, he was lying down after-all. The orange planet of Yavin was also hanging in the sky, only lending enough light to illuminate the atmosphere. And to make some weird shadows course through the trees.

_Did I see that one move?_

Almost instantly, panic arose in his chest where before there had been indifference. Were there still Howlers about? Were they still in danger!? _Oh... just the wind moving a branch. Thank you Mother Nature for making everything about you so freaking creepy._

Once that he had made certain there were no more deadly shadows lurking about, Ezra attempted to sit up, despite how comfortable his position was. If you could call lying on the floor of a forest with only a thin sheet of fabric between you and it comfortable.

Okay, now something else was wrong. His limbs and general body were hard to manipulate, like he was underwater. That definitely wasn't normal, and no amount of wind in the trees would change that. But he managed to raise himself on his elbows without too much trouble, and took stock of his surroundings.

To his left, the source of warmth and light was revealed to be a moderately sized fire, sticks and leaves burning brightly in the center of what seemed to be a temporary campsite. Dead leaves and branches that hadn't been deemed worthy enough for the fire had been swept to the sides, leaving the exposed ground in the middle of the camp. The trees had only thinned out slightly; they were still surrounded by them, but there was enough room for the fire to sit comfortably.

Sitting on the opposite side of the fire, Kanan was staring into the fire, a look of thoughtful concern on his face. Ahsoka was to the Jedi's left, just a little distance away from him. From their body postures, Ezra could tell that they'd been having a conversation.

Groggily, Ezra tried to sit straight up, and stopped when his head swam. Okay, so getting up would have to come later.

"Ugh... what happened?" Kanan looked away from the fire at the sound of his voice, and smiled slightly at Ezra.  
"Well well, the sleeping beauty awakes at last. You alright?"

"Well, I _think_ so, but I'm not sure being numb and sore count towards being okay. Again: what happened?" With difficulty, Ezra sat all the way up, sleeping-bag slipping off of his torso. It was then that he noticed the heavy bandaging on his left arm.

"Well... remember what I said about the Howlers using their screeches to incapacitate their prey?" Ahsoka was talking now, leaning forwards slightly. Ezra nodded.

"Yeah. You said it shouldn't affect us, though, because we were bigger than their normal prey. Right?" The look on Ahsoka's face, and Kanan's, was a mixture between amusement and concern.

"Well... Kanan and I are bigger than their normal prey. You, however..." Ahsoka chuckled slightly, and Ezra felt some heat rise to his cheeks. "I forgot that you're younger than we are. You... well, you were more susceptible to them than we were." Okay. That explained why he had collapsed, and probably why he felt so sluggish.

"Sorry about that, Ezra. I should've noticed earlier that something was off." Ezra was momentarily surprised at Kanan's apology, but the Jedi continued, gesturing at his bandaged left arm.

"When that Howler came out of the tree-line, it was ignoring both me and Ahsoka. You- well, you collapsed, and it was on you before either one of us could stop it. We only just managed to get you away without major injury, but your arm... It's not bad, with the supplies we brought along it should be okay in a day or two, but..." Kanan trailed off into silence, looking hopelessly at him. Ezra shrugged, looking at the bandage itself. He honestly didn't know what to say.

"Are you going to be okay with travelling?" Ahsoka's concerned question made Ezra laugh a little. She still didn't know him that well, he guessed.

"I'll be fine. It's not the first time this arm's been injured, believe me. I've made plenty of screw-ups in the past." He shifted his arm slightly. "This is nothing compared to everything else that's happened to it." He smiled as he remembered all of the horrors that his left arm had endured. Compared to everything else it had gone through, it was just fine and dandy as it was right now.

"Alright, I've had it." Ahsoka's comment made Ezra look back up at the Togruta, confused slightly. "You know detailed info about the Imperial compounds. You know about Force-inhibitors, and the way you're treated in confinement. You hack like a professional, but you don't look like you could be older than sixteen. And now you're saying you've been hurt before, and from the clues I'm getting off of you, pretty badly as well. What in the name of the Force have you been through?" Ezra blinked. When she put it like that, he really did seem mysterious.

"Well, you could say a lot, but then I'd still have to add on. Where do you want me to start?" His question was serious, almost all of her inquiries had different answers that required different stories to fully explain. Ahsoka crossed her arms over her head-tails, lips pursed in thought.

"The knowledge of inside Imperial bases and how to hack into them. Some of the best members in the resistance can't do what you do." Ezra grinned, and saw a ghost of a smile of Kanan's face. He was, if nothing, talented.

"The inside knowledge just generally comes from hanging out with people like him," he pointed to Kanan with his good hand, "and crawling around in vents for half of my life. The Imps like things nice and organized, so you have to think about where the logical place for everything is. It helps to have also gone undercover as a cadet before."

"And the hacking?"

"Natural skill. I've had to make sure its' a good one, though. Before I met these guys, I'd been on my own for eight years against the Empire. Knowing how to slice through their systems was kind of a must." Ahsoka blinked, but she knew enough not to press into why he'd been alone. That was just a little too personal. Besides, she had other questions to ask.

"Alright, what about your arm? You said it's been injured before? How?" Ezra laughed a little bit, looking down at the bandaged limb.

"I think an easier question to ask is how it _hasn't_ been injured. It's been shot, torn, crushed, mangled, infected, crushed again by a big box, and injected with who knows what."

"Not to mention broken and burned," Kanan put in, not leaving all the fun to Ezra. He smiled slightly.

"How could I forget? But yeah. The Imperials decided to assign me a weak spot, and this arm was it. I'm just thankful they haven't decided to lop it off yet."

"And how do you know about the Force-inhibitors? And general Imperial imprisonment procedures?" Ezra's eyes narrowed slightly, humorous expression sliding right off of his face. That was the one other sensitive topic that he had. Thankfully, Kanan knew enough to take over for him.

"About a year ago, around the same time you were stranded here, I guess, Ezra... well, the Inquisitor had a pronounced interest in him at that time. He abducted Ezra and... tried to convert him."

"It wasn't pretty, you can count on that." Ezra closed his eyes for a brief second, for a moment reliving the horror that had been his time with the Pau'an. And Chip, he had almost forgotten about the little torture droid who'd made his stay there hell. No, it had not been pretty.

"...I see." Ezra felt a pang of gratitude that Ahsoka knew not to push him. She was actually really...well, for a Jedi, _cool_. If you could use that word.

"What did you mean by the Inquisitor _had_ an interest?" Ezra looked at Ahsoka strangely, before remembering that she had been confined to Yavin 4 for nearly a year. It would be kind of hard to keep on top of the news when you were stranded in the wilderness. Kanan answered her before Ezra got a chance.

"I guess you haven't heard... Maybe about, what, ten months ago? The Inquisitor tried to take on Darth Vader. That was one of the primary reasons he'd been going after Ezra. Thankfully, I got Ezra out of there before the Inquisitor could initiate the fight, but... he still challenged the one and only black menace, alone. He's dead." Ahsoka looked surprised, then gave a sigh of relief.

"That's one less worry off my plate. Anything else major happen while I was gone?" Ezra, remembering her curious reaction before, piped up, wanting answers to his own questions.

"Nothing major, no. Like Kanan said, we've been busy... but what did Axle do to make you dislike him so much? We _all_ hate the guy, but you seem more effected than most." Ezra finished with a slight smile, watching her reaction to the slime-balls' name.

"It's because Axle's the reason I was imprisoned here." The smile was wiped off of Ezra's face in a nano second. Things were about to get interesting.

"Nearly a standard year and a half ago, I found him, and thought he had potential as a resistance fighter. I took him in. He kept showing promise, so I made him official. Then he recommended a scouting trip to Yavin 4, to see if the Rebellion would want and could make a permanent base here. But he was a traitor." Kanan sucked in his breath, looking at Ezra with a look of revelation. Angry revelation. He'd pieced together something from the information that Ahsoka'd given them, but Ezra shook his head. Kanan could tell him later, but Ahsoka was still telling her tale.

"He gave the Imperials my location and my ship's details. I wasn't in the _Turn-Point_, I was in a much smaller shuttle that didn't have much in the way of armament or weapons. They ambushed me and shot me down to the moon's surface. My ship was damaged beyond repair, not only structurally, but my comm system had been destroyed. That was when my year of exile began."

"How did you know it was his fault?" Ezra wasn't defending Axle, far from it, but he was just trying to make sure that all the facts were correct. Ahsoka snorted lightly.

"Because generally there aren't three Star Destroyers hanging around a small moon, and because in all of my time here there hasn't been a single rescue attempt besides yours. Axle was the one who suggested I scout out the moon, and that I go alone for stealth reasons. At the time I genuinely trusted him, so I left the task of telling the rest of the Rebellion leaders where I'd gone to him. It would be only too easy for him to keep my location a secret, to play off my disappearance until he could get out of there."

"Why weren't we notified of your absense? Usually Hera's in close contact with you, so why...?" Kanan still wasn't speaking, so Ezra was left with the responsibility of asking all the questions and checking all the facts. Ahsoka sighed, and she seemed to deflate just a little bit.

"For one thing, there's the fact that I'm one of the highest ranks in the resistance. I didn't have to report my actions to anyone above me, because there was none. Only the other resistance leaders, but we were all equals, and I'd been known to go off on my own before. I had trusted Axle to tell the other leaders where I'd gone off to, but since no one ever came, I'm guessing he didn't tell them anything. Still, under normal circumstances, my disappearance would've set off alarm bells, and would have been acted out upon much sooner. But if you didn't learn I was missing until I was captured, my best guess as to what happened is that once I'd been caught, Axle most likely used all of his credentials and pass-codes I'd given him to continue my business as usual. Once again, I'd made him official, so the other leaders wouldn't have questioned him doing so, but that's not all. You see-"

Ahsoka licked her lips slightly, staring once again into the fire, "-me and my close partner, Lux Bonteri, were the ones who most trusted that Axle was genuinely fighting for our cause. I'm guessing that Lux stood up for Axle even though I was gone, because I'd urged him to make sure the others saw he was really fighting against the Empire, and if Axle didn't tell the other leaders where I'd gone off to..." She shook her head gently. "I should've known better than to trust a weasel like him.

"Because I couldn't contact anyone off of the planet, and the Imperial base was so heavily guarded, Axle was free to roam doing what he wished, and if Lux was supporting him... I don't know what he's done, or how the resistance is doing, or if everything we've fought for is going down in flames..." Ezra shook his head, having an idea of why she was being affected so.

"We'd never let the resistance fall, Ahsoka. There are too many people who've risked their lives- and ours -for us to let that happen. Axle didn't do much- other than being a complete nerf-herder -but other than that, he hasn't really done much in the way of harming us-"

"Yes he has." Ezra looked over at Kanan, and was confused to see a burning look in his Master's eyes. He'd never really seen him get this emotional. Kanan turned to Ahsoka.

"Since Axle showed up, most of the missions we've gone on have been harder than normal. Like someone was feeding inside information to the Empire. The missions weren't ridiculously hard, but now I can see that Axle was most probably giving away tid-bits of our plans and next targets to the Empire, so that they'd have a better chance at capturing us while his own position remained safe." Ahsoka's eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth, but Kanan wasn't done.  
"What was the last mission you gave to the _Ghost_ and her crew?" The Togruta frowned, trying to pull up a memory. "I think it was to disable an Imperial communications array. Why?" Kanan sucked in a deep breath, and Ezra was kind of alarmed to hear his voice shaking slightly.

"Because if that was the last mission you gave us, then Axle was the one who gave us the next one." He looked Ezra straight in the eyes. "The mission with the faulty intel. Where instead of five bucket-heads, there were five dozen. Where they knew we'd be there before we were. Where the Inquisitor found us. Where he caught you." Ezra momentarily forgot how to breath.

It had been Axle's fault. It had been Axle's fault the Imperials had known where they were. It was Axle's fault that Ezra had had to sacrifice himself in order to protect Kanan. It was Axle's fault that he had been abducted.

His fault he had been tortured.

"He... that..." Now he understood why Kanan had been so emotional. Ezra himself couldn't pull together a complete sentence. The little slime-ball that had constantly given them trouble and hard times was the reason that Ezra had momentarily fallen to the Dark, had been the reason their family had been separated for seven weeks, the reason that Ezra had had to endure more physical and psychological pain than he'd ever experienced in his life.

When the rest of the crew found out, the sleemo was as good as dead.

* * *

**Mamma mia, Axle's a butt-a-hole-a!**

**I hope this satisfies Lt. Basil and anyone else who was wondering about the specifics in this time-line, and if you still have a question or two, feel free to PM me.**

**Thanks!**


	14. Deadly Surprise

**Another short chapter, like, REALLY short chapter. For me, anyways. But I hope it'll sate the thirst for more chapters till I get the next one up... or make you hunger more with an evil cliff-hanger...**

**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. You hear that, nothing? You're mine!**

* * *

After all of Hera's calculations, she'd found the fastest route to get to the distress signal the rebels had sent out. Once Sabine's beacon had been deployed, the _Ghost_ had jumped into hyperspace immediately, and they'd all begun to make preparations.

Chopper had gone off to re-boot the _Ghost_'s shields, in order to make sure that they'd be able to stand up against whatever was out there.

Zeb had done a checked the weapons' systems, to make sure there weren't any glitches in the manifold, and had moved on to the engines.

Sabine was waiting in the controls for the nose gun, preparing them for action.

Hera was simply making everything was working. For whatever reason, they were all tenser than they would be normally. They didn't know what they were approaching, true, but still. She couldn't think of a time they had ever been more on edge, other than when they'd gone to rescue Ezra from the Inquisitor inside the _Imminent Pursuit_.

And yet it was just a simple trip. They might fight, or they might go straight back. Or the rebels who'd contacted them could have already dealt with the situation... Hera snorted slightly. The distress calls had stopped, yes, but that only increased her foreboding. The rebels' signal had either been fully jammed... or their ship had been destroyed.

_Gah! Why are we so nervous!?_

Chopper rolled in, beeping that the shields had been booted up to their full strength. He'd also brought a message from Zeb, who'd finished his inspections and was now sitting at the controls to the aft turret. Seriously, this one mission was making them all edgy. Hera shook her head, leku swinging gently, and she tried to calm herself down.

_Even if they have big ships, we have the coordinates for the rendezvous point directly integrated into the system. We can jump away almost immediately if we absolutely have to._

The _Ghost_'s console bleeped at her once, telling the Twi'lek they'd emerge from hyperspace within a minute. She activated the inter-comm system.

"We're almost there, guys. Just a heads-up."

"_That's a relief. I don't suppose you can tell us what kind of bucket-heads we're looking at, can you?_"

"Sorry Sabine, but those sensors don't work like that in hyperspace. Whatever it is, though, we'll be ready for it."

"_We better, 'cause I'm getting bored just sitting here with nothing to bash._"

"Now now, Zeb, calm yourself. I don't want you hurting any part of my ship, is that understood?"

"_'Course it is, Hera._"

"Good. Because if there's a single scratch in that room when this is over with, you're gonna be in some serious trouble."

"_What!? But there are scratches all over this place!_"

"_Then you'd better fix them up, huh Zeb?_"

"Sabine's right, you know. Like I said, a single dent or scratch in the turret, and I'm gonna-" The _Ghost_ exited hyperspace. And what was right outside of their hull made Hera forget about any scratches her ship might have.

A Star Destroyer sat almost directly on top of them, blocking out any view of the planet Dathomir behind it. Debris were floating everywhere, remnant of Ties or rebels ships she didn't know, but whatever the case may be, it was evidence enough that a major battle had occurred here. And now, they were right underneath the main winner of that battle.

"_Hera! We need to leave now!_"

"I know I know! I'm entering the coordinate now!" Her fingers were flying over the keys, scrambling to set in the set of numbers that would bring them out of danger's reach, simultaneously yanking the yoke back in a desperate attempt to put distance between them and the Destroyer. But the _Ghost_ gave an unmistakable lurch- and started to move right back towards the ship.

"No no no no no no! Chopper, get their tractor beam!" The little droid was scurrying across the cock-pit in a frenzy, running towards the console he was needed at. Hera kept on trying to pull them out of the ship's reach manually, but the _Ghost_ was no match for the Destroyer. Hera looked down at the signal-transponder and nearly had a heart-attack. They'd seen this very same ship once before.

"Zeb, Sabine, can either one of you shoot at their tractor beam!?"

"_Too far away! We can't reach it!_"

Chopper spat out some hyper bursts of code which only added to Hera's mounting fear. The little bot hadn't been able to slice through their controls. And no matter what Hera did to the engines, she couldn't coax her ship out of the controlling range of the tractor-beam.

"No!" In frustration, Hera slammed down her fists onto the deck, unable to release he pent up fear and agitation. She hadn't been able to run away fast enough. They'd been caught.

The _Imminent Pursuit_ had once again managed to cause strife to their family.

* * *

**He he... I'm so evil... :}**


	15. Out of Atmosphere

**So sorry for only a single chapter yesterday... but I was thinking with an ending like that, it was just better to leave you all hanging until the next day. Sorry. Disney's cliffhanging mood infected me. But hey, this one doesn't end with one! That's something, right?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rebels. Rebels owns me. Seriously, I can't function without it...**

* * *

"I can see the ship!" Ezra turned to face Kanan, who was once again looking through his macro-binoculars.

"Phew! That means we're almost outa here!" Ezra looked over to Ahsoka, a one-sided smile transforming his features. "You ready to see civilization again?" Ahsoka gave out a bark of laughter, also smiling.

"If it isn't Imperial, I'm all for it." Kanan lowered his binoculars, still squinting in the direction he had been looking at. "We aren't going back to civilization just yet. We still need to rendezvous with the _Ghost_."

"Oh yeah, I forgot, Zeb's not civilized at all. Sorry Ahsoka, you're gonna have to wait just a little longer." The Togruta shook her head slightly, knowing better than to take all of his jokes about Zeb seriously.

"Come on now, he's not _that_ bad, Ezra!"

"Try saying that after you bunk with him, Kanan. Now, where's the _Phantom_?" Kanan pointed just slightly to the right of where they had been heading, and started walking once again.

They'd been walking since the sun of the Yavin system had come up, but since the moon's cycle of day and night was so different than the standard rotation, night had only lasted around three hours. Talk about lack of sleep. Ahsoka said because they orbited another planet, the amount of day and amount of night was never constant, always changing. That had just happened to be one of the short nights. His lethargy and numbness, leftover from the Howlers' screeches, had worn off quickly, allowing him a peaceful two hours of sleep before they had left.

They'd picked up their camp, stuffed as much as they possibly could back into Ezra's bulging pack, and headed towards their ship. Now that it was within sight, their journey was almost over. Ezra felt a surge of relief at just the notion that he might be able to rest his sore feet from all the walking they had been doing.

"How far do we still have to go?"

"Maybe a two hundred feet, but I could be wrong. It should still take a few minutes to get there." Ezra sighed in relief, shoulders sagging slightly. They hadn't seen a single sign of any bucket-heads chasing after them, and since they were travelling during the day, there wasn't a sign of Howlers anywhere. There wasn't anything in the way of them actually making it off of the moon's surface.

"You know, you're really gonna like Sabine. You two have so much in common with one another..."

"Sabine? Wasn't she the one who wanted to talk with me earlier on, with Hera?" Ezra chuckled slightly, remembering how that particular mission had worked out for them. "Yeah, yeah she is. And the first thing she's gonna say when she hears you're Fulcrum is 'I thought you were a guy,' I guarantee it."

"Come on Ezra, Sabine's smarter than that. She probably caught onto the fact Ahsoka was using a voice modulator in the very beginning. That would be what _you'd_ say, not her."

"Kanan! You're supposed to side with me!"

"Nope. I side with truth and logic- which you seem almost always to be allied against."

"Not always!" Kanan looked back at Ezra, a single eyebrow raised in disbelief. Ezra huffed and crossed his arms dramatically, turning up his nose. "You and Zeb both, always doubting."

"Well..."

"You're not even going to deny it!"

"I did say I side with the truth."

"You hurt me!" Kanan laughed, his voice echoing slightly through the trees. Ezra cast a nervous glance at them, but there wasn't a single sign of anything sinister. And they were almost off of Yavin 4 anyways.

"Does every member of your crew act like this, Kanan?" The Jedi turned back to the Togruta, a smile on his face. "Like what, hooligans hyped up on bags of Yyeger sugar*****? Most of the time, yeah." Ezra harrumphed.

"If you're going to say _we_ act like that, you're going to have to admit that sometimes _you_ do as well, Kanan." Kanan just shook his head an kept walking. Within another minute or two, they had reached the edge of the clearing they had set the _Phantom_ down in. The ship itself sat there, welcoming, and as it came into full view Ezra couldn't help but smile.

"Come on, you two! You wanna get out of here or not?" And Ezra jogged past them, heading towards the _Phantom_'s closed door. The overall mission hadn't taken too much time, maybe if they got out of there fast enough they'd be able to beat Hera and the _Ghost_ to the rendezvous poi-

A sudden urge in the Force was the only thing that stopped Ezra's headlong charge. A mili-second later, a red laser tore through the space he would have occupied if he'd continued running. Ezra whirled around to face behind him, where the shot had originated from, only to take a blue energy bolt to his left arm. _Damn it! Why is it ALWAYS this arm?!_

Regardless of the fact his left arm was slowly losing feeling under its' bandages, Ezra pulled out his lightsaber with his right hand and activated it, deflecting more shots. Now that he was turned around, Ezra could see Kanan and Ahsoka were also in trouble, re-directing blasts of red and blue energy into the tree-line, where Ezra could see storm-troopers. Apparently they Empire _hadn't_ given up searching for them.

"Kanan, Ahsoka, come on!" Ezra was closer to the _Phantom_, and further from their battle, but there were soldiers all along the tree line, as evidenced by the shots he had to deflect from his side. If they waited much longer, they'd be surrounded.

The two Jedi must have known this, because they both leapt with the aid of the Force- Ahsoka's inhibitor had worn off -back towards the ship. The three of them continued to run towards the _Phantom_, deflecting any bolts that would've done damage to them, but not taking part in the overall fight.

Kanan reached the controls first, having the longest legs out of all three of them, and slammed his fist into the panel to open the ramp. Ezra and Ahsoka backed into the ramp, still deflecting shots, and Kanan returned a few of his own. Once they were all on board, the ramp was closed hurriedly, and Kanan rushed over to the cock-pit, Ahsoka following close behind him, to get the _Phantom_ moving and out of the atmosphere.

Ezra sank down on one of the multiple fold-down seats, gingerly sliding his stuffed pack off of his shoulders. Kanan got the ship to lurch upwards at the exact time Ezra started to self-assess his now-numb left arm.

"Shields holding alright?" He called out to his Master, too engrossed in his task to look for himself. "'Course they are, but..."

"It's almost too easy... shouldn't they have brought out heavier artillery if they knew we were heading towards the ship?" Ahsoka's question gave Ezra pause, in which he licked his lips slightly. Yes, actually... the bucket-heads should have known- or at least guessed -that they would be heading back towards an off-world vessel, so would they really have been content with sending out soldiers with standard equipment and weapons for the task?

"Does the _Phantom_ have self-diagnostic scanners, Kanan?" Ezra called out, determining that the only thing wrong with his arm was that he couldn't feel it. He joined the others in the control-area, to see Ahsoka looking at him with a strange look.

"Why would you want to know if you have diagnostic scans?" Kanan flipped a few switches, and Ezra saw he was indeed searching for what Ezra was afraid of.

"To try and find out if they tagged us with a hyperspace tracker. They've used it against us before, so-"

"They tagged us. It's on the bottom of the hull, we wouldn't be able to peel it off if we went of the outside." Ahsoka was looking at the results that the _Phantom_'s sensors had brought up, which indeed showed a blinking red dot on the bottom of their hull.

"Could we try to land and take it off before the Empire caught up to us?"

"Not likely what _that _coming right for us!" Ezra was pointing to the scanner once again, this time the external ones, at the large moving red dot that signified an Imperial fighter. Whatever it was, it was bigger than a Tie fighter, and most probably better armed.

"Maybe try scraping it off on one of the trees?"

"I'm not that good of a pilot, and even if I were we would most likely compromise hull integrity pulling off a stunt like that. If that happens, we aren't going any where, hyperspace or not." Ezra was keeping a close eye on the radar blip, which seemed to be moving about the same speed as the _Phantom_. No- they were just slightly faster than they were.

_That__ definitely rules out a Tie, so what is it? An Imperial shuttle?_

"Do you know what kind of ships they had in that hangar-bay?" Ahsoka shook her head, also looking down at the scanners. "I didn't have macro-binoculars like you two. All my scouting was done on foot with my eyes. I usually never got close enough to see what was in the hangar bays, but I can tell you they're not going to have Ties or anything like that."

"Why not?"

"This was built as just a land-base. The only reasons they have this space-craft is that they were getting ready to send me off to whatever Star Destroyer that was coming into the system."

Kanan swerved a little to the left, and just where they had previously been, a green laser shot out. "They might not be Ties, but they are armed!" _And it looked like they're packing a big punch!_

"And so are we! Ezra, squeeze in here and take over the gun controls. I'm going to have to focus on just getting us out of here, so I'll leave it to you to return fire as you see fit to our friends."

"What!? Why? You have complete control over the turret!"

"I got control, but I'm nowhere near as good as Hera is with it. As long as they stay behind us, I'm either gonna be flying or shooting, and right now our priority's kinda on the flying side!" Ezra scowled slightly, but he sqwoze into the small side space to the left of Kanan. Without a chair to sit in, or even proper elbow room, it was most definitely _not_ the most comfortable place to be in. That, and with the restriction of only being able to properly control one arm made for awkward controlling. But it was still better than nothing.

"You're just loving the fact that I'm small, aren't you?"

"It has its' uses. Now stop grumbling and start firing!" Grumbling none the less, Ezra spun the _Phantom_'s single turret to the rear, and with the aid of the sensors, took aim at the ship pursuing them and took a few shots. Most all of them hit their mark, but the thing was-

"Kanan, what ever they are, they've got _really good_ shields!"

"Just keep on firing at them! I'm heading out of atmosphere now, so their flying style's about to change drastically."

"That's just terrific." Kanan steered the ship upwards, and with the familiar slightly crushing sensation, they left the atmosphere and gravity of Yavin 4. "It'll take a little bit for the hyperspace coordinates to calculate, so hang on for just a little bit!"

"What have I been doing for the past five minutes?!"

"Uh, complaining?" A thud rocked the _Phantom_ as one the Imperial shuttle found its' mark. He grumbled some more as he padded in all the separate buttons on the dash, trying to use the sensors to get the most accurate shots out.

But now that they were in space, the shuttle was more agile. Without the weight of the atmosphere and the air pressure, it was free to move as quickly as its' mass was allowing them to, and their pilots were using that to their advantage. Slowed down as Ezra was by his awkward positioning and lack of his left arm, he was lucky to even fire near it: but they hyperspace coordinates were nearly done calculating.

"Come on Ezra, you can do better than that!"

"Hey, you try flying with only one arm!"

"Only one-" Kanan twisted his head violently, taking in how Ezra's left arm was hanging limply at his side. "You realize Hera's going to _kill_ me when we get there!?"

Ezra fired out a few more shots, but once again the bucket-head's shields held. "I don't think she'd _kill_ you, more like seriously maim, or injure."

"Yeah, and I'd prefer neither!"

"Then keep your focus on flying, and I'll keep mine on shooting!" True to his word, Ezra keyed in his buttons as fast as possible, trying to take out the shuttle and prevent them from having a tail when they entered hyper-space. Without the actual yoke to control where he was firing, it was a lot harder than it normally would have been, doubly so because his speed was reduced by half.

"There!" The _Phantom_ jumped into hyperspace, and Ezra relaxed. Just slightly, though. After all, jumping away did not, by any means, guaranty safety. They still had the tracker on them, which would have to be disposed of as soon as possible. Though that wouldn't happen until they docked back with the _Ghost_.

"They're still in pursuit, but we have a better engine than he does. We'll outstrip him in a few minutes," Kanan said, leaning back in the pilot's chair.

"But he'll still be able to track us."

"Well... yeah." Ahsoka chuckled from her position.

"I honestly didn't imagine a rescue _quite_ like this." Kanan shrugged. "We do the best with what we got." Then the Jedi turned his focus back to Ezra, frowning slightly. "Now, why in the world can you not move your left arm?" Ezra scratched his head with his good arm, his signature sheepish grin falling into place.

* * *

***There is actual sugar in Star Wars, but Yyeger sugar is the sweetest, or something like that. You can read more about it on Wookiepedia if you want to... and apparantly, there are also Star Wars pickles. That's right. Pickles.**


	16. Moving Into Position

**Holy Force... I just watched the promo for 'Fire Across the Galaxy'... my body was NOT ready for that. Like... Kanan &amp; Ezra fighting the Inquisitor? Together? Using one another's lightsabers? Ah! And then! And then! DARTH FREKIN VADER showing up at the end! AHHHH!**

**If you haven't seen the promo, you can go and view it on Youtube, it's up from multiple sources.**

**But... until March 2nd... you'll just have to settle with what I throw out at you guys... and my obnoxious cliff-hangars... :}**

* * *

"Are the outer-comm units functional?"

"No, sir. The rebel took out the soldiers inside the room before disabling our off-world transmissions."

"Are the back-ups operational?"

"Sir, only in text form. We can send out a message of text, nothing more."

"Text will be all that is required. Bring me a data-pad hooked up to the transmissions."

"Sir, yes sir!" The stormtrooper exited the room, returning within a minute with the requested data-pad. The Imperial officer snatched it out of his hand, immediately documenting his report on the rebels that had infiltrated the base, and sprung the Togruta prisoner.

_Imperial base S-57, Yavin 4; fallen under attack. Two perpetrators infiltrated compound without alerting sensors, sneaked inside without detection. Both equipped with blue lightsabers. Matching descriptions of wanted Jedi Master and Padawan. Together, released female Togruta prisoner and fled compound._

The commander raised his head from the report, making the soldier in front of him snap to attention.

"What is the status of the team sent out to place the tracker on their ship?"

"Sir! The team has yet to make cont-" The trooper put two fingers up to his helmet, obviously listening to some kind of report sent in by another commander. "Negative sir, they've successfully planted the tracker on the rebel ship. Three of our shuttles are moving in to intercept them."

_Escape vehicle successfully tagged with a tracker. Tracker signature being monitored and followed._

"I want the signal of that tracker attached to this report, soldier. Once that is done, send it to the higher ups." The stormtrooper saluted, took the data-pad, and jogged away.

The Imperial commander turned to face the carnage of the room behind him. The controls for the hull canons had somehow been mangled beyond repair, seemingly crushed. The wires inside of it hadn't fared much better, and the repairs for the machinery would take a while. The commander frowned as he surveyed the chaos around him.

Lord Vader would be most interested in the discovery of his hiding Jedi, and their release of the Togruta.

* * *

"Order the _Maelstrom_ out of it's docking bay. Have my outfit of Tie-fighter pilots board, in addition to the ships already stored inside."

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Tell Admiral Realov that I am temporarily taking command of his ship, and that until he is ordered otherwise, he answers directly to me."

"Sir, right away, sir!"

"Upload the tracking device's signal from the report into the _Maelstrom_'s computers. Prepare it for launch, to follow the signal."

"Sir, by all means, sir!"

"Until I return from my expedition, the _Executor_ is to remain here. The hyperdrive re-fitment will continue on as scheduled."

"Sir, of course, sir!"

The officer was struggling to keep up pace with Vader, but the Sith payed not attention to it. His own mechanical legs were striding along with more purpose than they had had in a while. The report of the Jedi and his apprentice extricating Tano from her cell had called for such action.

The _Executor_ was still scheduled to be in repairs for two and a half standard days, but the report, along with the tracker signal, demanded attention immediately. Tano would not be allowed to escape once more, and the rouge Jedi pair would be captured as well. As his ship was currently unavailable for the task required of it, another would suffice.

The _Maelstrom_ had already been outfitted with the new design of hyperdrive, and would take Vader to the Yavin system within hours. Even if it had less than five times the weaponry and armament as the _Executor_, it would suffice for taking out a single rebel ship and seizing his quarry.

And that was all it needed to do. Get him to the trio of Force-sensitives, so that he could deal with Tano and examine the rouge pair.

Vader entered the hangar-bay, where his personal shuttle sat, awaiting him. No time would be wasted on transferring personnel and officers, he had far too many aboard the _Executor_ for the smaller ship to handle anyways. Only his best squadrons of Tie-fighters and their pilots would be flown aboard, in order to make absolutely sure that his quarry would not escape. He had seen their skill- no, not their skill, their luck- and he would make sure that the group of rebels was completely outgunned and cornered. They would not escape.

No target of Vader's ever had.


	17. Out of the Fire

**So... I got a review saying that the _Phantom_ can't go into hyperspace? I know they weren't technically in hyperspace when they detached in 'Gathering Forces', but I thought that was how Hera and Sabine went to the abandoned base in 'Out of Darkness'? Because the _Ghost_ was far enough away from them that it took a while for them to get there... I don't know, I just assumed it could. If I'm wrong on this please tell me about it!**

**Those promos though... uuughhghg, I can't wait till Monday! It's too long!**

**Disclaimer: As proven by my little knowledge above, I don't possess Rebels.**

* * *

"How far away are we from the rendezvous point?" Ahsoka's question made Kanan turn from his examination of Ezra's arm to face the console.

"We'll be there in just a few minutes."

"And the Imperial shuttle?" Ezra asked, still trying to flex his his numb left arm. It was starting to regain feeling, but the pins and needles that accompanied it were sharp, making him restless to have it back in working condition once again.

"Let's just say we won't have a lot of time for a warm welcome. We'll need to dock with the _Ghost_ immediately, and jump away. Once we're in hyperspace with them we can disable the tracker." Ezra sighed lightly as Kanan moved away from his arm, frowning slightly.

"You really should take better care of this arm, Ezra."

"It's not my fault the Imperials seem to take a liking to shooting at it." Kanan shook his head, exasperated. "It is regaining feeling though, right?" Ezra nodded.

"Yeah, by the time we get to the _Ghost_ the only thing Hera'll see that's wrong with it is there's a _bite-mark_." Kanan snorted in amusement before returning to the controls of the _Phantom_. Ezra also stood up, moving to the right and behind the Jedi, Ahsoka on his left.

"You sure we've got everything else covered?" Ezra rolled his eyes at Kanan's comment, pointing back to his pack on one of the seats. It was so over-stuffed it was nearly bursting at the seams, and Ezra wondered briefly how it hadn't actually busted during the mission.

"Everything that can and is covered is currently sitting in a cloth pack about three feet behind you. Like, _everything_." His own sore shoulders could attribute to the sheer amount of stuff that was in the pack.

"Just making sure." Kanan frowned when the _Phantom_'s dash beeped twice, and a string of text flew across the screen showing the scanner results. Ezra also frowned once he read the code.

"We're getting a signal? Who'd be sendin-" They exited hyperspace. The _Ghost_ was nowhere to be seen, but Ezra saw exactly who was sending out the signal. Well, not who, _what_.

"It's a beacon!" Kanan's statement was surprised, but Ezra got straight to work interpreting the message it was sending out, once again squeezing himself into the small space beside the pilot's seat. They didn't have much time, with the Imperial shuttle closing in on their location. Without the _Ghost_ there to defend them, they'd be sitting ducks. With the touch of a few buttons, the scanner radar changed into a text box, which the trio all read from:

Ghost _to_ Phantom._ While we were waiting for you at the rendezvous, we received a transmission from a rebel ship in distress close by, near Dathomir. We realized that you two would take longer than we would have liked if we wanted to help them. We went out to investigate and help if we can. If we're not back by the time you arrive, coordinates are down below._  
_If you're there, Hi Ahsoka!_

"What do they mean, _if_ she's here?" Despite his attitude, Ezra was doing some serious thinking. Hera knew better than to just abandon their current mission to any random plea for help. The signal the crew of the _Ghost_ had received must have been official, and whoever sent it must have really been in a tight pickle. The Twi'lek also knew better than to leave if the time for their meeting was close. That meant the crew of the _Ghost_ had received the distress signal at least a couple hours ago, maybe even as soon as they had arrived at the rendezvous point. And they still hadn't returned from wherever they had gone.

The same thoughts must have passed through Kanan and Ahsoka's heads, because they both were looking at the screen with a look of concern on their faces. Kanan looked at the scanners once again, as did Ezra, and they both saw that the Imperial vessel was only a minute away from exiting hyperspace.

"Are we sure this is actually Hera and the _Ghost_? What if it's a trap?" Ezra blinked at the Jedi, not having considered that as a possibility, but responded quickly. "If it's a trap, where else are we going to go to get back to the _Ghost_? This is all we have on their location." Ahsoka backed him up.

"If it is them, we'd better destroy the beacon so that the Imperials don't know that they're at Dathomir." Kanan began plugging in the coordinates, but there was still worry etched into his features.

"Chances are they've already received the signal from the beacon, since it broadcasts on every frequency. But, better safe than sorry, I guess." Kanan grabbed onto the steering yoke and pressed at the triggers. With a flash of light, the beacon was gone, and the signal stopped broadcasting. Seconds later, Kanan jumped the_ Phantom_ into hyperspace once more, this time heading towards a potential battle-zone.

"Is there anything special about Dathomir that would call attention to it?" Ezra sidled out from between Kanan and the wall, standing back at a comfortable distance. He directed his question to both Kanan and Ahsoka, in case the planet was of any importance to the Rebellion. Ahsoka answered him.

"About the planet itself? No. But the Emperor had every space-faring vessel taken off of it."

"Why would he do something like that?" At this, the Togruta put on a little impish smile that told Ezra it was something unique at least.

"Because he's scared of the Nightsisters and their leader." Ezra blinked, and Kanan nodded. "Are you two pulling my leg here? Or are we talking about different Emperors? Because the one I know wouldn't be scared of anything. More like everything else is scared of him." After all, they were talking about the man who had Darth Vader at his beck and call. _Darth_ freaking _Vader_.

"No joke, Ezra. The Nightsisters are strong, just trust me on that one. The Emperor has the planet under interdiction, in order for the witches to remain trapped on the surface, so there shouldn't have been _any_ ships in the area." Ahsoka scratched her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe the rebel vessel Hera heard was being pursued, and fled to Dathomir in order to escape from the Empire?"

"Well, if that was the case it didn't work. Hera wouldn't have left the rendezvous point without a really good reason to." Ezra nodded, agreeing with Kanan's statement. He rolled his left arm in its' socket, glad that most of the pins and needles had gone away. The stun shots really were a pain to deal with.

"Let's just hope that there's not much of a threat left when we get there." Kanan sighed, and Ezra thought about how tired the Jedi looked. He probably looked much the same, since the last proper rest they'd had had been... well, maybe about twelve standard hours before they had originally boarded the_ Phantom_ to leave for Yavin 4. Between now and then, they'd walked seventeen kilometers and back, infiltrated an Imperial compound, fallen under attack by Howlers, and now were finally making their escape, only to have that complicated as well.

Once they were all safely on-board the _Ghost_, Ezra was going to plop down on his bunk and sleep until a week had passed. No matter what Zeb felt about it.

"Hey, don't you trust Hera to have things under control?" Kanan glared at Ezra, who sheepishly raised his hands in mock-surrender. Ahsoka sighed and sat down in the closest fold-down seat, closing her eyes and going into meditation. "You know, you could learn from Ahsoka, Ezra."

"And calm down? That's just against my nature, Kanan."

"Don't I know it." Kanan sighed and looked at the sensors. A slight frown creased his face. The vessel was still following them, but whether it had registered the beacon's signal or not, they had no way of telling. If they were lucky the bucket-heads hadn't, and when they flew back to the _Ghost_ they'd receive a nasty surprise. If they weren't lucky, well, having the _Ghost_ back them up would still give them a big advantage in a fight.

"Do a lot of your missions have wrinkles?" Ahsoka asked from the back, eyes still closed.

"Well, not _all_ of them..."

"What Kanan's trying to tell you is that most of them do go wrong in some way, shape or form." Ezra sighed. "I honestly can't even think of one mission where everything went exactly right. Can you, Kanan?" The Jedi looked out into the blur of hyperspace thoughtfully before responding.

"Well, there was the time when you went undercover in the Imperial Academy, that went okay, didn't it? We destroyed the Kyber crystal, and you managed to make it out alright. Does that count?" Ezra shook his head.

"No, no it doesn't. I stayed in there one day more than I should have, to get Jai out." Kanan turned around to face him, amused expression set in place.

"Are you actually admitting that it was your fault?"

"What!? No! I mean, maybe, but, I had to get him out of there!" Kanan just nodded his head sagely, turning back to the view-screen. Ahsoka chuckled. "Whether or not they went to plan, you're still one of the best ships we have, and we're thankful for that, at least." Ezra smiled slightly, taking pride in his crew. They _were_ effective, even if they relied a lot on luck and guts.

"So, what happens if we come out and the _Ghost_ is still fighting bucket-heads?" Seeing as they were talking about how good they were, it'd be kind of stupid to run into the situation without a back-up plan. It might not be his nature to be calm, but Ezra _had_ grown and matured. Just slightly.

"Then... well, I guess we do the best we can against whatever's waiting for us there, and try to reconnect back with the main ship. Then we disconnect the tracker, and drop you off on Alderaan, Ahsoka. No-" a steely glint came into Kanan's eyes that Ezra had rarely seen before "-after we regroup with the others, the first place we're going is Naboo." Ezra stiffened slightly, aware of what was going through the Jedi's head.

"What's on Naboo?" Ezra turned towards Ahsoka, his face completely serious. "The slime-ball that calls himself Axle." Ahsoka's eyes opened slightly, and she exhaled a deep breath. "Ah. Yes, I suppose we'd better make a quick stop there, then." Stony silence filled the _Phantom_, only broken when the console bleeped once.

"What's that?" Ezra turned back to face Kanan, who'd begun to flit over the various control panels. "We're coming out of hyper-space, in three, two, one-"

The blue streaks of light from hyperspace stretched backwards into stars that twinkled benignly at them, the pretty planet of Dathomir hanging in space like a jewel. But none of the three Force-sensitives in the _Phantom_ were paying any attention to the charming scenery. It would be hard for anyone to, considering there was a giant Star Destroyer floating in front of them, dominating the view even though it was still really far away.

"Back us out, back us out!"

"I'm going, I'm going!" Kanan yanked the yoke of the _Phantom_ hard left, veering away from the ship and trying to escape the range of the ship's tractor beam.

"Ezra, now'd be a nice time for you to man the guns again, because any minute now Ties are gonna be swarming all around us!" But Ezra was already squeezing into the tight spot, his arms- the left one had regained all feeling -reaching out to the controls. It was strange though, his heart and mind were racing at a hundred miles an hour, but the Force hadn't told him anything was wrong...

"_Kanan, Ezra, don't jump!_" The voice emitting from their comm unit threw both Master and apprentice for a loop, while Ahsoka merely frowned, on the lookout for any incoming Ties. Kanan's hands were scrambling for the comm, and Ezra's heart was beating painfully fast.

"Hera!? What are you doing here!?" The Twi'lek responded almost immediately, static crackling as the signal came through.

"_I'm piloting the _Imminent Pursuit_, that's what I'm doing here._"

* * *

**Don't worry, I'm not gonna be mean and leave you guys with _yet another_ cliff-hangar, the next episode should be up like half-an-hour after this one. Unless a meteor strikes my house or something like that.**


	18. And into the Frying Pan

**Soo... remember when I said I was going to be nice, and NOT leave you guys on a cliff-hangar?... All I'm gonna say it that people change.**

**And, in an attempt to make sure that the title is legitimate, I found out that there ARE actually frying pans in Star Wars. Freaking. Frying pans. I thought they'd use something really sophisticated like hot-plates or something like that, but nooooo. Frying Pans. The more you know...**

**Disclaimer: Rebels, as they are approaching the season finale that will most probably give people heart-attacks, doesn't belong to me.**

* * *

"Kanan, Ezra, don't jump!"

"_Hera!? What are you doing here!?_"

"I'm piloting the _Imminent Pursuit,_ that's what I'm doing here." The Twi'lek's face broke into a lopsided grin. She could just imagine the faces Kanan and Ezra were making right about now.

Standing at the bridge of the _Imminent Pursuit_ with her hands clasped behind her back, Hera looked out of the view-port of the Star Destroyer. It felt a little odd to me standing up instead of sitting in a pilot chair, but as the Imperial ship didn't _have_ a pilot's chair, she was content for the time being.

"_Piloting- Hera, what's going on!? How- you-_" Knowing the Jedi only too well, Hera could guess that Kanan was thinking the Empire was using her to lure the _Phantom_ into a false sense of security. As usual, he was wrong.

"Kanan, love, I know what you're thinking, and this isn't a trap. And if you want proof, wait just a few seconds for that Imperial shuttle chasing you to come out of hyperspace." Hera turned from the console unit, turning to face one of the men controlling the many aspects of the Destroyer. It was such a big ship, without the multiple personnel to maintain each and every part of it, it'd just be a hunk of metal floating in space. Again, it felt a little odd to look down at the people she was commanding, instead of already being on the same level as they were. But with the command stations being sunk down into the floor, Hera had no other choice.

"Prep the hull-canons and fire up the targeting systems. As soon as the shuttle comes out of hyperspace, shoot it out of the sky."

The man grinned at her before executing a rough two-finger salute. So much better than the Empire with all of its' fancy protocol and formalities.

A second after he'd padded in a few buttons, the _Imminent Pursuit_'s sensor bleeped from a different part of the bridge deck. "The Imperial shuttle's just emerged emerged from hyperspace, ma'am!" Even though the rag-tag crew was a **_lot_**more relaxed than the Empire was, Hera still felt a little tingle down her spine every time one of the soldiers called her "ma'am." On the _Ghost_, she'd been supreme ruler, and everyone'd known better than to question it. But it was nice to know that that authority still carried over even when the ship wasn't actually hers.

"Fire at will, boys!" Three green lasers shot out of the Destroyer, and the Imperial shuttle that had just come out of hyperspace exploded in a brilliant display of light and color. Hera could just about _feel_ the shock from Kanan, but she could hear Ezra laughing in the background.

"Convinced?"

"_Hera... how..._"

"As it turned out, the distress signal that we'd received on the _Ghost_ had come a bit too early. By the time we got here, our rebel friends had already infiltrated the_ Imminent Pursuit_, and were in the process of completely taking over the ship.

"When the bucket-heads were overrun, I was asked to pilot. And who am I to say no to piloting a big ship?"

"_You know, sometimes you're even more unpredictable than Ezra, Hera_."

"Good to see you remember." Hera smirked, having reminded the Jedi that he wasn't the only one who could get things done.

When the _Ghost_ had been pulled into the _Imminent Pursuit_ via tractor-beam, they had been scared for their lives, conjuring up battle plans and strategies in order to get them out of the belly of the beast. But they had been greeted not by a squad of stormtroopers; instead about half a dozen men and women in varying degrees of armor. _Rebel_ armor.

The emergency broadcast had been sent out from the main rebel ship, the _Haddir_, before it and the several other rebel ships accompanying it had been completely jammed by the Star Destroyer. The rebels aboard the _Haddir_ had been experts at infiltration, and had easily accessed the _Imminent Pursuit'_s inner workings. When Hera, Zeb and Sabine had arrived, they had been almost half-way done with completely taking over the Destroyer. Their considerable fighting skills had been put to use, clearing out almost the entire population of stormtroopers with the aid of almost six dozen armed and talented rebels.

While they had no where _near_ the amount of personnel required to fully man the _Imminent Pursuit_, the rebels had been able to install a skeleton-crew aboard the previous Imperial vessel, putting their main focus on the weapons. Hera had been asked to take charge of piloting the ship, once her identity had been cleared. It was useful to be known as one of the most talented pilots in the Rebellion.

Zeb and Sabine, meanwhile, had taken the rare opportunity to look around in peace. They had all decided that it was most probably best to wait here, at Dathomir, then to head back to the coordinates, for a multitude of reasons. The battle for control of the _Imminent Pursuit_ had taken a while, and when the chaos had died down they had all assumed that Kanan and Ezra would well be on their way, and if they headed back to the original rendezvous point, they'd shoot past them completely. They had also discussed the topic of pursuit. If the _Phantom_ was being pursued by the Empire, as it had been, then coming out of hyperspace to be greeted with a friendly Destroyer would have been a huge advantage on whatever foes would be coming to pursue them.

The only thing she didn't really like about staying in the Destroyer was that she couldn't forget that this had been the very same ship that one of her crew-members had been tortured, mentally and physically, upon.

Still, though. It was useful to have a Destroyer on her side, and for the moment, Hera could look past the horrors that had been seen inside of the belly of the beast, to use all of her resources efficiently.

But once they no longer had to be on the _Imminent Pursuit_, Hera was taking off in the _Ghost_ as fast as her ship would allow her to. This was not a harbor of fond memories.

"_I don't think I'll ever be forgetting it again. And neither will Ahsoka, actually._" At the mention of the former Padawan's name, Hera's interest peaked.

"Oh, so you actually got her out okay?" She could hear Ezra's faint noise of protest in the background, bringing a faint smile to her green face. The boy may have grown, but he was still Ezra. Then a new voice, a familiar one, spoke out:

"_Oh yes, Hera. They pulled off their stunt quite marvelously._"

"Fulcrum!?" Hera took on a face she wouldn't have been too surprised to see on Kanan's when he'd jumped out of hyperspace.

"_One and only. Kanan's reaction was somewhat the same to yours._" Hera shook her head slightly, a small, exasperated, humorous smile taking root. Even though Hera had been the _Ghost_'s main contact with Fulcrum, the Togruta had still kept some secrets from her. She wasn't mad at it, she knew that the Rebellion had to be as secretive as it could get. Still, the fact that one of the survivors of the purge of the Jedi had survived also just happened to be the one and only contact to give them half of their missions was, to say nothing else, a little irksome.

"I should have known you still had secrets, Fulcrum. Only," a small frown marred the Twi'lek's features as her ever-thinking head did some quick calculations, "if _you_ were the one stuck on Yavin 4 for a year, why did Axle never say anything was up?"

As soon as she had mentioned the little grease-ball's name, there seemed to be a kind of cold anger that emanated from the other side of the communicator. Funny, that Hera could sense the atmosphere inside the _Phantom_ without being Force-sensitive.

"Axle," it was Ezra speaking now, but there was none of the previous humor in his voice, "was the slimy git that put Ahsoka there. And the one who put me on the Star Destroyer you're flying." At once, Hera's humorous expression melted away. After all, the Twi'lek was pretty smart.

Axle had arrived just under a year ago. The same time that Ahsoka/Fulcrum had gone missing. he had never said anything about the sudden absence of his superior. Since his arrival, most of the missions they had gone on had been a lot harder than they should have been. Why, the mission they had just run, with the Tie base, had only been pulled off successfully because they'd had a big tactics change without Kanan and Ezra that'd thrown the Imps off-guard. She didn't need much more proof to see Axle as a spy for the Imperials.

And now, Ezra, Kanan, and Ahsoka/Fulcrum had said that the slimy pathetic excuse of a man had been the one responsible for Ezra's imprisonment. He was her youngest Spectre. The one she worried about nearly as much as Kanan. Her son.

And Axle had been the one to put him in harms way? The one to cause such anxiety and guilt that the crew of the emGhost/em had never known before? The one who had cost them so much pain and suffering? Who had nearly driven them all over the edge of despair?

When the crew of the _Ghost_ next saw the sleemo, he was as good as dead.

* * *

"Axle," Ezra wasn't surprised to hear bitterness and venom in his voice, "was the slimy git that put Ahsoka there. And the one who put me on the Star Destroyer you're flying." Ezra had taken a look at the _Phantom_'s scanners and confirmed that it was, indeed, the _Imminent Pursuit_. Glad as he was that it was in friendly handling, the ship still brought... painful... memories back to the youth.

As soon as Ezra had finished his statement, they could almost feel Hera's coldness from inside the ship. It seemed the Twi'lek didn't need any more pieces of the puzzle to understand that Axle had been a no good son of a bantha. Well, he had been that before as well, but now it was ten times as worse. Because he was an _Imperial_ son of a bantha.

"We'll explain more once we're aboard." Ahsoka was averting the conversation, perhaps sensing that this was a... well, not a private matter, since it concerned her as well, but that the news exchange had to be face-to-face. Ezra once again felt his respect for the Togruta rise. She was a good diplomat, as well as a Jedi-Padawan.

Seeking to break the tension, Ezra asked with a playful tone- "Where are Zeb and Sabine? I don't think they'd want to have missed our coming-home party." His question sparked a laugh from Hera, though Ezra could still hear the underlying tone of thought she had in it. Hera wouldn't let the details of Axle's double-cross slip her by at all, he was sure of it. Not that they would even try to do so.

"_They're exploring the ship. I think Zeb's in the hangar-bays with the Ties and such that the Empire didn't deploy, and Sabine's checking out the weaponry on this sucker. As expected._" Ezra put on a small little smirk, knowing the Mandalorian, but there was underlying thought in his look. Just as long as they steered clear of the isolation decks. Though he doubted they'd want to relive those memories themselves.

"You _do_ still have the _Ghost_ in there, right?" Kanan's own question brought about a smirk that they could positively _feel_ through the comm-channel. Ezra briefly wondered if that was even a question.

"_Kanan, love._ _Would I_ EVER g_et rid of the_ Ghost? _Of course I still have it. It's in hangar-bay 7 if you want to go and reconnect with it now._" Kanan shook his head, smiling slightly, and grabbed the yoke.

"We're coming in, captain Hera." Ezra moved back out from the tight position between Kanan and the wall, stretching his arms behind his head. He only stopped when a small spike of pain reminded him that while he could still move his arm, it had still been the chew-toy of a Howler for two seconds. The bite itself was not all that serious. What Hera would do to him once she saw it might be.

But just before he could begin buttering the Twi'lek up in hopes of reducing the scoldings she gave him later, a dark shadow suddenly popped into existence in the _Phantom_ as a ship exited hyperspace directly above them. A familiar sense of dread moved into place in Ezra's gut as the second Star Destroyer loomed above them, blocking out half the stars. The _Phantom_ lurched, and before Kanan could even touch the controls, Ezra knew that they were moving. Tractor beam.

"Hera, please tell me you control this one too," But Kanan's anxious plea wasn't heard by Hera, or anyone else on the _Imminent Pursuit_. Their comms had already been jammed.

And they were heading straight into the Empire's territory.


	19. Introduction

**Oh my dear everything, I really do seem to have a problem with cliff-hangars... I need help! Professional help!**

**Or I could just keep on going and let you all gnash your teeth in worry... ha, like we all aren't gnashing out teeth over the finale anyways... I swear, if for some reason there's a delay on Disney releasing 'Fire Across the Galaxy,' I'm gonna do something drastic. *sighs*. Like leave cliff-hangars on every chapter, you're asking yourself? Most probably.**

**Disclaimer: Rebels belongs to a man/company that is doing a far better job with the story-line than I ever could, and it is my sincere wish it stays that way.**

* * *

It had just so happened that Sabine had been looking at the sensors when the enemy ship had jumped into position.

She was in one of the turret-firing stations, along with two other rebels. She'd been talking to them about the immense amount of fire-power it packed, when her gaze had been drawn to the multitudes of flashing lights shimmering on one of the many consoles in the station. They had shown a massive green dot- green because the _Imminent Pursuit_ still considered other Imperial ships friendlies -heading straight towards their central position on the radar, big enough so it could only be another Destroyer.

Therefore, when the sirens and red lights had gone off, Sabine hadn't been totally clueless as to the situation.

She'd rushed over to the consoles in the back of the room, urgently keying in the comm for the bridge. "Hera, what's going on?!" Through the noise of the comm, she could hear chaotic background noises, as though the entire deck had erupted into- well, chaos. It was a second and a half before the Twi'lek's rushed and worried voice reached Sabine, giving her the answers she needed.

