Visions

Twenty-Six: The Bargain

I don't care what anyone says, but in this picture Ezra's face screams love for Sabine!!!!
This is the clip where Sabine's arm gets burnt, and Ez steps forward to help her.

Plagueis grinned in obvious amusement. "What could you possibly offer that could tempt me?"
Ezra hesitated, knowing that the risk was great. He drew in a deep breath, and steeled his determination. "My body."
Ezra could sense Plagueis' surprise, but the Sith Lord's face revealed nothing. He quirked a brow. "I already have a perfectly fine body at my disposal, and I'm not certain I want to trade it for Ezra Bridger spewing your foolish notions in my mind every day." He rubbed his temples, as if the very thought caused him pain.
"Very funny."
Plagueis didn't seem to hear, and he looked very thoughtful. That had to be a good sign. "What are your conditions?" Definitely a good sign. Ezra crossed his arms. "While you're training, and whatever else it is you Sith do, you have control. Around my friends, I hold the reigns."
Plagueis snorted. "I wouldn't let you go back to your base with Talkana. That would be as foolish as the First Order was."
"The what?"
Plagueis waved a hand dismissively. "A small group of fools who thought to take the Republic a few hundred years ago. Why do ask so many questions?"
Ezra stated to reply, but Plagueis shook his head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. I do not agree to your conditions."
"I would not resist, as Arene does."
The Sith considered this for a moment, but then shook his head again. "I shall subdue her before long."
"How long?" The odds that Plagueis would accept the trade were slim, but Ezra never walked away from a challenge.
The question seemed to disturb the Sith. "Soon enough. You should hurry, boy, and think of a reason for me to release your friend. I am growing impatient." To demonstrate, he removed his lightsaber from his belt, and began fiddling with it.
Ezra gnawed on his lower lip, his mind frantically searching for an idea that might tempt the Sith.
He suddenly turned to Plagueis. "Does Arene know anything about the Empire?"
Plagueis raised a brow. "No."
Ezra constrained a smile. "I do. I even have people on the inside who could help you get to Sidious and Vader. Also, I can find my way through a Star Destroyer pretty easy."
Plagueis seemed to think about it, and Ezra felt his spirits rise once again. Then Plagueis smiled. "I will accept your conditions, and release your friend back to you, but I have a few conditions of my own." Ezra held his breath. "If you really wish to save your friend, you will join the Dark Side, join me, and become my apprentice."
Ezra's eyes widened for a moment at the irony, and then he rolled them, huffing. "Not this again!"
"Again?"
Ezra ignored him, throwing his hand in the air. "I lose one Sith, and another one wants me! What is it with you people and having me as your apprentice? As I told Maul, I won't join him, and I won't join you."
Instantly, Ezra felt his air supply cut off, and he flew from where he was standing until he was in the vise-like grip of Plagueis.
The Sith's eyes burned with an anger so fierce Ezra almost flinched as he struggled for air.
"Did you say Maul?" For all you who don't know, Maul was Palpatine's apprentice when Plagueis was still alive. At that time Maul was not truly considered an apprentice yet. He was an assassin like Oppress and Ventress.
~//~
Sabine awoke from her nightmare like she had every night since she'd recovered the Darksaber. Frozen, and gasping for air. She swallowed, trying to wet her dry mouth. She needed Ezra.
Sabine quickly slipped out of her bunk, and opened her door. She moved quickly down the short hallway, and tapped gently on the Ezra's door. And waited.
Usually, Ezra was up as soon as he sensed Sabine going past his door, but not tonight, for some reason. She knocked again, but no answer.
Fear gripped her heart. Something had happened! Where was Ezra?
Still trying to be quiet, she made her way back to her own cabin, and quickly rummaged through her armour and equipment. Finally, she found what she was looking for.
Picking up the electronics, she dashed back to Ezra's cabin, trying to tamp down her unease. If in reality he was absolutely fine, it would be no use to have Kanan come check out the "disturbance", which would really be Sabine's overactive mind and imaginations. That would be a disaster.
Just thinking about the questions that would ensue helped her relax a bit.
Sabine knelt down outside the door, and quickly removed the door's control panel. After that, she made short work of overriding the locking mechanism, and the door slid open noiselessly.
Sabine quickly stepped into the cabin, looking around frantically. She tried to say his name, but the word stuck in her throat. She tried again, but it still only came out in a broken whisper.
"Ezra?"

Never become desperate enough to trust the untrustworthy.
~Jedi Proverb