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Chapter Text

Knowing that there wasn't any other way for a street kid like himself to not just survive but thrive, Alexsandr waited in line as he and several others who longed for more than just scraping out a life in the lower levels of Coruscant waited for their turn to sign up now that the clones were being phased out of the army. While the clones served the Republic well, the Empire would see it's own citizens raised out of the muck that those like Alexsandr lived in. By going to conscripted soldiers, the Empire would offer him a better life than he'd ever would have hoped for in the Republic. All around him he saw others who were taking the same opportunity that he was.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered if the Empire would be willing to take them all or if he'd get to the front of the line only to be told that he was too late; that all who would be accepted have gone before him. He was terrified of being told that he'd have to return to the small closet of an apartment that he'd grown up in. An empty storefront turned apartment. He was the last of those whom he had survived with for the last years to still live there. The rest have either died from various ailments or had sought an escape in some other manner. But Alexsandr sought a better life than trying to find odd jobs that he'd have to compete against others for who were just as desperate as he was for the few credits that they would pay.

When Alexsandr finally got to the front of the line to sign up to go to the Imperial Academy he was thrilled to find that he wasn't turned away. Finally, he had a hope to make something of his life. He had a chance to be more than he or the others from the lower levels of Coruscant would have ever dreamed of. And he would make something of himself, too. He promised to dedicate himself to being the best officer possible. After all, he couldn't think of any better way to repay the Empire for this chance of a lifetime than to give his loyalty over to it. He was sure that those around him felt the same way.

Kallus turned the meteorite over in his hands as he had done many times over the last few days since returning from the ice moon. Until his unexpected excursion to the moon of Bahryn over Geonosis and the events that transpired there he had never once questioned his loyalty to the Empire. Never thought that he needed more than his purpose that it gave him. But the rebel wasn't what he'd expected. Nor were his friends. When he saw them retrieve Garazeb he saw relief that he was unharmed and well on their faces when they came for him. Actually, they didn't look like friends at all. No. The crew of the Ghost were a family. An odd patchwork of a family but one nonetheless.

It had taken nearly another full rotation before he, himself, was retrieved from the ice moon. The recovery team actually seemed quite surprised to see that he was still alive. Had they waited that long hoping that he'd be dead by the time that they reached him? Then by the time he left the medical bay after having his broken leg reset he saw how little his colleagues actually cared about him or his well-being. In fact, as he has hobbled about his work days he swore he'd seen disdain on the faces of his fellow officers. Both for allowing the rebel that he'd pursued down to Bahryn to get away as well as for becoming injured in the process. Not one officer had seemed to be concerned for him at all. There was none of the warmth that he'd witnessed when Garazeb had gotten onboard the Ghost before flying away.

Kallus didn't know why he'd been so surprised. He hadn't thought about it in over a decade but he couldn't remember really having any friends since he'd left the academy. And really the one friend that he had in the academy had partially been because Valour hadn't been interested in showing that they were the best. Instead, Valour did all that could possibly be done to go unnoticed; wanted to blend in with the regular rabble rather than accel to the top as Kallus had hope to do. So as such, there was no competition between the two of them. Valour had even helped Kallus when it came to getting ahead of the rest of their class so that he'd be able to graduate at the very top.

Briefly, Kallus wondered whatever happened to his old friend. He hadn't even thought about those old academy days in years.

Kallus put the meteorite back in its place by his bunk. Sitting here staring at that thing wasn't going to get any of the numerous things that he needed to do today done. Instead, he stood and got dressed for his shift as he tried to clear the melancholy from his mind.

As he approached his office within the Imperial Complex here on Lothal, he was handed a datapad by a cadet who looked as eager to please as he'd been when he'd not been much older than the boy. Kallus took it and read over it as he continued to head into his office. It appeared that more officers had been sent to replace those who had either died in action or required replacements for some other reason. In addition, there were some being sent as part of an attaché from the research division of the Empire. It would be his job to do thorough background checks on them to make sure that those who had perform the previous ones hadn't missed anything. It could be tedious work, but it was work that he was good at.

As he scanned through the list of names, he was surprised to see one that he'd certainly not expected:

Valour, K.

It figured. All these years later and Valour was still a lower-ranked officer. It looked like his old friend had succeeded in staying among the mediocre. Perhaps now he'll ask why that had been the goal for Valour in the first place. Why not show just how superior one was when you could?

Chapter Text

Kallus spent most of his day working on the background checks and clearances of the newest transfers to the base on Lothal. He had found a few officers whom he doubted had ever been subjected to an adequate check since if they had they would never have been given the clearances that they had in the first place. He pulled a couple in personally because he wanted to see just what kind of men and women they were. He had hoped that meeting them in person could offer an excuse for such sloppy work of his predecessors. Instead, he saw that those who had done the previous checks had just been lazy since it hadn't taken him long to discover the skeletons in these individuals' closets, so to speak.

Kallus waited until the end of his shift before sending for Valour to come to his office. He didn't know why but he wanted to set aside some extra time. Perhaps even reminisce about their old times at the Academy. It was strange considering that he'd never really felt as if he needed friends around in all of his years of service to the Empire but today, only a week after the incident at Geonosis, he wanted to pretend to at least to have one. So, an old one that he'd not seen in over a decade will have to do since sadly that was the closest thing that he had.

While waiting for Valour to arrive for the meeting, Kallus spun around in his chair as he stretched out his still healing leg. Sitting behind his desk for most of the day had given him a painful cramp. He grimaced and waited for the pain to subside now that his leg was stretched out. The last thing he planned to do was to hobble down to the medical bay for anything to help with the pain. He refused to allow himself to look that weak in front of his fellow officers. He could handle it, just fine. It was just a cramp. Compared to the actual break this was nothing.

Lieutenant Valour received word to report to the office of the local ISB Agent just before the end of the shift. Along with it, an intense sense of dread began to set in. How far had this agent dug into the past of the new transfers?

Never once in the past has one called for a meeting so soon after being stationed in the time since joining the Empire. Going through the potential benign reasons that one might be called in for a sit down with an ISB agent, Valour came up completely dry. There was only one reason for this meeting. One. This agent must have found the one thing that none of the others ever have. He must know.

DOSH!

Approaching the office, Valour noticed the security detail outside of the ISB office. Flexing a fist, Valour tried to calm down. They aren't moving like they've been alerted to a potential traitor. So maybe they don't know. Maybe the years of hiding in plain sight hasn't been discovered. Yet at least.

The door opened and it revealed the agent inside had his back turned toward it. So, a powerplay? Letting all know when they entered this office just how insignificant they really were in the grand scheme of things. Not surprising, really. Those who rise to the positions like that of an ISB agent are well-versed in such dramatics. It made them feel powerful. Valour knew that there was little choice but to stand at attention and play the part of the patient peon waiting for the agent to choose to turn around and come clean on why she was here and what he'd found.

"I must say, I was surprised to see that you were stationed here to Lothal. And still only a Lieutenant, too." Valour knew that voice. It was different from the young man from the academy that he'd once been, but she'd recognize it anywhere. The chair spun around and revealed Alexsandr Kallus on the other side of the desk smirking. "So, it seems that you've kept your desire of living a life of mediocrity even after all of these years."

After a moment of realizing that she hadn't been brought in here to have her arrested she did her best to cover her relief with a small snort. "Someone has to make sure that the higher ranked officers always feel self-important. And what is with the muttonchops? Geez. Either stay clean shaven or grow a beard. You look ridiculous."

"And it appears that your years of service have yet to teach you how to curb your tongue when speaking to a superior." Kallus chuckled since he remembered how often he'd hear a retort regarding various students and instructors from the woman standing before him back when they were younger. Though, he had always found it interesting that those comments were never spoken loud enough to be heard by anyone but the two of them.

"I'm still alive, aren't I? Means I must have learned a few things in the last decade."

"Only a few?" Kallus motioned toward the chair across from his desk for Valour to sit.

"Only a few that I'll admit to."

"Ah, yes, the same Kiara. I never could figure out why you didn't want anyone to know just what you really are capable of. Even when some of the snobs back in the academy would flaunt what little they knew and I knew you could show them up, yet you never would. Why is that?"

Valour snickered. "Some of us wanted to just have a roof over our heads. Nothing more. I figured that I'd let those of you who wanted more to compete for the honor of being the best. I didn't need to show off."

"And I did, I suppose?"

"Well, you have made it to being among one of the youngest ISB agents over an entire sector, just like you said you would. So that tells me that you've done exactly that. Otherwise, you wouldn't be sitting where you are. I can only imagine everything that you've had to do to-" Valour bit her lip when she realized that she must have overstepped when she saw Alexsandr grimace. "Sorry."

"No, you're right. I've had to do a lot of questionable things to get where I am. Given up on a lot that I wish I could get back." Kallus briefly wondered how his life would have turned out if he'd been less willing to make the hard choices over the last few years. He's been wondering that ever since his conversation with Garazeb regarding his part in the destruction of Lasan. That battle had set up much of his success and propelled him forward in a manner that nothing else could have. "Maybe even taken credit for things that I had no right to."

"Okay, that sounds a bit cryptic, I'm guessing that you called me in here to talk about something that is bugging you since clearly it has nothing to do with the background that you ran for my clearan-"

"Actually, there is something that I found that I wanted to ask you about." Kallus saw the woman on the other side of the desk bristle. That meant that what he had found really wasn't a glitch. She knew what he found. What she doesn't know is that he had yet to figure out what it meant. "When I pulled up the records from Coruscant no birth record for a Kiara Valour could actually be found. An oversite that I was surprised to find that no one has really caught in all of this time. I know that there was a lag regarding information in the early days of the Empire so it isn't too surprising that it was allowed to slide back when you applied to the academy, but I would have expected for that information lag to have caught up since then. I need to ask you to explain why there isn't a record of your birth. In fact, I have cross-referenced most of the planets within the Empire and can't find a birth year to match your name."

Kallus watched as the face of the woman whom he'd been bantering with only moments prior become stone that revealed nothing. Kallus watched for any telltale sign that Valour was about to crack and tell him nearly any excuse for the lack of a record for her birth. If he didn't know Kiara, he'd swear that she must be a rebel spy. After all, that would explain why someone's name may raise some red flags from the lack of ability to be vetted but he'd known Kiara way back during his academy days. If there was one thing that he knew, it was that he could trust her.

"Kiara? Why can't I find your birth records to cross-reference it to check for any conflicts of interest?"

The office was silent for several moments before giving the only reply that Valour felt that she could give. "You may as well as go ahead and call those troopers in here, now."

Kallus looked across his desk exasperated. Was that it? No attempt to explain? No excuses? Nothing? "I'm not prepared to do that."

"And I'm not prepared to answer any more questions." Kiara crossed her arms in front of her chest as she waited for the moment that she'd been expecting for over the last decade to happen. Being so far into the interior of the Imperial Complex she doubted that she'd have a prayer at actually escaping if she made a run for it. She could probably do some damage, though, if she put her mind to it before she succumbed to the inevitable. But that would mean taking a lot of innocent civilians working in the manufacturing section with her. Something that she wasn't prepared to do.

Kallus ran his hand through his blond hair as he tried to make sense of what was happening. Not just with the fact that Kiara seemed to be saying that there is something for her to be arrested for without actually confessing to anything but also the fact that he was hesitant to do exactly what she'd suggested; to call the troopers in to haul her away. Had this been a week ago he'd have had the troopers prepared to take her away the moment she strolled into his office. Old friend or not. But now...

"If I'm going to help you, I need to know why. So, I can make sure that no one else finds the same loose threads that I found and pulled on."

Valour eyed Kallus at that. It was true that they went back a long time, but it was no secret that Kallus could be ruthless when it came to rebels, insurgents, spies, and just about anyone else who threatened the Empire. At the moment, he had no idea which of those categories to place her in.

"And I'm supposed to believe that you won't turn me in, why?"

"Because I could have turned you in already, for one," Kallus pointed out. "Two, because we were once friends. And if there is anything that you should remember about me, it's that once I'm loyal to someone I don't renege on that, lightly."

Kiara studied Kallus for a moment before blowing out a breath. "Okay. I guess I'm going to see just how much I can trust you." He raised brow as he waited for her to continue. "I wasn't born Kiara Valour. It is a name that I took on after the Clone Wars. Not to mention when the Jedi were wiped out."

"Jedi? Wait, were you a Jedi?"

"What? No! Gods, no!" Kiara bit her lip before adding, "But I had a family member who was. And I am force sensitive. The Jedi tested me when I was a child, but they chose to not take me to the temple to train. My mother never let me forget that, either. But the Empire did have names of all of the force-sensitive children. That meant that they had my name. Eventually, someone from the Empire came for me and... Well, after I escaped on board a freighter and ended up on Coruscant, I eventually figured that the best place to hide from the Empire was within the Empire."

Kallus thought back to the way that Kiara had gone out of her way to appear to be ordinary, even mediocre, and it now seemed to make sense. Being force-sensitive likely gave her an edge and he knew from experience that when students here at the local branch of the Imperial Academy appeared to be a bit too good that an Inquisitor was usually called. He didn't know what happened to them when they were taken away. Had never stopped to question it. But now, he found himself questioning a lot. Even woke from his sleep in the night doing just that. Questioning.

"Okay, well, that means that we have to figure out a way to put a record on file. Because this was bound to catch up with you eventually. I'm just glad that I'm the one who caught it instead of someone else." Not to mention that she hadn't been transferred here before now. Because had this happened before his stint on the ice moon, he had no doubt that he would have been a complete bastard after hearing what he just did.

"Just like that?" Kiara stared at Alexsandr with her mouth agape.

"I'm sure it won't be a simple feat but yes." Kallus slowly stood and schooled his face to not show how much the action had hurt with a new jolt of pain upon his movement. Still, he'd been sitting too long, and he needed to stand up. "I should warn you, though, that Grand Admiral Thrawn is known for being quite thorough so I may not be the only one who has been looking into the clearance of the newest transfers to this sector. If that happens before I can try to get the records altered, I won't be able to be of any help to you."

"So, in other words, you are telling me that I'm not out of the woods, yet." Kiara stood and eyed Alexsandr and thought that she saw him grimace as he stood.

"I'm afraid not. But I'll do my best."

"Yeh, well, don't stick your neck out too far. I'd hate to be the cause of anyone else being charged and punished for my own actions. I've just never had the clearance to get into those files to do this myself."

"Maybe if you hadn't accepted a life of mediocrity-"

"I would have been found out all the more sooner. Because I doubt you got to your position without someone taking a closer eye at your own records, Alex," Valour pointed out as she felt the adrenaline that the belief that she'd be on her way to the brig had caused continue to pulsate through her system. She needed to get out of the office and find an outlet for that energy. She would like to get out and away from the complex but knew that no passes were ever given to new transfers to any base for the first three months upon arrival. Protocol and all.

"You are probably right." Kallus sighed as he tried to work through his mind just how he was going to go about creating a fake paper trail. "When I get the paperwork in order and in place, I'll let you know. Until then-"

"Until then it would be best for me to not get my hopes up if this Thrawn is as formidable as you say. You may even want to create a file of where you are investigating me in case he discovers my non-existent birth record. That way it won't look as if you were actively covering for me."

"Sharp as ever. I'll get to work as soon as you leave."

Valour knew a dismissal when she heard one. Even when it was an unofficial one, she headed to the door. "Thank you. For everything. This isn't what I expected when I was called to this office today."

Kallus nodded. This isn't what he had expected, either, when he'd set up this appointment. Nor could he really figure out why he was taking such a risk.

Hours later Kallus finished inputting the data in yet one more database. This time, being the last one, or he hoped the last one, needed to cover the missing documents of his old friend. He'd been very careful to go through several programs to prevent any red flags and if anyone went digging the only location that would be found as the source of the data would be the generalized sector, certainly not Lothal and absolutely not able to be traced back to his computer terminal. Now, all that he could do would be to wait. Hopefully Thrawn had been too busy today to have taken the time to read through the files of the newest transfers. If he hadn't been, then all of this would have been for nothing.

Kallus stood and left his office and headed down to the mess hall since he'd not eaten in at least half a rotation cycle. As the growling of his stomach began to remind him of. After eating a lackluster meal, he then returned to his quarters. Upon entering the room, the soft glow of the meteorite was a stark contrast to the dark atmosphere that was commonplace in the Empire. A light in a darkened world. A light that was very much out of place.

Maybe the meteorite was as far as he needed to look to find why he had behaved so uncharacteristically today. The kinship that he'd found in an unlikely place, even understanding, seems to have sparked a desire to change the status quo. Would his actions today be where that change ended? If not, where?

Chapter Text

More than a week later Valour listened on as a pompous old man droned on about how those gathered today should be honored to be chosen for an upcoming project though he refused to say exactly what it was just yet. In truth, he said absolutely nothing but seemed to choose a whole lot of words to do it. During what could only be considered a lecture Kiara caught a glimpse of Kallus as he appeared to be making rounds. It had been the first time that she'd so much as had seen him since she'd been called into his office.

When he noticed her looking his way, he barely looked down only to look back up at her almost as if he was nodding with his eyes. The message was clear. He'd been able to forge her documents, though she couldn't exactly ask how soon after she'd left his office that he'd been able to do it. Still, after a week, if Thrawn had read through her file and found what Kallus had she surely would have found out by now.

Kiara lowered her own eyes for a brief pause to show gratitude then glanced back up and saw that he'd already begun to continue on his way. Though with a slight limp. Kiara wondered how he'd gotten it but figured that she'd find out eventually if it was of any consequence. With her mind set at ease on the status of her secret she tried to tune back in to listen to the old man once more. After all, it appeared that whatever new project that those gathered were to take part in, it would begin soon.

Kallus knew that he'd given his leg enough time to heal, especially with the bacta infusions. If he wanted to lose that limp that he still had, then he was going to have to put in the work and get back to his old exercise regimen. As soon as evening fell, he made his way to the officers' gym and set out to rebuild his strength that he'd lost thanks to his injury. He actually found the pain to be a bit therapeutic as he worked his muscles. He was able to stop doing what he seemed to be doing an awful lot of lately; overthinking.

In this place it was just him, the machines and the weights. The pain kept him out of his head as he pushed himself beyond his limits and instead kept him hyper-focused on his need to get stronger. When Kallus made his way back to his quarters he was dripping in sweat and his limp was much more pronounced than it had been when he'd left his quarters this morning. Still, he knew that it would only be workout sessions like this that would get him back into the shape that he'd been in prior to his injury.

After getting cleaned up he found a book and tried to read it but found that he had no interest in the story. He couldn't even remember why he'd picked up the book in the commissary in the first place. Perhaps it had everything to do with just being bored while healing from his injury rather than to do with the actual storyline. Kallus tossed the book onto the shelf and glanced once more at the meteorite. It seemed to sit there taunting him yet for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.

Maybe he needed a second opinion. After all, a week ago he'd been prepared to discuss the rock and all that happened when he got it with his old friend only to be derailed by her own confession of being a force-sensitive hiding from the Empire within its own ranks. In the time since then he'd been too distracted with watching for any tells from Thrawn that he knew that he'd helped to cover up Kiara's secret as well as creating the fake investigative file to ponder too much on his own life. But now, the glow of the damned meteorite seemed to be just a bit harder to ignore than usual. Along with all of the questions that have been floating around in his head since he first brought it back from the ice moon.

Getting up, Kallus wasn't really aware of where he was going until he found himself outside of the mess hall just before Valour exited it. Both greeted one another as if they were barely aware of the other's existence.

"Lieutenant."

"Agent."

"Lieutenant Valour, there is a matter that I wish to discuss with you in my office. If you don't mind?"

Kiara couldn't read Alexsandr's face, but she could only assume that this had something to do with the documents that Kallus had to forge for her. Maybe he suspected that Thrawn knew, and he wanted to give her a head's up. "Of course."

The two then walked in silence as they made their way through the labyrinth of halls within the Imperial Complex until they were behind the closed doors of Kallus's office.

"What's wrong? I thought that you got my paperwork set up?" Kiara asked as soon as she got sufficiently far enough away from the door to worry about being overheard.

"Actually, this doesn't have anything to do with that matter. As far as I can tell, your secret is still safe."

"Then what? Why did you ask me in here?" Kiara asked in confusion.

"I had actually wanted to get your opinion on something. I'd intended to speak with you about it last week when we had our meeting-"

"But my, shall we call it, situation took precedence." When Kallus nodded to confirm she continued, "Okay, I certainly owe you a favor or two now. What's going on?"

"I need a sounding board. I recently had a situation happen that I'm not quite sure how to make of it and I want to see what you think."

Kiara sat in the chair in front of Alexsandr's desk as he began to tell her about the unusual rebel cell that he seemed to have a bit of a feud with. Kiara did her best to not snicker as he told her of some of the times that he seemed outsmarted and bested where they were involved but it hadn't been easy. She was intrigued, however, that the leader appeared to be a Jedi. She knew that she'd have questions but for now she allowed for the man sitting across from her to speak uninterrupted.

When he got to the part where he'd ended up in a crashed escape pod with one of the members of the cell the story telling seemed to take on a different tone. Kallus spoke of the Lasat who had been trapped with him on the moon with respect. And when he confessed some of the questions that he'd had since his return from his time on Bahryn he sounded more confused and almost wistful. He'd always believed wholeheartedly in everything that the Empire spat out without question. Now, he was learning that the empirical belief in the propaganda may have been a bit misplaced.

Kiara allowed Alexsandr to speak and even ask questions aloud that he likely never thought he'd ever give a voice to before she finally mulled over what to say to him in return.

"So, you are regretting some of the choices you've made. That you feel that you may have misplaced your loyalties?"

"I didn't say that." When Kiara raised her brows in question he added, "Not really."

"You sure about that? Because that's what I heard." Kiara raised a hand to stop him before he could deny it. "If you weren't then you wouldn't have ever helped me and you know it. I was trying to figure out what had happened when you didn't turn me in since you have quite the reputation of being quite relentless in your pursuit of anyone who doesn't tow the Imperial line."

"Fine, I'm beginning to wonder if I wasted my life. Is that what you wanted to hear?" Kallus said with a glare.

Kiara eyed the man in front of her for a moment before she shook her head. "No."

"That's it? Just, no? No explanation, no platitudes, nothing else? Is that the advice you have to give me?"

"Funny, I hadn't heard you actually ask me for any advice, yet." When that comment earned her another glare, she gave a small laugh before she stifled it. "Now I could give you some advice if that is what you want. Or, if you'd rather, I could maybe help you with an opportunity."

"What kind of an opportunity?" Kallus asked suspiciously.

"Depends. If I say anything more, you need to be certain that you want to hear what I know you already suspect. If you don't, then it would be best that you don't officially know anything."

Kallus heard the unspoken words. She was indeed a rebel spy. She hadn't confessed everything to him last week. To be honest, he wasn't surprised, nor did he blame her. "And if I decide that I do want to hear more about this opportunity of yours?"

"I'll have to get access to a transmitter away from the complex. I usually contact those on the next rung up on the ladder by using my ship that I have. But I can't for two reasons. One, I haven't been able to get a message out to my droid on my ship to tell him what system I was sent to when I was transferred. And two, I can't leave the complex yet thanks to protocol." Kiara paused before adding, "But before you make this decision, you need to think long and hard about it. You know better than anyone what the consequences would be if you are ever found out. You need to take a day at minimum to think about it."

Kallus nodded. Yes. This wasn't something that he should rush, even if he was now intrigued. "Alright. I'll take the rest of the week. Then I'll find you so that I can give you my answer."

With that, Kiara stood to leave. "If you choose not to..."

"Your secret will still be safe with me. I may just encourage you to be transferred back out as quickly as possible. I can't continually turn a blind eye if I'm not all in."

With a confident nod of approval for the loose plan of action Valour left the office, leaving Kallus to start considering what had been completely inconceivable not too long ago.

At the week's end Kallus waited for the endless hours to pass until he could slip away and look for Valour. In truth, he had his answer the night the two of them spoke alone in his office, but he'd forced himself to consider every possibility. Every pro and con. Clearly the con would be that if he was caught, he'd be executed. But the more that he thought about it, with his position within the Imperial Security Bureau, the pros began to outweigh the cons. Because when all was said and done, he wanted his life to count. To matter. And he could make a real difference.

