Star Wars: Darkness Rising

Chapter 4: Descent in to Darkness!

Ahsoka led Ezra to a private cove where they could talk. "Do you know what he is?" she asked. Ezra nodded. "I do, and I don't know why you're so worried" he said. Ahsoka threw her head back in frustration. "No of course you don't Ezra because you never think about what you're doing! All you ever do is rush into a situation without thinking about the effect it could have on the galaxy! On you! You need to learn to think, to plan, to consider everything! Not just go running into every dangerous thing you possibly can! This is just like when you left everyone without thinking and risked your life! You didn't know, you didn't even think about what would happen after the jump!" she ranted. Ezra hadn't ever known Ahsoka to be frustrated, and if she was, then it must be for good reason. He sighed. "What would you have done Ahsoka!?" he demanded. "You weren't on Lothal; you didn't have the threat of you home being destroyed! You weren't out here for five years! You weren't trapped fighting a war, taking an apprentice and training them from scratch!" he snapped. Ahsoka sighed. "You're right Ezra... but you didn't think any of this through, and you know that! You asked us to find you!" she said. Ezra nodded. "You're right, I did, but I said come and find me, not lecture me for the choices I made!" he snapped. "Ezra, you're running into danger at every turn, always seeking out adventure! That's not the jedi way! Didn't Kanan teach you that!?" she asked. Ezra scoffed. "What do you know about being a Jedi Ahsoka? You never finished your own training, you left the order, you might not know everything about the Jedi because you weren't there!" Ezra shot back at her. "I was there and learned more about them than you did in your three of four years that you were trained Ezra, I was trained for seventeen years of my life in the Jedi Arts" she said. "You still left, so you wouldn't have known every lesson!" Ezra argued. Ahsoka stared at him. "We're taught the ways of the Jedi very young, its one of the first things we learn! If you can't see that Ezra, then maybe you're not fit to be a Jedi!" Ahsoka said, finally snapping. Ezra sighed, and started to walk away. It was only then Ahsoka realised what she had said must have hurt him badly. "Ahsoka, if all you're going to do is lecture me, then go home" he said. "Ezra..." Ahsoka said. "I'm not trying to give you a lecture... I'm trying to make you understand. You do not want the Rakata's help." Ezra shrugged. "At least he's offering some kind of help... instead of telling me that I'm a failure when all I'm trying to do is protect people!" he said, and stalked off. Ahsoka didn't go after him. He needed time alone, and she needed to think about how she could make Ezra see reason without upsetting him again.

Ezra avoided Ahsoka for the rest of the day. He spent that time supervising the offloading of the supplies and helping make the refuge for the Skywalkers liveable. He was directing the current wave of supplies and equipment when a voice spoke behind him. "So you are the great War Hero... you are not very much to look at!" it sneered in Cheunh. Ezra knew the voice was male. "Do I know you?" he asked politely. He turned to face the Chiss, and recognised him as a commander. He sneered at Ezra again. "Don't try and flatter me outsider, you disgrace our uniforms with your filth!" he said. Ezra's face hardened. "I'll ask again" he said coldly. "Who are you?" the Chiss laughed at this remark. "I am Irizi'assa'nniarurdo, are you Ezra Bridger?" he asked. Ezra had been taught this greeting by Thrana, and knew how to respond. "I am He, are you Zirasaan?" he replied. The Chiss snorted impolitely. "I am he" he grumbled. "Welcome to my battlegroup Commander" Ezra said. "All of the troops are ready for duty?" he asked. Zirasaan simply nodded, and left without being formally dismissed. Ezra had half a mind to bring military charges against the commander, but decided not to. He needed time to find out more about the Chiss soldier. He looked around and saw that their duty was mostly done. Ar'alani would want an update, and so Ezra decided he would give her one. He made his way back to his shuttle, and headed back up to The White Wolf and get it over with. While he was there, he was going to ask Ar'alani about the commander he had just met.

Sabine left Thrawn's office, hating herself for the deal she had made. In her mind, she knew it would very likely be worth it, and there was no way to be certain Thrawn would be around to collect his end of the bargain. He was fighting a war. A war that Ezra had been fighting with him. She didn't dwell on it, and headed to her cabin that Ezra had prepared for her when she was out of the medbay. She ached as she took off her helmet. She leant over, and fell, hitting her head on the floor. Her balance was never usually that bad. She went into the bathroom, and inspected the damage. Her vision was blurred, and for a few moments, she was seeing double. She reached up with her hand as she made her way to mirror, and rubbed the part of her head she had hit. She felt something warm and sticky, and when she brought her hand down, she saw blood. She rushed over to the sink, and examined her head in the mirror as the blood fell into the sink. She was bleeding from the ears. Specifically, her left ear was the one with more blood trickling down it. She took a towel from the rack, and pressed it against her ear. She hissed in pain as she wiped the blood off of her face. After wiping the blood, Sabine examined herself as best as she could, found nothing wrong, and decided it was nothing. She went back to thinking about Ezra. Why had he agreed to fight this war? Who had convinced him? It hadn't been Thrawn, he and Ezra were still enemies, but they were working together against a common enemy. Sabine just sighed. Making a deal with Thrawn was dangerous, especially with what he wanted in return for helping her find the answers. Sabine didn't plan to give it to him unless the information was good. She didn't doubt that Thrawn was aware of that, so if he wanted what he had asked for, he would make sure it was. As she moved around, Sabine tried to remember what had happened, but she couldn't. She could remember pieces of a few days before, mostly small things. None of it was to do with Ezra. Those memories were still locked away and beyond her reach. Sabine laid down, tried to relax, and tried to allow her head to heal. She wasn't having much luck. Technically, she should go to the medbay to make sure everything was still ok. Her pride won out, and she stayed where she was. If anyone asked, she'd say she was fine. No one had to know what was going on, least of all Ezra.