Clashing forces
Author: RedtailHawk19
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars Rebels or anything star wars related. Just my characters and some of the plot.
Just having fun writing.
Here’s a link to a pictures I drew of Zaria and her parents. And pics of her clothes.
http://redtailhawk19.deviantart.com/gallery/
I like to draw clothes and write so I can get better.
I adore the design of the Sith pure-bloods. But I have taken liberties of my own. But I plan on explaining lots of things later on.
Prologue
Zaria opened the door to the old com tower. The door slid open with a soft hiss, and she crept into the room without a sound. Ezra’s deep sleep breathing made her ears twitch. Zaria’s steps were quiet enough that even if Ezra had been awake in his hammock. He wouldn’t have heard her coming. Zaria set the hologram message and a lunchbox on his bedside table.
She steeled herself. Erza could handle himself while she was gone for a mission on Tatooine. She hoped it would not take too long. Zaria leaned over and brushed away a lock of hair from his closed eyes.
“Ziur j'us veek brolin,”* she murmured fondly.Then, like a shadow. She evaporated back into the night as if she had never been there at all.
This is a line break.
With the sunlight hitting his face, Ezra Bridger yawned and stretched his arms over his head. He sniffed. He looked at his bedside table and grinned. Zaria left him some breakfast; now he had one less meal to worry about. Ezra grabbed the box, knocking the camouflaged hologram message onto the floor. An image of Zaria flared to life.
“Hey little brolin, sorry I couldn’t be here in person to tell you. Vizago had a job which paid too well to turn down. Have to take it. But it’s an off-world job, hunting a bounty on Tatooine. So I will begone for a while, but I left supplies and credits with TZ-34, my droid, as you call him, my ‘nanny droid’. He is at your old house waiting. Don’t be so sassy with TZ-34–you know he hates it. Be strong, careful, while I’m gone. Don’t do anything to stupid. I know you will do well on your own. Take care until I get back.”
Zaria’s message paused, as if she were hesitant about what she would say next. "And … remember, I love you. You’re my brother. I will miss you. Okay, … enough of the mushy stuff. We’ll see each other.” The hologram shut off.
Ezra frowned. “Well, as long as it’s not too long.”
So, Ezra waited. And waited. That was seven months ago. Ezra lost hope that Zaria would return.
Chapter 1
Zaria Saijtoir stepped off the ramp of the shuttle with relief. It was good to be back on Lothal. Tatooine was way to hot to live on, and with two suns what planet wouldn’t be. Zaria wore a black head wrap and poncho to hide her unique features everyday. Zaria couldn’t afford to draw attention from the Empire or anyone else. So, the mission on Tatooine had not been comfy with the dense obscuring cloth on her face.
Zaria had Xen Cato’s head in her bag. She had to go give it to Vizago so she could get paid. Xen had been an arrogant fool who double crossed Vizago on a smuggling deal. Cikatro Vizago was the leader of the broken horn crime syndicate of Lothal. No one crossed Vizago and lived. So, Zaria jumped at the chance to make good easy money. But it turned out her target was a lot harder to catch then she first assumed. What had been a one month mission turned into seven months. But she had prevailed and had an opportunity and adventure filled trip.
Zaria patted her other bag.
It carried ancient Sith vibro-daggers and vibro-sword, and a talisman to help with focus. One of the daggers and the talisman were gifts for Erza. It was his birthday tomorrow. Zaria hoped the gifts could make up her being gone for so long. She would need all the help she could get. Ezra was no doubt hurt by how long she was gone. He must have thought she abandoned him.
He was three and half years younger than Zaria at fifteen, fifteen years tomorrow. Zaria corrected herself.
Zaria felt a kinship with the human. He was an orphan like her, and he was force sensitive like her. Zaria supposed the real draw to why she was so adoring of him was he was so much like herself. Zaria had fought with herself on whether she should train Ezra in the force. Not just teach him cheap tricks. But after meditating on the matter Zaria saw in a vision she was not meant to be his teacher. It had pained her to let go of the desire of training Ezra. But she couldn’t be selfish and denied him his potential in the force.
Zaria wondered if Ezra had found his mentor in the time she had been gone. Zaria had met him when he was seven years old and hopeless at surviving on his own. Zaria knew what it felt like to lose your parents so young, to the Empire’s hands. So she took him in, taught him how to live in a new world without his parents. Zaria had been eight years old when her own parents and unborn brother died. Zaria considered Ezra the only family she had left.
Zaria set off for her Vizago’s camp. Tomorrow, she would bring Ezra some Lothal spice cake and his presents. They could spend the day together. She could get back into Ezra’s good graces with some time and rebuild their trust.
Zaria walked through the destitute streets of the capital city. The two moons of Lothal shined opalescent that night. She entered the alley where she had stashed her speeder bike.
The sleek black and red speeder was still there. Zaria climbed on. The quiet purr of the engine humming as she drove to Vizago’s camp. She would finish her business with Vizago, then she could return to her home. Zaria’s home was an old abandoned Jedi temple from the time of the old Republic. Zaria loved her home.
She had found it when she was ten years old and had made it her own. It was the ideal base for her. It hid her use of the force when she trained. But it wouldn’t be safe for Ezra. He was not ready to face what was inside. He needed training from his master. So Zaria had found Ezra his own base. An old abandoned com tower in the plains an hours ride from her temple if she rode at top speed on her bike.
Zaria’s sharp golden eyes caught sight of Vizago’s camp. Vizago was waiting for her as she slowed her bike down. The Devaronian crime lord waited for her alone. His right horn still broken and he had on a smirk. His red eyes glimmered at her.
“So my shadow, did you complete the job? Took you long enough. But I had every faith in you.” Vizago was attempting to be charming.
Zaria rolled her eyes.
“Would I be here if I had not? And you didn’t tell me Xen Cato could shape-shift. The job would have gotten done a lot faster if you had given me all the information.” She hissed at him as she reached into the bag with the head and threw it at Vizago’s feet. Dead eyes stared up at him. Vizago kicked the Clawdite head away from him in disgust.
“I didn’t know Xen Cato was a Clawdite. But it does explain how he escaped me. He always appeared as a handsome human when I saw him.” Vizago assured Zaria. Vizago brought out the case of credits he promised her. Zaria took it from him and strapped it on the back of her speeder bike.
“Job well done, Zaria. Why don’t you stay and have a drink with me? I bet you are beautiful under that head dress of yours.” Vizago leered at her. He had been trying for years to see under her head dress. It had become a game to him. He continued speaking to her.
“That little human pet of yours. Has been bothering me about you every time he comes with those new friends of his for jobs. he seems to be under the impression I have killed you. Hostile little brat.”
“Ezra?” Zaria blinked in surprise.
Vizago snapped his fingers.
“Yes, that’s the name. Do me a favor and tell him you are alive. And about that drink?” Vizago suggested with another persistent smolder at her covered face.
“I will let Ezra know you didn’t kill me. No thanks to the drink, I don’t mix work with play. Besides I have an angry Ezra, I need to meet tomorrow. I will need my rest. Pleasure to do business as always Visago, catch you around.” Zaria left before Vizago could say another word.
