The Padawan Knife

⭐️Chapter 25

Sabine and Zeb hid behind a group of crates that had been abandoned a few years ago. Sabine guessed that they once held blasters due to the symbols that adorned the sides. The blasters ricocheted off the metal containers and into the buildings beside both groups. Rubble rained down on both parties and Zeb tried his best to shield Sabine and himself from it while firing at the bucket heads. Zeb and Sabine both continued to shoot but had only managed in taking out two of the six. "Sabine, take out that side and I'll take out the left side." Sabine nodded and focused all her energy shots on a group of two troopers while Zeb focused on the others.This proved to be much more effective. In a matter of minutes, all the troopers were on the ground. Stunned, not killed. Neither one liked taking another's life. Zeb and Sabine looked at each other and ran down the alley toward the Phantom's hiding place. They had decided on a small, abandoned garage that they had found. It was just large enough to fit the small craft. When they found the Phantom and started flying, the ride was quiet. Then Sabine spoke up. "Why do you always have to fly? Why can't I?" "You serious? You're not old enough to fly," Zeb answered. "When has that ever stopped me?," she asked, her eyebrows raised in a silent challenge. Zeb rolled his eyes and scoffed at the girl's stubbornness. "Fine, you know what? When we get back, I'll teach you how to fly." "What makes you think I don't know how to fly?" Now Zeb silently challenged her. She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Thanks," she said quietly and Zeb smiled softly.
Kanan gazed at the numerous stalls on both sides of him. He was looking for medical supplies for the Ghost. He finally found a stand with all the things on his list, bandages, anesthetic, needles and thread for stitches. It came up to about 10 credits. He started walking toward the meeting point that he and Ezra had planned earlier, a cliff just outside of town. He just hoped he could get up there without any empire agents stopping him.
Ezra knew where to go for fuel, a trader that never told him his real name. He just went by Falcon. The stand was in a corner, away from the original strip. This was because of his tendency to sell illegal goods. "Ezra! It's been a while my young friend," Falcon said smiling. Ezra smiled back. "I need a canister of fuel." Falcon nodded and handed Ezra the fuel he needed. "I haven't seen you in a while kid. What have you been doing?" Ezra laughed as he began moving away from the stand. "None of your business." Falcon uttered a hearty laugh, for he had taught the kid that phrase. "Alright, Ez. I'll see you around as long as the empire doesn't catch you." Ezra walked away from Falcon and started toward his meeting place with Kannan, then remembered. "Hey Falcon, what do I owe ya?" "Nothin, call it a repayment for what you did for me a few years back." Ezra smiled at the memory. He started for the cliff again, just thinking of many past events. Kanan stood waiting for his Padawan. The edge of the cliff faced out to no where in particular, but he could see everything. It was peaceful up here. It reminded him of one of the balconies at the temple of Coruscant. He turned when he felt his Padawan's force signature. It was calm but happy. He remembered the first time he felt it back on Lothal. He felt right away that this boy had felt a lot of pain, just like him. "I see you were successful." "I see you were as well." The two came closer, Kanan placing his hand on his apprentices shoulder. He then backed up near the edge to call Hera, but before he did, a group of Stormtroopers grabbed him and pinned him to the ground. Ezra screamed for his Master and turned to see the Inquisitor behind him. "What a touching display. What a touching and disgusting display." Ezra felt his anger rise in him. He couldn't process this. Kanan was struggling under the troopers grip. He couldn't lose his Master and his neurotic thoughts were starting to get to him, but Kanan comforted him. "Surrender now and I might let your Master live." Ezra growled deep in his throat. "I'll never surrender to you. I'll never surrender to anyone. My parents died so I never had to." The Inquisitor smiled as he walked over to Kanan and raised a knife over his chest. "I implore you to reconsider." "No! Kanan! Stop!" Ezra yelled. The Inquisitor smiled evilly. "Now why would I do that if you don't follow through with your end?" Ezra blinked back tears, his voice rising. "What do you want from me?" "Oh my boy, It's not what I want, it's what the Emperor wants. If I did what I wanted, I would have squeezed the pathetic life out of your body while your lungs screamed for air and your throat collapsed. I would force your Master to watch as I ran a lightsaber through your gut." Kanan heard all of this and felt fear and anger. He had lost his Master, watched her die. He could not lose Ezra, his Padawan, as well. Ezra felt fear creeping up into his chest. The knife was getting closer. Kanan had held out till then but he couldn't hold his composure forever. Ezra had lost his parents and had lived on his own for eight years. He couldn't lose Kanan, his Master. He just couldn't. Kanan screamed in pain as a Trooper tightened his grip on Kanan's arm. Ezra felt this and he nearly doubled over. 'Kanan? Are you okay?,' Ezra asked mentally. 'Yes, Padawan,' Kanan answered. Kanan didn't want his stubborn Padawan to do something stupid in order to help him. The Inquisitor held the knife out. "If you will not surrender, you will suffer." The Sith brought the knife down and time seemed to slow. "Kanan! No!" Ezra started running to his Master. He threw himself in front of the blade as it rammed into the apprentice's chest. The Inquisitor stared in pleasant shock. "Well, this was a wonderful surprise." Ezra stood still, his face ashen, and stared at the knife that protruded from his chest. "Ezra! No!," Kanan yelled. The Troopers let him up and he ran to his boy's side. He pulled the blade out. Blood soaked the boy's shirt and it began to run down and drip onto the grass. Tears fell from the older man's eyes. This was not how this was supposed to turn out. He couldn't lose Ezra, he just couldn't. "That's enough from you,Jedi." The Inquisitor smiled, a horrible smile that made Ezra want to run and hide. "The loyalty of a padawan is such a beautiful, stupid, and dangerous thing." Kanan screamed in anguish as the Inquistitor pushed him off the edge of the cliff. As Kanan fell, so did Ezra. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he hit the ground. Blood soaked the area around him as the Inquistitor ordered the Troopers to grab the boy. "You will see things my way, one way or another."

To Be Continued...
March 6, 2015
'The Padawan's Loyalty'