Vulnerable to the Force [Star Wars Rebels]{Wattys 2015}

A New Day

Ezra was amazed by the picture found by Sabine. He took the holodisk and examined it. Then he noticed something written on it by someone else. Of course, it was from the empire's storm troopers. "Ephraim and Mira - deceased" was scratched on it. Ezra dropped the disc and rushed to his room. He nearly collided with Sabine, who looked back at him as he disappeared into his room.

"Ezra?" She asked as she watched him leave.

Sabine wondered why Ezra was in such a rush to get to his room. The aroma of Hera's dinner made its way to Sabine and she was about to go eat it when she remembered she wanted to know why Ezra ran into his room. She walked up to his room door and knocked on it.

"Ezra, is everything okay?" She asked.
"Go away!" Ezra shouted as he choked back a sob.
"Ezra - ," she said.
"I said go away!" Ezra shouted angrily.

Sabine reluctantly left Ezra to his thoughts. Zeb was already eating his second serving of food by the time Sabine walked into the room. Hera handed her a bowl and sat down with Kanan, Zeb, and Chopper. Hera noticed Sabine's upset expression.

"What's wrong?" Hera asked, drawing attention to them.
"You should ask Ezra that," Sabine replied. "I don't know what happened to him. I was going to tell him that dinner was ready, but he just rushed past me into his room."
"I'll get the kid," Zeb groaned.
"Don't. Ezra's still trying to get through some things," Kanan ordered.

Kanan closed his eyes and used the force to sense what Ezra was feeling. He sensed that Ezra was feeling insecure, scared, sad, and depressed. Kanan also sensed that there was something on the holodisk that disturbed Ezra. He opened his eyes and looked at Sabine.

"Sabine, what was on that disk?" he asked.
"A hologram of his parents," Sabine answered. "I don't understand why he's so upset."
"I think there was something on that holodisk that Ezra shouldn't have seen," Kanan suggested. "Can you go get it for me?"

Sabine nodded and retrieved the disk. She put it on the table and everyone leaned in to examine it. It was just a regular holodisk.

"I don't see anything. The kid's probably just paranoid," Zeb said in a lax tone.

Kanan turned it over and looked at it up close.

"Ah-ha!" Kanan ejaculated. "Look at what's written on the back."

Sabine took it form him and looked at it for herself.

"Oh my gosh! I-I didn't know," Sabine gasped.

Tseebo entered the room, somewhat dazed but regained his focus. He saw the holodisk and walked up to the rebels. He looked at the disk and knew exactly what it was.

"Tseebo, what happened to Ezra's parents?" Kanan asked.
"Oh, Tseebo doesn't want to say," he replied.
"Tseebo told me earlier. Mira and Ephraim were killed. They were taken by the Empire and they were forced to tell the Inquisitor about their radio shows. However, they didn't and the Empire eventually killed them," Hera explained.
"Tseebo could have helped Mira and Ephraim. Tseebo failed Ezra," Tseebo murmured.
"Don't worry, Tseebo. Ezra forgives you," Kana said. "Zeb, go get Ezra. He needs to eat."

Zeb thought the kid was as immature as they come and annoying. After taking Tseebo in, Ezra has been bunking with Zeb and their negative feelings about each other are mutual. Zeb walked into the door and saw Ezra under the covers of his bed with his back to Zeb.

"Kid, Kanan says you have to eat," Zeb told Ezra.
"I'm not hungry," Ezra said.
"Ezra, please eat," Hera pleaded from outside the room.

Ezra remained silent. Hera told Zeb he could return. Hera had a bowl of food and left it next to Ezra, just in case he felt he decided to eat.