She yawned under her head wrap.
She was glad to make it home in record time. She opened the secret hatch she had made. Zaria enters the temple and closed the door shut behind her. She stretched her arms into the air and took of her head dress and poncho. She let the cloth fall to the floor. It felt good to free her head from the heavy cloth.
“Master, I’m so glad you are home at last. I told the boy you did not expire.” TZ-34 walked towards her. TZ-34 Picked up her fallen things.
“Good to see you to TZ, we will have to have our morning spar tomorrow.”
Zaria shook her hair. The gold bands on her long obsidian dreadlocks jingled from hitting each other. Zaria entered her room. TZ-34 followed. It was a refurbished meditation room. She sat down in front of her mirror. She applied moisturizer to her dark red skin, Tatooine had dried her out. Zaria removed her gold piercings. First her two lips piercings, her lip ring and stud below her bottom lip. Then, her eyebrow stalk bands, her earrings, her bands on her two chin tendrils. She removed the nose stud from her left nostril with care. Now, she could go to sleep.
“Should I leave you to recharge master?” TZ-34 inquired.
“Yes, good night TZ.” Zaria yawned. She didn’t even bother taking off her dusty clothes. She flopped laid face down on her bed and fell asleep.
This is a line break.
Zaria performed her push ups, clapping her hands together between each one. She was almost done with her morning routine. Her morning spar with TZ-34 had been invigorating.
“200.” Zaria jumped up and wiped her forehead.
Zaria looked at the time, it almost noon.
“Erza should be up by now.” Zaria chuckled.
Zaria stretched her arms over her head. She had better change her clothes and head out. Zaria pulled on her long sleeved light blue shirt. Her black skirt, white tights and black boots. The last to put on was her dark gray poncho. The poncho hood wrapped around her head like a mask. Only her eyes were visible.
Zaria slid her satchel over her shoulder. Made sure her money, weapons, and Ezra’s presents packed away in her bag.
“Tell the boy happy creation day for me, master!” TZ-34 called from his own room.
“I will, see you later.” Zaria exited the temple and climbed on to her speeder. She sped off to Ezra’s tower. She took the stairs two at a time to the front door of Ezra’s tower. The door slid open as she entered.
Zaria frowned as she looked around the empty room in Ezra’s tower. Ezra was not here. He had not been there for weeks from the look of all the dust and the lack of his personal things.
‘Where is he? If he was not here?’ Zaria sighed.
“No use hanging around here then.” Zaria walked out onto the balcony then jumped down to the ground. Zaria used the force to landed with grace onto the ground. She jumped onto her bike.
“Might as well go see the celebrations in the city.” Zaria directed her bike towards the capital city.
The streets packed with a mix of species for the Empire day festivities. Zaria sneered. as if the formation of the Empire was anything to celebrate. Imperials combed the crowds with a calm panic. She wished to know why. Zaria parked her bike near Ezra’s old home. She saw her way to find out as she stalked over to the imperial officer.
The man was glaring at his data-pad. It had a picture of a lime green male Rodian on it. Zaria bumped into him.
“Oh I’m so sorry.” Zaria picked the data-pad up from off the ground. Dusted the dirt of it, she inspected the picture committing it to memory.
“I’m so clumsy.” Zaria simpered from under her head wrap.
The human snatched the data-pad back from her. His ISB helmet skewed to one side. He fixed it with a short temper.
“You must have important work to do, Agent. I’m so glad our galaxy is in your capable hands.” Zaria says a sweet voice before he could retort. She made her tone like the females who admired men of the Empire.
“Yes, well see that you are more careful.” The agent tells her in dismissive tone. he had already written her off as a harmless girl.
“Oh I will, happy empire day.” Zaria bowed as she backed away. The agent went back to searching the crowd.
Zaria half listened to the vice governor’s space about the new ties produced on Lothal. But she filed the information away. Zaria’s thoughts returned to the Rodian.
Zaria was curious, why did the empire want this Rodian? Bad enough to work overtime ISB agents on the favored holiday. Zaria wondered if there was anything to do to help the poor Rodian. Zaria’s thoughts broke as she felt Ezra’s presence in the force. It was different more focused, less wild than before. Did Ezra find his master to teach him while she was gone?
Zaria sneaked up behind him, ready to pounce. She wrapped an arm around Ezra’s neck in a playful manner and started to mess up his dark hair.
“Hey brat! Miss me?” Zaria chuckled into his ear. Ezra squawked in surprise. He twisted out of Zaria’s hold. His blue eyes widened in surprise.
“Zaria!” He hugged her. “You are alive! You are back!”
Zaria laughed.
“I missed you too.” She patted Ezra on his head.
“You were gone for months!” Ezra frowned at her. “I thought you were never coming back.”
Zaria ruffled his hair again.
“I came back, I promised I would. I just got a little sidetracked, it’s a long story. I will tell you more about it when we are alone. So, how have you been?”
Ezra smiled and shook her hand off his head.
“I’m good I have so much to tell you about.” Ezra stopped as he caught sight of some people. Zaria turned to look too, she recognized the tall human male. A freelancer who did jobs for Vizago. Zaria felt a tinge from the force about the human. Ezra’s new master?
“New friends of yours?” Zaria didn’t turn to look at him.
“We are gonna jazz up the celebrations.” Ezra nodded.
“Now? Mind if I tag along?” Zaria was always up for messing with the empire.
“Sure come on, I’ll introduce you to them.” Ezra lead her to over to his new friends. The sky lit up with fireworks.
“Hmm pretty.” Zaria commented as she gazed up at them.
“That’s Sabine’s handy work. She this Mandalorian artist who’s great at blowing stuff up.” Ezra tells her with excitement.
“I can’t wait to meet her.” Zaria looked up at the sky. Where another set of colorful fireworks burst forth with admiration.
“Hey there’s Kanan.” Ezra pointed out a tall dark skinned human with at brown reddish haired ponytail. Zaria blinked, she couldn’t believe it. This Kanan was a force sensitive, he was good Zaria had to reach into the force to sense him. He knew how to hide his presence in the force, but he wasn’t as good as her. He must be Ezra’s Master. Zaria clamped down in her force signature so it appeared she was a non-sensitive. A storm trooper grabbed Kanan’s arm. She had caught sight of what Kanan had slipped under the new model tie fighter. An explosive, a high grade bomb made by the Mandalorian girl no doubt.
“Come on.” Ezra said in a low tone to Zaria as he ran over to Kanan.
Zaria followed but hung back to observe.
“All the colors- its- it’s like a rainbow.” Kanan slurred making it seem as if he was drunk.
“Dad, what are you doing?” Ezra grabbed Kanan’s arm. “Sorry my dad is just so patriotic.”
“Empire day! I love it! All hail our glorious empire!” Kanan pumped a fist into the air.
Zaria impressed by Kanan, could almost felt good about him being the one to teach Ezra. He was quite the actor. He had to be , if he hid from the Empire after all these years. The trooper must have lost patience to deal with a drunk civilian so he ushered them away.
“Move along.” The Storm Trooper ordered.
“Thanks, where have you been?” Kanan asked Ezra in an undertone.
