Wars Amongst the Stars: Rebellion: Vol: 1

Chapter Eleven

Arriving at the Empire Day celebrations, Keen scowls. She has always loathed the Empire, and everything they stood for. She had bore witness to Order 66, and somehow survived. So, joining the Rebels had been an easy choice. Her eyes look over the whole scene quickly. The Minister and some Commandant are up on a pedestal, along with an Imperial pilot, the pilot for the new TIE Fighter that was just introduced. Hiding in an alleyway are Zeb and Sabine. Hera is off to the side and Kanan is...being an idiot.

"Did you see it? It's so beautiful! All the colors! It's like a-like a rainbow," the Jedi says, sounding drunk.

"Dad, what are you doing? Sorry, mister. My dad is just so patriotic, you know," Ezra says, dragging Kanan away from a Stormtrooper. Just seeing the Knight causes Ar'iabel to laugh, this time not stifling.

"Empire Day! I love it! All hail our glorious Empire!" the Knight says again, and Keen is almost falling over from the hilarity of the whole situation.

Once the Knight and Padawan get far enough away from the Imperial, Kanan says, "Thank you, Ezra," whilst glaring at Keen, "Where you two been?"

"Making some connections."

"How's the plan going?" Master Quinara asks.

"Just watch," Kanan says. The TIE Fighter suddenly explodes. The explosion causes the crowd to run, screaming as they go.

The Minister shouts at her guards, telling them to find the Rebels, but they're already escaping, "Nice of you to join us, kid," Zeb laughs.

"Hey, where were you?" the Mandalorian asks.

"Why? Did you miss me?"

The conversation keeps going, but, Master Quinara can't hear it, her senses filled with a presence, familiar, and yet different. Spinning quickly, her eyes land on a man wielding a lightsaber. The Force signature dark, corrupted.

"Anakin Skywalker?" she mutters, a shot leaving Zebs blaster.

Ezra snaps Ar'iabel out of her thoughts, grabbing her wrist and dragging her after him.

"Spectre-2, we're en route to rendezvous."

"Negative, Spectre-1," comes in over the com, "The streets are blocked. I cannot, repeat, cannot reach rendezvous."

Ezra seems to think for a second, "I know a place we can hole up till things calm down," he gestures at Zeb, "But 'Shoulders' here might have a problem taking my route."

"Then we need another option," Keen says, looking around for something else.

"Nah, it's fine. Spectre-2, can you make it to the Old Market?"

"Affirmative."

The Lasat runs off through the streets, Kanan yelling at him to get to the ship. Ezra signals for the team to follow him, Kanan yelling into his com, "We'll signal a new rendezvous when we can!"

***

The rebels crew exit the ventilation system near an abandoned building, Imperial warnings on every wall, telling people it's off limits. Keen can sense the pain and sadness radiating from Ezra.

"What is this place?" Sabine asks. Ezra doesn't answer, shoving the door open.

Ar'iabel looks over at Ezra, who looks so sad, and dejected.

"You were coming here today. This was your home, wasn't it, where you grew up?" Kanan asks.

"I grew up on the streets, alone," he mutters, slinking into the building.

The conversation continues, Keen sensing another person in the room. The Padawan slides a cushion aside, revealing a secret cubby. Crying and babbling can be heard from the bottom of the cubby, Master Quinara sliding over to stand beside Ezra. "Tseebo. Tseebo, it's me, Ezra Bridger."

The Rodian looks up, the crying stopping. He tilts his head, and starts babbling in Huttese, ascending the ladder.

"That's the Rodian the Imperials are hunting. You know him?"

"Name's Tseebo. A friend of my parents," Ezra says, eyes landing on the silver headpiece, "But something's wrong. What's that thing on his head?"

"Empire's been known to implant lower level technicians with cybernetic circuits. Personality sacrificed for productivity," Ar'iabel informs them.

"Tseebo's productivity is 19% higher than average Imperial data worker," the Rodian says.

"Tseebo went to work for the Imperial information office after the Empire took my parents away," Ezra tells the crew, looking slightly embarrassed after disclosing that fact. Keen walks over, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

"Your parents?" The Knight asks, looking his Padawan in the eyes, "You never told us."

"What's to tell? They've been gone for eight years. I've been on my own since I was seven."

The Rodian starts babbling in Huttese again, walking around the house.

"What's he saying?"

"He's detailing Imperial fighter deployments on Lothal," Sabine responds.

"That's it," Keen says, "Tseebo's got information the Imperials don't want getting out."

"Sabine, you think you can get the info off the headpiece?"

"Uh, think so. I need a few minutes."

Ezra walks off toward the cubby in the floor. Ar'iabel senses his pain, watching him start down the ladder.

"Ezra? You okay?" his Master calls to him.

"I'm fine."

"I told you, sometimes you have to let your guard down."

"I said I'm fine," he states, sliding down the ladder.

Master Quinara doesn't hesitate, jumping down the hole, following the boy. "Ezra?" she calls.

"Go away, I told you, I'm fine!"

"I know that's a lie," Keen says, leaning against a wall in the transmission room. "Do you want to tell me the rest? I can't promise it'll make you feel better, but, it can't hurt."

"Yeah, like you tell us about your past."

Ar'iabel's eyes widen, "Okay, what do you want to know? Anything at all, ask away."

The boy seems shocked. "Really, you'll tell me?" She nods. "Um...Clone Wars! Tell me about the Clone Wars."

"You got it." The Master seems to think for a minute, "How about the first time Kanan and I met?"

He smiles, "Yes, please!"

The Jedi opens her mouth to begin the story, when she senses the Mandalorian drop down the ladder behind them, "You'll want to see this."

Ezra jumps when Sabine speaks, letting out a sigh. "I'm gonna die young! Can you people please stop sneaking up on me!"

Sabine smirks, her eyes landing on the only transmission equipment, "What's with the old disk?"

"My folks used to do underground broadcasts from here, speaking out against the Empire. It's probably just one of them," he grumbles, leaving the room.

Ar'iabel gestures for Sabine to leave. The Mandalorian grabs the disk, heading up the ladder herself. The Jedi sits down in the chair, closing her eyes. She banishes her senses as she slowly melds to be one with the Force.

A vision flashes through her mind. There's a baby Ezra, and what must be his parents, along with Tseebo. Imperials storm into the house. She sees everything that happened to Ezra's parents, feels the fear and despair. The vision ends, Keen standing from the chair, ascending the ladder.

The first thing that the Jedi Master hears is Kanan saying, "The secrets in his head must be damaging to the Empire. We'll need to smuggle him off Lothal."

Master Quinara smiles, "We're gonna have to get him out of town first. They didn't find him because of the Empire Day festivities, and planning, but, now their forces are going to be fully devoted to finding him."