Freaks of the Force

Delicate Operation

"This will be the most delicate operation we've ever done," Kanan told the rest of the crew as they gathered in the cargo hold of the Ghost. Hera was in the cockpit, piloting the final short distance to Ezra. "These are Ezra's relatives, so we don't want to hurt them. I'm pretty sure they won't feel the same, so set your blasters to stun only."

"Invading a fortress of winged kids," Zeb said, folding his arms. "Sounds real fun."

"Do you think Ezra will be in any condition to escape?" Sabine asked.

"We'll have to see," Kanan answered. "One of the girls, Thalia or something, seems to have put a shock collar on him that she can control. We'll have to get rid of that if we want to rescue Ezra."

"Anything else?" Sabine asked.

"Aside from that, Ezra should be fine. He even has his wings back."

"We're at the cavern entrance," Hera's voice announced over the ship's intercom system.

"Time to go," Kanan said, opening the bay doors.

"Uh, Kanan?" Hera's voice interrupted. "There's something you should know about them-"

But Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb had already gone.

---

A towering stone spire stretched into the sky in front of Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb as they snuck closer to the cavern entrance. Under the cover of darkness they were shadows moving across the ground. The entrance to WINGs hideout was unguarded. Two forms were on the ground, one on either side of the entrance.

"Are they dead?" Sabine whispered, blasters held ready.

"No, but they're unconscious," Kanan answered, kneeling beside one of the unconscious winged girls. He lifted one of her wings. The feathers along the bottom had been cut short. "Looks like their wings have been clipped."

"So they can't fly?" Zeb asked.

"They can't fly," Kanan agreed.

"Who would have done this?" Sabine asked. "Do you think someone got here before we did?"

"I don't know," Kanan answered, standing as he did so. They crept into the tunnel, ready for anything. The tunnel was a long, dark one. Occasionally they would pass another unconscious girl with her wings clipped. Whenever they did, they would gently move the girl to the side of the tunnel so that she was leaning against the wall.

"What's that?" Sabine asked, bringing Kanan out of his thoughts as they finished moving another girl. A soft glow was coming from ahead, farther down the tunnel. It was gradually growing brighter until a young woman stepped into view.

She was wearing a blue dress which trailed on the ground behind her. Her hair was as black as night and cascaded down her back. Her skin was as pale as cream and her eyes were the color of sapphires. She had tissue paper wings folded behind her. She was the source of the faint glow. She could have been a fairy.

"I sensed as soon as you entered," the young woman said.

"Who are you?" Kanan asked, lowering his guard.

"My name is Norasky," she replied. "My sisters are in need of your help."

"What can we do?"

"One of the girls stunned and clipped all of the others before taking Ezra and leaving. I need you to take Kina and stop her. If that girl makes it to the Empire, all of us are in danger."

"Don't worry, we'll stop her and find Ezra."

Norasky dipped her head in their direction before retreating back the way she had come, taking her glow with her.

"What was that all about?" Zeb asked.

"I'm not sure, but we need to keep following the tracking signal," Kanan replied.

The three of them continued down the tunnel in the direction Norasky had gone. Within moments they reached a door. Ezra's signal was just inside.

"Be ready for anything," Kanan cautioned. They opened the door.

White feathers littered the ground. A girl's form was slumped against the wall within the room. Her white wings had been clipped, just like all of the others.

"I recognize her," Kanan said, moving closer and Sabine and Zeb glanced around the room. "She was there at the tower. I can't remember her name, but she seemed to be on Ezra's side."

"I found the communicator," Sabine announced, pulling it out from it's place wedged beneath a stone.

The girl with the white wings groaned and sat up, rubbing her head. Her eyes widened and she bolted upright.

"Thalia!" she shouted. She seemed to notice Kanan for the first time.

"Kanan?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

"We came for Ezra," he answered. The girl turned her head to look at Sabine and Zeb.

"He said you would come," she told them. "You guys are all he ever talked about."

"What happened here? And where's Ezra?" Sabine asked. The girl closed her eyes.

"Thalia, one of our highest ranking people, defected to the Empire. She stunned everyone and clipped all of our wings so we can't follow her. Then she took Ezra. She's bringing him to Lothcat Cliffs."

"Then we know our next destination," Kanan announced, standing.

"Let me come with you," the girl said, standing. "I could be useful, and I need to stop Thalia. She has important WING secrets."

Kanan nodded, gesturing for her to follow. She smiled.

"I'm Kanan, and this is Sabine and Zeb."

"I'm Kina," the girl responded.