"_Kanan and the_ Phantom _came out of hyperspace with Ahsoka, and they were on their way to dock with us when the other Destroyer jumped in on top of them. They're caught in a tractor beam and are being jammed; I can't get to them._" A knot of worry formed in Sabine's stomach, tightening as she remembered that the two-three, they had Ahsoka,- had limited fire-power and almost a hundred stormtroopers most probably converging on them at this very moment. Why had she only given Ezra three grenades?

"Hera, we have to-"

"_I know, we have to act fast. But we can't do much right now, not until we disable their tracking beam. I need you to come up onto the bridge, we need to come up with a strategy to give Kanan and Ezra as best of a fighting chance as we can until they get out._" Sabine exhaled a deep breath, thinking fast.

It was true, they couldn't do much else. The _Ghost_ was in hangar-bay seven, and even if they brought it out to rescue Kanan, Ezra, and Ahsoka, they'd still face the same problem as the _Phantom_ had: the tractor beam. They all needed to regroup and find out how to get the three Force-sensitives out of the Imperial ship, and staying calm and collected was the only way to do that.

It was the best she could do to help the rest of the crew.

"Got it, I'm on my way there." Sabine turned off the comm-channel, pausing for only the slightest of seconds to get her bearings. She whirled around to the two men with whom she had been talking to earlier, who were now looking at her expectantly. "Get as many men as you can in control of as the guns as you can. Someone on the bridge'll give you your targets, so be prepared to fire as many canons as you can!" The two men nodded quickly, turning around and running off to find more soldiers. Sabine took off at a dead sprint down the corridors of the Star Destroyer, heading towards the bridge.

It'd be a little odd, fighting without actually pulling the trigger on anything. But she'd still be fighting against the Empire and causing mayhem, which was what Sabine excelled at. Only now, it was scaled up a notch. Or five. But hey, whatever it took.

The Empire was _not_ allowed to mess around with their family.

* * *

All in all, this was turning out to be one of the worst situations Kanan'd found himself in. And if anyone knew what kind of stuff he usually got himself into, they'd know that that was saying something.

"Looks like we're gonna have to do some more fighting before your return to civilization, Ahsoka." No matter what Kanan did, he just couldn't get free from the tractor beam. Without Chopper or Hera or the _Ghost_ there to help him jam the tractor beams, the only thing he'd actually managed to do was faintly annoy some Imperial officer somewhere. His technical skills weren't exactly the best.

"No doubt there's gonna be a whole lot of stormtroopers just waiting to give us a big welcome. Moving's gonna be hard, but we'll have to take out their tractor-beam controls before we even have a shot at getting out of here." Kanan nodded, agreeing with Ahsoka's statement, before looking at the uncharacteristically quiet Ezra. He was met with the sight of his apprentice in a look of concerned thought, staring up at the Destroyer they were being drawn towards.

"What's wrong?" Ezra was still looking up there, concentration etched into his features.

"I... there's something else in there. I don't know what or who, but-" Suddenly, Ezra's concern upgraded itself to horror, and nearly a second afterwards Kanan felt a presence momentarily whispering against his consciousness. His mental shields thrown up all the way, Kanan barely had time to block out the shadow of a thought before it had access to his mental workings.

But it didn't attack. The wraith simply brushed up against the outer-most levels of Kanan's consciousness before flitting away, leving him untouched. It was just like last time.

Moments later, Ahsoka stiffened in her position, tensing until she too mirrored Kanan and Ezra. All three looked up at the Destroyer, mingled expressions of fear and dread showing freely on their faces.

Jedi or not, having someone with enough power to simply crush your mind if he wanted to brush up against your consciousness was unnerving. Even more so for the trio of Force-sensitives in the _Phantom_, each with their own fears leading back to the man they had just sensed.

Darth Vader flitting in and brushing up against your mind would shake even the best of Jedi.

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**Fear not! I won't leave you alone for very long with this. Next chapter'll be up in just a little bit.**


	20. Obedience Sucks

**Guys... I'm so proud of myself... this one isn't a cliff-hangar! :D**

**Seriously though, I have a problem with them...**

**Disclaimer: Rebels isn't really something that can be debated about. It is awesome. It is heart-wrenching. And it is also Disney's.**

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"We have to move as fast as we can." Ezra nodded, swallowing down his suddenly dry throat. He'd never felt anything _quite_ like having a Sith like Vader brush up against his mind.

Even when the Inquisitor had flat out taken control, there had been maleficence and dark, yes, but not on this scale. And there was the raw sense of _power_ Vader emanated that made Ezra want to run far far away and curl up into a tight ball in a deep hole in the dark. But that wasn't what scared him the most. More than the fact he knew Vader could crush him and everyone he loved in an instant, what scared Ezra was how... familiar... his mindset had felt.

Almost as though once upon a time, Vader had been just like Ezra.

"And we have to avoid contact with him at all costs." Kanan looked at Ezra for a brief moment, and he saw the worry in his Master's eyes as well. They had all sensed the amount of influence and skill Vader had, they had all been exposed to his power. They all knew an encounter with the Sith might yield better survival rates than jumping out an airlock.

"No." Kanan and Ezra both turned towards the Togruta, similar expressions of disbelief in place. Ezra saw she had an angry, bitter look on her face. Behind that, though, he could see slight confusion and...concern? But that didn't matter much, the fact she had objected to staying away from one of the most powerful men in the galaxy had most of Ezra's attention.

"What!?"

"Ahsoka, didn't you_ just_ feel how much strength he has? We're no match for him!" Ahsoka looked at Kanan with a hard glint in her eyes, one that reminded Ezra she was _not_, in fact, a calm and collected Jedi Kanan tried to mold him into. She had left the Order and abandoned the Jedi lifestyle. She let herself tap into her emotions.

"He was the one who murdered my Master, Kanan. And most of my friends, my colleagues. I might not have seen it like you, but I know he was the one responsible for it all. And he has to pay for it." Ezra looked outside nervously, where the hangar-bay was slowly coming into view. Within seconds they'd be fully inside the ship, which one look at their scanners told Ezra it was called the _Maelstrom_. At least it wasn't his _Executor_.

"Ahsoka, you can't just-" Kanan was trying to reason with her, but Ezra knew the Jedi's tactics wouldn't work on the Togruta. Kanan'd used them all on him at one point or another, and he knew Ahsoka was driven by something a lot stronger than what Kanan could calm on his own. Luckily, he had his own tricks up his sleeve.

"You're forgetting, Kanan, I don't live by the Jedi Code. I left-"

"Ahsoka, you left the Jedi, yeah, but you're aren't just defined by whether or not you're a Jedi. You're one of the leaders of the Rebellion. One encounter with Vader will destroy everything you've worked towards with the resistance, and I don't think you're the kind of person to sacrifice the hopes and lives of thousands- millions -of people for something so petty as revenge. He'll take away everything we all hold dear if we let him provoke us into foolish, impulsive fights that'll only end in our deaths. Your Master might have been taken from you already, but," Ezra looked her straight in the eyes with a hard glint, trying to convey across his sincerity, "I'm not going to let him take my Master as well."

Ahsoka blinked, drawing back slightly, while Kanan just looked at Ezra with a mixture of emotions he didn't really have time to decipher at the moment. Still, a faint red tinge showed up on his cheeks, and Ezra turned to face the turret controls to escape further embarrassment. They might be just about to enter the most dangerous fight of their lives, but Ezra was still a teenager. Embarrassment just didn't fly with him.

"It's looking like they've jammed most of our functions, not just the comm. Turret's nonoperational until we bring down the jammers. We're going to have to fight out way to them old-fashioned- and we don't have a lot of time!" Ezra pointed out the windshield, to the now open view of the hangar-bay and the three dozen soldiers inside of it, as well as another shuttle with three wings folded up to meet at the top. But they weren't really concerned with the other ships inside the hangar, more like the amount of soldiers they had to fight against. It'd take a while to fight them all conventionally, and they didn't have a while to get out before they were confronted with Vader.

"You still got some of Sabine's bombs, Ezra?" The teen held up two fingers to the Jedi, answering his question, while still looking at the soldiers they were about to face. Unlike the other battles Ezra'd gotten himself into, this one was going to be a little different. For starters, all of the bucket-heads knew exactly where he was. Secondly, if he didn't finish up the battle soon, the stuff of nightmares was going to make his grand entrance into the fray. They couldn't just mindlessly charge in without a plan, that'd take way too long. But they couldn't take too long formulating a plan.

Luckily, Ezra'd always been good thinking on his feet.

"Kanan, you and Ahsoka head out there and keep them off of the _Phantom_. I'll stay in here and regain control of the turret and help you two finish them off, then we can all go an disable their tractor beam."

"Since when did you make the plans?" Ezra turned around, handing Kanan one of the two miracles he had left, along with a cocky, if strained, grin. "Since you were too slow to make one before me." Kanan scowled, but took the bomb and nodded to Ahsoka. The two took off their lightsabers and headed out, while Ezra sat down at the control seat of the _Phantom_ and padded furiously at the mute controls. Every frequency had a jamming point, and if Ezra could reach and counter-act the controls that were blocking their access to the on-board turret, they'd have a big gun on their side in the fight against the hangar guards. That'd allow them to find their way to the tractor-beam controls faster, and hopefully avoid contact with the black-menace that was surely prowling down the halls as he keyed in buttons.

Even if he wasn't as good as Hera and Chopper, Ezra was still pretty handy when it came to maneuvering through and around Imperial restrictions. Spurred on by what he could see of Kanan and Ahsoka's fight through the windshield and the looming presence of Vader, he had access to the gun within half a minute. The temporary freedom didn't last very long, since it was a makeshift hack, but he had control long enough to take out four-fifths of the bucket-heads firing at them. After that, the Imperials resumed their job and snatched control of the turret out of Ezra's hands, but the job had already been done.

Ezra ran out of the _Phantom_, already pulling his lightsaber out to deflect the blasts from the remaining soldiers. The fight didn't last long, though, it was more of a clean-up than anything. Honestly, what chance did a few bucket-heads stand against three Force-sensitives?

"Which way to the tractor-beam?" Kanan closed his eyes in concentration at his call, and Ezra knew what he was doing. When the crew of the _Ghost_had gone in to rescue him aboard the _Imminent Pursuit_, the Jedi had memorized the layout of the Star Destroyer forwards and backwards. While the details wouldn't be _exactly_ the same, it would be an accurate guide to follow. The Empire loved uniformity, after all.

"It's further towards the back of the ship, in the middle layers. We'll have to make a right once we step out of the bay." Kanan opened his eyes, and they were clouded with worry. The tractor beams were awfully close to the bridge, where Vader was sure to be coming from. But it was the only way they could go.

"Master, we could-"

"Ezra, you are absolutely _NOT_ roaming around alone. This isn't like at the compound with Ahsoka, this is on a completely different scale danger-wise." Ezra returned Kanan's concerned gaze with a slightly humorous one, the right corner of his mouth twitching upwards slightly.

"I was _going_ to say we could do this rescue-style, but nice to know you care." Kanan blinked, frowning as Ahsoka looked on in slight confusion. "Rescue-style?" Ezra nodded.

"You know, where you just cut your way to your intended target?" Kanan let out his breath all at once, almost like he was laughing as the implications of what Ezra had said took hold. Kanan had _had_ to memorize the layout of the Star Destroyer because that was how he had rescued Ezra: by knowing the layout so well he could literally cut his way to his cell.

Ahsoka smiled a little as well, his proposed plan of infiltration most probably reminding her of something crazy she'd once done in the past or something like that.

"It'll make covering our tracks an impossibility, but I think we need speed more than stealth in this instance. Hera's no doubt leading her own attack against the ship, so we can't waste any time." Ezra nodded, remembering the feisty Twi'lek now not only had the _Ghost_, but an entire Star Destroyer under her command. She'd no doubt be using her every resource.

"Then let's go!" Ezra started sprinting towards the door, eager to end this particular fight before it began, but he was stopped by a strong hand on his shoulder that forced him to face-about. "Oh no you don't mister. You're staying right here."

"What!? Kanan! You can't seriously think that-"

"I'm not thinking," his voice and gaze were stern, demanding no rebukes from his apprentice, "I'm _telling_ you you're staying with the _Phantom_, masking your presence until we get back." Ezra shook his head, eyes wide with dis-belief at what he was hearing.

"But- you just said he's coming _here!_" Kanan shook his head, hand still on Ezra's shoulder.

"Once Ahsoka and I get out of the hangar, I won't mask my Force-signature. He won't come to the hangar, he'll be drawn to me, away from you."

"I can't let you do that!" Ezra heard a note of pleading enter his voice, but he didn't much care. Kanan was pretty much throwing away anything resembling safety or caution with this plan.

"Ezra! Just the same as you don't want Vader to take me, I'm not letting him kill you! You aren't going anywhere _near_ him. He took away my entire way of life once. I'm not letting him take you, too." Kanan stared intently at Ezra, not allowing any room for argument. He had pulled the caring card, something which Ezra had almost no defenses against.

They didn't have time for this. Ezra shook his head, but he knew he couldn't argue with Kanan. The Jedi was adamant on keeping Ezra here, and he knew that trying to change Kanan's mind would only put them all in danger.

Ezra jabbed his finger in Kanan's chest, not willing to let his Master leave without some form of guilt at what he was doing: "If you even _think_ of dying out there, I'm going to kill you. And Hera'll help me out." Kanan nodded once before taking off towards the door, Ahsoka right behind him.

"I wouldn't dream of it, kiddo! And mask your presence!" Then the two were out of the door, leaving Ezra alone with the _Phantom_ and the unconscious stormtroopers. He stared at the door, frustrated to no end about the predicament they were in. Kanan and Ahsoka were heading quite possibly into the most dangerous place in the galaxy, and he had been told to be a good boy and wait by the ship.

Ezra toyed with the idea of heading straight out there, to completely ignore Kanan's warning and fight with him anyways. To head out and keep his Master safe. But Kanan's words were still ringing in his ears:

"_Just the same as you don't want Vader to take me, I'm not letting him kill you!_" "_He took away my entire life once. I'm not letting him take you, too._"

_But what about you?_

Ezra shook his head, eyes downcast. He was too important to Ezra. _He_ had been the one who'd first opened his hand, who'd offered to change his life forever. And since then, the cowboy Jedi had grown to be his father-figure. It was physically painful for Ezra to hang back while he went to toy with fate and Vader.

But he couldn't leave the hangar. Ezra knew his Master would only do something reckless to keep his Padawan out of danger. If Ezra ran out there as well, he'd only be worrying Kanan, which would lead to... well. If Ezra wanted to do whatever he could to keep Kanan alive and well, he had to stay put and not distract him with worries over his safety. It was what he had to do.

But he still didn't like it.

Ezra ran back into the _Phantom_, aware it was most likely the safest place for what he was going to do. Sitting once more in the pilot's chair, Ezra gave the hangar door one last, thoughtful look before closing his eyes and relaxing as much as he could.

Ezra raised up the familiar mental barriers, taking care not only to protect his mind from any outside force **(ha ha)**, but to also smother his signature. While his defenses were strong, he had a feeling nothing could stop the Sith if he truly wanted to enter his mind, so the next safest thing to do would be to hide his presence in the Force, and if he was lucky, escape Vader's notice entirely. That was what Kanan wanted, and if it meant the Jedi could focus more on what he was doing, Ezra would gladly do it. He might not be able to go out there and fight with the Jedi, but he sure as heck would do anything to help him in any other way.

Now, all he had to do was trust the Force to take care of his Master, and wait until his job was done.


	21. To Tip the Battle

**Uuuum, I just wanted to point out that with the help from a helpful reviewer I noticed I _did_ get my facts a little wrong. Vader wasn't put in charge of the _Executor_ until after the Battle of Yavin, where Luke and the rest blew up the Death Star... sooooo, it appearing in both 'Abducted' and in 'Deadly Intrigue' was historically un-accurate. I'd like to thank the reviewer who pointed that out to me, 'OOMAC001,' and dish out apologies as necessary to anyone else who caught that and was offended or anything like that... hey, these days you can't be too sure.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Rebels, don't you think I would have a team of editors and story-board people at my beck and call. Since I don't... yeah.**

* * *

When Hera had been little and young, she had often played with toys. Models of ships that flew in space, liberating her world, fighting against those that carried only droids programmed to enslave her people. She had always flown them around, making her own sound effects, watching as the light glinted off of the silver paints. In her little toy sessions, the Republic triangular ships had always prevailed over the Separatist ovals. The good guys had always triumphed.

This time, though, the triangular Star Destroyer in front of her, the only remaining evidence of its' Republic ancestor, was not the good guy. It was not the symbol of hope against the endless droid armies of the Separatists. It was not what she looked at in admiration. This time the triangular ship was the enemy in this play-session.

And Hera would _not_ let it win in this battle.

The _Maelstrom_ had more Tie fighters than a normal Star Destroyer should, and the _Imminent Pursuit_ had less than usual from its' battle with the Rebels forces. But they also had four other rebel ships on their sides, as well as their own contingent of X-wings. Number-wise, they were evenly matched. Skill-wise, she wasn't so sure.

The rebels piloting the X-wings were weaving and dodging with such speed that Hera felt a slight twinge of jealousy that she wasn't fighting with them to prove herself. The ones in the unfamiliar Tie-fighters, however, were struggling slightly. The different controls made for different handling, and it took them a little but to actually get used to the vehicle. The stromtroopers, however, had been trained in their fighters, and had proficient skill in maneuvering and operating their vehicles.

Meanwhile, the actual Star Destroyers were evenly matched. They had the same number of turrets, the same shields, the same engines, the same systems of operation. The only difference was their crew.

The _Imminent Pursuit_ had a skeleton crew without the thousands of officers required to fully man the ship. The _Maelstrom_ was fully manned, with every necessary officer in their place, doing whatever their commanding officers told them to do. There were no delays between orders and execution there, while with her ship, it took a second or two for a rebel to actually get to what was needed for their task. The foreign layout of the ship didn't help much either.

But in the same way, the _Imminent Pursuit_ was being manned by men who were putting everything they had on the line, who were fighting to better the universe for their families and planets. The _Maelstrom_ was staffed by soldiers who only did what their commanding officers told them. They also had something else that the Imperials didn't: a willingness to think outside of the box, to use every resource in ways that would best get the result they wanted, whether it was intended or not.

That was why, instead of furtively calling out orders left and right, Hera was sitting in the chair of the scanners, looking around them for anything they could use to their advantage.

The thing was, they couldn't just jump into hyperspace and run away. Kanan and Ezra were still on the _Maelstrom_, along with Fulcrum. If they left them now, taking the _Imminent Pursuit_ out of the battle, the three Force-sensitives would still be left alone on the ship, with only the _Phantom_ as a get-away vehicle. Hera might have confidence in Kanan and Ezra's Jedi abilities, but she still wasn't about to put their lives on the line like that.

But if the battle continued on as it was now, they would soon have no other choice. The _Maelstrom_'s Tie-pilots were good at their job. Especially a few squads, who flew with such precision and skill it reminded Hera of the time the _Ghost_ had taken on the _Executor_, and Vader's specially trained fighters had entered the fray...

And that was why she was at the scanners, desperately looking for anything that might give them an edge in the battle, to tip the scales in their favor before they were defeated. So far, other than the planet of Dathomir, she wasn't reading anything special that could help them.

"Come on, there's gotta be something..." an explosion rocked the ship slightly, and Hera turned her head away from the consoles to check with the other personnel on the bridge. "Shields?"

"Holding!" Came the cry from someone on that station. Hera bit her lip, looking out of the view-port at the mass of Ties and ships outside. In front of them, the _Maelstrom_ sat, cold and intimidating as any other Star Destroyer they'd seen.

"Sabine!"

"I know, I know! We're firing everything we have!" Sabine called out from her position at the gunners station. While she wasn't actually pulling the triggers, the Mandalorian had immediately taken to controlling where the turrets were firing, controlling all of the shots the _Imminent Pursuit_ took. Well, sort of. She had given the men in the turrets free reign, letting them shoot at whatever target they liked, but when she gave an order to fire at a specific mark, almost all of them responded to her call. She fired at the places where she knew would do the most damage, in essence becoming a targeting computer.

Zeb, meanwhile, was standing behind Hera anxiously. He was _completely_ out of his element here, with no stormtrooper heads to bash in and nothing to shoot at. Hera had suggested that he should try and organize an infiltration party to go into the _Maelstrom,_ but every man on board the _Imminent Pursuit_ was needed, and the other rebel ships didn't have the speed or maneuverability to successfully make it to the enemy Star Destroyer without being blown to smithereens. So, the Lasat was stuck on the _Imminent Pursuit_, with no enemies to fight or ships to fly in.

"What's that?" Zeb pointed a purple finger back onto Hera's scanner screens, which were now looking so far away from the battle the Twi'lek had almost given up hope trying to find anything to change the battle's outcome. When she turned her focus back to the screen, however, there was a read-out that made her eyes widen impossibly far. "Oh my stars...!"

Hera shook her head, certain that she was seeing things wrong, but the sensor blip remained there._ Is the equipment faulty?_ Hera's fingers flew across her data-pad, pulling up a star-chart of the region. When she found what she was looking for on there, and confirmed that the sensors were showing here were indeed correct, she sagged slightly in her seat.

Well, if they wanted something to change the outcome of the battle, _that_ certainly could. Although it might kill everyone involved if they played their cards wrong. But if they flied skillfully, with plenty of luck on their side, this could most definitely be the end of the _Maelstrom_.

"What!? What is it, Hera?!" The Twi'lek looked at Zeb, a look of incredulous thought all over her face.

"It's a black hole."

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**Argh, the cliff-hangars return...**

**But I do want to say, there _is_ actually a black-hole near Dathomir. You can look it up on a Star Wars map of the universe, the specific one I use is on , though you can find it on Google and stuff. And don't worry, both Hera and I took the crash-course on black hole physics, so we know what we're talking about... mostly. :P**


	22. Tense Plans

**And I'm back again with another chapter... something that should not only be pleasing, but also frightening. Seriously, I just can't _stop_ ending each chapter with another message of doom and gloom... maybe I should write a comedy... try to lighten up a little bit... and hopefully it'll work, 'cuz leaving you all biting your nails does give a certain aspect of amusement (there's my Chopper side speaking through), but it's taxing on me as well... that settles it. Comedy, and soon. :)**

**Disclaimer: Yeah... I don't own Rebels. I think I'd scare Disney with how many two-parter cliff-hangars I'd want.**

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Even with the experience of hundred of missions into enemy territory, Ahsoka had never gone on an expedition where her heart hammered so fast. Or her emotions ran so high. She might have been a Jedi pupil once, but she had left when they had turned on her. She had grown up, and once that had happened, Ahsoka had realized her emotions gave her more power when they could be expressed than when they weren't.

Not that she was with the Dark side! While she was no longer a Jedi, Ahsoka was still averse to the idea of the Sith and the Dark, and hadn't let herself stray towards it anymore than was necessary. It was just... when the Empire had taken over, and the Jedi were suddenly being hunted across the galaxy, more power was better- and more likely to keep you alive- than less.

And so, running around on the same ship that held the murderer of her entire way of life was stressing. Ahsoka's first instinct was to run straight away from Vader in fear. Her second was to run straight at him, to fight him for what he had done to the Jedi, to Anakin. But Ezra's words were holding her back.

"_I don't think you're the kind of person to sacrifice the hopes and lives of thousands- millions -of people for something so petty as revenge._" "_Your Master might have been taken from you already, but I'm not going to let him take my Master as well._"

And then, of course, there had been his interaction with Kanan. It was so obvious to her they both cared for one another deeply, with a bond with such strength it was mirrored by her own with Anakin. Ezra had said he'd grown up alone. Kanan had said he'd had his life taken away from him. They both filled eachother's missing holes, and Ahsoka had no doubt the rest of the crew had similar bonds with one another. No wonder they were so efficient.

And who was she to put down those bonds? Running off to fight Vader meant drawing the man closer to Kanan, and that meant she was jeopardizing their mission. No- their lives. Well, their lives were already in jeopardy, but picking a fight with Vader would only put them even more so in danger.

"How much longer until we reach the tractor-beam controls!?" Ahsoka shouted out, aware their time was limited. Kanan shot a charge out of his blaster (so uncivilized) at the five stormtroopers in front of them, taking down two before they managed to shoot back at them.

Lifting up her hand, Ahsoka sent the rest of the men flying, and they bowled into another patrol of soldiers that rounded the corner. They began firing, and the two Jedi began deflecting once again.

"Only a few more corridors to go! But we'll have to go fast-"

"Or we're gonna have more problems than just stormtroopers, I know." The pair had decided to cut through the various floors of the Star Destroyer when they were returning from the controls, because if they had cut their way directly to their destination, that would make it only that much more obvious to Vader as to where they were, and how to get to them. Cutting their way out once they were done would let them escape with speed, rejoining Ezra in the _Phantom_ once they had finished.

Ahsoka was surprised Ezra actually stayed put. What she had seen of the apprentice, he was definitely _not_ one to stay still and hide while the ones he cared about went to fight. But she guessed the Jedi and his apprentice had gone through more than they let on together, and because of that had developed a sense of respect for one another. As far as they knew, Ezra was still on the ship.

What surprised her even more was that Ezra was completely invisible in the Force. Kanan had said to mask his presence, but no Padawan should have been this proficient in hiding their signature like this. Unless Vader was specifically hunting for Ezra in that particular hangar, the Sith would never find the teen.

Kanan, meanwhile, was making no attempt at all to hide his presence. And neither was Ahsoka. They both knew that if they wanted to keep Ezra from meeting Vader, they had to appear as the best target for Vader to be drawn towards. Ahsoka knew that _she_ didn't have to make herself a target, but her promise to keep Ezra safe was still fresh in her mind. Besides, she genuinely didn't like to think of what the Sith would do if he got his hands on the teen.

"You reckon we'll be able to make it before he gets to us?" Kanan's face darkened at Ahsoka's question, and he deflected a shot back at the last remaining trooper. "I've seen people move _pretty_ fast before, but if we keep moving we should be able to stay a step ahead of Vader. I hope." The two resumed their run down the corridors, active lightsabers trailing behind them. But as they rounded the bend, yet another patrol of troopers came their way.

Ahsoka let out a noise of nervous frustration. The stormtroopers were highly organized, and they knew their position. It would only be a matter of time before they were overwhelmed and surrounded, by which time Vader could leisurely stroll on up towards them. They didn't have time to stop at every bend in the halls to fight the next group of stormtroopers that came in their way.

"Keep on going!" Apparently Kanan had realized this as well, because, true to his word, he wasn't stopping. The Jedi was still running through the halls, using both his lightsaber and his blaster to provide the soldiers with enough fire to keep them busy. _He really is like Anakin, always rushing into the craziest of situations._

But Ahsoka didn't mind. She liked it, actually. Crazy, for her, was normal. So she as well continued her headlong rush, and it gave her a spike of pleasure to see that the stormtroopers appeared shocked at their refusal to stop. One even made a move to back up slightly, as though he found the sight of two Jedi wielding laser-swords running at him at full speed scary. Of course he did, who wouldn't?

By the time the two actually reached the small patrol of troopers, there weren't very many left. It wasn't a good idea to continuously fire lasers at someone who could reflect those lasers right back at you. It was more dangerous than if they were to stop and deal with the situation carefully, like they had been before, but they were battling against time. Any minute, Vader would catch up to them, and there was no winning a fight with him. The Inquisitor had tried that, according to Kanan, and he had died. While Ahsoka also had Kanan to help her, it was just foolhardy to actually think that they could survive an encounter with the Dark Lord of the Sith. Ahsoka'd take more danger with the stormtroopers than with Vader any day.

Besides, it was just frustrating, stopping every few feet to fight another patrol.

She and Kanan breezed right on past the two soldiers, who were so not expecting it that they both fell victim to Kanan's blaster. While Ahsoka might not use one, she could see that the rogue had absolutely no problem with doing so. And it had a great effect: they no longer had two stormtroopers to deal with behind them.

The two continued their pell-mell sprint through the halls, Ahsoka just following Kanan wherever he turned in the hall. She didn't know why or how he knew the inside layout of a Star Destroyer, but he did, and now was not the time to ask questions. Besides, if it meant that they could get out of the _Maelstrom_ faster, she was all for it.

"It's right up there!" Kanan pointed to a door on the left side of the hallway they had just rounded, where there was a group of half-a-dozen stormtrooper guards looking at them with raised blasters. As they once again deflected shots back at the Imperials, Ahsoka shouted out at Kanan: "I don't know whether I should thank you or not for delivering this much excitement in your rescue!"

Kanan responded with a grin, continuously reflected shots back at the men in white armor, occasionally shooting his own gun at the soldiers in front of them. "I do try to bring a little adventure into our missions!"

Ahsoka crossed both of her green blades in front of her in an 'x' as she blocked a barrage of shots aimed at her chest. The soldier that had fired them out at her fell down, his own shots taking him out. Kanan fired once with his own blaster, felling another, but Ahsoka took care of the rest of them with a single huge Force-push. They didn't have time to play around.

"Well, it certainly is an adventure, hanging out with you and Ezra. I've never- ever -experienced a rescue like this one." The two stepped through the door that Kanan had pointed out earlier, where a few officers in brown-caps stared up at them with surprise. Obviously they hadn't been expecting them to arrive as quickly as they had, for there were no actual soldiers in the room, only computers and the officers which controlled them.

"You don't see anything unusual." Kanan waved the hand with his lightsaber, deactivating the blade as he did so. There was a small chorus of 'we don't see anything unusual' that echoed back out to the Jedi, and then Ahsoka held up her own hand: "The tractor-beam just suddenly stopped working. We were never here." It wouldn't hurt to make sure that no one in the room reported them. She nodded to Kanan, who withdrew the small bomb that Ezra had given him earlier. He chucked it into the center of the room, where it began to beep quickly.

Hastily, Kanan and Ahsoka stepped out of the room, the door closing just a second before there was a muted 'boom' that vibrated the grating under their feet slightly. "That should keep them off for a while." Ahsoka glanced up and down the halls, wary of oncoming stormtroopers.

"So where do we start cutting?" Kanan pulled out his lightsaber, smiling slightly, before answering the Togruta: "We cut our way down seven floors until we're on the same level as the hangar, or we can move a little further from where we came and cut down fi-"

A warning in the Force made Ahsoka pull back slightly, and a blue ring of energy flew straight through the space her head had occupied just moment before. The stormtroopers had caught up to them, and Vader was probably not far behind. They had to move.

"Which ever way's quicker!" Ahsoka drew her own lightsabers, already sending blasts of energy back at stormtroopers, while Kanan took off in the direction they had come from. Ahsoka sprinted after him, still protecting her back as she ran, trusting in the Jedi to lead him wherever he knew was the best place for them to make their return to the hangar-bay. There wasn't much else she could do, anyways.

"Never mind adventure, you seem to attract _peril_ wherever you go, Jarrus!"

"So, just like old times with your Master, eh?"

"Just like old times!"

Ahsoka deflected one last shot before they rounded the bend into another corridor, where Kanan suddenly whirled around 180°, until he was facing right where they had come out from. Ahsoka shot out past him, but when she managed to stop and turn her head around, Ahsoka was still able to see Kanan jamming his lightsaber into a panel on the wall. As soon as the blade made contact with the tech, a blast door that effectively cut them off from their pursuers rose into place, separating them from the patrol. Once again, his knowledge of the Destroyer impressed her.

"That's give us time to do _this_..." Kanan pulled his lightsaber out of the wall, instead cutting out a medium-sized circle from the floor. It fell down to the corridor below with a loud clang, but the amount of noise they made while escaping didn't matter much to either party. Folding his arms up, Kanan leapt down the fresh hole, Ahsoka not far behind him.

"So when did you come up with _this_ procedure?" Kanan's face darkened momentarily, already starting on the second hole in the floor, before he responded: "When I pulled Ezra out of the Inquisitor's control. We needed a new approach, and this," the hole fell down into the next deck before Kanan looked at her, smiling slightly, "fit the bill perfectly." They once again hopped down into the next corridor, quickly making their way back to the hangar-bay so they could leave the ship in one piece.

Ahsoka felt a little frustrated that she wasn't going to confront the murderer of her Master. But at the same time, she was glad that they were moving to prevent the separation of another Master-Padawan bond that functioned much the same as hers had, once upon a time. While Kanan and Ezra were with her, Ahsoka wouldn't indulge in her desire for revenge, she wouldn't place the two of them in any reckless danger through impulsiveness.

But once they were no longer in jeopardy, Vader _was_ going to pay for what he'd done.

* * *

"Sabine, tell the gunners to focus as much as they can on the _Maelstrom_'s hyperdrive and sensor arrays!" Hera called out, already plugging in the coordinates for the black-hole.

"What!? Why the sensors!?" The Mandalorian's surprise was evident in her voice, while Hera ran over to the hyperdrive station. Zeb, having heard Hera beforehand, grabbed onto her upper right arm, whirling the Twi'lek around to face him. "You can't honestly be thinking about heading for the black-hole, can you!?"

"Zeb, right now we need something to shake the battle up a bit. If we don't do anything, the end result isn't going to be pretty. We need something out of the ordinary to throw the Imperials for a loop, to gain the advantage." Hera raised her voice so that Sabine could hear her from the turret station, calling out: "Which is why their sensors need to be down, so they don't know what we're getting them into!"

"Um, right!" Sabine keyed in her commands, and Hera once again turned towards the hyperdrive station. "But they won't follow us too far if we don't tempt them further into action, and to do that, we need bait."

Zeb, still not convinced that heading straight for a black menace of nature that could swallow them all up whole was a good idea, dogged behind Hera as she hung over the shoulder of the man who was at the hyperdrive units.

"And what exactly are you gonna use as bait? If you haven't noticed, we're fresh out of Jedi. They're all on the _other_ ship."

"Don't worry about it, Zeb. What's the status of the hyperdrive?" She directed her question towards the man who was sitting at the controls, who looked up at her with a mixture of respect and confusion. He still answered her question, though.

"Well, ma'am, so far we've been doing a good job keeping them outa danger, so they're almost perfectly fine. We can jump away whenever you wa-"

"We're not jumping. I want you to take the hyperdrive offline." The man's expression changed to one if incredulity, and Zeb sputtered behind her. But Hera didn't waver.

"Excuse me!? I... you want me to take it offline?"

"Yep. Offline. I want you to make it look like they finally hit it, and took it out. Make it look like one of their shots actually hit it. Add smoke if you can." The man looked over at Zeb, a sort of desperate expression on his face, and Hera had to sort of suppress a smile at the sight. Zeb, however, was not amused one bit.

"What in the blazes are you tryin' to do!?" Hera made eye contact with Zeb, trying to put across a look that showed she was not, in fact, completely bonkers.

"If we want to draw them to the black-hole-"

"Yeah, 'cuz we definitely want to do that," Zeb grumbled, but Hera ignored him an continued on. She'd been piloting and making strategies for far too long to not take this opportunity when it was so freshly delivered to her.

"-we're gonna have to make it seem like it's a _good_ thing to follow us. Right now their battling us because we're here, but if we start moving away from the battle, I need to be _absolutely_ certain that they'll follow us, instead of jumping away with Kanan and Ezra still on-board. If the _Maelstrom_ picks up that our hyperdrive is destroyed and _then_ we start to move away, we'll look like we actually want to run away, instead of looking like we're luring them into a trap." The man at the hyperdrive station nodded once at her, beginning to key in her commands.

"If Sabine can take out their sensors, they won't know we're leading them into a black-hole until it's too late, and we can use that to our advantage."

"But what if Kanan, Ezra and Ahsoka don't get out of there in time?" There was a hint of anxiety in the Lasat's voice, which Hera decided to tactfully ignore.

"They won't be. There's nothing on-board that Destroyer that could stop the three of them combined. They know they have to act fast, and besides," Hera tapped the side of her nose, "I always have a back-up plan." Zeb still didn't look convinced, but Hera gave him a tight smile.

"They know not to mess around. Have some faith in them, Zeb. They've never failed us yet, right?" Zeb, looked out of the view-port, at the opponent Star Destroyer and the chaos that was the space battle.

"I know... I just got a bad feeling about this."

* * *

**Ah Zeb, doesn't every character in the Star Wars universe?**

**Also: my thing with Ahsoka.**

**I _know_ her character would want to deal with Vader. Anakin was her closest friend (that DIDN'T betray her in the end, Offee!), and Ahsoka would want to deal with Vader personally for killing him, 'cuz that's what she thinks happened. But. There was that little scene with Ezra in the _Phantom_, and with Kanan in the hangar... she wizened up a bit and realized that if she went hunting after Vader, she'd only be dragging them along into something dangerous (more so than it already is, in any case) which she doesn't want to do.**

**Of course, that won't stop her from fighting him if _he_ hunts them out... *insert evil Grievous laugh here***


	23. The Worst of Surprises

**Holy cow... I was sent a link to a Fanfiction written by silverqueen about Naruto, called 'Dreaming of Sunshine', that COMPLETELY and UTTERLY blew me away... even if you don't care about the anime at all, reading _that_ story would suck you in completely. And refuse to let you go. And it's not done... And I've run out of the chapter to read. Now I'm REALLY on edge, waiting for both the season finale of THIS franchise, the actual conclusion of NARUTO, and the conclusion of a completely different story... gah, I hate the waiting! The waiting! It's killing me!**

**Unfortunately, that hasn't silenced my tendencies to leave you guys with cliff-hangars. :P**

**Disclaimer: Oh God, the only thing I actually WANT to own is that one freaking fanfiction... that'd make my life complete.**

* * *

You'd think, with absolutely nothing to do except make sure he was invisible, that Ezra would be extremely bored. The thing was, Ezra wasn't. It wasn't like he had something to keep him occupied, much the opposite. But it was hard to be bored when he couldn't stop the knot of worry from twisting in his stomach.

According with Kanan's plans, Vader hadn't entered the hangar. Neither had any more stormtroopers. While there was a small bubble of relief in Ezra, the rest of him knew that there hadn't been any enemies coming to _him_ because they were all focusing their attention on _Kanan_.

And it frustrated him to no end that Ezra had come to grow to actually obey the Jedi's orders when he really meant them.

The notion of running out there, of fighting alongside Kanan and Ahsoka, despite the danger, had been constantly running through Ezra's head, as an alternative option to waiting in fear. But that would only put not only him, but Kanan and Ahsoka in more danger as well. Ezra trusted them to pull themselves through whatever Vader threw at them, so he stayed inside the _Phantom_, keeping himself hidden.

The fact that he was also scared of Vader helped to keep him rooted there.

The Inquisitor, he had dealt with. The Pau'an had been powerful, but he had also seemed more... human... than Vader did. The Sith might have actually _been_ human once, but he was so far in the Dark, so... _evil_ feeling to Ezra, he seemed more like a void of goodness than an actual Dark entity. He could only imagine what the Emperor was like.

Occasionally, Ezra could feel a tremor in the seat of the _Phantom_, which he supposed was when the _Imminent Pursuit_'s canons struck close to his position. He had mixed feelings about the ship. False, he didn't have _mixed_ feelings. More like... conflicting. On one hand, it'd been the ship where he'd experience more pain than he ever had in his life, and most probably more than he ever would again. On that ship, he'd turned into a puppet of flesh for the Inquisitor. On that ship, he'd turned to the Dark.

On that ship, he'd watched his family die.

But it was just a ship. And now, it was being used to fight against the Empire, being piloted by one of the people he held dearest. It wasn't a symbol of fear or anger, if anything, it was most probably their best hope in this battle. He didn't feel anything positive towards it, but it was still his best hope.

Another tremor racked the _Maelstrom_, and Ezra gritted his teeth. Even if it was good that the ship he was in was under attack, it didn't help his concentration any.

For Ezra, his mental shields were an object of great pride. They'd been what had kept him from the Inquisitor, and they were no doubt one of his strongest areas. But even though he knew they were strong, he'd never doubted them more than he did now. Vader was the biggie, most probably the most powerful being he would ever come this close to in the galaxy. He took pride in his defenses. But they wouldn't last long against Vader.

Which was why, even as he was strengthening his mental shields, Ezra also masked and smothered his presence in the Force. It was the exact same thing that Kanan had done while infiltrating the _Imminent Pursuit_, which the Jedi had painstakingly hammered into Ezra. If he could avoid having to defend his mind entirely by remaining hidden from Vader, then he'd much rather do that than leave his mental control up to chance.

So, instead of concentrating on nothing but boosting his shields, Ezra was making them appear non-existent, so that Vader couldn't be able to sense him unless looking directly at him.

The only thing was, it made the passage of time really kind of odd for him.

Ezra didn't know if one minute or ten had passed by; he was focusing inwards, not out. Thus the enhanced worry for Kanan and Ahsoka. Of course, Ezra could still feel Kanan and Ahsoka slightly, as the Jedi weren't doing anything to hide their presence, so he knew that at the very least they were both alive. To investigate even more into that, he'd need to take away focus from his 'invisibility cloak,' so Ezra had to be content with what he could feel presently.

It was strange, though, since Vader's initial contact with him, Ezra hadn't felt the Sith at all... well, that was most probably a good thing. That meant he hadn't been discovered. But it still made Ezra's gut twinge slightly in apprehension.

All of a sudden, there was a thunderous crash that rocked the _Phantom_ so hard, Ezra fell out of the pilot's seat. The _Imminent Pursuit_ firing their canons wouldn't have cause _that_ much of a tremor, unless they'd fired directly into the hangar-bay, which Ezra doubted. Besides, that hadn't been a tremor from the outside, something had actually landed _on top_ of the _Phantom_...

Untangling himself from the position he'd fallen into, Ezra ran to the back of the _Phantom_, allowing his mental 'invisibility' to fall away. He had an idea of what had caused that crash.

The ramp lowered down slower than Ezra would have liked it to, but he jumped off of it and onto the top of the _Phantom_, just in time to see Kanan leap from a hole he'd cut in the ceiling right in front of him, onto the medium-sized circle of metal that'd fallen. It was still glowing around the edges. Ahsoka came down right behind him, landing with a softer impact than his Master had. Relieved that they had both made it out okay, Ezra none the less raised an eyebrow at Kanan's method of entry. The Jedi was scratching his head, looking down at the slab of metal he'd cut away.

"Huh...I didn't expect to land _on_ the ship..." Ezra snorted slightly as Kanan stepped off of the patch of metal, while Ahsoka stayed on, observing the slab with faint amusement.

"You realize Hera's gonna kill you for scratching it up, right?" Kanan grimaced, but Ahsoka smiled. "I think she'd be happier to have the two of you back than angry at what you did to her ship." Kanan turned to look at the Togruta, an odd smile on his face. She might be Fulcrum, and know who Hera was and what she was _basically _like, but Ezra doubted that anyone other than the members of her crew knew what the Twi'lek was _really_ like. Hera would most definitely be glad that they'd survived. But once she'd gotten past that, the _Phantom_ was still going to be scratched up. And Hera was _not_ going to be happy about that.

"Well, let's just focus on actually getting back to her, shall we?"

Ezra was just about to deliver a snarky response, something along the lines of 'wanna try not to fall on her too,' when he was cut off abruptly by a warning in the Force. Moments later, the metal slab that Ahsoka had been standing on jerked backwards severely, sending the Togruta flying away from Ezra and Kanan. Simultaneously, several blue blasts of energy whizzed by their heads, missing their marks by nothing more than inches.

Ezra sprang to his right, leaping off of the _Phantom_ and out of direct sight from whoever was shooting at them, while Kanan did the same but to his left. Rolling on impact, Ezra unhooked his lightsaber from his belt, bringing it up to his front, already aiming at their enemies. He didn't even pull the trigger once before his blood ran cold at the sight of the force in front of them.

Vader had finally decided to join them.

* * *

**DUN DUN DUN...**

**I really am evil... hey, just as long as I don't die before finishing this story, right?**


	24. A Pitiful Sight

**Now. Some of you are gonna be terrified that I've posted a chapter so soon after my previous one. For those of you that are, and for those who still have much to learn about the evil imagination of a desperate fan-girl, don't worry TOO much. There's not _much_ new happening in this chapter, because I figured we'd better have some insight from a certain view-point. For now, I will let you breath easy. For now... *insert evil laugh here***

**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. That way, whenever I accidentally induce a heart-attack through the SHEER AMOUNT of cliff-hangars I have, it's not completely my fault. :)**

* * *

This was almost too easy.

As soon as the captured vessel had been drawn into the hangar-bay, he had known that they were going to try and escape. He'd done some research on the Jedi and his Padawan, and he knew that they weren't the type to give up without a fight. And Tano, well, he knew her extensively. She would also attempt to escape.

When the two of them had been running through the halls, trying to bait Vader into following them by not concealing their presences in the Force, he'd been disappointed slightly. But at the same time, even more intrigued.

Not only had the Bridger child managed to almost completely conceal himself in the Force, something that shouldn't be possible at his level of training, but his Master had once again strayed from the normal behavior of the Jedi in order to protect his Padawan. By leaving himself open to attack in the mental plane, the rogue had given his best to completely draw attention away from Bridger, placing his Padawan's safety above the actual completion of the mission.

Not only that, but Tano had also been leaving herself completely open. When Vader had been Anakin, he'd known that Ahsoka was a sensitive female, but he'd never would have thought that she would also go to this level of recklessness in order to protect a child she most likely had only known for a day or less.

There was something up with this child, this Master and apprentice, that intrigued Vader highly. And also disturbed him.  
While they were interesting to Vader, for the exact same reasons, they were disturbing to him. They reminded Vader of his past, when he had been known as Anakin Skywalker. If there was anything that actually threatened Vader in this universe, it was the remnant of that once heroic Jedi that still remained inside of him. Skywalker was the biggest threat to Vader. And he was Vader's biggest fear; that one day Skywalker would once again come out to the surface, out from under all of his anger and fear and guilt and hate. So, anything that even remotely brought out Skywalker in him, like the three Force-sensitives onboard the _Maelstrom_, had to be eliminated.

But at the same time, they interested him. They showed that what Skywalker had abandoned had changed, or its' disciples had. They were the only accessible living proof that the Jedi Order had not been entirely wiped out, and while it was dangerous, it was fascinating. He was seeing the remnants of what had once been his home, seeing its' power and strength since his absence. Only, it wasn't showing too much potential at the moment.

Vader hadn't gone running about the ship, chasing the rogue Jedi like some foolish dog responding to movement. He had known that he and Tano would have to return to the hangar eventually. The Sith hadn't entered the bay beforehand either, that would have alarmed the Bridger child to the point where the rogue would have immediately known something was wrong. Instead, Vader had done his own course of action. He'd taken a patrol of six of his 501st soldiers, his personal entourage, and waited for the Jedi and Tano to come to him.

It had been pathetically easy for him to take the trio by surprise. Even if the man had only been a Padawan when Order 66 had been executed, he should have still been able to sense Vader's nearness to the hangar. Tano as well, he knew the amount of skill she had in the Force. But no. They had been completely unawares when Vader had entered the room, and only now that they were rising to their feet did it look as though they had actually registered that Vader was standing before them. Pitiful.

His three points of interest were scattered on opposite sides of the hangar, the Bridger child back further and to Vader's left, close to a Lamda-class***** shuttle, and the rogue the same distance away to his right. They were all on the opposite side of the hangar from him, but Vader had managed to scatter them from their ship so that there was no other option than to fight. The 501st soldiers had begun firing as soon as the Jedi had gone flying, but skilled shooters as they were, neither the child nor the rogue were hit. They were deliberately ignoring the Togruta in the center, as per his orders.

It brought up a strange well of emotions- no, not emotions, notions, nothing more -to see Skywalker's former apprentice standing there, grown and mature. Her head-tails and montrals had grown, the tails hanging almost to her waist while the hollow-horns on her head stretched nearly half a foot. She'd grown in stature as well; if the suit Vader was wearing didn't increase his height, she'd be as tall as he was.

The Jedi, also, was tall. His green shirt, single arm armor and blaster holster gave him the look of a bounty-hunter, which Vader supposed had been the intended effect. His short brown hair was drawn back into a short pony-tail, and he had a small goatee on his chin. His blue-green eyes were staring straight at Vader with a mixture of shock, and fear.

The Bridger child was much the same. Clothed in an orange pilots suit with a single plate of white armor on his right leg, the child had mid-length blue-black hair, with vivid blue eyes. Held in his hand was an odd device which he was holding slightly like a lightsaber, but just moment before he had been aiming at the 501st members like a blaster. He, as well, was looking at Vader with fear in his eyes, as was wont for someone of his age. In fact, the only one of the trio whose gaze wasn't completely taken over by fear was Tano's.

There was fear present in her eyes, yes, but the main emotion present within her blue eyes was... anger. Anger so intense that it bordered on hatred. In the next few minutes, Vader knew that she'd make for an interesting opponent.  
All of his observations took place in less than two seconds, by which time the blast doors behind him had shut closed. There would be no interruptions, from his own men or any rebel infiltrators that may or may not arrive.

"The drop-out, the rogue, and the child. What a pitiful sight indeed." Vader's voice echoed out in the cavernous space, reflecting off of the polished surfaces. As he began to stride towards his quarry, the 501st members on either side of him continued to fire at the rogue and his apprentice, whose strange device had indeed proven to be a lightsaber with some sort of enhanced hilt-guard. Both Force-sensitives were deflecting the blasts sent out by his men with blue lightsabers, who'd split up behind Vader, three heading to either one of their targets.

"Keep away from him, Ezra!" The rogue was shouting out, directing his order to Bridger. The child could only give his Master a scared, pained look, as he was otherwise engaged in deflecting the various shots that Vader's guards sent out at them. His soldiers were highly efficient at their job. Tano, meanwhile, had almost completely ignored the situation that her two companions were in. Both of her green lightsabers ignited in her hands, being held backwards, as was wont for her particular style of fighting.

Vader watched as the Togruta positioned herself in a battle stance, getting ready for an upcoming fight. How many times had various other Jedi mirrored this exact pose? While Vader had exterminated the surviving Jedi, he'd seen all of their last stances, trying to prepare themselves, trying to give themselves some sort of chance of surviving their last battle with the Sith. But their positions had been one showing that their resistance had crumbled, that they were resigned to their fate.

Not Tano's, though. Hers was not a pose of resignation or fear, instead it was actually showing off a readiness to battle. It seemed that she held some sort of sour emotion towards Vader that blinded her fear, for the moment at least. But she would not last. Whatever drove her, it would not help her to survive this upcoming fight. No other Jedi had.

And once Vader had exhausted his interest in the trio, neither would they.

* * *

***For anyone who didn't know, a Lamba-class shuttle is ship Vader came on the Death Star with, and the one Tarkin touched down on Lothal in. It's the one with three wings, one on the top and two on the sides that can fold up. Just FYI.**


	25. Into the Fray

**And now, as we all wait with baited breath for 'Fire Across the Galaxy,' I present to you: the beginning of what I know to be the hardest battle EVAR to write. Seriously, I had such writer's block, you don't even know... it was a lot easier to write for the Inquisitor, because he'd actually _make a joke_ once in a while. With Vader, if every sentence doesn't leave the other characters quaking in fear, you're doin' it wrong. It is quite a long fight though, and spans across multiple chapters... he he, and there's enough drama to keep you ALL entertained... that's for certain... **

**Disclaimer: Seriously? I've been doing these things for 25 chapters and there's still confusion over this issue? Rebels. Is. Not mine.**

* * *

Before, the expression 'seeing red' had never held much meaning to Ahsoka. She'd always seen it as a figure of speech, one that just conveyed an individual's anger.

Now, she knew better.

There did indeed seem to be a red haze surrounding her vision, but the Togruta payed it no mind. After all, her anger would only serve to help her in this upcoming fight.

Usually, she was more hesitant about using her emotions to aid her in battle, as the way of the Jedi _had_ at one point been her entire lifestyle. But with this battle, with this man... Ahsoka knew she had to do whatever it took to win. Here was the destroyer of her entire way of life. Here was the man who had slaughtered all of her friends and colleagues, who'd forced the meager survivors into a life of hiding. Who'd ruined the peace of the galaxy, who'd plunged its' citizen's into a lifestyle of fear and pain.

Who'd murdered the one man who'd taught her who she truly was.

Anakin had been everything to her, once. Even when she'd left the temple, he had always been the one point, the one topic, that made her feel guilty and remorseful about the life she'd left behind. Anakin had shown, had taught her, who she was. He'd brought out the best in her, had protected her back even as she'd protected his. He'd gotten them both into and out of countless situations with the Seperatists, had taken care of her. Anakin had been the Jedi that'd given her a chance. And Vader had murdered him on the lava-ridden planet of Mustafar.

So, yes, she was seeing red. Yes, she was doing absolutely nothing to hold back her anger. Yes, she was going to challenge one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy. _Yes_, she would make him pay.

"Ahsoka! Ahsoka we can't!" Kanan was shouting out to her, and she was just dimly aware of the fact both he and Ezra were being fired at by three stormtroopers. They could deal. This was too personal. She'd held herself back from actually seeking out the black menace before her in order to keep them all out of unnecessary danger. But now the Sith was actually before her, standing there, mockingly, it was all she could do to stop herself from actually leaping at the man. No, machine.

She did, however, start advancing towards the Sith at a brisk walk, lightsabers humming slightly in her hands. She spoke out to Vader, her voice quivering just ever so slightly. Not out of fear or helplessness; instead suppressed rage.

"We meet at last, Sith. You've got hell to pay for."

* * *

Kanan could barely keep himself safe from the multitudes of shots that were heading his way. The 501st members of Vader's elite core were good- scratch that, _overwhelmingly_ good at their job. They knew precisely where to fire, not only to do the most damage, but to give him the hardest time to deflect all three of their blasts. And that was another thing: their firing and patterns of attack were all perfectly coordinated with one another. If he hadn't been able to sense them in the Force, Kanan would have guessed they were all machines, programmed in the best ways to kill a Jedi. As it was, he had to whip his lightsaber back and forth just to avoid getting massively screwed over by their blasts.

Which was why, while he was being bombarded by their attacks, he could do no more than yell out at Ahsoka to try and stop her from heading towards Vader.

He knew she was angry at the Sith. Heck, he was, too. Vader had been the one who'd murdered his Master, his friends, the entire Jedi Order, along with his legions of clones who'd willingly betrayed their friends and generals. But he had obligations. He had a crew to protect. A Padawan.

Ahsoka, though, had the entire rebellion to look after. So, the sight of her walking alone towards one of the most powerful men in the galaxy made alarm bells ring in his head. She was letting her anger blind her. That was never good, especially when you were an ex-Jedi. And _especially_ especially when the freedom of the galaxy might well rest in your hands.

But there was nothing he could do about it, until the 501st soldiers were taken out. A single glance to his far right told him Ezra wasn't doing much better than he was. He, also, had three troopers firing at him, and they weren't going any easier on him than they were on Kanan. This was rapidly turning from a quick gun-'n-run through the Destroyer into a situation over which Kanan had no control.

Usually, he'd be dealing with the troopers along with Ezra. Usually, they'd already be in the _Phantom_. Usually, they'd be back in the _Ghost_, laughing about their mission. Usually, there was only a little fear for their lives, but not much more than something to give them thrills, something to spice up the whole deal. Instead, they were pretty much in the most dangerous situation of their lives.

And Ahsoka was going to make it about ten times more dangerous for herself.

There was no stopping Vader, if the Sith wanted to fight, there would be a fight. But for the Togruta to willingly challenge the black menace was nothing short of suicide. They needed to focus on getting out of there- scratch that, they need to focus on _staying alive_, then getting out of there. Even if she was no longer a Jedi, revenge should be far, far lower on her priority list.

"Ahsoka! Ahsoka stop!" Concentrating on anything other than the three stormtroopers firing at him was dangerous, but than again, everything about the situation they were in was dangerous. Even so, Ahsoka payed him no more heed than a bantha would to an annoying fly. She was still heading towards Vader, her lightsabers activated and humming in her hands.

Letting out a growl of frustration, Kanan flung out his arm, connecting with the Force. One of the three 501st members flew backwards, his gun separating from his hand as he connected with the back wall. But his team-mates didn't slow. There were less shots to block now, but the shooters showed no intentions of stopping anytime soon.