“Making connections, this is Zaria Saijtoir. She’s one of my oldest friends, like family. She just got back planet-side today.” Ezra brought Kanan over to Zaria. Kanan looked Zaria over.
“Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand.
Zaria shook it.
“The pleasure is all mine. I’m glad Ezra has had someone around to help keep him out of trouble while I have been gone.” She told Kanan with a warm tone.
A shiver went up Kanan’s spine. He sensed something about her.
“How’s the plan going?” Ezra looked at the tie fighter.
Kanan shook himself out of his thoughts and grinned.
“Just watch.” He smirked at the two younger teens.
Zaria’s sensitive ears picked up on the rapid beeping of the bomb.
The bomb went off in a spectacular display of fireworks. The tie fighter went up in smoke. Screams and cheers went up from the crowd.
“Find out who did this!” The governor shouted with fury at the Stormtroopers.
“That should be our cue, to get out of here.” Zaria muttered. She turned and sprinted away, grabbing Ezra’s hand and pulling him with her.
“Wait up!” Kanan protested and ran to catch up.
Two figures from an alley join their run.
A Lasat and the young Mandalorian who looked three years older than Zaria.
“Who’s this?” The purple Lasat grumbled looking at Zaria.
“This is Zaria, she’s a friend.” Ezra answered.
Kanan jerked to a stop, the others followed his lead.
Zaria skidded to a stop and turned to look what was keeping them. Zaria felt the tremble in the force. As a Pau'an inquisitor walked towards the bomb site. The Inquisitor radiated with the dark side. The Lasat had his rifle pointing at the ISB agent she had bumped into earlier.
“We do not have time for this. Let’s go!” Kanan ordered.
Zaria stated at the Pau'an inquisitor. His force signature felt familiar.
The Lasat’s ears flattened against his head.
“Fine.” He said disappointed.
Kanan ran again with the crowd, the rest followed him.
Zaria tore her gaze away from the Inquisitor. She was swift to catch back up to the group by weaving between people.
“Spectre-2, we are en route to the rendezvous.” Kanan spoke into a com-link.
“Negative Spectre-1, the streets blockaded by Imperial Storm Troopers. Rendezvous is impossible. I cannot- I cannot- I repeat I cannot reach rendezvous.” The female voice replied from the com.
“I know a place where we can sit tight until things calm down.” Ezra spoke up. He pointed to the Lasat. “But 'shoulders’ here might have trouble taking my route.”
“Then, we need another option.” Kanan demanded.
“Nah, it’s fine.” The Lasat grabbed his own com. “Spectre-2 can you make it to the old market place?”
“Affirmative.” The voice confirmed.
“I’m on my way” The Lasat saluted Kanan then climbed up the side of a building.
“See you at these ghost.” Kanan saluted back. Then, the Lasat disappeared.
“We will signal a new rendezvous when we can.” Kanan called.
They followed Ezra to a sewer grate.
“I see you have been keeping busy. Never pictured you as a rebel.” Zaria walked behind Ezra.
“Yeah, me neither but I’m good at it.” Ezra grinned.
“I can tell, so introduce me to your rebel friends.” Zaria turned so she could walk backwards and look at the other two humans.
“That’s Sabine Wren, the explosive artist, and that’s Kanan Jarrus.” Ezra pointed to each of them.
“Guys this is Zaria Saijtoir, she helped me learn how to survive.” Ezra introduced her.
“So, a Mandalorian and a Jedi working together? That’s something to put in the history vids.” Zaria couldn’t resist saying, enjoying the Jedi’s reaction.
Everyone froze. Sabine drew her blasters..
“Relax, I hate the empire as much as anyone and I have no quarrel with the Jedi.” Zaria rolled her eyes and waved a hand. Kanan glared at her with distrust.
“Guys, calm down. Zaria is trustworthy, I promise. Now come on, this is the grate when need to take out of here to get to the place.” Ezra leads the way out and to his old home.
“This building has an imperial warning declaring this building off limits. It’s condemned.” Sabine folded her arms across her chest. Ezra didn’t reply, he pulled out and old data card and slid it threw the reader. The door hissed then opened.
“Come on.” Ezra stepped inside.
“You were coming here today, this was your home wasn’t it. Where you grew up.” Kanan’s insights were spot on.
“I grew up on the streets.” Ezra says the words with a bitter snap. “Alone.”
“And what was I? Your imaginary friend?” Zaria says as she smacked Ezra on the back his head.
“Ow!” Ezra rubbed his head. They walked inside.
“Why here? Why now?” Sabine pulled off her helmet, shaking out her bright colored hair. Ezra shifted around the room.
“I don’t know, had this feeling.” Ezra walked towards the middle of the room and pushed back a rug. Revealed a hidden door underneath. Zaria could hear the soft sobs coming from the secret room. Ezra peered down into the room.
“Tseebo!” Ezra gasped. “Tseebo, Tseebo, it’s me Ezra Bridger.”
The crying stopped. The faint clink of an implant made Zaria’s ears twitch. A light green skinned Rodian climbed out of the hole. The Rodian the ISB agent had been searching for. Tseebo muttered nonsense in Huttese. He walked straight into a wall.
“He’s an imperial slave.” Zaria felt pity for the Rodian. She abhorred slavery. It was a disgusting practice.
“He’s the one, the one they’re all searching for.” Kanan looked excited.
“You know him, Ezra?”
Ezra sat down.
“Yeah, he was a friend of my parents. But something’s wrong. What’s that thing on his head?” Ezra looked at Tseebo with a mixture of affection and anger.
“The empire has implanted cybernetics into their low level technicians. Personality sacrificed for productivity.” Sabine walked over to examine the Rodian.
The word productivity seemed to snap something in Tseebo.
“Tseebo’s productivity is 19% higher. An increase in food would help bring it to 35%.” Tseebo’s thin form growled from hunger.
“Tseebo went to work for the Empire. The Imperial data office after the Empire took my parents.” Ezra glared at Tseebo.
Zaria pulled a fruit from her bag. She offered it to the Rodian. Tseebo snatched and ate it fast as if he was afraid the food would disappear from him.
“No wonder the Imperials want him back so much. He’s a walking hard drive of imperial secrets. And don’t be so hard on him Ezra. We all have to survive. Not everyone has the strength or the power to stand up to the Empire. Perhaps he is standing up the only way he knows how. And that is worthy of respect.” Zaria watched Tseebo lick his fingers of the fruit’s juice.
“What happened to your parents? You never told us.” Kanan knelt down next to Ezra.
“What’s to tell? They’ve been gone for eight years. I’ve been on my own since I was seven.” Ezra turned away from them.
“Seven imperial.” Tseebo continued in huttese.
“What’s he saying?” Kanan rubbed the back of his head.
“He’s detailing imperial fighter deployments on Lothal.” Sabine translated.
“We have to keep Tseebo out of the empire’s hands. Sabine can you access the information?” Kanan looked at Sabine.
“Uh? I think, so I’ll need a few minutes.” Sabine fiddled around with Tseebo’s implant.
“Ezra are you okay?” Kanan asked his Padawan.
“I’m fine.” Ezra draws away from Kanan to climb down the hole.