Once the last meeting of the day was over Kallus sent for his friend but then didn't wait for her in his office. Instead, he waited where he could intercept her. As she approached, he took her by the elbow and turned her around as he began to lead her toward the motor pool where he planned to borrow a speeder.

"What-" Kiara started only to be cut off.

"Trust me. I'll just say you are with me, and we'll leave. It won't matter that you aren't authorized yet to leave the base."

"And just how do you figure that?"

"Likely enough they will just figure that I'm taking you out for an evening as my date."

"In the habit of dating your subordinates, are you?" Kiara asked with a smirk.

"What? No," Kallus then added with a touch of being offended, "No! I just said that since most idiots can't seem to ever see a man and woman and not think that they are more than just friends."

"True. Okay, so should I pretend to give you looks of blind adoration or snarl at you like I'm being forced to leave against my will."

"Not funny!"

"Alright, alright. Blind adoration it is." Kiara laughed at the glare followed by an eyeroll that she got for that comment.

"I'm not sure you are that good of an actress," Kallus said while remaining stoic despite the fact that he wanted to join in the laughter.

"You may be on to something." Kiara placed a hand under her chin as she pretended to consider Kallus's words. "So, you'd rather that I'd pretend that I want to gouge your eyes out instead?"

"Kiara." Kallus lowered his voice nearly an octave in warning.

Kallus shook his head as they neared the troopers who were working the motor pool. To Kiara's credit, she was able to hold her thoughts and expressions to herself until well after they had left the Imperial Complex. She only kept a look of shear annoyance at having to wait for the speeder on her face rather than either of her initial options that she had given. For that, Kallus was thankful since he wasn't sure he would have been able to carry on with a straight face if she had used either. Though most especially the blind adoration one.

"Alright, so where to?"

"You said that you needed access to a transmitter away from the complex, right?"

Kiara eyed Alexsandr. So, he'd come to a decision. "Yes. Know that you'll likely not be trusted for a while. That any information will be heavily vetted before they really begin to trust you."

"Understandable. But I've already gotten a bit of news that I've discovered while snooping this week."

"Jumping in headfirst, I see."

"There's no turning back, now." Kallus sent the speeder away from Capital City toward the outskirts where the older and more rundown, decrepit communications towers that had been condemned long before the Empire took over sat. Finally, he pulled up outside of an old building that had long since been condemned. When he saw a question in Valour's eyes he went ahead and told her, "There's radio equipment inside."

"Ah." Kiara climbed the stairs up to the tower that sat far above the surrounding grass that covered the landscape as she followed Alexsandr. "So, Alex, how did you know that this was here?"

"That boy, the padawan that I told you about in the rebel cell, this was his home, after his parents died. When he was a street kid. His parents used this equipment to broadcast messages of rebellion years ago. I learned about this hideout and found the equipment after the rebels sent out a message of their own a while back."

"Oh." Kiara glanced around and saw a wide assortment of trooper helmets. Clearly, someone collected them. "I'm sure that he'd be amused to find that his old hideout was once more in use."

"I would like to think so," Alexsandr said with a chuckle before he set to work on getting the transmitter to send out a message to the contact that Kiara worked with. Apparently, she didn't have their name, only a squad call sign. Nor did they know hers. It appeared that all of the spies in the field were simply known as Fulcrum. No names. Smart. This way no one can give away what they don't know. Each one was given a secret code-phrase so that those on the other end would be assured that they were speaking with an actual agent.

After Kiara gave her code-phrase she informed her contact that she had a new addition to the ranks. That she could vouch for Alexsandr and his legitimacy of being willing to spy for the rebellion. After some time, Kallus was able to share his small bit of news. He'd come across information that there were pilots who were looking to defect. He knew that such information was too good for them to ignore. Even if they weren't sure if they trusted him yet. He was told that a recording of his message would be sent to the appropriate cell and that he'd be contacted in a month's time to learn what his code-phrase would be should they decide to trust him enough for the time being. Until then, Kiara would be expected to continue to vet him.

"How did you find out about the pilots?" Kiara asked after first contacting her ship to tell her droid to fly to Lothal and hide her ship on the outskirts of the city while the two of them put the radio equipment back up and made the place look deserted once more before preparing to leave.

"I'm good at listening to rumors and I can read lips when people think that I'm far enough away to not be overheard. I saw a couple pilots who were talking about how they were wondering if there was a way to get word to the Rebellion the other day. They were being sent out for further training at Skystrike."

"When did you pick that up?"

"Shortly after leaving the academy. But I've honed that skill over the years."

"I see. A valuable skill to have in your line of work, I'd assume."

"You assumed correctly. And now, hopefully I can put it to even better use." Kallus steered the speeder away from the old, abandoned tower and pointed it back toward the Imperial Complex.

"You will." Valour said as she watched the rising of Lothal's two moons and began to shine their light. "And I know that you don't want to hear this, but you will have to make sure that you don't jump all in, too fast. If too much information gets out too quickly then it could compromise your position. You'll need to make sure that any information that you send out, especially at first, is absolutely vital. Not just information that would be nice for the contacts to have. Vital."

"So, I suppose you will now teach me the finer art of espionage?" Kallus said with more than a touch of sarcasm with a chuckle.

Kiara crossed her arms and barely controlled the sneer that wanted to make its way across her face. "Go ahead and laugh but remember, I've been doing this on some scale for nearly a decade. I have just a touch more experience at being a rebel agent than you."

"Alright. I'll take your lead. Especially while your contacts are making up their mind about me." Kallus then wondered how he'd be able to consistently sneak Valour out of the Imperial Complex until she had clearance to leave on her own. He had the sneaky suspicion that the two of them were likely to become the source of some interesting rumors in the days and weeks to come.

Chapter Text

Days later Kallus was on a shuttle toward the Skystrike Academy with Governor Pryce. He had no choice but to eventually pass on what he'd learned regarding the potential defectors. If he hadn't, he could have been revealed to be a bit negligent in his duties. Thus, would put his ability to help the rebellion at risk. He only hoped that the rebels had used his warning to get those who wanted out extracted. Upon landing he played his part and even held his tongue when Price insulted him and acted as if she could possibly teach him anything. Much less about his own job. She was always just a bit too sure of herself and condescending; not just to him but everyone around her.

Kallus did his best to try to cover what tracks he could when his investigation inevitably led to three young men. However, when he informed Pryce that he'd yet to uncover anything during his investigation she decided to take over. At that point, all he could do was watch as a group of four pilots broke away from their squadrons during a training exercise. When one pilot responded to the calls to return to base, he knew that the Mandalorian of the Ghost crew had been the one who had been sent in to aid the pilots. He saw a rebel blockade runner drop out of hyperspace to extract them, but they weren't able to retrieve any of the pilots before they had to break away.

Kallus then watched on helplessly as Pryce ordered for one of the pilots to be shot down and killed. Once the remaining pilots were retrieved and taken in for questioning, the young woman made a snide remark about how the Empire had finally found someone who could do his job.

If she only knew.

After taking the two remaining pilots that Sabine Wren still needed to help escape to their cells, he set to work with helping their eventual flight from the academy. Pryce would underestimate Wren, so he knew that she'd be able to get away from her and get the other two pilots out. But they wouldn't get off of the base without a little help. He used his skills to infiltrate the security measures and worked to give the others a clear path to the hangers.

When he came across the trio after the Mandalorian broke the young men out of their cells he knew that she wouldn't trust him. Still, he hoped that she would at least listen once he mentioned that he owed Garazeb Orrelios. To her credit, she didn't take long to accept his help. Not that she had much of a choice since he'd already taken the added measure of blocking the Imperial Forces from reaching her and her small band of would-be-rebels. But that also meant that she had limited choice in the matter as to what direction to go.

Kallus got to a viewing port and watched as the slow and cumbersome ship that the trio had elected to evacuate in crept away from the base. He couldn't believe that out of all of the ships available the Mandalorian had chosen it. Still, perhaps she had a point after witnessing it take hit after hit. The ship wouldn't have been his first choice as a means of escape but it would appear that he had a lot to learn when it came to being a rebel. Thinking outside of the box. When the Rebel ship returned and got the escapees aboard, Kallus watched as they blasted back away into hyperspace.

He succeeded. He'd been responsible for that. He'd let the Rebels know about the pilots and he'd helped them get away. Today's small victory gave him more pride than any of his previous missions combined. Because today mattered.

After the escape Pryce went on one of her usual rampages and insisted that the personnel must need retraining if they hadn't been able to stop three individuals from escaping the detention cells and getting away back to the Rebellion. Kallus gritted his teeth as she verbally assaulted everyone in her attempt to assuage her frustrations at being bested by a few rebels. Had he really been so arrogant in her place? Unfortunately, he knew the answer to that; yes, he had been.

As the week went by, he began to get anxious as his appointment to get in touch with Valour's contact approached. He knew that she couldn't leave the Imperial Complex on her own and he wouldn't be able to reach out to them alone, either. He had yet to officially been given his acceptance into the ranks of the Fulcrum. He didn't have a code of his own. Kallus wondered what would happen if he missed the transmission. Fortunately, he didn't have to find out. Pryce wanted to return to Lothal which meant that he would be expected to return as well.

Kallus filed the reports that were expected of him upon his arrival back on Lothal. Paperwork that he'd done a million times before and never once did it seem to be as much of an inconvenience as it did today. Finally, Kallus's duties were completed. The next step was to locate Valour so that they could once more leave the Imperial Complex and reach out to her rebel contact.

When he finally found his friend, she appeared to be surprised that he'd finally returned to the base. She'd just finished up a workout at the gym of the lower ranked Imperials. Kallus knew that he should allow her the time to get cleaned up, but he was too impatient to get to the transmitter just on the outside of the city limits. Fortunately, Valour seemed to understand since she didn't insist on going to her quarters first. Kallus wondered if it was her force-sensitivity that helped her sense his need to be there when the contact reached out or if it was just because she knew him well enough from over the years. Either way, he was glad that he didn't have to waste time trying to get her to leave the complex quicker.

"You know, if we keep doing this, rumors are bound to fly," Kiara whispered as they approached the motor pool as she motioned toward her sweaty attire. "Especially since I look like this."

"Better to have rumors like this than anyone suspect what we are really doing," Alexsandr whispered back before he straightened his shoulders and then addressed the troopers who were stationed at the motor pool.

It was hard for him to tell if these were different troopers or the same who had been stationed there the night that the two had last left the complex together, but they seemed to pause and look back and forth between Agent Kallus and his companion before they nodded their understanding that there was to be no record of their departure for the evening. As the two sped away in the speeder Kiara glanced back at the troopers before returning her gaze to the landscape as she began to laugh.

"I bet that they will be placing bets on how long it takes for us to return to base. You do realize that they were the same two from the last time, right?"

"How can you tell that with their helmets on?"

"Simple. I just know." Kiara shrugged.

"Right. The whole thing with the force." Alexsandr shook his head. "So how much can you do with it? I've seen the Jedi and the boy do some pretty incredible things."

Kiara furled her brows. "Nothing like that. The only training I've had is what I've scraped together from reading old texts about the various force users in the galaxy from over the centuries. The Jedi aren't the only force users to have ever existed, you know. I just get a sense for people, can read them, mainly. I do have the habit of breaking things when I'm upset, though."

"Why?"

Kiara shook her head as she replied, "The Jedi refused to train me because they claimed that my abilities are a bit too unstable, according to my mother. I guess they were right. If I'm not careful when I get an adrenaline rush, then it seems to just... I don't know how to explain. Anyway, I eventually figured that it would be better to try to stifle as much of my abilities as possible. Especially while living under the eye of the Empire."

Kallus thought about how hard it would be to actually build up such a forbidden skill while working for the Empire. Yes, trying to stifle her abilities was the best course of action. Still, he almost felt disappointed since having someone of the Jedi's skillset and ability nearby could be handy.

When the two got to the old Bridger hideout they headed up and waited for their transmission to come through. Kallus continued to ask more questions about what Valour was capable of and if she'd considered trying to find a way to get more formal training.

"Training from where? The few Jedi who are still around were likely all padawans themselves when the Clone Wars ended; meaning that their own training was incomplete. And with the fact that I was deemed too dangerous to train-"

"If you were considered dangerous, why didn't the Jedi consider you too dangerous to leave untrained?" Kallus asked. "After all, if your abilities are so unstable, isn't that all the more reason to train? To lessen the danger?"

Valour shook her head. "From what I can tell, when a person is left untrained, for the most part, their abilities usually fade away."

"But yours didn't?"

Kiara took a deep breath before responding, "You can blame that on my spiteful nature. My mother never once let me live down the fact that I wasn't taken to the Jedi Temple for training while a family member was. That sort of caused me to look into the various texts that I mentioned. By the end of the Clone Wars, I had developed a strong desire to research as many other types of force users as I could. I had even gotten my father to convince a friend to allow me to tag along on an archaeological dig of an ancient temple that predated the Jedi. That is where I was, in fact, when the war ended."

Kallus waited for Valour to continue but it seemed that she'd decided that she'd said too much. She fell strangely silent. He was about to prod her further when the transmission that he'd been waiting for came through.

"It would appear that the information that you gave was accurate. For that, we thank you."

"I'm glad that it was found useful and that at least most of the pilots were able to get away. They will be invaluable to the Rebellion," Kallus replied with a renewed sense of pride from the knowledge that he'd played a part in the mission that extracted the pilots from Skystrike.

"Since your information panned out, and you have been vouched for, we welcome you to the ranks of Fulcrum. Your code phrase when you need to contact us will be, 'By the light of Lothal's moons'. That is how you will be distinguished from the rest of the Fulcrum. The squadron that you will be assigned to will be Phoenix Squadron."

Kallus couldn't suppress the smile that spread across his face as he knew that the very rebel cell that he'd been so consumed with to take down over the last year or so was now a part of the same one that he'd be assisting with his information that he could give. That gave him names and faces of those whom he'd be working with. He may not know all of the squadron, but he knew the crew of the Ghost. He felt that he owed them; especially Garazeb. If it hadn't been for his willingness to set aside the fact that they were enemies to actually help him while on the ice moon, he would have died. If not from the bitter cold, then due to the creatures that would have eaten him. He owed his life to the Lasat in more ways than one. Now, he had a new purpose in life and that was to help the crew of the Ghost.

Chapter Text

As the two rebels put the transmitter away Kallus was bothered by the silence that had fallen over his friend since he'd asked about her force abilities. He was about to prod once more when she finally spoke.

"It's a good thing that you were given your own code tonight. You'll need it." Kiara stared out at the grasslands that stretched out for nearly as far as she could see. Standing up on the platform of the tower she could see why anyone would choose this place to live away from the city. Especially a boy trying to survive after losing his parents.

She could only imagine what the view had been like before the Empire came to Lothal and built the complex in the other direction of the view. She could remember a time from before the Empire both here on Lothal as well as the galaxy at large. The cityscape still made quite the sight if one could ignore the complex that could just be seen from her vantage point.

"I've been told that I'll be reassigned along with most of the others that you ran the clearances for when I first came to Lothal. I'm not sure what this new assignment will all be about but apparently it won't be a military mission."

That took Kallus by surprise on a couple of different levels. One, he'd begun to get used to having a friend nearby, even if they could only interact on occasion. But for Kiara to be transferred to a non-military mission, it seemed suspicious. He concentrated on the later issue for now.

"Do you know where this mission will be?"

"No. Just that it would be somewhere in this sector. So, I'll be close, just not at the complex any longer. I'm supposed to attend yet more lectures before being shipped off." Kiara headed down the stairs toward the speeder with Kallus. "I'm not sure how a non-military operation could be of much interest to the Empire, but we'll see what happens."

Kallus got behind the controls of the speeder but paused before putting it into motion toward the Imperial complex. "If this new assignment is so secretive, the likelihood that you'll be able to get out a transmission if you need to will be compromised."

"I know." Kiara glanced over at Alexsandr and decided to break the awkwardness that had fallen over them. "Careful. If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were worried about me. Remember, I'm not the newbie when it comes to all of this. If anyone should be worried, it's me. What if you get overconfident in your own abilities and get caught? Going under the radar hasn't exactly been your area of expertise. Maybe I should have Tac standing by just in case."

"Tac? Who the hell is Tac?"

Kiara laughed. "My droid that I leave to care for my ship when I'm not around. Remember I had to contact him the last time to let him know where I am? He arrived three days ago and is hidden out in one of the mountain ranges near here."

"How did you get a ship while working as a lieutenant in the Empire? Where did you get the credits?"

"I didn't need many. Just enough to get into a few really interesting games of Sabacc. From there, it was simple."

Kallus gave Valour a side-glance and saw the smirk on her face. "Should I take it that you used your special talent to, what did you call it? Read the other players at the table?"

"Maybe. Some people practically scream in their own heads when they get a good hand. It's no different, really, than how any number of people use their own talents to read others."

Chuckling, Kallus shook his head. "So that's how you justify it? All right, never play a card game against you; duly noted. Though it might be interesting to go to Canto Bight with you."

"Oh! It isn't right when I do it for myself, but you wouldn't mind for me to help you get a leg up on the other players at a table if it benefited you." Valour allowed herself to laugh aloud before she motioned toward the mountains. "Head that way. While we are out you might as well as meet Tac. Just in case. It couldn't hurt for him to be ready in case you need an extraction while I'm gone and unable to let him know where I am in the time-being."

"So sure that I'm going to screw up, are you?" Kallus scowled at the implication but sent the speeder in the direction that she had indicated.

"No. I just like to make sure I have a backup plan for my backup plan. It's why I've lasted this long in the Empire." Kiara propped her feet up on the dash of the speeder and stared up at the stars as they raced toward the mountains. It was so quiet this far out from the city that it felt as if the Empire was a million lightyears away.

Kallus shook his head as he fought the urge to tell Valour to put her feet down. Instead, he just muttered, "Comfortable?"

"I'm getting there." Kiara leaned back into her seat in an exaggerated fashion and shifted as if to prove that she was indeed comfortable and laughed.

As they neared the mountains and headed to where Kiara indicated Kallus saw that it was already getting late. By the time that they get back to the base it may even be nearing sunrise. He mentioned that as the two got out of the speeder in front of an older freighter that looked like it had been in use before the Clone Wars.

"So those troopers will think that you had either a really good night or a really bad one," Kiara said with a wink as she went to the ship and pressed some buttons then had her bio-signature run before the loading ramp lowered.

"I think you are enjoying this just a bit too much," he said with a smirk. "Aren't you worried about your reputation?"

"I don't have to. At my rank, I'm not worth the trouble for most people to gossip about. But you are." Kiara snickered as her techno-service droid came into view.

"Mistress Kiara! I'm so pleased to see that you are well. As you can see, I brought the ship here safe and sound as you requested."

"I never had any doubt that you'd do just that." Kiara motioned toward Kallus and introduced him, "And this is Agent Alexsandr Kallus. He is a friend and will be given access to the ship, as well. I'll be unavailable soon so while I'm gone, I want you to make yourself available to him if needed."

Kallus raised a brow at Valour's declaration. He'd not really expected to be given free reign over her ship.

"Of course, Mistress Kiara. Now, Master Alexsandr, if you ev-"

"Call me Kallus, please. Most everyone else does." Kallus followed Kiara through the ship and was pleasantly surprised that the inside it the ship didn't look as decrepit as the outside did. If he had to guess, the ship had recently been gutted and given some major upgrades. Not the least of which included the fact that one needed to run a bio-signature just to board the blasted thing. No doubt the cost was footed by even more Sabacc games.

"As you wish, Master Kallus," the droid said cheerfully as it floated alongside the two humans. Kallus rolled his eyes at being called Master Kallus but let it go. "Mistress Kiara, I was able to install the latest upgrades that you've requested, though it wasn't easy retrofitting the parts for this ship."

"The only thing that is important is that you were able to do it. Thank you, Tac." Kiara spent the next half hour giving a generalized rundown of the ship should Alexsandr need to make a hasty retreat from Lothal. The last bit of business was to install Kallus's own bio-signature to the ship's system so that he could access the ship in her absence.

"What will happen if you get into trouble while away from Lothal?" Kallus said as the two headed back toward the speeder for the long ride back to the Imperial Complex. It was clear that neither of them was going to get any sleep tonight.

"I have a biochip implanted. If my readings get to a certain level, that indicates that I'm in trouble, Tac is programed to come to try to assist me automatically as soon as the beacon is activated. If I concentrate on it, I can trigger the alarm without detection, as well. It doesn't operate on the same frequency as most jamming devices."

"Hum... Is that common practice for those in the Rebellion?"

"No. It is just one of the many system upgrades that I've added and tinkered with on my ship and droid. I installed it long before I officially started working with the Rebellion. When I was still on my own. I wanted a safety net, so I made one. Fortunately, I've not had to use it, yet."

"How long have you been working with them?"

"Well, it's complicated. The Rebellion as we know it now hasn't really been all that organized for long. More of a patchwork of individual cells. Most are barely even loosely connected to the rest. I've been helping various cells, though, for about five years. Even was one of the initial Fulcrums. But I've done what I could to throw a wrench in whatever way I could ever since we graduated from the academy." Kiara stifled a yawn as her exhaustion from not just the nightly escapade began to catch up on her, but she'd also had worked extra hard in the gym before Kallus had found her to leave the Complex hours ago.

Kallus spotted the yawn, anyway, and started to feel bad for dragging the woman beside him out without any warning. He held the rest of his questions to himself and saw her begin to drift off as they left the mountain range behind. After a moment of silence, it didn't take long for Kallus to hear the sound of steady breathing to tell him that she'd finally fallen into a light slumber as she leaned against him in her sleep. He figured that he'd allow the brief nap that she could get on the way back to Capital City. He may be able to sneak a power nap in his office, but she'd have no such ability since she had no private workspace.

As the Imperial Complex came into view Kallus casually moved to wake Valour up. When he did, she did so with a jolt; nearly with a panicked look on her face before she realized where she was. As the speeder passed under a light that lined the road it burned out putting the two into darkness. Kallus pulled the speeder to a halt to give his friend time to regroup a bit before they made the last leg of their journey back to the base.

"Easy, I just wanted to wake you up before we got back to base." Kallus turned in his seat as he watched Kiara nod and glanced around at the road before looking up toward the darkened streetlight before cursing. Kallus followed her line of thought and asked, "Was that you?"

"Chances are much higher than the odds that it burned out at the precise moment that we rode by." Kiara closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing until she felt the slight panic that she'd woken up with subside. "At least it was the light and not the speeder."

"I hope you are joking. You were, right?" Kallus eyed the direction of the Imperial Complex. It wasn't that far away by speeder, but he wouldn't want to try to walk it before sunrise.

"Do you really want me to answer that question?"

"By the look on your face, I'm going to say no." Kallus waited until Valour motioned for them to get going. He could only assume that they were now safe from her force abilities, causing an unexpected crisis with the speeder. Perhaps if he ever got the chance, he should ask Kanan how he and the boy avoided such issues. Or was this type of thing due to the fact that Kiara's force abilities were considered unstable?

When the two got back to the base, it was only an hour or so before the night shift was to be relieved. Kallus noticed as the troopers at the motor pool took in Kiara's mussed auburn hair from her short nap in the speeder on the way back to the base. It didn't take a genius to see that it only added to the troopers' belief that the two of them had left the complex for a clandestine rendezvous. Kallus did his best to instill a bit of fear of what he would do if he heard that they decided to be less than discreet regarding his nightly activities with a growl.

"You do realize that just cemented the fact that they will share what they saw with their relief the moment they arrive for their shift change." Kiara shook her head as she fought a laugh as Kallus steered her toward the lift to head back to the barracks.

"Not if they value their-"

"The lower ranks may act all penitent to your face, but we all take great pleasure in sharing the kind of gossip that was just handed to those troopers tonight. It's one of the few bits of entertainment that there is around here."

"We?" Kallus snickered. "So, you gossip along with the rabble, do you?"

"Hey, I've gotten some of the most interesting information that I could possibly get from the rabble."