They had to deal with the troopers before he could hope to stop Ahsoka from fighting Vader. And at the rate things were going, Kanan wouldn't be able to do so without some major intervention. Or an opportunity. Kanan spared a quick glance over to Ezra, who was still managing to deflect the shots that Vader's entourage was firing out at him, though he had yet to take one out. Kanan saw that he wasn't using his blaster, though, and was most likely keeping that surprise for when it would be most beneficial against his opponents.

Kanan, however, pulled out his own and fired off a few rounds at his opponents, still deflecting their own with his one-handed grip on his lightsaber. Caught off guard for a single second, one of his opponents was hit by a blast, momentarily stunning him. Kanan used the opportunity to deflect his partners' blasts at the man's chest, taking him out of the fight. Even if they were the elite guards of Vader, they were still human.

And now, there was only one left that he had to deal with.

Going in for a quick dispatchment, Kanan charged at the soldier, having a much easier time moving with only one man shooting at him. The trooper, however, was most definitely _not_ like the other bucket-heads that the Jedi had fought against. He had known that before, but that knowledge was once again reinforced when he did something completely unlike what his underlings had done in battles against the Jedi. Instead of running in fear or trying to dodge the Jedi like a normal soldier, the trooper actually stopped firing his gun.

And then pulled out a combat knife from his utility belt as Kanan drew near.

At this point, Kanan's momentum was not his friend. He was barreling straight towards the trooper, and therefore his knife, and he had nothing to parry the small blade with. Yes, in his hand was a large sword made of light that could cut through almost anything, but it was too large and weightless to be an effective defense to a knife. Not to mention that the trooper had probably dedicated his life to combat training, and knew how to deal with opponents in this sort of situation.

So, since one-on-one combat wasn't an option and stopping his head-long charge was an impossibility, Kanan executed the first possibility that sprang into his head in the single second of choice he had before collision: he used his momentum to propel him into a powerful front-flip, leaping up and over the man. And Kanan once again pulled out his blaster, and with the aide of the Force, pointed it towards his stationary target while still in flight.

The man was down by the time Kanan's leap brought him to the top of the _Phantom_, where he had dropped down from through the hole in the ceiling above him. Now that his side of the battle was over with, Kanan had a few moments to survey the situation.

Ahsoka, despite his warnings and their talks, was stabbing and lunging at Vader with a wild, reckless abandon, a look of intense battle-rage on her face, The Sith was merely blocking her seemingly ceaseless attacks, and if he hadn't been wearing a mask, Kanan would have sworn that the man under the machine was smirking at Ahsoka's attempts to mutilate him. For the moment, he seemed content with not attacking her, only blocking her, making her frustrated and reckless. Well, more so than she already was by the look on her face. The Togruta was leaping around, using both of her lightsabers to their full extent, trying to find some weak point of Vader's that she could exploit, while the Sith was just... standing there. He might even be talking to her, but the distance was so great that Kanan couldn't hear if he was or not.

Ezra, meanwhile, looked to be in a worse spot than Kanan had been in. Since they were so much older and bigger than Ezra, they had considerably more power and strength than he did. And they knew it. Even now, Kanan could see that they were moving ever closer to the teen, and Kanan knew if they managed to get within close-combat distance...

Ahsoka could hold her own for a few more seconds. She was experienced and currently being fueled by a just want for revenge. Ezra was in dire trouble.

From his vantage point atop the _Phantom_, Kanan once again pulled out his blaster and took his aim. He managed to take one out before they recognized his presence, and when that happened, one kept on Ezra while the other refocused his battle-efforts to Kanan. Once again deflecting blaster-shots, Kanan leapt down onto the ground, joining his Padawan.

"Took you long enough!" Ezra was panting, and Kanan could make out that the teen's limbs were shaking slightly. Out of fear or exhaustion, Kanan didn't know, but he suspected it might be a mix of the two.

Kanan ducked under a blast, wincing just slightly as it hit the _Phantom_, and sent out a Force-push to the trooper who'd shot it. Just like the man he'd first pushed back, the soldier went flying, though he did not hit the opposite wall. He was still in the game, but now at a further distance than before.

"Don't let them get close to you, they've got more than just a gun!" Ezra raised his lightsaber, blocking a shot, then he quickly rotated it into the gunning position and sent out a shot of blue energy. The stormtrooper, not having suspected his lightsaber was also a gun, nevertheless managed to dodge the shot. Partially. The bolt hit him in the arm, and his gun clattered to the floor as the hand it had been held in went numb.

Before he could reach for his weapon with his other hand, Kanan and Ezra both simultaneously sent out blasts of energy with their respective weapons, giving the trooper no direction to dodge towards. He hit the ground, twitching slightly, but still out of the game. His buddy that Kanan had pushed away was back, but Kanan extended an arm and picked up the trooper in the Force, making the man levitate about three feet in the air. With a single flick of his forearm, the stormtrooper went flying to their left, towards the battle between Vader and Ahsoka. Vader was still simply playing with the Togruta, and the thought that he was taunting her as he did so grew stronger in Kanan's mind. Ahsoka certainly looked mad enough for that to be the case.

The 501st soldier flew straight towards the pair, causing the two to momentarily separate in order for the man not to crash into either one of them. Ahsoka's focus was briefly taken away from her mindless attacks, so when Vader swung his lightsaber at her, there was a genuine panic in her eyes as she only just barely got her blade up to deflect his in time.

"Ezra, get in the _Phantom_!" Praying to the Force that Ezra wouldn't succumb to his rebellious nature and disobey him, Kanan sprinted towards Ahsoka and Vader. It was most probably the dumbest thing he could do in the entire universe, but there was no other way he was going to reach Ahsoka. Even when he'd momentarily brought her out of her haze with the stormtrooper, she'd gone straight back to the battle with Vader. If the only way he was going to bring her back to her senses was by physically dragging her back to the ship, that was what Kanan would do, but to do that he needed to make sure she didn't die first.

"What!? Kanan!" He briefly looked back at Ezra, who'd called out to him, but did nothing more than flash him a stern look to get across that he wasn't playing around. Not anymore. Ezra wasn't getting within thirty meters of Vader, that was absolute. The safest place for him was inside the _Phantom_, prepping it for their escape. He knew the teen didn't want to sit and do nothing, but that was exactly what he was going to do. Kanan had already lost his entire way of life once.

He was absolutely _not_ going to lose Ezra as well.

* * *

**I will confess, I don't know that much about the 501st. What I DO know is that they're Vader's personal battalion, and that Vader goes around hunting the remaining Jedi form Order 66. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to me that they would be trained extensively in the art of Jedi-killin'. Not just fooling around with a blaster and hoping that they hit something (like THAT ever happens...).**


	26. Link

**And we once again return to the bridge of the _Imminent Pursuit_... only this time I remembered to include Chopper. I don't know what it is about him, but every time he 'bua bua bua bua's', I can't help but feel like he's saying some naughty words... whatever. I really like Chop, even if I don't write about him too much.**

**Disclaimer: Sorry guys, but these stories won't turn into full blown episodes, 'cuz I don't own them or Rebels in the least.**

* * *

Over the course of her piloting duties, Hera had had to pull off a lot of crazy stunt tricks. Even before she'd met Kanan and formed her crew, she'd always been a reckless pilot. But she had never done anything like willingly pilot her ship into a black-hole.

She knew it was necessary and that it'd settle the battle rather quickly, but there was still a small part of her mind that was agreeing with Zeb. Black-holes were meant to be avoided.

But of course, the rest of her was absolutely set on doing this. The Imperials didn't have the creativity to include a black-hole into their tactics; they were simply running off moves from strategies that had been drilled into them since their training at the Imperial Academy. Hera and her crew of rebels, however, were flexible, and would do whatever it took to win the fight.

Even if it meant heading straight towards a monstrosity of nature.

"We got their sensors!" Sabine shouted out from her gunner's chair, and Hera breathed out an involuntary sigh of relief. So far, things were actually going according to plan. For once.

With the hyperdrive shut down, the Imperials believed they had cornered the _Imminent Pursuit_, prompting whoever was in charge of the Destroyer to be just a tad more enthusiastic about chasing them down. Now that their sensors were out as well, the _Maelstrom_ wouldn't be able to scan the area they were heading towards, and so they'd follow the _Imminent Pursuit_ blindly. Then, Hera would be able to use her tactics and years of experience to maneuver the enemy ship into a fatal position, where the ship would be sucked into the gravity of the phenomenon, and they'd make a clean escape.

The only thing worrying her was that Kanan and Ezra still had yet to emerge from the ship.

She'd actually begun to think something might be wrong, because their sensors indicated the _Maelstrom_'s tractor beam was down. The trio of Force-sensitives _should_ be able to simply board the _Phantom_ and make their escape off of the ship... but something had gotten in the way. And Hera was getting more nervous by the second.

They couldn't wait for the _Phantom_ to exit the _Maelstrom_ before heading to the black hole. Not only were they struggling to match their opponent's in the battle as it was, but the time it would take Kanan and Ezra to escape from whatever they were struggling against would give the Imperials a chance to repair their sensors. And if their sensors were fixed, they'd be able to see the black hole coming, and Hera's entire plan would be shot. They had to continue moving towards the anomaly, as they were currently doing, and just pray Kanan would get out of there in time.

"Any luck with breaking through their jam?" Hera called out, directing her comment to the Devaronian at the communications array. Chopper was plugged into the console right next to him, aiding the man in trying to break through the _Maelstrom_'s signal jammers to get a message through to Kanan. Even with the advanced tech of a Star Destroyer to back them up, it was still a challenge for Chop and the Devaronian- Garsth, that had been his name, -to reach Kanan.

"No! No matter what we do, jammers prevent us from reaching target!" Chopper added his own version of events that would have made Hera chuckle under normal circumstances. As it was, she was in no mood for humor.

"Try-" the bridge rocked as an enemy Tie shot close to them, "and get through directly to Kanan's communicator instead of to the _Phantom_! Maybe you'll have better luck that way!" Garsth cursed in his native language- something Hera felt like joining him in- before his fingers scrambled across his keyboards as he switched his target. Chopper also waved his mechanical arm at Hera in a way which could be interpreted as obscene, but Hera saw the astromech was still hard at work as well.

Hera braced herself as another shot hit close to the bridge. They'd have to reach the black-hole soon, otherwise they'd be too torn apart to escape. The _Maelstrom_ and its' fighters were living up to their reputation as vehicles of the Empire.

* * *

Ezra was frustrated beyond frustrated about Kanan's orders.

Go to the _Phantom_? Stay in the ship? Leave the battle? Watch was he went into one of the hardest battles of his life? Under normal circumstances, Ezra would have flat out refused the Jedi's orders. Under normal circumstances, he'd be running right alongside Kanan, ready to jump in to help Ahsoka out together with his Master.

So why was he running the opposite way, towards the _Phantom_? Again? Because of a few things. A; Vader was a lot more powerful than Ezra could take on. B; the look on Kanan's face had practically shouted out at him, 'you're staying right there.' And C; the _Phantom_ had turrets.

Kanan forbade him from going anywhere near Vader. Okay, so this way he'd still be in the fight, but he could still be an active force in the battle while following Kanan's orders and staying away from Vader. Even if he only had control of the turrets for as long as he had before, a few seconds would be time enough to pose a threat to the Sith before they were once again jammed. He hoped.

So why was he still so frustrated at himself? Oh, right. Because he wasn't strong enough to actually help out his Master in one of his most dire hours. Yeah, that could make anyone frustrated. And scared.

Not only that, but fighting the 501st agents had taken a lot out of Ezra. He'd never admit it to anyone else, but he had actually struggled to fight a mere three bucket-heads. Well, not bucket-heads. Bowl-heads, Sabine had called them. But regardless of what Ezra called their helmets, they had still been a huge threat. If Kanan hadn't come when he had, it might very well have been the end of Ezra.

Ezra ran through the still open ramp of the _Phantom_, bounding inside of the ship and into the pilot's seat. He looked out the view-port, letting the scene of Kanan and Ahsoka leaping around Vader encourage him to move faster. His fingers flew faster than they ever had, and within seconds, a bleep sounded from the console. However, it wasn't coming from the gunning segment.

Someone was comming the _Phantom_.

* * *

"Hera! We broke through!" Within seconds, Hera was at the Devaronian's side, checking for herself that the green lights were indeed green. Someone was in the _Phantom_, and had received their signal.

"Kanan!? Is that you?" She called out, leku dangling in front of her as she leaned in towards the controls. She was inside the lowered portion of the bridge, having jumped down from the raised walkway in order to be closer to the comms.

"_Sorry, not Kanan, Ezra, and how-!?_"

"We don't have a lot of time on the channel, the bucket-heads could regain it at any time, so we need to be quick. What's holding you guys back from getting out of there? We can see the _Maelstrom_'s tractor-beam is off-line, so what's wrong?" Hera waited for a few moments while Ezra apparently struggled with something.

"_Wrong? Oh, nothing's wrong. Nothing at all, except for Darth Helmet decided to make a visit_." Hera's heart stopped for a moment, and even when it once again resumed its' duties, her blood was still cold. Yeah, the Sith would definitely be a hold-up, alright. Hera could see that beyond Ezra's cavalier attitude, the teen was genuinely afraid. Well, who wouldn't be if Vader was in close proximity to them? That would also explain why a few squads of Ties were flying around with more skill than the rest. If Vader had come, surely his trained pilots would have as well... a sharp spike of worry stabbed through Hera as her next question popped into her head.

"Is Kanan fighting Vader?!" Now her heart was beating twice as fast as it normally did while Ezra responded.

"_Him and Ahsoka both. They- he -wouldn't let me join in, so I'm trying to take control of the_ Phantom'_s turrets._" He grunted in frustration at something, and when he next spoke to Hera there was a real note of concern in his voice, matched by the Twi'lek's fluttering stomach. "_Is there anyway you can help me? I-I need to be able to do_ something_, or-or help them out..._" Hera looked at Garsth, the question written all over her face, but he shook his head.

"We're lucky to even be able to get signal across as it is. To help him block jam we'd need inside access to ship, and this communications channel isn't big enough for us to use as a bridge. Kid's on his own." Even through his accent, Hera could hear just a slight pang of regret from the horned alien, one that she felt as well. Ezra sounded truly desperate, and the thought of Kanan battling it out with Vader... was not a pleasant one.

"I'm sorry, Ezra, we can't. You're going to have to make do with what you can do." The teen gave a shaky sigh, and Hera could just make out the sound of buttons being pressed at rapid speeds on the other end. "_It's fine. I've done this before._" Biting her lip, Hera stretched up to her full height, peering her head over the walkway in the center of the bridge to call out.

"Sabine! I need you to target-" Before she could finish her sentence, Garsth started cursing loudly in his native language, and Chopper bleeped out warning tones. Running back to her earlier position, Hera didn't have to wait long before she realized what was happening.

"They're taking back control of jammers!" Chopper beeped out that Hera still needed to tell Ezra something important, and she inhaled sharply as she realized she didn't have a lot of time to give the teen crucial information.

"Ezra! Ezra we don't have a lot of time, but this is important! We're going to try and tip the battle to our favor with a black-hole! You and Kanan need to get Ahsoka and get out of there!" Garsth threw up his hands in defeat, leaning back in his chair quickly. "Jammers are back online. We lost signal." Chopper banged his head on the console, withdrawing his mechanical arm from the port.

Now, Hera was truly nervous, the butterflies in her stomach having morphed into large Krayt dragons. Not only was Vader within fighting distance of her crew, but she wasn't actually sure if Ezra had gotten her message about the black-hole.

_Even if he didn't, he's smart. He heard me say something was urgent at least, and he knows they have to get out of there soon. Vader..._ Hera could ease herself with the knowledge Ezra knew to be quick. But whatever she tried thinking about, nothing could stop the worry about the Sith. Kanan had expressed his fears for Ezra to her, and she couldn't help but to agree with the Jedi's worries. She had almost no doubt Vader was interested in Ezra, and if they were that close to one another... Hera didn't need to know much other than that to be afraid for her youngest Spectre. No, she was beyond afraid.

"Should we forget about the black-hole 'til they get outa there?" Zeb had somehow snuck up behind her, and Hera bit her cheek in frustration.

The battle wasn't going well. Almost half of their fighters were down, their shields were taking a beating, their turrets were being shot down... without _something_ to throw the Imperials off, the battle would end very badly indeed. Even if they somehow managed to pull through, it wouldn't be without major losses and casualties. Ignoring the black-hole was very nearly equal to death for them.

But if Kanan and Ezra couldn't get out in time, it _would_ be equal to death for them. She had faith they wouldn't dawdle, but with Vader there to fight them, nothing was certain. It could take them longer than they had to escape the Sith, and if that was the case, they were all doomed.

Hera looked around at the people on the bridge, some of whom were looking at her expectantly, while others like Sabine were hard at work at their stations, doing the best they could to win the fight. Hera closed her eyes. As much as she forbid risking the members of her crew's lives, just this one time she had to put them into more danger than she would normally ever allow to happen. There were too many other people, other fighters, other rebels, at risk if they tried to wait for Kanan and Ezra. Just this one time, they were on their own.

"We can't, Zeb. We..." Hera swallowed, and she distracted herself by climbing out of the lowered portion of the bridge and back onto the walkway. "How far away are we from our target?" She called out, willing herself not to change her mind. A Rodian in the front responded, raising his voice to be heard over the chaos of the battle outside. "If our current speed is maintained, we'll be there within thirty minutes!" Hera exhaled slowly. That was too much to bargain on.

"Increase our speed so that's down to fifteen." A pang of guilt shot through her, but Hera ignored it as much as she could. Hundreds of lives were at stake, and they needed to move fast. Hera gazed out at the space in front of them, worry clouding her face.

She just hoped Kanan and Ezra could make it of there out in time.

* * *

**Just in case anyone didn't know, Vizago is a Devaronian. Garsth is basically a discount Vizago, with a less pronounced accent and with more pronounced language habits, like skipping saying 'the' and stuff like that.**

**And don't worry... we'll be tangling with the black-hole soon... but first, some Darth Vader angst in the next chapter!**


	27. There's Something More

**And now... as every Rebels fan across the globe watches their clocks anxiously... here's my hardest attempt to pass the time so I don't drive myself insane with anxiety. Hope it helps you as well!**

**Oh, and whoever wrote the review about Vader (you know who you are), I agree with you. I mean sure, I was more than a little surprised (and secretly freaking out over what he'd do to Blueberry) when the trailers showed him, but I'm not a big fan of his new look. The red eyes _are_ a little odd. They _did_ make his shoulders a bit too narrow. And his helmet... when they first showed Vader in 'Spark of Rebellion' I thought the image and proportions were distorted because of the hologram, but now... eh.**

** Don't get me wrong, I'm still freaking out over whether the Inquisitor's gonna survive Vader's wrath (we all know he didn't here...), and when I first saw him my thoughts were '_ohnoohnoohgodno Kanan!'_, but once I had calmed down and actually thought about it, he does look a little off.**

**That doesn't mean I'm not any less anxious for the finale, though. It's killing me.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Rebels, I'd get 'Fire Across the Galaxy' out as soon as it was complete so the fandom wouldn't have to endure this _agony_ of _waiting_...**

* * *

Even with the anger and determination circulating through her systems, Ahsoka couldn't land a hit on Vader. No matter how fast she swung her lightsabers or how quickly she maneuvered her body, his red lightsaber always managed to block her green ones. And when he didn't block, he dodged, side-stepping beyond the reach of her swing or ducking beneath her blades. He wasn't fighting her at all, merely preventing his own dismemberment.

It was infuriating.

"Fight me you coward! You've got too much to pay for to do this!" It was only because she was getting desperate that Ahsoka's inner rantings were bubbling up to the surface, but she didn't much care. Vader wasn't letting her release her full feelings, her desire to see him hurt for everyone he'd killed.

"Coward, am I?" Vader's deep voice sounded out for the first time, completely separate from the sounds of his respirator. It was eerie, hearing the SIth speak, but it gave her another option from which to vent other than her fruitless efforts to attack him.

"Yes, you gutless wimp! You're a coward! FIGHT ME!" Vader laughed, a sound that would never quite erase itself from Ahsoka's memories. It wasn't even that loud, but the sheer _evil_ contained within the few chuckles was enough to make any fighter back down.

"Fight you like I did the Jedi Order? Was I a coward then?" Unable to express herself through words, Ahsoka simply let out a scream of rage at the man before her. How DARE he talk about the slaughter of all the Jedi. How DARE he mention it as though it was nothing more than an amusing topic to discuss. Those were her friends he had killed. Her family, in a sense. And he was _still_ not fighting back.

"There was nothing cowardly about destroying that old religion, Tano. The Jedi were weak on their thrones of power, corrupted from the inside, content to laze about, fat on the food of the courts, while the galaxy grew stagnant around them. They needed to be eradicated, for the benefit of the galaxy."

"They brought peace to the galaxy! You killing them all wasn't an act of benefit, it was one of genocide!" Ahsoka slammed both of her lightsabers down in an 'x' shape, only to be put in a block by the Sith, his red saber holding back both of her own with ease. Ahsoka put as much as she had into pressing the blades down as hard as she could, but the lock wouldn't budge. She'd forgotten Vader's mechanical suit enhanced his strength so it was almost double that of a normal human's.

"What's it to you, deserter? You left them long before they fell. Why do you feel so strongly if you abandoned their way of life?" Ahsoka leapt away from the lock, executing a back-flip before landing, her weapons stretched out in front of her. A snarl had taken root on her face, and it was through that visage she answered him, already charging towards him for her next set of blows.

"That's none of you business, Sith scum-bag!" The two lightsabers collided once again, but this time something was different. Vader wasn't merely holding her back; he was leaning in slightly, moving his helmeted head just slightly closer to her. The sight unnerved Ahsoka.

"I believe it is, Tano." Even though it was still amplified, his voice came out softer than it had before, almost like the man behind the respirator was whispering. Ahsoka was just about to counter his statement when the Sith continued on, pressing past her retort: "Tell me, how is Lux Bonteri doing these days?"

_That_, if anything, caught her off-guard. The name was just so random and out of the blue, and she definitely didn't expect to hear it here, while in battle with a Sith Lord.

Lux had been one of the few Separatist senators willing to negotiate with the Republic for peace, following in his mother's footsteps. Before she'd left the Council, Ahsoka had sparked a friendship with him, and in her days of exile, he'd become her one friendly door to shelter behind. When the Empire had taken over and the Rebellion had formed, he'd become her partner-in-crime. Now, however, since she'd spent so long on the surface of Yavin 4, she didn't have any idea at all about how he was doing. And it disturbed Ahsoka Vader had chosen to bring him up.

So much, in fact, that when there was suddenly a stormtrooper flying towards them, she only just barely got out of his way. Apparently Kanan had finished with his end of the fight.

But Ahsoka didn't have much time to consider the implication of that, because moments afterwards the man flew between them and forced them to break their lightsaber lock, Vader finally made an attack on the Togruta. She only barely got her lightsabers up in time to block his single red one, and this time, there was a definite difference. Now, it was a proper battle, since Vader had actually decided to be offensive.

And immediately, Kanan's constant warnings and Ezra's pleas made sense to her. Vader wasn't playing around anymore. Or, and this was a scary thought, he still _was_, simply upping his game a notch. Whatever the case was, it was Ahsoka that was now mainly on the defensive. And it wasn't easy to defend herself, either. His bio-suit gave him extra strength that he used to push her arms- and consequently their lightsabers -closer to the Togruta than she would have considered safe. Speaking of which, her arms were once again feeling like lead, and it was as though they didn't have as much strength in them as they should-

Oh. Oh dear.

_That_ was why Vader hadn't attacked at all. For the past five minutes, Ahsoka had been doing nothing more than leaping around, whirling her lightsabers constantly, trying to break his defenses. Since the Sith had waited to get on the offensive, he'd effectively let Ahsoka tire herself out, while he himself did nothing more than block her attacks with a flick of his wrist.

And now, Ahsoka was having a harder time than ever fending off the Sith. He was ruthless, pushing her limits, forcing her to move faster, quicker, with more agility than she had before if she was to avoid getting speared by his lightsaber.  
But there was still something... off... it was like Ahsoka could anticipate his moves before he executed them. Not like the Force allowed her to see, it was completely different. Instead of being able to predict where his next strike would land, Ahsoka could almost see... the patterns he was following...

"Have you still not realized it yet, Tano?" His voice broke her thoughts off as she once again deflected a strike. "Can you not feel it?"

"You aren't going to trick me, Sith slime-bag." But there was still something off, something she didn't know, something Vader was hinting at... with a slight shake of his head, Vader continued on past Ahsoka's rebuttal.

"Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your Master." At this, Ahsoka's previous blind anger returned, renewing her strength as she delivered a vicious slice at Vader's midriff and legs, both blocked.

"He told me enough!" Another hit, another block. "He told me you killed him!" **(****he he, 'Empire Strikes Back' much?)** Ahsoka jumped over the Sith, using her speed and flexibility to maneuver herself behind the SIth in an attempt to reach his back, but he was too quick for her. As soon as her feet touched the ground he'd turned around, and she was forced to block one of his attacks instead of making one of her own.

"No, Tano." Was he serious? Who else could have downed Anakin? There wasn't a warrior alive who could have hoped to match her Master's skill in the battle-field at that time other than Vader, and the Emperor had been busy on Coruscant at that time. Who else could have defeated Anakin? No one. No one could have. Vader was his murderer. He was just trying to throw Ahsoka off balance, that was all. That was **all**.

But before she could deliver her scalding response, another interruption to her thoughts arrived in the form of Kanan Jarrus, firing his blaster at the Sith as he rapidly closed the distance between them. She couldn't see Ezra anywhere, but he was among the least of her worries.

Momentarily distracted by the lasers firing at him, Vader fell prey to Ahsoka's quick attack, throwing up his defense to Kanan's shots and Ahsoka's sabers. Ahsoka pressed her advantage, however, and threw slice after slice at the Sith.

"Ahsoka, stop it!" The Togruta looked back at the Jedi, a look of incredulity written all over her face as she did so. Kanan was approaching them quickly, lightsaber already drawn and humming. Didn't he understand, Ahsoka_ had_ to do this? Vader had to be made to pay for his acts, for his murder of their entire culture. Didn't Kanan feel angry at how he stood there, at his arrogance, at his cavalier attitude towards the genocide of the Jedi? How was Kanan able to say 'stop'?

Unfortunately, her single moment of lapse cost her dearly. With an impact that knocked all of her breath away, Vader Force pushed her away from the battle, further away from Kanan and closer towards the blast doors. She hit the ground heavily, creating what she was sure was going to turn out to be a huge collection of bruises, and she heard Vader's voice before she could begin the struggle of getting back onto her feet.

"Ah yes, let us not forget about the rogue Jedi. Where is your apprentice?" The sound of lightsabers clashing in the background made its' way to Ahsoka's ears, encouraging her to move faster. When she managed to get into a sitting position, she saw Kanan was being treated to the same level of combat she had been. The Sith was using his immense strength to his advantage, and it was something neither Ahsoka nor Kanan could compete with.

"You're not getting anywhere near him!" Kanan snarled, and Ahsoka was surprised to see the Jedi was, actually, snarling. The Sith threw a swipe at Kanan, who blocked and held the lightsaber there, his arms in the air supporting his lightsaber as the Sith pressed down upon it.

"It seems you're under the illusion I was giving you a choice, rogue. You have no say in the matter. Bridger will be brought to me."

"Over my dead body!" Ahsoka had rarely seen any Jedi so passionate about anything; it was simply agaist their way of life. But, she'd forgotten, Kanan hadn't been following the Jedi conduct for all these years. He'd been with his crew, making attachments and protecting them. Like he was now.

The Sith pulled out of the lightsaber lock quickly, jumping back a step to avoid Kanan's blue saber. "That can be arranged." The Sith once again leapt towards Kanan, trying to take advantage of the Jedi's momentary stillness from having the lock disengaged so quickly. He would have succeeded, as well, if Ahsoka hadn't leapt in there and blocked Vader's red lightsaber with one of her green ones. "Not if I have anything to say about it!"

And now, both Kanan and Ahsoka were fighting against Vader, who'd seemed to take this new development in stride. The three Force-sensitives fought one another, all concentrating heavily. Alone, Kanan and Ahsoka were no match for the Sith. Alone, he could have easily crushed them if he'd wanted to. But now that they were together, fighting as a team, whenever Vader would put one into a dangerous situation, the other was there to bail them out. They both aimed for the Sith's weak spots, trying to hit the machinery that kept him alive.

"So your interesting behavior continues even now. Tell me," Vader put Kanan into another lightsaber lock as he spoke, speaking before Ahsoka could intervene in the Jedi's predicament. "what is it about the boy that makes you throw away the teachings of your kind?" Shock took over Kanan's face, much like Ahsoka's own when Vader had mentioned Lux. The Togruta quickly moved in to distract Vader from the Jedi's surprise, slicing her two blades in a way that forced the Sith to disengage his lock with Kanan.

"You wouldn't know anything about it, Sith." Kanan jumped back into the battle, swinging his lightsaber intensely. Vader didn't seem phased by his response, though it was hard to tell from behind the man's mask what he was really feeling.

A sudden whine filled the air, which was immediately followed by a loud rumble. Looking away from their battle, all three members of the duel looked to the back of the hangar-bay, where the _Phantom_ was- and they saw that the turret atop the vehicle was rotating towards them. Through the main view-port, Ahsoka could just make out the outline of Ezra at the helm, maneuvering the yoke that controlled the turret atop the _Phantom_.

"You wouldn't know anything about it, but I'm pretty sure it's because he pulls stunts like this!" Kanan finished as he leapt away, Ahsoka following suit in the opposite direction from him, just moments before the first shot hit the ground.

Even if he wasn't directly involved in the fight, Ezra still managed to give off quite the impression.

* * *

**Ah. Still can't stop thinking 'bout the crew and how they'll reunite. I want hugs, Filoni. Lots and lots of hugs.**

**Something I saw on Twitter, though: in response to the trailers question of 'WHO WILL FALL,' I'm pretty sure it's gonna be the fandom. So many feels...**

**And yes, I just HAD to include the quote from 'Empire Strikes Back'. I was writing and writing and then I got to that scene, and Vader's words just popped into my head, and I was like 'hell yeah, that's happening'.**


	28. Win-Win Situation

**So... after watching 'Fire Across the Galaxy'... *sigh of content*. It makes me happy the majority of the fan base were able to guess Ahsoka was Fulcrum. When I saw her coming down that ladder I was like 'fjdhsijfhwehri;' my parents thought I'd had a seizure or something. It threw me off a little that her face-paint/markings had changed, but overall I feel like she _would_ have changed her appearance to hide from the Empire, so I'm happy with her new look. And that she's back.**

**Though now I'm scared for her as well...**

**Also, thank you to Transformers g1's-Prime for pointing out that they went back to the original Ralph McQuarrie's art for the look of Vader. Oh god, that scene alone gave me goosebumps... and I was shaking through the entire thing...**

**And the Inquisitor! Oh my gosh, I-**

**Sorry, sorry, I'll get back to the story now... :p**

**Disclaimer: Now. If I did indeed own Rebels, I'd make it my top priority to be working on Season 2. As my top priority right now is testing: yeah, you can read between the lines.**

* * *

"_I'm sorry, Ezra, we can't. You're going to have to make do with what you can do._" At the Twi'lek's words, Ezra released a shaky, scared, freaked out sigh. He'd counted on taking the guns back on his own once again, but the thought that Hera might have been able to help him help Kanan had been comforting while it lasted. Now, he once again knew it was his fault and his fault alone if something happened to his Master or Ahsoka. Oh well.

"It's fine. I've done this before." Ezra's fingers continued to fly across the screens, hastily hacking his way through their jamming systems once again. There should have been more security over the controls since he'd done this once before, but Ezra wasn't running into an excess of loops and traps of code like he had before. Maybe since he'd already sorted those out he could deal without them. He didn't really care, just as long as it let him get the turret under control in time to help Kanan again.

"_They're taking back control of jammers!_" Ezra heard an unfamiliar voice cry out, sounding slightly like Vizago. He assumed that this was the man Hera had placed at the communication's station, because just a second later she was back, this time sounding more agitated and rushed than before: "_Ezra! Ezra we don't have a lot of time, but this is important! We're going to tr... nd tip th... vor wi... le! Yo... nan ne-_" And then Hera's voice was replaced with a bunch of static.

"Hera? Hera come in! Hera!" But the man at the communications' controls had been right, the Imperials at the jamming controls had regained control of their messaging equipment once again. Ezra couldn't reach out to Hera, and she couldn't tell him what had sounded to be like crucial information.

Well, he didn't need much else to know they needed to get out of there fast. He knew _that_ even before Hera had come on. It just wasn't wise to dawdle when Vader was there. Taking another glance out of the visor, Ezra's stomach did a nasty flip when he saw Kanan and Vader in a lightsaber block, Ahsoka knocked down on the floor a ways away from them.

Kanan's back was to him, so Ezra couldn't see if his Master was talking or not, but he would bet Chopper- maybe not Chop, they'd all seen how that had turned out,- but Ezra would be willing to bet his lightsaber Kanan was bantering with the Sith.

Ezra's fingers tripped over themselves when he saw Vader quickly disengage the lock, instead bringing his own red lightsaber down into a swinging ark that would surely hit Kanan, who's lightsaber was still floating in the air not having expected the lock to have ended so quickly.

For a brief second, the only thing Ezra could see was the red lightsaber in Vader's hands. Then it morphed into another visage, one he'd had nightmares about for weeks on end while on the _Imminent Pursuit_: the Inquisitor running his lightsaber through Kanan's heart while the Jedi sat bound and gagged on the floor. Only this time, it was Vader wielding the red blade, Kanan kneeling on the floor in a gesture of resignation as the lightsaber swung down to snuff out the bright spark of light that was his Master.

He only resumed breathing once Ahsoka's green lightsaber stopped Vader from running his Master through. For a brief second, he simply watched the three battle it out, Ahsoka and Kanan working together as a team to try and hit Vader's weak spots. He frowned.

"This is too easy..." Even though Vader was the strongest fighter in the galaxy,- he wasn't even going to _consider_ the Emperor- Ezra's statement held some truth to it.

The Inquisitor had truly been scared of Vader, and had gone to great lengths to make sure Ezra would nullify Vader's ability to attack with the Force. The Pau'an had been obsessed with that. He'd been absolutely convinced that without Ezra to counteract Vader's Force abilities, the battle would be useless.

So why was it looking like just a simple lightsaber wielding duo would be able to stand their ground against Vader? As far as he could tell, neither one were doing anything to try and suppress Vader's Force skills, or indeed to block them... _because Vader wasn't using the Force_. He wasn't using his one main weapon in this battle. He was content with simply exchanging blows with Kanan and Ahsoka. Why? The Vader Kanan had told him about would never underestimate his foes, would never be content to simply play with his quarry... was Vader testing them?

The thought entered his head with no small amount of unease. Kanan had said Vader'd probed their minds and left them alone while they had been first escaping from the _Imminent Pursuit_. Ezra himself had felt Vader probe him when they'd come within range of the _Maelstrom_, but the Sith had done nothing more than scare the trio on-board the _Phantom_. He hadn't done any major damage, he hadn't actually done any damage at all! Was... why... nothing Ezra could think of adequately explained what the evidence was telling him. And he didn't have time to sit there and think about it either; the skill Vader was showing in lightsaber combat gave enough testimony to that.

Once again resuming his frenzied hacking of the jammers, Ezra was pleasantly surprised when a major fire-wall that'd been giving him headaches had dropped away. Apparently, the Imperials were now moving the bulk of their main defenses to the communication jammers, giving the turrets less attention. And _that_ only meant Ezra could set up his own defenses to protect the turret controls from once again falling into Imperial control. Boo-hoo for them, more turret-time for him.

With a whine that made Ezra want to close his ears, the _Phantom_'s turret unlocked with a loud rumble echoing through the hangar. "Whoa whoa whoa, did _not_ think it'd make that much noise!" Apparently the Imps had done some fancy stuff to try and keep the turrets out of his control. Too bad their efforts had been in vain. The rumbling quickly ended after a second, but it was enough of a shock to make Ezra's hands tremble- even more so than they already had been -as he took the yoke in his hands and pointed it towards the trio of Force-users battling it out on the deck.

He saw Kanan's look of shock, which was quickly replaced by understanding, then incredulity, then slight pride. Always good to know he made an impression. Kanan and Ahsoka leaped away right as Ezra pressed the triggers, firing off his first few shots.

He was rewarded for his quick, nimble fingers and their elite hacking skills when Vader was forced to leap away from the spot he had been standing in. The thing was, he leapt straight into the direction of Ahsoka, who was waiting and ready for the Sith with her two lightsabers.

He landed directly in front of her, immediately forced to block both of her lightsabers as she resumed her attacks on Vader. The Sith seemed content to just pay attention to her and Kanan, because he wasn't doing anything to stop Ezra from firing out more shots.

Once again, they made Vader leap away, but this time he simply jumped straight up into the air instead of completely away. Ezra's blasts once again hit the deck, leaving a black char on the otherwise spotless ground. Vader landed to be met with both Kanan and Ahsoka keeping up their end of the battle, using each other's swings as distractions to try and land their own. Ezra was reminded of the 501st members who'd done the same thing. Except this time, it was with lightsabers and a ship turret thrown into the mix.

Ezra knew Kanan and Ahsoka wouldn't be so dumb as to sit around in his range of fire, he trusted them both to move out of the way before his shots hit them. As such, he had only minor qualms about shooting in their direction with such a big gun. If his friends _weren't_ Force-sensitive there might have been a problem, but they managed to dodge around the fire he aimed at Vader. The Sith himself was also dodging the fire, but that was perfectly fine: because he still had to maneuver around it. That gave Kanan and Ahsoka more opportunities to get past his defenses and find their way out of the fight.

They weren't actually trying to defeat Vader, Ezra knew that, they were simply trying to make sure that when they ran into the _Phantom_, he wouldn't be able to run straight in after them. If they wanted to, Kanan and Ahsoka could both just simply run away from the fight. Thing was, Vader would still be right there, and running would be useless. They needed to make sure he wouldn't follow them.

And so, the fact Ezra was successfully providing cover fire for his friends and dangerous fire to his enemy was indeed a good one. And one Kanan couldn't yell at him later for. It was a win-win situation, really, and if they actually lived to tell about it, Ezra would always look back on this moment with pride.

Of course, what happened next made Ezra doubt whether they would actually live to tell the tale. More specifically, if _he_ would live to tell it. Because apparently, Vader had had enough of Ezra shooting at him. And what was the best way to deal with an annoyance a good distance away from you? After pushing away both Ahsoka and Kanan, Vader showed him.

He threw his red lightsaber at the _Phantom_'s cockpit, straight to where Ezra's horrified face could be seen through the viewport.

* * *

**Yup. Even though the major cliff of the actual show is over: I'm still shooting them out over here on my end. Ha ha... suffer, suffer!**

**I mean... I'll get the next one up soon... I swear... don't hurt me...**


	29. Into the Fray Again

**You see? I told you guys I'd get the next one out soon... though we're quickly coming up on another problem. I've once again gone past the amount of content I actually have pre-written.**

**I have most of the next chapter done, but I'm experiencing a little difficulty on actually writing out everyone fighting everyone, so if there's a delay of a couple of days that's most probably why. Fear not though! I literally have nothing else to do in my free-time but write my stuff, so it shouldn't take _too_ long for updates... but keep in mind that I have school. But I will work tirelessly to get more content out for you guys... it's what I write for.**

**And, thank you thank you _thank you_ all sooooo much for over 100 reviews... it was a big thing for me with 'Abducted,' and it's a big thing for me with 'Deadly Intrigue,' especially since you guys hit that mark sooner and with fewer chapters. Thank you, all of you, from the bottom of my boogidy, boogidy, boogidy shoe (who knows what song that's from?).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the song, I don't own the story... I'm not even sure I own the computer I write this on, it might be my parents. Eh.**

* * *

It hadn't actually been Kanan's intention to jump into Ahsoka's fight with Vader. After all, the main reason he had run over there had been to get Ahsoka out of her funk and retreat.

But the thing was, retreating wasn't exactly an option when the Dark Lord of the Sith was on your tail. They had to fight until something happened that gave them an opportunity to get away without being pursued: perhaps like Ezra taking control of the turret back. Of course, that had only made Kanan's worry go up a few levels.

His initial fear of Vader taking an interest in Ezra had been confirmed the moment he had asked where the Padawan was, and since then Kanan had experienced a knot of panic in his stomach that only wound itself tighter and tighter with every passing second. And that was only a natural reaction to have, with the man that was Vader on the trail of his apprentice.

So, when Ezra had inadvertently joined the fight through the turret of the _Phantom_, his emotions had been very mixed indeed. Of course he was proud in his Padawan, but Ezra had now also shown himself to Vader, had made his presence known.

So it was with a renewed vigor Kanan continued to pound against the Sith even as Ahsoka and Ezra focused their talents and weapons on him as well. With the added danger of Ezra's shots firing down at him, Vader now had three concerns to worry about, which left Kanan and Ahsoka with more opportunities to get in an attack or two.

It was like playing a game of holo-chess against an equal opponent. Without any outside interference, there wouldn't be a clear winner, instead a tie. But if something else was thrown into the mix, then it varied up the game, and gave either player an advantage over the other. With Ezra providing that outside interference, there were twice as many possible attack maneuvers either party could employ. Just like in the matches he'd played against Chopper and the rest of the crew.

Except Vader wasn't an equal. And this wasn't a game of holo-chess.

Currently, Ezra had only shot once, forcing Vader to leap away and towards Ahsoka, who was ready and waiting for the Sith. Kanan ran towards them, preparing to intervene just in case. As soon as he got near, however, Vader turned to him and spoke, pressing his lightsaber down hard on top of Ahsoka's two.

"Bridger pulls stunts like this often, you said?" It made Kanan's skin crawl to here Vader say Ezra's name, even if it was just his last one.

Another blast from the turret shot out, making Vader leap straight up into the air in order to avoid it. Kanan stopped himself from running straight into the blast zone, and immediately swung his lightsaber in front of him to block Vader's powerful downwards sweep as he landed. Ahsoka came running in behind him, making the pressure on Kanan's blue blade ease as Vader was forced to block the Togruta's green ones, but he continued talking.

"Then he's like me." More than hearing Vader say Ezra's name out-loud, hearing those four words had a pronounced impact on him. Ezra? Like Vader? Yeah right. To even consider that possibility was laughable. No way Ezra was like Vader. No fricken' way.

"You're dead wrong about that, Vader. He has his moments, but he's nothing like you!" Vader rotated in a quick circle, throwing off two different attacks at once, before answering Kanan: "It is you who are mistaken, rogue. Bridger is still young; the signs are merely hidden beneath the surface where you can not see them." Kanan narrowed his eyes, once again taking swings at Vader.

"He's more grown than you'd think. You don't know anything about him!" Vader kicked Ahsoka to the side, allowing himself a brief moment to lock lightsabers with Kanan and press his considerable strength against the Jedi.

"Don't I? Young, adventurous, brash, caring just a little too much for his friends, handy in battle, charismatic... That is your Padawan, is it not?" His words sent chills down Kanan's spine. How... how did he know? He had perfectly described Ezra without ever having met him. The Inquisitor piecing together who Kanan's Master had been had been one thing, but this was completely different. And Vader seemed to see Kanan's shock and confusion.

"In the past, these words described me as well, Jedi." _No. That's impossible. Ezra's nothing like him. He can't be_. Ahsoka came flying in once again, but she had no effect on the doubt and fear Kanan was experiencing.

"Yes, and then the Darkness came and changed that boy forever into what I am now. The same will happen to Bridger." _No..._ "He will be swallowed up by the Dark, just as I was." _No._ "He will turn from the Light and become a monster." _No!_ "It is his destiny, just as it was mine..."

"NO!" Kanan erupted into a frenzy of attacks, his strikes twice as fast as they normally were. Besides him Ahsoka was also fighting her hardest, a snarl on her face, but Vader was just taking it all in, without breaking a sweat... "You don't know _anything_ about him! Ezra will never fall to the Dark again!" Vader parried his lightsaber away forcefully, swinging Kanan's arms out to the side. Another shot from the _Phantom_ made them all scatter before more action could take place, but then Vader was standing up tall once again.

"He will. Or he will die." And he attacked them once more. The only thing was, it wasn't with his lightsaber.

For the first time in the battle, Vader threw out his left hand and connected to the Force, pushing both Kanan and Ahsoka across the floor of the hangar until they were a ways away from Vader. Managing to land on his feet, Kanan was up again just in time to witness one of the most terrifying things he'd seen in his entire life: Vader's red blade swinging through the air, heading straight towards the distant outline of Ezra's horrified face.

.

.

**You see, I was _sooo_ tempted to just end it here and make you guys wait for the next chapter to find out what happens... but I'm not that mean. Not yet, anyways. :) Keyword yet...**

* * *

"No!" Kanan flung out his arm, trying to connect to the Force before the red blade could slice through the glass and reach his apprentice- but he was too late.

The lightsaber cut through the view-port like it was nothing, carving through the glass as it did air. Kanan saw it disappear inside the ship, and moments afterwards come rocketing out the other end of the ship, already flying back towards Vader's outstretched hand.

"EZRA!" In desperation, Kanan ran towards the _Phantom_, casting out in his mind for the feeling of his Padawan, to make sure that he was alive, that Vader hadn't made his saber slice through his flesh like the glass of the ship, that his heart was still beating-

And for one heart-stopping moment, he felt nothing.

Then Ezra's signature came through Kanan's haze of panic, still pulsating, still fluctuating, still alive. He didn't know how the teen had pulled the stunt off, but he was sure grateful that he had.

"Kanan!" Ahsoka was yelling out behind him, and a single glance backwards told him why. He hadn't been the only one running towards the _Phantom._ And now he had made the whole situation worse by tenfold by bringing Vader even closer to what Kanan had struggled to keep him away from.

Bringing his lightsaber up in front of him, Kanan only barely blocked the savage swipe that the Sith sent down on him. Apparantly Vader had brought his lightsaber back around and into his hands while Kanan had been running. "How foolish, running towards a lost cause. Do you know what a ship _does_ when its' engines are breached?"

Kanan sucked in a breath as the implications of the Vader's statement bore down on him. Of _course_ his lightsaber would have gone through the engines. And unlike the time when there had been just a simple fuel-leak from the _Phantom_, this time it was full on destruction. And Kanan _did _in fact happen to know what happened to ships who's engines were destroyed like that.

"You...!" His sentence was cut off by the arrival of Ahsoka once more, making Vader block a strike to his left side. But the save hadn't come quickly enough.

With a deafening roar, the _Phantom_ exploded, like so many other Ties that the _Ghost_ had shot down. For once, Kanan appreciated just how much the bucket-heads went through as the shock-wave from the explosion threw him backwards, towards the spot he had been pinned down by the 501st members before. Ahsoka flew in the opposite direction, while Vader was able to leap out of the way unharmed. This time there was no graceful landing for him, instead Kanan fell onto the floor with a big enough impact to make his body protest.

He probably shouldn't have stood so close to a ship he knew was about to explode, but he couldn't have exactly helped it, he'd been pinned down...

_Ezra._

Immediately Kanan was brought out of his revere. Ezra had still been inside the _Phantom_, had he not? Hastily Kanan hoisted himself up off of the ground, scanning the wreckage of their ship intently, looking for any sign, any flash of orange... but other than the smoldering flames of the ship, there was nothing.

The _Phantom_ itself was in bad shape. It was mostly intact... but just barely. Pieces of the wings were separated from the body, what had remained of the view-port had been blown out of its' socket, pieces of the dash were scattered around, and there were simply twisted chunks of metal that were all that remained of their engines and the rear portion of the ship. Kanan himself hadn't come away uninjured, a sticky sensation running down the right side of his neck told him that his ear hadn't fared too well at being that close to the explosion. But Ezra was still nowhere to be seen.

"Ezra!?" Kanan nearly choked on the acrid black smoke that was winding its way towards him, and his eyes were watering. But once again, his main concern was the fact that he couldn't see whether his apprentice was okay or not.

Which was probably one of the main factors in why he didn't react fast enough to avoid a heavy, booted kick to the gut.  
With almost as much power as the explosion beforehand, Vader's kick sent Kanan flying, the breath knocked out of him. And the thing was, just as Kanan could tell that Vader's suit gave him strength when he'd been in a lightsaber lock with him, he could _definitely_ tell the Sith's suit enhanced his strength when he was on the receiving end of a kick like _that_.

Kanan flew across the hangar-bay once more, this time going almost twice as far that before and landing nearly twice as hard. Stars swam before his eyes, and he had difficulty breathing. He could feel his tailbone and back muscles bruising even now, and he didn't like the chances of _not_ receiving a concussion from the landing. As it was, Kanan could barely get his chest to rise and fall properly, so the very notion of getting back up onto his feet was ridiculous.

So, when the fuzzy and slightly muted cry from Ahsoka reached his single functioning ear to 'Kanan move!,' he did nothing more than just sort of... flop... feebly as he tried to prop himself up on his elbows. _Not good. Not good not good this is really not good._ Not being able to move while in the middle of a highly intensive battle was far from 'good'. But he still couldn't move.

"NO!" Another shout broke through his hazy perception, and Kanan was just able to put two and two together that he was _not_ in a good position right now. That thought was confirmed when on the edge of his vision he saw a deep red glow. There was only one red thing in the hangar-bay.

Now, Kanan was not one to give up. He was not a weak man to quit when the going got tough, and the rest of the crew of the _Ghost_ could attribute to that. Even when things were apparently hopeless, he was still the stubborn oaf that he'd been since meeting he'd promised himself he would survive after Order 66. That tenacity had allowed him to survive some pretty taxing ordeals, and to bring the rest of his crew along with him to survive strenuous situations.

But this time, he couldn't. He couldn't get out of the situation. He couldn't flee, he couldn't fight, he couldn't even move. Kanan wasn't the sort to give up, but there wasn't any way that he was coming out of his current situation, and he knew it.

Which was why, when an orange-and-blue blur streaked across his vision and blocked the red glowing from his sight, he at first didn't comprehend exactly what had happened. And then, he found himself suddenly able to move very, _very_ fast indeed. Out of fear or concern he had no idea, but it was probably a mix of the two and then some other emotions related.

After all, Ezra had just leaped into the fray to try and defend him.

* * *

**Oh noes! It's just like in 'FAtG!' Ish.**

**Just know (and fear) that I'm not held back by my viewers... unlike Disney, I DON'T have to make everything okay for small children... although, with my absolute love for the _Ghost_ crew, it probably will work out. Maybe. Hopefully.**

**Like I said, I will work around the clock to get you guys the content you clamor for, but don't be scared if I don't post for a few days.**


	30. Revelation

**Lucky for you guys, the last pre-written chapter's a long one. With my signature ending that leaves you feeling worse than when you first started reading. *sighs*. Seriously, I need to start working on a comedy or _something_ so I can stop with these cliffies... I'll work on that.**

**If the chapter feels a little... odd... that may or may not be because I re-wrote this- I kid you not -a minimum of three times. Vader's just so HARD to do right... but I hope you all enjoy anyways. :)**

**Disclaimer: Once again, after checking the Disney XD sight, I realized that Rebels does _not_, in fact, belong to me.**

* * *

Ezra hadn't exactly had much time to formulate a plan with a lightsaber hurtling straight towards his face. So, letting his street instincts kick in, Ezra was just able to throw himself to his right, out of the path of the red blade. He slammed against the wall of the _Phantom_, but that was a lot better than getting decapitated.

The lightsaber sliced through the glass of the view-port, cutting through it with little to no resistance, destroying a fair amount of the dash-board, and whipped straight through the pilot's seat where he had been sitting. It didn't stop there, though.

With a bunch of slicing and crashing, the blade's momentum had carried it from the cockpit to the opposite end of the ship, where it had exited with a lot of violence. As soon as it had gone out of the ship, dozens of shrill alarms sounded out from the _Phantom_'s dash, and red lights were flashing everywhere. Well, everywhere that hadn't been cut through.

Needless to say, he no longer had control over the turrets. And from the multitudes of warnings the ship was sending out to him, the rest of the ship wasn't in good condition either. Scrambling back up to his feet, Ezra tried to make sense of the dozens of warnings flashing in front of him, only to be completely and totally distracted by the sight of Kanan and Vader continuing their battle almost directly in front of the _Phantom_, Ahsoka sprinting towards them.

_When did they-_ It was a mark of how fast the Jedi operated that before Ezra could finish his thoughts Ahsoka had reached the battling pair and was already getting Kanan out of trouble. But then, of course, the ship released a super-high pitched whistle that once again snapped Ezra's focus downwards at the dash.

"Son of a bantha..."

Of course. Of course Vader's lightsaber had gone through the engines. Of course the ship was about to explode. Of course. Things never went to plan anyways, so why did he ever expect things _not_ to be completely messed up for him?

Even at his top speed, Ezra just barely managed to fling himself out of the _Phantom_'s ramp before the ship exploded with a roar, engines rupturing from the damage Vader had done to them. The resulting shockwave threw Ezra twice the distance his jump would have carried him, there was a stinging pain across his left cheek, and a scorching heat licked at his back. But he escaped the worst of the damage, which was lucky, as flaming pieces of metal and engine flew past and around him, scattering debry all across the floor of the hangar.

Landing heavily on his side, Ezra winced as a spike of pain shot through his left arm from the still healing bite mark. _Of course it's the one I land on._ Coughing as black smoke worked its' way through into the air he breathed, Ezra squinted out at the _Phantom_ as he got up, trying to assess the damage that'd been done. A lot.

"Ezra!?"

Kanan's voice floated out towards him, and Ezra remembered with a jolt Kanan had been standing _right in front of_ the _Phantom_ before it'd exploded. The fact that he was calling out now meant he was at least okay enough to worry about Ezra, but for how long that would last, he wasn't sure. "Ka-" was all he managed to get out as he choked on the black smoke from the _Phantom_.

_Get away from the_ Phantom.

Moving quickly through the smoke, Ezra emerged on the left side of what remained of the ship and was almost immediately greeted with the sight of Kanan standing still, looking around the _Phantom_ intently for, Ezra had no doubt, him. But just before he could call out to his Master, another Force-user came out of the haze: and it wasn't Ahsoka.

Distracted by his search for Ezra, Kanan went flying almost to the other end of the hangar-bay as a result from Vader's kick. "Kanan move!" Ahsoka was yelling out from the opposite side of the hangar, where the explosion had flung her. But she was too far away. Vader was also running towards Kanan, and Ahsoka wasn't moving fast enough if she was going to intercept the Sith. And Kanan wasn't moving.

He was stirring feebly, so Ezra doubted he was unconscious, but he was still most likely dazed from the explosion. But at the rate he was moving, Vader would reach him before he had a chance to get up and stand his ground on his own.

Which was why, when Vader re-ignited his red blade, Ezra found his body moving sub-consciously, running towards his Master and Vader. A cry escaped his lips, bringing all his emotions up to the surface into a single word as he charged towards the Sith: "NO!"

And he flew over Kanan, igniting his lightsaber just in time to deflect Vader's downwards stroke at his Master away from his body.

"Ah yes, the Bridger boy. I knew going after your Master would finally draw you out of the ship." As Vader's voice swept over him, Ezra had a sudden feeling his current situation wasn't something to kid around with. Vader swung his lightsaber down with such force Ezra almost couldn't block it, and the Sith kept the pressure on the two blades, forcing Ezra to lean backwards in an attempt not to get cut by his own lightsaber. After all, he was still just a scrawny teenager, and Vader was still wearing a mechanized suit.

"Can you feel it? The Darkness inside of you, can you sense it?" Momentarily thrown off guard by the Sith's questioning, Ezra ducked out from underneath the lightsaber lock Vader had initiated, sliding to his left and out of direct danger while dodging his next stroke. Ezra planted his feet on the ground, holding his saber with both hands as he waited for the Sith to make the next attack. Still, even though he'd been momentarily thrown off-balance, responding to battle-banter was like second-nature to Ezra.

