Visions

Eighteen: A New Threat

Sabine went back to the ship first, and Ezra waited there in the vegetation for about ten more minutes before following. He didn't get past the door to the common room before he was stopped. "Do you know when Kanan's coming back in, Ezra?"
Ezra froze, then slowly turned towards Hera, dread pooling in his stomach. Kanan was out there the whole time?
He tried to look normal, leaning his elbow against the doorway. "He didn't say. Sorry Hera."
Then, just as fast as possible, he spun back around and ran for his cabin as slowly as he dared.
After the panels slid shut behind him, Ezra looked around the room frantically. Did Kanan know? How would he feel?
He sat down on his bunk for a second before springing back up and pacing the room again. If Kanan knew...

Ezra couldn't take it anymore. He had to talk to Sabine. He went to the door and the panels slid open, to reveal Kanan walking past. "Oh! Hey, Kanan! Umm, what's up?"
Ezra tried hard to conceal his feelings from his master, but he feared Kanan sensed them anyway.
The Jedi didn't seem to notice his discomfort, however, when he turned to Ezra. "Can you tell Hera that I'm back in? I don't want her to worry."
"Uh, sure! Yeah, 'course."
Ezra started walking at a normal pace towards the common room, only glancing back once, but Kanan didn't seem to notice. He just walked to his cabin and entered, the panels sliding shut behind him.

Ezra couldn't help staring after him with his jaw on the floor. "What the...?"
He quickly shook his head, snapping his mouth shut, and quickly opened the door to the common room. He stuck his head in. "Kanan's back in."
Then he spun back around and made his way to Sabine's room, tiptoeing past Kanan's door as quietly as possible.
At his quiet knock, Sabine opened the door, looking at him oddly. "Ezra?"
He didn't answer, shoving her into the room, and locking the door behind him.
"Ezra? What's wrong?"
He turned to her. "Kanan..."
Her eyes widened. "Oh no! What happened?"
"Kanan was out there the whole time! I don't know how much he heard!"
Sabine glanced around, and Ezra got the feeling she was looking for some way to fix the situation. "Well...did you see him? After?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I did, and it looked like he didn't hear anything, but you know Kanan! That could mean anything!"
Sabine blew out a breath. "Okay, so this is--could be--bad. But we don't know that. We should just try to go on like before, right? Like we were gonna do."
Ezra tried to be clearheaded, and nodded. "Yeah. We gotta pretend everything that happened...didn't happen. Just for now."
Sabine nodded, and have him a quick hug, which he gladly returned. Then he turned to the door and opened it.
"See you later, Sabine."
She gave a small, slightly worried smile. "'Bye, Ezra."
The panels slid shut and Ezra made his way to his own cabin, leaving a very thoughtful Sabine behind.
~//~
The Sith Lord knelt in meditation, drinking in the power of the Force.
It had been so long, too long, since he had been free. His hand grasped the dust and rocks at his side, and he grinned. Oh, freedom was truly a wonderful thing. Life, itself, was a work to behold.
Yet neither of those came close to what he had achieved. What he possessed was more terrifying, more exhilarating than anything he had ever experienced.
And it was all thanks to the girl.
The Sith's lips split in a gleeful grin. The girl. Without her, who knows how long he'd have been trapped in the dark oblivion he had for so long had to call home. He reached into her mind, taking her memories and making them his, seeing all she had seen, and his smile widened even further. Her parents death, the Jedi padawan, his blind master, the Rebel Base, all of it, became his.
The Dark-sider stood, yellow fire filling eyes that once had been brown. "I will kill the Jedi, then, I shall have my revenge."

The most dangerous beast is the beast within.
~Obi-Wan Kenobi