Kallus was going to retort back only to be cut short when the lift opened to reveal Lieutenant Lyste inside. He was working as the Supply Master, which meant that he worked his share of the night shift. Great. Kallus and Valour had no choice but to board the lift and try to ignore the looks that Lyste gave the two of them. Likely the same ones that the troopers down at the motor pool had given them behind their helmets. To his credit, the lieutenant held his tongue and did his best to hide his curiosity.

When the lift reached the level that Valour's quarters were on, she left the two men without looking back. That was the last time that Kallus saw her before she was transferred to the mysterious and secretive project. In the meantime, Kallus devoted his time to trying to do his best to keep an ear to the ground for any information that would benefit Phoenix Squadron. Though he did keep Valour's advice in mind and worked to separate the information that was vital versus that which would just be nice to have.

Chapter Text

Over the next several weeks Kallus accompanied Pryce on various missions. He soon found that Kiara had been correct to warn him against sharing every bit of information that he found would be helpful to the rebellion. He learned so much that he knew would be beneficial, but he knew if too much was leaked out that it would lead back to him; and likely quickly. So, despite wanting to share all that he could he instead limited what he would share with his contact via his Fulcrum identity. Having access to so much information that he couldn't share, however, could be very frustrating at times.

Kallus read over the reports regarding the manufacturing wing of the Imperial Complex. The number of accidents and defective equipment coming out of the factory had increased by more than four hundred percent. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the citizens who had been recruited to work at the factory by force were taking what chance they had to get back at the Empire in the only way that they could. The thing was, due to the high rate of malfunctioning vehicles, Thrawn was making a personal visit to the factory. He was due to participate in an inspection of the factory line in less than a quarter of an hour. He set the files aside and began to head to the manufacturing wing of the complex

Pryce sneered in her annoyingly superior tone and instructed, "Agent Kallus, make sure the workers are all present and accounted for."

"Yes, Governor Pryce." Kallus then strolled over toward the workers. "Look sharp. This factory is being honored by a surprise visit from Imperial High Command."

It was at that moment that Thrawn stepped forward to address those who had been gathered for his inspection in the eerily calm tone that the man seemed to maintain nearly effortlessly. Only slipping up and showing any emotion on very few occasions.

"Thank you for the introduction, Agent Kallus. My visit is not an honor, however, but an investigation. Vehicles assembled in this factory malfunction at a rate far higher than that of others. I believe poor craftsmanship is to blame, and it has cost your Empire troops and missions. This will not be tolerated." The Chiss walked before the gathered workers as he spoke and paused at one of the men before continuing. "Worker 5473. You were pressed into the Empire's service?"

Kallus heard the old man's voice tremble slightly when he replied, "Yes, sir. After losing my farm."

"Do you stand by your work?"

The worker hesitated a bit before answering Thrawn's question, "I do."

"This 624-AVA is the last bike you personally inspected and assembled. Please, demonstrate for me how quickly it can achieve full speed." When the worker didn't move from his place in line Thrawn added as troopers moved to force the man over to the bike. "We don't have all day."

The worker reluctantly climbed aboard the bike at the testing station and fired up the engine. As the bike accelerated Kallus saw where the undercarriage began to glow red hot. The bike was malfunctioning and everyone in the room knew it. Finally, the worker called out desperately.

"Something's wrong. It's overheating. Gonna have to shut it down."

That was when Thrawn coldly informed the worker, "No. The demonstration is not yet over." He then used the override on his datapad and powered the bike to full power.

Kallus watched as the bike began to release smoke and its alarms went off.

"I can't stop it!" Those were the last words that the worker said before screaming in pain when the bike exploded under him.

Kallus had seen, even been a part of many heartless acts over the course of his career but watching what could only have been deemed an execution of the worker shook him. Horrified him. For a moment Kallus's face lost his look of boredom that he tried to maintain while around his superiors.

"Now that I have your attention, know this. Whatever you build here you will test personally." Thrawn brushed a bit of debris from his shoulder nonchalantly as he spoke. "I expect your malfunction rate to drop substantially." After seeing to it that his demonstration had the intended effect on the remaining workers he walked toward Lieutenant Lyste. "See to it that no one leaves or enters the facility. I wish to inspect the line for sabotage."

As Thrawn continued both Pryce and Kallus fell in step with him to leave as Lyste began to set things in order for the inspection. As the trio walked Pryce began to ask her questions of Thrawn.

"Grand Admiral, you don't think the rebels have infiltrated section A-2 as well, do you? The secrecy of that project is-"

Thrawn strolled confidently slightly ahead of his two subordinates with his hands clasped behind his back. "Is imperative." Thrawn finished Pryce's sentence. "Which is why I've ordered anyone attempting to enter the area without my personal code to be terminated on sight. You should not have compromised security here by hiring locals."

The reprimand hit Pryce where it hurt the most, her pride. After all, she felt an overwhelming need to show that she was capable of doing her job well. "This factory has quotas to meet."

Kallus figured that he'd interject into the conversation and perhaps get some information that could provide useful to his contacts. After all, this sort of thing is precisely what he was here for as an ISB agent, was it not? "I can question the workers, but I won't know if they are lying without more information about this new project."

When he mentioned that he needed more information all he got in return was a sneer from the governor. "All you need to know is that the Admiral has a new fighter initiative here."

That confused Kallus. Why would a new ship be considered worthy of all of this secrecy? "A new fighter? Difficult to see how one small ship will change much."

At that point Thrawn turned to face Kallus. "Agent, victory and defeat are often determined by the smallest detail." He then turned to look up at a freshly assembled walker. "For example, take this walker. Is this your work?" Thrawn asked a nearby worker.

"Yes, sir. I oversaw its construction."

Thrawn then instructed Kallus to use his datapad to have the walker step forward. When Kallus complied, the walker took a couple of shaky steps before falling over. With only a look, the Chiss gave the order to the troopers to take the worker into custody as he began to plead for his life.

Kallus was released to begin his investigation and when he returned to the Grand Admiral's office sometime later with Lieutenant Lyste at his side, he found the man studying various bits of art. All of it appeared to be linked directly to the crew of the Ghost.

"Sir?" Lyste asked since he was unsure of why they had been asked to come to the office.

"Lieutenant, what can you tell me about this?"

The younger man seemed confused as he looked to the cut away piece of wall that Thrawn had brought to his office. "Uh... It looks like a section of the retaining wall, sir."

"Ah. Agent Kallus?"

Kallus knew that a more thorough answer is what was being asked for. After all, the markings on the section of the wall bore those of the same crew whom he'd been asked to deal with for the last couple of years. He'd studied much of the same information already that the Chiss now had scattered around his office.

Kallus straightened his shoulders as he replied, "It's the mark of the Phoenix Squadron. A creature of flight rising in the flames. A symbol of their commitment to victory."

"It is that and more," Thrawn said coolly as he continued to study the painting of Sabine Wren. "I've seen it everywhere, marking territory. It is a commitment, but to this world specifically. These rebels have an attachment to this place and will always return." Kallus watched as the admiral then turned as if deciding that the matter of the artwork suddenly held no interest to him any longer. He spun quickly and addressed the younger officer, "So, have you found more subversives?"

That made Lyste nervous, and he stumbled when he had to confess that he'd lost two of the workers who were left in his care earlier. Kallus tried to suggest that he'd be able to find them if an alert was issued only to be shot down by Thrawn. He knew that the individuals who had infiltrated the factory would have found new disguises.

When Kallus was told that the rebels in the base were likely to be after information regarding section A-2 he secretly hoped that they'd succeed since he didn't like the idea of a fighter that even he didn't have clearance to see. That couldn't be good news for the Rebellion. As soon as Kallus was able to slip away, he headed down toward the section in search of the rebels.

He didn't have to even get out of the lift, however, before he came face to face with two individuals in trooper armor. Their body language told him that they were the rebels that he'd come down to the level to find. Thinking quickly as more troopers began to come into view, appearing to have been chasing the two who had called for the lift, Kallus ordered the two to enter the lift with him.

"You two, come with me to secure the perimeter." Once they were inside, he figured that he needed to start a very quick discussion so that he could determine just who these particular rebels were so that he could best figure out how to get them out. To be honest, though, he suspected based on their height that they were the Jedi and Padawan. "Don't move, rebels."

Looking back, Kallus would admit that his wording could have been just a bit better. He suddenly found himself up against the wall while trying to fight off both rebels.

"Listen to me. I'm Fulcrum." Kallus spat out in an attempt to halt their assault. When the smaller trooper scoffed in disbelief it confirmed that these were indeed Jarrus and Bridger.

"You want us to believe that?" Kanan asked just a bit amused.

Okay, so Kallus didn't really blame them for not believing him. "By the light of Lothal's moons."

When he spoke those words both of the Jedi removed their helmets in disbelief. He reminded them both that Zeb trusted him on the ice moon and that he'd been the one to save Sabine at Skystrike Academy. Just as he was trying to save them, now.

After some back-and-forth Kallus led them to a communications center where they would be able to get a signal out to their friends to help get them out of the complex. He'd even been able to add a bit of dramatics by warning those inside that rebels were following him as he fired his blaster in their general direction. He just wished that he would have been warned that the two Jedi intended to slam one of the troopers into him by using the force. Getting a trooper's helmet slammed into his forehead wasn't what he'd consider fun. He knew that he'd be sporting a good-sized bump on his forehead for that.

After the droid got the information that was needed and Kanan was able to call for his friends, Kallus was again taken by surprise when the boy decided to help him make the scene look convincing that he hadn't actually been a willing participant in their escape. Bridger had sent him through the glass display and hurled him across the room, knocking him out. When he woke up, he joined the others in the room in their displays of confusion as to what had happened.

After the Jedi escaped, Kallus was called to Thrawn's office along with Pryce and Lyste.

"Agent Kallus, I read your report. Several troopers confirmed your encounter with the Jedi. It was very helpful. You know, after analyzing the rebels' escape, it's clear to me they had help from one within our Imperial ranks."

Pryce's shock and revulsion at the idea that there was a rebel agent among the Imperial ranks was clear. She was insistent that all personnel must be interrogated immediately. Thrawn, however, wasn't as hasty. In fact, he appeared to be amused.

"Patience, Governor. Acting out of emotion will not serve us here. We must wait and watch. And when we find our spy, and we will find them, we shall turn them from an obstacle to an asset. Wouldn't you agree, Agent Kallus?"

Kallus couldn't believe that Thrawn had already figured out that there was a spy in his ranks. He'd thought that he'd covered his tracks well. "Your strategy is without flaw, Grand Admiral. As always."

He briefly wondered if the admiral had any clue that he was actually speaking to the very spy that they were discussing the eventual capture of.

When he was released from the office to continue to do his job Kallus headed toward his own office and only once he had his door closed did he allow for a sigh of relief to escape him. Thrawn may know that he had a rebel spy present at the Imperial Complex, but he couldn't know who it was. Not yet. He'd just have to be more careful. Maybe he shouldn't have acted so cocky when Valour had told him that it was harder to go unnoticed in the Empire than he'd given her credit for.

Kallus did his best to wait to send out any calls to his rebel contact when Thrawn wasn't on Lothal. He figured that would be the best way to go undetected since he was his biggest threat of being found out. Of course, that would only work when Kallus was actually on Lothal. However, when he was stationed on one of the Star Destroyers that he frequently was stationed on, he'd have to figure out a way to safely get a transmission out should he need to.

He thought back to the fact that Kiara had left her ship nearby and decided that he might be able to put the ship and its droid to good use.

Chapter Text

Sitting back in his chair amused, the probe droid had exploded upon its return back to the Empire as it most likely had been the intent of those who had reprogramed it. He wondered who had come up with that particular plan. To him, it was ingenious. He was just glad that he hadn't been on the ship that the probes returned to when the explosion rocked it.

Kallus sent out a message to the Shadow Chaser, Valour's ship. Tac informed him that Kiara had yet to reach out to share where she'd been reassigned so far. As a result, Kallus had devised a plan to use the ship as a relay when he'd send out a message to his rebel contacts when there was time for the delayed messages. That way when he wasn't on Lothal, he'd have an added layer of protection for his messages so that they couldn't be as easily traced either to the point of origin (him) nor toward its intended location. Kallus knew that if a message was traced then it could be used to locate the Rebel Base. Not something that he wanted at all.

After the message relay system was ready, he sent his message of congratulations to his contacts.

"I can only assume you found and reprogrammed the lost Infiltrator I warned you of. Well, as you no doubt planned, the droid did self-destruct on its return to base. I don't know how you pulled it off, but you have my congratulations. Fulcrum out."

Kallus smiled as he signed out. He then prepared for his meeting with Thrawn as he had been called in thanks to the same droid's explosion.

"How did this happen, Agent Kallus?"

"I suspect the rebels captured a unit in the field and reprogrammed it to self-destruct upon its return to base. Quite ingenious, really."

"I'm inclined to agree."

"You seem in surprisingly good spirits, considering the loss," Kallus eyed Thrawn with a bit of confusion and suspicion.

"Loss, you say?" The amusement in the Chiss's voice was clear. One that spoke of the fact that he always remained three steps ahead of everyone else around him. "Mmm, the rebels may have protected the location of their base for now, but in doing so, they have narrowed my search." Thrawn pushed a button that caused the galactic map that had been displayed on the holographic display to shift and alter. Many planets fell away and disappeared from the map. "Before today, they could have been hiding in any of a thousand systems. But now... Now I know they are almost certainly on one of the ninety-four planets surveyed by my Infiltrators. The rebels have won this battle, but the war will be ours."

Kallus's stomach sank when he realized that even when Thrawn lost, he won. It showed just how dangerous of a threat the man was to the Rebellion.

Kallus spent the next several weeks going about his usual routine while keeping an eye out for anything that could put his rebel contacts at risk. He also sent several messages to Tac to check to see if Valour had made contact with him since she'd been transferred away from the Imperial Complex on Lothal. He didn't like that after all of this time she had yet to send out a message. Not to her droid nor to her own rebel contact through Tac.

He tried to make some discreet inquiries to try to figure out where Valour had been transferred. All that he could determine was that there was some archaeological dig that the Empire had an interest in. That confused him. What could possibly interest the ruler of the Empire at an old dig site?

With no answers and no other choice but to sit back to wait and trust that everything was alright, Kallus went to sleep. At least he had the benefit of knowing that he'd sent a message back to Phoenix Squadron in the last week that he knew could help the team. So tonight, he'll set his worries and troubles aside for the time being and try to get some sleep.

He awoke hours later to the blaring of an alarm. He stumbled to his door and saw where troopers were running past his quarters in response to the alarm. When one trooper saw him standing in his doorway he ran over and informed him that the call for battle stations had been sent out.

Kallus closed his door and went inside to the small refresher area of his quarters and ran the water in his sink so that he could splash some cold water onto his face to help him wake up. He then made his way to the bridge of the light cruiser that he was stationed on over Lothal and demanded to know if they were under attack.

Lieutenant Lyste was in charge on the bridge at the moment who explained that there wasn't an attack. Rather, he'd sounded the alarm when a stolen shuttle that had blasted its way out of a spaceport on Lothal came into range. He was preparing the Imperial forces to intercept it. Kallus found the call to battle stations to have been a bit of an overreach for such an incident, though he didn't say anything.

He was losing sleep over this?

With the shuttle captured in the tractor beam Kallus announced that he'd head up the landing party. When the troopers manhandled the pilot of the shuttle out of his ship Kallus noticed who the pilot was when the helmet was removed. It was Ezra Bridger. When the boy did his usual spouting of insults, he had to school his face to not reveal the fact that he found it to be a bit amusing. Amusing yet also concerning. Did the boy not realize how much danger he was putting himself in by coming here? Kallus ordered for the boy to be taken to the detention cells.

Once there he ordered the troopers, "Leave us. I'll interrogate him myself."

Once the troopers left Kallus turned the surveillance to the cell off before he stepped into it and closed the door behind him. "Don't you realize how dangerous it is for you to be here? If anyone recognizes you-" Kallus demanded as Ezra interrupted.

"They won't. You know how big the Empire is. Most troopers don't even know what I look like now."

"I hope that's true for both our sakes. If they discover you here, I'll be executed for treason!"

The most annoying thing was that the boy chuckled in response. "You might be anyway. We think the Empire was monitoring your last Fulcrum transmission."

"So, you got captured to warn me?" Kallus asked incredulously.

"Nope. To get you out of here." Was this boy always so cocky? Actually, Kallus already knew the answer to that. It came with being a teenaged boy with superhuman abilities like that of a Jedi, he was sure.

"Well, I guess I have no choice now." How could he have been found out so soon? Kallus's frustration was mainly directed at himself, but Ezra was a convenient sounding board for it.

"Look, I'm not happy about it, either," the young Jedi rebutted. "For all I know, you're playing a long game to set us up."

"I could say the same to you," Kallus sneered. "I suppose for now, we'll just have to trust each other."

And no, the irony of the fact that this conversation was happening in a detention cell didn't escape him. Though at least he had the comfort to know that if there was one thing that the boy before him was good at, it was escaping from the reach of the Empire.

Kallus would have liked to continue the conversation, but they were interrupted by Lieutenant Lyste demanding to be allowed into the cell. The boy then thought fast on his feet and grabbed Kallus's fist and used it to punch himself in the face so that he fell to the floor just as the cell was opened. He then pretended to beg Kallus to stop his interrogation. That he'd tell him anything that he could.

That truly seemed to impress the lieutenant. However, the Grand Admiral's ship had arrived and was summoning their presence. As a bit of a peace offering, Kallus supposed, Lyste decided that the prisoner would be taken over as well to show just how good of a job he was doing.

Kallus then joined the others onto the shuttle to head over to the Grand Admiral's star destroyer, Chimaera. He couldn't help but wonder what the Chiss wanted with them. Especially since the boy had told him that his last Fulcrum message was intercepted by the Empire. As he and Lyste headed toward Thrawn's office they both noticed that sector command staff were aboard the ship. Lyste asked what they could possibly be doing on the ship. Kallus didn't really have an answer for him. Their presence only served to make the churning feeling in the pit of his stomach even heavier.

After going through extra measures just to get into Thrawn's office he found the man in question battling against some assassin droids as a form of exercise. Kallus had no doubt that they were made privy to his routine to show off his fighting skills; to instill a bit of fear in them. The door to Thrawn's workout room then closed and he and Lyste were guided further into the office to reveal Colonel Yularen. A man whom Kallus had admired for his entire career within the Empire.

"Colonel Yularen." When the older man stepped forward, he couldn't help but to share his admiration of the man with him. "I don't know if you remember me from the academy..."

"Of course, young Agent Kallus. I keep tabs on all my star pupils."

Kallus felt a swell of pride that such an important man, one whom he'd practically idolized, would deem him worthy to remember. Much less for the man to follow his career. "What brings you to Lothal?"

Instead of Yularen, however, it was Thrawn who answered. Freshly changed back into his uniform after his workout. "We are in need of his expertise." Thrawn finished setting his uniform in order as he approached. "There's a rebel spying on me. Codename Fulcrum. And perhaps today, we're going to learn their true identity."

It was all that he could do for Kallus to keep his face schooled to not give away the panic that he felt as he heard Thrawn use his codename. So, the boy was correct when he said that the rebels believed that his last transmission had been intercepted. Blasted!

The intel had been time sensitive, so he hadn't had time to use the relay system that he'd set up to use the Shadow Chaser.

Kallus's attention was then split between listening to Thrawn's explanation of what he knew and his own thoughts as he began to think about everything that the man could do to him if he learned that he was in fact the rebel spy. He was sure that death would be a welcome relief if his identity were fully revealed.

Considering that Thrawn didn't trust him enough to run the investigation, electing instead to bring Colonel Yularen in despite the fact that he already had an ISB Agent at his disposal, perhaps Thrawn did suspect him. As he said, few were above suspicion. And apparently, he wasn't among those few. Especially since even he would be questioned.

As the meeting wore on Thrawn revealed that he was close to locating the rebel base in the sector. Kallus didn't know how he'd narrowed it down from the ninety-four that he'd last revealed to him but now on the display there were only a couple of dozen highlighted. He'd narrowed his list down by a series of factors that the man had clearly been quite tedious about. From the hyperspace lanes to the history of various attacks and missions led by the rebels, and of course to their proximity to Lothal. Kallus knew that if he didn't do something quickly then the man just might find the base sooner rather than later.

Upon being dismissed Kallus walked with Lyste out of the office as the other officers who had been called in for the meeting went their separate ways. He was stopped before he could go far, however, by Colonel Yularen.

"Agent Kallus, you've had multiple encounters with the rebels in this sector. Any thoughts on our traitor?"

"A high-level intelligence leak suggests an officer."

"True, but in our technological system, accessing information tends to be easier than having the means to transmit it without the Empire's knowledge."

Kallus knew that he had to be careful when diverting attention from himself. He needed to look at things logically as if he didn't already know that it was, he, himself, who was the very spy that the Colonel was looking for.

"Perhaps the communication division?"

Yularen shot down that suggestion quickly. "Too obvious. Whoever this spy is, they have a method of transmitting that we are, as yet, unaware of."

"If I can do anything to help..."

"I'll let you know," the older man replied before dismissing him. "Agent."

As Kallus made it back to the main hallway outside of Thrawn's office he found that Lyste had stopped and waited for him. The moment Kallus joined him the other man spoke up, "It is said no traitor escapes the eye of Yularen for long."

"I guess we'll see." Kallus, too, had heard that Yularen was the best. It was, after all, a primary reason why he'd idolized the man for so long. Never in his life did he think that he'd be the prey that Yularen would hunt for. He had to think fast about how to shift suspicion away from himself. That was when Pryce rounded the corner and gave Kallus an idea.

"Agent Kallus. I saw a report that a shuttle theft from Lothal was prevented."

Kallus stepped back and pushed Lyste in front of him before saying, "Actually Lieutenant Lyste was responsible for that."

Pryce was clearly surprised. "Really? Well, that deserves commendation."

As the woman stepped around to pass the men the younger officer expressed his thanks to the Governor. As she got out of earshot range Kallus whispered to Lyste as he steered him in the opposite direction; putting an arm around the man in a conspiratorial manner so that he could exchange his code cylinder with the other man's without notice.

"Step carefully. ISB is watching her. You should, too."

"What? Why? You don't mean Pryce is the rebel spy? That's why she wasn't in the meeting!"

It was all that Kallus could do to not roll his eyes at how simple-minded the other man was. "Thrawn has no proof yet, but I'm sure he'd be grateful if you kept an eye on her."

"He can count on me."

When the younger man exclaimed and headed off to shadow Pryce he wondered if he'd ever appeared to be so naïve. But at least he was able to put that naïvety to good use. Kallus looked down at the code cylinder in his hand and then headed off toward the detention block that Ezra Bridger had been taken to.

When he got to B-7 he found the two rebel droids that had come with the boy arguing about how best to try to break him out. Kallus strolled forward and used his acquired code cylinder and not only opened the cell but turned off the recording device inside. When it appeared to be empty, he growled in frustration.

"Please stop that."

With that, a still shackled Bridger jumped down from the ceiling before replying, "What? It worked before. Now let's get out of here."

And Kallus knew that it did more than it should. He couldn't believe that he never saw how easily fooled the Empire could be most of the time. Thrawn was the extreme exception to the rule.

One of the droids came to the cell's door to bemoan the difficulty that being transferred to Thrawn's ship had created. "None of us will be leaving without the clearance codes to this ship."

Bridger spun around at Kallus's prodding to unfasten his restraints and grunted. "I hadn't thought of that."

Kallus didn't want to be the bearer of more bad news, but he had to add, "And I'm afraid there's another complication. I've just learned that Thrawn is very close to locating your base. You have to tell me where it is."

"So, you can tell him? No way! You'll find out when we get there."

Kallus gritted his teeth. After all of the risks that he's taken, how dare this boy doubt his devotion to the cause. He risked his life numerous times. He lived every day knowing that he'd be executed if his secret was found out.

"Not if Thrawn destroys it first." Kallus's face softened just a fraction as he explained, "I need to know its location so I can remove it from his database."