"I don't know where you get you delusions, Helmet-Head, but I'm not falling for them!" _Not again. Never again._

"Get away from him!" Kanan was up on his feet finally, making Vader switch his attention from Ezra to himself. Whether Kanan had been talking to him or the Sith Ezra had no idea, but he was now exchanging blows with Vader himself.

"Ezra, get back to the ship!" He yelled out, trying to drive Ezra away. This time, though, Ezra wasn't going to run away. He'd already done so twice, and he wasn't going to again. Besides, it wasn't like the _Phantom_ was exactly a safe haven at the moment.

"Are you nuts!?" Ezra charged in, taking Ahsoka's place as Kanan's back-up.

"Ezra!"

"I'm not staying behind again!" Further argument was dissuaded by the arrival of Ahsoka, who leapt in and provided another distraction for Vader. Ezra was momentarily surprised when he saw the look of intense anger she had on her face, and then remembered that she, too, had been hurt and affected by Vader's purge of the Jedi. He was guessing the only reason why Kanan wasn't also trembling with rage was because of concern for him.

"Yes, let the boy stay. I still have yet to see what he is made of." Okay, that, if anything, was creepy. Like, shivers down your spine creepy. Having someone like Vader take an interest in you like that was in and of itself terrifying, and secretly made him want to go and crawl into a hole someplace and hide for the rest of time. But that was secondary to the main reason he was there: to give Kanan the best back-up he could until Hera did whatever she was doing to get them out of there.

Because right now, they all needed whatever they could get if they were gonna survive this.

* * *

When the _Phantom_ had exploded, Ahsoka had gone flying through the air, landing roughly on her side as a result of the shock-wave from the ship. Her first concern had been checking on her limbs and extremities. Her second had been worrying about Kanan, but more specifically, Ezra. He had been closest to the _Phantom_ when it had exploded, though she had no doubt he'd run out of the ship as soon as he'd noticed the engines were about to explode.

Then, of course, her concern had shifted to Kanan, and how he hadn't been aware enough to avoid Vader's kick. She had already begun her run towards the two of them at that stage, pace increasing when she saw Kanan wasn't getting back up immediately.

"Kanan move!" Hoping to try and spur on the Jedi's movement, the gesture was rendered useless to her. And Vader was already running towards Kanan. At the rate she was moving, she would be too late to stop Vader from impaling him, and then they would surely lose the battle...

So, when Ezra leapt out of the wreckage of the _Phantom_ screaming out "NO!", Ahsoka wasn't exactly sure whether to feel concerned or relived. She settled on both when Ezra deflected Vader's strike towards Kanan, who was now getting up a lot faster than before out of fear for his Padawan.

Before he could get up, however, Ezra had already exchanged blows with Vader, and was now making his retreat. She was still a ways away from them, but she was observant enough to know Ezra was talking to Vader, most likely responding to the Sith's taunts as she and Kanan had done earlier.

"_I know what Vader's capable of. And I think he's after Ezra_." Kanan's words from their talk in the fire reverberated through Ahsoka's head, as well as her promise to the Jedi afterwards. "_I'll keep him safe however I can until we part ways_."

Ahsoka could've kicked herself. She couldn't exactly protect Ezra if she was letting her desire for revenge blind her. Most definitely she still wanted to see the Sith pay for his crimes... but right know, Ezra and Kanan were more important. They were worth more than Vader. Every Force-sensitive willing to stand up against the Empire was. If she had to put her own desires in a secondary position to make sure they were kept safe, so be it.

Perhaps it was better that way, anyways. Revenge was never a good driving force for battles.

"Get away from him!" Kanan was yelling out, whether to Vader or Ezra she had no idea. Probably both. He clashed with Vader, and Ahsoka cursed herself for not being close enough to the fight to actively help out the Jedi.

"Ezra, get back to the ship!" As damaged as the _Phantom_ was, it was still probably the safest place in the hangar, considering who else was in it. But Vader had caught onto Ezra's scent, and the Sith was most likely not going to allow the teen out of his sight again.

"Are you nuts!?" And with his signature young energy abounding, Ezra dove back into the fray, effectively filling in the role Ahsoka had played earlier as the secondary fighter against Vader. She'd yet to actually see his skill with a blade other than deflecting a few stray bullets, but the teen seemed like a natural at fighting, weaving in and out of strikes, using his small size to his advantage rather than working around it. Talented little bugger.

"Ezra!" Kanan, however, was not too happy with the situation, as she could well imagine.

"I'm not staying behind again!" And with that, Ahsoka sprang back into the fight, hitting with newfound accuracy as a result of her determination to see Kanan and Ezra make it out of there alive. Still slightly winded from the explosion and the sprinting she had done, Ahsoka couldn't immediately reply to Vader's taunt to all of them: "Yes, let the boy stay. I still have yet to see what he is made of." She did, however, reply after exchanging a few blows, relieving Kanan or Ezra from that duty.

"You seem to think you have a _right_ to examine him, Sith. He's not yours and he never will be!"

As concerned as she was for keeping Ezra alive, the kid seemed to actually be handling himself pretty well, considering te situation they were in. If anything, he seemed to have skill equal to Kanan's, or at the very least just slightly less than his. At any rate, he was by no mean a burden in the fight; he was just as helpful out here fighting Vader as he had been when inside the turret of the _Phantom_.

Still though, Vader was Vader. A powerful Sith Lord who'd taken out some of the most powerful warriors in the galaxy. And they were only three half-trained Force-sensitives who'd banded together. Ahsoka suspected that the only reason they had lasted as long as they had was because he was testing them all. Remembering her suspicions that Vader had it out for Ezra, she could only see that possibility as too likely.

"I don't need a right to examine what I hold dominance over, Tano."

"As if you have dominance over me!" Ezra scoffed, only to be driven back by a particularly powerful strike. Ahsoka appreciated the fact that the kid had spunk, but sometimes he could over-do it a little.

"Are you blind to power? Or are you simply trying to cover up your fear, Bridger?" The Sith's deep voice rumbled out over them, and Ahsoka saw the glare Ezra sent back his way. But she could also see he was disturbed, just ever so slightly.

"Would you stop conversing with my apprentice, Sith? Your germs are gonna rub off on him." Kanan shot back, earning a rushed bark of laughter from Ezra, a slight grin from Ahsoka, and a quick stab from Vader as well as the SIth's own response to the jibe.

"I forgot the Jedi hovered so much over their apprentices."

"Oh, like you know anything about a Jedi and their Padawan!" Ahsoka jibed, only to be met with a response that completely threw her off guard:

"If I know nothing, then neither do you."

She was caught off guard so much that she didn't even deflect the shot Vader sent out at her. The only reason she hadn't been cut in half was because Ezra had jumped in like with Kanan and had deflected the red blade away from her torso. It did pay off to be fighting in a group of three.

"She's not that dumb, scum!" Vader battered the teen down.

"Can you still not sense it, Tano? Can you not _feel_ the truth?" This was weirding her out, big time. Not that she knew why, but Ahsoka was getting a strange, numbing sensation somewhere in the pit of her consciousness. Whatever this guy was talking about, he wasn't just raving on about something completely lunatic like a few of the people she'd had to deal with.

"Oh come on Sith, _Baldy_ was better at getting under people's skin than you are!" Ezra yelled out, trying to divert Vader's odd fixation from Ahsoka. But Vader didn't even respond to his jibe. Instead, he pushed both Ezra and Kanan a fair distance back, far enough so that Ahsoka was on her own for a few seconds.

"Perhaps if I used your actual name; Ahsoka?"

"_Ahsoka._"

Anakin's voice was ringing in her head. She'd heard him say her name countless of times, over and over again. Calling out, warning her, giving instruction, reprimanding her, praising her, asking her... somewhere deep through Vader's breathalyzer effects... something in there reminded her so much of her Master that her breath hitched and her mind reeled as she heard him say her name.

"That... what _are_ you!?" She'd meant to shout it out, but it only came as a whisper. Vader still heard it.

"Can you not accept it? Or are you simply not willing to allow the truth to take hold of your mind?" Oh, something was taking hold of her mind, all right. Whether it was the _truth_ Ahsoka had no idea. As it was, what was causing shivers to run up and down her spine and numb her senses was the fact that his voice had actively caused her to pull up the memories of her past... of Anakin.

"The Jedi were weak and foolish and held us back from our true potential. They cast you aside. They denied me my rightful place on their council. They became fat and lazy, content with nothing more than keeping the universe in a steady state of existence, where nothing grew. They were not worthy of ruling the galaxy. But you- you and I are different. Come, Ahsoka. Let me teach you. Let me _guide_ you down the road of power..." Instead of putting her off balance, as the Sith was no doubt trying to do, Ahsoka smiled grimly as Kanan and Ezra once again burst into the fight.

"The only one who could teach me was Sky-guy, and he's dead. So I'm not going anywhere or doing anything with you."

"Sky-guy... I had forgotten you used to call him that."

"Oh please, like you would know from your single battle. Your mind games won't work on me, Sith."

"Like _I_ said before: _Baldy_ was better at cracking people than you were!" Ezra's smart comment was rewarded when Vader whirled around in a flurry of movement, cape momentarily blinding Ahsoka, as he battered the respective defenses of the teen, Kanan, and herself with a single fluid 360 maneuver. It showed that he was the only one powerful enough to defeat Anakin.

"There was no battle at Mustafar, Tano. By then, I had already won over the man who had been Anakin Skywalker." Once again, Vader's seemingly off-hand comment and how it went against all the facts she knew to be true caught her off-guard. Him? _Not_ battle Anakin at Mustafar? That had been where her Master had fallen, Obi-Wan had told her so, he had been there... despite Ezra's comments, Ahsoka actually felt like Vader was successfully planting seeds of confusion in her mind. Not good. Of course, Ahsoka wasn't going to let Vader _know_ he'd done so.

"You can't try to fool me, Vader! Obi-Wan was there. He _saw_ you murder Anakin. You killed him on Mustafar and you won't convince me otherwise."

"Obi-Wan said so, did he? It seems, in his quest to keep you sheltered from the happenings of the galaxy, he skated over one of the most important parts... oh yes, he was there at Mustafar. But tell me, if he watched me murder Skywalker, why had he not aided you Master in his fight?" There was no confusion there. Now, Ahsoka had a feeling the Sith was grasping for straws.

* * *

**(Once again, I looked this up... and the Gungans do actually have drinking straws. Why an under-water race would need _drinking straws_ I have no idea... but they have them. Who knew, right?)**

* * *

"Of course Obi-Wan was fighting you! He wouldn't have just stood by as you killed him!"

"No, Ahsoka. Obi-Wan was fighting _against_ Skywalker." And that, of course, made Ahsoka's mind go blank. Vader was far above making up lies on the spot to try and confuse Ahsoka. If anything, he'd use a half-truth to try and get under her skin. So the fact that he was actually saying Obi-Wan fought Anakin... somewhere in his mind, he actually believed that to be true. Or maybe he thought that it was part-way true, because there was no way Vader was going to start spewing what Ahsoka believed to be completely false otherwise. Which meant Ahsoka was now actually confused. It seemed that Ezra hadn't followed that exact line of reasoning though, because he was still his normal snarky self.

"Oh please, Obi-Wan? Fight_ against_ his apprentice? And what did you do, look on in amusement? Yeah right." It stunned Ahsoka momentarily that the teen knew who Obi-Wan was and that Anakin was his apprentice, though she reminded herself that _Kanan_ knew that, and he had most likely told Ezra. Even if he only had a bare understanding of the matter, Ahsoka was grateful that he was doing the best he could to try and stop Vader from fixating on Ahsoka. Even he knew that that was a bad thing to have happening.

"Oh I did more than look on in amusement. You see-" With lightning fast reflexes and attacks, Vader parried Ahsoka's blades to the side, flinging her arms away from the battle, and jabbed his hand past Ezra's defenses, striking the teen's outside wrist with the pommel of his blade and causing the blaster/sword hybrid to fly out of Ezra's hands as he gasped in pain. Another second later, before either she or Kanan could react to his sudden disarming, Ezra was being hoisted up into the air: not with the Force, but by an actual robotic hand clamping over his neck.

Two cries of "NO!" tore out of Kanan and Ahsoka's mouths, while Vader lifted Ezra nearly three feet into the air.

"-I was- and am -all that remains of the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker." Ahsoka froze.

She didn't even see Ezra squirming as his throat was slowly crushed. She didn't even hear Kanan yelling in shock and frustration and terror. She didn't even feel the push that sent her flying half-way across the hangar. She was numb to the world: because her world had decided to change itself drastically before her. How could it not? With information like that, she wanted to scream and yell in denial. The thing was... the facts all added up.

Logically, she could find no faults with what Vader was saying. Obi-Wan had never gone into specifics. Someone had to know the inside of the Jedi compound. Someone had to have been close to the Chancellor. And he would have had to be strong- strong enough so that none of the other Jedi could match him. 'Vader' had only appeared after Anakin had 'died.' Obi-Wan had said Anakin had burned in the lava; Vader's suit did more that enhance his strength, it kept him alive. And most of all, something that she'd probably known all this time: she'd never _felt_ the Master-Padawan bond break between them. The day the Empire had come into control of the galaxy it had almost incapacitated her with pain, but it had never fully broken. Ahsoka had convinced herself that because 'there is no death, there is only the Force,' that she still felt Anakin's presence lingering in the fabric of the universe. But that wasn't the truth. Anakin had never died. Logically, she could find no faults with what he was saying. She'd already accepted that fact somewhere deep in her being.

But the rest of her was in complete shut-down mode.

Anakin? Vader? The man who'd risked everything to save the people he'd loved? Kill and burn the Jedi? The one who'd given her a chance as an apprentice? Kill and burn the Jedi? The guy who'd won more battles in the war than most of the other Jedi combined? _Kill and burn the Jedi_? Younglings? Destroy the Republic? Aid the Emperor in his quest for power?

Turn to the Dark side?

Even if she could find no logical flaws with what he was saying, even if she had already known it to be true, Ahsoka just couldn't wrap her head around the implications of what Vader- _Anakin_ -had revealed.

The man that had been her greatest rallying cry against the Empire, who she'd loved as a father and mentor, was her greatest enemy.

* * *

***sniff sniff* **

**"Anakin... you're breaking my heart!" ****Or Ezra's throat anyways...**

**Heh heh... Plz don't hurt me...**


	31. Event Horizon

**And I return from the cliff-hanger... with Hera!**

**Don't worry though... we'll return to the juicy bits later on... heh heh.**

**Disclaimer: Oh man, I don't think I could handle owning Rebels. Too much power. I'd have a heart attack before getting a single episode finished.**

* * *

Growing up with one of the most active fighters on her planet as her father had taught Hera a lot. That education had further been enhanced when she'd joined the Rebellion, where hand-to-hand and blaster combat had been a must for every individual. Of course, there were no actual training 'facilities,' so most of the knowledge came from first hand experience; but there was some stuff that couldn't be learned on the fly like that without serious repercussions.

That included what black holes were and how to navigate around them.

Fortunately, Hera _did_ know that about them, and the general information that'd be absolutely necessary for their survival if they wanted to pull this stunt off. Like how a black hole's event horizon was determined by its' mass and rotation and speed and such, and how the only way to determine that event horizon was by sending out something until it hit it. Of course, whatever was sent to do that would inevitably be destroyed: black holes kind of did that.

Which meant that they'd have to send out something un-manned- Hera was absolutely _not_ going to send anyone to their deaths like that- and it'd have to be something easily monitored by them and not the _Maelstrom_. Since Sabine had taken out their scanners with her turrets that just meant sending out a probe- which Zeb had ran away to organize -and keeping it intact as it flew through the battle field. Then all it had to do was move out towards the black hole until it was sucked in: and then Hera would know exactly how far to keep the _Imminent Pursuit_ from it to remain safe.

Now, she could just not bother with sending it out at all... but she _needed_ to know where the event horizon was. That was where the gravitational effects of the black hole kicked in, the point of no return. Even light couldn't escape once it'd past that line. And if Hera wanted to go through with the tactic that'd gradually worked its' way into existence, she would have to know exactly when and where to move to keep everyone aboard the _Imminent Pursuit_ safe.

It did feel a little weird, to be thinking about how to _preserve_ an Imperial ship instead of how to _destroy_ it- but then again, she was also thinking about how to cause maximum damage to the _Maelstrom_, so the feelings kind of canceled out.

What _didn't_ cancel out was Hera's worry: Kanan and Ezra still had yet to emerge from the bay of the Destroyer.

She had a lot of faith in her Spectres to do what needed to be done and get out of there alive- but that faith didn't stop the pit of worry in her stomach about the well-being of the three Force-sensitives. After all, Ezra had said that Vader had deigned to make a personal appearance: something both she and Kanan had been agonizing over for a while.

Garsth had had no further luck with the breaking through the jamming frequency once again, even with Chopper helping out to the best of his abilities. Even if the droid was spluttering profanities like a Tie-pilot about to crash, Hera knew that the droid was working as hard as he could as he tried to reach Ezra once again. But they were having trouble even _finding_ the _Phantom_'s signature, something that made Hera worry even more. Either the Imperials had suddenly gotten a lot better at their jobs than before, or... or something that she didn't like to think about had happened.

Once it had been clear that they weren't going to reach Ezra again, Hera had put Garsth in charge of monitoring the probe- which Zeb had successfully sent out. Garsth would keep track of the signature until it disappeared, give the coordinates of the event horizon to Hera, and then they could continue on with their plans to win the battle. Zeb was making sure that the probe- which moved about half as fast as a Tie -made it through to its destination without being blown out of the sky. While it wasn't exactly in the Lasat's nature to do so, it was a lot better than just standing around on the command deck, and Hera knew that he needed to be _doing_ something in order to relieve the tension that was slowly building up. She felt it too.

This was one of the biggest space-battles they'd been in, with the most ships, personnel, and opportunities than they'd ever had. And also the most risks.

"Signal still coming through strong," Garsth voiced out, speaking over the hectic noises of the command-deck, and Hera nodded, still keeping her eyes on the Star Destroyer in their viewport. This was even worse than when they'd been going up against the _Imminent Pursuit_; and that'd been stressful enough. Hera just hoped that everything worked out now like it had then.

"Sabine, keep hammering on their sensors! We don't want them to regain control over them anytime soon! And make it look-"

"-like we're not intentionally going for their sensors, I got it!" Hera was thankful that the Mandalorian was managing to keep a calm head through the situation, it made everything easier to deal with. The Imperials had to remain oblivious to the fact that they were being led straight into a trap.

_Come on Kanan, get out of there_...

"Shields still holding?"

"Sixty-three percent and holding steady!" Hera nodded, narrowing her eyes. Even though her insides were twisting with apprehension and doubt and worry and concern and everything that fell under those categories, she still needed to keep her head in the game. She was commanding hundreds of rebel soldiers onboard the ship, and they'd placed their lives in her hands when they'd offered her to captain over the ship. She couldn't zone out thinking about her own crew when she had the responsibility of their lives on her shoulders as well.

"Engines?"

"Largely undamaged, we're goin' just under full thrust!"

"And how're our birds doing?"

"They're still flying, but half of out Tie force is out. Enemy ships have also been halved, but that one squad..." Hera knew what the man was talking about. Vader's elite Tie-pilots _must_ have accompanied him into the region, because there was a team of six Ties flying around that'd taken out more of their soldiers than the rest of the Imperial forces combined. So far, an X-wing pilot had managed to take a single one of them out, but they were still wrecking havoc out there.

The bridge rocked violently to the right, making Hera stumble and most everyone in the command pits jerk forwards, one even hitting their head on their console.

"We're hit! Hull integrity on the neck has dropped by twelve percent, there's a large hull breach and artificial gravity is down on two decks!" A Rodian female cried out, and Hera rightened herself with a confused frown on her face.

"How did they shoot past the shields!?" She'd just confirmed that they were still up and operational, so something that would have done than much damage to the ship should have been blocked by them.

"It- it wasn't a shot, it was a Tie! It flew right past our defenses and into the neck of the ship!" Hera sucked in her breath. She'd dealt with something like this before.

While researching everything they could to try and formulate a plan to rescue Ezra from the Inquisitor, they'd dug up a lot of juicy information on the Empire. Including the name of a technique that'd been used against the crew of the _Ghost_ once before: pattern S.E.

A suicide pattern, the Tie pilot directed his or her ship directly into the bridge of their opponents', thus disabling them and usually rendering them unable to move.

If that Tie hadn't just randomly crashed down, if the pilot had actually made a conscious decision to fly into the _Imminent Pursuit_... then that meant that they had orders to do whatever it took to win this battle. And that also meant that there would be no more playing around. When the Imperials whipped out pattern S.E., it meant that they had gone dead serious and were confident in their victory.

When_ you_ were the force they were fighting, it was never a good thing.

"Sabine!"

"I'm on it! We won't let another one get anywhere near the bridge!" Sabine had also read up on pattern S.E., and knew how deadly it was. Not only to the pilots, but also to their victims.

"Meo'na, tell our pilots to make absolutely sure that another Tie doesn't start flying directly towards us!" Hera cried out to the female human/Duros*** **mix, who was quite possibly the busiest person on the bridge. She was constantly responding to the pilot's comm channels and giving out directions to them, while juggling the two separate channels of the pilots who flew Ties and the pilots who flew X-wings. Hera was a good multi-tasker, but this woman... she was something to be admired.

As it was, Meo'na grunted in affirmation loud enough so that Hera could hear her, and then continued on directing the fast-paced space battle outside their hull.

"Is the damage to the neck severe?" Hera called back out to the Rodian who'd delivered the news of the Tie in the first place, needing to know the condition of her ship.

"The hull breach has been sealed with an energy field and artificial gravity is being worked on, but the over all area is holding stable!" _Let's hope it stays like that_.

"How badly damaged is the _Maelstrom_?" Even with the absolute chaos that it was trying to stay on top of her own ship's status, it was essential to know how the enemy was faring. It was an important detail that played a major role in how Hera's overall plan would be acted out.

"Their shields are still holding, but they're not in much better condition than ours are! All turrets operational but two, and their scanners are still down!"

"How long until-"

"Probe's signal has stopped coming through!" Hera whipped her head around, leku spinning wildly as she switched her attention to Garsth, who was keying in information on his data-pad with a fervor.

"Destroyed by bucket-heads or black hole?" That was important to know as well. If it'd been destroyed by a Tie then their calculations about the event horizon would be off, and they wouldn't be able to pull off the stunt Hera had in mind. Not to mention place hundreds of their lives at risk.

"Black hole! Signal showed gravitational damage before stopping!" Hera nodded, satisfied that there was most probably more evidence the Devaronian had gathered to support his claim that would be too lengthy to deliver whilst in the middle of their battle.

"How long until we reach the event horizon?" Again, another key factor in executing her plan.

"Based on calculations, at current speed nose will cross horizon in seven standard minutes!"

"Tell me when that's down to one minute! Helm, keep our course and speed constant! Make us look like we're trying to get away from the fight!" If the Imperials liked anything, it was seeing their target wounded and running. Making themselves seem like they were trying to flee would only make the commander of the _Maelstrom_ that much more confident in his victory- which would lead to mistakes, and less of a focus on repairing their sensor systems.

"Garsth, can you calculate the entirety of the event horizon's circumference?" The Devaronian hesitated for a second, thoughts evidently running through his head, and his fingers stilled for just a single second.

"Will take time; only minute or so. Limited data from probe hard to work with."

"Just as long as it comes through before we reach it!" Garsth nodded, and then resumed his computations.

"Is the _Maelstrom_ still following us?"

"Yes, ma'am! The enemy Destroyer is still following our trail through space; at the rate their sensors are being looked at they'll still be blind by the time we reach the black hole!"

Hera released a pent up breath, though only a small fraction of her worry was alleviated. The fact that the _Maelstrom_ was still blind to their overall situation was good, it was wonderful, it was according to plan. But the stress of running an entire Destroyer with a skeleton crew was taxing, and she was still fretting over Kanan and Ezra getting out of there in time. She most definitely did _not_ want to send the two of them straight into a black hole.

As such, her anticipation and nervousness multiplied by the second, however much she kept herself occupied on the battle. She was a good multi-tasker.

_Kanan I swear, if you get yourselves killed, I'm going to kill you._

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**I hope I managed to convey the attitude of the battle appropriately: hectic hectic hectic, chaotic and worrisome and ohmygosheverything'shappeningatonce. 'Cuz that'd be how it would be on a Star Destroyer with less-than-needed crew members.**

**I _am_ working on the next chapter currently. It's nerve wrecking for me as well, so I'm not gonna leave you guys hangin' just for fun.**

***Cad Bane is a Duros, so when I say human/Duros mix, think of a female Bane with a flat-ish human nose and normal eyes. It's a weird galaxy out there.**


	32. He Can't

**Oh. My. Goodness. Apologies a thousand times over, Rebel Readers! This is probably the longest I've ever gone in-between posting chapters... and trust me, there IS a reason why that happened (no, it's not 'cuz I enjoy leaving you with cliffies).**

**Let me just sum it all up in two phrases so we can get back to the story: 'Standardized government testing' and 'Driving a thousand miles without wi-fi'. Horrifying, I know. But spring break will do what spring break will do to your family plans.**

**Even though I am quote on quote 'vacationing' and 'should have all the free time I need and want to work on my hobbies...' don't be surprised if I only manage to get this chapter and maybe one more out before my school resumes on Monday.**

**Heh... never though I'd say this, but I actually get more done on a school night that on a break... wow.**

**Disclaimer: Well, if I owned Rebels there'd be a little problem, 'cuz family is first and all that... and generally my kin place our own flesh and blood over the Space-family I've so completely fallen in love with.**

**Also... thank you so much AmethystUnarmed, for your kind words and inspiration and worries. It means a lot more to me than can be conveyed through words on a screen.**

**Hope you all enjoy!**

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In the short time he'd been alive, Ezra had fallen into a multitude of situations when he'd found breathing was difficult. Just a few minutes ago he'd been in the middle of a ship explosion, which had left black acrid smoke in the air that'd made breathing difficult. The Inquisitor had cut off his air-flow with the Force a number of times.

But as of yet, he'd never actually had anything _physical_ preventing his breathing. Maybe it was because of that that the actual _pain_ of not being able to breath had been completely new to him. Not having the ability to draw air in? He was used to that. Having something solid actually clamp down on his windpipe so hard the air couldn't move? Yeah, no. Completely new experience. Now, Ezra was all for learning new things, but just this one time, Ezra didn't want to have that experience.

Though it wasn't exactly like he had a choice in the matter.

Ezra could feel the leather-like material of Vader's gloves scrunching slightly: and also the robotic version of a hand the glove hid. If he could feel the sheer strength Vader's robotic suit gave him from just blocking lightsaber attacks, boy oh _boy_ could he feel just how much power the Sith held in his hands- literally -by being on the receiving end of his slowly tightening fist.

"LET HIM GO!" Kanan was almost... _raging_, his lightsaber nothing but a blue blur swinging against Vader's red one- which blocked all the incoming shots with little no to effort. And still Ezra's air supply was running low. And still Kanan continued his mindless attacking.

It seemed, in light of the current situation, Vader revealing himself to be Anakin hadn't fazed Kanan in the slightest, unlike Ahsoka. Her, Ezra couldn't see; Vader's grip was too tight for him to maneuver his head around to look for the Togruta. Honestly, he himself couldn't care less right now about the Sith's identity, caring could come later. They needed to act, not to talk and reminisce. Also, there were little black spots forming on the edges of his vision. With all of his experience at being breathless, he knew that the little black spots never meant anything good for him.

However, beyond the baseless "Ak"s that he was able to squeeze out, Ezra couldn't call out to Kanan. Which was worrying him, more than slightly. And not just because he thought he could feel something moving around _inside_ his throat. No, what was causing him concern was... well, he couldn't describe it exactly. The only thing he could compare it to was the instance in the abandoned clone base with the Fyrnochs. Then, he had felt cold and isolated, with none of the warmth that the Light brought to him, being enveloped in the horrific side-effects of the Dark. Now, he was pretty sure that the exact same thing was happening again: except with Kanan.

And that very notion in and of itself was scaring Ezra more than anything Vader could induce.

Kanan was the one who kept Ezra on track. Kanan was the one who made sure he didn't fall. Kanan was the calm one, the rational one, and having him _not_ be was so abnormal it was foreign to Ezra. One of the scariest things anyone can see is their parents completely losing it, either by crying without control or raging without control. And even if Kanan wasn't actually his father, the sight of him losing so much control was terrifying: it showed Kanan wasn't infallible. And the thought of him actually turning...

_No, he's not, he's not losing control, he's not, he's _not_, he's just scared like me, that's all it is..._

_But what did he quote from one of his Jedi Masters? 'Fear leads to anger, anger to hate, and hate to suffering.'_

This was really not good. Ezra was still able to watch the battle and flail as uselessly as he could, but he had a feeling his vision was going to fade fast. And his neck was most _definitely_ not supposed to be squeezed that hard. With Ahsoka out and on the sideline and Kanan- well, Ezra didn't even want to finish that thought -, things were obviously going the _wrong way_.

"Such strong attachments for a Jedi, rogue. Aren't you trained to sacrifice such bonds?" Well, even with his vision being as iffy as it was, he could still hear Vader's taunts. And he was remembering that the Inquisitor used to taunt his opponents, to try and distract them, throw them off balance. Now he was pretty sure he understood where the Pau'an had learned those particular skills. And he could see they were working.

"He's _NOT_ a bond I'm willing to give up!" In any other situation, Ezra would have felt warmth at Kanan defending him, feeling worried about him, protecting him... but just about right now, there was nothing more Ezra would have wanted than for Kanan to _stop trying to rescue him_.

Vader had the advantage. Kanan had no back-up. Ezra's lungs were about to burst- and Force knew _what_ his throat was going to do. With every second that the Sith Lord kept Ezra dangling and Kanan raging, his Master fell further and further. Because there was no denying it now. Ezra could _feel_ Kanan's fury and panic and sheer desperation coming off in waves, and whether it was because of their bond through the Force or because his emotions were just that strong and readable, Ezra didn't know.

And he still couldn't try to stop it.

The strange fact was, even with his body dangling three feet above the floor and his mind slowly going into shut-down mode, Ezra was probably the clearest thinker in their group right now. Ahsoka was still down and reeling from the revelation that Vader was Anakin. Kanan was letting his emotions cloud his judgment, as was obvious from the no longer elegant fighting style he was whacking at Vader with. Actually, Ezra doubted he was using any of the fighting forms at all, instead just mindlessly beating at the Sith through his desperation.

And so, Ezra knew, unless he could maneuver himself out of the current situation, they would all end up dead or worse.

"Once again I find you abandoning the teachings of the Jedi Temple. What would your ancient Masters of old say to you now?" More vicious lightsaber strikes. The bright humming blades were starting to be the clearest things that Ezra could see. Everything else was slowly darkening.

"They have nothing to do with this; LET HIM GO." Okay, that was also bad. Kanan's voice seemed to be muffled slightly. There was nothing blocking his ears.

"You'll have to do better than that, rogue. I can feel his neck about to snap." Whether or not that part was true, Ezra didn't know. Other than the heavy, helpless, lethargic crushing feeling that was enveloping his lungs and airways and the ever increasing pressure applied by Vader's hand, he couldn't really feel much. Well, there was Kanan's roiling spectrum of emotions, but that wasn't physical. Not yet at least.

But through the blurry haze that showed he was close to being taken out of the game, Ezra knew that Kanan was getting more and more wild and unstable. As soon as Ezra went limp and unconscious from a lack of air, the Jedi would no doubt go into a complete and total rage mode.

Once that happened, Vader would be able to make quick work out of him. Ezra knew that a Jedi who'd lost control was a Jedi that lost the match. He himself had demonstrated that point on numerous occasions, nearly getting himself killed and _always_ earning a scolding later.

But this time, if Kanan lost control, there would be no scolding later. There would be no _near_ death experiences.

So Ezra lashed out.

With as much strength as he could muster in the current situation, Ezra flipped his legs up- much like he had while sparring against Kanan -and in the split second that he was completely vertical, kicked Vader's robotic head.

It didn't have much force behind it, since he was suspended in the air, but it _did_ make Vader stumble and lurch to the left slightly. And to get his attention off of Kanan for a second or two. And loosen his grip on Ezra's throat momentarily.

With reflexes born on the streets and nurtured in his time fighting the Empire, Ezra pulled away from Vader's hand, using his grip on said limb as leverage. He came free of the hold, Vader's robotic hand squeezing completely closed over nothing, and tried to drop down onto the floor so he could roll away from the Sith and evaluate the damage.

But, just like with the majority of the _Ghost_ crews' ops, it didn't go to plan.

Of course, the _Maelstrom_'s artificial gravity was already pulling him to the deck of the bay; Vader's grip on his throat had been the only thing allowing him to defy that tug. If nothing else had interfered, he would have dropped harmlessly onto the floor. But something had most definitely interfered. After all, Vader _was_ a Sith Lord, and one of the galaxy's best fighters. A guy like that had excellent reflexes.

The vice-like grip returned, though this time on his arm- left, of course, -and pain lanced through it when it snapped upwards as the rest of Ezra's body fell towards the ground. He was still in Vader's grip: only now, it wasn't by the neck. Thing was, the Sith probably _had _actually crushed something, because Ezra still couldn't breath.

So, when he was hurled into the left wall of the hangar-bay after being flung at tremendous speeds, he had no breath to lose. Though there was a sickening crack- scratch that, multiple - that told Ezra he had not escaped Vader's grasp without injury. That and his head hurt _massively_ and his vision and other senses were now about ten times worse than what they had been.

So bad, in fact, it almost felt as though he was underwater. The most detail he could see was rough shapes and the glowing of Kanan and Vader's lightsabers. His hearing was so muted that he was just barely aware the Jedi was shouting out his name. And everything else: just about squat summed up what he felt everywhere else.

Ezra felt himself slowly sliding down the wall and tilting to his right. It was when Ezra tried to stop his descent and attempt regaining usage of his airways that he noticed he was already fading into the black haze that was unconsciousness.

_Bantha poodoo, he got me good.._. At least he was still alive.

But a spike of worry shot through Ezra even as his reason shut down in his brain, and it stayed there even when he fell fully onto the floor. With _him_ down in the fight as well, Kanan was left on his own. Not in top condition. Using the Dark to try and gain any sort of leverage. Against Vader.

And there was still nothing he could do about it.

Ezra's eyes rolled back into his head and closed as his functions finally shut down from oxygen deprivation, his last thoughts before the blanket comfort of nothing enveloping him slow and delirious:

_He can't fall down in the Dark. He can't... he can't..._

* * *

**Curses. I'm even on break and I still leave you guys with cliffies.**

**And for anyone confused as to why Kanan is acting a lot different here than in the finale when he thought Ezra was actually dead... it's because there's a big difference between having your loved one taken out with one swift, painless stroke and actually seeing them being slowly crushed and in pain.**

**If you want more details on anything, not just this chapter but my stories as a whole, don't hesitate to PM me!**


	33. Strength of Will

**Ha HA! I'm home again! Seriously, vacation to grandparents might be relaxing, but driving a thousand miles to get to them sure wasn't... but now I'm home again! And I can write chapters more regularly! And update faster! Hopefully...**

**I've heard the expression 'nothing beats coming home and sleeping in your own bed again', but for me and my family... I think it's more pronounced with using our own bathrooms again. I mean, the beds are nice and all, but...**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Rebels, I think there might be something seriously wrong with the economy, because kids who haven't come out of school yet shouldn't be making thousands of dollars.**

**Ignore Justin Beiber.**

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_"That was close, Master."_

_"Isn't it always, Snips?"_

Of course it was. That's how it had always been.

_"You taught me well. I can handle anything."_

_"Don't get cocky."_

Well, that hadn't happened.

_"I heard you did well, my Padawan."_

_"All because of your training."_

Oh, most definitely. Without his training, both of their lives would have been so, so much worse.

_"I sense something Master, and I don't like it."_

_"It's the Dark side, Ahsoka."_

And how often had she felt that Dark side since leaving him? Too often. Far too often.

_Anakin, what happened to you?_

Sure, he'd been a little more... passionate, impulsive, and reckless than the norm was for a Jedi, but that didn't mean... That didn't... He had been the winner of countless battles against the Separatists. He was a fighter for peace- for the people, for freedom, for the end of the war! How could someone like that have gone down a road so dark it turned him into one of the most feared beings in the galaxy!? How could someone like that have lost control of his will enough to submit to the Dark side?! How could someone like that do all of the unspeakable things that had made Vader her number one enemy?

_Was it my fault? Could I have helped you if I had stayed? Would you have gone if I had been there to help you?_

_What changed you into this?_

Ahsoka hadn't been ready for this.

One of her main rallying points against the Empire, one of the main reasons she fought against it so passionately, was because it had been what had murdered her previous way of life, her Master. The memories of training with Anakin and living in the temple had been what had kept her strong when she had learned of the thousands of deaths of the Jedi wrought by the Emperor and his evil henchman. The lessons and emotions and wisdom he had given her had been her pillars of strength, her moral compass to keep her on track.

But now... that pillar had been knocked out from under her. That compass had been snatched away, leaving Ahsoka fumbling in the dark.

Anakin Skywalker. One of the most valiant and ethical Jedi Knights there had been in the Order. Something had happened after she had left that had changed him. Something so horrible and Dark it morphed him into the complete monster that was Vader.

Maybe... maybe the Emperor had somehow taken control over him? Somehow pushed Anakin's will into the back of his mind in order to create the ultimate tool? Yeah, yeah, that could have happened, because there was no other way Anakin could have done all the things Vader did...

...No. That was wishful thinking. Obi-Wan had been truly distraught and despairing when he'd returned from Mustafar. He had known Anakin was too far gone to save, because he had actually gone down the path of the Dark side. There were no mind-games or trickery involved. The Emperor had asked Anakin to join him, and he had agreed of his own will.

Startling as a flash-bang, a memory of Obi-Wan surfaced from the groggy depths of Ahsoka's mind: _"Sometimes I don't think you realize how alike you two have become." _And then it was Master Plo-Koon: _"You've adopted many of your Master's ways, including a lack of subtlety."*****_

Anakin had rubbed off on Ahsoka. Quite a lot, actually, to the point where it had been a head-ache inducing topic for Obi-Wan and several other of the long gone Jedi Masters. Everyone and anyone who knew Anakin would have sworn up and down he would never abandon the Jedi, it just wasn't in his nature. So, was... was there a chance that... that Ahsoka could fall as well?

A shiver ran through her spine, and not because of the cold metal floor underneath her. That... the thought of _her_ turning to the Dark... seemed ridiculous. But then, so had the thought of Anakin turning...

_Will I turn into a monster like he has? Will I eventually snap?_

A cold dread ran its way through Ahsoka's limbs. She could turn just as her Master had. She could fall just like he had, and go against what she had worked so hard to build up upon. Ahsoka could turn to the Dark, she could hurt the people she loved, she could-

"_I don't think you're the kind of person to sacrifice thousands- millions - of people,_"

"_Your Master might have been taken from you already, but, I'm not going to let him take my Master as well._"

Ahsoka's breath caught in her throat. She could feel something Dark away from where she lay. And it wasn't Vader.

"_Just the same as you don't want Vader to take me, I'm not letting him kill you!_"

"_I can't let him get hurt..._"

Oh no. Oh no no no no no. That could not be happening, Kanan wouldn't have gone down that path, even if Ezra was hurt, he was still a Jedi-

"_You know... you two remind me of how I was with my own Master._"

Oh yeah. Like how both she and Anakin always _completely freaked out_ whenever the other was hurt. Like how Kanan had momentarily lost control when the Howlers had attacked. And, if her senses were working right, like he was right now.

_What would have made Kanan freak out this much? Is Ezra- Oh God Ezra. What happened to Ezra_.

His signature was muted. Ahsoka hoped it was just because he was unconscious, and not because of any other more sinister reason. Whatever had happened, it had been enough to wrench the teen out of the battle, and to send Kanan nearly over the edge.

Ahsoka hadn't known Kanan for a very long time. Sure, she'd met him and planned ops with him and Hera, but Ahsoka hadn't known the man that well. But from just this rescue alone Ahsoka knew that the slight fear of having Kanan falling was completely natural.

Having a guy like him fall was just plain _bad_.

Adrenaline rushing in to substitute for actual energy and pain-killers, Ahsoka pushed herself up into a sitting position on the floor. A spike of pain rushing in from several locations told Ahsoka that the kick Vader had sent her way had not gone without damage, nor had her anything-but-soft landing. From a single glance over and what her body was telling her, Ahsoka had a sprained wrist, dis-located knee, and most probably several bruised bones and organs. Hissing in a breath of pain as her body protested against moving, Ahsoka wrenched her eyes from the floor to the battle scene before her.

Kanan was hammering against Vader, his strokes not looking like any style Ahsoka had ever seen taught at the Jedi Temple- until she realized that it _wasn't_ any form of lightsaber combat, offensive or defensive. He was simply swinging his lightsaber like a mad-man, his anger, fear, and yes, there was desperation as well, clouding his mind and body from actually using any form of civilized combat against Vader.

In essence, he was a cornered animal, lashing out without any though, trying randomly to land some sort of hit on his opponent.

When going up against a Sith Lord like Vader, that was almost a certain death sentence. They knew how to manipulate their opponents until they were no longer a credible threat, and then dispatch of them with ease. They knew how to get under the skin of whoever fought them. It was their speciality. _"Never play into the enemy's hands,"_ hadn't that always been what Anakin had-

Her breath caught in her throat again. _Anakin_. He was no longer the one warning her against the Sith. He _was_ the Sith now. He was everything he had taught her to fight against. And he was driving Kanan into that same corner.

_Was this how he was turned? Did something happen to someone he cared about? Who meant enough to him that he would turn against everything he stood for to protect?_

Ezra. Oh dear Lord, had he felt Kanan? Had he felt the Darkness that was creeping its' way through his Master's signature? Ahsoka could only imagine the fear the boy would have felt if he knew how Kanan was doing right now. Though she knew about the pain and the sadness. And the sheer despair that the figure he looked up to like a father was losing control. Yeah, she knew how _that_ felt.

_No. He's not going to go through this. He's not going to feel this. He's not going to wake up to see Kanan in the Dark. Not if I can help it._

Vad- _Anakin_ -had Kanan held in a lightsaber block. A sense of urgency replaced her anguish at watching her old Master fight against those she had banded together with. Now was not the time to despair over Anakin's fall. That would come later; when a breakdown would not put her friends in life-threatening danger.

Forcing her limbs to move, Ahsoka gritted her teeth together and wrapped both hands around her upper right leg and pulled it up so it was at a low angle to the ground. Moving as fast as she dared, Ahsoka lowered the limb back to the ground, moving her hands to gently squeeze the knee back into its proper position. The bone popped back into place, and a strangled cry burst out of her mouth at the sudden movement.

But it was temporary. Now, she could stand. Now, she could fight.

Hoisting herself up to her full hight, Ahsoka summoned both of her lightsabers into her hands as she began sprinting towards Kanan and Vader. Her sprained right wrist stung painfully, but Ahsoka ignored it, along with the pain of her innards. She hurt now, and she would hurt more by the time they were through with this battle. Babying herself would only give Vader an easier time hurting Kanan and Ezra.

Ahsoka activated both her lightsabers, forcing down memories of Anakin teaching her how to use them, and charged back into the battle once again.

* * *

**Now that I'm back in my own abode, I should be able to produce a chapter in one/two days, but I will give out a warning: there are a few more important school tests coming up (yes, I know, _AGAIN_), though I don;t think it should impact my updating schedule very much. Just in case it does though, you have been warned.**

**ALSO! If anyone is wondering why I put in there that Ahsoka had planned ops with him and Hera when the first time they met had been in 'Fire Across the Galaxy,' it's because in _this_ story (written before the finale) Kanan had been just about as knowledgable about Fulcrum as Hera had been. At the time I had just fgured they shared everything with one another. So for now it doesn't really match the show, but at the time it was written, it did.**

**During writing this, I was trying to find out how you actually _do_ pop in a dislocated knee 'cause curiosity/the need to write accurately overpowered my 'ew' factor, so I watched a video showing a medic popping a guys knee back into place, and... eeeerrrghh... I'm not normally squeamish, but that... blagh. If anyone has actually had to pop in a dislocated knee, or any other joint, my heart goes out to you.**

***If anyone's thinking these sound familiar, most of the quotes are indeed from various Clone Wars, others just from previous chapters.**


	34. Outlet of Rage

**Again... so sorry I haven't updated... but this one's extra long, so can I get a pass? Meh. Doesn't really matter; I've settled back into the flow of things, so chapters should be coming more regularly. Which I think is gonna be necessary after this one... *insert evil laugh***

**Disclaimer: Look people. If I owned such a company as Star Wars, don't you think my name would be all over the Internet? Since it's not, the only logical conclusion we can come to is...? That's right. That I don't own it.**

**If you want more details on anything, not just this chapter but my stories as a whole, don't hesitate to PM me!**

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During the entire fight, alarm bells had been ringing in Kanan's head.

At first, they had been minor ones. _You shouldn't be going up against a guy ten times more powerful than you. You're gonna get yourself killed_. That kind of stuff.

As the fight had progressed, those bells had rung louder, with more concern. _Ezra shouldn't be anywhere near this guy either. He's not strong enough. None of us are strong enough._ Then, his unruly apprentice had to go ahead and jump _straight into_ battle. Granted, it was to protect him and it was probably nothing the kid could have actually controlled, but it still made those bells triple in force.

Then, of course, there had been Vader talking about and to Ezra. Again, alarm bells. But the darn kid hadn't run away to a place _not_ possessing the imminent threat of death or worse. And now, this.

"You see, I was- and am -all that remains of the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker." Vader's hand snaked out, quick as lightning, wrapping a single gloved hand around Ezra's throat before either Kanan or Ahsoka could do anything about it.

"NO!" Was all that Kanan could force out of his mouth. Then, Ahsoka was rammed backwards nearly to the complete opposite end of the hangar, too dazed by Vader's statement to block it. Well, who wouldn't be, really, after what Vader had said?

Kanan. Because he wasn't affected nearly at all by the Sith- ex-Jedi, _whatever_ -said. He was holding his apprentice with a grip enhanced by robotics. That was pretty much the only thing running through his head at the moment, Anakin or Vader be damned. That was his _son_ he was suffocating there.

So it didn't really surprise him all that much that the alarm bells in his head stopped being about the safety of himself and the group and started being about just making Vader _drop Ezra right now_.

"LET HIM GO!" Kanan roared, swinging his lightsaber so fast it was nothing more than a blue blur in the air as he desperately aimed to do some type of damage to the arm hoisting Ezra three feet into the air. Vader blocked everything Kanan threw at him.

Ezra was sputtering; trying to talk and being restricted from the act. Kanan could feel fear roiling off of him, which only made him swing faster, harder, his sense of _getEzraoutofdangerrightnow_ multiplying every time he saw those slowly dimming blue eyes casting a fearful glance his way. From Ezra's scrabbling at Vader's arm, it was obvious the Sith was crushing his windpipes in a grip far stronger than was necessary, one that scared Kanan quite a lot. The human body was a fragile one.

"Such strong attachments for a Jedi, rogue. Aren't you trained to sacrifice such bonds?" Vader was still continuing to taunt him. How _dare_ he... didn't he understand that Kanan would _die_ for the precious life-form he was slowly crushing? Didn't he understand there was almost nothing Kanan wouldn't do to save his Padawan? And he was going to _taunt _him?

"He's _NOT_ a bond I'm willing to give up!" Ezra was looking at him again, his eyes slowly lowering, though Kanan could still see that the mind they belonged to was working behind them. Ezra knew the situation he was in. And from the emotions Kanan was feeling from his Apprentice, he was terrified of it. That terror only increased Kanan's urge, no, need, no- _desperation_ to get the teen out of Vader's gloved grasp.

Kanan poured even more force into his strokes, relying on his raw emotions to power the strikes. It felt good. It gave him an outlet to release his fear. It made him feel like he was doing something instead of hopelessly watching the asphyxiation of his Padawan.

"One again I find you abandoning the teachings of the Jedi Temple. What would your ancient Masters of old say to you now?" Kanan couldn't answer immediately. He was too focused on the way Ezra's eyes were beginning to lose focus, though his anger gave him a response lightening quick.

"They have nothing to do with this; LET HIM GO." But Vader wasn't doing anything of the sort, instead Kanan thought he saw the Sith's grip tighten even more over Ezra's small throat. The way his Padawan was grimacing only made it too clear that was what had happened. Kanan channeled more fear and anger into his blows.

"You'll have to do better than that, rogue. I can feel his neck about to snap." That, Kanan didn't even bother to respond to. He just let out all of his feelings, making them obvious and powering his attacks with them. Ezra was slowly losing speed in his struggling; pretty soon Kanan was sure he'd black out. He channeled that fear as well into his increasingly wild strikes. Kanan wasn't even sure what he would do once Vader-

_No, don't think about that, just focus on getting Ezra out of there-_

Apparently Ezra had been thinking along those same lines as well. With a fluid maneuver that brought Kanan a sense of déjà vu, the teen flung his legs straight up, using his grasp on Vader's arm to do so, and his feet connected with the Sith's head. Vader stumbled; Kanan's eyes went wide and he gasped in short relief as he saw Vader's grip on Ezra's throat loosen.

And before Kanan could act on the situation further, Ezra had used his hold as leverage and pulled himself out of the choke-hold and had commenced dropping onto the floor of the bay.

That was, of course, until Vader once again struck his hand out quick as a snake to wrap itself once again around Ezra's upper left arm. The rest of his body continued with its momentum, but Ezra's arm snapped up into a vertical position with such force Kanan wouldn't have a hard time imagining that it had been popped out of its socket. The quick expression of pain that crossed over Ezra's face- that and the fact his throat wasn't working enough to produce an audible cry -made Kanan once again charge at Vader, a wordless cry tearing from his lips as he tried to distract the Sith enough to get him to drop his apprentice.

He needn't have. Vader used his now less secure grip on Ezra's arm to fling the teen- literally -across to the other side of the hangar, to where he had been fighting the elite 501st members a life-time ago. Kanan could hear the thud Ezra made from here.

"Ezra! Ezra are yo-" Nope. No time to spare his attention on the teen far behind him. Vader was now solely occupied on him; and Kanan _had_ been barreling straight towards the Sith.

"This is why the Jedi prohibited attachments, rogue, didn't you know?" And of course he was still taunting. "That way whenever someone close to them was cast aside they would not be affected." Kanan narrowed his eyes, then immediately widened them as Vader swung his lightsaber down with such speed he very nearly didn't counter it. Vader pressed downwards on the blade with far, _far_ more pressure then he had used before, and Kanan found he was using everything he had just to stop the red blade from pressing its way through his defenses.

"Ezra!" Kanan was leaning backwards slightly in an attempt not to get singed from his own blade, but he still needed that confirmation that his Padawan was alright-

"He will not answer you."

Kanan snarled at Vader, though the effect was ruined by him being forced to lean out of harm's way as the Sith continued pressing down on their two locked blades.

"EZRA! Ezra answer me-" For just a brief second, Kanan tilted his head to the left to try and put Ezra in his sights; getting edgy about the teen's unresponsiveness. What he saw made his breath hitch.

Ezra was slumped over onto his right side, eyes closed and mouth just slightly agape. There was a smear of blood on the wall- multiple smears -that gave Kanan no doubt the kid probably had a concussion. And broken... things. From just his single-second glance, Kanan couldn't tell if he was breathing or not- though his imagination did not hesitate to show him Ezra had not been. Then, Kanan was forced to spend all of his attention on keeping the Sith in front of him at bay.

"As I said: he will not answer you. What else could you have expected? He is but a child, one brought to the battlefield by _you_." That struck a chord somewhere deep inside Kanan. Ezra was too young- far, _far_ too young - for Kanan to let him join in on a mission with stakes so high they breached the atmosphere. And now he was wounded, bleeding, _dying_, because Kanan _had_ taken him. And Kanan couldn't even check if the kid was _alive_ right now, or if he was on the verge of death, or if his wounds were serious, or if he needed medical assistance, or if he'd even live to see tomorrow-

Kanan took that pent of fear and frustration and powered his strokes with it. It made them more powerful. It gave him something to focus on other than that of his wounded Padawan.

"Keep on going down this track, the boy may very well end up dead..." Kanan _growled_, words failing him at that point. Not just because he was too angry to fully form coherent thoughts, either. Ezra dead was a possibility Kanan absolutely refused to entertain, no matter what his imagination and worries showed him.

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Distracted for just a moment, Kanan turned his head to see Ahsoka jump in, wielding her double green lightsabers with a hard look in her eyes that hadn't ben there before. For just a second, Kanan felt a flash of surprise cross over his emotional spectrum- the Togruta had taken the news of her Master rather hardly, as well as her landing. Making herself overcome and physical and or emotional injuries to be able to jump right back into the fight showed enormous strength of will.

But then, that surprise morphed into dark relief. Now he had another fighter on his side, there was even more of a chance to kill Vader, to make him pay for everything he'd done to the Jedi and to Ezra-

"Impressive... Skywalker did teach you to stay on your feet." Ahsoka clashed one blade with the Sith's one, swinging her other lightsaber around the two locked blades in a sneak attack. Vader simply twirled his body and blade out of the lightsaber lock, cloak spinning, and back into the range of Kanan's weapon and his flurry of attacks.

"Kanan, go!" Once again slightly surprised, Kanan looked over at the Togruta, just barely deflecting an oncoming strike from Vader because of the distraction. Not because he was surprised she had talked or anything like that: it was mostly because of her eyes.

There was resolve in them, no doubt, and a little more than a hint of fear. But there was also deep, deep sadness; the likes of which he would have previously assumed would be impossible for the Togruta to show.

But he got over it quickly as Vader once again provided them with no respite from his attacks.

"This Sith scum-"

"Is my responsibility! Ezra is yours!" Ahsoka maneuvered her blades so quickly they were nothing more than blurs, her two green lightsabers wrapping around Vader's red one. Kanan hesitated slightly, his need to just_ hurt_ Vader battling with his need to run to his Padawan now that he had the chance.

Ahsoka's blades were flung out of their holding position, and she was fighting quickly again. She flashed him a quick look.

"GO!"

Kanan saw the need in her eyes. She needed to fight this fight with Vader. Kanan nodded sharply to her, but the tide of battle had already diverted her attention back to the Sith. Now that he wasn't in the fight, Kanan was able to divert his fear, his anger, his desperation, and his frustration into something other than the battle: his speed.

Running away from the battling duo in the center of the hangar, lightsaber held low and to his side, Kanan sped across the hangar, leaping over a slightly smoldering piece of wreckage from the _Phantom_.

_Did the battle really take me that far away from Ezra?_ He swore they had been a lot closer to his Padawan than this... peering through the faint haze of smoke that had drifted over from the _Phantom_'s wreckage, Kanan's heart seemed to stop when he caught the sight of a small orange-jumpsuit-wearing teenager. He was still slumped over, and the blood that Kanan had glimpsed earlier on had started to run down the wall behind him, following the curve that had been created when Ezra had originally slid down the wall. The sight looked sickening.

Kanan's fear mounted in his chest as he came closer to the teen, and there was still no sign of movement. And that fear doubled as he drew closer and closer to the prone body, because either he was moving to fast to take in detail properly, or... or Ezra wasn't breathing.

It occurred to Kanan just how small the teen really looked, when he wasn't bounding around with his seemingly endless energy or hiding his pain from everyone. Unconscious he just looked... frail. Fragile. Like he might break if Kanan touched him.

He really was too young to be living the life-style he was. Far, far too young. But the Empire had decided to butt in on the Galaxy, to ruin their peaceful way of living, to condemn all of the Jedi to death or a life in hiding, to make the denizens of the hundreds of worlds lives living hells, until there had been no other option for Ezra. His choices had been facing mortal peril or starvation on the streets of Lothal. The Empire had driven him into that corner until there had been no alternate path for him to follow. _They_ had been the reason behind their suffering: all of their suffering. It was because of the Empire, the Sith, because of _Anakin_ that they were all forced to live out their lives constantly hiding in the dark, watching their backs, scrounging for credits. If that blasted Skywalker hadn't switched sides, none of them would be here right now. If he had just kept a reign on his loyalties, the pain that had afflicted thousands- millions -of people, that had afflicted the Jedi, the _Ghost_ crew, himself, _Ezra_, would never have harmed any of them. And now, because one man hadn't kept his priorities straight, Ezra was slumped against a metal, blood-smeared wall, unconscious, injured who knew how badly, and-

No time for those thoughts now. He was at Ezra's side, and his fear for the boy replaced his anger at Skywalker and the Empire.

