The Legend of the Jedi Book 1: Air (SWR x LOK Crossover)

Opening Crawl/Prologue

As Ezra Bridger, Jedi Padawan if you could believe it, stared at Grand Admiral Thrawn, he couldn't help be feel disbelief at where he was now. Hard to believe that a few years ago, the biggest concern he had was whether he could con another poor soul of their money so he could survive to see another day. Now all he cares about is keeping his home, his people, and his family safe. And to do that, he needed to make this sacrifice.

Thrawn himself looked at the giant creatures known as the Purrgil surrounding his ship, the Chimera. He had to admit, in all the possible outcomes he saw this battle going, he didn't expect this. He'd give the boy, Bridger, points for creativity. But there was one small detail he left out.

Thrawn: Whatever happens next, happens to both of us.

He expected some sort of hesitance from the boy but to his surprise, he looked content and satisfied with the outcome that was undoubtedly about to happen.

Ezra: That's the idea.

And then the Purrgil's tentacles smashed through the windshield of Thrawn's personal Star Destroyer, knocking away his Stormtroopers. They all tried to fire at the massive tentacles but they had no effect. Thrawn tried to escape but Ezra Force Pushed him back into the hold of the Purrgil, trapping him. It was at that moment his comm. link chimed on.

Sabine: Ezra! Ezra can you hear me?! The Purrgil is... is this you?!

He had a cocky smirk as he answered the comm.

Ezra: Yeah! Pretty great, huh?

He could feel her eye roll from her.

Sabine: Well you could have told the rest of us.

Ezra: Well I wanted it to be a surprise. "And I couldn't tell you the real reason why I called them."

The door to the bridge opened and four Stormtroopers charged in. Ezra reacted instantly as the Force Pushed a trooper into another, knocking them both down, and blasted the other two with his stolen blaster.

He cried out in pain as he felt a hot searing pain suddenly in his shoulder. He looked to see Thrawn had managed to free himself from the Purrgil's embrace. Ezra used the Force to disarm the Grand Admiral and then pushed him back to the Purrgil, this time the creature wrapping its tentacles harder around Thrawn.

Ezra took several deep breaths but turned to see the door to the bridge command room open. He used the Force to close the door, trapping him and Thrawn inside.

Looking back outside, he used the Force to communicate with the Purrgil to tell them it was time.

The Purrgil then moved to wrap themselves around the Star Destroyer and their bodies began to glow blue.

By this point, the Ghost Crew would have realized what his plan was and try and talk him out of it.

Hera: Ezra! Ezra get out of there, right now! That's an order!

He wanted to. Oh, he so desperately wanted to just leave and let the Purrgil just take Thrawn somewhere far from here and away from his family. But he was too dangerous to be left alone. He needed to be watched. It was the same for Ezra.

After discovering that World Between Worlds, he knew that the Emperor would stop at nothing to get his hands on him. That would only put Lothal and his family in mortal danger. To keep them safe, he needed to leave them behind. A lesson his master–his father, Kanan Jarrus, taught him.

Ezra: Hera... I have to see this through to the end.

He then used the Force to create an invisible air bubble to shield both himself and Thrawn from the eventual hyperspace jump.

Sabine: Ezra, please! Get out of there!

Ezra: ... I can't do that.

He concentrated harder on the Force as Thrawn continued to struggle aimlessly to free himself from his prison. He turned and looked in genuine fear as some of the smaller Purrgil began to jump to hyperspace.

Ezra: It's up to all of you now.

He knew they would succeed. He laid the groundwork for them, and knowing his family, he knew they would free Lothal. That assurance gave him comfort as he was about to step foot into the unknown.

The starlights began to turn into star lines...

Ezra: And remember, the Force will be with you. Always. "And so will I."

... And then they were gone.