"If it's even on his list."

Kallus had worked with Thrawn enough to know that the likelihood of the base not being on the list was extremely low. But then, the boy in front of him had little actual contact with the Chiss in question.

The droid spoke up once more from the door to offer a compromise. "If I may. We can accomplish both of our goals by infiltrating Grand Admiral Thrawn's office. Agent Kallus can keep our base hidden and we can gain the clearance codes we so desperately need."

Once decided, the two humans and two droids headed out toward Thrawn's office after checking in with Lyste to see where Pryce was. The lieutenant told him that Pryce, Colonel Yularen and Thrawn were headed toward the detention area. That meant that they had to move, but first, Kallus had to take Bridger to get changed into an officer's uniform. As they approached the office the boy complained as he adjusted his cap.

"I liked being a bounty hunter better."

Kallus was amused and replied with just a bit of sarcasm. "We all make sacrifices." After leaving one of the droids behind to stand watch he led the young Jedi toward the guard standing outside of Thrawn's office. "See that trooper? Convince him you are Lieutenant Lyste. Here is his code cylinder. Get him to open the door with it."

Kallus slipped the cylinder discreetly to Ezra and waited for the boy to do his force trick. When the young man used his abilities on the trooper Kallus found himself a bit envious. Was it really as simple as the boy made it look? The two strolled through to the inner office along with the astromech droid.

Kallus did have to remind the boy to stay on target regarding why they were there when he spotted an item that belonged to Hera Syndulla. They weren't in the office to steal art, after all. After a bit of back and forth the trio got back to work. The droid that Ezra called Chopper pulled up the codes and Bridger told him to send them to Kanan.

"Are you crazy? They'll intercept the transmission."

"Yeah, that a secret code was transmitted from Thrawn's office."

Kallus's brow was raised in amusement. Perhaps he didn't give the boy enough credit. "Good point."

Next, the droid pulled up Thrawn's map that showed the planets still on his list of suspected planets that could contain the rebel base. The base was indeed on one of the few dozen planets that was still on the list of suspected targets. Kallus instructed the droid to remove the planet from the map and add another to replace it.

Before the trio could leave the office, however, Thrawn was entering it. They had to hide. Kallus slipped into the workout room off to the side of Thrawn's interior office while Bridger hid behind the retaining wall section that was kept in the office.

Kallus knew that the boy wouldn't stand a chance at getting out without a distraction. Looking around, his eyes fell on the repurposed assassin droids and was hit by inspiration. He quickly accessed their programing and altered it so that the override command wouldn't work any longer. He then sent them in and slipped out of the office and waited for the young Jedi to join him as they raced toward the hanger where the extraction team was to pick them up.

When Kallus arrived at the hanger with his rebel companions in tow, he spotted Governor Pryce approaching the extraction team in trooper disguises. One rebel trooper was then stunned as Pryce attacked the other and began a hand-to-hand combat with him. He wasn't doing too badly, especially since he appeared to be holding back at first. But Pryce was a woman on a mission.

As the droid named Chopper sealed the doors to prevent reinforcements from entering the hanger Kallus looked across the way and saw Lieutenant Lyste. He was making his way toward where the skirmish between the rebel troopers and Pryce was taking place. Just as she was about to fire upon one of the troopers Lyste stunned the governor.

Bridger and the droids strolled onto the shuttle as one rebel trooper helped the other up off of the ground where he had been lying since he'd been stunned by Pryce. Bridger, in his usual cocky fashion, told Lyste that he'd made the wrong choice. Just as Lyste recognized the boy as the prisoner Kallus knocked him out and replaced his code cylinder to regain his own one once more. When Ezra called to encourage him to hurry to join the rest of them on their way-out Kallus made his decision.

"There's been a change of plans now that I've captured Fulcrum." Bridger gave a slight nod in understanding. "I can do more good here."

As the shuttle made its way out of the hanger storm troopers blasted their way through the doors and began to fire upon the shuttle with their blasters. Kallus pulled Lyste to his feet as he declared, "Traitor! You're the rebel spy! Troopers! Seize him!"

The other man was immensely confused. How could Kallus think that he was the spy? He'd told him that Pryce was.

Kallus hated that he'd set up the other man, but it was a necessary evil. He was congratulated by Colonel Yularen personally. Kallus filed the appropriate reports and attended a meeting where Colonel Yularen gave a final breakdown for Thrawn on how he suspected that Lyste had broken the rebel out of the detention cell.

He did his best to appear humbled by the thanks for his service in his capture of the rebel spy before he was dismissed. When he left Thrawn's office he went straight to his quarters that were assigned to him on the ship and only once he was sitting on the bunk did he allow the effects of the day to wash over him.

Almost. Almost.

He'd almost blown it all. He'd almost been caught. But now, he had a new chance. He'll just have to be extra careful, now. But at least he's bought himself some more time. Time to gather more information that the Rebellion could use.

Chapter Text

Kallus sat in his office and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. It had been weeks since he'd last been able to really get information of any use to the Rebellion. It seemed that he had been frozen out of all important matters ever since the incident where Bridger had been sent in to extract him.

Looking back, perhaps Kallus should have left when he had the chance. He'd thought that he'd been able to avoid detection but if that were true, why was he excluded from the meetings that he had once been a part of? He tried to tell himself that Thrawn was just being hypervigilant because he was extremely thorough. Instead, he had to set his mind on figuring out ways to be more creative in how he gathered his information to pass on to the Rebellion.

Days later, he stood on a catwalk above the shuttle bay at the Imperial Complex and watched as Thrawn arrived and met with Governor Pryce and Admiral Konstantine. Not too long ago he would have been called to stand at her side to greet the Grand Admiral, as well. Now, he was no longer even an afterthought.

Kallus used his recently reprogrammed mouse droid and directed it to use the vents to wait in the walls of Thrawn's office and listened as the droid recorded and transmitted everything that was said inside. While listening, he overheard that Thrawn still believed that there was a traitor in the midst. That meant that he didn't actually buy it when he'd framed Lyste. Kallus listened carefully as Thrawn warned that what those present in the meeting were about to hear must not fall into the hands of the rebellion.

This was precisely the kind of information that he needed. He then heard Tarkin's voice come over a transmission. He and Thrawn discussed the fact that the Phoenix Squadron were planning to attack the manufacturing of the new TIE defenders. As Kallus heard how Thrawn planned to take out the squadron he couldn't believe how much he'd figured out already. The rebels had to be warned that they would be walking into a trap.

Kallus did his best to not draw any attention to himself as he bade his time throughout the day and waited for nightfall. Several hours after dark when he thought it would be safest, he headed to the motor pool. The troopers gave him strange looks. Or at least he assumed that they were under their helmets. Were these the same ones who were on duty when he'd left with Valour? Were they now assuming he was leaving to find a companion for the night elsewhere? So be it. Let them think that.

Kallus jumped in then steered the borrowed speeder toward the old Bridger hideout to get his message of warning out. He raced up to the living area up on the second level of the tower and hurried to send out a message of warning.

"This is Fulcrum with an urgent message. Thrawn knows about-" Kallus paused when he realized that he was being jammed. He tried to adjust the frequency in frustration but stopped when he heard a cool voice behind him.

"By the light of Lothal's moons." Kallus's blood ran cold. He turned in surprise and looked up to find the blue Chiss standing in the open doorway. "That is your code phrase, isn't it, Agent Kallus?" Thrawn took a few steps inside before he added, "Or would you prefer I address you as Fulcrum? I'm afraid your rebel friends won't receive your warning."

Thrawn held up a jamming device and Kallus knew that if his rebel contacts were going to have a chance then he had to get that device so that he could get his warning out in time. He launched himself out of his chair toward the Grand Admiral knowing that it was a matter of life and death. Not just his but those of who knew how many.

The two men engaged in hand-to-hand combat and Kallus gave as much as he got, though Thrawn annoyingly chose to act as if the blows that he'd received didn't faze him at all. He also decided to run a diatribe as Kallus jumped back and prepared to square off once more.

"Your technique is good but limited by your training in the Imperial Academy. Predictable."

Kallus grabbed a nearby storm trooper helmet that rested on the table. He was suddenly grateful that the Bridger boy collected them. He held it down low and waited for an opportunity. When he saw it, Kallus threw it at the other man as he went to cut his legs out from under him. While Thrawn had caught the helmet it had given him the distraction needed to take the man down. As the Chiss prepared to stand up Kallus stomped on the jamming device so that his limited message could get out.

Finally, he said something that he'd been wanting to say to the other man since the day he'd first met him. "You talk too much!"

Kallus knew he likely didn't have a chance at getting out alive, but he'd given the rebels the only help that he could. Now, he planned to go down swinging. He gave everything that he had but it wasn't enough. Thrawn took him down as easily as if he'd been a child's toy. He was hit, kneed, and thrown out of the old building and slammed into the railing that lined the balcony.

As he sat on the floor he looked up and saw troopers reaching for him. They'd been right outside the door the whole time. Thrawn could have sent them in to shoot him but instead he had chosen to deal with Kallus personally. In doing so he also told him that he hadn't considered the man to be a personal theat. He didn't need the troopers to protect him against Kallus. The troopers pulled him up and held him as Thrawn approached, not even panting from their fight.

"You have the heart of a rebel."

Kallus couldn't control his own breathing, so he panted as he replied, "I'll take that as a compliment."

Blood mixed with spit as he spoke and fell to the ground. The troopers then drug him back into the old building where Thrawn tortured him for information. Kallus was glad that he didn't actually have any. The rebels were smart in making sure that their agents didn't know any locations of the bases. Didn't even know the names of other agents. So even if Kallus had wanted to break, he wouldn't have been able to. Not that he wanted to. Nor was he even tempted. He just wanted to get this over with. Thrawn's self-righteous attitude and cool demeanor were grating on his last nerves. Death had to be more merciful than listening to this man's self-congratulations for catching him.

Hours later, Kallus was strung up, still at the old tower that had been his command center, as Thrawn had the holo-map up of the planets that he'd narrowed the list of possible rebel bases to.

"You may have transmitted your warning, Agent, but in doing so, you've given me the last piece of the puzzle. Now this is the trajectory of General Dodonna's fleet, and this is the trajectory of your Fulcrum transmission. Taken separately, they mean nothing. But together..."

Kallus saw that the two lines met where the map showed empty space. He grinned. "Nothing. There's no planet there. The rebels are smarter than you give them credit for."

"A pity you do not study art, Agent Kallus." Kallus balked at the comment. What the hell did art have to do with any of this? "There is much it can show you if you know where to look. Such as, a system which doesn't appear on Imperial charts but is represented in the art of the ancient people of this sector. I believe they call this Atollon, now the home of your rebel base."

Kallus couldn't believe it. How had Thrawn deduced so much? He never had felt so helpless. So dejected. Thrawn knew not just about the impending rebel attack but now he knew of the location of the rebel base. Thrawn pulled out a communication device and signaled his latest flunky.

"Admiral Konstantine, deploy the fleet to these coordinates. We will join you shortly."

Kallus was shackled and forced to board the shuttle along with Thrawn to head to his star destroyer. He was then forced to join Thrawn on the bridge of the Chimaera as he launched the attack on the rebels. There he was, beaten, bloody and bruised but Thrawn wanted more. He wanted to break him. And he planned to do that by crushing those for whom he had risked so much in the last year before his eyes.

From his place in the shadows of the bridge Kallus watched as the rebel ships were bombarded by Thrawn's forces. The skies were ablaze with the burning of ships of all kinds and sizes. The rebels were outmatched and outgunned, and they didn't have the warning that Kallus had hoped to give them to get their forces out.

The Imperial blockade was too tight for ships to get past. At least before Admiral Konstantine ignored Thrawn's instructions and moved to initiate his own line of attack. Kallus had to chuckle after hearing the two men argue over whose strategy was better.

"Fighting over glory?"

"I do not require glory, only results for my Emperor." Thrawn shot back over his shoulder as he directed his attention back to the battle before him.

When one of the cruisers made directly for one of the Interdictors Kallus watched on as the men and women on board the rebel ship gave their lives so that a single ship could get away. It was the most brutal reminder that this cause was one that many have already given their lives for, and more were willing to do the same. Kallus had the feeling that his death wouldn't be as noble. Thrawn likely had one of humiliation awaiting him at the end of this day.

When the remaining rebel ships returned to the planet's surface Thrawn announced that he'd lead the ground assault personally once the orbital bombardment was over.

"Governor Pryce, you're in command of the fleet while I lead the ground assault." Seeing Thrawn's confidence, Kallus began to laugh. He didn't know if it was from amusement or from nervousness, but it caught the Chiss's attention. "Hmm. The plight of your friends amuses you."

"I've been in your position before, only to have these rebels pull a victory from certain defeat." And he had. That knowledge was all that still gave him hope that at the end of this day that the Rebellion would live on.

Thrawn looked insulted at the implication. "You and I are not the same, Kallus, as these rebels are about to learn."

He then strolled away from the bridge. That left Kallus under the supervision of Pryce. While the woman's sneering arrogance grated his nerves, he knew that he had an opportunity if he timed it just right. He hoped that he'd be given a chance to escape. After all, if he was going to do it then he would have to do it before Thrawn returned. In the meantime, Kallus was forced to watch the hours of battle from space as he knew that with each passing moment, there were likely rebel casualties.

When the Mandalorians showed up with reinforcements Kallus couldn't have been happier, given the situation. When they started to attack the Interdictor Pryce's arrogance went into high gear. He couldn't help it. Kallus's tongue started to run away with him. He only had a few hours to live, anyway, if she or Thrawn had anything to do with it. He decided that he'd say exactly what he was thinking during his last moments if this was to be the last day of his life.

"Thawn's not going to be happy with you making a mess of his fleet," Kallus said as explosions filled his view.

Pryce spun on her heels and faced him as she ordered the troopers, "Throw this traitor out of the airlock."

Kallus smirked. Not just for getting a rise out of the woman but also because he knew that she'd just given him his chance. He was pushed by the troopers as they manhandled him and forced him into a lift. As the lift closed with the three of them inside Kallus didn't bother to hide the smile as it crossed his face. He knew that he could take on these troopers despite the fact that both of his hands were restrained behind his back. He jumped, kicked, slammed his body into the men and contorted his body to bring his hands in front of him while bringing down final blows on the troopers before grabbing the keys to his restraints just as the door to the lift opened.

Once freed, Kallus didn't waste any time. He raced toward the escape pods. He hoped that this wouldn't be a really short trip. He frantically sent a transmission out to the Ghost with his coordinates. When he saw the ship headed his way, he knew that they had gotten it and that they didn't intend to leave him behind. Of course not. He was one of them and they don't abandon their own behind.

The Ghost effortlessly snagged his pod and jumped to hyperspace. Kallus sat back in his seat and breathed out a sigh of relief. He was safe. He'd live to fight another day.

He crawled out of his escape pod and joined the rest of the survivors aboard the Ghost. The ship was packed with wounded. So many men and women who nearly hadn't made it off of the planet alive. He stood and lined the hallway with the others as Kanan walked past him.

"Kanan. Thank you... For taking me in." That is when Kallus heard something that he didn't know that he needed to hear from the Jedi.

Kanan put a hand on Kallus's shoulder before replying, "Thank you for risking everything."

Kallus felt silly for nodding to the blind Jedi, but it seemed that the Jedi saw more than mere eyes could ever see.

Chapter Text

Kallus spent the next several weeks adapting to life away from the Empire. On Yavin IV he devoted himself to his new home and new friends. He was able to lend his skills as an intelligence officer and tactician that he'd developed as an Imperial to now work against the Empire. The only individuals he actually knew at the base were Hera and Zeb. The rest of the crew of the Ghost were back on Mandalore.

Kallus wasn't sure if Hera quite trusted him fully. After all he had pursued the crew for the last couple of years before his about-face regarding his loyalties, but she was trying. She went out of her way to invite Kallus for meals and any entertainment activities that could be found on the jungle moon of Yavin. She'd even played Dejarik against Kallus a few times. Zeb seemed a bit more willing to accept him. For that, he was grateful.

One thing that he didn't expect, however, was that for the most part, no one looked at him with the disdain that he expected. After all, he'd been an Imperial. Not just any ordinary Imperial but an ISB Agent. Instead, some actually showed him more respect, real respect, than he'd ever been shown while working for the Empire. When Kallus made a comment about how people treated him Zeb laughed a bit.

"Not surprising. Half of the people here were Imperials at one time or another in some capacity. That means that they, especially, know what you risked."

Kallus thought about what Zeb said as they headed toward the mess area for their midday meal. Hera was flying on a mission, so she wasn't with them. Still, the table was full of several mechanics and others who worked in the command center. Every meal was the same, it seemed. While he once was able to have a meal in less than a quarter of an hour, they now took the better part of one. The reason being that he and the rest of the table spent more time laughing and joking around than eating. Something that he wouldn't have ever done while working for the Empire. Nor would he have tolerated it if he'd seen others doing so. He hadn't known what he was missing.

One of his new favorite pastimes had become listening to the stories that the others all shared regarding old battles. Rex had the most interesting ones from the Clone War. Kallus, like many other civilians when he was growing up, had never considered the clones as much more than biological droids but Rex was proving to be anything but that. Rex and Zeb were the security experts for the base thanks to both of their experiences on the battlefield. The two men complimented one another well and it was clear that they had developed a strong friendship.

As the meal break came to an end, Kallus listened as Rex was sharing with some of the younger officers at the next table of a battle that he'd fought alongside a Jedi called Skywalker.

Kallus scratched at the several days' worth of stubble that he now had growing while he tried not to show that he was as enwrapped in the story as the younger men and women listening to the old clone trooper. He'd decided that he needed a new look for his new life within the Rebellion. Being an Imperial defector, he knew that he'd have a price on his head should he ever be recognized so he chose to grow out a beard; figuring it was the best way to alter his appearance. He wasn't sure how but growing it out gave him a sense of freedom. Perhaps it was because a full beard wouldn't have been permitted while working for the Empire. That was why he'd allowed his sides to grow as he had while working as an ISB Agent. He'd pressed the limits as far as he could. So maybe he'd always been a closet rebel at heart.

After his meal he returned to the center of Rebel Command. He'd been able to bring with him quite a bit more understanding regarding the Empire. While it was true that there were many former Imperials, most of them had been low-level officers and recruits. But Kallus had been an ISB Agent. That gave him higher clearance while he'd been working for the Empire. It meant that he was more involved in the inner workings of the Empire than most who were here at Yavin. So, his knowledge made him invaluable. Finally, all that he knew but didn't dare share in his time as a Fulcrum could be passed along.

Thinking of Fulcrum, he wondered about Valour. Since he knew her code phrase he checked to see when the last time was that she'd contacted the base. He was shocked to see that she hadn't reported in since the night that he'd been accepted as a Fulcrum and given his own code phrase. Kallus's brow furled in concern. He still didn't know what kind of assignment that she'd been given when she was transferred away from the Imperial Complex on Lothal but with the amount of time that it had been, she should have been able to have gotten a pass out to get to her ship and send out a report. Or to at least check in. It had been several months with no word at all.

Kallus was in the command center when Jarrus and Bridger's ship reported in to inform the rebels of their approach. He smiled as he checked to make sure that he wasn't needed before he headed out to where the ship was cleared to land. In fact, he had a message to deliver to the crew. Kallus caught up to the crew of the Ghost as Garazeb was giving the others a tour of the base's main hanger area. He was about to make his way over when the alarms rang out. Kallus looked up and saw that what was left of the squadron that Hera was in command of was spotted coming in hot. There were fewer than half of her squadron flying in and each and every one of them looked as if they'd barely escaped a battle with their lives.

Kallus watched as the appropriate personnel went running to help the pilots once they landed, led by Captain Rex. The ships would all need complete overhauls, but he was just glad that the pilots who made it appeared to be in much better shape. He was particularly glad to see that Hera was alright. She was more aggravated at the failure of her mission than anything else. Still, being the leader that she was, she made sure that she let her squad know that she didn't blame any of them for the mission's failure. She gave them a pep talk and then started giving out orders to get the squad to move past the day's events.

Once that was done, the rest of the crew of the Ghost approached Hera. Kallus then watched as the family was once more back together. Kallus stayed back for a moment before he approached to join them.

"A reunion. How nice. But as Commander Bridger suggests, it's time to get to work. Mon Mothma requests your presence."

Kallus walked the crew back to the command center where the Senator was waiting along with the holographic image of Senator Bail Organa among other leaders of the Rebellion. Mon Mothma gave the words of encouragement that she knew that Hera needed before the matter at hand was brought to the forefront of the conversation. The Empire had established a new communications relay in the Jalindi system. It made it where it would be much harder to get around the Empire with it in place. As a result, the assembled were trying to think of a way to deal with the relay.

Kallus scratched the stubble on his chin as he thought before walking forward toward the display. "Perhaps there is another way. If we could somehow tap into this relay, we could use it to monitor Imperial fleet movements and adjust our own operations to avoid them."

Mon Mothma turned toward him as well as the others who were gathered around the display table. "Can it be done?"

Hera responded as the leader of her crew, "My crew and I have done plenty of jobs just like it."

"Are you confident your ship can get in and out undetected?" General Dodonna asked skeptically.

"We don't call it the Ghost for nothing." Hera's confidence was overwhelming. But Kallus knew that there was zero arrogance involved. She had the right to feel confident. She was good at what she did, and he knew it. If anyone could get this job done it would be the crew of the Ghost.

Mon Mothma authorized the mission, and the meeting was adjourned. That didn't set well with the teen.

"Wait. That's it? But what about Lothal?"

Kallus knew that the boy had a right to be upset. Had Thrawn not used him as a pawn to locate the rebel base, successfully, then the attack on Lothal would have gone down and dealt a damaging blow to the Empire. Kallus felt a pang of guilt as he listened to the teen argue his point of why the attack needed to be rescheduled. The planet was suffering under the Empire. Mon Mothma dismissed the rest in the room while she spoke with the teen alone.

Kallus hoped that he'd be able to help the boy in his fight for Lothal later. It may be only one planet, but the rebellion may be won one planet at a time.

Kallus sat outside the base and listened to the sounds of the jungle around the old, converted temple that was Rebel Command. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting out there when Garazeb found him.

"Hey, what happened to you? You never showed for the evening meal."

"Nothing. I've just been sitting out here thinking." Kallus leaned against the temple wall as an unknown creature bellowed from deep within the jungle. He briefly wondered how far into the jungle the rest of the rebels had explored. He toyed with the idea of maybe taking a small trek out to see what the jungle had to offer. After all, whatever was out there was certain to be the furthest from the Empire that he could find. He liked the idea of seeking out that opposite of the life that he'd left behind.

"Anything in particular?" When Kallus shrugged Zeb found a place to sit along the temple wall and eyed the other man. The Lasat had had several conversations about a variety of topics with him. He was beginning to tell when he had something on his mind. "This have anything about that friend of yours? The other Fulcrum?"

Kallus raised a brow for a moment before shaking his head. No. Was he still worried about Kiara and her lack of contact with Rebel Command? Absolutely. But that wasn't what had driven him out here tonight.

"Then what is it?"

Kallus mulled over what he'd been brewing over before he admitted. "It's Bridger. It's my fault that the assault on his home world had to be called off. I should have been more careful with my transmissions. If I had been, perhaps Thrawn wouldn't have put the pieces together so fast. Hell. I should have left when he was sent in to extract me. But I thought I was smart enough to outfox Thrawn. A lot of people paid for my arrogance."

Zeb was surprised to hear his new friend's lamentations. He was blaming himself for the attack on the rebel base on Atollon. "That wasn't your fault."

"Are you sure about that? Thrawn knew that I was spying on him, and he gave just enough information that he knew I wouldn't be able to resist sending out a message to try to warn the fleet. Then he used my message to locate the base."

"I read the reports; both yours and everyone else's. Even if Thrawn didn't attack the base, the fleet would have been walking into a trap if we'd gone to Lothal as planned. He would have won, regardless of if it was on Atollon or Lothal."

"Then why do I still feel guilty when I hear him wanting to help his people so badly?"