Kanan dove into a crouch, his momentum making it a little harder to stop himself from slamming into Ezra than it should have been. Up close the kid looked worse; his arm (left, of course) _was_ indeed out of its' socket, and was fractured. Since there was a small dent in the metal wall behind him, Kanan had no trouble concluding Ezra's spinal column might be bruised, and he could have a serious concussion. Kanan reached a single arm out, wrapping his left hand gently underneath Ezra's mop of navy hair- which was sticky with blood. His other hand he placed in the center of the kid's chest, applying the slightest of steadying pressure with it as he hoisted Ezra's central torso on top Kanan's legs. It was then that his terror and panic returned with a vengeance. Because for all his observations about the damage done to the kid, there was one crucial factor that Kanan _hadn't_ noticed.

Moving his right hand off of the kids' chest, Kanan pressed two fingers to Ezra's bruised neck, needing to feel a pulse there. At first he thought there was a rushed and sporadic one- until he realized that was just his hand- arm -trembling.

His own breath hitching, Kanan removed his hand and tilted his head horizontally, lowering his right ear on top of Ezra's chest, desperately straining his ears for a beat, some sort of vibration that would signify life-

He waited a second...

And another...

And another...

_No..._

Another...

_He can't be..._

Kanan's eyes widened as another agonizing second passed.

"Ezra?" He called out softly, voice trembling. "Ezra, can you hear me? Ezra?"

Kanan lifted his head, eyes impossibly wide as he stared at the limp head in his grasp. Those vivid blue eyes weren't opening.

"Ezra?" His voice was hardly more than a whisper. But it wouldn't have mattered if he whispered or if he shouted. There was no life-giving breath flowing through the kids' airways.

Ezra's heart wasn't beating.


	35. Not You

**Before this starts- _yes_, I know the cliff-hanger I left you guys on was evil and horrifying and should never be done again, and _yes_, I promise this chapter is not an April Fools joke. I'm not _that_ mean...**

**Now- this one's gonna be a little... different than the others. If there's anyone who's a bit unfamiliar with the Force- this is your big grand lesson on it. Or I'm just going to end up confusing you majorly. I'm not even sure I fully understood what I wrote. But hey, if it's the will of the Force for me to write it, then I shall. :)**

**So now more than ever, if you have ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL, don't hesitate at all to PM me. I'll happily respond to any inquiry.**

**Disclaimer: The only reason the Force has willed me to write this is because direct control over the Star Wars franchise now belongs to Disney. This story wouldn't be possible if I actually _owned_ the franchise, now would it? Heh heh... the Force does indeed work in mysterious ways...**

* * *

His- his heart wasn't- how could that- no, that couldn't- there was no way- NO!

Kanan wasn't seeing anything but that limp, non-moving head, eyes closed, shaking slightly in response to Kanan's hands trembling with- with everything.

Grief. Despair. Anger. Desperation. Guilt. Disbelief.

There was no way the kid was dead. That- no. No, no no no no no no _NO_, there was no way the kid was dead. He couldn't be.

Kanan felt his breath becoming irregular. He didn't much care. His eyes were still locked on Ezra's. They were supposed to be opening. Why wouldn't they _open_, why wouldn't they show those vivid electrifying eyes that had always reminded Kanan of electricity? Of energy? Of _life_? Why weren't they opening?!

_"He took away my entire way of life once. I'm not letting him take you, too."_ That had been what Kanan had said-

So why wasn't Ezra opening his eyes?!

Somewhere deep inside of him, Kanan was aware his heart was breaking. His soul was cracking. The pain was just being numbed by a thick blanket of denial that refused to accept what his mind and senses were telling him to be true. Ezra _couldn't_ be dead... he _couldn't..._

But logic and reason were intruding into that blanket, their voices cold and harsh. Kanan hadn't been strong enough to protect Ezra. He hadn't been strong enough to keep his word, his promise to the teen. He hadn't been able to keep him alive. He had failed him, just as he had failed his Master, his Order, his Republic; just as he had watched them burn and die and smolder into non-existence.

He hadn't been strong enough then. He hadn't been able to save the people he cared about. He had just stood there and watched, doing nothing. He had run. He had left them, running away from them, because he hadn't been able to save them. He hadn't been strong enough to save them.

He hadn't been strong enough to protect the things he loved, despite what training he had undertaken. He hadn't been able to stop his Master from dying. He hadn't been able to stop his Order from burning. He hadn't been able to stop his Republic from being horrifyingly mutilated until it was no longer the government that ruled through peace, but the Empire that held hundreds of systems in an iron grip of fear.

He hadn't been strong enough then, and he hadn't been strong enough now. He hadn't been able to protect his loved ones then, and he hadn't been able to protect his loved ones now. He hadn't been able to protect Ezra. He had failed.

His Master had died. His Order had burned. His Republic had fallen. And now Ezra was dying- was dead-

_no._

It was a tiny, insignificant voice in the dark, back corner of Kanan's mind, so weak that he barely even registered its' presence.

_No._

That voice wasn't born from his refusal to accept what had happened. It wasn't just his numb mind trying to block the pain and grief and despair filtering in. Kanan wasn't just rejecting the circumstances.

_No._

That voice wasn't of disbelief. It wasn't of despair. It wasn't of desperation.

_My loved ones all fell away._

Strangely, Kanan was thinking the clearest, most certain thoughts that he had ever thought in that day; maybe even in the past week or month, maybe even in his entire life.

_I lost everything._

Because through his despair, through his guilt, through his anger, there was one driving emotion- if it could even be called that. More than an emotion, less than an actual coherent thought. There was an almost animalistic _need_ coursing through Kanan's veins: less violent than anger, more powerful than any force that had driven Kanan before.

_I'm not losing you too._

To an outsider, all they would have seen and comprehended was that Kanan had gone eery-still, his eyes still locked on Ezra's unmoving ones. They would have seen his shoulders relax- they would have seen his breathing slow and his trembling stop. Because Kanan's focus was shifting.

_I'm not losing you too._

It wasn't exactly peace that was taking hold over Kanan's body, it wasn't serenity brought on by the Force. It wasn't calm. It wasn't restless. It was just... some sort of peace that stilled all of Kanan's other emotions- no, not stilled them, just sort of muted them. It was the sort of feeling a man only got once in his lifetime; if he ever got it at all.

_I'm_ not _losing you too._

This wasn't an ordinary feeling. This wasn't common. It was foreign to Kanan, in fact. Almost alien. But he had never felt anything stronger in his entire life.

_I couldn't save them. I lost them. But I'm not. Losing. You._

An unstoppable sense of determination was coursing through his veins. The grief, the anger, the guilt, it was all still there- but buried underneath, not allowed to be a distraction. He was resolute in this path. He was not going to let Ezra slip away from him.

_I'm not losing you._

Kanan plunged himself deep into the Force. Not with Jedi serenity, not with Sith violence. He was simply a man diving into the fabric of reality, flitting between the strands of spider-web silk that connected every living life-force in the universe to one another.

Ezra wasn't there.

Kanan would have stopped right there, before. He would have broken. Shut down, just like when he was a Padawan. But there were no emotions- no, there were, but they were secondary. They were distractions- but they were part of him... but he wasn't allowing them to be distractions. Ezra was not in the folds of the living universe. Kanan's determination didn't waver.

_I'm not losing you._

His eyes were still staring at Ezra's, but they were not. He was seeing, but he was not. He was inside the fabric of reality. Everything he saw was artificial; everything he saw was real. His eyes were showing him one thing. The Force was showing him the truth. There was no life inside the body of the child held in his arms.

_I'm not losing you._

Kanan delved deeper; instead of flitting in-between the threads of reality, he pulsed in an endless current of energy- of _life_, so pure it would have taken his breath away. _This_ was the universe. _This_ was what the Jedi of old had fought for, and what the Sith had sought to take control over. Every life-form blended into one massive- there was no word to describe it. Everything came together, their completely unique melodies blending together to create the harmony of life. Kanan felt himself. He felt Ahsoka. He felt Anakin. He felt the Imperials. He felt Hera. He felt Zeb and Sabine. He felt the Rebels. There was no difference in any of them here; they were all alive; Light, Dark, right or wrong made no difference in that. But Kanan did not care. Ezra was not there.

_I'm. Not. Losing. You._

That was when Kanan did what no other Jedi had ever attempted to do before: he _changed_ that current.

_Not you._

He did not accept it the way it was. He did not accept Ezra had been removed from that beautiful, breath-taking ocean of life. He did not care. The Jedi had it trained into them that they were mere instruments that the Force used to carry out its will. The Sith had it taught to them that the Force was the instrument they used to carry out their will. Kanan did neither.

He did not bend to its will, he did not let them take Ezra. He did not bend the Force to his will, he did not work against it. Instead, Kanan did what neither Light or Dark had ever even attempted.

He became, truly, one with the Force.

_Not you._

He felt the life forces of billions upon billions upon trillions of beings. He connected them together. He stepped out of the current and instead looked out upon it. He was not of the Light. He was not of the was of the Force. And he had a mission.

_Not you._

Kanan- no, the mere source of life that called itself Kanan, it's soul -stretched out. Distancing himself from the bright pool that was life. He stepped out- and looked into the shadow beyond life- what mortals called 'death.'

There was energy, here. For there was no death. There was only the Force. Life was nothing more than that- the Force. Fragile flesh and blood bodies could not comprehend that which was life- and neither could they death. There was no death. There was only the journey back into the Force, back into that which _was_ life.

_Not you._

There was a constant stream from 'life' into 'death'. Countless organisms who had left their bodies behind. Countless people; animals; fungi; organisms- they were all leaving the plain they had been 'born' into. And it was into that stream that 'Kanan' dove.

From the outside, he simply stopped. His eyes were closed. His chest did not rise or fall. For all intents and purposes, Kanan Jarrus had become a living statue.

But he felt so much more. He was connected to everything; living energies pulsating and fluctuating like the wind in a thunderstorm; the calm serenity of the life that had gone into death; the turmoil of those passing in-between. And it was there that he found him.

_Ezra._

In this plain of the Force, there was no individualism- life and death and everything between simply intermingled until it could be described as nothing more than a pool of- everything. But, there _was_ individualism- each and every life-force rang with its' own melody. With its' own story, its' own signature. And Kanan had found Ezra's.

He latched on.

And pulled.

_I'm not losing you._

It was harder than anything Kanan had ever done in his life- and at the same time, it was the easiest. Swimming upstream against the very current of life wasn't supposed to be easy. But when you were intertwined with the very fabric of the universe, it was not as impossible a task as words made it seem.

Thousands- millions -of lives lost flowed past him. Kanan did not release his grip on the one person he refused to lose. Ezra was giving no resistance- and neither was he pushing against the current with Kanan. The Force had decided he would be one with the energies of death. Kanan had decided otherwise. And while the two were separate, they were one and the same. There was no way Kanan was letting himself fail the teen.

A warmth began to accumulate. Well- not _really_, there was nothing corporeal to feel in the Force, but Kanan could feel that they were slowly, agonizingly slowly, making their way back into that huge, swirling vortex of energy that was 'life'.

And then Kanan stopped.

No- _he_ hadn't stopped: Ezra had.

They were close enough to crossing the threshold of life that Kanan could feel the shadow of life that had been Ezra, and feel his faint, muddied, veiled, hazed, dim, barely-even-there emotions starting to filter through. They were so weak because just a few seconds ago they had been nothing; when a life-force crossed the boundary from 'life' into 'death,' everything that had made them 'alive' was surrendered up: emotions, senses, awareness, the only thing left that crossed into the higher plane of the Force was just that: the unique Force signature and energy within each and every organism. The only reason Ezra was feeling anything at all- no matter how faintly -was because Kanan was doing it.

_You're not going anywhere but back with me._

That was the only thing going through Kanan's mind, and through it, his will. That was his entire driving force. And he transferred that thought, that feeling, to Ezra: _I'm not losing you._

Kanan pulled again, but Ezra's- energy? soul? will? being? -wasn't budging. The natural current driving the lost living towards the 'dead' was still pulling against them, trying to drag the both of them back the way they had come. It was only because Kanan was so submerged into the _existence_ of the Force that he was able to resist it's pull, and only his grip on Ezra had prevented the teen from following that natural course of life.

Slowly, so slowly, Ezra's dim confusion at not going the correct way to death turned into a sort of- puzzled, soft stubbornness. He was still too far gone to be forming coherent thoughts; but he could feel the direction of the current he was supposed to be following. The fact that he was being pulled against it was just very slightly distressing him, and Kanan could feel him trying to break away from his grasp, just ever so gently.

He couldn't feel Kanan. He didn't feel his resolute determination. He had accepted the path the Force had given out to him, and was completely set on following this path. If Kanan hadn't known better, he'd have said the kid'd given up.

_I'm. NOT. Losing. You._

Kanan could feel Ezra's want to follow the natural current of the Force. And so, just as Kanan could feel him, he let Ezra feel _him._ Without ever releasing his hold, Kanan completely enveloped Ezra, to the point where the current of the dead leaving the living was no longer pulling at him. Kanan became Ezra's shield against that which would take him away.

If they had not both been submerged deep within the Force, it would have been something akin to a tight, emotional hug.

As it was, Kanan simply let everything he was feeling wash out- his grief, despair, anger, desperation, guilt, his disbelief. He conveyed his serenity. His complete and absolute determination.

_You. Are NOT. Going to die, you mean too much to too many people. I lost my everything once; you gave me a chance to forgive myself for that. YOU gave me a second chance. I'm not letting you go._

He poured into his words his deep, strong love for Ezra. The kind that the Jedi had forbidden long ago, but the kind that had inevitably snuck up upon Kanan the longer Ezra been apart of their family. The love that was the entire reason why Kanan would not- _could_ not -let Ezra escape his grasp.

In essence, Kanan opened his entire mind of emotions and feelings up to the teen.

_I won't let you go. I can't._

And... the struggling stopped.

Some part of Ezra had woken up- had been revived, really. Ezra was still not alive. But neither was he dead. He was in-between; some species called it limbo. To Kanan, it was the half-way there point.

Because now, all he had to do was drag Ezra back into the light- back into the living, where he belonged, where those eyes would once again open to see the world, where Kanan would protect him with his own life-

_I'm not losing you. Not you._

Kanan pulled.

And he pulled.

He was one with the Force- but he was also himself. There was still resistance. A dead man should not be brought back to the living- it was against the natural way of things. But Kanan didn't care. He didn't care about anything except bringing the boy held in his corporeal arms- real and of the Force -back into the waking world.

_Come on, Ezra. Come back to me. I need you._

Ezra responded by nothing more than a half-hearted attempt to follow where Kanan was trying to lead him to- he was coming back. Slowly, he was regaining everything that he had lost as he travelled down the Force. The closer Kanan pulled him back towards life, the more of himself he got back.

Ezra was coming back. Kanan was leading him there.

_I'm not losing you._

Ezra was moving with him. It was slow- moving against where the very Force wanted him to move was not meant to be easy. Neither was it going to be easy when he was still trying to regain parts of who he was.

But, what Kanan was doing was supposed to be impossible, so it didn't really matter.

_I'm not losing you._

_... I'm... not... leaving..._

_Ezra._

_...Kanan._

They breached the barrier.

Once again, the energy of pure _life_ swirled in and around Kanan; the life-forces of the entire Galaxy merged and combined into one huge pool of _everything_.

And Ezra was back in it.


	36. Coming Back

**And now, the entire last chapter once again, from Ezra's view. Only a little less, 'cuz, you know... he was _dead_. Not much to see or do when you're dead. Ah, but these two chapters make my head spin with giddiness.. Now I only need something better than this in the actual show, and I can die in peace.**

**And then come back, because Rebels is too awesome for me to be leaving it alone. :p**

**Disclaimer: As stated above, I NEED something like this chapter and the last in Rebels. Since there's not, we can safely assume I don't own it.**

**But seriously though, if Disney doesn't keep on going with the Kanan-Ezra/father-son relationship, something drastic is going to happen.**

**If you want more details on anything, not just this chapter but my stories as a whole, don't hesitate to PM me!**

* * *

It was as he had already slid into unconsciousness that Ezra realized, in some back portion of his now sluggish brain, that he was about to die.

As Spectre 6 of the _Ghost_ crew, he'd faced life-or-death situations before, so the feeling should be familiar; but it wasn't. This wasn't a life-OR-death situation... this time, Ezra could actually feel he was, as some species called it, 'on death's doormat.' It was an odd feeling. He'd thought it would have come with a lot more fear and drama.

He wasn't really scared, though. He wasn't really feeling anything, to be honest. It was kind of impossible.

Still, just before he faded from the universe, Ezra couldn't help but feeling the slightest bit of regret. Kana was still out there. So was Ahsoka, and Vader. So were Hera, and Zeb, and Sabine. They were all fighting for their lives right now, and Ezra was just going to leave them...

But there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. After all, no one had the power to stop death. All Ezra could do was... fade away...

He was unconscious in the first place, so he couldn't feel the aches, burns, stings, and simple pain fade away, but there was a sense of peace that stole over him as his awareness faded from the galaxy. It was a nice, serene, empty feeling, as though nothing would ever bother him again...

...

...

...

...

...

Something stopped him.

In the nothingness of death, Ezra couldn't feel anything, but he recognized- dimly -that he was stopped.

No-now he was moving again.

The _wrong_ way.

He was moving back towards the living, his consciousness slowly returning the further he went. Slowly, he had gathered enough of his sense to understand he wasn't moving against the current o his own; instead, he was being _pulled _off of that something.

That fact circulated through him for a few moments before the implication of that came to him; along with a faint, pale imitation of what before-hand would have been confusion.

He was supposed to be dying, he was supposed to be _dead_. He was supposed to be heading away from that which was life, and into the next plane of existence of the Force. He wasn't supposed to be going _**back**_.

Ezra stopped following whatever was tugging at him. He felt the current all around him, sucking at him, trying to sweep him down the path he was supposed to follow. He was supposed to _join_ that flow, not swim back up against it.

They stopped- but the grip on his 'soul' did not release.

Something foreign pushed against Ezra. It wasn't bad, it wasn't anything trying to take control or morph him into anything else, it was just... something not his own. Well, maybe it was his own, and it was just trying to get back into him as he had gotten closer and closer to 'life.' Or it could be from that which was trying to take him back.

Either way, Ezra didn't budge. Whatever was trying to move him was going against the current, against the will of the Force. He might not have trained to be a Jedi for a while- he might not even _remember_ most of that at this point -but going against the Force just felt... wrong. Ezra didn't move.

He had to follow the current- whatever was pulling him away was _not_ supposed to be doing so. Faintly, Ezra tried pulling away, he tried to slip away into the current that he was supposed to be following.

And all of a sudden, that current wasn't there.

Instead, something warm and firm swallowed him up: something that triggered a long forgotten memory that Ezra couldn't even picture. He just knew it reminded him of something... happy.

That one pure emotion might have been what opened the dam- because suddenly, he was feeling four times as many things: grief, anger, desperation, guilt, disbelief, peace, and a sense of determination so strong, Ezra wouldn't have even been able to describe it if his mind had been fully together. Oh, wait; those weren't his-

_You. Are NOT. Going to die, you mean too much to too many people. I lost my everything once; you gave me a chance to forgive myself for that. YOU gave me a second chance. I'm not letting you go._

It wasn't one of his own thoughts. He barely even understood the words. But he could feel the conviction behind them, the knowledge that whoever had thought this was also the one pulling him out of the current came to him in a flash. And then the identity came to him.

Not because of context clues or an accent or the sound of a voice- such things were impossible in the Force. But Ezra could feel love- such strong, deep, emotional love, it would have completely incapacitated him in the real world. With that feeling coursing through him, Ezra knew that the man behind the force pulling him was absolutely resolute in his task, that no force in the universe- in the very Force itself -would stop him.

_I won't let you go. I can't._ Kanan said, though he didn't say anything at all. Ezra just felt it; he knew Kanan had sent it.

And he stopped trying to flow with the current.

He could still feel it trying to take him away, back down the path he was supposed to follow- but he also felt Kanan. How strong his conviction was that Ezra was going to come back. He felt his love, and Ezra knew there was nothing that could stop his Master from acting out on it.

Something woke up inside of him. Some part of him that had been aching in his heart for a very, very long time- since before he had met Kanan and the _Ghost_ crew, since his parents had died. It had been so long ago Ezra had very nearly forgotten what it felt like.

And that feeling was what made him stop struggling, what made him use the awareness he was slowly regaining to follow Kanan.

_Come on, Ezra. Come back to me. I need you._

Ezra tried to move. And he did, though it was frustratingly slow, and it felt as though he was going nowhere. Ezra kept on pushing, following Kanan. Following him back through to the light.

_I'm not losing you._

Ezra kept moving. Even if he was hardly making any progress at all, Kanan was there, pulling him closer and closer back to life. It was all Ezra could do to just make the attempt; but that didn't matter. Kanan was there. He was supporting Ezra. Refusing to let him go.

_I'm not losing you._

_... I'm... not... leaving..._

_Ezra._ His 'voice' was calm. Tranquil. His soul was jubilant. Rejoicing.

_...Kanan._

They breached the barrier.

* * *

Everything came flooding back- the pain, the hurt, yes, but also the awareness, the emotions, the sense of being able to _feel_. Ezra felt cold and hot all over. He felt a throbbing pain in the back of his head, in his arms, in his chest, in his back. But he wouldn't have changed anything about this moment at all.

Because through all the pain and what-have-you, Ezra felt Kanan holding him close. Yes- his fingers were sticky with his own blood. Yes- they were both hurting. But _yes_, they were both still alive. They were both still together. Kanan had brought Ezra back to him; he hadn't let them fall apart.

Which was why, when Ezra Bridger opened his electrifying blue eyes, for the first time in almost ten years, they were shining with tears of emotion.

Not sadness, not fear, but not happiness, not jubilation. Just- gratitude, that he was here. Alive. With Kanan.

Because Ezra remembered that memory which had come to him when Kanan had enveloped him. The one thing that had by all intents and purposes let Ezra see into the head of his Master was a memory, faint and half-forgotten, of his father hugging him tightly.

That feeling had been the knowledge that he had a family. That their bonds were so tight; even death couldn't pull them apart.

And Ezra found himself waking from death in the strong, warm, comforting arms of the one man who had shown him that family.

As he woke up, Ezra found himself being pressed tightly into Kanan's chest. And he was pressing back, gasping from just the pure amount of emotions surging through him. He was shaking. He was crying. So was Kanan.

Because Kanan would never let him go.


	37. Coming to Terms

**And I'm back! Sorry this took so long, but in my defense, it _is_ nearly twice as long as my regular chapters. Can I just say, writing close quarter lightsaber fighting is _hard?!_ So many limbs, so many weapons... and there are only so many variations on saying 'sliced.' Ah well. This should still be enjoyable, and I HOPE it is, because I rather enjoyed writing it.**

**Also: thank you, Guest 'Ashley B.,' for inquiring about my school's testing. We won't actually know our grades till later on in the month, but the gesture is very much so appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: After seeing what it takes to create an actual realistic lightsaber fight, I'm perfectly fine with saying Rebels belongs to Disney. Too much work.**

* * *

"GO!"

Without needing further encouragement, Kanan took off, sprinting towards the direction where Ezra had been flung. Ahsoka would have sighed a private sigh of relief that, for now at least, Kanan wasn't indulging himself by relying on the Dark.

Of course, having a moment of private satisfaction while fighting against a dangerous Sith Lord who knew how you fought was just not possible. Nor was it advisable.

Because, of course Anakin knew how she fought. He had taught her how to, after all. Sure, she'd learned the basics of lightsaber combat while training as a youngling, but it was always the Master that trained how to wield the blade, and the various forms of lightsaber fighting techniques that there were, and which one suited which occasion, and other such details.

Ahsoka still remembered the look of incredulity Anakin had had on his face when Ahsoka showed a liking to wielding her blades backwards, in reverse Shien form as opposed to the normal way of handling the blade. He had been surprised at first, most definitely, then chuckled and made some joke about thinking and fighting backwards. She didn't remember the exact words he had said. She wished she did. Because there would never be another moment of harmless jibing at one another.

Now, they were fighting against each other, using their extensive knowledge of one another against them.

"Tell me, Ahsoka, how did you feel when the Order fell? When the same band of lazy monks that forced you into exile was finally dealt justice?" Ahsoka's eyes narrowed, and she slide back a couple paces after just barely blocking a stroke of his blade. She was still shaken, and she had no doubt it was only because fighting had been ingrained into her that her limbs were still moving.

"The Jedi Council never forced me anywhere, you know that. I left of my own accord." Her voice was flat, controlled. It betrayed nothing of what she was feeling inside.

"Because they refused to believe you. If they had not been so quick to doubt you, you would have stayed with them. You know it in your heart." Ahsoka sprang back at Anakin, moving her lightsabers quickly. But of course, he blocked them both. She wasn't exactly on the top of her game at the moment.

"And done what? Lived a happy life for the rest of my days? You and the Emperor made that fantasy an impossibility for thousands of the Jedi. I would have fared no better than they if I hadn't left." Ahsoka's voice softened, but just barely as their battle continued on. "Why did you betray them? They were your family as much as they were mine."

If Anakin could have growled, Ahsoka was sure that had been what had come out of the voice-processing unit attached to his helmet.

"My _family_ was destroyed because of the Jedi. It is because they did not see reason and refused to stray from their out-dated ideals that I had to eradicate them."

Ahsoka crossed her arms so they were parallel to one another, her lightsabers held in two defensive green lines in front of her chest. "Your _family_? The Jedi Order WAS your family!"

Anakin shook his head, straightening up all the way and holding his lightsaber out to his side. "No, Ahsoka. The Jedi Order _forbade_ my family. They viewed it as something to be outlawed, banned. And because they would not change their way of life, everyone I loved and would have loved died."

Ahsoka's forehead creased into a slight frown, though she did not lower her guard in the moment of stillness. "Everyone you loved? Who else besides the Jedi could you hav-" Her eyes widened as the answer to her own question came to her. "Padmé..."

Vader lunged.

Though her body and limbs were thrown back into the fight, Ahsoka's mind reeled, processing this new and un-expected development.

Yes, now that she looked back on all the times she had spent with the Senator from Naboo, Ahsoka could see the evidence fitting together. Whenever they were together with one another, they was always something off about how one or the other had behaved. Anakin had always gotten _very_ much so emotional whenever she had been put into danger, something Ahsoka had noted over the years. Well, Padmé could get very feisty when Anakin was in danger as well... Now, after all these years, Ahsoka couldn't believe she hadn't seen it sooner.

"Yes, of course... you loved Padmé, didn't you?" Ahsoka might very well have been decapitated if it hadn't been for her quick backwards duck.

"_Loved_ her? She was my _everything_!" For just a single moment, Ahsoka was looking at an expression of pain on Anakin's face rather than the expressionless black mask in front of her.

But that image faded fast as Ahsoka was pushed into purely defensive mode. Anakin- no, this was just his anger now, this was Vader -was taking strength from anger as he brought up the past. Just like Kanan before-hand, he was using his rage to power his strokes- but with one, major difference. _Kanan_'s fighting style had been like _Anakin_'s, to block out emotions during a fight. But _Vader_ had been trained to feed on those emotions. While Kanan had been spiraling out of control, Vader was now climbing further and further into his area of strength, to his peak of power.

That didn't bode good, for any of them.

"So you killed everyone?!" Ahsoka leaned backwards, using both of her blades in her best attempt to block the single downwards swipe the Sith sent at her.

"The Jedi turned against the Republic! They were going to kill the Chancellor; take away Padmé's only chance of living!"

Ahsoka could barely catch Vader's multitudes of attacks, even though she had twice as many lightsabers as he did. A brief expression of panic flashed across Ahsoka's face as she struggled to keep an eye on his blade, which seemed to be everywhere. But she couldn't stop talking. She had to understand _why_ Anakin had turned into Vader, no matter how rash getting that information might be.

"Anakin, Padmé is dead! The Jedi had nothing to with it, she died on Mustafar!" Ahsoka remembered that. She remembered how devastated she had been when the news of the Senator's death had come to her, though at the time everyone she had _ever_ been friends with had been falling away at the time. Padmé had just added a sting to the pain of losing her everything, but she had been a powerful sting. The Senator had been one of her closest friends, despite their age difference.

"Nothing to do with it?! It was because of Obi-Wan and the others she turned against me, it was their fault she died! It was their fault my family was destroyed."

Ahsoka had rarely seen Anakin go out of control, and whenever she had it had been genuinely scary to see. But seeing _Vader_ lose control was _terrifying_. Sure, there was no facial expression to judge by, but that somehow made it even worse, because even though the mask showed no emotion, the anger and wildness was still coming through. But that didn't matter much to Ahsoka, because something had clicked in the the back of her brain.

His _family_. As in more than one member.

"_...everyone I loved and_ would have _loved died_."

Ahsoka's eyes widened. Her mouth opened in an 'o' of shock. Her arms would have dropped had they not been otherwise engaged.

"She was going to give birth, wasn't she?" Ahoka's voice was soft, shaking slightly. Vader's roar seemed to fill the entire bay, and Ahsoka was forced to back-flip several times just in order to get out of the vicinity of his lightsaber as he charged.

Vader threw his palm outwards, and Ahsoka was sent skidding backwards, away from the wreckage of the _Phantom_. But the Togruta dug both of her lightsabers into the metal floor, and she did not fly as far as Vader had intended, instead coming to a stop nearly ten meters away from the Sith. There was pain in her eyes as she looked at what her Master's love had morphed him into.

"She was going to die. But the Jedi did nothing, only the Emperor would have helped her." Vader was striding towards her, not rushing, but with speed and purpose. "And then they were going to kill him. They were going to kill the only man who could have saved her. What choice did I have!?"

He closed the distance between them, and delivered a vicious downwards blow that made Ahsoka's sprained wrist throb very much painfully, but it was either grit through that or die.

"You didn't have to commit genocide! That should never have been the solution to any-"

"_Solution!?_ There was never any solution! There was only pain or my family! And everything was still taken away from me!" Anakin jabbed his lightsaber at her left shoulder, making Ahsoka duck downwards and to her right as she moved both of her blades at different targets. The one in her left hand shot out to meet his red lightsaber, preventing any downwards stroke that would have sliced right through her, and Ahsoka's right blade she swung towards Vader's mid-riff, trying to land a blow that would at least slow the Sith down.

Instead, Anakin leapt, jumping up and forwards, using the place where his blade pressed on top of hers as his fulcrum of movement (**no pun intended**). Ahsoka spun around, coming to face him just as he landed and struck out once more.

"Even you left me!" There was anger filtering through his voice-processor. A lot of it. Ahsoka stood her ground, panting slightly in response to the excess of movement blocking Vader's strikes had caused.

"I never wanted to leave YOU!" Ahsoka could feel her emotions welling up inside of her, threatening to burst out. But she was too much in control to let that happen, and so there was barely a tremor in her voice as she spoke. "You were the one reason I always doubted my decision! I left the Jedi because they weren't who I thought they were; but I never _ever_ wanted to leave you! I thought you _died_, I thought you _all died_, and I could never forgive myself for leaving you because of it!"

"Then why are you fighting? If you never wanted to leave my side, why are you fighting? Because the Jedi turned everyone who was close to me against me!" Ahsoka stood up, completely straight, slightly turned to the right, both blades hanging down. Her eyes stared straight into the view-ports of Vader's mask, and they stood there for just a second.

"No. I would never turn against Sky-guy, and I never have." Ahsoka lifted her chin just slightly and narrowed her eyes. "But he died on Mustafar." Her voice was shaking just slightly. "The Anakin that I knew and loved is gone. The only thing left is this mass of hatred that calls itself Vader." He straightened as well.

"Then you have sealed your fate against me." Ahsoka's eyes softened for just a moment in sadness and pain. Anakin was dead. The only thing left was Vader. Her Master was good and truly gone, and Ahsoka doubted whether anything could ever bring him back to the Light. But Ahsoka had to accept that for now. A break-down could come later. Now was the time to fight until they could run.

And she sprang towards him.

Her limbs were obeying her now. There was no hesitation, no trembling, no reluctance any more. She was not fighting Anakin. She was fighting the monster that had replaced him. Fighting against the anger that had overcome him. This she was okay with.

Ahsoka moved in faster than any non-Force sensitive could hope to achieve, ducking low and feinting to her left. Her left lightsaber cut out in front of her, aiming towards Vader's legs, but then she moved out of the feint and sprang up and diagonal to her right, so that her slash now came in close to the nest of mechanisms on the center of Vader's chest.

The Sith took a step backwards, getting out of the range of her attack, and sliced towards her unguarded legs- only to be met with her second blade, pulled up behind her in a defensive position. Because while he knew how _she_ fought, she also knew how _he_ fought.

Landing once more in a crouch, Ahsoka immediately jumped up again as she hopped over the low sweep Vader had sent out, batting his red lightsaber away with her right blade and moving in for another air-borne attack with her left. The Sith simply twirled out of her range, holding his lightsaber out in a defensive position.

Vader in a defensive position was a really odd thing to see.

Ahsoka landed, stilled, and watched Vader with unwavering eyes. The Sith held his blade outwards and to his right, seemingly relaxed. He made for a tempting target- to anyone who wasn't Ahsoka. Instead, she once again raised her lightsabers up horizontally parallel to one another, so that her sight was rimmed by glowing green on the top and bottom of her visual spectrum, Vader standing in the middle.

They stood there for a few moments, until Vader made the first move by jumping straight at her unexpectedly. His lightsaber was pointed directly in-between her two blades, towards her face.

Ahsoka knew better than to fall for the feint, and was rewarded for her awareness with a successful block at a strike that would have taken off her right leg from the knee down.

Ahsoka sprang upwards, going for the unexpected. And it must have been unexpected, because her feet successfully touched down on the top of Vader's helmet without being sliced off.

But she did not make some futile kick or other move that would progress them nowhere in the fight. Instead, Ahsoka leapt forwards once more, to Vader's backside, trailing both her lightsabers low to her sides, where they were sure to hit his shoulders.

She landed on the floor, turned around, and the corner of her mouth twitched in satisfaction as she saw the rut her left blade had left in the Sith's right shoulder. It wasn't serious, and the limb was in absolutely _no_ danger of falling off, but it would be enough to hamper his movement.

Which, when going up against Vader, was about as good as you were going to get.

Vader turned his helmet to the left, his back still facing Ahsoka while he looked at her through the corner of his eye. Again, she knew better than to take the bait. She waited once more, crouched low on the floor, until she realized that Vader wasn't trying to bait her.

Instead, he was fiddling with the controls on his chest.

_His limbs were severely damaged by the lava- he must rely on his electronics to move them as fast as he can. That stroke must have come close to damaging that system-_ she had no more time to think before he had finished and once again leapt at her, closing the distance in a frighteningly little amount of time.

Ahsoka let her body move on auto-pilot while her eyes made a quick up and down search over Vader's body, searching for any more potential weak spots.

_Legs, arms, extremities, maybe a few sections on his back, definitely the center chest-_

Her moment of distraction was dearly payed for.

A white hot pain spread stabbed through her upper left leg as her defenses slipped, causing Ahsoka to release a loud cry of pain. Quickly, she crossed her lightsabers in an 'x' in front of her, around the red lightsaber piercing through her quadricep. With a quick scooping motion that lasted barely longer than a phemto-second, Vader's red lightsaber was quickly removed from her leg as Ahsoka sprang backwards using her right leg. She landed heavily, off-balanced, and only a few feet away from her original position.

Vader's attack had dug his blade through her leg, and pain lanced through it even while she was not using it. There was no blood, because a lightsaber automatically cauterized any wound it made, but it _w__as_ smoking very gently. The flesh around it was burnt and black, Ahsoka could feel the slightly crusty dead skin crinkling already. Oh, and her muscle had a big hole in it. That was probably the most major thing to assess here. Just maybe.

And then Vader was on her again. She almost didn't even block him in time, the pain off-balanced her so. Because, yeah, getting stabbed in the leg _hurt_. And it did so especially when it was used to being completely operable while in battle.

"Your strength is failing you." It was the first few words either had spoken in a minute or two; the sudden reintroduction of language took her a second to readjust to.

"Lucky I don't give up."

Ahsoka raised both lightsabers above her as she blocked a sweeping downwards swipe that would have cut her in half. In the brief second that their weapons hung in the air, Ahsoka kicked off the ground with her right leg once more, adding downwards pressure to force Vader's lightsaber back towards the top of his head as she did so. The Sith tilted his head to the left, nearly avoiding being skewered by his own blade.

Ahsoka landed farther away from him than she had last time, which was good; while injured, distance was your best ally in a fight. Though as she landed, another jolt of pain racketed up through her leg, and Ahsoka knew if she tried any leg-stunts fancier than kicks, she'd most likely black out from the pain.

Which, as one might expect, made Ahsoka _really_ hate the situation she was in as Vader once again charged at her.

Keeping her left leg bent an still, Ahsoka sprang to her right, landing on one foot, then jumping straight over the air and over the Sith as he pivoted to face her. She dangled one of her lightsabers down low, going for yet another over-head strike, and wasn't all that surprised when he blocked it.

She landed just behind him, but she knew better than to try and strike him while his back was turned. Because a single moment later, his back _wasn't_ turned anymore, and his lightsaber whooshed through the space she had just been occupying moments before.

Ahsoka was panting now. Hard. Living on nothing more than nuts and berries and the occasional animal on Yavin 4 for nearly a year hadn't done wonders for her physic. Sure, the running had helped keep her in shape- but the malnutrition really hadn't helped. That and now she was injured, going against one of the most powerful men in the galaxy, and generally everything that described a situation even the chanciest of gamblers wouldn't bet on.

"You are going to die here, alone." It was just a little freaky that he had gone completely calm. Just a few minutes ago he had been raging- only now, Ahsoka gathered that he had compressed that rage and hidden it under the surface, letting it stew. The icy cold, calculating look and feel his mask and behavior gave him was as effective a weapon as any lightsaber, one that she had no doubt had worked on countless opponents before.

"One thing I learned was to never expect my death, Vader. It only leads to doubts." Her voice could also be calm and still, collected and tranquil. Though the effect was slightly ruined by the glaze of pain in her eyes and the tightness of her mouth, not to mention her obvious change in movement as she favored her right leg above all other movement.

And though she was not planning on dying any time soon, there were still doubts swirling through her head. No matter the amount of stubbornness or recklessness she had shown before, Ahsoka was still a calculated fight- _most_ of the time. In this particular fight, she knew deep in her core that it would not end well for her.

Still, though. Retreat was not an option. Dying was not an option. Surrender was not an option. Even _winning_ wasn't an option; that was pretty much impossible. The only thing she _could_ do was keep on fighting until another option presented itself to her.

Though with her leg and exhaustion hampering her movement and fighting maneuvers, the more sensible part of Ahsoka's mind reasoned that it wouldn't be long before she couldn't fight any more.

The rest of her... _headstrong_ brain refused to even admit that was a possibility.

Ahsoka reached down with her right hand and planted it firmly on the ground, lightsaber held in the very tips of her fingers while her left raised in a defensive horizontal position. Vader stood still, and they both looked one another in the eyes.

A split second later, both of them had sprang into action.

Ahsoka used her hand as a springboard, throwing all of her weight on it as she sprang upwards into the air, preforming a low backflip that carried her just over Vader, who had bolted straight towards her. No- he had veered to his right, and his lightsaber was extended outwards to try and hit her while she was in air-

Her left blade flashed out, just barely saving her back from having a new and unwanted red-hot piercing.

But the unexpected movement caught her off guard, and she landed awkwardly. Trying to regain her balance, Ahsoka had to hop away again when Vader continued his pursuit. One of the benefits of having a robotically enhanced suit was... it robotically enhanced everything. Speed, endurance, strength, and defenses.

Unfortunately for Ahsoka, she was _not_ currently in possession of such a robotic suit to aid her every move.

The jolt of her landing sent a colossal wave of pain through her leg; enough so that even with all of her training, Ahsoka stumbled. Her left leg collapsed, unable to keep up with the movements required of it, and Ahsoka crumpled onto the floor instead of landing in a low crouch.

And the next second, there was a red blade positioned just centimeters from her neck. If she even attempted to bat it away or to even move- which her leg was making an impossibility -Vader would strike her down before her attempts even made it past the planning stage. She could only stay stock-still while the Sith before her gloated.

"Doubts or no doubt, death will still come for you, Tano."

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes and lifted her head slightly in defiance. "I don't fear death, Vader. It is only the Sith that do."

"Then you are a fool, and you shall have the same end as one." Ahsoka's gaze did not waver, and there was no last minute regrets about anything. Her life did not flash before her eyes. She did not feel fear, because to a Jedi, there was no fear of death. She may have left the Temple, but the teachings of the Jedi had been her life. They were not easily discarded.

Vader's lightsaber flashed-

Away from her.

Because, as she learned immediately after rolling away from Vader and to her right, a very odd function of a lightsaber- _shooting_, of all things -had just been used to great effect at distracting Vader by none other than Kanan Jarrus behind them.

* * *

**Does anyone else secretly hope inside of them that Ahsoka would actually bring up Padmé while fighting Vader? Seriously, I need this in the show.**

**Don't worry too much about the next chapter, it should have a much shorter uploading time that this one. At least I very much hope so. :P**


	38. Blank Conflict

**Okay. This time, I'm not gonna bother drowning you all in sorrys and apologies (rest assured though, I DO feel guilty and horrible for not updating), and all I'm gonna say is that life can sometimes get in you way. And government testing. And a whole bunch of other schoolwork... But anyways. I'm hoping my schedule will be back to normal though (I seem to be saying this a lot, but it never actually happens), but I wouldn't count on it. My drama group is performing our plays on May 8th, and in the days until then we're staying at school until 6 every day. So chapters are probably gonna be a little slow in coming _again_, but at least this time you got a warning.**

**Dat season 2 trailer dough!**

**Disclaimer: I don't think Disney freaked out as much as I did when the trailer came out, cuz, you know,they made it...**

* * *

Ezra hadn't wanted Kanan to leave. Not in the slightest. He had just wanted to stay there, curled up in his Master's warm hold, oblivious to the rest of the world. Kanan had just brought him back from the dead- the _dead_ -and all Ezra wanted to do was to sit there in numb disbelief until he could completely comprehend exactly what that meant. He wanted to stay in this warm and fuzzy, comforting hold, to ignore the pain from his body and just lie there.

But, of course, Ezra rarely got what he wanted.

Not because of some cruel twist of fate or anything dramatic like that, mostly just because he'd lived on his own for so long that Ezra had it ingrained in him like a second personality to get the surrounding chaos handled before indulging himself in any sort of self-comfort.

That and the pain from his limbs and torso hadn't gone away. Ezra might've just been resurrected, but that didn't mean his injuries were miraculously healed.

His left arm throbbed. His head pounded. His throat was aching, inside and out. Bruises were blossoming on his back like parasitic flowers, and Ezra could feel at least half of his bones screaming out in protest, even without movement. All in all, he was worse for wear than he'd ever been in a long time.

But he hadn't stayed alive by learning to baby himself. First came the surroundings. You deal with everything around you, and _then _you're allowed to worry about injuries. It's no good tending a wound in the middle of a fire-fight.

And if Ezra stopped to indulge his childish wants for comfort, they would _all_ be hurting like him, and most probably all die if they didn't get a move on things.

Both Kanan and Ezra were still shaking when Ezra managed to choke out:

"Ahsoka. You have t- help her." Damn it. Apparently whenever he needed to say something important, some kindly Dark-side user had already horribly mutilated it. He could barely even cough out the words. Like Master like Apprentice, he guessed.

Evidently, Kanan had not been prepared to respond to words that quickly- well, he probably figured Ezra would say something along the lines of: 'Oh my gosh I'm alive now, thanks'. And that would have been the case- if Ezra had been stupid, or if they weren't currently in a fight for their lives.

Ha- that phrase seemed sort of obsolete, now.

But no matter that Kanan had brought him back from the dead; for now, Ezra could only be grateful that he had been given a second chance, and pray he wouldn't be so careless as to die again. And that neither Kanan or Ahsoka would, either. Miracles could only go so far.

"I can't- Ezra you-" Even with a fully functional throat, Kanan seemed to be having as much trouble with words as Ezra was. Knowing that he'd probably have to kick Kanan into gear, Ezra shifted- painfully - in an attempt to get out of the warm hold he so desperately wanted to stay in.

"Hold off- on the sappy stuff till we're home." Ezra hated how pathetic his voice sounded right now. Scratchy and coughing, it was undoubtedly making it harder for Kanan to relinquish his hold.

"You-"

"Go! Ahsoka- needs help, and I can't deliver! Go!"

Kanan breathed in deeply, pressing his right hand against Ezra's cheek as he increased the pressure of his grasp just slightly for a second, mimicking a hug. Ezra did not struggle against it.

"Don't do anything stupid." Kanan said as he pulled away, gently leaning Ezra up into a sitting position against the wall. Ezra flashed him a pained, cocky grin.

"What, like bring back the dead?" Kanan just pressed his forehead against Ezra's, forcing a smile onto his face.

"Don't let me lose you again." That, Ezra had no response to. He simply nodded, swallowing thickly as both of their heads moved. And then Kanan was gone, running towards Vader and Ahsoka, who did indeed need help. Considering her opponent, Ezra wasn't surprised.

Ezra saw Kanan collect his lightsaber hybrid from the floor where Vader had knocked it out of his hand, and Ezra grimaced as his neck throbbed in painful recollection. He was panting. Whether that was from pain or just his body's response to being alive again he didn't know. And Ezra had a feeling he would _never_ know how Kanan had managed to bring him back, not truly anyways. He was more than grateful and shocked, to say the least, that it had happened at all, and he had a feeling Kanan didn't much know exactly how it had happened either.

Ezra screwed his eyes shut as a bout of pain swept through his arm and spine; he grasped at the middle of his dislocated upper left arm with his right almost subconsciously in a futile attempt to block out some of the pain that was drowning out his other senses. When they got back, Hera was going to throw an absolute _fit_ over all of them. If they got back.

Wrenching his eyes back open, Ezra saw Kanan was taking on Vader alone; Ahsoka was a little ways away, cradling her left leg as though it were injured. He wasn't afraid for his Master- well, other than for his life, anyways. Ezra wasn't afraid of Kanan losing control again, though. The miracle he had somehow performed had ground him back into reality, and with Ezra safely out of danger- immediate danger -Ezra knew Kanan would stay in the Light. That didn't mean Ezra wouldn't be giving a lecture to his Master later on, though, even if it was supposed to be the other way around. Again, though, _if_ they got out alive.

His bones screamed out at him again, and it was all Ezra could do to keep himself from curling into a ball. _Definitely fractured my arm, a few ribs, and probably some of my spinal column._ He smiled grimly. _At least I'm not paralyzed._ Though with the amount of trouble he was having just enduring being still pretty much told him he wouldn't be moving anywhere quickly without serious repercussions. _If we have to make a quick exit I'm screwed. Ha- we're all screwed as it is, if we continue on like this._

A tremor wracked Ezra's body and limbs as a cough died before it could surface from his throat. Ezra realized he couldn't take a proper deep breath. At first he just assumed it was because of the current condition of his throat, but underneath the shaking rasp, Ezra could feel a kind of wet gurgle bubbling up.

_Damn, that's a punctured lung, isn't it._ Ezra leaned his head back against the wall, aware that he most likely had a concussion as well. Well, with the amount of force he'd been flung with, he would be shocked if he didn't.

_Come on, can't a guy get a break around here?_ Ezra looked up again, seeing Kanan performing an _extremely_ complex fighting maneuver, only to be yet again blocked by his Sith opponent.

_Although I guess a break would mean our luck's being spent on something other than just surviving._ He watched Kanan battle through pain-glazed eyes, silently hoping and praying that they'd all make it out alive.

_Please._

* * *

Over the fifteen years that Vader had been weeding out the Jedi, there had hardly ever been an incident which had actually surprised him. He was smart- cunning, ruthless, and he knew how his enemies thought. Such a combination did not make for someone easily caught off guard; by much of anything.

So, no, he was not shocked that the rogue had reentered the fight, or that he had come in the nick of time to prevent Tano from being beheaded, or even that he wasn't showing any more signs of letting the Dark consume him. While not being the most expected results of the fight, they were still an acceptable and predictable outcome, and most definitely not outside the realm of possibility.

What _was_ was that the Bridger child was alive.

Vader had felt the boy die himself. It had been just after Tano had jumped in and the rogue had gone running that his life-signature had faded from the universe, and Vader had felt a detached pleasure that the Jedi would experience a small amount of the extreme pain _he_ had gone through when everyone close to him had been forcibly wrenched away.

But... the boy hadn't... stayed... dead...

He had only noticed it now, when the rogue had just barely spared Tano from a quick death. The Jedi had shown no signs of pain or distraught, and Vader had felt no seething anger or drowning despair emanating from him. In fact, there had been nothing stemming from him.

Not just that there were none of the major emotions- there had truly been _nothing_. That had been when Vader cast out his awareness, to see if the man had just simply been concealing his signature- and instead, felt the boy, living and breathing once again.

Vader glanced at where the rogue had come running from, and saw that _yes_, the boy was sitting propped up on the wall, his eyes glazed with pain and his right hand clutching at his bloodied left, but he was inexplicably _alive_.

Vader hadn't been surprised by many things in the time he had been Vader. This astonished him.

Vader turned his attention back on the rogue and the blue stun blasts he was firing out of Bridger's lightsaber- he must have picked it up when he charged. He could see nothing extraordinary in him- there was no blaze in his eyes, there was no teeming with the Force, there was no excess of energy... in fact, more than anything, the rogue looked as through he was bone-dead tired.

So what force in the Galaxy could have possibly resurrected a child from the dead?!

Vader studied his new opponent even as the man continued firing shot after shot out of the curious gadget his apprentice had created. Yes, he certainly looked exhausted- even as he ran, his shoulders were drooped ever so slightly, his eyes were lowered in both weariness and wariness, and his own lightsaber was perilously close to slipping out of his right hand's grip. It was a wonder how he wasn't curled up next to his Padawan on the wall.

The rogue ignited both lightsabers, and dual blue light sources illuminated his face eerily, making it appear as though there were bags under his eyes and just enhancing the image of his complete and absolute exhaustion.

Vader held his blade up, single-handedly blocking both of the lightsaber strokes. Even though he was hardly remaining up-right, the Jedi still had enough power behind his strokes to moderately press back on the blades, though the strange thing was he was pressing with slightly _more_ pressure than he had been before, even in the beginning of the fight.

Knowing that Tano would be a few more moments in recovering from her leg wound, Vader focused his attention on the man before him. There was an odd serenity about him. Not happy, not the calm peace that many asociated with family and love, instead the kind of peace that showed absolutely no emotion.

"Constantly an enigma, rogue. One moment abandoning the teachings of the Jedi, the next following them out to the extreme."

The man said nothing. Instead, he disengaged the lightsaber block by jumping away a pace, then sprang straight back towards him. Vader easily blocked that stroke as well, though he was intrigued by the man's new fighting style. It was not wild and chaotic like before, that hadn't been any fighting style. Before then, when he had been thinking straight, his strength had been in defensive manuevers, following Form III, and his offense had been... lacking.

Now, however, he seemed well-blended- though Vader could not fathom why. Nothing had changed- except that a dead child had been brought back into the folds of the living. Perhaps that had been what had made the difference, Vader would not know. Everyone he had loved was irresolutely dead. They could not come back.

Well, technically, neither had the Bridger child been able to come back-

Fire burned in Vader's remaining limbs as the full implication of the situation hit him- the boy had been brought back from death. The laws of nature- of the _Force itself_ \- had been gone against. Beyond just straying from the teachings of the Jedi or Sith, this act went straight past those, past the rules of the universe itself.

"How is the boy still alive? He was dead." The rogue again remained silent, instead choosing to start executing a complex offensive stroke Vader would have though above his level of capability.

The rogue leapt forward and slightly to Vader's right side. In response to Vader raising his lightsaber in a vertical defense position, he crossed his right blade over it, forming a 't'. Then, hardly even a moment later, he sprang just a step to the left, still keeping pressure on the crossed lightsabers, but swinging his free one- the left blade, his Padawan's -to make an attack on Vader's unguarded back, using the lightsaber crossing in his right as a device to ensure Vader couldn't block his attack.

It was a brilliant move, one that any lesser lightsaber combatant would have been unable to avoid injury with. Far beyond the level of talent Vader had observed from him beforehand.

As it was, the Sith changed the angle of pressure he applied on his blade, angling it downwards and over the rogue's blue one even as he was moving in to attack from behind. With the red saber tilting downwards, Vader was able to lace it through to the other side, wrapping under the rogue's second lightsaber as he was plunging it forward to attack. With his red blade hooked under it, Vader violently swung to the left with his blade, traveling down the underside of the blue lightsaber and forcing the rogue to change his angle of attack in order to avoid being skewered. The blue blade was now completely vertical, while the sword in his right hand was horizontal, and both were being crossed by Vader's single blade.

All of this happened in less than two seconds.

The rogue, instead of staying still and engaging in the battle-banter he had been partial to earlier on, continued on with his offense. The lightsaber in his left hand- the one with the blaster built into it -was vertical, and he used that fact to his advantage by squeezing the trigger and firing three balls of blue energy at Vader in close quarters, forcing the Sith to disengage his complex lightsaber lock in order to avoid and reflect the shots.

Vader realized the rogue's face was utterly blank. Not with concentration or even fatigue, just... empty. Devoid of emotion, even pain and lethargy, there was just _nothing_ on his face. Which, coming from a man who had witnessed a child he loved back from the dead, was unusual. There should have been elation, wonder, confusion, _anything_, but there wasn't.

"How was the boy brought back?" Vader demanded once more, but again the rogue didn't respond, facially or verbally. He just began making more offense attacks, using both blades to their full advantage over Vader's one. The Sith didn't know what to make of it. From what little he had seen of the man and what the events surrounding the his past suggested, he was not one to simply zone-out, or even to be fighting while meditating. He should not have had this level of skill. He just _shouldn't have it_.

Yet another reason why Vader was intrigued all the more.

That, and the fact that this man- with no notable Force skills -had witnessed the flow of the universe change and the reversal the nature of life and death. If a much more powerful Sith Lord, with _dominance_ over the Force, knew what had happened and how, what would stop him from commanding that power at will?

It was a ridiculous hope. One that Vader would have attributed beforehand to dreaming mongrels with no other goal in their life. But he had seen- and felt -the supposedly impossible. Who was to say it couldn't happen again?

Padmé could be brought back. She could have life in her veins once more. She would live. She would live.

That very notion was all the Sith could say was his fighting purpose. If she was brought back, everything would be as it should be; everything would be right in the galaxy. The consequences of the Jedi and their betrayal would be nullified, obsolete...

Just the thought that there was even a minuscule chance Padmé could be saved made Vader all that more determined to wrench the answers he sought from the Jedi before him.

Even if he had to wrench those answers from him on an interrogation bed.


	39. Assessing the Situation

**Hello once again! I am terribly sorry I haven't been able to update as much as I wanted to, but now that our plays are over (which they actually went pretty well, considering) I should _hopefully_ and by all reason be updating semi-regularly, but if life has taught me anything, it's that it likes to interfere in what we have planned. Gr. Anyways, I don't seem to have any life-shattering events going on, so I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to FINALLY settle down once more and do the things I want to.**

**Thank you all for sticking with me this much, and for putting up with my sporadic update timings. Your readings and your reviews make my little world go round, and I can't thank you enough for that. :)**

**Disclaimer: Ah. I've run out of witty things to put here. Um, official legislature and... other boring stuff claims that Star Wars, and therefore Rebels, does not belong to anyone who claims to own it. Disney does. I'll think of something witty later.**

* * *

"One minute remaining before hull crosses event horizon!"