“I’m told you, you have to let your guard down sometimes.” Kanan tells him.
“I said I’m fine.” Ezra dropped to the floor.
Zaria jumped in after him.
“Ezra Bridger son of Ephraim and Mira Bridger. Born fifteen years ago, today.” Tseebo mutters.
“Oh Empire day.” Sabine puzzled out. “It’s Ezra’s birthday.”
Ezra kicked an old toy on the floor of the room. He glared up at the ceiling.
“Speaking of birthdays, I have your presents.” Zaria smiled at Ezra under her head dress.
“Thanks Zaria, but I’m not in the mood right now.” Ezra runs his fingers over the old radio.
“Okay.” Zaria nodded sensing now was not a good time to push Ezra.
“Later perhaps.” Her words were quiet.
His fingers finding a chip. He pulled it out. The force called out to Ezra.
Zaria reached out to Ezra, he gasped. He sensed something.
“Ezra, come see this.” Sabine called down to the two orphans. She climbed down the latter interrupting Ezra’s force sense.
“What’s all this?” Sabine asks surviving the room and the chip in Ezra’s hand.
“My folks used to broadcast down here, speaking out against the empire. Its just a old speech broadcast about justice or something my parents made.” Ezra set the chip down and started back up the ladder. Sabine grabbed the chip and followed after. Zaria shook her head.
Zaria climbed up two bars at a time. Sabine typed on her wrist computer. Tseebo’s implant beeped and projected a hologram of the data.
“What are we looking at here?” Kanan puts a hand to his chin.
“Everything!” Sabine breathed.
“Imperial specs on the new ties. And then new T-8 disruptors. Schedules, tactics, strategies, half of its encrypted. But it looks like there’s a five year plan for Lothal and every other outer rim world.” Sabine looked excited at the prospects of find out Imperial plans.
Tseebo groaned, and the hologram cut off. He swayed on his feet. Zaria caught him.
“No wonder he’s shorting out, all that data would overload anyone.” Ezra sounded disgusted with the empire.
Zaria didn’t blame him. She hated them too.
“We need to smuggle him off Lothal.” Kanan decided.
“We would have to smuggle him out of the city first. Which is on high alert and crawling with Imperials on high alert. Security has been short because of Empire day. That’s the only reason they haven’t caught him yet. But the day is almost done.” Zaria looked at Tseebo in concern.
Tseebo walked into another wall. As if proving Zaria’s point in how hard it would be to get Tseebo out of the city.
This is a line break.
Zaria decided she liked this Sabine girl. Sabine took out the Storm troopers with a battle lust fit for a Mandalorian. Kanan smiled and waved at the trooper who exited the transport to see what was going on. Zaria knocked the man unconscious with one hit. She tore the helmet off him and threw it to Ezra.
“Don’t have that one yet.” She winked at him.
“You are the best, Zaria.” Ezra caught it with a smile.
“I know.” Zaria chuckled. “I’ll be riding behind on my bike.”
Ezra dragged Tseebo onto the transport. Kanan and Sabine closed the door after they climbed in. Zaria rode her speeder close behind them. Kicking the trooper who woke up in the head before he could com in. Zaria snickered. The blockade was cute. Zaria wonder how the Imperial officers got anything done on Lothal. Most were complete morons.
She fired the blasters on her speeder. As she swerved in front of the stolen transport. Zaria dodged the return fire. And broke through the blockade with a smirk. A second transport was hot on their trail.
The transport rocked with an explosion. Zaria took out her sleek Nabuain blasters. She shot the two imperials on the bikes behind her. Their lifeless bodies hit the ground with a sickening crunch. Zaria bared her sharp teeth under her head wrap. Pleased with herself. That was two less Imperials to hurt her Ezra.
The second Transport rammed the stolen transport. The ISB agent jumping onto the rebel transport. The ship named the Ghost dropped out of the sky, ramp extended. The Lasat shot his rifle at the agent. Zaria admired the pilot who was excellent enough to fly so low to the ground.
Zaria could feel her heart pump with the excitement. Perhaps there was something to this rebel business. Zaria was going to like this group. Zaria weaved around the transports. She lined up her shot behind the second transport. With her shooting it from the back and the ship’s guns shooting at the front. The transport didn’t stand a chance.
Zaria sped back in front of the rebel transport. The ISB Agent got knocked off the transport with blaster fire from the Lasat. The Lasat smirked.
Zaria could still sense the agent though. So, he must be holding onto the back. Kanan climbed on top of the transport. Then he force pushed Tseebo up to the ship. Ezra and Sabine followed after. The ship dropped down close enough to scoop up the rebels. Zaria sighed with sadness and jumped off her speeder onto the transport. She watched as her speeder crashed. She turned around. Her force enhanced reflexes helping her dodge the shots fired from the agent. His eyes narrowed in recognition at her.
Zaria snarled at him. She force gripped his blaster to shoot his next shot into the grass off to the side of the road. Kanan’s eyes widened in surprise. Zaria flipped onto the ramp and pulled Kanan up. The ship pulled up. The ramp closed.
“Hera, needs you on guns Kanan.” The Lasat tells the Jedi. Kanan looked at Zaria. He shook his head, he would have to deal with her later.
He made his ways to the guns.
Zaria made her way to Ezra’s side.
The ship was taking shots from the Imperial fighters. The erratic flying from the pilot having to fly to avoid to the enemy fire. Caused Ezra to stumbled as the ship spun.
“I have to go man the nose Guns.” Sabine looks at Ezra. Another shot rocked the ship. Ezra fell into Tseebo.
“Is that scrapheap Chopper even paying attention?” The Lasat growled. He climbed out of the galley.
“Ezra? Ezra Bridger is that you?” Tseebo groaned. Sounding for the first time since Zaria met him like a normal being.
“It is you!” Tseebo looked like he would cry.
He came towards Ezra.
“Yeah Tseebo it’s me, but now is not the best time for a reunion.” Ezra backed away.
Sabine paused at the door.
Tseebo spoke in rapid Huttese.
“What’s he saying?” Ezra asks.
“He says he knows what happened to you parents.” Zaria translated before Sabine could. Zaria knew how much this would conflict Ezra. On one hand, Ezra wanted to know what happened to his parents. But on the other knowing would finally make it real. Make it sink in that his parents are never coming back. Zaria felt the same way. But Zaria had felt through the force when her parents died no amount of denial could help that. No doubt Ezra had too.
“Sabine! I need you on the nose Guns now!” Hera’s voice crackled over the ship’s com. Sabine hesitated.
“Didn’t you hear Hera?” Ezra looks at the frozen Sabine.
“Didn’t you hear Tseebo? He said he knows what happened to your parents.” Sabine gestured to Tseebo.
“I already know what happened to my parents! They’re dead, now go shoot down the TIE fighters.” Ezra snarled.
The ship rumbled.
Sabine nodded as she ran to the nose guns.
Ezra shook Tseebo with desperation.
“Are they? Are my parents dead?”
This is a line break.
“Does anyone want to explain why we are so popular tonight? And why we have two extra passengers?” Hera demands of Kanan.
“The Rodian has crucial data that is damaging to the empire.” Kanan explained.
