Wars Amongst the Stars: Rebellion: Vol. 2

Chapter Nine

The Jedi and her Padawan walk out of the room, heading for the Phantom. "You care for them, don't you, Master?"

She smiles slightly, looking over at the Princess. "That I do, Princess. They're like family to me."

"Then why did you leave?"

"Something more important came up. The Force charged me with a Padawan, and I must train her well."

"Well," Leia stops in her tracks, "I've been thinking. This seems to be very exciting, what would you say if I'd like to stay with this team?"

"I'd say, 'Why don't you talk to Bail.' After that, if he has no issue, I'll speak with Kanan and Hera about it."

"Speak with Kanan and Hera about what?" the Knight asks, as he approaches the two.

Keen glances over at him, "Nothing that you need to worry about, until I decide to bring it up to you."

His eyebrows raise, and he smiles, "Well, okay. I guess I have a couple of interesting conversations to look forward to."

Kanan climbs up into the Phantom, Ezra right behind him. Leia looks at her, "Well, go on. I'll be right behind you." She rolls her eyes, ascending the ladder herself.

Leia pulls out a communicator, sitting as far away from the others as possible. Keen hears Bail's voice faintly, and smiles, approaching Ezra. "Hey Ez," she says, sitting next to him.

"Hi," he grumbles, sounding angry.

"I get it, you're mad at me. And you have every right to be, I left without telling you, or anyone else."

"Yeah, you did. And you promised that you weren't going anywhere! And then you just left me...us. Why, did I do something wrong?"

Keen can tell Kanan is listening to the conversation, since he keeps glancing at them out of the corner of his eye, but deigns to ignore him. "You didn't do anything wrong. I didn't leave because of you. I left because the Force sent me, to train a Padawan," she says, nodding at Leia.

Ezra glances at the Princess, before turning his gaze back to the Jedi Master. "Okay, but why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you would've wanted to come with me." He opens his mouth to protest, so Ar'iabel adds, "And don't try to deny it, you would've. The Force had other plans for you."

"Yeah," he grumbles, scuffing his boot across the floor. "The Force wanted me to find out my parents are dead. Tell me something, if the Force is so powerful, why did they die? I thought it was supposed to be good."

Keen notices her Padawan's attention dial in, clearly done with her conversation with Bail, and wanting to know the answer as well. "The Force is neither good, nor is it evil. If it is harnessed for the Dark Side, then it can be seen as evil. If one uses it for the Light Side, as we do, then the Force is good."

Ezra looks at her, "I guess that makes sense. I'm glad you're back. Kanan is never this philosophical."

"Hey!" the Knight protests from the pilot's seat, landing the ship. He lowers the ramp, the collective group of rebels making their way out of the ship.

As they descend the shop, the four are met by Stormtroopers holding blasters, pointed at them. Indignant, Leia says, "I'd think you'd be pleased to see me safe and sound, Lieutenant."

The blaster lower, as Lyste steps forward, gulping, he murmurs nervously, "Of course, Your Highness. Very pleased. Just, um, surprised."

She gestures with her arm to Kanan, who is standing at attention in his Trooper armour. "This brave Trooper saved all three of us from those rebels. He deserves a medal.

The Lieutenant nods, smiling nervously at the Princess, "As you can see, your ships are safe and sound right where you left them."

"If you're trying to impress me, Lieutenant, you're doing a miserable job of it." Leia nods at her ship, which is flying off the ground.

"What do you mean?"

Keen smiles, gazing at the ship, before dropping her eyes onto Lyste. "You're telling us that you don't know?"

He turns around, seeing the flying ship, "I didn't authorize this! Who's piloting that ship?"

"Sir!" one of the Troopers shouts, gaining Lyste's attention. He points at Azadi and Chopper at the gravity clamp.

"Blast them!"

The Troopers start to shoot at the Governor and Chopper. The Alderannian ship that Sabine was flying away in turns around, firing at the Imperials. A Walker walks for the ship, blasting at it.

The ship starts to sway, when out of the sky, the Ghost swings in. It fires on the Walker, knocking it to the ground.

Keen watches as two of the Troopers, and Lyste, turn to shoot at the Ghost. From behind them, Kanan approaches, knocking one of the Troopers, and the Lieutenant, out with the butt of his blaster. The second Stormtrooper turns, and Ezra launches onto his neck like a feral Loth-cat. He repeatedly punches the Imp in the face, knocking him to the ground. The Trooper moves to try to pry the boy off of him, so he can climb to his feet, but with one final punch, the Trooper falls unconscious.

"Sabine's away. Let's get out of here."

"I'm not sure we're going anywhere," Ezra says, staring at the Walker that is climbing to it's feet from the ground.