Zeb ran a hand over the top of his head. "Kallus, there's one thing you're going to have to remember, feeling guilty doesn't mean that you are guilty. I know that there are things that you regret from your past. Hell, we all have those types of things. But you can't let those regrets be the focus of your life. You are here, now, and you are making a difference. You can be proud of that."

Kallus felt his lip twitch into a smile. "So, when did you become a wise old sage?"

"Who are you calling old?" Zeb asked with a touch of offense in his voice.

"Well, you are, what? A decade, nearly two, older than I am. Right?"

"I am not old. And it's barely ten years; definitely not twenty!"

Kallus chuckled. "I stand corrected."

Zeb shook his head. At least he could see that Kallus no longer looked like he was carrying the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders. Given what he'd been out here mulling over, and the blame that he'd put on himself, Zeb figured that he'd let the insult to his age pass this time.

Weeks later when the crew of the Ghost volunteered for a mission to Lothal Kallus was more than willing to do what he could, too. He wouldn't be going with them to the planet. His presence would put the rest in greater danger. However, he and Captain Rex were helping them load some puffer pigs into the cargo area of the Ghost. They were to meet up with one of the crew's contacts who would then take them the rest of the way. They would be leaving their ship behind since they needed to go in undetected and the ship was well-known in the sector now. Especially since Thrawn had increased the bounty on its crew.

Kallus stepped forward onto the bridge as Hera began docking with the ship that would take the others to Lothal. "This friend of yours, Cikatro Vizago, is a criminal. He can't be trusted."

To Kallus's displeasure, Sabine retorted, "Yeah, we used to say that about you."

Ezra chose to add as well, "Yeah, and besides, Vizago has a legitimate business on Lothal now."

"And who told you that?" Kallus asked.

"Hondo."

"Ezra." The irritation in Hera's voice told Kallus that he wasn't the only one who was annoyed at the boy's willingness to trust the criminal element.

"Trust me. Vizago'll get us through the Empire's blockade. He needs the money."

Ah, yes. The only thing that a person of this ilk would be loyal to. Money.

After the pigs were carried over to Vizago's ship Kallus wandered back to the bridge of the Ghost as Rex joined him and Hera as the Twi'lek did one last check of the ship's systems.

"You're in command of the Ghost now. Take care of her. I will want her back." As the woman left Kallus sat in the captain's chair and ran a hand over the controls almost affectionately.

"To think all the times I chased this ship, all the trouble it gave me." Kallus leaned back in the chair as he looked over at the old clone trooper. "And now, I'm in command of it."

"You? Oh, no, no, no. She was talking to me."

"Why would she give the ship to you? I've commanded Star Destroyers."

"Well, I'd say you'd answered your own question then." Rex smirked as he crossed his arms.

Kallus looked down and thought about that. Yes, he had. His past as an Imperial still gave the Twi'lek pause, giving her a reason to doubt him. Reluctantly, Kallus stood and shifted over to the navigator's seat and allowed the clone to take the captain's chair.

When the Ghost watched its crew fly away with the smuggler Kallus had no way of knowing when they'd return. The Rebellion wouldn't be able to extract them so they would be stuck on Lothal until they could find their own way off of the surface. Kallus just hoped that he'll be able to see all of them return to Yavin IV safe and sound.

Before returning to the Yavin system Kallus took the opportunity to contact Tac. He knew that Valour hadn't contacted Rebel Command, but he'd hope that she had at least stayed in contact with her droid. Unfortunately, it would appear that she had been out of contact with him for just as long as she had been with Command. The only thing that put his mind at ease, though, was that Tac told him that Valour's bio-implant still showed that she had stable life signs.

After closing out the transmission Kallus went to the common area of the Ghost and sat at the Dejarik table. He turned the computer on to play against it, but his mind wasn't on the game. It seemed that all whom he'd consider to be his friends were out there and he didn't have much choice but to hope that they were all going to be alright. He wasn't in any position to help any of them right now. That was a very depressing thought.

Chapter Text

Kallus sat in the communications center at the base and looked up when he heard someone mention that a message from a Fulcrum agent was coming through. When he heard the code phrase, he knew that it wasn't from the agent that he'd been waiting to hear from. It was now the end of yet another month without any contact. As much as he was worried, he had to push his thoughts aside. He had work to do.

At the end of his shift, though, he saw a U-wing that he didn't recognize. Once it landed Kallus saw that it was Hera at its controls. She'd brought the flight data recorder from one of the new TIE Defenders that Thrawn was having manufactured on Lothal. Kallus had only hoped to see the computer readouts but to have the recorder could be a game changer.

Kallus volunteered to join the team to go over the recorder with a fine-toothed comb to see to it that every ounce of information that it could give them wouldn't go unnoticed. He only hoped that he'd be able to help find a weakness in the ship's design that Thrawn missed.

Kallus attended a meeting after he and the team assigned to go over the flight data recorder finished their investigation. In Kallus's report he made sure that he let it be known that if the ship was allowed to go into mass production that the rebel fleet would quickly become obsolete. There was only one choice. The factory must be destroyed. He knew that Hera Syndulla felt the same way. He hoped that the recorder would be enough to finally convince the leaders to authorize an attack on Lothal.

After he and the lower ranked officers were dismissed, Kallus stood outside the command center while he waited for Mon Mothma and the others to mull over their decision. Hera was waiting along with him. The two stood in comfortable silence, neither wanting to make a sound as they tried to glean what information that they could through the closed door. They each had their own reasons, but both agreed; the only real choice would be to attack the factory.

When Mon Mothma came out to speak with Hera, he watched what she'd told the Twi'lek, and then wasn't surprised when the woman burst through to the inner office where the meeting was taking place. Kallus followed and stood in the doorway as Hera addressed the Rebel Leadership.

"Captain Syndulla, this is a closed door-" The holo-image of Bail Organa was in the middle of speaking as Hera interrupted him.

"Senator, if I may. I know the odds are against this attack's success. But if that fighter goes into production, our squadrons will not stand a chance. I believe it's a risk worth taking. And whether we fail or succeed, at least our actions will show the Empire and the galaxy that we will not stand down, that we will not be broken by fear, that we are strong, united by our courage. Now is our time to strike."

Kallus wanted to applaud Captain Syndulla's sentiment. Not only was she an excellent and skilled fighter pilot but she likely could win in nearly any battle of words as well. It was no small wonder that in the face of her reasoning, that the leaders had no choice but to agree with her. To authorize the attack on Lothal.

Kallus sort of wished that he'd be flying into battle with the woman. Sadly, his Imperial training hadn't specialized on flying fighters. That wasn't what he excelled at. Instead, his training had been geared toward other endeavors. He'd never considered it a shame that he wasn't given the specialized training that pilots were given until today. Still, he would watch on from a distance as Hera and her squadron went into battle to destroy Thrawn's pet project.

Kallus stood in the command center as reports from the attack on Lothal began to flood in. He listened to every transmission from start to finish. Everyone had started off hopeful and almost jovial while remaining focused. It wasn't a large fleet; only twenty-four ships of varying sizes and abilities. It was all that Command would devote to a single operation. As the attack went on, however, Kallus's stomach began to tie up in knots. Something was wrong. Thrawn was waiting for them, and he had the might of the Empire behind him. That meant that he had the odds in his favor.

Kallus knew that the saying was that fortune favors the bold but sometimes it kicks the bold in the gut and strikes it down. That was precisely what appeared to be happening in the Lothal System. More and more fighters reported that they were hit as even more simply screamed into their comm before they went eternally silent. When the second wave of TIEs were sent out Kallus swallowed hard. It was over.

The comm went silent after a few pilots reported that they were in the process of crashing onto the planet's surface. Captain Syndulla was among them. He never heard any report from the pilots once they made it to the surface.

If they made it to the surface.

{Loth-wolves could be heard howling in the distance. Scattered bits of conversations could be heard joining the howls. The painted image of an older man flanked by a young woman and young man flitted into view. The Loth-grass burning in the distance. The acrid smoke met the nostrils. Loth-cats were running all around, mewling with delight before they screeched in hatred. A pack of Loth-wolves then began to run in circles all around as the bits of conversations were made clearer.

"Wanna ride?" An adult male could be heard.

"The Jedi temple is in danger." Another, younger, could be heard.

Next a woman's voice was heard. "Kanan, you haven't gotten me a present since we first met."

"You can learn what it truly means to be a Jedi," was once again spoken by the man.

"You didn't prepare me for this, Kanan," the voice of a young man could be heard.

Finally, a white Loth-wolf came into view as everything else faded away momentarily. "Dume."

It talked. Do wolves talk?

"There's something I need to tell you." Again, the man's voice.

"I know I can always count on you," the younger male's voice broke through once more.

"Dume." Warm breathing fell all around. Almost as if the wolf was leaning directly overhead. "Jedi. Temple." The Loth-wolf nudged forward and said once more, "Dume."

What is that supposed to mean?

The Loth-wolf growled, irritated at the lack of understanding. More howling could be heard in the distance. "Dume. Together."

That's when the last sequence flooded the vision. An Imperial Walker moved its way toward the factory at the Imperial Complex, just in view a transport was waiting for a pair who were running across the top of a fuel pod. When the walker fired upon the pod, it erupted in flames. Flames held back with the force by a human male who had been racing to jump onto the transport. A Twi'lek woman was then force-pushed onto the ship while the inferno was held back. After a momentary pause both the woman and the transport were pushed away as the flames overtook the man.}

Waking in sweat, breathing heavily, all that could be done was to try to make sense of the dream. No. Not a dream. A vision. Dreams don't leave you feeling the heat of the flames even after waking.

Force visions were notoriously difficult in deciphering and this one was no different.

"We can't just leave them to the Empire. We have to send in an extraction team," Kallus insisted. "Hell, I'll lead the team myself."

"A noble gesture, Agent Kallus," Mon Mothma said with her calm and quiet voice as she shook her head. "But we don't have the resources. Nor are we even able to discern if there were any survivors. We shall endeavor to seek just treatment for any potentia-"

"There won't be just treatment. Only torture and once the Empire has surmised that they have gotten all of the information that they can, they'll execute them!"

"I appreciate your passion, Agent, but I'm afraid that the matter has been decided. I'm sorry."

Kallus was left with his mouth agape as the senator walked away. He stood standing in the middle of a corridor where he'd cornered Mon Mothma for several moments. He was only pulled out of his stunned stupor when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Kallus looked up to find the old clone trooper standing beside him with a look of understanding and sympathy on his face.

Kallus wished that he had a ship of his own. If he did, he wouldn't have needed to wait around for authorization to go to Lothal and try to get the survivors out of custody. They wouldn't have liked it but by the time that they would have known what he was up to he'd hopefully would have freed the prisoners. At least that's how it would have gone down in his head. But he didn't have a ship of his own, so it was a moot point.

{"Dume." The white Loth-wolf chose to once more visit in a force vision.

"What?! What do you want from me?"

"Stop. Empire."

"I'd love to! Care to tell me how?"

"Dume."

"UGH! What does that even mean?"

The vision returned to the fuel depot and the fiery blaze.}

Minister Hydan looked at the lieutenant standing before him in disgust. He didn't care that this individual hadn't had leave in more than nine months. That wasn't his problem. What he did care about was that he didn't want to be short-staffed. Even if only for one night. He didn't know why this woman wanted to go on leave out of nowhere and head all the way back to Capital City. Frankly he didn't care.

"No. Leave is denied. You are to return to your barracks and wait for your next shift. I will not be responsible for the slowing of the progress of this excavation simply so that you can go have a night out on the town. Now, leave me. I have work to do."

Valour watched as the old man walked away. She breathed out a heavy sigh. Great. Just great. Well, now what? Kiara started back toward the barracks and spotted where one of the troopers had left a speeder bike nearby after they'd returned from a patrol. She glanced around and knew that if she left there may be no coming back. She had a decision to make. Or did she even really have a choice?

She quickly raced to the speeder bike and began her long trek. She wouldn't get all of the way to Capital City on it. No. She only needed to get far enough away to call for Tac.

When Valour boarded her ship, she was greeted by her droid who seemed ecstatic to finally be seeing her after such a long stretch of radio silence.

"Mistress Kiara! I'm so pleased to see that you are well! I had begun to worry. As had Master Ka-"

"Tac, we'll have to discuss this later. We have to get to Capital City."

"What? Why?"

"To be honest? I'm not sure. I just know I have to. I need you to hover the ship on the outskirts. Hopefully this will be a good test run for the cloak and that the hibridium holds up."

"Of course, but-"

"Trust me, as soon as I can, I'll explain." Valour then muttered while making sure that the droid didn't hear, "I hope."

When Kiara got into the city it was on high alert. Kiara listened to the comm channels as it appeared that some rebels were in the process of trying to break out one of their own. She spotted Pryce boarding one of the walkers that had no doubt been called into action to stop the rebels. Kiara concentrated on the walkers as they made their slow trek toward the factory. In her ear she heard Pryce's orders to the operators of not just her walker but the one beside it.

"Target that fuel pod! Now!"

One of the walker's operators dared to question her. "But, sir, the fuel-"

"I gave you a direct order."

The operators knew better than to question twice. The weapon's officers of both walkers pressed their buttons to fire upon the fuel pod. The problem was nothing happened. They both tried to fire again.

"I told you to fire!"

"Sir, the weapons are malfunctioning."

"Of both walkers?!"

Kiara opened her eyes and looked up into the night sky and watched as the transport ship flew away. Once the rebels were at what she felt was at a safe distance, Valour released her hold on the systems of the walkers, causing them both to fire the blast-bolts that had been intended for the fuel pod while the transport had still hovered over it. The explosion stretched out from the pod and Valour's ship rocked from the shockwave that the fiery blast had caused.

Her breath came out in shallow bursts. She felt as if she'd just run all the way to the city from the excavation site. But she'd done it. She'd prevented her vision from coming true. Now, all she wanted to do was sleep. She knew she couldn't, though, until she got back to her barracks. She ordered Tac to slip the ship in next to the dig site so that she could return, hopefully unnoticed. She then leaned heavily back into her chair as she allowed the techno-service droid to fly the ship back out into the Imperial encampment where she was assigned.

Governor Pryce's mouth fell agape as she watched the fuel pod explode as the ground beneath her feet began to shake and rock. When she got back to her feet she bellowed, "Report!"

"Sir, the fuel pod for the manufacturing unit has exploded."

"I see that! Was it you? The rebels?"

"We don't know, sir. Both walkers appeared to have fired upon it, but we didn't do it. We'd released the targeting systems already."

"I want answers. Now!" If she expected Thrawn to be unhappy about Syndulla's escape, he'll be absolutely furious with her over this latest development.

Tac floated over to where his mistress had fallen asleep in the captain's chair while they had flown the distance from Capital City out to the excavation site of ancient Jedi Temple out in the middle of nowhere.

"Mistress Kiara, we are nearing the dig site."

Kiara groaned as she felt that the light nap that she'd gotten wasn't close to being enough. She supposed that was what she got for not actually developing her skills adequately. When she did actually use them, especially on purpose, it always wore her out. As she took a deep breath, she sat up straighter in her chair.

"Alright. I'm awake." Kiara looked at the chronometer and saw that she only had about two hours left before her shift was to start. She also caught a flashing alarm on the control panel. "Wait, what happened?"

Tac turned and saw what had caught the woman's attention. "I'm afraid that the shockwave from the explosion has damaged many of the hibridium crystals, those that are still functional are beginning to fail as well. We are still mostly concealed thanks to the darkness but I'm afraid that we will need to replace them before we are able to reactivate the cloak."

Kiara groaned. It had taken her years of Sabacc games along with several other gambling endeavors to earn the credits to get the crystals on the black market. It would take just as many years before she'd be able to earn enough credits to replace the ones that she'd damaged overnight. That cloaking device was supposed be her contingency plan for if she ever needed to make a run for it away from the Empire. Now, she may still have her ship and it could mask its digital presence, but the Empire will certainly be able to see it if she ever called for it in her time of need. Valour hoped that those people that she'd helped to escape on the transport had been worth it.

Of course, if it meant that the white Loth-wolf left her dreams alone, that would most certainly be enough for her. She'd grown up here on Lothal before the Empire and she never once had ever even seen a Loth-wolf. Yet she had been haunted by them recently.

Kiara had Tac let her out of the ship and told him to take the ship back to the mountains where he'd hidden the ship for the last nine months. She'd walk the last leg of her journey. She knew that with the flickering of the ship's cloak, she didn't want to push her luck. If the Empire spotted her approach, they'd shoot her down. That was something that she wouldn't allow.

Chapter Text

Kanan woke and his movement caused the arm around his waist to tighten. Kanan bent his head down and kissed the lekku of the woman that he loved. Last night, up on the fuel pod, she'd finally told him that she loved him, too. Yes, he knew it long before last night, but she'd never actually said the words. Hearing the words had been the greatest gift that he could have ever asked for.

"Morning."

Kanan grinned as he heard Hera's groggy greeting. "How are you feeling?"

He knew that the drugs that the Empire had pumped into Hera likely would still affect her for at least a day in some capacity.

"Tired, but better." Hera shifted so that she could look up at Kanan. It was strange. Even though Kanan couldn't see with his eyes it always felt as if he was looking directly at her. Right to the heart of her very soul. This morning was no different. She snuggled back down into his arms since she wasn't quite ready to get up for the day. The alcove in the cave that they and the rest of their rebel band had sought shelter in wasn't much, but she'd missed waking with Kanan at her side in the time that she'd been back on Yavin IV.

"I'm just glad that you're alright. I was so worried." Kanan thought back to his force visions. He'd been convinced that he wasn't going to survive the rescue attempt. Everything that he'd seen came to pass; well, except the explosion on the fuel pod. Not that he was complaining. How many times had he told Ezra that he couldn't take the visions, and what they showed, as absolutes? "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Neither do I," Hera responded as she pulled one of Kanan's hands to her lips to kiss it. "And I don't want to think about it, Love."

From further up to the entrance of the cave Sabine's voice could be heard as she, Zeb, and Ezra were discussing how they were going to get off of the planet. The attack on Lothal had failed and only Mart and Hera had survived. Suddenly Chopper could be heard beeping and squawking excitedly.

"Whoa, Chop, slow down," Sabine tried to calm the droid as both Kanan and Hera got up to find out what the excitement was all about.

"What's gotten into him?" Zeb at times hated being the only one of the crew of the Ghost who couldn't understand the bugger.

"The factory, it's shut down," Ezra said a bit bewildered.

"What? Why? How?" Zeb asked as he waited for someone to translate the droid for him.

Ryder glanced between Zeb and the droid before turning toward the younger people. "Why would the Empire shut down the factory?"

"The fuel pod exploded?" Kanan walked up and was shocked to hear what the droid was saying. "The fuel pod was still intact when we left last night. No explosions."

Chopper warbled and beeped more as he moved up and down on his servos for emphasis.

"It exploded after we left? How?" Hera asked as she remembered faintly the image of the walkers from the night before approaching where she and Kanan waited for Ezra and Sabine to pick them up. "You don't know? Huh. But if the fuel pod was destroyed, that means-"

"The mission was completed," Kanan finished for her. "Without the fuel pod, the Empire can't manufacture the TIE defenders. Not for a while, at least. They'll have to rebuild."

Ryder gave Zeb a high-five in celebration as the others all cheered. "So, now that the factory is out of commission, the Empire won't have a reason to stay here on Lothal, right?"

Kanan furled his brow as he thought. "I don't know. But I'd be interested in knowing just how this happened. After all, if we are going to get the blame for it-"

"What do you mean?" Sabine asked as she found a small boulder to sit on.

"How else do you think Governor Pryce is going to explain it to Thrawn when he gets back to Lothal?"

"Good point. Pryce will be trying to save herself anyway she can." Sabine then thought back to the size of the fuel pods and realized that if one had exploded it likely would have taken out the majority of the manufacturing section of the Imperial Complex. The Academy and the rest of the Imperial Complex were as far away from the manufacturing section as possible. But that still left the dome with the barracks and the main administrative buildings that it covered. "And-"

Sabine stopped short when she saw the Loth-wolves, who had first brought them to the cave, approach. Since coming here, they had kept their distance from them but now the lead wolf, the white Loth-wolf, was coming and it looked like he had something in his mouth.

When Hera saw the wolves, she eyed those who were around her. She'd rarely seen wolves on other planets as large as these. "Kanan?"

"It's alright. They won't hurt us," Kanan said comforting the woman leaning up against him.

The white wolf walked up right in front of Kanan and laid a rather large slab of rock with images of three hands in different positions carved into it before him.

Ezra stepped closer to look at the slab. "I don't get it. What's this? Where did they get it?"

"Dume," the Loth-wolf breathed out as he settled onto his haunches in front of the Jedi.

"Did he just-" Hera was astounded at what she heard.

"Yeah. These wolves are deeply connected to the force. They know my real name," Kanan said as he knelt and felt along the carving of the stone. He then tilted his head toward the wolf. "What is this? Where did it come from?"

The white Loth-wolf gave a soft growl before answering. "Jedi. Temple."

"Kanan? Do you think that the Jedi Temple is in danger?" Ezra asked in surprise. "The last time we were there the Inquisitors found us."

"Dume, " the wolf spoke once more. "Stop. Empire."

"How?" Kanan asked.

"Together."

Zeb hated it when things got weird like this. "This mean we have a new mission before we can leave this rock?"

"It means that we have a mission while we are trying to figure out how to get off of this rock," Kanan corrected. He then turned his attention to the wolf. He'd take its lead on how to start.

Valour finished her shift of her careful extraction of yet one more cave painting. It had taken weeks to work this painting away from the rock wall that it had been a part of for centuries. Not for the first time, she wondered what the emperor wanted with these paintings. Still, with the level of exhaustion that she was at after her nightly escapade and slipping back into the camp less than a half an hour before her shift started, she felt as if she was literally about to collapse if she didn't get to her bunk as fast as possible.

Valour headed toward the temporary barracks that have been temporary for the better part of a year. As she finally found her bunk and collapsed onto it, she felt a prick on the back of her neck. Almost like she had been bitten by a bug. But she knew it wasn't the result of any bug. Groaning, she sat back up. She wouldn't be getting any of the needed rest that she so desperately craved yet. Kiara headed back outside and glanced around the camp as she tried to figure out what she was supposed to see. Everything seemed normal enough.

Still, as she scanned the mountainside that overlooked the dig site she felt drawn toward an outcropping of rocks. She didn't know how but she knew that the same people whom she'd seen the night before were there behind those rocks. The same individuals who had been in the vision where the Loth-wolf had driven her to help.

"Okay," Valour muttered to herself. "Now what?"

She turned and looked in the direction that those behind the rocks would be able to see. There the sight of the painting of the Mortis gods could be seen. When she heard a howl, one that she'd only ever heard in her visions over the past week, she knew that they were brought here for a reason. She may not know what that reason was, just yet, but that painting was significant. She'd felt it from the moment that it had been uncovered. When the paintings of the Loth-wolves off to the side had been revealed, as well, that was when her dreams had begun to be plagued by them. At first, she'd thought nothing of it. Seeing them had placed a suggestion in her subconsciousness. But as the work continued, their insistence and prominence in her dreams increased.

Valour looked back to the rock outcropping and felt that she'd connected with someone up there on the mountainside. She moved her hand down to her side as she used hand signals to say one word before nodding in the direction of the rocks. She then turned and walked toward the painting. What was she supposed to see? What did it all mean?

Hera used her binoculars and scanned the dig site below. As she looked around the area that appeared to be what passed as the barracks, she spotted a woman who seemed to be looking up directly at her and the others as they hid behind the rock outcropping. At first, Hera thought that she was seeing things. No one could see her and the rest where they had hidden. Then she saw it. The woman's fingers made very subtle gestures, but Hera saw them spell out one word.

Fulcrum.

Then, after an equally subtle nod the woman turned around and was out of sight.

"I don't believe it," Hera muttered.

"What? What do you see?" Kanan asked as he stretched out his senses. Something was different. Familiar in a way. He couldn't explain it but, then again, everything always felt strange each time he'd come to this temple with Ezra in the past.