“Okay I can see why that’s important, but the force sensitive girl?” Hera looks hard at Kanan.
“The girl is a friend of Ezra’s. There wasn’t time, but Ezra says she’s trustworthy.” Kanan says.
“Do you trust her?” Hera asks.
Kanan sighed.
“Nothing, she’s done makes me think she is not trustworthy. But something about her puts me on edge. I can’t put my finger on it.” Kanan admits.
“Well, we need to get the Rodian out of here. We can figure out what to do with her after we have taken care of this.” Hera decides. She flipped the ship to avoid more blaster fire.
This is a line break.
“The Bridgers should hide, they took Mira and Ephraim away.” Tseebo whimpered.
“Where?! Where did they take them?” Ezra cried with desperation.
“Forgive Tseebo, forgive him.” Tseebo sighed tired, he slumped.
“Forgive you?” Ezra asks.
“Tseebo was afraid, Tseebo could not raise Ezra Bridger. Tseebo ran away.” Tseebo sobbed.
Zaria grabbed Ezra before he could strike Tseebo.
“Coward! You could have stopped them! Why didn’t you stop them?” Ezra shouted struggling against Zaria. Tseebo’s implant beeped and Tseebo sunk back into Imperial programing.
“Ezra! Calm down.” Zaria whispered grabbing him into a hug. Ezra’s fight drained out of him.
“Ezra! The shields are down. We need you in the cockpit!” Hera orders on the com.
“On my way.” Ezra sighed.
Ezra turned back to Tseebo.
“My parents trusted you, and you failed them. You failed me. I was starving on the streets. How can I forgive you for that?” Ezra ran out of the room.
Zaria shook her head.
“Come here.” She took Tseebo with gentleness by the arm. Zaria guided him to sit down at the Ship’s dining room table.
“Ezra doesn’t mean it. He’s just hurt and confused.”
Tseebo shuttered.
“Ezra Bridger is right.” The ship jerked to the left .
“Tseebo, you can fix things right?” Zaria asks an idea forming. She had heard that the ship’s astromech was down. Tseebo nodded.
“Come on, we have a ship to fix.” Zaria grinned.
Tseebo perked up at that and muttered happily in huttese.
“Come on, I heard the ship’s navigation is down. I bet you can fix it.” Zaria leads the chattering Rodian to the cockpit. If not then Zaria could try to fix it. Zaria opened the door, Tseebo went straight to the broken area.
“Fast travel over interstellar distances, hyperspace is optimal.” Tseebo bent down to fix the ship pushing Ezra out of the way.
“What is he doing?” Hera the light green Twi'lek pilot frowned.
“He’s fixing your ship.” Zaria shrugged and sat down in a bright colored chair. The ship beeped. Hera stared down in awe.
“I don’t believe it, he fixed it.” Hera grinned setting up the hyper-drive.
“Get ready!” She yelled. Then, she rammed them into hyperspace.
Ezra jumped up to catch Tseebo.
“Uhh Hera, this is Tseebo.” Ezra set the nonsense muttering Rodian on the floor.
“And did Tseebo just signal hyperspace coordinates from his implant into my ship?” Hera examined Tseebo.
“That would be my guess.” Ezra smiled.
“Well, then thank you Tseebo. You just saved all our lives.” Hera thanked the Rodian.
“Tseebo was just following orders.” He looked at Zaria. Hera did too.
“Hera, this is Zaria. She’s my oldest friend.” Ezra tells Hera.
“Nice to meet you.” Zaria bowed.
Hera nodded.
“Let’s get down to the galley. We need to have a meeting.”
This is a line break.
Zaria sat next to Ezra. Kanan was waving a hand in front of a non-responsive Tseebo. Zeb the Lasat glared at Zaria with suspicion. He muttered about her concealed face. Sabine was fixing chopper. Hera was observing Zaria.
“So what do we do with him?” Ezra gestured at Tseebo.
“We have a few ideas.” Kanan admits.
“But you are the one who has history with Tseebo. What do you think we should do with him?”
Ezra put on the helmet Zaria had given him.
“Don’t know, don’t care.” He crossed his arms over his chest, his stubborn nature rearing its head.
Zaria found it amusing to watch the Jedi try to teach Ezra. It was too bad she couldn’t have been Ezra’s teacher. she shook her head. But Kanan had potential, he just had to stop teaching the old Jedi way to Ezra.
“Ezra you will never advanced as a Jedi. If you can’t be honest, at least with yourself.” Kanan’s words strike wisdom.
“What’s that suppose to mean?” Ezra asks in confusion.
“It means confronting things you don’t want to deal with.” Zaria smacks Ezra upside his helmeted head.
“Listen to your master. He seems to be wise.” Zaria advised.
Ezra shot Zaria a hurt filled look. Kanan shot her a grateful look.
“You don’t get to lecture me. Not after abandoning me for seven months.” He got up from the table, his fists clenched. Zaria recoiled.
“Not after keeping secrets from me.” Ezra yelled at her. Zaria knew he was talking about her use of the Force.
“Ezra, there are things I couldn’t tell you for your safety. And a lot of things happened on Tatooine, that keep me away. I didn’t want to stay away for so long.” Zaria clenched her fists.
“Doesn’t mean you get to just come back. Pretend like you didn’t just drop all contact with me! I thought you were dead.” Ezra shouted.
“Ezra, I didn’t mean to make you feel like I abandoned you. I kept my promise, I came back to you.” Zaria argued.
“I’m sorry if you thought that I abandoned you. That wasn’t my intention. Nu nulis j'us brolin.*” Zaria fell back into her first language. She always did when emotions were high.
“Whatever.” Ezra’s voice cracked. He made his way past Kanan.
“Ezra. Tseebo, and Zaria matter to you. And you care what happens to Tseebo.” Kanan pulls off the helmet.
“Why should I? He did nothing to save my parents. She just left without a word.” Ezra pointed at the two.
“I left a message and breakfast.” Zaria interjected. Ezra gave her a dirty look.
“What could have Tseebo done against the empire?” Kanan reasoned.
“And besides look at what he’s done since. the Imperials encourage these implants but they’re not mandatory. Not yet, he must have volunteered. He uploaded their secrets then ran.” Sabine looked at Tseebo with fondness.
“Maybe he’s trying to make up for letting you down.” Sabine suggests.
“Brave for him as a non-human to do this. The penalty for this crime is death. Maybe Tseebo didn’t speak out against the empire when he should have. Maybe he couldn’t find a way to take care of you. But this kind of data might cripple the empire if it gets into the right hands. People make mistakes Ezra, but wise people forgive.” Zaria stated.
Tseebo’s implant beeped. He chattered in huttese.
“He says the empire can track the ghost.” Sabine looks worried.
“Oh please.” Zeb scoffed. “The imperials can’t follow us through hyperspace.”
“Imperial XX-23 S-thread tracker developed by the Sienar Systems.” Tseebo’s hologram booted up. Showing the tracker. “To trace ships through hyperspace to destination.”
“Hera, could they have tagged us with that thing?” Kanan frowns.
“We better find out.” Hera bent down to the old astromech. She turns on Chopper. Chopper panics.