Hera whirled around at the sound of Garsth's voice as the Devaronian shouted the words she both hoped for and dreaded. The time for action was now.

"Begin a gradual nose dive that'll bring us just under it! Get as close to that edge as possible, but make sure we do _**not**_ by **_any means _**cross it!" Hera would have added on 'don't take any chances,' but considering that the entire battle was just a single big chance, the phrase would have been obsolete.

Hera had been evaluating and re-evaluating and re-re-evaluating this move, and it was finally time to put it into play. Either this would work and they'd win the battle with a masterful ending move, or it wouldn't and the _Maelstrom_ would pull unscathed. Both outcomes contained the conclusion of the heavy fight; if the enemy destroyer pulled through, the _Imminent Pursuit_ would be destroyed. Their shields, hull integrity, engines, life-support and fighters were battered and nearly broken. Hera had been right, if they hadn't decided to integrate the black hole into their plans, the rebels most certainly would _not_ have even a hope of salvation.

Even as Garsth began feeding numbers and measurements to navigation, another sudden thought took Hera by storm. She whirled around to face Meo'na, leku flying, and cried out loud enough to be heard over the multitudes of sirens wailing overhead, "Tell our fighters out their to move their battle to the underside of the ship! I don't want a single one of our birds getting sucked int-"

"Hera!" Once again snapping to face a different direction with a speed that probably wasn't healthy, the Twi'lek faced Sabine, who had a worried- scratch that, _beyond_ worried- look on her face.

"What about Kanan and Ezra!? They're not back yet!" Hera gnashed her teeth. Other than the intensity of the fight around them, the hundreds of lives she was commanding and was responsible for, the dog-fight battle outside, and the ever-looming threat of the black-hole, her two Spectres were completely occupying her mind. Well, them and Vader. The fact they hadn't checked in on their comms or escaped yet made it clear to the pilot that both them and Ahsoka were having trouble.

When that trouble came from Vader, it tended to be the kind that was deadly.

Fortunately, when Hera had been worrying and planning their next course of action, so too had she been worrying and planning how to extract her crew members. She knew it was selfish of her to worry about her small crew when she had literally hundreds of other lives to take responsibility for, but Hera couldn't _not_ worry for them. Well, she worried for them all, so she guessed it was fair.

"Garsth! How long until the _Maelstrom_ crosses the event horizon?!" The Devaronian turned his head to the side slightly, an expression of wild, hurried calculation on his face as he momentarily diverted his attention from setting them on a course that wouldn't kill them all to provide her question with an answer.

"About... minute?! Minute and half?! Not much longer than us!" Hera just about fell over as the _Imminent Pursuit_ took a heavy hit as they flew ever closer to the black hole. Her face grim, Hera whirled around to face Sabine.

"Spectre 5, keep us on course, and keep us in one piece! I'll deal with out Spectres." The Mandalorian nodded, paling slightly, but Hera was already sprinting out of the doors. After all, there wasn't much else she could do. Standing on the bridge wouldn't do anything beneficial for the rebels that wasn't already being done, and the crew knew her strategy.

The maneuver she'd had navigation set in would bring the _Imminent Pursuit_ _just_ underneath the radius of the black hole, and they'd continue moving in a 'downwards' direction, though there was no down in space, until they passed tight by the edge of danger. The _Maelstrom_, without the knowledge of the black hole or its' event horizon, would be sucked into it, however. Because they wouldn't know just how fine-tuned their course had to be in order to avoid their destruction, there would be no escape for any of the Imperials aboard it. Or to Kanan, Ezra and Ahsoka.

_Not if I have anything to say about it._

* * *

Kanan, as hard as it was to believe, was actually holding his own against Vader.

It was in no way an even battle, not by a long shot. But it wasn't completely one-sided like earlier, either. Much to Ahsoka's surprise, Kanan was actually doing... well, awesome. He was pulling off moves she had never seen before, and some that she were pretty sure weren't standard teachings at the Temple.

The Jedi was using both his and Ezra's lightsabers, using the built in blaster to great effect. He was leaping around Vader, not unlike Ahsoka had been before, but there _was_ a major difference in how the two of them had been fighting.

Kanan wasn't letting Vader pull off one successful offense move.

Not just in the regards that red blade never met skin, but more like blade never touched _blade_. Kanan was leaping about, yes. He was attacking, yes. But he was doing so in such a way that Vader was rarely able to pull off an attack. Except for when the Sith blocked Kanan's own attacks, their blades never touched. Kanan would either leap away before that happened, or he shot the blaster in such a way that Vader would have no choice but to change the trajectory of his blade if he wanted to block the shot. Ahsoka wasn't sure what a stun-shot would do to all the machinery that kept Vader alive, but she was pretty sure it wouldn't be anything good for him.

_Smart man._

If Vader couldn't use his monstrous strength against Kanan, it would be a lot easier for the Jedi to hold him off. He would actually be able to keep Vader occupied until they could get out of the hangar.

Ahsoka's gaze flickered towards Ezra. From her kneeling position half-way across the hangar, she couldn't see much details, but she could see enough to know that, for a dead man, he looked remarkably alive.

Vader had already noticed it too, and he had been steadily trying to pry exactly_ how_ that had happened from Kanan. Ahsoka had been trying to recuperate from the would Vader had inflicted on her leg when she'd heard the Sith talking to Kanan about Ezra, and she had been just about as shocked as when she'd been caught by the stormtroopers on Yavin.

Ezra had been... dead. And now... he wasn't.

But there was no time to dwell. What had happened had happened, and there would be a later time to figure out how what had happened happened. But for right now, dwelling meant death. And no matter what had happened with Ezra, they couldn't count on it to save them again. They had to act now.

Although... with the way Kanan was fighting... Ahsoka wasn't entirely sure if she could help.

Whatever Kanan was doing, it was taking a lot of focus. Ahsoka could see that much from the way his face was set, and from the fact that he wasn't saying _anything_. If she jumped in to help him, the extra variable of another fighter and two more lightsabers would very likely dispel whatever sense of battle meditation Kanan had sunken into. Right now, they needed all the power they could get, and Ahsoka wasn't about to give up Kanan's suddenly epic fighting strength. Especially since her leg was injured, and especially since this battle was literally a life-or-death matter.

From across the hangar, Ezra grimaced. Ahsoka could see that his vivid eyes weren't leaving the figures of his Master and Vader, but he _was_ in a great deal of pain. That much she could see clearly. Well, considering how hard Vader had thrown him, it wasn't that surprising.

Ahsoka hesitated, blue eyes flashing between Kanan and his Padawan. She wasn't too keen on distracting the Jedi. But Ezra looked like he could probably use help. If they needed to make a quick exit, he didn't look like he'd be able to pull it off. And besides, if she went over to the teen, Kanan could focus completely focus on fighting instead of worrying about his apprentice. If he even noticed.

The Togruta rose out of her crouch as fast as she could, hissing when the burned muscles was forced to stretch. It didn't matter, though. Vader was completely focused on Kanan, no doubt still trying to extract information from the Jedi. He wouldn't be paying her much attention now.

Ignoring the spikes of pain her leg was radiating, Ahsoka began to run over to Ezra, largely putting her weight on her good leg. Even though her speed was slightly reduced from normal, she still made it to the teen in a matter of seconds, lightsabers re-hooked onto her belt. Ezra wrenched his pain-glazed eyes from Kanan to her, and now that she was up close she _really_ wasn't too optimistic about the kid's condition. There was a trail of blood running from his mouth, hinting at internal injuries.

"Ahsoka-" His voice was raspy and rough, and... there might have been a slight, emerging gurgle underneath it. Assuming a punctured lung, Ahsoka shook her head, silencing him quickly. Well, maybe there was something in her eyes as well, because he looked concerned as she rapidly assessed the amount of punishment his body had taken.

His left arm was dislocated and either broken or fractured, in addition to all the other wounds it had sustained during the entire operation, the smears of blood on the wall and on his own face showed that the back of his head was bleeding, pointing towards a concussion, and from the way he was holding himself, Ahsoka had no doubt that his spine and internal organs were most probably bruised or cracked or injured in _some_ way. There were tears in his jumpsuit from the explosion of the _Phantom_, and there were cuts on his skin from the same event. But Ahsoka had been a soldier long enough to know that there were much worse injuries than surface injuries. Hearing that sort of wet gurgle again, that opinion was reenforced heavily.

Falling directly into the medic lessons and experience she'd accumulated over all these years, Ahsoka began a rough report in her head of all his injuries, using the rough descriptions she asked of him.

"Is there sharp pain when you inhale? Nod or shake your head, don't talk," the Togruta bit her lip when the teen nodded his head slowly.

"Dull, radiating back pain?" Another nod. Not good. Really, really not good. Ahsoka noticed Ezra was breathing rapidly and shallowly, either because he was trying to minimize the pain that breathing caused him, or because he was going into shock. A single finger pressed against Ezra's throat confirmed that his pulse was irregular, and she had no difficulties believing he was lightheaded or nauseous.

"Ezra? Ezra, I need you to listen to me very carefully. I need you to close your eyes and meditate. You need to focus on calming your heart-beat until we can get out of here- otherwise you're going to go into shock. But _don't_ go to sleep, you hear me? You probably have a concussion, so you can't be unconscious, okay? I'm going to try and do something about your lung, but you _have_ to stop yourself from going into shock, alright? Just meditate, and calm down your heart-beat."

Ezra, to his credit, did not freak out over the severity of his injuries. His eyes did, however, briefly widen before they narrowed again, and he glanced over at Kanan and Vader once again. Ahsoka pulled his focus back to her.

"Ezra. Kanan will be fine, he's actually doing... wonderful. But you have to stop yourself from going into shock, or I can't guarantee that you'll make it. And I don't think you'll be able to come back a second time." Ezra nodded, his face briefly contorting into a grimace as pain once again racked his body, but he closed his eyes and started to calm himself. Ahsoka did the same thing, but she focused on Ezra instead of herself.

Ahsoka wasn't specialized in Force healing. Sure, she knew the basics, but she had no idea how to apply them, or if she even would be able to pull off what she had said. But she also knew that Ezra could very likely die- again -if she didn't pull it off.

So Ahsoka closed her eyes as well, focusing and reaching out towards the boy beside her.


	40. The Ticking of the Clock

**Ha HA! Yes! I actually got another chapter out in a timely fashion! Huzzah!**

**Seriously though, this is considered a great victory for me... *sniffs* my life is finally getting back to normal! Ah, this happiness I'm feeling just shows how sad my life is.**

**Also, in response to the guest labeled as 'Miranjor,' I completely agree with you. The only reason Kanan went all freaky boss mode and started being awesome is explained (sort of) here, and will be further expanded upon in later chapters. Ahsoka _does_ have more training than Kanan, and she _was_ trained by Anakin himself, which was why she was able to stand up against him on her own before she got distracted. Kanan, for right now, is just drawing on every resource he can to get up to that level, because- nah, I'll leave the complicated explanations to enhance the eventual upcoming fluff. Fluff is life!**

**Disclaimer: I actually did some research and found that Disney _didn't_ use Aladdin as inspiration for Ezra. That kind of... kind of hurt, a little bit. Like, I don't know... it just hurt.**

* * *

Clashing.

Blade blocking blade.

Jump away.

Pull the trigger.

Swing the swords.

Execute an attack.

Dodge.

Repeat.

Kanan was drilling through a monotonous mantra, doing his absolute best - and giving his absolute all - to make absolutely certain they'd all get away from this alive. His head was pounding, and the numerous nicks Vader had still been able to inflict on him burned, but that didn't matter. A thin stream of blood ran down from his forehead, an injury from the explosion of the _Phantom_ he'd been too busy beforehand to notice. He was still too busy to pay much attention. Too busy to think much, even. The only things that mattered were the repetitive motions the Force carried out through him. Or did he use the Force to make the motions himself?

No distractions. Jump away. Pull the trigger. Swing the swords. Execute and attack. Dodge. Repeat.

Vader was unyielding. But that didn't matter. As long as he stayed like this, they could get away somehow. As long as he stayed like this, there was a chance for them. And after what had just transpired moments ago... Kanan wasn't going to say no to any chance that came along to them.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he got the vague impression they didn't have a lot of time. That didn't worry him though. If he was worried he wouldn't be able to keep up the level of combat he'd been pressing against Vader with. And right now, this was what they so desperately needed, if they all wanted to get out alive.

So Kanan remained in the repetitive cycle which the Force showed to him. He kept his emotions and other distracting thoughts in check, where they couldn't pull away his focus from his primary task. Because to do that would be to condemn everyone in the room he was fighting for. Which simply wasn't allowed.

* * *

Vader was finding the rogue's fighting style increasingly annoying.

He was never in any danger- that was laughable. But neither was he making any headway, or getting any answers as to what had transpired with the boy. He let his frustration build, adding to the power behind his strokes, but no matter what techniques he threw, the rogue was always jumping far enough away to completely avoid them and initiate his own.

It almost seemed like a broken down version of the seventh form of lightsaber combat-

But that was impossible. Vader himself had killed Mace Windu, and his student, Depa Billaba, had only had her apprentice for a fraction of the time it would have taken her to teach _that_ fighting style. And besides, imagining the rogue standing before him using such an advanced technique was ludicrous, especially when Vader had witnessed before-hand the full extent of his capabilities.

But it did look a lot like a weakened form of Vapaad.

So engrossed was Vader in the rogue's ever growing list of surprises that he very nearly failed to notice Tano holding a weak and broken Bridger boy's right arm over her neck as they limped over to the docked Lambda-class shuttle. Of course, Vader _did_ notice. And so did the rogue. It was nothing more than a flicker of his eyes, but that flicker was all Vader needed to finally land a blow.

It was not as severe as he would have hoped for, but it was a blow none the less; a diagonal cut across the left arm. It didn't sever the limb, the single arm plate of armor prevented that,***** but it did put a dent in the plating, causing it to buckle inwards on the rogue's arm.

Momentary surprise and pain flashed across his face, and there was a single second where the speed and acrobatics flawed just ever so slightly, slowing down his pace- and opening himself up for another attack.

This was how the rest of the fights with the Jedi Vader had fought had gone down. They'd put up a brief fight, get distracted, get injured, get distracted by that injury, and then it was all over. And in this case, the initial distraction was his Padawan being led by a still-limping Tano.

But Vader didn't immediately act out on the distraction to dispatch of the Jedi. Instead, he used the opportunity to push the rogue away, nearly half-way across the hangar, to allow Vader to sprint towards Tano and Bridger. Because when everything came down to its' simplest form, the Sith was far, _far_ more interested in the Padawan than the Master. Yes, the rogue had potentially entered a form of a supposedly dead line of lightsaber combat, but the apprentice had come back from the dead. A decision wasn't hard in the making.

Vader sprinted towards Tano and Bridger, making good use of the distance he had forced the rogue to. The Bridger boy turned to face him, and for a split second there was nothing but fear and pain. But that fear was wiped away, replaced by a- a _challenge_? Yes, there was no mistaking it, the little Padawan was edging him on. He didn't even have a lightsaber on him, and there was no way he could even move at the speeds needed for walking, let alone fighting. And this child was challenging the Lord of the Sith.

He definitely wasn't a full-blooded Jedi. But he was definitely not a half-trained weakling as Vader had once assumed. Such a being would have let the fear and pain take over instead of replacing it with this irrational dare. Vader actually found it annoying that his initial calculations had been off.

Still, it didn't matter much. Tano was on the opposite side of Bridger, away from Vader, and no matter how fast she moved, at the pace Vader was eating away the ground at, she wouldn't be able to block the next strike he swung at her. Of course, he wasn't going for a lethal blow, not yet anyways. He still had to extract the secrets of reversing death from the child. But he would make it so that both he and Tano wouldn't be able to run further. A leg swipe or something of that nature.

And then, suddenly, the rogue was right in front of him, dual lightsabers crossing to intercepts Vader's blow. There was a look of cold conviction and persistence etched into his features, and the Sith faintly got the feeling this man would do whatever he had the power to do to keep Vader from reaching his Padawan and entourage.

"You're not getting anywhere near them." His voice was low and growling slightly, but Vader could see past his face and could tell he had lost whatever focus had gotten him into the possible form of Vapaad. This man was nothing more than an ordinary fighter now.

A tremor rumbled through the ship, making the four in the hangar stumble. A second later, warning klaxons blared through the ship intercomm, the tone used to signify complete devastation. They were never used unless total destruction was imminent and unavoidable, and was used to warn every officer and deck member to evacuate.

Tano and the rogue both stiffened, and Bridger's eyes widened dramatically. Vader's own mind pieced together the information.

The _Maelstrom_ had exited hyperspace in the Dathomir system. They had been chasing the _Imminent Pursuit_ for quite some time, the distinct rumble and subtle vibration beneath Vader's feet told him that. There were no other Imperial ships in the area, since Dathomir was cordoned off, and he was certain no amount of Rebel ships appearing in the area would make the officers on the bridge resort to using the 'imminent destruction' klaxon. Calling upon his knowledge of the star system, Vader pieced out in a mere second that the Rebels aboard the _Imminent Pursuit_ had deliberately led them into the black hole close to the witch's home planet. As well as most probably taking out the sensors aboard the _Maelstrom_ to make the Imperials go in blind, in order to ensure_ they_ won the fight.

What intrigued Vader was that they had done so with three of their members still aboard the enemy ship. From what he had seen of their pathetic sense of loyalty to one another, they would have used every resource available to them to extract Tano, the rogue and his apprentice before committing the ship to such extremes. Well, maybe they already had. He didn't really have any indications from the outside battle to prove otherwise, and it _was_ rather difficult to take on a fully manned Imperial Star Destroyer.

Rogue, Tano and Bridger were all momentarily distracted by the alarms, even if only for a second. Still, seconds made up battles. And in this particular second, the three of them were pushed violently away from the Lambda shuttle, Bridger releasing a strangled gasp of pain. The rogue's lightsabers deactivated, flying through the air as Vader's Force push flung them away from the rogue's hands. The three of them landed heavily a ways away, and that was when Vader knew he'd won the fight.

* * *

No matter what Kanan had told him otherwise about neither fate nor luck existing, the back part of Ezra's mind was simultaneously cursing both for damning him to always be in a large amount of pain whenever it came to fighting the really bad guys. No matter what he did, he always seemed to be nothing more than a chew toy to those of the Dark, and right now half of him was very much so tempted to sulk about that as soon as they got out of here.

_Don't go assuming things yet, Bridger. We still gotta make sure we really _DO _get out of here first. _

Ahsoka hadn't been able to do very much for him. Force healing hadn't been her specific branch of learning, and even if it had been, with the state they were all in, Ezra doubted she would have been able to do anything else. While his punctured lung wan't sealed, Ahsoka had managed to make it so the pain breathing caused him was manageable, and had said her job on it would make sure he didn't die- _again_ -until they were able to actually get all of their butts situated in a proper medical ward. As for his other broken bits, they weren't life-threatening, so they weren't that much of a concern.

Though Ezra was rapidly reassessing that statement as Vader's push made all of his bruised, well, everything, slam into the ground once more. It seemed he couldn't get enough of the floor these days.

His vision blurred as his head made contact, and his ribs flared painfully. So did most everything else. Ezra went skidding along with Kanan and Ahsoka, nearly halfway to the wreckage of the _Phantom_ before they stopped. He'd landed on his left side, on top of his arm, of course, and he was facing Vader. Kanan and Ahsoka were sprawled out in front of him, though they were both in the process of getting up. He felt no need to join them in that effort.

_Ah, what happened to all that energy I had before?_

It'd been his idea to get to the Lambda shuttle. During the beginning fazes of the fight, retreat hadn't been an option, but the longer it'd progressed, the clearer it became to Ezra that they needed to make it one, and quickly. None of them were holding up well. Even Kanan, who- at the time he'd been thinking -was doing better than good, wasn't going to be able to hold out for long. Ezra knew enough about his Master to know that the only reason he was able to hold up against Vader was because he was in some sort of meditative trance, and Ezra knew enough about those to know that Kanan wouldn't be able to maintain it for very long. So he had assessed all the possible routes for them to survive- because _winning_ the fight was out of the question. It was merely a matter of escaping with their lives, which was looking more and more difficult as the fight crawled on.

So he had asked Ahsoka to help him over to the shuttle, so that they could use it to get Kanan and get _out_ of there. Because it was looking like their only chance of escaping. Only now, of course, since Vader had separated him from his 'crutch,' Ezra wasn't very confident about moving anywhere. His entire body felt like one massive bruise. Or broken bone.

But Ezra had faced worse on the streets- actually, no he hadn't, but that wasn't the point- if he didn't get it together quickly, he and Kanan and Ahsoka might not be able to face anything else for a very long time. So he just had to suck it up and-

_Ow_.

Okay, never mind. Standing up was pretty much impossible. But hey, in the time it'd taken Kanan and Ahsoka to spring up and draw their lightsabers- Kanan pulling his two from where they'd been flung -to block Vader's next attacks, Ezra had gotten his right arm underneath him, so that was progress at least! And he'd actually pushed himself up a foot or two before he had to stop moving to try and reprieve the pain radiating from his everything.

_Okay, half-way sitting up and weaponless: what now?_

Hadn't thought that far ahead. The clashing of blades was ringing loudly in his ears, though not as loud as the annoying as heck sirens that were wailing in the hangar, bouncing off of the metal walls and reverberating into his skull until they pounded a beat so hard it felt like a Fyrnoch was trying to climb its way out of his skull-

_Ah, I'd forgotten what a concussion felt like. Nice to remember._

His right arm was moving again, pushing him into a sitting position while his left dangled uselessly, and painfully. Like always. Maybe he should be cursing fate/luck for making his left arm constantly useless to him in times of need instead of... whatever he'd been cursing at it for before.

Footsteps vibrated the metal flooring beneath him. Heavy, booted footsteps. Somewhere beneath his lethargy, panic was trying to blossom, but it just felt muted. Now that back part of his brain was cursing his aptitude to injure his head instead of his arm.

A single second later, his eyes finally communicated with his brain and transmitted the picture of Vader walking towards him, red blade low in his hand, Kanan and Ahsoka sprawled out on the floor, both to Ezra's far right. Suddenly his entire field of vision was filled with vibrant red, and it took him a second or two to figure out why. Vader's booming voice rang loud and clear in his head, dominating the presence of the sirens and general pounding of his heart. "Let's see exactly how your resurrection works, Bridger."

Ezra could barely even summon up the energy to glare. The only thing running through his head was how cliche it would be to come back from the dead only to die again.

A new rumble filled the cavernous walls of the hangar, drowning out everything else, and as Ezra flinched so hard he almost shoved his head into the Sith's lightsaber, a feminine scream accompanied the roar- which sounded distinctly familiar.

"NOOOOOOO!"

* * *

**Ha ha! Just because I've been absent for a few weeks doesn't mean I forgot how to leave on a cliffhanger! Mua ha ha, now bask in my evilness!**

**But don't worry too much, I'm probably working on the next chapter as you read this. Unless it's like insanely late or during school hours. Though that'll end in two weeks! Hurray! Though to be honest, I'm more freaked out about Season Two coming out than school ending... how pathetic does that make me? Eh. I don't care. Just as long as I get more Ezra/Kanan and Kanan/Hera fluffy goodness!**

***Just a little detail I noticed in the season two trailer. When Vader struck Kanan's arm armor, the only damage that was left behind was a glowing red line of burnt metal. Having watched the Zilo Beast ark of the Clone Wars and reading several of the books, I know that there are substances capable of resisting a lightsaber attack, so I am not wholly against Kanan's arm brace being made of such a material. That's just my opinion though.**


	41. A Slightly Different Outlook

**Oh dear Lord, all I ask of you is that nothing horrible in life strikes me once again so I can continue properly delivering updates... otherwise my readers might revolt. :)**

**Not a lot plot-wise happens in this specific chapter, but I _SWEAR_ the next one will be long and fulfilling and come in a quicker time-fashion. I just need to whip my random, swirling, random, disorganized, and did I mention random thoughts until they form something accepted as literature. :3**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Rebels, I wouldn't be having a nerdgasm every time the Season Two trailer came on, because I would have already seen/made it. Of course, I don't own it, so of course, I _do_ freak out everytime I see it. TT^TT**

**Also, I haven't made a note about this yet, but thank you thank you thankyouthankyou THANK YOU for over a hundred follows/favorites, and over !200! reviews! They mean the world to me, and as evidenced above, I can't thank you enough for them! Love you all!**

* * *

Hera had just barely gotten the _Ghost_ into the hangar of the _Maelstrom_, having had to weave through the increasingly dirty dog-fight outside the ships. She had been very, _very_ lucky Vader's squad of Tie pilots either hadn't noticed her or had chosen not to go after her, because while she was confident in her abilities, the Twi'lek knew that a pick-up like what they needed to do would have been impossible with some of the best 'bowl-heads' on their tail.

She'd opened up the on-ship comm channel to the hangar, speaking to the ten soldiers and Zeb waiting in there. She'd informed them that they only had seconds to go in, get the job done, and get out, and had been reminding them not to get themselves killed when the _Ghost_ had rose above the lip of metal flooring that's previously blocked her view of the battle. And that had been when Hera had truly become horrified.

Kanan and Ahsoka both were sprawled out on the flooring, not moving, a ways away from Vader- who was pointing his crimson lightsaber directly into Ezra's face as he struggled to hold himself upright. Hera wasn't even aware of screaming, but her voice crackled through the comms none the less, her scream serving as the signal for the soldiers in the storage bay. It had apparently startled the Sith as well, because Ezra was still upright, and Vader was now blocking the absolute barrage of fire the men- and Hera with the canons -was firing at him.

She saw Kanan push himself up, Ahsoka stirring beside him, and felt a small bubble of relief seep through her skin- and pop immediately on the absolute mass of tension and nerves that boiled alive inside of her. The _Ghost_'s scanners were reading gravitational fluctuations approaching fast.

The men had already charged into the hangar, Zeb in particular firing so many blasts they almost formed a stream, and one man rushed over to Kanan and Ahsoka, while another ran to Ezra. The rest of them kept their fire on Vader, not allowing him a single moment to counterattack as the operated from a distance. Even though they weren't trained for this and Vader was way way _way_ out of their league, their combined efforts were enough to distract and keep the Sith Lord busy. For a little bit anyways.

Hera glanced at the dash again. Thirty seconds at the max.

_Come on._

* * *

"I want all of our fighters to converge in positi-" Admiral Realov was cut off by the almost instant bombardment of his ship, the blows so hard that he very nearly fell directly into the control pit where his subordinates were dutifully carrying out his orders.

When Lord Vader had ordered the _Maelstrom_ into action with his personal squadron aboard, the Admiral had not been happy. He had risen through the ranks quicker than most his age, graduated from the cadet school with all honors, and had done everything in his power to succeed in his missions in order to ascend to his current position, only to be a mere bus-boy for some cyborg. Not that he was openly complaining. Realov had heard the whispers that followed Lord Vader, nearly all of them dealing with the high death toll of the crews that failed to carry out his orders. He had no inclination to join that growing number. So he had dutifully accepted Vader onto the _Maelstrom_ (not that he had much choice in the matter) and ordered his crew to follow the 'Sith's' instructions of their destination.

And then he had been thoroughly pleased when the potential of a great fight had entered their sights.

Of course, most of the 'rebels' Realov had had the duty to... _dispose_ of hadn't been that exciting. A short battle, at the most a minute or two, before they were ultimately crushed beneath the power and might of the Empire. And while each victory was fulfilling and gratifying, they just seemed... lack-luster. Too easy. After all, what point is there in playing the game when you know who will win?

But these fighters... they were not like their comrades. They had actually managed to get their hands on a Star Destroyer: the _Imminent Pursuit_, which had been the flagship of one of the Outer Rim's Inquisitor's flagship. Not only that, but without any training or beforehand experience or knowledge, these rebels had actually managed to _operate_ the vessel to the point of it becoming a worthy opponent of Realov and the _Maelstrom_.

And he'd had to admit it, they were good. Their fighters were a mix of newly developed 'X-wings' and Ties, adding in a mixture of confusion to his pilots: 'is the Tie on my left one of my friends or one of my enemies?' And because of that, it was rapidly turning out to be one of the biggest dog-fight battles Realov had ever had the pleasure to conduct.

But that wasn't his main focus, it was one of his underlings' jobs to personally deal with the outside battle and occasionally give him reports on their status. Realov's attention was mainly on the cruiser vs. cruiser aspect of the fight. After all, that was his job, to look over the major threat of the battle, no matter how insignificant it may or may not be. And so far, he hadn't been disappointed. Even though the insurgents were most likely running on a bare minimum skeleton crew, they were doing a rather well job at keeping the _Imminent Pursuit_ alive and firing, even when they'd taken a severe hit to their hyperdrive engines. Though that hit made it impossible for the rebels to actually retreat, they had managed to get their engines moving at enough speed to make a decent attempt. They must have been relying on the fact that the _Maelstrom_'s sensors were out, since they seemed to be moving trying to get out of their sights.

Realov had gladly indulged them in the chase, not unlike an eager hunt-dog heading in for the kill on its' wounded prey. He was very much so looking forward to defeating these rebels, to once again come out on top in a skirmish against the individuals that would dare to question the Empire. Not just because of the justice that he would be serving, but because it would also be a tremendous victory to have taken out another Star Destroyer when the insurgents had thought they could properly turn it against them.

But that last hit that had sent Realov almost spiraling down into the control pits hadn't been the rebels. It was nowhere _near_ the intensity that they had ever hit them with, and... it hadn't exactly _felt_ like a Star Destroyer weapon in the first place. Nor had it felt like a standard attack from _anything_ Realov had experienced over his years of fighting for the Empire.

"Damage control, report!"

There was a single moment of calm before the warnings sounded, and Damage control was suddenly lit up in red lights and flashing warnings.

"We- The nose seems to have undergone some sort of- of huge strike, sir! Reports are reading that it was crushed severely, and control crews are having difficulty advancing to try and fix it!" Realov frowned.

"What did the rebels throw at it to induce such a state of damage?"

"Initial reports are saying- nothing, sir, they... their fire is mostly concentrated on our canons and our-" Another tremendous tremor struck the _Maelstrom_, causing quite a bit of chaos as several officers were nearly slammed into their controls or simply knocked over. Realov, fortunately, managed to avoid the ordeal of falling down, and escaped instead with a less-than-graceful half flop and a little battered dignity.

"Report!"

"Same situations, sir! The damage to the nose has been worsened severely and has moved-" _Another_ earth-quake-like tremor, "-further up the bow!"*****

_Further up the bow? _Like whatever was causing the damage was moving closer to them? That didn't sound like anything remotely military, nor was it part of any battle strategy the Admiral had witnessed from the rebels before hand. No, what was happening right now sounded an awfully lot like an outside presence was interfering with the fight- and an unknown factor in a fight was something Realov had learned never to be complacent about.

"I want the repairs of our outer scanners double-timed! Get them back under our cont-" The most severe tremor yet wracked them, and Realov distinctly got the feeling that their time was running short. The mysteriously caused damage seemed to be moving further up the ship and closer towards them, a scenario who's outcome Realov had no pleasure imagining.

After yet _another_ almost loss of dignity in front of his underlings, the man from Damage Control shrieked out again, bearing information that took the Admiral a while to process. "Sir! There's readings of intense gravitational fluctuations inside the very tip of the bow, and hull integrity in the same area is rapidly deteriorating!"

_Gravitational fluctuations. Odd unseen damages on the ship. Severe hull damages. Knocked out sensors._

The Admiral may have been arrogant, but he was by no means a stupid man. And he'd studied the star charts of the Empire's reign thoroughly, as every officer was expected to.

This time, his knees betrayed him as another, larger tremor shook the bridge, and Realov sank to the floor, completely shell-shocked for a second.

And then he shot straight back up to his feet, fear, adrenaline, and self-preservation lending his limbs trembling motion. That and just a little bit of his pride 'tut-tutting' him for allowing such an undignified... flop.

"Navigation! Based on our trajectory, speed, and timing, what sector are we in currently now since our arrival to Dathomir?!" Navigation, not having much else to do besides what Realov told them to, provided an answer swiftly, with the help of the calculating software ingrained into the terminals they operated.

"Sir! Sector OR-Da-665, bordering on OR-Da-666!" There was fear in the operator's voice. He and the rest of his navigators were _required_ to memorize the various sectors of the Empire, and as such knew exactly what lied in the center- well, edge, really, -of OR-Da-666.

Realov wondered briefly if it had been a Corellian who'd assigned the sectors here, since they had some sort of distrust of the number '666,' and so had accordingly assigned that identification to the area around the black-hole. They assigned that three-digit number with their nine hells, so it made sense that one of them would have associated that number with a monstrosity of nature like a black hole.

But that wonder was brief and short-lived, as the exact nature of the situation came crashing down upon his shoulders. To Realov's credit, though, he did not completely lose his calm in the middle of the situation. Instead, he followed protocol, like he'd been trained to do for nearly half of his life-span.

"Navigations- pull us away from the black hole!" Another huge quake issued through the bridge, seemingly more ominous know that Realov knew what was causing it- and that if they didn't somehow pull the situation around, those quakes would soon be the rest of the ship crushing and crashing down on them.

"We- we can't -the gravitational pull of the anomaly has already grabbed the bow by its' full, sir. We've- we've crossed the event horizon." Once again, Realov kept the impending sense of doom from grabbing his legs in lethargy and carried out his training.

"Start the evacuation klaxons! Order all officers to begin vacating the ship using the escape pods and other assorted space-faring craft! Order all fighters to keep away from the anomaly!" As the officers began following orders, Realov stepped out of the bridge, leaving his second in command to deal with the chaos. As an esteemed officer of the Imperial Navy, his safety and well-being was, of course, far more important than the dozens of officers left of the bridge. He'd issued the order for evacuation to get the majority of the crew out of the _Maelstrom_ before it was ultimately destroyed, so the casualty list should be sufficiently short enough to not care about the dozens of lives behind the door he'd just exited.

A small frown formed on Realov's otherwise impassive face as he remembered the contents of a certain hangar bay. Lord Vader was still fighting against the escaped prisoners, if the lack of any news told him anything. And if it wasn't ended soon, they could very well perish.

_Oh well._

If the black cyborg failed to recognize and appropriately respond to the warning klaxons now blaring through the halls and the mass of officers and soldiers running through the halls, that wasn't Realov's fault. If Vader died because of incompetence or any such other similar factor, it had nothing to do with the Admiral.

Besides, the Empire frankly seemed like it could deal with someone as pretentious and... _lording_ as Lord Vader.

* * *

**Man, I kind of got really angry at myself for typing out a character so selfish and... _Imperial_ like Realov. But I felt that was what one should expect from an 'esteemed officer of the Imperial navy.' Don't get me wrong, I rather like Realov, I just _hate_ how the Empire in general treats their underlings.**

**Methinks I've been watching too much FMA and is now severely disgusted with how the Empire handles the subordinates they're supposed to look out for. Oh well. Colonel Roy Mustang will be the death of me, I swear it. :3**

**And omgosh I feel so nerdy. When Realov and Navigation were thinking/talking about the sectors, did I just randomly churn out random letters and random numbers? No. No, I decided to actually make a freaking _classification system_ for what kind of letters and numbers I used to do so. Like... it's serious and everything...**

***To anyone else like me who had NO IDEA what the parts of a boat/ship/vessel/Star Destroyer are called and has to research them every time they want to sound like they somewhat know what they're talking about, the bow is the front-pointy part of the ship. For a Star Destroyer, I guess that'd be classified as the... pointy... triangle... front... bit. Yeah, I'm sounding _so_ intelligent here...**

**And for anyone else who knows their way around boats/ships/vessels/Star Destroyers, kudos to you, and I envy your knowledge!**


	42. The Nick of Time

**What is this? An update within _TWO DAYS_ of the last one?! Le gasp! How can such a thing come to be?! And one just shy of 3,000 words, too! The world must be coming to an end!**

**Or my social life, at least... and probably my keyboard. It's probably not the best of things for fingers to be typing as fast as mine have in such a short amount of time. Probably not good for my health either. I should probably stop using the word probably... probably. :P**

**Disclaimer: As much as I want to pretend otherwise, Rebels is a delightful franchise that is not in my ownership. Nor is Star Wars, nor is Disney. Now just let me sulk about that in peace... TT^TT**

**Also: to the Guest that was concerned by the length of the Vader fight, I hope this chapter eases your unease somewhat, and there's a more in-depth response to your review at the end of the chapter. The rest of you: enjoy!**

* * *

With the way the past day or two (had it really been only a day? It felt like months) had been going, Kanan had not expected to be feeling sudden great surges of relief. That just seemed like an impossibility, due to the... _slightly_ extreme circumstances that had been following him ever since landing on the moon of Yavin four.

But overwhelming relief he had felt when the all-too familiar rumblings of the _Ghost_ interrupted his dazed state of lethargy after having been... well. Essentially toyed with.

And then he had been completely snapped back to reality as a voice- Hera's -screamed out with such terror and dismay it literally shocked him into moving. Hera should not have to ever scream like that. What had made her scream like that? Kanan didn't want to know. But he needed to know if he was going to stop her from screaming like that again.

He moved up to his feet, hissing as he forced his injured self to move, and noted the sounds of almost constant blaster fire and a lightsaber blocking it. A quick look as his head snapped upwards was all he needed to see maybe a dozen men firing streams of red and blue blaster fire at Vader, who's lightsaber was merely a blur as it deflected all the shots coming at its's owner.

_They won't be able to hold him back for long. As soon as he regains his focus he'll just wipe them all out_. That though giving him a reason to move quickly again, Kanan suddenly found himself standing upright- if a little wobbly - and Ahsoka rising slightly behind him. One of the men was moving over towards Ezra, who Kanan was relieved to see was sitting up. Keeping an eye on Vader, Kanan ran over to his apprentice, the constant thuds and rumbling of the _Ghost_ giving him a slight element of comfort.

He skidded to a halt next to Ezra, who was panting heavily, and slipped the teen's right hand over his neck, the rebel who'd ran over to Ezra doing the same with his left arm. The teen let out a small moan of pain, but they all knew they had no time to indulge in petty things like pain. "Come on, let's go," Kanan spoke, more to distract Ezra from the hurt than to actually motivate him. They had all the motivation to move that they needed too, and he was currently wielding a red lightsaber like an experienced conductor waving his baton. In his peripheral vision, he saw another soldier similarly helping Ahsoka limp over to the open ramp of the _Ghost_, and then his head began to hurt as he tried to look at everything at once.

_Just focus on getting Ezra through to the med-bay... and on Vader... and on Zeb... and on the _Ghost_... and on Ahsoka... Dang it I can't do that all at once._

They limped onto the raised platform, and Kanan had a fleeting moment of thought where he wondered on if he was relying on the fellow rebel as much as Ezra was. No, probably not. But it didn't hurt to wonder.

The guns blazed on, Kanan throwing a glance to see Vader still blocking the soldiers and the _Ghost_, and saw Ahsoka was nearing the ramp as well, and that everyone was moving backwards into the general area of the ship. A warning went off in Kanan's mind as he saw the retreat.

Not even a second afterwards, that warning was well appreciated when Vader thrust his free hand outwards, and most of the fighters suddenly stopped firing. Vader was locking them into place- much like he had once done with the Inquisitor on Stygeon Prime -and they were no longer able to pull their triggers or move from their positions. The warning was well appreciated because Kanan had known to make a pull of his own and drag all nine men- including Zeb -into the cargo bay. The man supporting Ezra's left side slammed his hand onto the control panel, the ramp swinging up because of it. The _Ghost_ shot off almost instantaneously, Hera knowing the damage Vader could have caused to the ship if they dawdled.

Zeb's ears were folded down almost completely, his eyes scanning Kanan, Ahsoka and Ezra briefly and calculating, but Kanan gestured to Ezra with a flick of his head.

"Get him and Ahsoka to the med-bay- I need to be with Hera." Ezra turned his head to face him slightly, his eyes half-lidded, and grunted slightly as Kanan gently moved out of his supportive hold and let Zeb take over. What he wanted more than anything was to follow Ezra into the med-bay and stop all the pain his Padawan was feeling- but there were more important things that had to be done. Kanan could hear the groaning of the _Maelstrom_ around them as _something_ severe assaulted it heavily, and knew his Twi'lek companion would be severely appreciating any help right about now. And conformation that they were all alive.

_Only because you went against the universe..._

Ignoring the severe need and want of his mind and body to join Ahsoka and Ezra in the med-bay, Kanan sprinted through the halls of the _Ghost_, their familiarity giving him some small module of comfort despite the danger they were still in. The cock-pit doors opened swiftly, and Kanan gasped as he saw the absolute magnitude of the outside battle.

Ties and X-wings flew in circles one another, in some instances being Ties on Ties, and their fire colored the black of space like so many bright crystals in a black night. If unhealthy amounts of adrenaline hadn't been coursing through him at that very moment, Kanan would have tried to commit the sight to memory; it was breathtaking. As it was, he nearly dove into the co-pilot's chair, hands grabbing onto the controls there, prepared to assist his ever-present companion.

"Kan- is everyone alright?!" Hera just barely took her eyes off of the swarm of ships around them before once again giving her all to her concentration.

"More or less-" a huge shudder ran through the _Ghost_, and Kanan realized Hera was straining against the control yoke. "What's happening outside?"

Hera's eyes once again flickered over to Kanan, and he could see the amount of distress and general anxiety mixing their way into her emerald eyes. He had no doubt there was the same levels in his own, with the way his heart was pounding against his ribcage.

"Well, the short story- black hole."

Another shudder tore through the ship, and Kanan's eyes widened as the prospects of their situation came flying at him like the fighters outside the cockpit. The Rebellion was known for coming up with unique strategies to claim a victory, but this... if it succeeded, the _Maelstrom_ would be Toast. History. Historical toast.

And he was guessing from the way that the _Ghost_ was straining to follow Hera's touch, they were very close to that outcome as well.

"How far away are we from it?" He spoke quickly, though that was nothing compared to the speed at which his blood pounded through his veins. Hera spoke just as fast, her fingers matching her words as they flew, conducting all the buttons that made her ship dance.

"We haven't crossed the event horizon, but there's still _major_ gravitational fluctuations-" another such fluctuation nearly sent Kanan's woozy head into the dash, "and they're not making this any easier!" Hera and Kanan both looked sharply at the control unit as a 'beep' signaled they were being commed. Hera answered it before it could do so again, and a thickly accented voice came through:

"Maelstrom_ bow crossed event horizon! They're being pulled in!_" A sort of muted cheer rang through the hallways, and Kanan realized the Star Destroyer's signal was routed through to where the men in the cargo hold could hear it. Hera seemed to halfway deflate, and Kanan grinned a little uncertainly. He didn't know who the accented man on the other end of the communications line was, but Kanan did know he'd just brought him and Hera possibly the best news they'd heard in hours. Another fluctuation quickly made Hera resume her wrestling match with the controls, but she spoke back into the comm unit:

"How is the _Imminent Pursuit_ holding, Garsth!?"

"_We-_"

"_Did you get Kanan and Ezra out?!_" Kanan smiled a bit as Sabine probably took control over whoever had contacted them's comm unit, and gave her an answer where she'd know they were all okay: "Shouldn't you also include Ahsoka in that list?"

And the Mandalorian's sigh was one of a great deal of stress finally being relieved. "_Then get your butts out of there!_" Hera grinned. The ship trembled. Kanan winced. Hera stared. The ship quivered. Hera moved her attention back to flying.

"_Hera- you're being pulled closer to event horizon,_" The male voice, Garsth, returned, "_You need to gun throttle- _now_, to get out-_"

"Already working on it-"

"_No, you're not understanding: _Maelstrom_'s own gravitational pull is putting more stress on _Ghost_'s engines- you need to go _now!" Another convulsion just about flung Kanan's head into the dashboard, and Hera cursed lightly. Befuddled as he was, Kanan knew he wouldn't be much help here- and the sight of a Tie fighter heading over to their struggling ship as they tried to escape the danger zone cemented his decision.

"I'll go to the gunner station and keep them off your back," Kanan rose out of his seat, cringing just ever so slightly as his overworked muscles protested the abandonment of their previous still position, and Hera only bit her lip in response. Moving quickly, Kanan exited the cabin and nearly ran to the ladder which led to his destination. Of course, the _Ghost_ being a small ship, it didn't take more than five seconds to do so; in those five seconds, Kanan was not oblivious to the droplets of blood left by his passing, nor the ones leading to the med-bay. He had no doubt he should probably go and seek medical aid as well, but... right now, Hera needed him. They all needed to keep the Empire off of their backs-

And he wasn't just worried about Ties coming after them.

After all, there had been a Lambda class shuttle in the hangar with them that hadn't taken any damage during the fight. Kanan didn't know what kind of piloting skills Vader had, but Anakin had been one of the best fliers in the galaxy. With the immense wealth of raw power he had at his disposal, he was rather sure that it wouldn't be a problem for the Sith to follow them out of the _Maelstrom_. So he was actually doing himself a comfort by watching out for any signs of the black menace.

Though he was equally sure that Hera would be able to keep them out of easy targeting range. Skywalker might have been one of the best pilots in the galaxy, but so was Hera. At least in the Outer Rim. If her skills against Vader's Tie force showed Kanan anything, it was that the Twi'lek wouldn't make it easy for the cyborg to catch up to them, and even if he did, the _Ghost_ was Hera's baby, with her family on-board. There wouldn't be a whole lot that could hurt it.

At least, Kanan hoped with all of his might that that was the case. And until they were out and into hyperspace speeding away from the _Maelstrom_, he had a feeling the bundle of nerves in his stomach would give him absolutely _no_ reprieve.

* * *

The med-bay was white, as always.

Though whenever the _Ghost_ trembled like a new-born Loth-cat his vision kind of went double, Ezra was very well aware of his surroundings. If not by sight than by the fact that he knew every square inch of this ship. _Every_ inch. After all, he'd spent almost as much time in the ventilation chambers as on the ground, and who knew how many hours he'd toiled away inside the various machinery.

As such, the sterile white of the medical bay brought a sort of dazed comfort to Ezra, as his tense and adrenaline-pumped muscles were finally allowed to relax on the white cushions of the middle med-bay. A sense of deja vu swept over him as he remembered he'd been in this very same bed just about a year prior after Kanan and the others had rescued him from the Inquisitor and the _Imminent Pursuit_: and now, he was probably going to have to go straight back to that Star Destroyer to get proper medical treatment.

Yes, Ezra might have had a concussion, but he still knew that the scope of his and Ahsoka's and Kanan's injuries went far beyond what they had the ability to treat on the _Ghost. _Probably Ahsoka's too. And Kanan's. And his own. And Kanan's-

_Damn concussions._

Another tremor wracked the ship as Zeb and the other one, the unknown, yet friendly-ish man- he'd gathered that much since Zeb hadn't taken him out -laid him down on the bed slowly, and Ezra saw in his peripheral vision another soldier helping Ahsoka lay on the bed to his right. She at least seemed to have no problem sitting straight up, while it was all Ezra could do to not pass out as he simply lay there. His body convulsed in another bout of pain, but he didn't curl up into a ball; even though his wits were scrambled, he still had enough of them left to know that such a movement would not be healthy for broken ribs/bones/everything. He was dimly aware of another man being escorted to the other bed on his right, and two more were also in the room. The smell of burnt flesh was in the air.

"Kid- don't get too comfy kid, you can't go to sl-"

"You're talking like that's-" cough, "a possibility..." Ezra cut Zeb off, knowing full well that he wasn't gonna be going to sleep anytime soon. Not that he didn't want too- the blanket of unconsciousness was warm and welcoming and felt very snuggable. But with the rest of the complaints the rest of his body was screaming at him, there was no way he was falling asleep.

The bed beneath him trembled, and Ezra put his aching throat to use once again, "Gonna need _'minent Pursuit_ to patch us up... what's goin' on?" There was a low grumbling, and for a moment Ezra thought his brain had just stopped processing words anymore, until Zeb spoke up again.

"Short story- Hera used a black hole as one of her weapons." Ezra shut his eyes completely, kept them there for a second, and then frowned.

"Zeeeb, I think this concussion's worse than we thought, cuz'... a black- no. Uh uh. That's not- how?" The last bit came out as a bit of a whimper slash whine as his spleen rebelled against existence.

"I'll explain later. Now-" Ezra dimly felt a bacta line pinching into his skin, but he didn't bother to open his eyes to look, "-what happened down there?"

"Heh. Short story- I died."

"You d- um. Kid, that's- uh, but, what, but, how?" Ezra grinned like a mad-man, even opening his eyes slightly to get a blurry image of the confused purple mass that was Zeb.

"I'll explain later, stupid-head."

* * *

**To the guest that was concerned by the length of the firefight- I completely shared your opinion. That's sort of why this one seems a little rushed (to me anyways), because I was getting really nervous with the amount of time that was dragging on as I continued to write it out. I just needed to get everything out, and the more stuff I had written the more stuff that would come to mind and- yeah. Basically, don't think I was trying to drag this out, because in all honesty, I wish I could edit that down to fewer chapters.**

**If anyone has any questions/concerns, feel free to PM me or just leave a review!**


	43. Final Escape

**Well well well. With the amount of updating going on around here, you'd think I had oodles of free time and did _not_ in fact have finals to be studying for... heh heh... BUT I NEED THE FLUFF. And in order to get to that life-sustaining fluff, I have to do this stuff first... so type away, me! Type away.**

**Disclaimer: Why? Why must you make me disclaim everything I love? Rebels, Star Wars, Rebels, Ezra, Rebels, Kanan... did I mention Rebels? Sigh. Well, if it makes Disney happy rubbing it in my face every time I make a new chapter, then it makes Disney happy for me to say I don't own their stuff.**

* * *

"Meo'na, what the status of the Tie battle outside?!" Sabine kept one eye on her console and the other on her pilot manager, simultaneously tracking the progress of the few remaining gunners and watching the woman for an answer. The Duros didn't even take her eyes off of the screen before giving a clipped, "67% of our original force remains, with the _Haddir_ having taken heavy damage to their engines." Sabine half-envied the way she was able to keep her voice calm and soft while still managing to make herself heard.

"Will they be able to make it into hyperspace with us?!" When the _Maelstrom_ had originally dove head-first into the black hole, Sabine had ordered the man at the hyperdrive unit to reboot it immediately, in order to ensure their escape when the time finally came. Now, she just needed to know that the rest of their forces would be able to leave with them.

"Yes- though we'll need to withdraw our fighters in order for the whole fleet to make it out."_ Fleet. That has a nice ring to it._

"How many of the _Maelstr-_"

"We have a confirmed visual on the _Ghost_!" Sabine switched her attention to the Rodian who'd taken over for Garsth at the sensor arrays when he'd gone back to the communications. A little bubble- well, okay, a rather large bubble -of relief seeped into her. Just because they'd been able to talk with Hera and Kanan didn't mean that they were in the clear, but if sensors had a confirmed visual, that meant they'd escaped the gravitational fluctuations, and they were home-bound. Now the only danger was everything else flying around them.

The Ties from the _Maelstrom_ had proven to be an equal match for their outside forces, excepting the one specialized squad continuing to punch holes in their offense. Sabine had even told a few of their gunners to try and hit _those_ birds out of the air, but whichever Tie they managed to hit exploded, their coordination never faltered. If Sabine hadn't been plotting so hard to take them out, she would have found them fascinating. As it was though, they were gradually becoming one of the biggest nuisances on the battle field, one that brought death wherever they flew.

And if Sabine didn't act quickly, their next target might very well be the _Ghost_ and everyone she loved onboard it.

"How long until they'll be able to dock with us?!" This time a human man answered, seemingly having run these calculations as soon as he'd gotten the information. "Only a few minutes if we keep up our current pace, but if we stop then that will run down to only one!" Sabine bit her lips, and then the _Imminent Pursuit_ rocked underneath them. The Mandalorian gritted her teeth, glaring at the opposing Star Destroyer on her scanning display through the turrets.

Even as it was being pulled slowly through the black hole, the turrets were still blazing, making Sabine think that they'd left them on auto-pilot. Sabine had only discovered that the turrets _had_ that feature a few minutes ago, which had greatly increased the amount of firepower they'd had as the unmanned turrets were suddenly live and firing at the enemy. However, Sabine had had to make sure that they wouldn't fire at anything other than the _Maelstrom_, because there were new vehicles in the field. Unable to escape the gravitational pull of the anomaly, escape pods had already been jettisoned, as was standard Imperial protocol for impending death and the like.

Knowing that they were filled with unforgiving Imperials had made the right thing a lot harder to do. But they were unarmed, unable to defend themselves, and unable to call for back-up due to the gravitational distortions. Another Mandalorian might have treated them like sitting ducks and blasted them out of the sky, but not this one. Again- defenseless, weaponless, mute. And if nothing else, they could be used as hostages or sources of information for the Rebellion.

As such Sabine had ordered the men at the gunners to program the unmanned turrets not to fire at anything but the _Maelstrom_, knowing that that order would also stop them from firing at the enemy Ties. But there was no way around that. The guns operated on size and distance filters, so there was no way of ensuring they'd fire at anything other than Ties. Besides, not all of the Ties out there were enemies.

So the _Maelstrom_ was operating on autopilot, probably shooting at any energy signature in the sky. Whatever the case, they were still causing problems, and until the _Imminent Pursuit_ moved out of range or the _Maelstrom_ was completely sucked in, they would continue to do so. But the more pressing problems was the smaller battle raging outside their windows.

The enemy Ties were doing their job well, shooting and harrowing at the Rebels every turn there was. The X-wing pilots were well within their league, using their ships to dance through space with talent. But so was the Empire, much as Sabine hated to admit it.

A flurry of movement on her targeting screen took Sabine's attention. The 'special' unit of Ties were converging on a single X-wing- and with the ease of a well oiled machine, they swooped in around it and destroyed the ship, all flying away as quickly as they had come. Sabine blinked.

_They all converge on their target... and they're actually flying really close to them-_ All of a sudden, Sabine had a plan.

* * *

Hera swore as yet another lucky shot grazed their hull, depleting their already weakened shield reserves even more. A second later, the offending vehicle had ben blasted out of the sky, and Hera thanked her lucky stars that Kanan didn't have a head-injury that would decrease his aim. While she disagreed vehemently that the Jedi be anywhere but the med-bay, she also knew that he was the best shooter among the soldiers she had stored away in her ship, and that they'd be having a _much_ harder time without him behind the guns.

Inter-ship communications had been blown a while ago, when they'd escaped the gravitational fluctuations of the black hole. The stress of such an anomaly had been too much for it to bear, though Hera was _also_ thankful that nothing else had been deactivated during the battle.

Although, the rate things were going now, their shields might very well be.

The _Ghost_ was the biggest target out on the battlefield, and as such drew the attention of the Empire's fighters. While the rebels were smart enough to try and keep their enemies attention off of the _Ghost_, they were still trained soldiers. Even if their command central was undergoing absolute destruction, they had their orders, and those were to take out the most important rebel fighters they encountered.

Still, with her flying and Kanan's shooting, they should have a moderately easy trip back to the _Imminent Pursuit_\- so long as Vader's squadron didn't notice them. Because even _with_ Hera's flying and Kanan's shooting, those elite were- well, _elite_. And going up against around a dozen of them at the same time wouldn't end well.

Which was why, when the alarm for missile's went off, Hera's stomach did a full one-eighty and shot down into the soles of her boots. Only the advanced models of Ties came equipped with missiles.

A quick look at the scanners confirmed her fears: there were at least ten Ties flying around them in formation, already swooping in low for their strike. Only a violent twisting roll to the right managed to jerk the _Ghost_ away from the missiles, the yoke groaning under her fingers as it was pushed harder than ever before in a direction it wasn't supposed to go.

"Come on, don't give up on me now..." Hera's eyes flashed over three screens at once, taking in the position of the squadron, the strength of their shields, and the amount of fuel they had in their tank all at once. What she saw was less than satisfactory, but since when had they ever had everything they needed?

