Taking In An Orphan

Chapter 8

A/N: Hello everyone, thanks for reading! I might not be able to update next week, but I will have fresh chapters the week after! Please comment with any suggestions! Enjoy!
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    “Uncle Tseebo!” Ezra cried out and approached the Rodian man. Ezra didn’t rush to embrace his uncle like the crew expected him to. He just stood by Tseebo’s legs and stared up at him with his wide blue eyes. 

    “Young Bridger, I am very happy to find you alive and well,” Tseebo told the boy and put a green hand on the boy’s clean hair. 

    “You...you must be Tseebo,” Hera said, looking at the man. 

    “Not gonna lie, I think we all expected you to be human,” Zeb admitted. Sabine elbowed him in the ribs to shut him up.   

“No, I am not the boy’s real uncle, his parents always encouraged him to call me that. I would like to meet your new friends if I could.” Tseebo said, looking at the boy next to him. 

    Ezra looked around at the crew and smiled. 

    “That one is Kanan. He saved me from bad guys. That one is Hera and she’s nice. That one is Sabine - she paints cool pictures. That one is um…” 

    “I’m Zeb,” Zeb told the man, unsure how he felt about Ezra not knowing him, but telling himself he didn’t care. 

        “Would...would you all like to have a seat?” Tseebo said and led them to one side of the small dwelling to a table with three seats. 

    “I’m sorry I do not have more seats in my house.” Tseebo quickly picked up the table and chairs from the ground. 

    “It’s alright, Sabine and Zeb, would you sit outside?” Hera asked them, motioning to her com, which she turned on. The two left without argument, knowing they could listen to the conversation outside. 

    “Now, I am sorry, but I do not have any refreshments except water,” Tseebo said. 

    “Water sounds good,” Hera said and took a seat on one of the wobbly chairs, followed by Kanan. 

    “Ezra, come help me with these cups.” Ezra followed the Rodian into a cellar, where there was a sink and other food supplies. 

    Hera glanced to make sure Ezra was out of sight before she whispered, “This man doesn’t seem like a father figure.” 

    “I know, but we have to give him a chance. He took care of Ezra for a while, though I feel no strong connection between the two,” Kanan said, which he thought was odd. Ezra had obviously been taken care of by this man, but his connection was weaker to Tseebo than it was for the members of the Ghost crew (besides Zeb and Chopper), who he had just met. 

    Tseebo and Ezra came back, carrying four cups of slightly murky water. These cups were chipped and worn. Tseebo took the remaining seat at the table and then Ezra, surprising Hera and Kanan, searched for a seat on Kanan’s lap. Kanan helped the boy onto his lap, and then started up the conversation with Tseebo. 

    “So how long have you known Ezra?” 

    “I have known Ezra since he was born. I was pronounced his godfather and guardian if anything should happen to his parents. This became a reality the day after Ezra turned three. His parents dropped him off at my house before going on another mission against the imperials. When they didn’t return, I feared the worst. They were later proclaimed dead, their bodies found near an imperial base. I then became the guardian of young Bridger.” 

“What types of missions did they go on?” Hera asked. 

“They did many different dangerous acts against the empire to help the cities in Lothal. They would steal or raid or send out positive messages of hope. I always knew that their work was dangerous, but nothing stopped them from continuing.” 

“Why was Ezra on the streets when I found him? Why is the empire looking for him?” Kanan asked, wondering why Ezra was now being chased by imperials instead of living safely with Tseebo. 

“One day when Ezra was just shy of turning four, a man showed up at my front door, demanding to see the boy. Of course, I had my questions, but the man remained insistent and he got inside and took Ezra.” 

“What did the man look like?” 

“He had blond hair and perhaps mutton chops, if I remember correctly. He also had a group of stormtroopers with him.” 

Hera and Kanan exchanged a glance, knowing exactly who that was. 

“And why did they want Ezra?” 

“The man said his boss felt the boy had some sort of ability and they wanted to take him in for testing and training. Again, I refused, but the troopers wouldn’t take no for an answer.” 

“They took Ezra but left you alive?” 

“Yes. Every week they would send me horrible videos of young Bridger’s torture. This went on for about three months before the videos stopped. The next week I heard whispers that Ezra had escaped from the imperials and was on the run. Troopers would come and search my house several times a week, but Ezra never came back here.” 

“I tried to, Uncle Tseebo, but I couldn’t find the way,” Ezra finally piped up. 

“Yes, well, I’m glad you didn’t because that would have put me in danger, as well.” Ezra nodded and lowered his head, taking big gulps of his water. Kanan and Hera couldn’t believe what they were hearing. This man, who was the sworn guardian of a four year old was glad that Ezra had been on the run so that he wasn’t put in danger himself. 

“Wouldn’t it have been better if Ezra found you and had someone to look after him?” 

“I believe not. As I said, my house was raided every day. If the boy had come back, we both would have gone to jail,” Tseebo told them. 

“That’s a risk you should have been willing to take. This child is in your care,” Kanan said, getting angrier. Ezra, feeling Kanan’s anger, shifted uncomfortably. 

“He can take care of himself, he has proven that by being alive.” 

“But that doesn’t mean he should take care of himself.” Kanan glared daggers at the man. Hera set her hand on Kanan’s arm before she told Ezra, “Why don’t you go and sit with Zeb and Sabine so that we can talk this through.” 

Ezra hopped off Kanan’s lap and walked out the door. He met Sabine and Zeb outside Tseebo’s house, leaning against the wall. Zeb was standing, looking warily around for any signs of trouble, while Sabine sat on the ground and listened to the conversation. 

When they heard that Ezra was coming out to be with them, Sabine quickly turned off her com. Hera had obviously not wanted Ezra to hear the next conversation. 

“Hey, Ezra.” Ezra walked over and sat next to Sabine and started making pictures in the dirt. Sabine found a stick and joined him. 

The three stayed quiet for the time being, waiting for Hera or Kanan to come out and talk to them.