"One of the Imperials down there. I don't know how she knew we were up here, but she signed that she was a Fulcrum Agent." Hera spun around and sat down facing the rest of her crew, leaning up against the rocks that she'd been tucked behind as she had studied those at the site below.

"How can we be sure?" Zeb asked. "It could be a trick."

"I guess for now, we can't be." Hera looked up and saw that Kanan was still focused on the temple and the goings-ons that were happening below. "Kanan?"

"The Loth-wolf said that we had to work together to stop the Empire. I thought that it meant that we had to work together as a crew. But maybe he meant that we'd have to work with our Imperial contact down there."

"It seems that the Empire is the most interested in that large painting," Ezra pointed out.

Sabine rested her chin on her thumb and forefinger as she thought aloud, "If we can get closer to it, I may be able to figure out what it's all about."

Zeb looked over at a nearby pass and saw some troopers on speeder bikes and was struck by inspiration. "If you are going to go down there, you're going to need some disguises."

Knowing that something was going to happen, Valour's exhaustion seemed to melt away. At least for the time being. She knew that whoever was up there wouldn't be able to just stroll down to the dig site easily. She decided that she may need to help, but she wasn't sure how much she'd be. She went back to the barracks and found some armor.

She never wore it since it wasn't required of her rank or position within the Imperial Department of Military Research but tonight, she was in need of it. She put it on over her clothing. The Empire believed in making sure that there was no individuality within its ranks. That meant that all of the armor was the same size. All troopers were expected to fall within a set size. For some, the armor may fit a little tight, while for others it would be loose. Kiara knew that the designers certainly hadn't thought about how the armor would fit on a female's form.

Once outfitted and blending in with the rest at the site she began her trek up the mountainside. She got up within earshot of those that she instinctively knew were at the rock outcropping and saw a man with a shield of some kind over his eyes. He looked roughly her own age with brown hair that looked as if he'd tried to cut it himself without looking. As she approached, he turned in her direction.

That's when she heard him say, "Someone's here."

A Lasat pulled out a bow-rifle and aimed it in her direction as the two in borrowed trooper armor raised their blasters.

Valour stayed out of sight of the rest as she spoke a phrase that she hasn't used since being transferred to the temple site on Lothal. "A chaser of shadows must first live in darkness."

The Twi'lek raised a hand to her crew to lower their weapons. "Fulcrum?"

Valour took a deep breath. She knew that these people were rebels, but she hadn't known if any of them would have recognized her code phrase. She removed her helmet and stepped forward. "I am."

A Loth-wolf howled in the distance as the crew of the Ghost studied the strange woman for a moment. Finally, Valour spoke once more.

"I see two of you are already prepared to go down there." Kiara tossed her helmet to the blind Jedi, and he caught it as she expected. "You'll need my borrowed armor, too, though."

"And how did you know I'd need to go down there?"

Kiara shrugged as she unfastened the armor from around her clothing. "This was a Jedi temple. You are a Jedi. You are one of the few who actually have a right to be down there. The rest of us? We're invaders. But the Empire is on the verge of finding something down there. You have to beat them to it."

Kanan, Sabine, and Ezra followed their unexpected ally down the mountain path toward the large painting on the wall that had been excavated by the Empire. Valour groaned softly as she saw a few troopers. She said that she'd try to draw them away as she left the Jedi and Mandalorian. Whatever they were going to do they didn't need an audience for it.

"Don't get too close to the rest of the paintings. You'll attract attention. The minister in charge is a bit of a stickler of anyone getting close to or touching them. You'll want to appear unimpressed and bored. Most of those here were transferred here because they had no other choice. They don't want to be here. So, keep your distance. Go the way I told you and you'll get to the primary painting with the Mortis gods." That was the last thing that Valour said as she slipped away.

Sabine was drawn to the paintings that had been removed from their stone facings already. "Well, they're definitely on to something." She pointed to a nearby painting, "There's a language here. Not so much in words but in pictures."

"We saw paintings like these inside the temple."

As Sabine went to kneel down to get a better look Kanan warned, "Remember, don't appear like you are trying to look at the paintings. We can't afford to draw any attention to ourselves."

Sabine huffed a bit but knew Kanan was right. As hard as it may be she walked past the cave paintings that lined her way toward the larger painting. Just off to the side the trio heard as a trooper told an old man, whom it was understood that he ran the project, that he had a message incoming from Coruscant.

Kanan pulled out his comm device and asked Chopper to intercept the transmission so that he and the rest of the crew could listen in.

"We have recently made some remarkable discoveries, my Emperor," the old man could be heard.

The sound of the decrepit Emperor's voice then came over the transmission. "We must discover the secrets of the temple for even now our enemies move against us."

"We have reached the roots of the temple and found some fascinating work. The symbols and iconography are reminiscent of a report I discovered in the Jedi archives."

The trio exchanged glances with one another as they heard the minister in charge inform the emperor of the dig's progress. As Palpatine's voice returned so did the Fulcrum Agent after steering some of the troopers away from them.

"The Mortis gods?"

"Yes, they are the key to unlocking the temple, I am sure of it."

"There has been a great disturbance in the force. Something has altered the fate of Lothal though how I cannot say."

Kanan turned slightly toward the newest ally to his crew. He felt that the disturbance that the emperor was referring to had something to do with his lack of dying last night. His force visions had shown that he was destined to die. The woman standing beside Ezra was the reason he was still alive. He didn't know how he knew, yet, but he did.

"Perhaps access to the temple will provide some clarity, my Lord." Kanan could practically hear the minister grovel before the emperor.

"We must seize the power within; a conduit between the living and the dead. Proceed, Minister Hydan."

"What would the emperor want with a Jedi temple? What kind of power is he seeking?" Sabine asked as she turned toward Kanan.

"I think I can answer at least part of that," Valour whispered as she glanced around to make sure that no one was around. "The emperor is a Sith Lord."

"How-" Ezra started.

"Because only a Sith Lord would have been so determined to wipe out the Jedi," Kanan answered his padawan. "Only the Sith would employ the Inquisitors."

Valour nodded in agreement. "As for what kind of power the temple holds? I don't know. But this temple does seem different than many of the others that I've gone to over the years." When she saw the looks of suspicion on the faces of those around her, she explained, "I was always interested in archaeology when I was younger. I went on a few digs before the Empire. Mostly of temples from long before the Jedi; their predecessors. It's why I joined the IDMR."

"Why would you be interested in stuff like that?" Kanan asked before motioning for everyone to be still and to duck. He sensed a patrol walk by. The four all remained in the shadows and silent until the patrol was long past.

"It's a long story. One that isn't important right now," Kiara said as the voice of Hera came over the comm.

"I don't like it. With the Emperor involved it's too dangerous. We should fall back."

Ezra shook his head as he replied, "No. Because of the Emperor, we have to get involved. We can't let him enter the temple."

"I'm with Ezra on this," Kanan put a hand on his apprentice's shoulder as he answered Hera.

Sabine also was insistent that they had to stay. "They'll crack the code. It's only a matter of time."

There was a pause as Hera mulled over the reasonings that her crew gave.

"Hera, we have to do this," Kanan said softly. "It's what we were brought here to do."

Hera's reply came just as softly. "Go, we'll keep watch. But I want all of you out of there if I give the order."

With it decided, Valour led the others to a small area just below the painting for better cover. Overhead she heard the orders for everyone to pull double shifts. That meant that someone would notice her absence in her designated area soon. Still, she didn't dare leave.

When the flood lights came on the painting was bathed in more light, it gave it an ethereal look to it.

"Can you make anything of it?" Ezra asked as he saw Sabine taken in the full image of the Mortis gods.

"Mmm, I think so."

The small group approached the image as Valour glanced around to see if they were drawing any attention. When Sabine asked if anything in the painting meant anything to Ezra, Valour watched as the young man looked from one part of the painting to another before he pointed toward the owl-like creature on the shoulder of the female deity in the painting.

"Well, I've seen a bird like that before. Whenever Ahsoka visited us on Atollon, it was always nearby." Ezra looked around more and spotted the wolves off to the side. "And look, Loth-wolves."

After taking in the image in front of her Sabine pulled up a holo-image of a slab with three hands carved into it. A hand turned to one side, then another raised to the sky, then finally a fist.

"Where did you get that?" Valour had been the one to first uncover the artifact, but it had disappeared shortly afterwards. She'd been accused of stealing it and trying to sell it on the black market. Despite the fact that no one had been given leave in the time that she had been at the dig site; her included. It had been missing for months, now.

"The Loth-wolves brought it to us," Ezra told the woman. "You know, we still don't even know your name. You only introduced yourself as Fulcrum."

Valour sighed. She wasn't supposed to know any of the names of her contacts just as they weren't supposed to know hers, but things were already far different than things have ever been since she'd first become a Fulcrum Agent. She was supposed to pass on knowledge, not become ingrained in a mission.

"Valour. Lieutenant Valour." She then asked the younger woman, "So?"

"Look. The hands..." Sabine looked from the image of the stone slab to the hands up in the painting. "They're the same on the figures as the ones here on the stone." She then turned the holo-image off before standing and pointing to the images on the wall.

"Well, that can't be a coincidence," Kanan stroked his freshly shaven chin as he thought about the possible meaning.

"So, the hands mean something?" Ezra asked.

"Ezra, it's art, everything has a meaning."

"Especially in places like an ancient temple," Kiara added.

"The painting on the temple is like a star map, but none that I'm familiar with," Sabine continued.

"I am," Valour moved to find more shadow as even more lights seemed to be directed in their direction as the workers began to head their way. They didn't have much more time before the workers would end up in this area. "I've seen similar ones in other temples that I've worked on in the past. No one ever saw them as a map, though. Could be why, whatever power that the emperor is looking for, he still hasn't found it."

Sabine pointed toward the various lines that were near the drawings of each deity in the painting. "Those lines are like paths and the rings are the planets or... or doorways."

"Doorways to what?" Kanan asked in a whisper.

"Who knows?"

"Okay, but which one leads into the temple?" Ezra asked as he stared fascinated up at the images.

"We're about to find out."

Chapter Text

Valour only half-listened to the conversation around her as she focused on the Imperials who were slowly making their way towards them as they prepared for a long night of work. She heard the Mandalorian explain to the Jedi how to potentially open the temple. When she turned back to see the two males approach the painting and touch the hand of the female god, she knew that would gain attention.

"Whatever you are doing, make it fast!" Valour ducked down further and slipped back deeper into the shadows. Moments later troopers approached the Mandalorian as the Jedi slipped down behind some equipment that lined the wall near the painting. Valour was impressed by the woman's ability to bluff her way out of trouble for the most part with the troopers but she was still steered away to be questioned as to why she there. Apparently, the trooper from whom she'd liberated the armor from that she was wearing was overdue for check-in.

As the troopers began to walk Sabine away toward Operations the Jedi could be seen placing their hands on that of the female Mortis god's image once more. Valour was amazed as the lines began to shift in response. The head of the female painted god turned to look off to the side where the Loth-wolves stood, and the older male god's hand changed position to point toward them as well.

How can a painting move? Even more so, it seemed as if it was speaking to them as well.

Valour watched as the wolves moved and then walked off to the side toward a blank section of wall. They then began to move around into a large circle.

"Kanan?" Ezra was a bit bewildered.

"They moved. I know." Kanan said as he moved to walk along the wall in the shadows. "Follow them."

Valour watched in amazement when it appeared that a doorway was opening. "Looks like you've found what the emperor has been looking for."

When the alarms started to sound Valour was about to suggest that they get out of here when the younger man put his hand through the rock. Behind them the Mandalorian said one word. Go. To that the two Jedi stepped through the portal, walking directly through rock, then disappeared.

Valour moved to prevent two troopers from following the Jedi but was stunned by one of the others who approached with Minister Hydan. Sabine watched as her friends disappeared and as her new ally fell to the ground. The old man sneered to have Valour shackled and taken away as he motioned for Sabine to be brought with him. He'd interrogate her himself.

Valour woke with a massive headache and saw that she had been taken toward the small building that she'd yet to go into. The detention area. There was always one at every complex, no matter what kind, within the Empire. Valour looked around and saw that there were two guards stationed outside the room, but they didn't seem to really be paying much attention to her.

Valour looked down to her hands in the restraints that had been put on her while she was unconscious. Knowing that she was going to have an even bigger headache soon, she did her best to concentrate on them. She had to get out of here because the minister would only be distracted but for so long. Once he deemed her worthy of his time, he was bound to deal with her traitorous acts soon enough. And Valour didn't intend to die today.

"Kanan, what is this place? I've never seen anything like it?"

"I don't know," Kanan shook his head. This place felt different. In this place he heard things that he couldn't tell if they were from the past, the future, or even if they were happening now. "Tell me what you see?"

Ezra looked around. "Well, it is just a lot of blackness. Some white lines, paths I guess, to walk along. And there are lots of other... portals? I wonder where they all lead."

The pair passed a portal and Ezra stopped to watch a vision of the rescue of Hera play out before him. He could see Kanan and Hera racing toward the transport that he and Sabine were in. But the events in the portal weren't how he remembered them. Just as Kanan and Hera were about to join him on the transport he saw the walkers in the distance shoot the fuel pod that the two were on.

Ezra watched as the Kanan in the portal used the force to stop the flames from reaching the rest of them. He used the force to push Hera onto the transport and to then send them all away from the fire. When he watched Kanan engulfed in the flames Ezra felt as if he'd been kicked in the gut.

"Kanan! That's not what happened!" Ezra turned to his master and while the man couldn't see, he had no doubt that he knew what was being displayed in the portal.

"I know. But that is how it was meant to happen," Kanan said since he knew that Ezra was seeing the same thing that he'd been shown in his force visions.

"What do you mean this is what was supposed to happen? You can't die!"

"And I didn't. Why? I'm not sure. But I have to say, for whatever reason, I'm grateful." Kanan gave a smile to the younger man as he steered him down the path, past the portal that showed the events of the last night. "Do you see anything else?"

Ezra looked around, being the eyes of his friend and master. "Wait," Ezra spotted the green owl-like creature that he found perched onto another portal as it hooted. He walked over toward the owl with Kanan at his side. "Hey. I've seen you before. Yeah, whenever Ahsoka was around, you were always close by. How did you get here?"

"What's it doing?" Kanan asked.

The owl hooted more and then looked down to the portal that it was perched on.

"The portal is changing," Ezra said as the image of the temple of Malachor came into focus. "No! It can't be! Its Ahsoka! She's battling Vader!" The hooting increased and became insistent. "What? What can I do?" Ezra asked the owl.

Kanan listened to the battle in front of him. That was a day that had changed so much. "Ezra, what-"

In the portal Ezra saw the image of Ahsoka was right in front of him. She had her back to him, and Vader was about to bring his lightsaber down onto her. Acting out of instinct Ezra reached out and grabbed her. He then pulled her through the portal and the two of them collapsed to the path that was the ground in this strange place.

Kiara carefully removed the restraints from her wrists now that they weren't of any use. She paid special attention to make sure that neither she nor the restraints made any sound. She glanced around for anything that she could use as a weapon, but it appeared that the room was chosen for a reason. There wasn't anything in it at all. It was completely empty. She'd even been sitting on the ground instead of a bunk. Kiara made her way silently to her feet as she heard a thud just outside the door. The troopers who had been standing guard were now laying on the ground at the feet of the Lasat as the door opened.

"Am I glad to see you."

"I figured you could use a little help. Hera's seeing about freeing Sabine then will look to see what kind of options we have to get out of here once we can get to the others."

"Kanan and Ezra went through the portal. I'm not sure how to get to them. Sabine was taken to be interrogated by Minister Hydan. As for a ride out of here, let me see your comm device. I can call for my ship."

"You have a ship?" Zeb handed his device over and watched as the woman changed the frequency before she spoke to what sounded like a droid on the other end of the transmission.

"Just come to the site and stand ready. It will be me, a Lasat, a Twi'lek, an astromech, and three other humans. If you see us running, we need you to come in hot with the ramp down."

"Of course, Mistress Kiara. And do be careful."

"Always, Tac."

"Are you?" Kiara closed the channel as she shook her head.

The Lasat chuckled. "I guess this means that I'd best let Hera know about the change of plans."

Ahsoka shook her head and soon realized that she was no longer on Malachor. When she sat up, she saw that she was now in a strange place that was dark with a stark contrast of white lines that provided paths for as far as the eye could see. When she turned, she saw Ezra sitting up as well.

She was about to push herself up when a hand was extended to aid her. She looked up and saw that the hand belonged to Kanan. But he'd changed. Both of them have changed.

"Ezra? Kanan?" Ahsoka accepted Kanan's help as she looked between them. "You look- Wait, what happened? Where am I?"

"You were fighting Vader," Ezra explained as voices could be heard filtering in from the various other portals. "I saw you in there. He was going to- So I- I grabbed you, and I pulled you out of there."

Ahsoka thought about the fight that she'd only moments before been in the midst of. "Anakin." She was lost in her thoughts for a moment before she heard a familiar hooting. "Morai? You're here?"

Kanan released Ahsoka's arm so that she could extend it toward the owl as it flew to its place at the woman's side.

"Morai?" Ezra couldn't remember hearing Ahsoka ever calling the owl by name before.

"She's an old friend. I owe her my life," Ahsoka affectionately ran her other hand along the feathers of the owl, "and now I owe you that as well." After looking around some more Ahsoka asked, "How did you get here?"

"We'll tell you what we know," Kanan said as they began to stroll along the weird pathways. As they walked along Ahsoka commented on how the place was so strange and referred to it as a world between worlds. Kanan figured that was as good of a way to describe it as any. "Now that we're here, though, what are we supposed to do? It seems this place shows not just what has happened but what could happen. If this were to fall into the hands of the Emperor-"

"Everything could be in danger," Ahsoka finished for Kanan. "We can't stay here. You opened the door to this world. Do you know how to close it?"

"Sabine will know," Ezra said confidently. "We can do it together. They'll be so happy to see you."

"I can't go with you," Ahsoka said while shaking her head. She was about to explain why when the voice of the emperor came from a portal behind the trio.

"Perhaps I can."

"Ezra! Get behind me!" Kanan jerked his apprentice behind him as Ahsoka, too, put herself in front of him. The owl squawked in response to Palpatine's image being revealed in a portal.

"Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, and Ahsoka Tano. Mine at last!" The man let out a cackle that could only be described as evil.

Valour crept in behind Zeb as he led the way toward where he'd left Hera. She appeared to be working on the engines of Minister Hydan's transport. For what Valour didn't know. When he explained that Valour had called for her own ship, that they didn't have to swipe one, she asked how soon the ship could be there.

"My droid is just on the other side of that ridge with my ship. He can be here as soon as we call him."

"Good. Now we just need to get to Sabine." Hera climbed out from under the transport.

"I'll tap out a message to her as soon as you're ready," Zeb said as he pulled out his bow-rifle to use to tap out his word of warning.

"Now, Zeb!"

Hera nodded before she motioned for Valour to join her off to the side. Valour was surprised to see the transport tip up to one side as half of the propulsion engines were ignited. Inside, Sabine moved nimbly as the ship turned on its side. She was able to slide down to the entrance and slammed directly into the guard who had been standing watch at the doorway as she jumped out. Spotting her friends Sabine joined them quickly.

"You good?" Hera asked as Zeb helped the young woman to her feet.

"Yeah. We gotta get to the temple painting."

Hera shot a few troopers who moved to intercept them on their way to the painting. They had to move fast.

"What about the others?"

"They're on their way!" Sabine answered Hera. She'd heard that the doorway was changing while she was still inside with the minister.

Kanan and Ahsoka both were quick to use the force to block a weird blue force fire that the Sith sent toward them through the portal. After only a moment of confusion and hesitation Ezra joined the other two. Once the force fire was repelled the Jedi all panted from the exertion.

Ezra asked Ahsoka if she was alright while the Sith Lord could be heard cackling on the other side of the portal.

"Run!" Ahsoka told the men with her as she led the way back to the portal that she had come through. The three ran as fast as they could for what felt like forever. When the force fire caught up to Ezra, it wrapped itself around his legs and started to pull him toward the emperor's portal.

"Kanan! Ahsoka!"

"Show the way, Ezra!" Palpatine guttural voice oozed forth along the blue fire as he pulled the boy towards him. "Help me."

"Ah! He's coming through!"

"Hang on!" Kanan ignited his lightsaber and sliced the force fire as Ahsoka reached to pull the teen back onto his feet. Palpatine pulled his hand back as if in pain and squealed in response.

The three Jedi once more began to run at their top speed. When Ahsoka told Ezra to keep running he asked why she wasn't coming with him; Kanan was the one to explain.

"She has to close off her portal that was created when she came through, just like we have to close ours! Otherwise, he could still use them!"

Ezra hadn't thought about that. He turned to Ahsoka as she prepared to head down the path that would take her to the portal that he'd pulled her through. "When you get back, come and find me!"

"I will. I promise." Ahsoka nodded to both men before she raced down along her own path as they continued toward the one that they had first entered in from.

When it came into view Kanan shouted, "Ready?... Together!"

Both men jumped as one and tumbled as they hit the dirt and rock that told them that they were back at the dig site. Behind them on the wall the painted Loth-wolves continued to run in the circle that had formed the gateway.

"Ezra"

"Kanan!"

Both Sabine and Hera called out to the Jedi as they raced to help them up onto their feet and started to pull them away toward where Kiara's ship was on its way to meet them.

"No! We have to seal the portal," Ezra said and Kanan agreed.

"Ezra's right. We can't leave it for the emperor!"

Zeb and Hera were the only ones who still had their blasters, so they led the way to the painting. Valour watched as the astromech that belonged to the Twi'lek drove an excavation vehicle toward some troopers, sending them running for cover. She fought a laugh as she turned back to watch the Jedi. Zeb, however, didn't hold back his own laughter.

"Chopper's got 'em. Let's move."

"Sabine, which one do we activate?" Ezra asked as he looked up at the painting.

"The son! That one!"

Ezra guided Kanan's hand to join his as they both stood up on a box that had been moved toward the base of the painting. Each placed a fist next to the one painted for the younger male deity.

"Stop them!" Hydan shouted at the troopers around him. He heard the high-pitched tone that told him that the doorway was being closed.

Kanan heard a voice as Ezra saw the eyes of the son in the painting glow red. "The future, by its nature, can be changed."

That was the last thing either of them heard or saw before they both passed out.

Zeb picked Kanan up as Valour and Sabine worked together to drag Ezra between them as they each had an arm across their shoulders. Hera then led the small group toward where a freighter was seen descending from overhead.

"I'm assuming that's our ride?" Hera shouted as she fired her blaster while trying to give as much cover as she could for the others.

"It is." Valour didn't have to wait but a moment for the landing ramp to come within only a foot from the ground as Tac skillfully had the ship hover for her and the others. Around them the rocks all began to tremble, and the ground started to shake. Once they were all onboard, she called to her droid. "Tac, Hurry! Get us out of here!"

Kanan and Ezra both began to slowly wake up and neither knew where they were as they came to. Kanan put his hand to his head as Ezra tried to get to his feet.

"Careful," Zeb said as he stepped forward to steady the teen.

"What happened?" Ezra asked as he let Zeb guide him back onto a bunk that he'd been on when he woke up. It appeared that he and Kanan were in a bunk room of an unknown ship.

"You tell us," Sabine snickered. "The two of you closed the portal then-"

"Where's Hera?" Kanan asked her.

"Outside."

When the two Jedi made their way down the loading ramp of a ship that neither had ever been on before Ezra saw Hera staring off to a flat section land. "Where are we?"

"The Jedi temple," Hera said as she turned toward the two men before she stepped forward and hugged Kanan. She'd been afraid that she would lose him. She wasn't quite ready for that.

"How?" Ezra stared out to where there was no evidence that there had been an Imperial excavation project here only hours ago. "Kanan, it's all gone."

"When we flew out of the dig site the ground just seemed to open up and swallowed everything and everyone. No one else got out before..." Hera's voice trailed off.