"_Hera!_" Said Twi'lek jolted in surprise as Kanan's voice spoke from her belt on their handheld comms, and she inwardly berated herself for not thinking to use those sooner. Unable to take her hands from the yoke, Hera simply settled for shouting back with the small device still on her waist.

"I know I know, they're on us! Can you do anything about it!?" Red lasers burst from her ship, by her own touch and Kanan's, but the Ties evaded them all and returned some green ones of their own. All the rolling in the galaxy couldn't evade all of them, though Hera did manage to escape damage from most of them. The rest thundered against her shields, and the _Ghost_'s dash pinged with warnings and protests.

"_We have to get back to the _Imminent Pursuit_, they'll be able to deal with them!_" Hera's gaze flickered over to the Star Destroyer still a fair distance away before returning at once to focus on the swarm of deadly Imperials around them. That was exactly what she was trying to persuade her ship to do- but Vader's squad wasn't dumb enough to allow them free movement. Every direction she tried to turn she was hampered, with torrents of lasers or streams of missiles that she was forced to dodge in order to avoid the destruction of her ship. The little progress she _was_ making was nowhere near what they needed to make a speedy exit to their Star Destroyer.

"Been trying that, love, but I don't think we'll be moving any more than this anytime soon!" The _Ghost_ shuddered, nearly whamming Hera's head into the yoke in front of her, and her teeth gritted together.

An X-wing flew in towards them, firing away like the pilot's hands were jammed onto the trigger, and it succeeded in creating a momentary hole in the Ties surrounding them. Quicker than a Crystal snake Hera had the acceleration gunned, aiming for the sudden weak point in their defenses, and managed to put just a little more distance between them before they adjusted to the new variable and swarmed back around them, two pilots breaking off to deal with the X-wing that had come to their rescue. A second later the rebel bird was downed, and Hera felt sick to her stomach.

"_Hera! There's a Lambda coming out of the _Maelstrom_!_" She hadn't though it possible, but her stomach sank even lower. Vader was the last thing they needed right now, and if anything, he just lowered their chances of survival by a ton. Several tons, in fact. It wouldn't take long for the Imperial vessel to catch up to them, especially not with the Ties around them restricting their escape options to none.

"Can you shoot it down!?" Even though she knew the answer, desperation made her shout the useless question.

"_It's not in range yet, but..._" a quick shaken sigh, "_by the time it is..._" Hera closed her eyes for just the briefest of seconds. She bit her lip. This... this wasn't good. This wasn't even bad. This was horrible.

"Kanan... I-"

"_Hera, whatever you do, stay away from that escape pod!_" For a moment, the new voice over the outer comm***** channel threw Hera for a loop- sort of literally as she spiraled around a Tie -until Hera grasped the indication of what the Mandalorian had ordered.

"Sabine?!"

"_No time, just whatever you do: STAY AWAY FROM THAT POD!"  
_

And then Hera saw it, the round metal escape pod barreling towards them in the direction of the _Maelstrom_. Trusting her young friend to know what she was doing, Hera wisely turned a hard right and went in the opposite direction that the escape pod was heading-

To see that nearly half of the Ties that'd been harrowing her were now gone. They'd went over to investigate and destroy the new escape pod that'd come to aid the _Ghost_.

For a brief second, all Hera could think was that whoever was aboard the escape pod must have had a death wish, to come and aid them out now. Just like the rebel in the X-wing that had come to rescue them before hand, they stood no chance against even _one_ of the specially trained Ties, not _five_.

And then, just as half of Vader's squadron converged around the pod, it exploded. And not just any normal explosion, either. It wasn't just a small 'poof' of broken panes and metal. It was violent and reactive, the shockwave huge and nearly reaching the _Ghost_. None of the Ties had even shot at it. But when the debris cleared and Hera saw not _one_ of the five Ties that had gone to meet it, she realized why Sabine had warned her away from the darned thing.

It had been chck-full of highly reactive bombs.

And they had done their job. All of the five elite Tie fighters that had gone in to intercept it had been destroyed, their tactics of swooping in close having turned against them as the distance between them and their target hadn't been enough to protect them from the explosion. And now that the force hampering Hera's every movement was suddenly halved...

With a terrific cheer, Hera gunned the acceleration, shooting forwards faster than the Tie pilots could follow without sensors. They didn't have enough men to keep her pinned down anymore- and now that she was free, she had _no_ intentions of letting that happen again. The _Imminent Pursuit_ her only end-goal target, Hera zoomed towards it faster than she'd ever pushed her ship before, making record distance and time. She could hear nearly a dozen yells similar to her own ringing through the ship, not needed the comms to make out the exuberant atmosphere escaping the elites had given the soldiers. And while Hera knew they could still see all the enemies around them on the scanners they'd been watching on, she herself was adding to the cries of the rebels, just glad that Sabine had managed to get them out of danger before something drastic had happened.

* * *

"They made it past the elites!"

Sabine couldn't help it. She was relieved.

"Call our birds back in their bays! Send out the hyperspace coordinates to the _Haddir_ and our other ships! As soon as everyone's onboard, get us out of here!" Several cries of acknowledgement followed, and judging from their tone, they were all as relived as Sabine was. Their battle was finally coming to an end, with the _Maelstrom_ being destroyed and the remaining Ties soon to be abandoned. During the chaos Sabine had ordered one of the _Haddir_'s accompanying ships- which had been equipped with a large magnet and cargo-bay -to skirt to the edges of the battle to the escape pods the _Maelstrom_ had launched and to pick them up. With it having retrieved nearly half of the stranded Imperials, the rebels had a fair amount of prisoners that they could use for information or credits, not to mention an entire Star Destroyer in their hands.

This was, by far, one of the biggest victories of the _Ghost_ crew- of the entire _Rebellion_, even. Which was why everyone needed to escape to hyperspace now, before Imperial backup showed up to snatch away their hard earned victory. Because Sabine had no doubt the _Maelstrom_ had sent out some sort of S.O.S. signal the moment they'd come into contact with the black hole.

"Hyperspace coordinates sent!"

"Rebel forces are on their way back to their bays."

"E.T.A. of _Ghost_ crew is forty seconds!"

"Shields!?" Sabine cried, not letting the safe return of her friends distract her from the responsibility of the hundreds of lives she was commanding. Immediately, her answer was shouted out, "Holding at forty-eight percent!"

She herself could see their turrets had been just under half-way wiped out and their batteries were running low, but it was nowhere near what would cripple them. The _Imminent Pursuit_ was still in the _Maelstrom_'s turrets auto-lock range, so they were still taking a beating, but their shields would hold for the amount of time it would take for the _Ghost_ to-

"_Ghost_ onboard! X-wings and Ties in their docks!"

"JUMP!"

And then, they were gone.

* * *

***The _Ghost_'s inner comms were the ones damaged, so they couldn't communicate room to room, but the external comms were still working fine, so Sabine could still warn Hera.**

**Remember that one time when I mentioned that I watched Fullmetal Alchemist? And how one of my faithful reviewers 'Paint the Wolf' commented, "**Someone make a FMA and Rebels crossover/AU…**"... well...**

**I've been working in my free time and have actually started working on such a Fullmetal Alchemist/Rebels mash-up. No doubt I'm going to upload it sooner or later, my only question to you guys is: should I put that crossover up next after this story or would you guys like me to write a different story just for Rebels first? And if so, what type of story (future, past, brotherly, parental, etc.)? Honestly I'm down for either option, but I'm gonna end up doing whatever you guys want me to do the most. Just tell me which one you'd prefer down below!**

**In the meantime, peace!**


	44. Delivering the News, in Part

**Ah, there's nothing like the feeling of summer... except I could do without all the sweating. :/ STILL! It brings me closer to Season 2, so I don't care! :3**

**Man, this was a really big deal with Abducted and it is here with Deadly Intrigue as well: Thank you all so _so_ much for all of your reviews, favorites and follows, and generally just sticking with this for so long. I know it was a little drawn out, but just... thank you all so so much for staying. I love you all!**

**Disclaimer: No, sweetie, I don't own Star Wars. Honey no, don't go playing with the legal documents, Disney needs those! I know you don't like it, but that's the way things are. No go play with your Rebel toys. And I honestly don't know if I was talking to a young child or myself.**

* * *

"That's it." Hera drilled her best 'no-nonsense' gaze into Kanan, emerald eyes sparkling.

"Don't worry too much-" He began, but the Twi'lek knew better than to let him finish. "You're leaning against the wall, Kanan." He made a face at her.

"I'm heading to the med-bay, aren't I?" Hera breathed through her nose and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were considerably softer. Without saying another word, she dragged Kanan's left arm over her neck and planted a firm right hand on his side. Tugging him away from the metal walls of the _Imminent Pursuit_, Hera began leading them through the winding halls.

"Hera, you don't-"

"If you're about to tell me I don't have to do this I'm very well aware." Kanan blinked down at her, but she continued looking straight ahead.

"You guys go down to the _Maelstrom_, managing to find the _one_ person we absolutely do _not_ want to find, scare me _half_ to _death_ and come back running to the turrets before you even so much as take inventory of your wounds- for crying out loud Kanan, I can only take care of you if you can manage to keep yourself functioning for a little bit at least." There was no venom in her words, and the silence from her partner made it obvious he'd picked up on the amount of distress Hera had unsuccessfully tried to hide.

"Sorry." Hera sighed, looking up at Kanan.

"Just... be careful, alright? Now even more so. I don't think we'd be able to handle anyone dying." What intrigued and kind of alarmed Hera was the weird face Kanan made after her statement.

"Kanan."

"It's nothing- well, not really _nothing_ but it's not really _that_ big of a deal-" Kanan sighed and looked down at his feet, expression clouded, even to her, "Yes it is. Oh dear Force Hera, this is such a big deal." Hera felt the Jedi lean into her slightly, and she leaned back, giving the support his reflexive gesture craved.

"What happened down there?" Hera asked softly, giving him a long searching stare before turning her gaze back to the panel of the elevator they'd stepped into. She released her grip on Kanan's left arm for a second, pressing the correct controls to bring them to the floor of the med-bay, and then immediately grabbed onto his hand again. They began ascending before Kanan spoke again.

"A lot of things happened down there. A lot of things I am in no means proud of. But the worst of them," The elevator stopped and opened to give the two of them a view of one of the various medical stations onboard the Star Destroyer. Jam-packed with soldiers who'd gotten injured with the various damages to the _Imminent Pursuit_, they were still able to see the two cots with Ahsoka and Ezra lying on top of them. Of the two, her youngest Spectre was definitely worse for wear, if the number of machines hooked up to him counted for anything. Kanan's eyes were also on his Padawan, and they were narrowed with a kind of sadness she hadn't seen on his face for a long, long time. When he spoke it was more of a pained whisper.

"The worst of them was that I lost him."

* * *

The bed beneath him was soft as he came to, finally waking up from the round of pain killers the rushed doctors had administered. Softer than he would think the Imperials were capable of owning. Though compared to the harsh, cold metal he'd been in far too much contact with recently, the mildly warm bedsheets made for a nice change.

There was the steady beat of the heart-monitor to his left. That was comforting, too. It was giving irrefutable proof he was alive. Well, proof _other_ than the constant throb of his bones and body, anyways. Though there was something odd about that, too. Something he didn't think he could actually bear to think about. Something that was horribly, horribly wrong he hadn't allowed himself to think about since waking.

So Ezra had relished in any distraction that sprang out at him in the med-bay aboard the _Imminent Pursuit_. At first it had been the steady beeping of the heart-monitors and other equipment, the throb of the bacta as it ran its course through his broken body. When that had gotten too monotonous and his mind started drifting, his distraction because the movement of the others in the bay. The rush of the half-trained combat doctors as they darted from bed to bed, and the rapid influx of just _people_. Ezra knew there were multiple med-bays on the Star Destroyer, and he was pretty sure they were nearly all as crowded as this one. The _Imminent Pursuit_ had taken damage, and with damage came injuries. Burns and scrapes, bruises and broken bones. Ezra saw and catalogued all of the injuries he could see to take his mind off the topic he dreaded.

But then the patterns of their movement had become predictable, and he found himself dwelling even as his eyes tracked the constant movement around him. So Ezra had cast about for another distraction, because what was wrong with his body was worse than what he wanted to deal with- worse than he probably _could_ deal with. Which was why the sudden gathering of his crew around his particular bunk was a welcome sight indeed.

Kanan was sitting on the cot to the left of his, perched on the edge closest to him instead of lying down fully probably like Hera and the doctors wanted him to. There were a few bacta patches on his various scratches, and even a cloth bandage wrapped loosely under his hairline. Meanwhile, nearly every inch of _his_ skin seemed to be plastered with bacta. To his right had been Ahsoka, but apparently as soon as she'd had minimal treatment she'd left. Ezra knew it had something to do with her being high up in the ranks of the rebellion, and personally couldn't blame her for going back to her job as soon as possible. She probably had a lot of organizing to do, and so most likely left as soon as she could put pressure on her leg. Ezra also had the suspicion she didn't want to let herself dwell on her own painful topic, Vader, by keeping herself as busy as possible. Another woman had since taken her cot, nasty burns disfiguring her clothes and body from the waist down. Apparently she'd been in the vicinity of the neck when one of the Ties had crashed into it, and had only survived because her teammate had refused to leave without her.

Moments like that were what made the Rebellion special to Ezra.

But right now, the woman was sleeping peacefully under the drugs administered to her, those same drugs having just worn off of Ezra as he woke up to see Hera, Zeb and Sabine in the space between his and Kanan's beds. They'd all been there when they'd first come into the med-bay, and he had knowledge from Kanan that they visited multiple times when he was out of it, but this was the first time they were all their together. Hera was talking to Kanan, probably telling him off for not properly lying down, and Ezra smiled serenely at his family in front of him.

"Well well, look who finally woke up. Nice to see you're not dead."

"Hello to you too, Zeb." Damn his throat and it's seemingly infinite weaknesses. Bacta had helped a lot, but it didn't work miracles. Well, it _did_, but not overnight. Well, _sometimes_ it worked over night, but that was only when the injuries were small. Though, his throat was small too. But it hadn't been-

_Okay then, guess the concussion's still there. Nice to know._

"Oh good," that was Sabine, her face looking tired but also relieved. Actually, all their faces pretty much had that same look to them. A lot had happened by way of repairs and decision-making while Ezra had been unconscious. "They said you'd wake up soon. How're you feeling?" Ezra raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised when that action didn't hurt. Everything else did. Well, except for-

_Don't think about that, not right now._

"Like I've been chewed on by a large, hungry animal."

"Well, that did actually happen, you know." Hera shot Kanan an odd glance, and the Jedi shrugged bashfully.

"Don't beat him up too badly, Hera. Everything has a natural gravitation towards my arm, an angry Howler wouldn't change that." Hera sighed, then shook her head.

"You two... one of these days you're going to get a limb lopped off. And don't you _dare_ tell me that that almost happened, too." Kanan raised his hands to his chest in surrender, slapping a placating smile onto his face, though Ezra saw him glance at both Ezra's left arm and his own right one. His smile grew.

"Ah, knowing this bozo, he'd probably just tape it back on."

"Would not!"

"Would too, you Loth-rat, and you know it." Ezra narrowed his eyes playfully at Zeb, sticking out his tongue. He didn't care that it was childish and immature in the least.

"Keep it down, you two," Sabine chided, gesturing towards the other patients in the bay. A few of them were giving the group odd looks, though nearly all of them seemed to be tinted with amusement in some way. Hera chuckled.

"You guys should listen to her, you know. She's the reason you're all here in one piece." Ezra turned a raised eyebrow to the Mandalorian, who'd donned a light blush of pride. "I'm pretty sure you had more to do with that than I did, Hera." Said Twi'lek shook her head, a proud smile on her face.

"The _Ghost _was about to become mincemeat Sabine, and you know it. The only reason it didn't end that way was because you sent out that pod." Sabine shrugged, though Ezra was happy to see she was smiling.

"What pod?" Zeb asked, and Hera turned sparkling eyes to him.

"When we were surrounded by Vader's squad, Sabine had the ingenious idea to send out an escape pod set on autopilot towards us full of high-grade explosives. She'd analyzed their attack patterns, saw a weakness and acted out on it, and it destroyed half of those Ties." Ezra grinned at Sabine, who shrugged again and leaned on the wall, crossing her arms over her helmet.

"I just happened to notice that they swooped in low and concentrated whenever they destroyed a single target together, so I knew if there was a big enough explosion, the distance between them and their target wouldn't be enough to get them out of the danger zone. It wasn't that big of a deal."

Ezra rolled his eyes. "Puh-lease, just accept our praise without trying to brush it off. You deserve it." Sabine just shook her head at him, half-smile in place.

Pain lanced up his arm, just for a second. He didn't make a sound, but guessing from the look on the crew's faces, they'd seen his grimace. He shrugged at them half-heartedly, though in hindsight moving his arms wasn't the smartest decision. Guilt crossed Kanan's face briefly. Ezra glared at him.

"Don't you dare go thinking this is your fault." Kanan looked at him.

"Ezra, this entire _situation_ is my-"

"If the next word out of your mouth is 'fault' or something that means exactly the same thing as that, I swear I am going to drag myself over there and give you a concussed head-but." Kanan blinked at him, a flicker of amusement quickly flitting across his features before his stoic mask settled back into his place. Ezra sighed.

"You two... what happened down on the _Maelstrom_ was no one's fault but Vader's. You guys just weren't ready for that." Hera supplied, looking between the two of them sadly. Kanan's face underwent a multitude of changes before it finally settled on an expression of acceptance, but Ezra was no fool. Kanan was still blaming himself.

"Look- I don't c-"

"Both of you drop the topic, it's obvious neither o' yeh's gonna let the other win." Surprisingly, it was Zeb who broke up the fight instead of Hera, and Ezra stared at his friend just to make sure he was alright. The Lasat shrugged.

"What I'm more interested in is what you, you little bugger, told me when we got you into the med-bay." Ezra tried to smile. He really did. He tried to make fun of the situation, he tried to make it light-hearted, like he always did. But it just didn't work this time. All that came out was a sort of light grimace. If there was anything to make Kanan feel even more guilty than he already did, this was it.

Unfortunately, Hera seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Zeb, because she turned to Kanan with a slight frown on her face. "Me, too. Kanan, you said that you 'lost him.' I know you're all beat up pretty badly, but..." Ezra was slightly alarmed- but not surprised -when his Master's face darkened, and his eyes seemed to grow a thousand times heavier. Knowing better than to push the Jedi to tell the tale, he cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the rest of his crew.

However, good intentions aside, he still had no idea how to approach this topic. 'Hey yeah I died but it's totally fine now' just didn't seem to fit.

"Um. Well, you see... oh man." Ezra sighed, sitting fully up and bringing his gaze down to the bandaged right hand in his lap to distract him from the pain of moving. His left was in a cast and nearly completely useless, and while his right was in no better shape, it was still better than what the universe had decided to throw out at his left. Currently it was resting on the thin white sheets that came equipped with every bunk, which were drawn up to his waist now that he was sitting up. Ezra stared at the gloves on his hands for a moment, trying to pull his thoughts together. He was momentarily distracted by how the yellow synthetic rubber completely hid his fingernails.*****

"Okay. Uuh, I'm just gonna give you a brief rundown of what happened." Ezra cleared his throat again, ignoring the slight spike of pain the action brought with it. "We were all fighting Vader at once- me, Kanan and Ahsoka. We... we got a little distracted, and he managed to- ah, to nab me, as it were. Then-"

"He had you in a choke-hold, Ezra." He bit his lip, disturbed by the haunted look in Kanan's eyes. Ezra nodded slowly, remembering the feeling of breathlessness and lethargy that had slowly accumulated, gradually turning into suffocating emptiness...

"Yeah. Yeah he did." Seemingly just by dwelling on the memories of the Sith's hands on his neck, a kind of phantom pain gripped his trachea, and Ezra shook his head, dispelling the feeling and moving on. "I... I couldn't breath. Even when Vader let go, I couldn't breath."

"He didn't exactly 'let you go.'" Ezra closed his eyes, knowing Kanan was probably watching Vader throw him into that wall in his minds eye, just as Ezra was re-living it himself. That had not been painless, and had probably been the primary cause of most of his injuries. Still, he didn't have to tell the others _exactly everything_ that had gone on; just enough for them to understand.

"No, he didn't. Zeb, I know we can get rough sometimes, but compared to _that_, you're as gentle as a Lothcat." The Lasat raised an eyebrow, not interrupting only because this was serious. Ezra grimaced. "The wall wasn't exactly soft, either." Kanan snorted. Ezra didn't look away from his hand, still trying to find the right words for this next part.

"This... this is where it's a little..." He sighed. "I still wasn't breathing. I- I couldn't, I just... after I hit the wall, I couldn't even... I passed out. And... and then I... I..." He couldn't do it. He couldn't say that one word. There was a tightness in his chest- other than his mending limbs and organs -that just wouldn't let the word come out of his mouth, that wouldn't let him acknowledge with words what had happened to his flesh and blood. Like a survival instinct, his being wasn't allowing him to say the words, as though if he did they would somehow come true again. His hand was shaking slightly.

_Get over yourself, Bridger._

"I died."

* * *

**Heh... heh heh. I think we can all feel the angst and fluff around the corner, neh?**

**For all those wondering: yes, there is something horribly horribly wrong with Ezra, as evidenced by him needing to distract himself in the beginning of his perspective. This WILL be addressed in later chapters I swear, but for now... I need to focus on de fluff.**

***I recently found out that Ezra does indeed have fingernails: you just _never_ see them because his gloves aren't fingerless, they have yellow rubber fingers that completely hide his little digits. Seriously, I was watching Rebels and I noticed his 'fingers' were actually a shade different from his skin color, and then all the comments about him having no fingernails came to me, and I was just like 'nah bruh, he's just got them covered!'**

**The thing was that thought came out of nowhere, so my mom just kinda looked at me with a weird look...**


	45. Delivering the News, in Full

**So sorry for the delay; life happens to get in the way in the least opportune moments. I should most definitely be updating faster than this now, however. **

**And this time I swear that's true. :)**

**From most of the responses, it seems like the majority of you guys want to see another purely Rebels story before a Rebels/FMA crossover, so I do believe that that's what's going to happen. Make no mistake: I _will_ be posting both, but if you guys want Rebels first, you'll get Rebels first. :)**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, no.**

* * *

There was a moment of complete silence, other than the noises surrounding them in the busy med-bay. But for the crew, even those were muted. It wasn't that they didn't believe Ezra; even with a concussion he wouldn't be spouting just random nonsense. And the look on Kanan's face only helped to cement that silence.

"I couldn't breath and I couldn't move, and I passed out, and- and then I died. And... I'm not talking figuratively. I... was completely dead." Every other word Ezra spoke made the crew's expression harden just a little more as what he was saying sunk in. Zeb's eyes were trained on the electric blue of his bunk-mate's. Sabine's mouth was open just a little in shock. Hera just stood there, frozen as her youngest Spectre continued on.

"But, um, Kanan didn't... let me? He- I don't know _what_ he did, but he pulled me back, in the Force. And I came back."

The kid was serious. He was actually freaking serious.

"You... you were... dead?" Sabine's voice was shaking, all enthusiasm from earlier gone. Her face seemed to be stuck in a position of mute horror, and her helmet was trembling in her hands. Zeb wasn't much better. His eyes were wide, his ears folded half-way in distress. Hera, for her part, was still completely stationary. Ezra swallowed, opened his mouth, closed it, and then nodded slowly.

Kanan's head was in his hands. Sabine pursed her lips, obviously trying to contain herself, and Hera cleared her throat.

"How... how far gone..." She bit her lip, searching for the right words to convey what she was asking. Apparently Kanan understood her, though, because he took a long, shaky breath and answered her.

"Ezra was... fully gone. He... if I hadn't acted when and how I did, he..." And he couldn't bring himself to finish his thought. The reality of the situation was pressing down hard and unforgiving onto his shoulders- onto all of their shoulders. Ezra would have been dead- permanently. Deceased. They would have lost him- they _had_ lost him, and it had only been with serious injury that they had managed to get him back.

Hera, Zeb and Sabine seemed to be thinking along similar lines. Having their youngest crew member captured had been one thing. Losing him forever... that meant there would be no more sharing a bunk. No more odd or endearing complements. No more pleas to fly the _Ghost_. No more shenanigans when training, no more pranks pulled on Chopper, no more sneaking in and out of the vents or collecting Imperial helmets, no more crazy Force experiments, no more whistling in the halls... no more Ezra. And the prospect of having that almost happen- having that _actually_ happen -was terrifying.

"Come on, guys. Everything's fine now, you don't-"

"No it's not!" All eyes turned to Sabine, even a few of the passing patients as her outburst attracted attention. She didn't seem to care, though, because her watery eyes were completely focused on a shocked Ezra.

"Everything is _not_ fine, how could you even say that?! You- you almost -" Sabine took in a large breath, upset beyond words.

"Sabine... I'm right here now, you don't have to... to get this upset-"

"Yes I do! Ezra- we _lost_ you!" And before anyone could say anything, Sabine had her arms wrapped around Ezra, leaning over bed and abandoning her helmet to the floor. Ezra, for his part, was frankly too shocked to fully register the pain. Sabine was not a bodily contact kind of person. All touching was friendly shoulder bumps or play-punches, not full on hugs. His only functioning arm raised slightly, unsure of what it should do.

"Ezra," Hera spoke softly, a sad smile on her face, eyes glistening. "We worry because we care. Losing... losing any part of this family, even just _thinking _about losing it, hurts. You know that. We can't- knowing that you... died, just... frankly horrifies all of us. We're family. We love each other. We can't lose one another."

Ezra exhaled a shaky breath and pressed his head into the crook of Sabine's neck, taking comfort in the small gesture and close contact.

"I know..." And he did. Even if he was here now and acting fine for all of their benefit, the thought of losing all of them forever terrified him. They were his everything now, and being torn away from them...

"I know."

* * *

The med-bay was quiet. Even though there was no night in space, there were still late hours- and even though there were still repairs being made by a diligent few, the majority of the skeleton crew was asleep, using the abundant officer quarters. The _Ghost_ crew, however, was up and awake.

Zeb was up and working with the bulkier aspect of the repairs, the sights where large amounts of welding and grunt work were necessary. While it wasn't his first choice in activities, it left him free to his thoughts, as he only really needed to focus on lifting the pieces while members of the hastily assembled repair teams fixed them into place.

Ezra had been dead.

When he'd first told Zeb in the _Ghost_'s med-bay, he'd wondered if the kid might have been trying to lighten the mood or over-exaggerating, because there was no way in the universe he could have died and be lying there talking to him. Well, there was still no way he could have done that, and the only reason he had was because Kanan had worked some of his weird Force mojo. And it was only because of that his bunk-mate was still with them.

Honestly, the fact that such a simple-sounding action was the only thing that ensured Ezra was still with them... was disturbing to say the least. If not for a single event, the kid would be dead on the floor and the crew would have lost him for a second time. Permanently. It just didn't seem... _right_. It wasn't right. A life- it's impact on the world around it, the value it held - was worth more than something that could be so easily affected by the simplest of things. And yet... without that 'simple' event, there would be no more Ezra. That very notion was pretty much the one and only thing that was occupying Zeb's mind, and the unfairness of the world to allow such a thing to happen in the first place as well.

Zeb scowled. Since when had he become such a softy?

Oh, right. When the teenager that was so much like a younger brother nearly got himself killed. Or- _did_. Just not... permanently. He sighed, ears drooping just slightly, and though he had sworn to himself he wouldn't, Zeb knew he'd be visiting the med-bay again before the 'night' was done.

Sabine was up and lending a hand to the various field doctors that attended the Destroyer's four medbays. She didn't have much knowledge in the medical field when it came to the various drugs and procedures to be administrated, but she made herself as useful as possible, acting like a temporary assistant to any doctor who needed it. At first they'd given strange looks and one had even boldly asked if she would be able to handle seeing heavy injuries. After the look Sabine had given that man and her increasing usefulness to the others, the questions had stopped and they'd simply accepted her help.

Gruesome as it was, it gave Sabine the chance to keep an eye on Ezra without crowding the kid. Whenever she'd been sent to 'his' med-bay, there would always be just a moment where she checked up on the kid. Even though he was asleep under the influence and combination of medicine and natural exhaustion, she always made sure to stop by for a few seconds. Just to make sure he was still there.

Wrapping her head around the thought of no more Ezra was not something she enjoyed. The little bugger than had started out as an annoying flirt had since morphed into a younger brother character, a friend. And gosh darn it if Mandalorians weren't loyal to a fault. Ezra was her brother, her comrade-in-arms, so to speak. He wasn't allowed to die. That would mean a significant part of her team- of her family, of her_ world_ -would no longer be there to guard her back. To make her laugh. To propose ridiculous shenanigans. To relax around, or make jokes with, or even just to _talk_ to. Such an absence made her heart hurt- she needed her life to be full and vibrant.

Of course, it wasn't just Ezra she would check up on. Kanan was still situated on the cot next to Ezra's, and though the Mandalorian wasn't AS worried about him as she was Ezra, the worry was still there. She might not be the best people-person, but even she could tell that the Jedi was blaming himself.

Honestly, Sabine didn't know how Hera dealt with him sometimes.

If not for Kanan, Ezra wouldn't even be _alive_. And as scary as that thought of losing him was, that was no reason for Kanan to overlook the fact that without him, their youngest Spectre wouldn't even be here. Sabine knew it would take a miracle to get him out of his guilt-cycle-

And that miracle happened to be name Hera.

* * *

"Hey."

Kanan turned towards her voice slowly, having finally laid down fully on the bed. Hera gave him a small smile, which he returned after a second. She walked closer towards him, the chaos of the med-bay having calmed down drastically. Other than the few doctors still up and operating (with Sabine's help, of course), the medical bays of the _Imminent Pursuit_ were nearly devoid of movement. The patients that were still in here were the heavily injured ones, since everyone who could still work had left of their own free will to help. So the most they were doing was lying in bed, either asleep under the effects of medication, resting from the hectic action they had just escaped, or lying awake and doing their best to heal. The only reason Kanan was still in here was because Hera had adamantly refused to let him leave while he was still injured.

"You should be sleeping, you know." Hera cocked an eyebrow at him.

"And so should you, you stubborn man." He shrugged his shoulders and wiggled himself upright, the thin privacy blankets slipping down to his waist and revealing the multitudes of bandages the physicians had finally wrapped around his various wounds. There had been a few burns on his torso and his right arm, which Kanan had said had come from when Vader had struck his arm-plate. The heat of the lightsaber hadn't been able to pierce it and cut his arm, but it had been conducted down to give the flesh underneath some nasty burns. The rest was normal battle wear-and-tear, something he had yet to elaborate on.

"I honestly can't." Hera sat down on the edge of his bed, giving him an inquiring look to prod some answers out of him. "Do your injuries hurt that much? Because the doctors can give you some pain-killers, it's what they're for." Kanan gave a pained smiled and shook his head softly.

"It's not them that's keeping me up." He turned his head to the right, and Hera followed his gaze onto the peacefully sleeping Ezra. _He_ was absolutely swaddled in bandages, due to something that looked suspiciously like an explosion. That and everything else that fate had decided to throw at him. Or- throw _him_ into.

"I'm... I guess I'm just scared he won't be there when I wake up." Hera's gaze softened, and when she turned it back to Kanan, he was still looking at his Padawan. Hera, too, had been having thoughts following along the same trail as her partner. Though, while she too was absolutely horrified at the prospect of losing the young teen, she was also in enough control to know that he wasn't the only one that needed reassuring.

"You know, any other normal person would just agree with you on the spot and give some vague words of comfort." Kanan chuckled a little bit, turning his eyes back towards her. "I'm guessing you aren't about to do anything so mushy?" Hera shook her head, leku following her movement.

"No, because I know that won't do anything for you. Because you're still stuck in the mindset that Ezra's- that his death was your fault." He held her gaze for a few seconds, then sighed gently and looked down at his lap.

"You know, of all the people I've met over my years, I think you're the only one who's been able to read me like a book this well."

"That's because if I didn't you'd be a right mess, dear."

"You're probably right."

"I _am_ right."

Kanan smiled again, though his eyes were tired and filled- like Hera knew they would be -with guilt.

"It's just... it honestly was because of my actions that he..." Kanan shook his head, and Hera began wondering how deep her friend's remorse ran. "Kanan." He looked up at her, and Hera put the best firm reassurance she could onto her face. "Tell me everything." He took a deep, heavy breath, not breaking eye contact, and Hera became truly worried. There weren't very many things her partner had to steel himself to reveal to her, and none of them were good. He looked away, biting his lip softly, and took another glance at Ezra.

"We were being heavily and truly pounded on." Hera willed herself not to say anything to interrupt Kanan now that he had started, knowing that if he stopped, he probably wouldn't be able to continue on again.

"I had Ezra staying in the _Phantom_, because I wasn't wiling to place him in that kind of danger. Thing is," he was wearing a faint smile now, "no matter what you do, you _can't_ keep that kid out of danger. He was firing the turrets at Vader and giving us the edge we needed." _So he _did _manage to hack into the turrets..._ Hera still remembered his desperate plea for help when Garsth had managed to get them a link into the battle. With a slight jolt, she realized that if it hadn't been for the man in front of her, those would have been the last words she would have ever heard from the teen...

"So Vader catapulted his lightsaber in through the _Phantom_'s windshield in an attack against him. I... heh. I panicked. Before a single ounce of logic could sway me otherwise I was running towards the ship, convinced I'd find him seriously hurt... the kid had managed to evade the sword, but it had gone through the engines." Hera sucked in her breath, internally wincing as her mind followed the course that her beloved ship must have gone through. Even though the _Phantom_ was in the depths of the black hole, that didn't mean she could still feel sympathy for it.

Apparently Kanan had noticed, because he gave her a slight smile before continuing on. "Yeah. I'm sorry to say it, but... the _Phantom_ exploded. That's where we got our burns, and where I got those cracked ribs. And, minor concussion, I guess." Hera shook her head, but said nothing. Kanan frowned again.

"Ezra had somehow managed to get out of there before he could get seriously injured, but I was over in the corner counting stars. The kid... he jumped in and saved my life, then. If he hadn't come in right then, you and I wouldn't be having this discussion."

_Why must they always tell me they nearly died__?_

"But then, of course, Ezra was in the fight for real. And there wasn't any going back, because we were right. Vader _did_ have an interest in him. And... and he was comparing himself to Ezra. Oh Hera, he..." Kanan rubbed his arm through his still held-up hair, perturbed by something.

"Vader was- is -Anakin." And now, even if she wanted to, Hera couldn't speak. She blinked at Kanan, and he shook his head.

"It was an on-the-fly revelation, and all the facts add up, but... at the time I wasn't really focusing on that, because Vader had Ezra by the throat. Physically holding him- maybe three feet off the ground, and I..." Kanan exhaled all of his breath sharply, seemingly deflating on the bed.

"I lost it. Ahsoka was pretty much out of the fight; it was only me, and I lost it. Seeing him... so helpless... He just looked so terrified, and now I know it's because he was watching me lose control, but in the moment it just fueled me-" He stopped inhaling and exhaling deeply in one of his many meditative gestures. Hera scooted closer to the Jedi and squeezed his right hand gently, offering silent support. He took it, squeezing back, and continued on.

"It was only because he took the initiative and got himself out of Vader's grip that he was ever released at all; I was doing nothing more than useless pounding. But Vader... threw- well, slammed, more like -him into the wall of the Destroyer. I was lucky- Ahsoka came over before I could get myself too badly beaten, and when she did I ran back to Ezra." Kanan's eyes were glazed over. Hera squeezed his hand again, rubbing her thumb against the back of it.

"But I was too late. I... I got to his side, I picked him up, and he... wasn't there." Both of them turned their heads to watch Ezra's chest slowly rise and fall, the teen still deep in slumber.

"And this next part... don't ask me how it happened, because I have no idea. But I... I went _into_ the Force, I think, and... brought him back." Hera breathed out softly, slowly, closing her eyes and just letting Kanan's voice bring her some of her own reassurance that they hadn't lost Ezra. He continued on.

"Of course, there was still Vader to deal with, and... well, Ezra definitely set me straight. He didn't let me freak out again. And so... um, I guess I did some more experiments with the Force. I- I never received any official training in this style from my Master, I was too young and not on the right level, but... I'm pretty sure that I entered into a weak state of Vaapad."

"The seventh lightsaber form?" Hera gave Kanan an incredulous stare, no longer worried that he wouldn't be able to talk. He'd told her a little about it, and that his Master and hers were the only known Jedi to ever have been able to use it. From what she remembered, Vaapad was a form of lightsaber combat that required the controlled use of the Dark side, and the practicer to use that anger and bloodlust and the _enjoyment_ of simply fighting to fuel their strokes while still keeping in control of themselves. Kanan cocked his head and frowned.

"I think so, anyways. I wasn't using the Dark, you can trust me on that, and I wasn't enjoying the fight in the least. But I was moving with more purpose than I had in years- than I've had _ever_. I've _never_ fought at that level before, and the only reason I was then was because I'd somehow gone into a really deep meditative trance. The Dark and the anger of Vaapad weren't there, but the speed and skill was. I've been wondering if I may have slipped into the form while attempting to make myself focus, and because I'd been more in touch with the Force than ever before if I'd simply skipped out on using anger and bloodlust, instead just using pure energy, because... there's no way I'd be able to fight like that on my own."

"But didn't you say you never had any training in it? So how could you have slipped into it?" Kanan blinked at her then smirked just ever so slightly.

"Master Billaba didn't tell me much, but she did say that Vaapad was a state of mind more than it was an actual fighting form. So it wouldn't actually be too hard to 'slip into' it. I'm just glad I did. It bought us the time we needed for you to get in their and save our butts."

"And _that_, my dear, is why you have no right to blame this whole thing on yourself. If not for you, none of you would have made it out alive. So don't go focusing on only one part of the picture; you have to look at the whole thing to get an accurate summary of what happened." The blank look on Kanan's face softened dramatically after a second. Hera scooted in closer, looking directly into her partner's eyes.

"At the end of the day, you are all here, safe and sound and _alive_. So don't you dare go thinking that them getting hurt is your fault. Besides, it's not like you'd be able to escape completely unscathed- you were going up against Vader- or, I guess, Anakin. He was the best of the best of the Jedi. It would have been impossible for you to come away without harm."

"You can say that again," Ezra spoke up, and both Hera and Kanan turned towards the teen in surprise.

His eyes were half-open, still slightly fogged with exhaustion, but he was most definitely awake. "You should be asleep, Ezra." Said teen turned a raised eyebrow over to Kanan, clearly sending the message that he should be as well. Kanan deftly decided to ignore his Padawan's hidden prompting and instead move onto another topic.

"How long have you been listening in on us?" Ezra closed his eyes fully, and Hera wondered if he was just going to go back to sleep, but then the teen answered.

"I've been up for a while, but I only really started focusing in and being aware by the time you two were talking about... um... Vaapad?" Kanan smiled gently when Ezra pried his eyes back open, and Hera shook her head with mirth. "You two are honestly going to work yourselves out until you can't anymore. Why didn't you go back to sleep? You know you need it." Ezra's half-awake face darkened considerably, and both Hera and Kanan frowned at the display.

One second later, Ezra had sat fully up in his bed, making Hera 'tut' in disapproval as he shifted the multiple bandages and dressings the doctors had managed to wrap him in. There was barely an inch on free space on him, something Hera found sad. Ezra sat up completely, blankets pooling at his waist, though he wasn't looking at them.

"I stayed up because I've run out of distractions." Hera and Kanan looked at one another for a brief second, neither one knowing what the teen meant by that or where this was going. "What do you mean by that?" Ezra took a deep breath. Looked at Kanan. Then back down at his lap.

"I mean I've been trying really hard not to... not to think about this by distracting myself on other things. And it just isn't working anymore. I've run out of distractions."

"Ezra. What are you talking about? What did you need to distract yourself from?" Hera asked, unconsciously tightening her grip on Kanan's hand. The teenager bit his lip. Hera felt Kanan tense next to her, and the Jedi's worry only increased her own.

Slowly, gingerly, Ezra pulled the covers off of the rest of his body and swiveled around to face them. But it took longer than it should have; even with his multitudes of injuries he should be moving faster than he was now. As his pupil moved himself into position, Kanan stiffened dramatically. He was looking at Ezra with something akin to horror as a sudden seemingly terrifying thought came to him; and after a moment, Hera too realized a horrible possibility. Ezra confirmed it a moment later when he spoke in a shaky voice.

"I... I can barely move my legs."

And Hera hung her head in sorrow, hurting because the world refused to leave her loved ones alone.


	46. Forgiven

**Just a warning- near the end of this chapter is content directly from the previous story in this ark, 'Abducted.' If you have just been reading 'Deadly Intrigue' without reading 'Abducted,' I highly recommend you do, if just to make this chapter that much more fluffy. ^u^**

**Disclaimer: How on Earth do you people think I own this stuff!? That would require money! And... even more money! I don' got that kinda money!**

* * *

How? How could the universe have decided that this boy hadn't suffered enough? How could it be so cruel to one that had already undertaken the horrors it possessed? Hadn't this teenager gone through enough? Why did he need more to screw his life over?

As the child before him spoke of his predicament, Kanan couldn't help but resent the world around them. Just for a little bit. Ezra didn't deserve this constant bombardment of horrors. He didn't need the drudgeries of his life to be ruined over and over again. What could anyone have done to deserve that?

"You... You can't..."

"I can move them- but, it's..." Ezra bit his lip, looking down at the limbs in question, which kicked back and forth weakly after a second. They stopped almost instantly, and Kanan had to struggle not to hang his head like Hera.

"You're- damn it all, why does this have to happen to you?" Ezra gave him a weak smile, but even he couldn't think of anything to say.

Hera drew in a large breath, and Kanan knew she was composing herself. She had come to offer him comfort- not to take even more bad news. But even so, none of them could have been prepared for... for _that_. If... if he could barely move his legs, how in the world would he be able to- to do _anything_ he considered normal? He... he wouldn't even be- how- how would he be able to even function without... Kanan couldn't even form a coherent thought.

"Ezra, where... where does the blockage come from? Is it just- just muscles, or your bones?" Ezra frowned, looking back down at his legs and wiggling them about again. It made Kanan's heart ache to see how little they were actually moving, when the boy controlling them had a reputation for making the most out of them.

"Hips. They... they feel sluggish, and... the bones below them are kinda the same way." Hera nodded, took a deep breath again, and stood up. Kanan's hands relaxed, allowing Hera to take hers out of his- which he'd been squeezing rather tightly -and he looked to his partner with a question written in his eyes. What was she going to do with this?

She cleared her throat before speaking. "If it's a symptom stemming from a spinal injury, like I think it is, then we might be able to do something about it." Both Master and Apprentice's eyes widened slightly. Ezra's a little more than his, though that was to be expected. His legs might as well be his livelihood; a chance to get them back to full strength was a chance to repair all the damage that had been wrought here.

"What are you going to do?" Kanan asked, an indescribable feeling running through his veins. It felt a lot like hope.

Hera looked at him a hint of a smile on her face, and then at Ezra. "I'm going to go to Ahsoka and ask her if we can take a visit to a friendly medical facility with more equipment than the _Imminent Pursuit_. Because if we can fix this, we will." After a brief second, doubt crossed Ezra's face.

"Hera, the amount of credits that would take-"

"Is insignificant." Kanan spoke for the both of them. He allowed a steely glint into his eyes as Ezra looked at him, and spoke with conviction. Credits really were insignificant if using them meant ensuring his Padawan would be able to continue on... being himself.

"You're worth more than a few credits, and you know that." Something in Ezra's expression changed, and he seemed to relax slightly in his sitting position with a soft smile. He chuckled a little bit. "It looks like I'm turning out to be a costly investment, isn't it?"

Kanan returned the soft smile with one of his own. "And a worthwhile one, kid. You go, Hera. I'll keep an eye on him." Hera smiled one of her own smiles, eyes sparkling slightly. "Of course. I'll be back soon." But before she left, the Twi'lek crossed the space between her and her youngest Spectre, wrapping her arms around him in a gentle embrace. It heartened Kanan to see Ezra lean into it without a noticeable grimace of pain.

"Please don't hurt yourselves even more, you two. Otherwise Chopper's gonna feel threatened." Ezra laughed, responding with his own little quip, "He's gonna be a little more than threatened if he can't handle a little bruising on his favorite punching bag." Hera left the med-bay, shaking her head just ever so slightly.

"You know, someday you're gonna seriously regret making so much fun of Chopper." Ezra shrugged, traces of humor still sparkling in his eyes. "That day's not today, so I'll pass on being polite."

He made to move back to the bed, and Kanan's good feelings pretty much went down a hole and curled up on themselves as the monster of guilt came back to whip them into place. Hera had helped tremendously: she always did, she always knew what was eating him up on the inside. But this was one thing that he needed to defeat on his own. Yes, Ezra was alive and well- _relatively_ well -but he still couldn't shake the feeling that the kid could have been better off if Kanan hadn't massively screwed up.

"You should stop making those weird faces whenever you see me move. People are gonna think weird things." Ezra successfully navigated himself back onto his cot, and Kanan had to shake his head to get back on track as he witnessed yet another wince from his Padawan. He started making a reply to Ezra's tease before he just stopped, unable to speak about anything except that which was killing him inside.

"I'm so sorry."

Ezra turned his head to frown over at him. "It's not _that_ big of a deal, I was jus-"

"No- not for the faces thing, the... for getting you here in the first place." Ezra groaned and rubbed his eyes.

"Come on, Kanan, I just lied down again..." Kanan frowned, and Ezra began sitting up once again. "You should stay lying dow-"

"Nope. I'm getting up because otherwise you won't take me seriously." Ezra sat fully up and turned his head towards Kanan, eyebrows raised. "I thought it was you who said that we had to be prepared to take risks?***** This was one of them. It's no ones fault but my own- well, Vader's too, I guess..." The joke did nothing to ease his mind.

"That doesn't mean you weren't affected by me. You can't deny it- if I had kept on the right track, you wouldn't have gotten as injured. You wouldn't have... died." Ezra's eyebrows furrowed into another frown, though this one was a little confused.

"Stop it."

Kanan blinked. "Stop what?"

"Stop putting everything on your shoulders." He frowned.

"You're making this whole situation seem like it's all your fault. Stop it." Kanan's upper lip twitched just ever so slightly before he sighed. He rubbed his eyes, idly wondering what time it was anyways.

"Trust me, I'm only taking responsibility for what I'm responsible for. And you happen to be on that list."

"And I also happen to be one of the galaxy's biggest trouble-makers." Kanan looked into Ezra's eyes, to see they were filled with sparks and fire.

"No matter what you do, I'm going to get into trouble. There's not much you _could_ do to keep me out of it. Vader was just too powerful; it's only because of you we got out of there-"

"It's because of me you were in Vader's hands!" Still keeping his voice lowered as to not disturb the other sleeping patients, Kanan no doubt made it perfectly clear how strongly he felt about this.

"Yeah."

Kanan was rather taken aback at Ezra's response, but the teen was still looking him square in the eyes.

"Sure. But I'm focusing on the part where it's your fault I'm _here_, you know, _alive_. It's not like you to be focusing on something like this, especially when it _doesn't matter_."

Kanan leaned back, crossing his arms and staring at his Padawan. Ezra returned his looks with the same steel Kanan had had in his eyes earlier, and it somehow warmed him to see such a sight. Still, though. Kanan had gone against the Jedi code, and as a result, he nearly lost Ezra. What kind of a pupil would want or benefit from a teacher who broke the rules?

Apparently, Ezra. He was still staring at Kanan, and he could see the resolve in those electric eyes. It was... heartening and hurtful at the same time. This child that was so ready to forgive and move on, even when his entire livelihood could be destroyed by his teacher's actions... how could Kanan possibly deserve an apprentice like him?

"Why can you forgive so easily? Your entire life could be altered majorly because _I_ lost control. How in the world are you able to look over that?" Ezra didn't even spare a thoughtful glance to his legs before responding, the answer apparently on his tongue before Kanan had even finished answering his question.

"Because you did the same thing for me."

Kanan's mouth opened, his eyes wide, but nothing was able to come out of it. That... honestly, that aspect of the situation had completely escaped Kanan, so caught up in guilt as he had been. He'd forgotten that this hadn't been the first time one of them had strayed from the right path. And that he'd forgiven Ezra as easily as Ezra was forgiving him now.

"What was it that you said then? Something like, 'it's not that you lost hope that's important, but that you gained it'? I'm thinking that kinda applies here as well. So you lost it. You came back, didn't you? And you brought me with you." This wonderful child... Kanan's entire vocabulary had gone on vacation at this point.

He wasn't used to being on the receiving end of being granted forgiveness as quickly as he gave to others. When he did it, it just seemed like the right thing to do. When Ezra did it... it warmed him completely and made him love the kid that much more.

Kanan smiled, with genuine happiness. "You absolutely wondrous child. I really don't deserve you."

"Tch. Too bad- you're stuck with me." Ezra smiled back at him, and Kanan couldn't see any pain or doubt hidden in those eyes. If Kanan had known how important the little thief from Lothal would be to him when he had first laid eyes on the boy...

"Now come over here and hug me. I know you want to, and I'm not getting up a second time." Kanan snorted and shook his head, already moving off of his bed to envelop his arms around the one child that had wrought such changes in him.

* * *

***I realize that Kanan said this in 'Call to Action,' which was never able to happen in these stories, but I figure it would be a central lesson in being a Jedi that Kanan would most definitely teach to his apprentice.**


	47. Accepting the Loss

**I'm so proud of myself. I watched the premiere... and only had to stop hyperventilating once! Woo! Seriously though, I may have a problem... but who cares!**

**To the guest that was disappointed with Ahsoka leaving: she did so because she wanted to make sure of where she stood on Vader being Anakin before she conversed with them. That and, you know, she's a rebellion leader with a broken ship and crew to tend to and needs to catch up with a year of _stuff_\- everything will be explained here, because I know she wouldn't just leave like that for no reason. :)**

**Yes, this is a short chapter, but I don't think there's a way to continue on from the ending without completely ruining the moment. Because yes, this is an important (ish) part of the storyline. And a sad one...**

**Disclaimer: There would be a serious problem if I owned Rebels, because I don't think it's procedure to nearly have a heart attack when watching your own product. Seriously, the premiere was amazing.**

* * *

Ahsoka sighed heavily, the door closing behind her with a soft hiss. Her left leg made a twinge of pain, and not for the first time she wondered if she shouldn't have left the med-bay so early.

Of course, the answer to that was yes. Ahsoka... couldn't have stayed in that med-bay, not with Kanan and Ezra next to her. After all, they for sure knew the very thing that would be whirling around in her head. Being the kind-hearted people they were, there would no doubt be attempts to help her or console her or something of that nature.

Thing was, Ahsoka wasn't sure she could handle that.

Her Master had fallen down the Dark road. And because of that, the only family she'd ever known had... been executed. Hunted down like animals. Murdered. An entire culture, very nearly obliterated. There had only been a few survivors: Obi-Wan, who after meeting with her had mysteriously vanished to attend a 'most important task'; Yoda, who she'd heard of but had never seen after her departure, and a handful of others that had since been... disposed of by the Empire and it's Dark disciples.

By Anakin.

No- not Anakin. Vader. The mass of anger and hatred that replaced him. The mass that she had contributed to...

Ahsoka sighed heavily, staring at nothing as she tried to navigate the dangerous waters that were her mind. Because she had no doubt that her leaving the Jedi Order- leaving Anakin's tutelage -had contributed to his turn. Though the main reasons were no doubt his family- his_ future_ family, with Padmé, Ahsoka knew that she had played a role in turning the beloved Jedi into the feared murderer of millions.

_If I'm going to do this now, better sit down. Otherwise those doctors are going to have a field-day with me and this leg._ They had been by no means happy with her abrupt exit from the med-bay, but she had waved away their complaints and concerns. She could handle a little pain; the Rebellion was more important.

The _Imminent Pursuit_, after having disabled the various trackers the Empire built into all of their ships, had been docked over Felucia, hidden by the planet's two moons, for the more extensive repairs that were necessary. A backwater planet of the Outer Rim, the Empire didn't have as much control over it as they would like to think. Several resistance cells had been stationed there, and several more had arisen of their own accord on the agricultural planet, made of citizens no more pleased with their rulers than the Resistance itself. They kept a small enough profile on the planet that the Empire didn't investigate too heavily into them, but their presence was more than enough to help them out with repairs.

Materials and the occasional helper were sent up in modest and simple ships, as to not attract any unwanted attention, and their help was greatly appreciated. If they wanted to keep control of their newly acquired Star Destroyer, it had to be _somewhat_ battle-ready at all times.

Ahsoka had sent the _Haddir_ and the other Rebel ships back to Alderaan and their other home bases with her deep thanks and gratitude for taking the initiative to board and claim a _Star Destroyer_ for their own. Nearly half of their various crew members had stayed behind to man the _Imminent Pursuit_, though as soon as they had made repairs and went back to Alderaan, they would rejoin with their own respective crews as an official team filled in their places on the Destroyer. The sheer number of men required to have adequate control over such a vehicle was _enormous_; there weren't even that many members in the Rebellion as a _whole_.

Not yet, anyways. It would have to remain a project of sorts before they could even consider actively using it in battle, where they gradually added crew members to the behemoth until they had a permanent skeleton crew for it, at least. Until then it would probably be stowed away somewhere. But as soon as the day came that enough recruits would be able to control the immense fire power the Destroyer gave, it would most definitely be added to the more extreme efforts of their cause.

It would be going up against the Empire, to aid Ahsoka in her fight against her Master. She looked sadly at the ground, cerulean eyes holding a grief she hadn't felt since her exit from the Temple. Hadn't felt in her entire life, really. Well, maybe when word of Order 66 had reached her. Those had been hard times. Just knowing that everyone she had loved and knew was being mercilessly slaughtered by a Sith had been difficult, and it had only been because of Lux and Obi-Wan that she hadn't gone leaping in to battle the monster herself.

Now that she knew the identity of the monster, it hurt twice as much.

Ahsoka moved towards the desk inside the officer's quarters, heading around it and settling in on the plush cushion. The Imperials really knew how to treat themselves with extorted resources. Although, they could use more color. The grey metal rooms and hallways had begun to get to her, especially since they'd decided they didn't need variation. In like, _anything_. Though that just reflected them themselves; unwilling to change from their mold of destruction and pain, no matter the cost to others.

_Oh, Anakin... Why in the world would you go down such a path?_

Of course, Ahsoka already knew the reasons why. Vaguely, anyways. He had been in love with Padmé. Of course, in the Jedi Temple, love was a forbidden thing. And... and she had been pregnant. That in and of itself had been a blow. To think of the Senator as a mother... Ahsoka could only imagine she would have made one of the best mothers in the Galaxy. Kind and forgiving, but not afraid to crack down on discipline when it was needed. And to imagine Anakin as a father- well. It certainly would have been a sight to behold. She could just picture in her mind's eye a giggling child clinging to Sky-Guy's boots as he tried to pry them off, smiling and laughing the entire time.

It made her so happy it hurt. Had events not traveled down the path they had, his life would have been so perfect and wondrous... instead, Padmé had been killed. With a jolt, Ahsoka remembered Obi-Wan's words to her,

"_In his anger at my appearance, Vader... nearly killed Padmé. It was only because I managed to distract him that R2 and C-3PO were able to take her aboard... but she died soon afterwards._"

Anakin... had hurt Padmé to the point of dying? How... how had such a thing happened? If he had loved her as much as he had said, then why...? Had he already been that far gone down the road to the Dark that he no longer registered his feelings towards her?

No, no that couldn't be it, because he had been distraught and despairing to the point of violence when talking about her death. If he felt remorse now, then it wouldn't make sense if he hadn't felt anything then...

_I need to find Obi-Wan and wrestle the truth from him if I want to understand anything._

Because at this point, the old Jedi Master was the only one who would be able to give her any type of information about what had happened on Mustafar.

