A Different Path [UNFINISHED]

The Student and the Prisoner

"What the...," Zare gasped.

He looked around and began to walk up to the prisoner. Zare took off his helmet in complete shock. He watched Zare carefully to assess his loyalty. However, Zare stopped in his tracks to remember that cameras were everywhere in these highly protected cells.

"Go on," he said to Zare. "Speak to friend you must."
"Who are you?" Zare whispered.
"Wrong question."
"I can't be caught...whoever you are."
"Protection I make for you. Now talk to friend."

Zare was very hesitant. It could be a test.

"Trust me you don't?" he asked.
"I can't be caught," Zare repeated himself.
"Zare?"

Zare shot over to the prisoner and realized he was awake. He looked up at the cameras and realized they had turned off. He knew whoever was talking to him was truly giving him protection.

"Dev?" Zare whispered. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I was caught," Ezra replied.
"By the Inquisitor?"
"How do you know all of that?"
"Dev, I was assigned to guard you; I know almost everything about this case!"
"I'm a case?"
"What did they do to you, man?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I know it has something to do with that droid over there; that T0-D droid that's in testing; that interrogation droid."

Zare examined Ezra, Dev, his old friend. The friend who was a rebel who was paying the price for trying to save lives. He was burnt here and there, weariness showed on his face, a few cuts were on his face, and bloodshot eyes showed his lack of strength.

"Zare, I can't take this much longer," Ezra said.
"I don't know what to do," Zare admitted. "I want to help you so much, but...this training that I'm in now determines whether or not I have loyalty for the Empire. I could get so much more information if I pass this."
"Try and contact The Ghost or the rebel headquarters."
"I don't know if I can."
"Tell them that I'm still here and I've been given multiple force inhibitors."
"I don't really have a choice."
"You always have a choice, Zare! And I need this. I can't go through this anymore--not much longer at least!"

Zare looked at Ezra.

"You're my only hope," Ezra said.
"I have to get back to my job," Zare told him. "I'll think about it and when I come back, I'll let you know. But now I have to tell my mentor that you're awake."
"No, Zare! Don't!"

Zare put his helmet back on and contacted his mentor over a comm. The door slid open a few minutes later and the Inquisitor, The Seventh Sister, returned. Zare could see the fear in Ezra's eyes and began to make his way toward the exit.

"Where do you think you're headed, Leonis?" Xelo asked. "We stay here all day until midnight."
"All day?" Zare gasped.
"Hell yeah! This isn't basic training; this is the real stuff."

Then the door slammed shut and Zare just stood near the door and was forced to watch every moment of the interrogation. He had to act like he didn't care, but he was truly dying of guilt every second of it. And he couldn't do anything. He just had to watch his friend writhe in pain. He saw the guilt in Zare and knew that everything was working according to plan...