Chapter Text

The next morning Valour listened to the others as she sat down near the fire pit that the rest of the rebel cell here on Lothal were sitting around while discussing what their next moves should be. She offered to help them with their need to get off of the planet; she'd send them back to Rebel Command with Tac. The ship had a digital cloak so if they left the orbit from the lower portion of the hemisphere then they should be able to avoid detection since they were unlikely to be visually spotted before they headed toward the hyperspace lane.

"You're not coming with us?" Ezra asked intrigued. "I sort of figured that you would. I mean, you had to blow your cover back there at the temple and all..."

"Anyone who saw what I did back there is currently buried under a few tons of boulders and dirt." Kiara shook her head as she went on, "They won't be sharing anything that they saw. I've been spying on the Empire for nearly a decade and a Fulcrum Agent for five years. It's one thing that I'm good at. And the Rebellion can use every one of us that it can get."

"Five years?" Zeb snickered just a bit. "Kallus wasn't able to last one."

Kiara's interest was piqued at the mention of her friend. She glanced around and suddenly realized that this was the same crew that he'd told her about. And Zeb was the Lasat in question whom he'd spent time with on the ice moon which then sent Alex into a spiral to question everything about his life. She opened her mouth to say something when she stopped. Just outside of the camp she saw something that she swore that she'd never see in the flesh; Loth-wolves. Particularly the white wolf from her visions.

"What the hell?"

Kanan sensed what had drawn the crew's newest ally's attention as Ezra spoke up. "Hey, they're back."

"Back? They've been here before?" Valour asked as she looked back and forth between the wolves and those around her who didn't seem fazed by their presence at all.

"Yeah, they are..." Kanan paused to try to figure out the best word to describe them. "I'd say friends but it's a bit complicated."

The white Loth-wolf stepped forward and spoke just as it had during the visions. "Dume."

Kiara briefly stared in confusion before she muttered, "Can't you say anything else?"

Kanan heard the agitation in the woman's voice. "You've seen him before?"

Valour nearly glared at the wolf who had been the source of her lack of sleep recently. "You could say that. He has visited me in my dreams for nearly a week. He's why I was at the fuel depot the other night."

"Dreams?" Kanan's hadn't thought that any of the Fulcrum were Jedi.

"Before you bother asking, no, I'm neither a Jedi nor Sith." Kiara figured she'd stop that line of thought before it could really gain any traction. "Just someone who tinkers a bit with the force."

Hera then spoke up from her place beside Kanan as he, too, asked another question. "Why were you at the fuel depot?"

"So, it was you?" Kanan thought back to the vision that he'd had prior to the mission to rescue Hera. Events that Ezra had been able to see in the portal at the temple as well. "You were the reason we all got out of there alive?"

The white Loth-wolf spoke up again. "Dume. Together."

Kiara glowered at the wolf. "Why does he keep saying Dume?"

Kanan ran a hand over his hair and smoothed it down a bit awkwardly. "The Loth-wolves have a very deep connection to the force. They know things that most wouldn't know. Dume is my name. Or it was. Caleb Dume. After the end of the Clone Wars, I changed it."

Valour stared at the wolf as Kanan spoke. After a moment she spoke up. "So, he was making sure that I knew who he was sending me to help."

The Jedi shrugged, "I suppose so."

"Well, I, for one, am grateful that you were able to help," Hera said as she caught the unspoken words in the way Kanan had mentioned that everyone was alive thanks to the other woman. She'd have to ask him exactly what he meant by that later on.

Kiara turned her back to the wolves before she looked down at her chronometer. "If I'm going to get back to the complex and make it appear that I walked there from the temple, I need to get going. I'll give Tac the needed instructions to help you until you get to your ship. He'll have to let you onto the ship and fly since otherwise you'd need to have your bio-signature on file. I'll have Tac take me to where a patrol can find me, and he'll return so he can fly you out."

From there she went to where she'd left the Shadow Chaser and input her new orders into Tac's programing. While she still had a bit of time before she really needed to leave it gave her an excuse to leave the Loth-wolves behind. She also took a look at the damaged crystals from her now useless cloaking device. She'd hoped that they weren't as bad as the droid had indicated but she knew better. He rarely exaggerated things when it came to the ship. Still, it gave her something to do during the brief trip to the outskirts of Capital City.

Tac flew low to avoid detection from the planetary monitoring systems and when Kiara deemed it time, he lowered the ramp to allow her to jump out of the ship before she then began her trek toward the Imperial Complex. As she approached the patrol lanes, she went over in her head how best to appear as if she'd just witnessed and lived through the horrible collapse of the excavation of the Jedi Temple. As she saw a pair of troopers she geared up for her moment of hysterics.

"Oh, my gods!" Kiara screamed out as she intentionally stumbled as if she was exhausted. Not hard to pretend since she'd gone nearly two nights without rest minus the brief sleep that she'd gotten after she and the rest had gotten back to the caves on the other side of the planet in the early morning hours. She also started to hyperventilate as she spouted out partial sentences; almost as if her mind was still trying to make sense of what she'd seen. "They're gone! They- The ground- I can't- It just swallowed them all! I- They-"

"Hang on," one of the troopers insisted as he got off from his speeder bike and bent down to help lift Kiara up from where she'd collapsed onto the ground. "Who are you? What's your operating number?"

Kiara fumbled for her identification card. She pulled it out of her pocket as she continued to mutter nearly incoherently. By this time, her self-induced hyperventilation began to take its toll. She knew that she'd be unconscious before the troopers finished calling in their find of her back to the complex. She saw through her dimming vision as the second trooper left his bike and made his way to kneel down beside her along with the first.

Kallus sat in the navigator's chair alongside Rex as they both waited at the coordinates that they'd received from Hera. Firstly, he and Rex were astounded when she'd sent in a message for them to meet her. It was the first time that it had been confirmed that she had survived her crash onto Lothal during the attack on the factory on Lothal. Secondly, he'd been surprised to hear that Hera wanted to meet with them away from Command and had even asked that they withhold the knowledge that she had not only survived but had found a way off of the planet from the rest of the Rebellion for the moment. That piqued his interest and he had willingly boarded the Ghost with the clone captain to meet with the fighter pilot.

Kallus and Rex waited in a comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts. When the rendezvous time arrived, a ship came out of hyperspace right in front of the pair. Kallus was shocked to see that the ship that Hera Syndulla was piloting was the Shadow Chaser. That had to mean that Kiara was there, too, right?

The two ships docked together and Hera and Kanan boarded the Ghost along with the two droids, Chopper and Tac. When the techno-service droid spotted Kallus he happily floated forward to greet him.

"Master Kallus! I'm so pleased to see you again."

Rex snickered as he watched Kallus scowl at the droid's greeting. "Master Kallus?"

"Shut up," Kallus practically growled before he looked just behind the others expecting to see Valour. When he saw no one else would be coming through the airlock he asked Hera, "How did you come into possession of the Shadow Chaser?"

"It's a bit of a story." Hera said as she added, "Just as I'm sure you have one on how you know Tac and his owner."

Kallus nodded, "Valour was the Fulcrum Agent who recruited me." He paused before he added since that just didn't seem to cover his relationship with Kiara well enough, "And we've been friends since our academy days."

"Really?" Kanan sounded quite surprised since, before Kallus became a rebel agent, he'd actually pursued him and Ezra (along with the rest of the Ghost crew) pretty harshly. To think that he had a friend who was a force-sensitive was nearly unbelievable.

"Really," Kallus rolled his eyes as the Jedi seemed just a bit too amused. "Though I'm sure we didn't meet all the way out here to discuss who I am friends with. So why are we here? And why didn't you want to contact Command, just yet?"

Hera led the men toward the common area on the Ghost and began to tell them of how with the factory now out of commission that the crew had decided that they wouldn't get a better opportunity to rid Lothal of the Imperial forces once and for all. However, they also knew that the rebel leadership wouldn't see it that way. So, they were planning to go forward without them.

Kallus thought back to Mon Mothma's refusal to even send an extraction team for any survivors after Hera's squadron went down during the attack on Lothal. No, she nor the rest of the leadership would authorize the kind of bold operation that Hera was suggesting. But to be honest, maybe the bureaucracy would just get in the way. He looked over at the old clone at his side and saw that he was thinking the same thing.

"If we're going to do this, we'll need help. Contacts who could help us pull this off. What do you have in mind?"

Kanan smiled as he knew that the by-the-book officer wasn't going to exactly like what the rest of the crew had already come up with. "Figured we'd call in some of Ezra's friends."

"What kind of friends?" Kallus didn't like that look on the Jedi's face. He'd learned over his time on Yavin IV that when the other man got that look that he and the others were going to perform a mission with unorthodox methods.

"You'll see."

Kiara woke up in the infirmary but was careful not to reveal that she was awake right away. She wanted to first listen to what was going on around her.

"Is she awake?"

"Not yet. As hysterical as the troopers claimed she was when they found her, I thought it prudent to sedate her to give her more time to recover from the shock. From what the troopers who were sent out to the excavation site said, everything is indeed gone. It is as if the ground swallowed everything up."

"If that's true, then how is it that this individual survived?"

"I'm not sure. We won't have answers like that until we are able to interrogate her."

"Wake her up, then. Thrawn will be returning soon, and I need to have at least some answers by the time he arrives. As it is, he'll have more than enough to not be pleased with. I don't need to have yet one more unexplained mystery to hand over to him."

Kiara felt that was her cue unless she wanted even more drugs pumped into her. She made a slight movement, twitched her eyes, and groaned as she pretended to wake up.

"Mmm. Ouch," Kiara moved her hand to where she felt a bump on her head from where she'd fallen after she'd hyperventilated in front of the troopers in her act to convince them that she was hysterical.

"Oh good, she's awake." Governor Pryce looked down her pointy nose as she saw the younger woman stir. "See to it that she tells you everything. I'll be in my office."

Kiara barely controlled the urge to snicker. She supposed that interrogating an allegedly hysterical woman after the elimination of the rest of her Imperial colleagues, disappeared out in the grasslands at the Jedi temple, wasn't nearly as interesting as interrogating helpless rebels who are strapped to an interrogation table. If only the woman knew that she had a rebel before her, unbeknownst to her.

It was just as well. Kiara sat up and began to start her second act to convince the Empire that she was a hapless victim of the events of the night before. She explained that she'd gotten off of her double shift and had chosen to spend her off hours just outside of the dig site so that she could enjoy looking up at the stars; her favorite pastime when she was stationed on a planet that had clear enough skies to do so. She was lying out in the grasslands and had nearly gone to sleep when the ground had begun to shake beneath her. When she'd looked back toward the base for the excavation of the temple the ground had begun to undulate as if it were like the waves of an ocean.

Kiara went back to muttering in a near incoherent manner that the temple must have pushed back; tired of being defiled. She then curled up on her side and the interrogator in the form of a medical officer left her be; convinced that she'd need time to recover from the trauma that she'd endured. Kiara mentally grinned as the man excused himself. She told herself that if she ever needed another career, perhaps she ought to consider entering the dramatic arts.

After several transmissions and meetings scheduled for Hera to meet up with those needed, Kallus walked over toward the Shadow Chaser so that he could ask Tac in private about Kiara before he was to return to Lothal.

"Actually, Mistress Kiara programed me to remain with you until called for," Tac informed cheerfully. "She determined that I'd be more useful to you rather than having me hide the ship for the time that she may need an extraction."

"But if you are here, what if she needs to send out a Fulcrum message?"

The droid tilted its head, "The potential of such a message is unlikely in the foreseeable future. She will be transferred once more which means that for at least three months she will not be able to get out a message, anyway. So, she has instructed me to follow your orders."

Kallus wasn't sure why, but he didn't like the idea of Valour sending her last line of defense, her only means of escape, to him. Hera did say that Valour intended to be ready to help in the planned attack on Lothal. He hoped that meant that he'd be able to speak with her and find out what she was thinking when she changed her droid's programming.

Ezra glanced around as he sat looking around the meadow. He'd come here to meditate. He knew that Kanan and Hera were working to gather the team that they needed to try to free Lothal and were due to return soon. Still, he was worried. He knew that Kanan always warned against taking force visions as being literal but at the same time, he was still alive because that Fulcrum Agent did just that. So clearly, they really could be visions of what was to happen exactly as events were to unfold, if not altered in some way.

Kanan must know that. After all, looking back to before Hera's rescue, Ezra could see that the various conversations that he'd had with Kanan were him trying to pass on last-minute lessons as he accepted the fact that he wouldn't be returning from the mission. He'd not done anything to alter his fate; he'd been willing to lay down his life for the rest of them. He had no idea that destiny was instead being tampered with by another. Was it because he had accepted his fate that the force had stepped in on his behalf?

Ezra shook his head. Even asking the question almost seemed forbidden.

After hearing a soft growl, he looked up to see the white Loth-wolf. He reached out a hand and placed it on the snout of the giant beast.

"You know what is going to happen, don't you?" Ezra leaned forward and placed his forehead against the animal. He stayed there for an undetermined amount of time, connecting with the wolf as he shared yet one more vision, and only looked up when he heard Sabine approaching. It was time. He signaled for Ryder to make the call. Everyone was in place.

Kallus waited for the Imperial forces to step in and attack the small rebel camp after Ryder called for Governor Pryce. She hadn't been able to get there fast enough when she thought that Ryder was betraying the rest of the cell. She'd gathered a relatively small force, believing that it would be enough for the meager resistance that the rebels would be able to mount. And for the most part, Kallus figured that she'd been right to assume that.

At first the small band including the smuggler Vizago and his crew seemed to be more than just a little outnumbered as he approached in the Shadow Chaser. But what she hadn't been expecting was that she was walking into a trap. One with not just the rebels and Jedi standing by when Ryder turned his blaster on the woman, but the large creatures that Kanan had told him about before they had returned to the planet.

He'd only heard about these wolves in some of the local legends. Legends that didn't do the creatures justice at all. They were massive and majestic at the same time. Kallus was glad that the wolves were on his side. Or was he on the wolves' side? The Jedi knew to fall back to the caves that the wolves lived in as soon as it appeared that they were too far outnumbered. When that happened, the wolves came out and began to work their way through the troopers as if they were small prey. When the wolves entered into the fray, the battle on the ground was all but won. That just left the one in the air.

Kallus shot down errant Imperial gunships as the Ghost took out the transport that the governor had arrived at the camp in. With both rebel ships it was really rather simple to overtake the small force that the Empire had brought to eliminate the rebel camp.

He set his ship down near where the Ghost had landed, as well. He left Tac to do the shutdown procedures as he strolled down the loading ramp and walked up to the woman who had wanted him to be shoved out of the airlock the last time that they'd seen one another. Blasters weren't required to keep her in line. The wolves were doing that nicely on their own. She looked downright terrified, but she hid her fear with her disdain for him.

"You disgust me, traitor."

"The day I betrayed your Empire, Governor, was the day I finally stopped betraying myself," Kallus told the woman as he and Ryder steered her toward where Ezra and Kanan were waiting. It was decided that Ezra would take the lead on the day's events. After all, this was his home, and it was for him that many who came to fight today showed up. Out of respect for the young teen.

Pryce rolled her eyes at the former ISB Agent. "You've given up years of service, a promising career, prestige, for what? To join a band of failures who don't stand a chance."

"I think we do," Ezra's voice could be heard as he, Kanan, and Hera stepped out of the Ghost. "Especially with your help."

Chapter Text

Kallus stood over Pryce in one of the few Imperial transports that he and Hera left untouched when they bombed the Imperial ships during the battle back at the rebel camp. They were approaching the Imperial Complex, so he leaned down.

"Now, about those landing codes... And remember, I'll know if they're correct." If it had been anyone else, Pryce may have had a chance at giving the wrong codes but with Kallus being a former high-level intelligence officer he'd be harder to fool with the wrong codes. He'd used the same codes countless times, himself.

"Gladly," Pryce sneered as she took the comm device from Kallus's hand. "The sooner we land the sooner you will be my prisoners."

Kallus shook his head. The woman was so sure that they would all lose. But he knew better. They would win today because they had to. Once they landed Kallus walked right behind the governor with a blaster pointed at her back. He reminded her to take things nice and easy. The fun, however, was really about to begin.

"Attention, all personnel. Protocol thirteen is now in effect." Kallus's voice could be heard over the comm system. "Report to your action stations immediately. Repeat. Protocol thirteen is in effect." After a moment Kallus was forced to add, "Command center to all units. The order is confirmed."

Kiara tilted her head as she heard the announcement over her comm device. That was a voice that she knew well. She smiled knowing that the battle had begun. She looked around and watched as the rest of the Imperials in town around her began to file their way toward the Imperial Dome. She heard something about it being a drill, but she knew better. She took the first chance that she could to slip away. She tinkered with her comm unit and sent a message to the command center and wasn't surprised to hear Kallus's reply as it sounded as if he'd been fielding many queries from various departments regarding the order that he'd sent out.

"I hope you don't mind but I heard you're having a party," Kiara chuckled. "So, should I bring the drinks?"

"Where are you?" Kallus asked into the comm.

"In the city. I was- Uh, oh," Kiara looked up and saw the Chimaera. "Mmm, you aren't going to like this, but have you looked outside lately?"

Kallus could be heard cursing and after a moment he shouted at her through the comm unit, "Take cover!"

Kiara jumped just seconds before a blast rained down where she'd been standing moments before. She looked around but she knew that the buildings around her wouldn't provide any protection from the weapons' fire being rained down from Thrawn's Star Destroyer. She moved on instinct, staying just ahead of certain death as she ran down the street. The buildings all around her began to explode as blasts hit them, sending shards of glass and dust from the pulverized building material all around. Kiara didn't have time to think about what she was doing, she just did it. She avoided the blasts as gracefully as if she were in the middle of a deadly dance until suddenly the blasts stopped.

She panted as she took in the destruction all around her. She then looked up toward the ship overhead and wondered why Thrawn had ceased the bombardment. She had the feeling that she wasn't going to like the answer.

"No!" Hera responded to Thrawn's demand after he'd cut off the transmission as she turned toward Kanan and Ezra. He wanted the Jedi in exchange for the safety of the civilians. "You two can't go. He'll not keep his word and you know it."

"Hera," Kanan pulled Hera toward him. "We'll be alright. We've done things like this dozens of times. It won't be any different this time."

"This is Thrawn, Kanan. You and Ezra can't go."

"Hera," Ezra stepped forward. "We have to. If we don't, and soon, then he'll start to bombard the city again. The clock is ticking."

"Then we'll activate the planetary shield." Hera turned to Sabine. "Talk to me. Tell me how we can get that thing operational."

"We'll have to get down to the generators and to the override switch." Sabine started to lay out a plan, but she knew that there was no way to get down through the dome's worth of stormtroopers to get to the shield generators in the time allotted to them before the next round of bombardments. As she laid out her plan, she caught a glimpse of Kanan and Ezra slipping out of the command center, but she didn't draw attention to them. She just hoped that they knew what they were doing.

Ezra followed right behind Kanan as they made their way toward where the transport that they'd come to the complex in was still waiting for them. As he approached it, he heard the howl of a Loth-wolf and knew it was a reminder of his visions. Taking a breath and swallowing a lump in his throat he pulled his blaster and set it to stun. When Kanan collapsed Ezra stopped and placed his lightsaber in the other man's hand. He wouldn't need it where he was going. Not to mention, Thrawn would have it removed from him anyway the moment he landed on the ship.

"I'm sorry, Kanan. But you'll understand why I couldn't let you go soon enough." Ezra then stood and raced to the transport before his master woke up. He just wished that he would have been able to explain it to everyone. But there just wasn't time.

Kallus fired his blaster as he, Zeb, and Gregor made their way through the dome, fighting practically every stormtrooper that had been stationed here on Lothal, doing their best to make it to the shield generator room.

Hera called to find out where they were since the other team really needed some back up in the generator room.

Zeb pulled out his comm device and fired his own blaster as he responded to her, "We're heading towards Sector GL-44, but you know that plan we had to trap all these stormtroopers in the dome? It just occurred to me," Zeb and the other two men fell back and started to run as they were pursued by dozens of troopers. "We're trapped with all these stormtroopers in this dome!"

Kallus fired more shots behind him as he brought up the rear as Zeb led the way. Over the comm device he heard Sabine giving instructions on ways to help them. As they passed through a blast door it started to close behind them to cut off the route of their pursuers. With the door closed, with the troopers on the other side, Sabine's voice cut through once more.

"You should have a clear path to the shield generator now."

The men then raced at top speed to help the other team to get the planetary shield up. When they got inside the generator room, they all slipped in and ducked for cover. They then proceeded to try to give cover fire for the other team that Rex was leading. It took several moments for the bridge to be extended so that the teams could get to the manual override. It seemed that for every trooper that they shot three more would take its place.

Gregor fired off several shots before he called to his teammates. "Even with that bridge extended, there's just too many of them! We're gonna have to do something drastic."

When Zeb heard that he looked around and saw where several troopers were huddled together as they fired on the rebels. He also spied where Thrawn's assassin was taking cover. "Alright, I'll do it!"

Kallus turned to see Zeb getting a running start. "Zeb! Don't!"

But it was too late. Zeb went flying through the air as he leapt to attack the assassin.

Gregor gasped as he watched the Lasat take on the baby rancor assassin in hand-to-hand combat. "He's crazy!"

Kallus's eyes went wide as he watched his friend in a rare form as he'd yet to see the man fight like he was before. Even when they had squared off during their many encounters when they were still enemies. After a second he turned back to Gregor almost in an accusatory tone, "Well, it was your idea. Come on!"

They used the distraction that Zeb was giving to lead an attack on the remaining Imperials on their level of the generator room. He and Gregor then began to work at the stations to try to bring the shields up. Kallus was pulling up the codes to override the system when he heard a blast and saw that one of the downed Imperials had come to and shot Gregor while the two men were distracted. The clone then picked up the man who shot him and tossed him over the bridge that they were on.

Kallus ran over to help the other man as he began to slump to the floor only to be shoved off. Gregor groaned in pain but pushed Kallus toward the controls where he'd been working seconds before.

"Get that shield up!"

Kallus heard that they needed to activate the shield now, but Zeb was still down in the coils. "Zeb?"

"Don't wait on me!" Zeb said from down below. Kallus couldn't see where the other man was but could only hope that he was out of danger as he pressed the final sequence to start up the shield generator. As the coils all began to fire up Zeb finally came into view. He was safe.

With the shield up he bent back down over Gregor to check on his injury. As Rex ran to his old friend's side Kallus knew that the man didn't have much time left. He stood and stepped back so that the two clones could speak in as much privacy as they could for their final goodbyes. Rex took Gregor's hand in his own and leaned in to hear his old friend.

"It was an honor to serve with you, Rex," Gregor's voice came out labored. "It was an honor to fight with you for something that we chose to believe in."

Rex had seen so many of his brothers die over the years, but it never got any easier. Still, he felt compelled to comfort Gregor with a smile; he could grieve the loss of his friend after. "We did it, Gregor." In his hand, Gregor's hand went limp and slipped from his own. He was gone. Rex placed the man's hand on his own chest as he whispered once more, "We did it."

Kallus didn't have any words that he thought would comfort the man. Instead, he stepped forward and put a hand on the old clone's shoulder as he bade his friend farewell.

Kiara finally got to the Imperial Complex and made her way toward the outer hanger. That's when she saw him. She ran over to where Kanan was sprawled on the ground just as he was beginning to come around.

"Kanan, what happened?" Kiara helped the blind Jedi sit up.

"I-" Kanan realized that Ezra's lightsaber was in his hand, so he stretched his senses out and realized what had happened. "Ugh- Ezra!"

"I don't understand."

Kanan stood, clipping Ezra's weapon to his own belt, and rubbed his head as he felt the lingering side effects of being stunned beginning to subside. Kiara helped to hold him up when he started to sway on his feet. "He shot me. He went to Thrawn's ship alone. I have to figure out a way to help him."

Kiara looked up and saw the star destroyer preparing to rain fire onto the city again. "I think you're too late for that."

As the ship's guns fired the planetary shield was activated at the last moment. "Looks like Sabine and the others were able to get the generators working again. And just in time, too."