“Whoa, whoa, calm down Chopper. You were just offline for a few minutes. We need you to scan the ghost for a tracker.” Hera explains.
Chopper makes two grumpy beeps but does what Hera asks.
With everyone back in the cockpit. Chopper displayed where the tracker was on the ship.
“So, this good news is the tracker is on the hull of the phantom. Not the ghost.” Hera says trying to be cheerful.
“How is that good news?” Zeb grumbles.
“It will allow us to detach the phantom. We can lure the Imperials away from the ship and Tseebo.” Kanan explains.
“You want to detach while in hyperspace? People meant it when they said Jedi were crazy.” Zaria whistled incredulous at the Jedi’s word.
“That’s way too dangerous!” Sabine exclaimed.
“Not as dangerous as what I plan to do with the ship.” Kanan announces.
“Can’t wait to hear this.” Zeb rolls his eyes.
“I checked our current trajectory. If you could modify the hyperspace coordinates to change course.” Kanan looked at Hera. She nodded.
“I could do that.” Hera confirmed.
“Then, we could pass by the old clone war base in the asteroid field.” Kanan
“You mean the base with the nasty monsters that live in the shadows?” Sabine looked uneasy.
“Wait! What? Why would we want to go down there?” Ezra protested.
“He’s right Kanan. It is a foolhardy plan.” Hera agreed. “Why not just drop the phantom in our trail and let the imperials chase their tracker?”
“Because there’s more than a tracker at work here. Back on Lothal I sensed it, the Inquisitor is on our trail.” Kanan warns.
“The inquisitor is a force sensitive. He wouldn’t chase after an empty decoy.” Zaria finishes.
Kanan narrows his eyes at her.
“So, you are a force sensitive.”
“Yes, I am.” Zaria answers, she leaned back against the wall crossing her arms across her chest. Her shoulders stiff with defensiveness.
“What?” Ezra squawked. “You’re a force sensitive? When were you planning on telling me?”
“When I was ready, when you were ready. Don’t forget I helped you with learn tricks in the Force when you were a kid. Remember what I told you?” Zaria looked at Ezra.
“Always trust my instincts. But Zaria, why didn’t you train me?” Ezra folded his arms, he sounded crushed.
“Because I’m not meant to train you. He is.” Zaria inclined her head in Kanan’s direction.
“The Force has plans. Look, I will explain what I can. When we are not hunted down by a crazy Imperial inquisitor.” Zaria promises.
“You better.” Ezra growls.
“As long as Ezra and I are aboard the ghost we jeopardize Tseebo’s escape.” Kanan puts his finger to chin.
“So I gotta leave the Ghost and go to this nightmare asteroid as a favor to Tseebo?” Ezra mutters.
“As a favor to us.” Kanan corrects. “And don’t worry I’ll be right beside you.”
“We’ll be right beside you.” Zaria corrected.
“You’re not coming.” Kanan glares.
“Are you serious? Don’t be stupid! You’re an out of practice Jedi.” Zaria sneered. "When was the last time you seriously used the Force? The Clone Wars? Ezra is just a beginner. And You think that you can take out a serious trained Imperial Inquisitor?“ Zaria’s laugh was harsh and cold.
"And you think you can beat the Inquisitor?” Kanan stand up and stares Zaria in her golden eyes.
Kanan slammed into the wall and he was pinned there with the Force. Zaria held him there. Zaria shoves the others down with the Force to stop them from helping him.
Zaria snarls.
“I have trained to use the force since I was one standard year old by both of my parents. I have never stopped my training for a signal moment. Yes I think I can take this Sith pretender on.” Zaria released them and pulled out her light-sabers from her bag. Hooking them onto her belt next to her blasters.
“I’m going! Just try to stop me, Jedi.” She challenged.
“I doubt you can.”
“Fine, you can come.” Kanan shook his head with a tired sigh. He knew she was right. He couldn’t face the Inquisitor again alone. Zaria released the Rebels.
They eyed Zaria with weariness. The room settled as Zaria sat back down in one of the chairs.
“Everyone go get ready.” Kanan orders.
Zaria was the first out of the room. She headed for the Phantom, the small detach ship.
Ezra’s anger and mistrust hurt Zaria. Hadn’t she proved she cared about Ezra? Hadn’t she taught him skills he needed to survive? She had trusted him with something few people knew about her face… her heritage. Ezra was one of the people she trusted to show her bare face to. Few could say the same. Kanan and Ezra entered the mini ship.
“Strap in, preparing for separation.” Kanan ordered. “Once we are out of hyperspace, we will lead the inquisitor away.”
“You sure about this?” Hera’s voice sounded worried through the com.
“Positive.” Kanan confirmed.
“Just be safe. Ezra, watch his back for me.” Hera sighed.
“I will.” Ezra promised.
“And Zaria anything happens to either of them. I will put a bolt through your brain.” Hera threatens Zaria.
“Understood, but that won’t be necessary.” Zaria says her voice cold.
“I had no intentions of killing either of them.”
“Ready for separation.” Hera’s voice is tight with emotions.
“Copy that Ghost.” Kanan readies the controls.
The countdown began. The detachment put Zaria on edge. They tumbled out of hyperspace. She closed her eyes and calmed herself thru the force. Then, it was over.
“I am never doing that again.” Zaria groaned a hand over her mouth as she fought to keep down her breakfast.
This is a line break.
Zaria sensed the shadow beasts roaming throughout the base with her force senses.
“We need to connect with the creatures and pit them against the imperials.” Kanan outlined his plan.
“Not a bad idea Jedi. Not bad at all, it could work.” Zaria nodded.
“Kanan. I can’t, I’m afraid.” Ezra sounded pained to admit it.
“I got news for you kid, everyone is afraid. But you admitting it just now makes you brave than most and it’s a step forward.” Kanan laughed.
“Yeah, into the jaws of a nightmare.” Ezra’s fear spiked into the force.
“You must name and acknowledge your fear before you can banish it.” Zaria quoted her mother. She had heard that many times. Kanan stared at her. How did Zaria know that quote? Kanan shook his head, he had to focus on the matter at hand. But he would find out later.
“I’ll get the tracker off the phantom, you go make some new friends.” Kanan patted Ezra’s arm.
“I’ll keep watch for the imperials.” Zaria looks at Kanan. He nodded at her with a stiffness.
“Here we go.” Kanan opened the ramp and they stepped outside. Zaria headed for the entrance to the base. She hid in the dark opening all her senses. Ezra’s fear leaked into Zaria’s senses. She wanted to help him but Ezra had to fail or succeed on his own. If Kanan had faith he could do it. Zaria would too. She blocked out Ezra’s emotion.
“You’re blocked, let go.” Kanan came to Ezra’s side.
“I can’t.” Ezra’s voice cracked.
“Don’t be afraid.” Kanan coached his student. As they looked out into the shadows of the base at the milling monsters in it.
“I’m not afraid of them.” Ezra admits.
“Then what?” Kanan demands.
“I don’t know.” Ezra edges away from his problem.
“Yes you do! Face it Ezra.” Kanan calls.
