Book 3 of 3: Our Last Stand (Book 3 of "Family of Rebels")

Chapter 20: A Fallen Knight

Sarah's POV

Man, these suits hurt after a while! I have a little bit more respect for those stormtroopers. Maybe this is why they can't aim.....

Ezra and I split off from Sabine, who had to go to the pilot's position. We went to cargo room with the rest of the troopers who were also waiting for liftoff.

We went into a corner alone to talk. "How is Hera?" Ezra asked.

I sensed for her. She was okay, still weak.

"Still weak." I answered.

"Did you see Caleb's haircut?" he asked, sort of laughing.

I just stayed silent. Ezra finally realized why. "Oh, sorry. I-I guess I... umm..."

I smiled under the helmet. "No, it's fine. What does it look like, anyway?"

Ezra's mood lightened up a bit. "He machete-d his ponytail. His beard is gone, and most of his hair is just on top."

"A Mohawk?"

He held back a laugh. "Not spiked. Just... flat."

I smiled again. I missed this sort of thing: talking alone, laughing, and both of us being happy... well, semi-happy. There was still the worry of Caleb and Hera.

"Ezra?"

"Yeah?"

"Happy Birthday."

His mood lightened even more. "You, too."

Then, Sabine called us up to the ship. We went on board and took off.

Hera's POV

Wow, that truth serum was really strong. I thought for sure there were only two stormtroopers guarding, not eight...

"You all are in terrible trouble..." I said to the guards. All eight of them looked at each other, surprisingly at the same time. "I just wonder how he's going to get in..."

Suddenly, a bright beam of blue light burst through the floor. My sight was becoming clearer, so I saw only two stormtroopers. One stood right above the blue light that was now circling below it. The floor came down, the stormtrooper with it.

A man came from the floor and threw the other stormtrooper out of the window.

He turned to me and smiled.

Kanan.

The Mind probe flew past me. Kanan quickly destroyed it.

"I really didn't like that droid." I said, still a bit loopy from the truth serum.

Kanan unlocked me. "Yeah, I didn't like him, either."

"You have no idea." I slumped into his arms.

Kanan gave an evil, yet playful grin. "Oh, I see. That truth serum is making you a bit loopy." He laughed. "This should be fun."

"Funny," I said, "I thought you would come through the window."

He just smiled and we walked toward the now-windowless area.

I stopped him. "I have something to say to you. I..." I looked into his eyes, seeing the glimmer in them. Then, I felt his head. "I hate your hair."

He chuckled. "It's the best I could do without a mirror."

Kanan seemed... different. A little bit more... free. Not so folded in on himself. He got out some grips to climb the wall, and I climbed onto his back and held on tight.

Ezra's POV

As quietly as I could, I signaled Caleb. "Hey, did you get Hera?"

"Yeah," he replied, "heading back."

"Yes!"

As soon as I said that, I realized I spoke too loud. All of the stormtroopers looked at me, including Sarah, who I could tell was probably about to kill me for doing that.

So, I improvised. "Yes... we lifted off safely."

The stormtroopers turned to their fellow troopers and ignored it. Sarah punched me in the arm. She whispered, "That was close."

I rubbed the back of my neck and whispered back, "Yeah, too close. I just got excited because Caleb got Hera out."

"It still seems weird that Kanan's name is Caleb."

"Yeah, a bit." I said. "I just call him Kanan."

"It seems natural to say that. You're right." Sarah added.

She opened up her helmet. She didn't wear her mask because it wouldn't fit underneath. I wish she did because then I wouldn't be worrying about her "crack" that was already much bigger than a couple of hours ago. It glowed an eerie red and black that made me think of everything about the Dark Side.

But, if she did have the mask on, I wouldn't be able to see her perfectly clear eyes. They sparkled from the spotlights outside, completely contrasting with her crack. She smiled at me. "To be honest, if I heard Hera was safe, I probably would have done the same thing."

I smiled back.

Sabine came over the speakers. "Attention, bucket-heads. We are approaching your stop."

Sarah and I smiled. Time to empty the cargo.

Hera's POV

Kanan and I climbed up one of the fuel tanks and waited for Ezra, Sabine, and Sarah. I felt a lot better after that flight. I guess the adrenaline of flying again sped up the truth serum symptoms.

But, there was still something I had to tell Kanan, something he needed to hear.

"Kanan!" I ran up to him. "I know what to say now." I held his hand. "I love you."

Kanan nervously laughs. "Must be the truth serum talking."

I hugged him. "It's me. All me."

I came out of the hug....

And kissed him.

Not a peck on the lips.

A loving kiss, one that I had missed for so long since I left.

We broke from each other at the sound of a ship coming next to us. "Alright," Sarah called, "now that I finally saw the kiss, it's time to go."

Kanan and I smiled and started towards the ship.

Then, a familiar noise came.

The sound of an AT-AT.

We all turned to it just in time for it to shoot at the base of the fuel tank.

The same one we were standing on.

An explosion unlike any other burst from the side. It was pure, raging, uncontrollable fire.

It flung me into Ezra's arms. Kanan ran up to the edge of the tank and started using some sort of shield to keep the flames at bay.

I tried to run out and get to him, but Ezra held me back.

While I watched my love fend for his life.

Sarah's POV

I started running from the back of the ship to get to him.

But, he stopped me.

He stopped me before I could even try to help him put a shield up.

With a swipe of his hand, everything turned black.

The last words I remember hearing were Hera's cry to Kanan, and Kanan, in my head, saying, I love you, Sarah. May the Force be with you, always.

Rest in peace, Caleb Dume/Kanan Jarrus. You will be missed......

~MarvelRebel27