Of course though, that would have to come later. For now... for now Ahsoka would grieve. Anakin had been her teacher, her Master, her partner and her best friend. Losing all of them at once had been hard. Finding them once again and seeing them so twisted and evil...

Ahsoka closed her eyes, smiling a sad, sad smile.

"I guess this is goodbye then, Sky-Guy."

Rebellious tears escaped her eyelids, slipping down on her face and dripping onto the metal floor. It'd been so long since she'd last cried.

"I'll miss you."

* * *

**TT^TT**


	48. To Remedy the Situation

**And here we are again, this time with special guest mentions of a character that only EVER showed up in TWO Clone Wars episodes! Don't worry too much if you don't know him, he doesn't even make an appearance, but if you DO know of this man: kudos to you! Seriously, what a memory!**

**Disclaimer: Disney! Disney Disney Disney! Not me!**

* * *

"Just one moment, Captain Syndulla. The Commander will be with you shortly." The short man in front of her threw a relaxed salute in response to Hera's nod of gratitude, then walked away to carry out his sure to be enormous task list. The entire crew was all working hard, trying to create ways to function more efficiently with less than an eighth of the men preferable to use on a Destroyer.

The battle with the _Maelstrom_ had been hectic, and the only reason they'd survived was because adrenaline and practice gave their legs and other appendages the swiftness they'd needed to move around to the stations they'd been needed at. Even then, orders had been carried out with a delay; the number of men was just too low to have this baby operate without a hitch. And as much as Hera would _love_ to join the tiny crew on the massive vehicle, the _Ghost_ held a bigger place in her heart. Not much could compete with it, even such a powerful ship like the _Imminent Pursuit_.

Though, the Destroyer's dark past with her crew also held sway in those regards. She was sure none of them wanted to stay any more than necessary.

Which was why Hera needed confirmation from Fulcrum that they could take the _Ghost_ and head for one of their medical stations. While the _Imminent Pursuit_'s med-bays were advanced for a ships, they didn't have what it took to bring Ezra back to his feet, so to speak. If there was one thing Hera was absolutely _not _doing, it was giving up hope for that child.

His movement was a key part of who he was- and that was why nothing would stop the Twi'lek from returning it to him. Nothing.

"-and so if we double the amount of rotations, we'll have better access to the number of stations required for full movement." The door leading to one of the conference rooms swished open, revealing Ahsoka and a rather skinny Rodian, both of them heading outwards. Ahsoka nodded towards the green man.

"I understand; but at the moment, we need to focus on repairing the ship instead of manning it. Doubling the shifts would tire out the men much too quickly, and that would hamper our repairs and ultimately delay our return to a safe haven. I thank you for your concerns, but I have another meeting with our fine Captain here." The Rodian gave a small tip of his head, murmured something to Hera, and then took his exit.

Hera smiled tightly at Ahsoka, who returned the gesture. "A lot of the men who stayed behind from the _Haddir_ and the other ships are just a tad worried about the Empire catching our trails and coming to attack us once again. It's not surprising, just wearying." Hera nodded with sympathy, then stepped directly into the large yet rather empty-looking office, the door closing shut behind her. She hesitated, turning around to face to Togruta, remembering Kanan's words to her.

"Kanan told me about Vader." Ahsoka's smile saddened a bit, but more than anything it just made her look tired. She probably was as well, what with trying to catch up on current events and manage a severely under-staffed Destroyer at the same time.

"I though he might. Nothing goes unspoken between you two, does it?" Hera gave a tired smiled of her own.

"Nothing. I worry about him too much, he worries about me too much, and so we generally worry about each other until we know everything we need to."

"An accurate description as any."

Ahsoka sighed, and moved towards one of the black metal seats in the conference room. Just in front of her were a few data-pads, displaying information that the Twi'lek had no doubt Ahsoka'd gone over dozens of times in her hectic attempt to bring order to their operations. With the rounded table to her side, Hera opted to stay standing and simply offer silent support to the Togruta.

"You know, when I was at the Temple, I wouldn't have made it as a Jedi if it weren't for Anakin. I was too rash and reckless." There was a far-away look in Ahsoka's eyes, and Hera gave her a soft smile of sympathy. She hadn't a clue about what the woman was feeling, honestly. This was more of a Jedi-bond issue, and without connection to the Force, Hera couldn't even begin to understand the complexities of the situation.

However, she was too much of a people-person to _not_ try and help her friend. Besides, she did have a basic clue on what was going on through Ahsoka's head- pain. Lots of it. Love tended to do that when it was twisted horribly. Especially with... well, a situation so unique. Betrayal usually didn't include the slaughter of thousands.

"Fulcrum... you know the man you once knew would never do all those terrible things. Master Skywalker was a great man- my own people can attribute to that."

The Togruta in front of her gave a sad smile from the chair. "Hera, you don't have to try and help me through getting over... that. This is my own problem- your crew has plenty of their own for you to worry about." The Twi'lek's face darkened for a second.

"Besides, I'm already getting over it. Your assistance is much appreciated, but... this is something I need to handle alone." Hera hesitated, torn between letting the natural order of things progress and still trying to help out her friend. Even if she hadn't known the Ahsoka side of Fulcrum, she'd still known Fulcrum long enough to care for Ahsoka. But the rogue Jedi seemed adamant, and so she nodded.

"I'm glad to hear that." She cleared her throat, immediately delving into the original reason she'd requested the meeting.

"We- the _Ghost_ crew needs to head towards a friendly med-station. Ezra..." Ahsoka's look sharpened as she hesitated. Hera decided she _was_ going to use a chair, if only to keep herself conducted.

"We think he might have a spinal injury. He's... he's very nearly paralyzed, from the hips down." Ahsoka sucked in her breath, eyes wide.

"How bad is it?"

Hera smiled faintly, "It definitely could be much, much worse. He can still move his legs, but there's something inhibiting his movement. I- I have a theory it might be a spinal injury, and if it is-"

"Then you'll need a facility more advanced than those aboard the _Imminent Pursuit_." Hera nodded, and Fulcrum bit her lip, eyes calculating.

Of course, the real question wasn't whether or not they'd be going, but rather, where _to_. The Rebellion was still pretty small... there weren't too many sympathizers out there with access to high-grade medical supplies that would be necessary to help Ezra. Hera herself couldn't think of any obvious ones off the top of her head; though since she'd mostly stuck to Lothal with the _Ghost_ crew, that was to be expected.

"I have a contact that _should_ be on Mandalore; the Empire doesn't interfere too much with it, other than keeping the planet under their control. You should be able to go to him, and he should be able to get you the proper medical care."

"Are you sure he can be trusted?" Ahsoka smiled softly.

"I'm sure. When I was still a Padawan, I was sent to Mandalore to try and unveil a corruption in the government: and at the time, Cadet Korkie Kryze and his friends helped me out. I know them well: they won't give you to the Empire."

Hera felt herself significantly relax at the prospect of an actual safe haven. Too many times had they attempted to flee to safety, only to have their safety compromised and their lives thrown into peril. This was one time that such an incident would actually spell out harm to their crew. Without a decent medical facility, Ezra wouldn't-

_Don't go down that rabbit hole just yet._

"That... that is relieving to hear. How soon can we leave?"

Ahsoka smiled benignly at her, a knowing look in those eyes that had so rapidly cleared of her own pain to accommodate Hera's own. "As soon as the doctors we _do_ have onboard say Kanan and Ezra are fit to travel. I thought you yourself wouldn't let them leave beforehand?"

"Well, just look who's talking. I bet you're still getting twinges from that leg, Fulcrum." Both women chuckled slightly, and then Hera went back into serious mode.

"Thank you, Ahsoka. Without this, Ezra..."

The Togruta lifted a hand and waved it in dismissal. "You don't need to thank me for anything, Hera. Because of you and your crew, not only was I rescued from my year-long imprisonment on Yavin IV, but we also gained a brand new Star Destroyer and a smattering of Imperial officers as prisoners. I'd say that more than made up for any favors you could ask of me."

Hera smiled, letting her gratitude show through her actions instead of through words. It always seemed to come out clearer like that, anyways. Especially when dealing with Force-sensitives.

"All in a day's work, I guess. I'll take my leave, then." Ahsoka nodded, already turning towards the pile of data-pads on the desk as Hera stood to head back to the med-bay.

"Just come to me when you're ready to leave; I'll find Korkie's contact and the proper authorization codes and such before you go."

"Again, thank you. You might say I don't have to, but thank you. And... good luck." Of course, Hera was wishing the Togruta luck in more than just setting up meetings and organizing the chaos of reintegrating herself back into the flow of things. Though that didn't need to be said out loud. While working with Force-sensitives on board could sometimes be a little harrowing, it also gave Hera a sort of second sense when one needed just a little encouragement.

"May the Force be with you, Hera."

* * *

"Hey, Sabine?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you still hanging out here?" The Mandalorian gave Ezra one of her 'seriously?' faces before responding.

"What, do you _want_ me to leave?"

Just as she thought, the teen currently sitting on the edge of the examination bed back-peddled quickly from the direction he'd been taking the conversation. "No no no- not at all! I mean, no, no of course not."

Sabine smiled with half her mouth, eyes twinkling. "Then why did you ask such a stupid question?" Surprisingly, Ezra looked away, opting to stare at the opposite white wall and interesting light fixture instead of back at her.

"Well, I mean, we're on Mandalore..." Sabine stayed silent, "...and... you're a Mandalorian..." She cocked her head, drawing the teen's focus back to her head instead of the wall. She put a fake expression of shock onto her face, grabbing at her heart like she needed air.

"Oh my gosh- I never thought of it like that!" The heat that crossed over Ezra's cheeks made it clear her very obvious sarcasm had made it's point, and she dropped the act of being surprised. "So what? I lived here most my life; I don't need to go and see the sights again. I already know the customs." Sabine pressed her back into the wall, crossing her arms over her helmet which had been previously tucked under her left arm. She looked out of the corner of her right eye at Ezra, who was still retaining a slight blush.

"Well, yeah, but, this is your home. Wouldn't you rather... visit it than stay here and keep me company?"

"No."

Silence. A quick look revealed Ezra was looking oddly at her, and Sabine shrugged, looking up at the rather bland ceiling. The medical facility could use a severe paint-over, she decided.

"It's not as important to have a home as it is to have a family." She didn't have to look at her friend to tell he was smiling softly. She, too, was wearing a similar expression. After all, it was true. Besides, the _Ghost_ kind of counted as her home, now.

That was why she was staying with Ezra: that and she was absolutely horrifyingly nervous about what the Mandalorian doctors would finally say when they delivered their diagnosis. She couldn't very well imagine being anywhere else but next to him when they told Ezra how severe his injuries were. And... if he'd ever be able to recover to the point of being the same old Ezra.

Hera, Kanan and Zeb were out with the physicians, probably learning the true extent of Ezra's injuries as they sat there. They'd taken extensive scans of him when they'd first been made aware of the problem- something the teen hadn't enjoyed in the least -and had since been discussing the severity of what they'd found, and possibly treatments.

Sabine hoped to whatever Gods or divine powers there were that there was a treatment for her brother. Even just now, when they were doing nothing more than talking, Sabine could already notice several key differences in the way he usually acted and the way he was now. For one, he was still. He wasn't bouncing around with the youthful energy that always drove Kanan and Zeb insane. Another point, his arm was in a sling. Rather obvious, but all the more painful because of it. And he was nervous.

Oh, he'd deny it even if it killed him, but Sabine could see Ezra was as nervous as she was. In the little things he did- the restless tapping on his thigh with his right hand, the secretive glances towards the door of the small room, the occasional bite on his lip, and the way he sometimes slipped into one of his meditative breathing patterns Sabine had come to recognize.

"I can get that." Ezra replied softly, in the tone she'd come to associate with him thinking fondly about something. She snorted.

"Well of course you can. You and I are in the same family, dumb dumb." Ezra laughed, scratching the back of his head with his free arm and giving her a genuine smile. She returned it with one of her own, a gesture she knew the teen appreciated.

"Hey... what do you think will happen if they can't... help us?" Ezra spoke softly, hesitantly. He'd probably been thinking on this for a while. Heck, Sabine had been, too. Well- she'd always been very quick to entirely dismiss the possibility of things going wrong, but the notion had been simmering in the back of her head for a while now.

Still, though. It was her duty to bury that stuff and focus on the present- and on making it the best as it possibly could for herself and her crew.

"Huh! As if Mandalorian medical procedures wouldn't be advanced enough."

"Well, I'm just sayin', if it's not-"

"Then we'll find someplace else that has what we need. Geez, you think you'd be used enough to us to know we aren't exactly the surrendering type. You know we're kinda headstrong when it comes to this sort of stuff." Ezra sighed, though Sabine saw the corners of his mouth were twitching upwards rebelliously.

"Oh yeah, I know _all_ about _that_. I don't think the surrendering type would take on an entire Star Destroyer- _alone_ -just to get their annoying little twerp back with them."

"You got that right."

Ezra shook his head, having finally given in to the small smile Sabine had prompted from him. The door swished open, and both their heads whirled around to face the four people entering the small room.

Kanan, Hera and Zeb filed in behind one of the grey-and-white wearing Mandalorian doctors that'd first taken a look at Ezra. His pale skin and nearly white blonde hair blended in superbly with the standard medics outfit, giving him a dull and tasteless look. Sabine couldn't take her eyes off of him as he began talking, the rest of the crew looking somewhat hopeful behind him.

"Ah- Ezra, my dear boy, how are we feeling?"

Ezra eyed the man with a raised brow, and the man narrowed his grey eyes slightly as he took in how Ezra was sitting over the bed.

"Same as when you guys left, doc. So? What's wrong with me?" The doctor chuckled slightly, and Sabine shifted her weight to the opposite foot.

"Nothing is wrong with _you_. There's just a few cracks on the lower vertebrae of the lumbar nerves, which in turn severely limit your brain's ability to communicate with your hips and legs, thus hampering your movement."

Ezra took a long blink, digesting, and then looked at his hanging legs. They kicked out a bit, and the doctor pursed his lips slightly, but was interrupted by Kanan before he even had the chance to reprimand his charge.

"Then, can you help us?"

The pale Mandalorian looked stunned for a second, then smiled as if Kanan's question had the most obvious answer in the world.

"Well, of course." Instantly, the _Ghost_ crew relaxed. A huge weight had just been taken off their shoulders, after all. Sabine elbowed Ezra gently, smirking just slightly down at him.

"See? What I tell you, not a thing us Mandalorians can't fix." Ezra just grinned up at her, while the pale doctor looked between him and Kanan before speaking again.

"It will take a few days, however. While bacta is a regenerative material that accelerates the growth of cells and tissues, the actual operation and recuperation will take time, not to mention th-"

"Doc, honestly, I don' think anyone in this room really cares how long it's gonna take." Ah, Zeb. Forever blunt in his ways of telling the truth of the situation. Not that Sabine wasn't agreeing with him- just knowing Ezra was going to be all right was enough for her, who cared how long it took. They were relatively safe here, and they were alright. They were going to be alright.

The Mando doctor took it in stride, taking a glance at the apologetic faces in the room and then simply shrugging. "I'm just going to make a warning, though, it might be a little harrowing for you good people. The hospital's visiting hours aren't infinite, and half the time Ezra here most probably won't be conscious. Spinal injuries are serious business, even with bacta and advanced medical technology."

"Don't worry, doc!" Sabine just knew it- Ezra wouldn't just let the conversation go without adding his own special twist to it. And as the cheshire-cat grin stole across his face, she had a feeling she knew what it was about.

"It could be a _lot_ worse. I could have had my arm lopped off instead!"

Sabine simply shook her head in amusement as Hera and Kanan groaned, the doctor looking thoroughly confused and unsure about whether or not to take his new patient seriously.

* * *

**Again, kudos to anyone who remembers who Korkie Kryze is!**

**Seriously though, he was only in two episodes...**

**And next chapter (most likely), something very, very special... something I take a lot of pride in and hope you guys enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing.**

**For the next full-blown story, I'm torn between Kanera and Ezrabine (I love that shipping name, it sounds like a coffee). While Ezra and Sabine isn't my first choice for a pairing, I can still see some great potential there, and have started coming up with drafts for both. My main question is, which romance would you guys enjoy reading first?**

**Be warned: I have absolutely NO experience writing romance. Though I am very heartened by your encouragement. :3**


	49. Comeuppance

**Now for the major event which I'm sure many people have been eagerly anticipating... and believe me, so have I. I've been wanting to write this scene out for so long now... and finally, here it is! I was giggling like crazy while in the writing process, which earned me many, many strange looks from my mother and, strangely enough, my cat.**

**And I was quite surprised with the number of people who actually remembered Korkie! I wasn't expecting so many! He was indeed the nephew of the late Duchess Satine, and I'm glad you guys remembered him.**

**Disclaimer: You better hope it's not me owning Rebels, because I tend to laugh like a madman any time I write something good. And we all know laughing like a madman at your job tends to make you... a madman.**

* * *

"And that finalizes it- Mr. Bridger, you're free to go." Ezra was more than just a little weirded out at the use of his surname, but that didn't matter. Not with his recovery period finally up. He was just relieved to finally be up and about- back on the full strength of his fully recovered legs, with his left arm only bearing a scar instead of a cast.

Ezra grinned heartily up at the physician who'd finally deemed him able to leave. Behind him, he knew Kanan and Sabine were smiling also, sharing in his relief. Hera and Zeb were prepping the _Ghost_ already, because the Twi'lek had had a moment of foresight to get everything ready before Ezra's final therapeutic check up.

"Thanks for fixing me up, Doc! Now we can go and-"

The Mandalorian held up a finger, warning on his face. "You'll need to take it easy, for a few months at the least. Don't go jumping off of buildings or any other dangerous stunts like that, or you'll undo most of the therapy work we've been putting you through." The grin turned just a little sheepish on his face.

"Right, will do. Um, thanks!" The physician shrugged.

"It's my job. Now, unless you want to stay and help me prepare for my next patient, I suggest you check out."

"Right- Kanan?"

The Jedi raised an eyebrow, though he was still smiling. "Come on, let's go and see if Hera's ready to take off."

And Ezra couldn't be happier as they left the Mandalorian hospital, proudly walking under his own power back towards his home. Of course, though, they wouldn't just lounge around relaxing. After all, they still had one last thing to do...

* * *

It was nearly six weeks after their original arrival at Mandalore that the _Ghost_ crew was landing on another planet, quite a ways away. It was beautiful, with waterfalls abounding and lush green plant life flourishing. Naboo was always pretty. They didn't have to go very far- after all, their target wasn't exactly _hiding_. He'd come out as soon as they'd touched down, something that worked well in their favor.

"Alright. We know the drill?" Hera asked, and nearly everyone's eyes narrowed. Affirmative nods were given, and the lot of them moved forwards. Ezra was having a hard time keeping his emotions in check- and he knew the rest of his family were having an even harder time doing so. He wasn't letting himself fully acknowledge how badly he'd been hurt by this sleemo. They were.

Axle had stopped halfway between the _Ghost_ and 'his' ship, the _Turn-Point._ From his face, he could see that they were _not_ happy. He paused chewing on his gum, black eyes calculating, and they noticed his hands were crossed where he had easy access to the guns strapped to his sides. Well, the real ones, anyways.

"Come on, I'm a little busy here, people! I have better stuff to do than babysit a couple of needy pilots."

"Does that include selling us out to the Empire?" Even her crew cringed when Hera unleashed her coldest voice and stare. Axle blinked, eyes widening for just a fraction of a second, and then they narrowed smoothly.

"The Empire? I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm working on _your_ side here, Syndulla."

"Yeah- and selling out our attack points and information to the Empire behind our backs!" Sabine yelled, her own hands twitching towards her pistols as Axle attempted to cover up his treachery. The slimy git drew back his head, pinning them all with a calculating stare as they stopped advancing a few meters away from him. They watched for his next action.

The calculating glare quickly morphed into a degrading sneer. "So, your job gets just a bit harder, and you go blaming the people above you instead of acknowledging your own ineptitude? Do you honestly think so highly of yourselves that you'd cause disorder in the ranks in favor of recognizing your weakness?"

The crew bristled with anger. Kanan spoke calmly, though his eyes were narrowed. "Tell us- have you spoken with Fulcrum recently? Because the way I hear it from her, as soon as she went out to Yavin IV, suddenly she was ambushed by three Star Destroyers above a brand new base, seemingly built just for the purpose of capturing her. After following _your lone_ recommendations. She seemed very sure of the fact when we rescued her."

Axle opened his mouth, then closed it, eyes flashing from one Spectre to another. "Ah. So I'm guessing the Rebels that managed to hold off Vader were _you_ five."

"And now we're gonna kick even more bucket-head butt, you sleemo. An' I think your name's at the top o' the list." Ezra had never agreed more with Zeb in his entire life.

Axle scowled heavily, and Ezra saw his fingers flex like they were itching to grab one of the few _real_ weapons hanging off of his belts. He stepped forwards just a little, standing by Kanan's direct left. A little bubble of anger rose in his chest as Ezra noted the fine quality of clothing and weaponry Axle was sporting. The spy must have been living the good life while the crew had been fighting for their lives- while he and so many other Rebel soldiers were dying.

"Now, you _are_ going to be coming with us, but there are two options. One, you come quietly and without a fuss or two, you try to resist and we resort to violence." Hera was still talking coldly, and none of them missed out on how the spy's eyes sized each on of them up.

"Personally, I like option two a lot better." Ezra smirked in agreement with Zeb, not trusting himself to speak and remain true to the Jedi Code at the same time.

"Well of course you do; big brute that you are, violence is just about the only thing you can understand, _Lasat_." Zeb snarled, but Ezra didn't hear much of what was being said as he noticed Axle's hand move behind his back and back to the front in a quick but discreet movement.

_He's probably calling in the worker bots with a hidden communicator- just like Hera said._

"Why are you even resisting us in the first place?" Axle glared at Ezra, who honestly couldn't care less what conversation he'd just interrupted between him and Zeb. Nothing that came out of this guy's mouth was worth listening to, anyways. "You're obviously not a good fighter, because you're resorting to hanging fake weapons off of your belts in an attempt to scare off opponents before they come, so why're you even _pretending_ like you could take _us_ on?"

The whine of several droids rolling towards them apparently gave Axle a boost of courage. As nearly three dozen worker bots formed a perimeter around them, he let loose a vicious and victorious sneer. "Because I can take you _all_ on when it comes to matters of actual _intelligence._ You _never_ fight alone against your opponents- and now you're all hopelessly outmatched. These droids may not have blasters, but rest assured that they can do the damage necessary to make sure none of you leave here."

Hera raised an eyebrow. She crossed her arms and surveyed the droids around them, her face never changing from an expression of boredom. "We're hopelessly outmatched, huh? Then, why aren't your droids attacking?"

"Because I haven't ordered them to- but believe me, as soon as I'm done with you, you'll be nothing more than a pile of bleeding pieces!"

"Good luck with that." Axle looked over to Sabine, who had both hands resting on her hips, completely unfazed. A flash of doubt crossed through Axle's black eyes, and Ezra could feel it in the Force as well.

Hera adjusted her glove before looking back at Axle. "You say you can take us on when it comes to matters of intelligence. But you seem to have forgotten two important factors."

"And what would those be, oh _mighty_ Syndulla?" Ezra could sense the man's slight nervousness now.

"Well, for one, we've obviously rescued Fulcrum from Yavin IV. And with her rescue comes renewed knowledge of the access codes she has- including those controlling _her_ worker droids."

For just a second, Axle's eyes went wide, and his fear spiked in the Force. But it was just for a second, because afterwards he was smirking the same old smirk, leaning slightly back from them. "You can't control these droids unless one of you reaches their control panel- and since all of you are _here_, you can't fool me into believing you can-"

"_Second_ factor," Hera interrupted him, "is the one which, frankly, makes no sense to me. You have records of my entire crew, correct? So honestly, it just _boggles_ my mind that you would forget something so crucial the fact that we have_ six_ crew-members, not five." Ezra smiled just slightly when Axle's face whitened as the teen brought out his communicator.

"It seems," Zeb said, also smirking, "that you can't beat us in matters of _intelligence_ as well as in combat, you stinking son of a bantha." The little astromech had gone over to the main control hub to take over the worker droids while the crew had been confronting Axle, in order to make absolutely sure the slimy git couldn't weasel his way out of capture.

"Chopper," Ezra spoke into his comlink, not bothering to hold back his satisfaction, "go ahead and initiate Phase two."

The confirming beeps through his link were the only warning Axle had before he was suddenly grabbed by the nearest four worker droids, the rest suddenly turning and heading back to their previous positions to resume their work. The short, out of shape man was in no position to prevent the worker droids from unhooking the dual ammo-belts from his chest, and the large automatic weapon clattered free on the landing pad as Axle was dumped unceremoniously onto the floor with a yelp. The four worker bots remained close, ready to subdue the spy again in case he reached for his dropped weapons.

"Now, you should be thanking us that we didn't do anything mor-"

"Oh, and just what do you think you would do to me? I know you Rebels, you wouldn't dare kill a man just like this. I know you won't do anything you think _I_ would do, because you picture yourselves all high and mighty. You wouldn't even DREAM of killing me; so nice try on intimidation. You did a _swell_ job, let me tell you!"

Zeb growled at the the man currently laying on the floor, his ears folded low and teeth bared. Sabine, too, bristled, her fingers twitching on the triggers of her pistols. But he was right. They wouldn't kill him- even though there was nothing they wanted to do more than to hurt the man who'd caused them all so much pain, they would _not_ sink to the Empire's level.

Kanan cleared his throat. All the Spectres looked at him, and at the cold look he was pinning Axle with. A second passed, and then he crossed over to the spy and grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket. Kanan hoisted the sleemo upright, and Zeb stared at him incredulously.

The shorter man sneered, brushing off a piece of imaginary dust from his shoulder. "See? No matter how big you think you are, I know you inside and out. No matter how much _pain_ and _hurt_ I caused you, you wouldn't _dare_ kill me."

"You're right." Kanan's simple statement shocked all of the Spectres, even though they all knew it themselves. He crossed his arms, still directly in front of Axle, who was smirking that annoying smirk that the Rebels had come to hate.

"As a Jedi, it's directly against my Code to kill a man out of vengeance. No matter what he's done to the ones I care about." Axle was in the middle stages of wearing a deep, deep sneer when Kanan's voice changed and his eyes hardened. "But as Spectre One, I look out for my own."

Kanan punched Axle to the side, delivering a powerful right hook that sent him flying.

Axle slammed into the ground with what could very nearly be classified as a whimper, flat out cold. Kanan straightened, flexing his right hand. Zeb was staring at Axle, slightly surprised. Sabine was looking at Kanan's hand almost in awe. Hera was smiling just ever so slightly, using all her self-control to keep it from morphing into a full-blown grin. Ezra was looking back and forth between his Master and his... opponent, neutral expression rapidly deteriorating as he tried- and failed -to hold back his feelings. Kanan turned around to face them, looking like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"To be honest, that felt really, _really_ good."

Ezra burst out laughing.

It was sweet and joyous, and the teen couldn't seem to stop it, though he was trying very hard to do so. The rest of the crew was looking rather oddly at him, though they were rapidly donning smiles themselves. Ezra still couldn't stop, even though his hand was pressed directly on his mouth in an attempt to stem the giggles. Finally, Kanan asked, quite alarmed, "What's so funny?"

Even with an incentive, it was still a moment or two before Ezra was able to respond, and when he did, it was still smiling broadly.

"You- you just did... _exactly_ what I'd been hoping you'd do- and it was so _awesome_."

Kanan smiled, looking like he wasn't exactly sure if Ezra was being serious or not. When he deemed that his apprentice was, he responded, "You know what kid, you worry me sometimes."

"You mean he worries _all_ of us _all_ the time," Sabine corrected, punching him on the right arm lightly. Ezra smiled at the lot of them, seemingly infectious mirth spreading until they were all smiling like idiots.

A few curt blips of code from Ezra's communicator reminded everyone that they shouldn't just leave their newly acquired spy unconscious on the ground, and that they _did_ have somewhere to be.

"Don't worry Chop, we're on it. Come on over from the control panel and we'll get going." Chopper replied to Hera's order and Kanan smirked just ever so slightly.

"I hope by the time we get back to Ahsoka your grin's fallen off, Ezra, or I think you might scare her away." Ezra grinned even harder, though he had actually been trying to stop. Well, half-way trying.

"Nope. I won't stop smiling until the image of you absolutely _knocking Axle out_ goes away, and I don't think that'll happen for a long, long time."

Sabine cocked her head.

"Ezra, would you like me to paint a mural of that on one of your cabin's walls?"

At the exact same moment as Ezra enthusiastically exclaimed "YES!", both Kanan and Zeb cried out, "NO!", sending Ezra into yet another fit of giggles, though he was trying very hard to put on a pouting face.

Sabine smiled as well, then she shrugged. "Okay, so maybe not a _mural_... I'll just do a small picture someplace where Zeb can't complain. Sorry, Kanan. But that just _has_ to be immortalized."

Hera chuckled as Kanan sighed, Chopper rolling up behind her. "I think so too, sorry love. That _was_ a pretty impressive punch."

Kanan just shook his head, but he was fighting back a smile.

* * *

***giggles insanely***

**I don't know about you guys, but I was so, _so_ fregin happy whilst writing that epic punch of epicosity. I was watching it in my mind's eye and I just went into full giggle-mode.**

**Also, it seems the majority of you guys want to see some Kanera action before some Ezrabine, which is perfectly fine by me. I think it's gonna go Kanera, Ezrabine, and then another original story, because my FMA/Rebels needs a little work before I'm content posting it.**


	50. Reunion and Speechlessness

**Woohoo! Chapter 50! And, sadly, the third to last chapter of Deadly Intrigue. It saddens me to say this, but we are rapidly approaching the end of this story. Which is fine; all things must come to an end. I only regret that this dragged on for such a _long_ time, and I promise the upcoming stories won't last _months_. Unless they're really, _really_ freaking long.**

**Disclaimer: Holy moly. I've gone fifty chapters here, with two one-shot stories, and thirty-six chapters with Abducted, and I still have to do these things? Well, it's probably the safest thing to do so. Don't want Disney suing me because I gave up on disclaimers.**

* * *

"Commander Tano?" Ahsoka turned towards the officer who she'd unofficially tagged as her assistant. Medium build, sandy hair and slightly dull green eyes, Halem might not stand out as an efficient or noteworthy man, but he preformed his 'job' well. Well enough that he'd been able to stick by her side for the past few weeks, anyways.

"Yes? Has Senator Organa contacted us?" In the process of docking on Alderaan, it would make sense that the man would open a communications line. After all, he'd want to reassure that they'd managed to find a hiding place for the _Imminent Pursuit_.

When Ahsoka had first arrived back at the unofficial official Rebel base, there had been much celebration over her return. And, of course, she'd left the retrieval of the traitorous spy to the _Ghost_ team, knowing they had a larger debt to settle than she did. Just as long as he was brought in, she didn't really mind. But, missing for a year or not, there was still plenty of work and organizing to be done. Not even a day after her debriefing, Ahsoka had left to find and establish a hiding place for the newly acquired Star Destroyer, until such a time it could be staffed with a permanent skeleton crew. She had a feeling they would never be able to _fully_ staff such an enormous vehicle.

And finding such a hiding place for a ship that massive with such a high maintenance check-list had taken a while. Eventually, it had been stowed away on the Rishi moons, where limited Imperial presence gave an ease of mind that the vessel wouldn't be discovered. Although it was fairly- okay, _really_ far- away from Alderaan, the Empire wouldn't be using the bulk of their resources to search that far away from any Rebel activity, so that just gave it an extra level of security.

"Well, just to remind you to go to debriefing, but so has Captain Syndulla and the returning _Ghost_ crew. They say they have your ship, and a captured spy to be contained." Ahsoka smiled, slightly surprised but pleased nonetheless. If they'd gone after Axle, that meant Ezra's recovery had gone smoothly. That and it would generally be good to see them again.

"Excellent. Go ahead and tell them to dock both vehicles within easy access to the Senator's de-briefing room, and that I'll meet them shortly before my meeting with him begins. Also, get a few men to escort their prisoner to someplace secure. With the other captured officers from the _Maelstrom_, that should do."

Halem nodded, fringe bobbing slightly, and then he was off, hurrying to the communications rooms to broadcast her orders. He was a good lad, and worked efficiently. And had a completely clean background, something she'd looked up and researched extensively.

A minute or two later, the Correllian Corvette had landed on the bay, and Ahsoka was quickly heading down the ramp and towards the landed _Ghost_ and _Turn-Point_. Their meeting would have to be quick for now, as she needed to report her success and findings. Of course, the Senator wasn't actually there in _person_, that would be far too risky, what with the Empire practically breathing down the planet's neck. No, she would be 'meeting' with a hologram on a secure channel, and Organa would safely deliver the news to the other leaders- Mon Mothma, Gial Ackbar, and a few others.

But before that, it seemed her favorite team of six had brought her a prisoner to relocate.

"Good to see you again, Fulcrum!" Hera called out to her, already down and off of the ramp, the rest of her crew following not far behind her, with Kanan and Ezra exiting from the _Turn-Point_. It seemed Zeb was- er, _moving_, if it could be called that instead of shoving, a bound Axle down the ramp, and being none too gentle about it.

"And you as well, Hera. Congratulations on your recovery, Ezra." The youth shrugged, though Ahsoka noted how he was rather bouncy, like he was subconsciously taking advantage of his newfound movement and using it whenever possible.

"You know Mandalorians; they excel in just about everything they do."

"What do you mean, _just about_?" Ahsoka smiled at Sabine's playful glare and Ezra's not-so-playful gesture of surrender. Kanan, too, smiled, though Ahsoka had a feeling it was more to do with seeing his Padawan completely healed and back to his shenanigans.

A loud grunt came from behind them as Axle stumbled off the last few feet of the ramp, though it was muffled by the large gag stretched across his mouth. His hands bound in-front of him, the only gesture the spy could make to convey his extreme dislike of the situation was to glare at all of them.

One of Ahsoka's eyebrows raised. "Was the gag really necessary?"

"Well," Hera adopted a thoughtful expression, tapping a gloved finger against her chin, "if we wanted to avoid Kanan giving another _spectacular_ punch, then yes, yes it was." For some reason, Ezra engaged in a quiet fit of giggles, his merriment spiking high in the Force. Kanan himself just shrugged, while his crew smirked around him.

"Hey, he had it coming." Again, there was Ezra with the giggles. Based on Zeb's ears folding slightly in annoyance, this was a regular occurrence.

"Commander Tano!"

Ahsoka turned, facing the two men that were jogging up to them, and nodded in response to both of their calls. "Are you the two that were sent to detain our spy here?"

"Yes, ma'am. You wanted him with the other captured officers?" She waved a hand in a broad gesture.

"With them, across from them, away from them, just as long as it's somewhere we can afford to use that's secure. Just make sure to file away the correct location." The two soldiers nodded, but before they could advance she held up a finger to stop them.

Ahsoka crossed the short distance to their newly acquired spy. She was just a little taller than he was, which gave her just a small bubble of satisfaction. She kept her face neutral, and when she spoke it was emotionless.

"Before you're hauled off to our secure facilities, I feel as though you should know something. Every man here- every man, woman, and soldier -is fighting for a common cause. And we all share a bond that runs _far_ deeper than friendship. We had let you become part of that bond- and you betrayed us. I can assure you, _no one_ on this Rebel base or on any other will extend even the smallest pity towards you." Ahsoka straightened, turning her head from the man attempting to sneer around his gag, and nodded to the two soldiers who'd come to take him away. They relieved Zeb of his charge, with the Lasat looking rather glad that they had, and proceeded to walk towards a separate section of the squirreled-away Rebel complex.

There was just a moment where they watched Axle being taken away, all of their eyes holding a profound relief that proper justice had been brought to the cause of so much pain. Then, of course, Ahsoka smiled just a little lopsidedly.

"You know, I think I might have seen the bruise from my ship." Ezra snickered, and Sabine grinned.

"That's not too hard to believe- it was one _epic_ punch."

"Oh come on, it wasn't _that_-" Kanan's protest was cut off short by his Twi'lek companion, who was wearing a half-smile that she seemed to save for occasions especially to tease the Jedi.

"Kanan, that punch made your _extremely_ talkative Padawan speechless with giggles. There's not much that can do that, so take pride in the fact that you were able to."

The man just closed his eyes and shook his head, while Ezra tried to make a pouting face that ultimately ended up in a sort of smiling grimace. "I don't talk _that_ much-"

"Kid, you talk even in your _sleep_."

"Do not!"

"Do too- do you need me to get a holo-recorder and prove it?" Zeb crossed his arms in a challenge to his bunk-mate, and Ahsoka was glad to see that the crew was back to their normal antics. It was such a heartening sight, to watch these Spectres laugh and play and joke with one another, something that not all of them were able to do these days.

"Look, I don't care what you say: I don't talk in my sleep!"

"I don't know," Sabine said with a thoughtful look on her face, "I _do_ sometimes hear murmurs through the walls..."

"What!? You're on the opposite side of the hall! How would you even know?!" Sabine shrugged, a small smiled forming on her face.

"I guess you just talk really loud..."

"I don't talk in my sleep!"

"Ahsoka?"

The voice came from behind them, so familiar it sent tingles down Ahsoka's spine. She turned around to face him, surprised and more than a little happy.

"Lux?"

And it was indeed her longtime friend, hesitatingly peering at her from in front of the main building complex. Dressed in the same white senator outfit he wore for the meetings, it was his smiling light blue eyes that stood out to Ahsoka and made her gaping mouth conform into a wide smile. "Lux!"

They both started moving at the same time, briskly walking- she refused to think of herself as running to meet up with him, too unprofessional -and they very nearly collided at the mid-way point as they each embraced the other. Ahsoka took in the feeling of closeness with her closest friend once again, and she realized just how much she'd missed him while stranded on Yavin IV.

_Well- as much as I missed everyone else, of course. I mean, just human _contact_, that's what I was missing. Yeah- yeah, just talking and being around other people. I missed Lux as much as I missed everyone else._

Of course, there was a part of her mind in the back that was crossing it's arms and raising it's eyebrows, saying that she hadn't hugged any of the _other_ Rebels. But, naturally, it was ignored.

"I just got the word that you'd been found a few days ago- I was about to take off again to try and find you since they'd all told me you'd left again!"

Ahsoka took a step back after a hesitant second, breaking the hug and smiling a little crookedly at Lux. "Well, _someone_ had to find a hiding spot for the Destroyer. Did they tell you that we managed to highjack an entire Star Destroyer?" Lux blinked at her, then smiled a little painfully.

"Um, no. But I honestly couldn't care less- I'm just glad you're back." He surprised her with another tight hug, one which actually managed to shock her into speechlessness. Not much could.

Of course, she recovered quickly, as she was wont to do in these kinds of situations. Well, not _these_ types of situations. Usually when she was speechless it was because someone had done something so _stupid_ she literally just didn't have the words. Not... not because of hugs.

Naturally, the first thing she could think about was the technical difficulties of Lux's visit, though she _did_ take a second to relish in the warmth of her partner's hug before gently pulling away. Just a small, tiny second.

"Wait- how did you manage to secure a visit to Alderaan? I don't think the Senator of Onderon would be able to just take a vacation any time he pleases-" Lux waved his hands in dismissal.

"Don't worry about the technicalities right now, just enjoy your friend's company for a few minutes. And, I see you made some new ones?" Lux cocked his head towards the _Ghost_ crew, and Ahsoka smirked a little.

"I did indeed. Lux, I'd like you to meet Captain Syndulla and her crew. This is the team I'm always telling you about, and they're also the party that managed to arrange my rescue from Yavin IV." Lux blinked, momentarily caught off guard, and then he smiled brightly at Hera and the _Ghost_ crew.

"So I have you five to thank for returning commander Tano to our ranks. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you." He gave them a low inclination of his head for thanks, and Kanan shrugged.

"At the time, we didn't actually _know_ it was Fulcrum we were rescuing, we only knew she was from the Jedi Order. Anyone would do it; we just happened to take action first."

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow. "I don't think just anyone would be able to A., captain a Star Destroyer, B., destroy the enemy's Star Destroyer, C., manage to destroy half of Vader's Tie forces, and D., help us all escape from the Sith himself. You guys might not admit it, but you five- six, sorry Chopper, -are most probably the main reason we all managed to live through all of that." They all smiled a bit, and Lux chuckled slightly. It unnerved Ahsoka just slightly to see that Ezra was looking back and forth between her and Lux quickly, a lopsided grin slowly taking shape. She'd known him long enough to know that lopsided grins meant he'd found something hilarious in his environment, and when that something involved her...

"Ezra?"

The grin didn't go away, like she'd hoped. Instead it grew bigger.

"Nothing, nothing... carry on."

More suspicious activity... from the looks on Kanan's face as the Jedi pinched the bridge of his nose, Ahsoka could only assumed he knew what was going on in his Padawan's head. The rest of the crew was just staring at them a little oddly, though she suspected they all knew something diabolical was going on in Ezra's head.

"Okay... Lux, I'm going to have to make my report to Organa. If you'd like to join me?"

The Senator nodded. "Yeah. You can fill me in on what happened, and on this Star Destroyer you managed to snag."

"Of course. It's a riveting tale, I assure you." Lux smiled warmly, and Ahsoka didn't need to be a Force sensitive to feel that it was genuine.

"I've missed you, you know." Ahsoka returned his smile with one of her own, then gestured towards the main complex.

"Go on, I'll join you in debriefing in a minute or two."

Lux nodded, smiled gratuitously to the _Ghost_ crew, and began heading back the way he'd come. Ahsoka watched his back for a little bit, then turned back to face the still grinning teen and the slightly worried crew around him. At her raised eyebrow, the grin widened.

"You never told us you had a _boyfriend_."

For the second time that day, Ahsoka was speechless, her gaping mouth failing to produce the words she so desperately needed to defend herself with.

* * *

**Tee-hee, I couldn't resist... :3**

**To all Ezrabine fans: worry not! My Kanera story won't likely be more than ten chapters long, and should in all fairness only last for a week or two. Romance isn't exactly my cup of tea... but your request will follow not long after Kanera! And while this may not please some of you (I'm looking at you, Lord Darth Vader :p), I promise Ezrabine will come shortly. Like, the absolute maximum wait would be a month. I promise! It WILL get out to you soon!**


	51. Secrets to Salvation

**To all those who were wanting more Vader- this is dedicated to you. And, you know, the story. Because it couldn't very well continue without more chapters...**

**Also: I'm sorry I didn't address this sooner, but to the guest signed in as Selene467- good luck on your own story! I'm honored and glad that my stories have inspired you to right your own, and I wish you the best of luck with yours! :)**

**Disclaimer: Gosh darn it, why must Disney force me to recognize I don't own their amazing stuff? It just... it makes me sad.**

* * *

The return to the _Executor_ had been somewhat... empty. After all, there was a lot on Vader's mind, to the point where the only interactions he'd preformed since exiting the hyperspace journey had been to order stormtrooper and officer alike to not interrupt him in his meditative chambers.

They'd all escaped.

Tano, Bridger, and the rogue Jedi, which he had since discovered was running under the guise of 'Kanan Jarrus.' They'd all escaped his grasp. This was... most displeasing.

His mission to retrieve Tano from Yavin IV had failed, but more than the technical failure, it was the fact that she'd managed to get away in the first place that irked him. As a remnant of Skywalker's past, she had to be destroyed. Now that she was out of his grasp, the only way to do that was to hunt her down- and while that was his primary task anyways, it gave him great displeasure that the apprentice to Skywalker had been able to outwit him into surviving another day. With help, of course.

With help from Jarrus and Bridger- the boy who had come back from death.

Now that he'd been able to think on it, Vader was sure that that feat had not been accomplished on his own. The child must have been aided by his Master, who then went on to slip into a sort of untrained Vaapad. That, too, had been most interesting, but not enough to distract him from his new goal:

To find both Jedi and Apprentice and wrest their secret from them.

Because they had done what should have been the impossible, what the Emperor had sworn could not be done. If there was a way to bring life back to the dead, as his Master had told him there was not, then he was useless to Vader, and could be taken down. After all, if Padmé could be brought back, then that meant his time with the Emperor was meaningless, and he was no longer bound by the man's whims.

But first, he needed the man and the boy. He needed them both, and he needed their secrets. And now it was his job to hunt them down. His mission had been to retrieve Tano- now that he had found her in the company of two other Force sensitives, it was his number one priority to hunt them _all_ down, and that was exactly what he would do.

Tano would die- she would have to. Not only because of her proximity to Skywalker, but because all remnants of the Jedi Order must be exterminated. As for the other two... They would be kept his secret. He would subdue them both, turn them into his own project... until he discovered their secrets and how to use them by his own will.

But he needed to find them first.

And to do that, he would be remaining on Lothal, their apparent base of operations. If there was any way to draw out a Jedi, it was by taking out innocents. The _Executor_ would remain with the Imperial fleet- it was too large and distinctive, and would immediately alert them of his presence. Instead, he would take several separate Destroyers, and outfit them in a blockade around Lothal. The planet was not so important to the Empire that such an action would backfire on them, and it would serve to add to the difficulty the Rebels would experience trying to hide from him.

Tarkin had been assigned to this Jedi-hunt as well, if only because the rebels had clearly demonstrated they were an organized force instead of scattered uprisings. The Emperor had ordered his involvement, and there would be no arguments in the matter. Tarkin was to assist Vader with the capture and execution of the three Force-wielders, and his tactical mind would be used entirely to deal with this matter. It would make the interrogation of Jarrus and Bridger slightly more complex, as the officer was in no way permitted to know Vader was in pursuit of secrets that would free him from his Master, but he would work around that.

Vader had no doubt Tano would be keeping close tabs on her rescuers, and if their capture brought her to him, all the better. It would allow him to dispatch of her at the same time he had the two rogues in custody, meaning he could leave the Outer Rim with them in tow before a rescue was attempted.

And then their secrets would be his, his to do with whatever he pleased. And through those secrets, he would finally replace the Emperor, with his wife righteously at his side once more... he would no longer be able to build a family, but her presence would be enough. Her presence was all he craved.

Her beautiful face, which he had long ago memorized every feature of, would be there once more to smile and laugh at him, to talk to him, to simply look at him. Her melodious voice would be there to comfort him, to take him to the places that only she could, to make him laugh and smile and love her...

And for that, he needed the two Jedi. He needed them to confess their secrets to him, he needed them to spill all of the information they knew of. And Vader would stop at nothing to obtain it- and if that meant to squeeze Lothal until they were revealed to him, so be it. He would draw them to him no matter what it took- the other Inquisitors would be called in, to capture both of them alive, more soldiers would be stationed on Lothal, with none of the civilian ships able to enter or leave... Vader would find them.

And through them, he would find Padmé.

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**Yes, I do realize this is a short and kind of ambiguous chapter, but it is set up this way so that Season Two of Rebels could be thought of to continue this story. It's a better ending than just 'oh man I wish I'd caught them,' anyways. :p**

**And, I'm sad to say it, the next chapter will most probably be the very last one. Yes, sadness all around... but, as the saying goes, when one door closes, another door opens. I guess that could be modified into 'when one story ends, another begins...' Whatever the case, thank you all so much for reading/reviewing, and generally sticking with Deadly Intrigue through these long, long months. It means so much to me, and I love you all! :)**


	52. Inseparable

**Oh man, I'm gonna start crying here... I'm gonna miss Deadly Intrigue, but at the same time, I really look forwards to making some new stories, because I've got a TON of ideas, believe me...**

**Thank you, each and every one of you. Whether you're a guest or an experienced writer, thank you so, so much. Whether you reviewed or kept your opinions to yourself, thank you so much. I love each and every one of you people for taking time to read my humble creation, and the support I received from you guys was absolutely phenomenal and means so much to me. Thank you for staying with Deadly Intrigue for as long as you have, and I hope you enjoy my soon-coming other works as much as you have with this one.**

**Disclaimer: Man, this is the last disclaimer of Deadly Intrigue; it's gonna have to be a good one... um, um, Starwarsisn'tminebecauseIdon'thavethelegalrightstoitbutDisneydoes- dang. Well, that'll have to do.**

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The two stormtroopers held their weapons at the ready, painfully aware that they were the only men standing guard in the huge room full of power generators. The rest of the soldiers were outside, defending the communications array from the sudden onslaught of an infiltrating party of rebels. They were supposed to remain in the generator room, to defend the door to the main facility at all costs while the battle raged outside.

"_I see them-_" Their inside communicators rang inside their helmets, patching the two in to what the main facility was also hearing from just outside the generator room, on the fields of Lothal. "_We have a confirmed visual on two, a Lasat and a bounty-hunter type- no- a _Jedi_-_"

Both troopers looked at each other, though neither could see the other's face. Their communications had been taken out by a light Corvellian freighter earlier, which a squad of Ties had been sent out to dispatch of. They couldn't call for reinforcements, even against a Jedi.

"_T__hey're weaving between the stationed Ties- we can't get a good shot without damaging them!_"

"_The Ties will mean nothing if this communication array goes down! Kill them at all costs!_" There was a significant increase in blaster fire across the line as the orders from command came in, but that wasn't what occupied the two trooper's attention. What _did_ was that the lights went out.

Apparently the freighter had come back and hit their power generators.

Immediately switching to night-vision, the two troopers tightened their grips on their blasters, casting nervous glances around the severely more ominous room.

"_Whatever you do__, deal wi-_" The comm line burst into static. Their internal frequencies had been jammed, most likely by a third intruder that had slipped in unnoticed through the chaos. One of the stormtroopers lowered their weapon, pressing their finger to the receiver of their helmet's comm and trying the few other channels the base supported, but got a response from none of them. They were alone.

A huge crash exploded somewhere to their left, the noise of metal dropping to the floor like a cannon in the dark. Startled, both stormtroopers swung their weapons out towards the disturbance, though neither one of them could see anything, even with their enhanced night-vision.

Hesitantly, one of the troopers shuffled towards where the crash had come from, signaling his counterpart to remain at the door. He moved slowly, barely making a noise. He turned on his blaster's searchlight, the bright beam illuminating a small portion of the gloom as he searched for whatever had crashed to the floor. His partner remained at the door, and he activated his light as well, sweeping the area in front of him as to not be caught off-guard.

There was a flash of blue light, and then the searching stormtrooper screamed, his armor and blaster clattering to the floor. The searchlight went out, leaving only the trooper at the door to illuminate the small area in front of him for the attacker.

His heart was pounding painfully in his ears, and he fought to keep his breathing down, because there was now most definitely an intruder in the room with him. The clang must have been a ventilation shaft falling down, allowing the infiltrator access-

A loose bolt pinged across the floor to his right, and the trooper's body swung violently to face it, his gun automatically raising to shoot at anything he saw moving-

But neither his light or his night-vision showed him any obvious signs of the hidden attacker. He swung his field of vision back and forth across the hangar, searching desperately for a target. He saw nothing, but another loose piece of petal clanged across the floor, further away from him.

_Towards the blast-door leading outside..._

That must be how the rebels planned to infiltrate- sneak in something small enough through the ventilation and open the sealed door from inside.

Knowing his orders were to secure the inner facility from the rebels at all costs, there was only one course for him. Keeping his blaster pinned in the direction the noise had come from, the stormtrooper moved over towards the blast doors, maneuvering between the generators slowly

A laugh echoed through the hangar, startling the trooper and making him swivel around quickly, trying to pinpoint its' source. The sound echoed eerily, and he had no luck in finding it's owner. His blaster was shaking in his hands.

Another noise screamed through the dark, diverting his attention back to the right. They were moving away from the blast-door.

The trooper moved quickly, his armor thudding on the metal floors. He came into a clear area between generators and stood still, swinging his searchlight around full circle to try and spot any sign of the intruder.

All at once, the air around him was full with noise, as seemingly every small piece of equipment and tool around him clattered to the floor, nearly giving him a heart-attack right there. His heart now in his Adam's apple and beating horrifically fast, the trooper swung his blaster around again, convinced he would see the rebel. When he was met with nothing, his grip on the gun tightened by tenfold.

_Where is he?!_

Another laugh resonated through the bay, sky-rocketing the stormtrooper's breathing rate. _There's nothing there!_

A huge, teeth-grinding scrape sounded behind him, but as soon as the Imperial whirled around to confront it, it stopped. _Is that generator closer than before?!_

Another ear-splitting scrape behind him, stopping as soon as he turned around to face it. As soon as the third one sounded, the trooper shot his blaster as he whirled around, finger squeezing against the trigger in a reaction of fear more than training. There was still. Nothing. THERE.

This time, the generators surrounding him all moved forwards at the same time, scaring him to the point where he fell down onto the ground, blaster clattering out of his hand. The generators stopped, but as soon as the trooper moved for his gun they all jerked once again, sending him up and running within seconds.

He only stopped when he nearly ran into the wall, whirling around to _still_ be met with no threat in the scope of his night-vision. He could hear his own breath gasping out as he frantically scanned the room, weaponless and lightless.

A creak sounded directly above him, and his head shot up, fully expecting to see some terrible, oozing creature-

"How's it going?" Was the last thing the stormtrooper heard before the orange teenager hanging on the rafters stunned him.

* * *

"-and then he dropped his gun, so I made the generators move again, and he ran almost straight into the wall before stopping- he was looking around all scared and stuff, and then the rafter I was on creaked when I was right above him, so he looked up-"

"Remember to occasionally breath, Ezra," Kanan reminded the teen, pinching the bridge of his nose as the four of them headed into the common area.

"And when he saw me I just said 'How's it going?' and stunned him. I don't think he even got a chance to see my face before he was down!"

Sabine smiled with just a hint of mischief, and Kanan had no doubt she was going to make a painting of Ezra hanging in the rafters above a trooper. Probably right next to her depiction of his punch, which Ezra had made part of his daily routine to gaze at for a few seconds.

Zeb grinned a feral grin. "You know, you and me should team up sometime and see if we can scare a bucket-head so bad he faints on his own. _That_ would be a sight to see." Both Ezra and Sabine laughed, most likely watching the scene in their mind's eye, and Kanan shook his head.

"But was messing with the trooper really necessary?"

Ezra raised up an eyebrow in a challenge. "Well, no, but it was fun! And besides, moving that many objects with the Force is _training_. And I _neeeeed_ to _traaaiiin_, _riiiiiight_?"

Kanan simply sighed, suppressing the small smile that tugged at his mouth. He sat down on the rounded bench, looking at Ezra with a fond raised eyebrow.

"You might grow older, but you'll never grow more mature, will you?" Ezra's signature goofy grin was his only response.

Further conversation was interrupted as Hera came through the door, her face grim. Immediately they turned their focus onto her, and Kanan raised an eyebrow in a wordless question.

"Ahsoka and Commander Sato just told me that shortly after we left Lothal, a blockade of Destroyers showed up around the planet." Kanan's eyes narrowed. He looked down at the floor, thoughts moving too quickly to allow for speech.

The blockade was no doubt in correlation to Vader's escape from the _Maelstrom_ as it was pulled into the black-hole. Vader would most probably remain in the Outer Rim, now that the rebellion had proven themselves to be an organized force instead of random scatterings. The Empire would be pressing down hard on them all, now. Not just on the _Ghost_ crew, but on all of Phoenix squad, and the rest of the rebel cells. The stakes and risks were higher than ever- especially because Vader would no doubt be taking a personal interest in him, Ezra, and Ahsoka. Their battle was not yet over- and they would be hunted until the Empire fell.

"Well. I guess we'll have to up our game, now." Sabine's assessment was spoken strongly, and faces all around strengthened as well.

"They'll all be after us, now." Hera warned, but it was Ezra who spoke next, his eyes glinting in that way Kanan knew no one else could ever hope to mimic.

"Yeah- and we'll be ready for them."

As they all nodded, each member of the _Ghost_ crew knew that Ezra couldn't speak more of the truth. No matter what the Empire threw at them, they would meet it with conviction. They were a family-

And nothing would come between them.


End file.

Star Wars Rebels, Adventure, Family