“I’m - I’m- I’m afraid of knowing, I’m afraid of the truth! I’m sorry Tseebo. I’m sorry, I forgive you.” Silence stilled at Ezra’s words. The entire atmosphere changed. The growling and snarling creatures calmed. Zaria smiled. She jumped over to the two.
“I knew, he would be a good teacher for you. I knew the Force had guided me right.” Zaria told Ezra.
“I’m sorry Zaria, I’m sorry, sorry for being so angry with you. I missed you and I’m glad you came back.” Ezra launched himself at her.
“I understand Ezra, I should have talked with you before I left, I was thoughtless. I’m glad you found something to be a part of. Can you forgive me?” Zaria stroked Ezra’s hair.
“Only if you forgive me.” Ezra bargained.
“Deal.” Zaria let go of him.
Kanan watched them. Perhaps he had misread Zaria wrong. She seemed genuine in her affection for Ezra.
“Okay we need to be ready back to your positions.” Kanan ordered.
The trio was much more focused and alert. Zaria returned to her position. A ship landed outside. A troop of Storm troopers and the Pau'an inquisitor stepped off the ramp.
Zaria watched amused as the troopers got attacked by the creatures. The Inquisitor was not impressed by Kanan’s plan.
“This was your plan?” He chuckled. “To lure us here and allow these creatures to do your work for you?” Kanan drew his blue light-saber.
“How do you think it’s working?” Kanan baited the inquisitor and sent a large creature after him.
The Inquisitor cut the creature down with a red slash of his own light-saber. Kanan gave a flinch at the creature’s death.
“Pathetically.” The Inquisitor drawled advancing towards Kanan.
Kanan attacked. The inquisitor smirked as he fought with the Jedi. Ezra concentrated on the creatures. The Inquisitor was faster than Kanan. Kanan had not used his light-saber until he had met Ezra. Zaria had been right, he was rusty. Kanan was doing everything he could to stay alive. The Inquisitor grinned with a dark glee as he toyed with Kanan.
“Your meager training is nothing in the face of true power.” He Forced pushed Kanan back into a wall. Knocking Kanan’s breath away. Zaria sighed, the Jedi was so out of shape. She would have to step in now before he died.
Ezra’s trance with the creatures broke. He force gripped Kanan’s lightsaber to himself. He held it in front of Kanan with a protective pose as he sprang between the two.
“You’re not going near him.” Ezra hissed.
The Inquisitor looked amused and Force grabbed the light-saber from Ezra’s hands.
“Oh I think I will. It’s time to end this pathetic Jedi and Padawan pair. Your devotion to your master is admirable. but it will not save you.” The Pau'an grinned as he stalked forward. “Nothing can.”
Zaria fond of dramatic entrances and exits. Dropped down from the rafters. Her gold light-saber and red shoto light-saber blocked by the inquisitor’s light-sabers.
“A second Jedi? No wait, a Sith?” He stared at Zaria with confusion.
Zaria kicked out at him with the force.
“Nu sua nenx tsis ax jidai. Nu valia qorit j'us tsis viedmain.”* Zaria hissed in the Sith language. She could see the inquisitor struggle to understand her words. His eyes widened when he translated them. Zaria gave a roar of a battle cry. And attacked, it was thrilling to have such as a worthy opponent to fight. She fought with relish as the Inquisitor was frantic to defend himself.
Ezra was staring at the fight with shock. It was whole levels above from the fight Kanan and the Inquisitor had.
They moved so fast Ezra couldn’t even see them. Zaria was scary with her fierce attacks. Every bit the warrior she claimed to be, but she was overconfident. Zaria flung the Inquisitor like a rag doll around the base using the force.
“I’m disappointed, here I thought you would be a challenge.” She taunted. “And you call yourself Sith, pathetic. You are weak!”
Her battle lust pumped through her veins. Battling a real enemy was much more satisfying. Than fighting against the old temple droids. Zaria kept the Inquisitor on the defensive. Zaria was brutal with every measured strike. But her overconfidence gave the Inquisitor an opening. The Inquisitor pulled her headdress down over her eyes. He shoved her with the Force. Zaria groaned as she hit an old broken ship. Her headdress fluttered to the ground. And Zaria lifted her uncovered head.
The Inquisitor and Kanan gaped in shock.
Zaria looked like the pure blooded Sith. Like the ancient Sith in old Republic holocron vids. Kanan had seen images in the history classes as a youngling in the Jedi temple.
The Inquisitor looked at Zaria with a mixture of awe and fear.
Could she be the child? The child of the Sith pure-blood male and female Kiffar Jedi. He and his master Vader had hunted down eight years ago? The Inquisitor reached out with his Force sense.
Zaria’s cheek tendrils quivered in rage as she felt him through the Force. The Inquisitor’s thoughts rang out to her.
“You hunted down my parents, Sith pretender. But they protected me by hiding me.” Zaria answered the inquisitor’s silent question.
Her golden eyes burned with hate, her Sith bloodline now clear for everyone to see. Zaria bared her sharp teeth at the Pau'an Inquisitor. He stepped back showing a hint of fear. The feral image of a furious Sith pure-blood calling for his blood chilled him. The dark side mixing with her light side. Caused the air to grow heavy with her force signature. The air was thick with tension. Zaria’s aura threatening to overwhelm the other force users. Zaria began her onslaught again. This time wild, but even more brutal than before. The Inquisitor was growing tired.
“Enough!” He panted knocking Zaria down, he Force threw her at Kanan who was trying to get up. Zaria’s head slammed into the wall.
“My master will have much use for for you, girl.” The Inquisitor with a sinister grin advanced towards her. Gaining power from her dark side.
Zaria growled at him.
“Zaria, is not going anywhere with you!” Ezra yelled in anger.
The Inquisitor felt refreshed breathing the anger in.
“Yes good, unleash your anger.” He cackled. “I will teach you what your master could not.”
“You have nothing to teach me.” Ezra glared backing away from the inquisitor.
“The darkness is too strong for you orphans.” The Inquisitor cast a glance at Zaria with the dark side rolling off her. Zaria struggled to get control of herself.
“It is swallowing you both up, even now. Your friend does not seem to mind the dark.” The Inquisitor purred. Ezra’s back was now to the ledge descending into darkness.
“No!” Ezra gasped.
Zaria shook her head. Trying to bring her dark side back into balance. Kanan was staring at her like she stepped out of his darkness nightmare.
“Your master will die.” The Inquisitor was enjoying himself.
“No.” Ezra denied.
“Your friends will die. Zaria will fall to the dark, and everything you’ve hoped for will be lost. This is the way story ends for you.” Inquisitor fed off Ezra’s anguish.
“NO!” Ezra paled.
“Don’t listen to him, Ezra. You can choose how the story ends.” Zaria shouted to him. Ezra glared at the inquisitor. Zaria was right, he wouldn’t give up. The force rumbled as Ezra gave himself to it. A giant shadow creature climbed out of the pit behind him.
“Ezra, no!” Kanan lifted his arm weak from the fight.
How had things gotten out of hand so quick? The smaller creatures took one look at the thing Ezra had called to him. They scattered away in fright. The Inquisitor froze. He activated his second blade on his red light-saber. Ezra waved a hand, and the beast screeched and attacked the Pau'an. Ezra’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fainted onto the hard ground. Zaria and Kanan both scrambled to his side. The beast roared and swiped at the inquisitor. The Inquisitor snarled. He dropped Kanan’s blue light-saber in favor of his double bladed red light-saber.
