The Perils of Death (Star Wars Rebels)

A Galaxy Far Far Away

"Describe the creature you saw again," Hera said. Ezra sighed. It was the third time Hera had asked him to describe his visions.

"It was an orange and black striped animal," Ezra said.

"And you're sure it was orange and black striped?" Hera asked.

"I'm sure. Why does it matter so much? Do you know what this creature is?" Ezra asked.

"I think I do," Hera said. "I got my hands on a holocron once. It was a really long time ago. In it, a Jedi told of a vision he had received. He said that it was a long time in the future, on a planet in another galaxy entirely. He called the world Earth. It had sentient beings, along with many strange creatures. The creature you're describing sounds like something he called a Tiger. The first creature you saw sounds like a Wolf."

"So first I died, and now I'm seeing visions of a planet in the future in another galaxy, and I'm turning into creatures from that very same planet," Ezra summed up.

"It's an amazing gift," Hera said. "It could come in handy once you learn to control it."

"Hopefully the Empire doesn't try to capture me and force me to use the gift for the dark side," Ezra muttered.

"The Empire can't hurt you," Hera told him. "No one in the Empire can transform. None of them can fight the creatures that you're becoming."

"It's only a matter of time until they figure out how to," Ezra muttered, standing up and leaving the room. A few minutes later Kanan entered, sitting down and yawning.

"What's the diagnosis, doctor?" he asked.

"It's really Ezra," Hera told him. "I'm sure of that. And I figured out what he's transforming into. They're creatures from another galaxy."

"Do you think his consciousness is reaching out to save himself, and that somehow he connected to a powerful manifestation of the force?" Kanan asked. "That's why he's alive?"

"I think . . ." Hera hesitated before continuing. "I think that he was on the verge of death when his spirit connected with the force. Somehow . . ." she hesitated again, longer than before. "Somehow, the force is keeping him alive. And since he gave himself over fully to the force, he's connected to a world in the future which has an unusual concentration of the force."

"So we might be able to save him?" Kanan asked.

"I would say more than just might," Hera replied. "I'm just not sure how."

"Kanan, Hera?" Sabine interrupted as she entered the room. Zeb was behind her, carrying a datapad in his hands.

"What is it?" Hera asked.

"You need to see this," Sabine explained. Zeb pressed a button on the datapad, which immediately began to play a recording of Ezra's voice.

"I know you're all going to be really mad, but before you do anything just hear me out. Ever since that battle, it's just been one danger after another. All because of me. Things are just really confusing right now. So I'm leaving. Not forever. Just until I can figure out what's going on, and until I know that I'm safe for you guys to be around. I promise I'll stay safe and won't do anything too crazy. Don't try to come after me or stop me. I've made my decision."

"What is he thinking?" Kanan roared.

"He doesn't have much of a head start on us," Zeb pointed out. "Shouldn't take too long to track him down."

"Let's move out," Sabine said. The crew jumped into the Phantom and took to the sky, searching for any sign of Ezra. What they didn't see was the figure in a black robe standing under the wing of the Ghost, watching them fly away with a smile on her face.

"That was all too easy," she said. Behind her, slumped against the Ghost's landing gears, was an unconscious Ezra.