“Ezra? Ezra? Come on answer me!” Kanan shook Ezra.
Ezra’s faint signature fluttered along with his eyes.
“Kanan? Zaria? What happened? I-I feel so cold.” He shivered.
“I know, it’s okay we’re leaving.” Kanan picked Ezra up. Ezra’s eyes closed again. He felt so tired. Zaria snagged Kanan’s light-saber laying on the ground. The Inquisitor glared as they fled the base. He roared at the beast, his dark aura scarring it off. With a savage yell he threw his light-saber at Kanan and Ezra. Zaria used the Force to throw it back. Distracted by catching his light-saber. The Inquisitor couldn’t stop the trio from closing the Phantom’s ramp.
“Man the guns! I need to fly us out of here.” Kanan ordered Zaria. She sat down next to Kanan. And shot the ship the inquisitor brought. The Inquisitor took in the sight and felt uneasy.
“My master will not be pleased.” He dreaded facing Lord Vader.
This is a line break.
“Give me one good reason, I shouldn’t blast you into space?” Kanan glared at Zaria.
“Will anything I say be trusted, now you know what I am?” Zaria avoided his eyes.
Kanan was silent.
“I am not your enemy, we both want the same thing.” Zaria whispers.
“And what would that be?” Kanan growls.
“We both want Ezra safe. If Ezra wakes up and doesn’t want me around anymore. I’ll leave.” Zaria looks at the sleeping Ezra with fondness.
“You really do care for him don’t you?” Kanan frowns.
“I am sorry, I lost control. That Inquisitor was the one who helped end my mother’s life. And my baby brother’s life.” Zaria’s emotions leaked into the Force.
“Your mother was a Jedi, I’m still trying to wrap my head around that one.” Kanan sighed. “What was her name?”
“Ymira Numark.” Zaria answers.
“The famous Jedi healer, Ymira Numark? She went MIA in year one of the clone wars. The Jedi council thought she died. She was a friend of my master. She’s your mother?” Kanan looked at her in surprise.
“Yes, she taught me and my father in the Jedi arts.” Zaria says with admiration. “I miss them.”
“Your father, an extinct Sith pure-blood an enemy to Jedi. Learned Jedi arts from Ymira?” Kanan thought this was even harder to comprehend.
“My parents loved each other and me deeply. My Father was an honorable warrior.” Zaria hugged her knees to her chest. They fell silent.
This is a line break.
The crew congratulated Ezra and Kanan on a job well done. Zaria hung back not wanting for the rest of the crew to see her without head dress.
Kanan called up to her. Kanan didn’t know if having a Jedi’s worst nightmare on the ship would be a good idea. But Zaria cared for Ezra and Ezra trusted her. And for now that was good enough for Kanan.
“Zaria, come down here, we are about to go eat dinner.” Kanan called.
“Yeah, don’t you have presents to give me?” Ezra teased.
With a deep calming breath Zaria jumped down. To the rest of the crew’s credit, there was little reaction to her appearance.
“Whoa! You look like a goddess of war. You have to let me paint you.” Sabine impressed with Zaria’s appearance. Chopper the mech seemed quite taken with her look.
“That’s not something you see every day.” Zeb commented.
Hera smiled.
“Kanan tells me you’re joining our crew.” Hera stuck out a hand. “Welcome aboard.”
“Thanks for having me.” Zaria shook it.
“Can I have my presents now?” Ezra wiggled his eyebrows.
“I don’t know, they are awesome. Maybe I should keep them.” Zaria snickered. Chopper beeped in agreement.
Ezra punched Zaria’s dark red skinned arm.
“Red, isn’t the only one who got you something kid.” Zeb ruffled Ezra’s hair.
“Come on everyone to the galley.” Hera herded the group to the room.
The Lothal spice cake from Zaria’s bag sat on the table.
“I hope you don’t mind I went through your bag.” Hera looked at Zaria testing her reaction. Zaria didn’t blame her for caution.
“It’s fine.” Zaria smiled.
“Zaria, you got me Lothal spice cake?” Ezra grinned.
“It’s not every day a brat turns fifteen.” Zaria chuckled.
Zaria reached into her bag. stuffed in the corner. She pulled out her presents for Ezra.
“This is an ancient vibrato-dagger, I found in a ruin on Tatooine. It’s special made to withstand light-sabers.” Zaria didn’t say it was Sith made. But it didn’t matter, it could by either Sith or Jedi. Zaria cleansed it of the dark side. Her own pair tucked into her bag. Kanan seemed to know what it was, but said nothing. Zaria pulled out the japor ivory charm she had carved on a jerba leather cord. Zaria had made it special with the Force. It worked as a luck charm to help with focus and meditation.
“I made this to help you with your Jedi training. It will help you focus and meditate until you will not need it anymore.” Zaria handed the gifts to him.
“Zaria, these are great. Thank you.” Ezra hugged her.
“Don’t lose them. You don’t know what I went through to get theses presents for
you.” Zaria grinned. Zeb shoved a Trooper helmet at Ezra.
“For your weird helmet collection, kid.” Then Zeb went back to drooling over the cake.
Sabine gave Ezra the chip from his house.
“I fixed up the image and data for you, you can look at it later.” Sabine tells him.
Ezra’s tears gather at his eyes. Embarrassed Ezra wiped them quick.
“So this your best birthday ever?” Zaria pinched his cheek playfully.
“Yeah, yeah it is. Now slice me some of that cake! It’s my favorite!” Ezra slapped her hand away just as playful.
“I call the second piece.” Zeb cheered.
“Dibs on the third!” Zaria shouted.
“Okay calm down, I will cut the cake.” Hera laughed.
This is a line break.
The hologram flickered. The inquisitor bowed.
“Report.” Vader commanded.
“My master, the Jedi has a new ally. A Sith pure-blood.” The Inquisitor didn’t dare to look up.
“Impossible, the last Sith pure-blood committed suicide. There are no more.” Vader’s deep voice boomed.
“Master, the last Sith pure-blood had a daughter. With the Jedi female he traveled with. I saw her myself when I was fighting the Jedi.” The Inquisitor informs his master.
“If this is true the Emperor must not find out about her. Find her and bring her to me. I have plans for her.” Vader orders.
“I will succeed, my master.” The Inquisitor promised.
“See you do, there are others who can take your place.” Lord Vader ended his transmission abrupt as he always did.
The Inquisitor stood. He would not fail his master.
End of chapter 1
Sith translations
*see you soon brother.
*I love you brother.
*I am not Sith or Jedi. I will end you, Sith hypocrite. (pretender) couldn’t find Pretender in Sith dictionary in found online. So I used hypocrite.
By these cool folks I was able to find the Sith language.
http://www.starsidergalaxy.com/sith/
http://wiki.starsidergalaxy.com/index.php?title=Sith_language
http://www.starsidergalaxy.com/sith/dict.txt
I have it all planned out for this story but my life is hectic right now so I’ll update when I can.