"Good. I was down there during the last round. They wouldn't have survived anothe-" Kiara looked up and while she didn't see anything, she just knew that something was about to happen. "Kanan?"

"I sense it too. Tell me what you see?"

Kiara stared up at the sky for what seemed like for several moments until she saw large masses break through the clouds and headed toward Thrawn's ship. "I see large creatures. Dozens, maybe more. Like large sea animals, tentacled, but they swim through the air. They are ramming the ships overhead."

"Purrgil." Kanan shook his head in disbelief. "This has Ezra written all over it."

"Purrgil?" Kiara watched as the massive creatures began to wrap their tentacles around the ships. She'd never seen anything like them.

"Ezra must have called for them," Kanan dug around into his pockets as he searched in vain for his comm device. "Where's my comm?"

Kiara glanced about the ground and saw where it must have landed when the teen stunned his master. She bent to pick it up, "Found it." When she placed it in Kanan's hand she glanced up and saw the purrgil begin to change. "Uh, what does it mean when they begin to glow like that?"

"They're glowing?" Kanan pressed the button on the comm device. "Ezra! You've got to get out of there!"

"I'm sorry, Kanan. I can't do that. I have to see this through to the end." Kiara heard the other members of the crew start to plead with Ezra. Each of them begging him to get off of the ship before it was too late. "This is what I was meant to do. I know that now. And I couldn't let you do this with me. You'll find out soon enough why. But know that there was no other way. I'll miss all of you. Remember, the force will be with you, always."

With that, the purrgil left the system and drug every last Imperial ship with them. The skies were completely clear of all traces of the Empire. The comms were all silent as the rebels all stared up at the sky in disbelief. It was Wolffe who broke the silence.

"Um... Was that the plan? Because we're all clear up here. There are no Imperial ships left."

Over the comm Sabine could be heard giving orders to finish the plan. For Ezra. Kanan told Kiara that they planned to launch the dome.

"That means we need to get as far away as we can, and fast." Valour heard the comm come to life once more and this time it was Tac who came through.

"I believe I can assist with that, Mistress Kiara."

The Shadow Chaser came into view and made a beeline toward her and Kanan with the boarding ramp already extended. Both jumped aboard as the ship then began to fly to a safe distance away from the Imperial Dome. By the time that they reached the cockpit of the old freighter Kiara saw that the Ghost, too, was flying away to get to a safe distance.

Once the Dome was flown over the ocean of Lothal the self-destruct was activated. It was over. With the exception of a few soldiers who hadn't been in the dome, the planet was free of the Imperials. As the debris fell over the planet's surface the civilians began to cheer for the rebels who had fought for and freed the planet. Emboldened, they even began to round up the few Imperials who had survived the battle.

The Shadow Chaser and the Ghost both sat down just outside of the city and Kanan quickly ran down the loading ramp to meet with his family. He raced from one cockpit to the other and heard Hera giving out orders already trying to figure out how to find Ezra. That was when Chopper announced that he had a message for all of them. Kanan listened as a holo-message was played. Kiara slipped in the back of the bridge as an image of the young man came to life.

"If you're watching this recording, then I owe you an explanation. There were several paths in front of me. While this wasn't the one I wanted to take, it's what I had to do." The image of Ezra looked down before he continued. "Kanan, that's something that you taught me. You didn't run when you thought that you may have to make a sacrifice for the rest of us. A Jedi does what the will of the force wants; not always what we want." Ezra scratched his head nervously. "Zeb, you can have the top bunk back. For now. Hera, I, uh, left a meiloorun in your cabin. I hope it's still your favorite. Sabine, don't forget... I'm counting on you."

Ezra could be seen taking a deep breath before he addressed his master again. "Kanan, I know that when you agreed to train me, you had doubts. Both about me and about your ability to train a wild street rat like me. But you became more than just my friend and Master. You became like a father to me. And one that I didn't deserve at times. If I had to choose a family, I couldn't have picked a better one than the one that you and Hera gave me. You told me that you didn't think that you had anything left to teach me. But you were wrong. Every day you taught me lessons even when you didn't know it."

Ezra looked directly at the camera and said one last thing. "I'm going to miss you all. I can't wait to come home."

Chapter Text

Kiara felt like an intruder as the crew listened to the message that the younger Jedi had left behind. She slipped back outside, and she watched as several Loth-cats darted along the tall grass of the meadow where the ships had landed. She'd have to leave soon if she were going to leave Lothal on one of the few ships that the Imperials had to evacuate the remaining staff left on the planet. She leaned against the loading ramp support and allowed herself to zone out for a bit. After a few moments, though, she heard someone walking down the ramp.

"There you are," Kallus said as he spied his old friend whom he'd not seen since the night he'd first been accepted into the ranks of Fulcrum. "I was almost afraid that you'd already left."

Kiara turned and smiled with a small laugh. She stepped forward and raised her hand to brush the beard that Kallus had grown out while with the rebellion; replacing the mutton chops that he'd had when she'd last seen him. "Now this looks much better."

"I'm glad you approve," Kallus chuckled.

He moved closer and pulled the woman into a hug, grateful that after being concerned for her for nearly a year that he was finally able to see that she was safe. She leaned into the hug and tucked her head under his chin as Kallus rested it on top. The two remained in comfortable silence for several moments. When Kiara pulled away, they both turned to look toward the city.

"I have to head back soon. Otherwise, I'll miss the transports when they leave Lothal."

Kallus eyed Valour and raised a brow. "You sure you want to go back? If you don't, the Empire will just assume that you died in the dome."

Kiara shook her head. "I wouldn't be much use to the Rebellion if I don't go back. In fact, I could be a bit of a hindrance. The last thing that the rebels need is for their computer systems to fritz out when the Empire shows up to attack." Kiara stared toward the city as she spoke. "It's something that I have to do. I can do more good by going back."

Kallus nodded. He may not like the idea of her returning but he understood her reasoning. The rebellion needed as many eyes and ears within the Empire as they could get. He had been a set for the time that he could. His time as a Fulcrum had been brief, however, Kiara had already been working as one for several years now. Yet she didn't feel that she'd done enough. He felt that he needed to say something, but he wasn't sure what. Instead, he started to walk in step with her as she slowly began to make her way back toward the city.

"What if you asked Kanan to help you train?"

Valour glanced over her shoulder toward the Ghost. "He will need time to heal. Training someone like me wouldn't help with that. Not right now."

Kiara became lost in her own thoughts for several moments before she heard the howl of a Loth-wolf once more. She paused in mid-step and turned to see a pack running nearby. The leader of the pack, the white Loth-wolf, turned and seemed to stare at her.

"Before I go," Kiara spoke up as she started to chew on her lip. "I need to tell you something, Alex."

Kallus raised a brow as he waited to hear what Valour had to say.

The crew of the Ghost and the rest of the rebels on Lothal spent the next several weeks waiting for the Empire to retaliate against the planet after the attack that they had led on that fateful day. But it seemed that with the loss of not just the Imperial Complex on the planet but also the entire Seventh Fleet, a counterstrike was decided pointless. Retaking the backwater world offered little now. Not only had Thrawn's factory project been lost but the man himself was nowhere to be found. Still, while they waited, the rebels helped to teach the civilians the best that they could so that they'd be prepared if the Empire did decide to strike back.

Eventually, though, they would need to return to Yavin IV. Kallus flew the Shadow Chaser with Wolffe, Rex, and Mart onboard while the crew of the Ghost chose to wait a bit longer before they would fly back together. The absence of Ezra was still a fresh and raw sore spot for them all. The rest of the rebels knew that they needed time to heal together; to mourn the absence of the youngest member of their family. While all of the rebels felt the loss of the younger Jedi, it wasn't in the same way that the crew of the Ghost would feel.

As they approached the jungle moon Kallus sent in his clearance code and then chose to let the young teen land the ship. Mart, while still quite young, was an able pilot and had even accompanied Hera as a member of her squadron during her doomed attack on the factory on Lothal. In fact, other than Hera, he'd been the only survivor. For a boy of such a young age, he'd seen much and had lost his entire family to the Empire. Kallus had learned that the boy's uncle had been the one to sacrifice his life to destroy one of the Interdictors during the battle of Atollon. After hearing that, Kallus had taken to befriending the younger man.

As the Shadow Chaser landed Kallus watched as the younger man took the ship through the shutdown procedures. He hadn't had to correct the boy at all. He'd only watched him, and Tac, fly the ship once and already he'd committed the process to memory.

"Impressive. I suppose I know where to come if I end up needing a co-pilot," Kallus put a hand on the boy's shoulder as he then stood to head down to the loading ramp along with the other rebels who had flown in with him.

Mart smiled as he followed the other men down the ramp. He was left behind, however, when the men were told that Mon Mothma was waiting to speak with them in the Command Center.

Kallus walked with the two clones to meet with the higher leadership of the Rebellion on Yavin IV. He, and they, knew that they wouldn't be pleased about the unauthorized attack on Lothal. Still, there was little that they would really do to them. So, he wouldn't be put in command of a mission for a while. He could live with that because, right now, there were no Imperials on Lothal. Even if the win would only be temporary, it showed the galaxy that the Empire could be beaten back. That win could also go a long way toward boosting the morale of those within the Rebellion.

Kallus was quick to point that out as Mon Mothma berated the men regarding their recent unauthorized mission. In fact, he'd learned on his way back to the jungle moon that after the decisive win on Lothal, there had been an increase in recruitment to the Rebellion. People didn't want to join if they thought that they were choosing to back a side that had no hope of winning. Kallus had even learned that his and the others' actions had encouraged others to take on their own personal unauthorized missions. That one large win on Lothal gave others in the galaxy hope.

And hope was priceless.

Valour stepped off of the transport as she took in the base where she'd now be stationed at. She wondered how long she would be stationed on this planet. She'd been transferred closer toward the Mid-Rim Worlds. Trilex was a smaller world that had long since fallen into the market of several vices. The more that the Empire tightened its hold on the planet to regulate those vices the more it seemed to thrive. In fact, to Kiara, it seemed to be more of a symbiotic relationship. With each clampdown on the people of the planet the more drugs and other recreational activities were sold to take the minds of the people off of their troubles. Then the more the Empire took a cut out of the profits.

One thing that Valour was surprised to learn was that just like on Lothal, the Empire had another archaeological dig. Apparently, the Emperor had sent out numerous teams to countless planets. She supposed that he was hoping that another temple like the one on Lothal could be found. Where there is one, it only seemed to be reasonable that there could be another. But the one on Trilex was hidden in plain sight. The Imperial Dome had been built directly over the dig site. So, the civilians of this world had no idea what was taking place, just on the outskirts of the main city of the planet.

Valour waited as she listened to the droning of the transfer procedures. It was nothing that she'd not heard before. She could practically rote it off by memory. She then headed to the cabin that she'd be sharing with seven other individuals. She sat down on one of the bottom bunks and leaned back. She was given the evening rotation today to head down to work at the dig site more than eighty flights below the dome, deep into the heart of the underground.

Kiara stared at the bottom of the bunk above her and wondered how everyone was doing after the battle of Lothal. She hadn't been able to hear of what had happened after the evacuation of the planet. She figured that for such a small and insignificant planet that far away from the core worlds few of her colleagues would be interested in gossiping about it. Though, if the dig here on Trilex had anything to do with the one that had been on Lothal, perhaps there may be some information that she could glean once she went down for her shift.

Kallus was in the Command Center when the report came in regarding the squadron who had gone in search of more information about a secret weapon that there were rumors circulating about. While the squad had been able to get a message with the plans to Operation Stardust out, the whole team was lost. A strange hush fell over the entire Communications Room of the Command Center as each took in the news.

Kallus left the room as it remained humming with activity. So many were sharing what they knew or thought that they knew had happened, so rumors abounded. He didn't really want to listen too closely. Didn't want to but it was hard not to. Especially when reports came in that the transport that had intercepted the plans that had gotten out before the squad had died was carrying the princess from Alderaan. The same transport that had been seized by the Empire as it passed by one of the worlds on the outer rim. Though Kallus couldn't figure out why they had gone there. Likely enough, it had been a random jump to try to lose their Imperial tail. A gambit that hadn't been successful.

After the evening meal with Rex and others, Kallus decided to head a little ways into the jungle for an evening hike to clear his mind. He was surprised that the crew of the Ghost still hadn't left Lothal. He'd contacted Zeb and he said that they likely would be about another week before they planned to head out. They were helping Ryder and the others on the planet with setting up a new planetary defense network. Sabine's invention, no doubt.

As he made his way toward the jungle's edge he turned as he heard someone coming up behind him. Kallus wasn't surprised to see the younger man and he nodded and smiled at him.

"Mind if I come along?" Mart asked as he finally caught up to the former ISB Agent. He'd found that he enjoyed hanging out with the man since they'd returned to Yavin IV. He also felt that he could learn a lot from the man who had gotten to such a position within the Empire. And he admired the man for risking so much to become a rebel.

"You're always welcome, Mart." Kallus shifted his small pack that he always carried into the jungle. It was something that he'd been trying to instill in the younger man. Even though they didn't plan to go far it was best to take at least a small amount of supplies should they get caught out in the jungle overnight. Taking in the lack of a pack as Mart approached, he figured that the lesson had yet to take root. "Though I thought that you would be training with Rex. Aren't he and Wolffe working with some of the newest recruits?"

Mart made a face as he thought of the newest recruits. Some former stormtroopers who had defected to the Rebellion. "Train with the former troopers? No. I don't think so."

"Because they are former Imperials?" Kallus asked with a bit of amusement since if that was the case then why was he so willing to shadow after him?

"Are you kidding? No. It's because Wolffe and Rex will have their hands full trying to teach them how to actually shoot their blasters!" Mart then laughed as he did his best to imitate Rex. "The Empire may have taught you to become stormtroopers, but I'll teach you how to become soldiers."

Kallus laughed at the boy's impression of the clone. "It still wouldn't hurt for you to learn how to fight with a blaster. You may be a pretty decent pilot, but you won't always be in an X-wing when you need to go into battle."

"I know. I just figured that there's got to be a better way to learn than shooting at targets." Mart slipped in beside Kallus as they picked their way through the underbrush.

"You want to skip the steps that you feel aren't as necessary just because they don't seem as fun," Kallus snickered. He remembered being the teen's age. "But you can only build up your skills by doing the boring stuff first. You want the skills; you have to put in the work."

Mart looked down and thought for a moment, "I just would rather find a different way to do it."

Kallus chuckled. "Okay, I have an idea. You work with Rex on your target practicing and in two weeks' time, if Rex says that you've been working hard then we'll head in toward the other Masassi Temple a couple hours away from here, and we'll go hunting. There are some large beasts that some of the others have brought in to help add to the food storages."

"Hunting?"

"Putting that target practice that you seem to find so boring to good use," Kallus said with smile. "Maybe by then Zeb will be back. He's the real hunter. He and I went out shortly after I first came here to the moon."

Mart's brows went up in excitement. "You mean it?"

Kallus nodded. "But only if you agree to take your training with Rex seriously. Knowing how to fight with a blaster could end up saving your life, one day."

Mart thought about having to join the ex-stormtroopers with their target practice training and groaned. But, if it meant that he'd get to join Kallus on a hunting trip, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Chapter Text

Kallus woke up with a sense of déjà vu. It was still about an hour before he was due to wake up to get ready for his shift in the Command Center, but the alarms were blaring in warning. He got up from his bunk and went over to his refresher unit in his quarters and splashed his face with some cold water to help wake up and get his mind functional. He then headed out to see what had caused the alarms to sound.

Once in the Command Center Kallus heard that the plans to the Death Star and the princess had been recovered and brought to the Rebel Command Center. When he got to his station, he saw that a small blue R-2 astromech droid was hooked up to a diagnostic machine. The center filled with the various rebels as they began to man their stations as the base came alive with a veritable hum of activity. The fighter ships were all prepared for battle and the pilots were sent to be briefed on the impending fight; particularly regarding the new super weapon that was heading their way. A weapon that had obliterated Alderaan with one blast. The entire planet and all its people were just gone. The only survivors were those who hadn't been on their home world when it happened.

With all of the chaos, there was one thing that he wanted to do. He went in search of the boy whom he'd started to take to. A young man who sort of reminded him of himself when he was that age. The young man who's only family was now the Rebellion thanks to the Empire. Kallus finally found Mart and spotted him as he was dressed and ready to head off into battle in his X-wing. He was in the briefing led by General Dodonna.

"The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the starfleet." The older general paced back and forth as he shared the limited information that he had to pass on to the young pilots gathered. "Its defenses are designed around a direct large-scale assault. A small, one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense."

Kallus then heard one of the fighter pilots ask a question. "Pardon me for asking, sir, but what good are snub fighters against that?"

"The Empire doesn't consider a small, one-man fighter to be of any threat," General Dodonna had the display change on the screen to show a smaller section of the massive weapon to show an exhaust port for the approaching Death Star. "...or they'd have a tighter defense. An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station. The approach will not be easy. You're required to maneuver straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point."

The display came to a stop to show a simulation of a hit of the exhaust port as he continued. "The target area is only two meters wide. It's a small thermal exhaust port right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station. Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes."

Mart shook his head. He knew that he was one of the youngest pilots, but he couldn't help but speak up. "That's impossible, even for a computer."

That was when a young man not much older than Mart whom Kallus had yet to see at the base countered answering, "But it's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-16 back home. They're not much bigger than two meters."

Dodonna regained the attention of the pilots before he addressed them one last time, "Then man your ships, and may the Force be with you."

As the pilots all stood up and grabbed their helmets Kallus stepped forward to wish the young man good luck. He slipped around the other pilots and placed a hand on Mart's shoulder.

"Give them hell, Mart. And when you get back, we may have to move up that trip a bit. I'm sure I can ask Zeb about a different place to go for it."

"Speaking of, will the Ghost get here in time to join in the fight?" Mart asked as he slowly made his way to the X-wing that he'd been assigned.

"No. Lothal is just a bit too far away for them to get here in time to help with the battle. But you'll be able to see them soon." Kallus glanced around and saw just how many of the pilots who were climbing into their ships weren't much older than the boy in front of him. "They'll help with the evacuation of the base."

"Oh," Mart looked down since he would have felt better to be flying into battle with Hera since she'd taken him under her wing and taught him so much about flying against the Empire. When he'd first met her, he'd been using cargo to bomb light cruisers. Now, he was about to go fly against something that no one on the moon had ever seen before, much less fought against.

"I'll be on the comm channel listening," Kallus said as he tried to encourage the young man. "And I'll be here as soon as you get back."

Mart gave a nod before he turned and climbed up the ladder to board the X-wing.

In the Communications Room back at Rebel Command Kallus listened as the fleet approached the Death Star. The room was crammed packed, with more than just those who would be assigned to monitor the traffic of the rebel fleet. Everyone knew that if the small rag-tag group of fighters didn't succeed then there was no escape. There would be nowhere to run. The Rebellion's very survival was heavily dependent upon the next half hour.

He did his best to remain detached as the lights on the screen showed their own pilots as they neared the Death Star with less than a quarter of an hour before the moon would be in the weapon's range. As the fighters began to engage the enemy, Kallus studied the Imperial strategy and deciphered what he could and passed along his knowledge to the pilots so that they could be made aware of what to expect. He was so busy with staying in the moment, monitoring enemy movements that the rest of the room around him seemed to fall away.

Dots on a map. From this far away that's what they were narrowed down to.

Over the comm system the various pilots began to call in rapidly once the TIE fighters were sent out to intercept the Rebel fighters. They began to pick the fighters off one at a time. Kallus's attention was split between his assigned duties when he heard Mart call out over the radio that he'd picked up a tail. He was going to try to shake him by flying swiftly down to the surface of the Death Star and pull up at the last moment. The TIE that he had on his tail, however, seemed to know what he was going to do. The enemy fighter fired upon the X-wing. That was when that dot on the map faded away.

Kallus closed his eyes as he realized that the young man was gone. For the next few moments, Kallus continued on robotically. His Imperial training must have kicked in. He carried on in a detached manner that, looking back later, sort of frightened him. The dots on the map were all that he concentrated on. Those dots no longer represented men and women. The approaching weapon on the map was reduced to a challenge; one that he had little effect on as it approached. The countdown clock on the display didn't represent how quickly the end of his own life was approaching.

Dots on the map. Just dots on the map.

Finally, the clock had counted down to zero. They were out of time.

Kallus pulled back from the display. It was over. But then it wasn't. A pilot made his last approach after a freighter pilot shot at the TIEs who had been on his tail. He shot his proton torpedoes, and they went in.

Kallus watched as the last dot, that massive one that represented the Death Star, faded from the display.

The room erupted in cheers of jubilation. They had won. Kallus heard the others around him begin to pat one another on the back and jump around in joy. Kallus gave brief nods to his superiors and then left the communications room.

Why did it seem that the only way to win battles lately was to lose those whose lives had barely begun? Back on Lothal it had been Ezra. Here, it was Mart. Not just him, either. There were many whom he may not know the names of. But Mart, he'd known him. Had just less than an hour ago told him that he'd be waiting right here when he got back and that they'd make plans to go hunting. Now, he was gone, and he didn't even have a family left to mourn him.

Kallus went to his quarters. He'd let the rest celebrate. He didn't have it in him to celebrate when he knew what the cost of victory had been. Once in his quarters he sat down on his bunk and wondered when a single death started to affect him so much. He'd known death in one form or another for most of his life. Now, the sting just hit a bit harder. Was it because the loss had been of one so young?

Again?

For the next several hours, while the base was in a jovial mood, everyone began the process of loading all available ships to evacuate. The equipment was first to be loaded up and the people would be as soon as one last event took place. A celebration of the win against the Death Star in the form of an award ceremony to honor the pilots who worked together to blow the battle station up. All personnel will be attending.

The crew of the Ghost arrived just before the ceremony. They, too, would be assisting in the evacuation process. Kallus knew that a contingency plan always was in place in case of an emergency where the base must be abandoned. The next temporary base for each team had been chosen in advance and all that would be needed would be to head there to get it set up with the equipment and staff. Though just setting it up would likely take some time. Kallus knew that a more permanent base would still be searched for until a better location could be found.

He looked around the hanger as he walked out of the Shadow Chaser after helping a few of the lower ranked members get set up in the extra quarters in the ship. He took Kiara's quarters and gave up his own for the others for the time being. It didn't feel right to have strangers take up residence in her cabin. He'd be transporting several on his borrowed ship. They would begin the evacuation as soon as the ceremony was over. Kallus headed toward the large amphitheater area of the temple where it would take place. As he neared it, he saw the clones were speaking animatedly with a young pilot who was new to the base. Kallus had seen him at the briefing before the attack on the Death Star.

"I should have known that it was a Skywalker at the helm of that ship!" Rex exclaimed as he clapped the back of the young man that he was speaking with. "I served under your father. General Skywalker was the best of the best. It was an honor to serve under him. And the stories I could tell."

Kallus shook his head as the older man started to steer the young pilot toward where he'd be asked to wait until the ceremony started. That clone is going to fill that boy with so many stories right off of the bat that he's going to feel overwhelmed. Still, he'd not seen Rex seem so excited in a long time. Not since Gregor.

Off to the side standing back near where the young pilot was being steered toward, the former ISB Agent spotted another individual. One whom he'd been relentless in pursuing years ago when he was still a new agent. He'd been a deserter who had become a smuggler. Kallus remembered the investigation and the pursuit of the man well. Apparently, so did his co-pilot since it was the Wookie who became vocal upon recognizing him. Likely enough, he remembered his scent.

Kallus paused before he guided his steps toward the pair. "Solo."

The other man eyed him before snickering. "Of all of the places that I figured that I might run into you again, this would have been among the last on the list."

"I could say the same to you." Kallus smirked since he knew that they shared a similarly jaded view on the galaxy for good reasons. "But here you are; and a hero of the battle, no less."

"I ain't never been, nor do I ever plan to be, a hero." Han said as he rolled his eyes. "I was just here for a job. I dropped the kid and the princess off and was on my way out."

"And yet you are here because of your actions during the battle. Which means that you didn't exactly leave the way you had no doubt planned." Kallus laughed. "Let me fill you in on a secret. Once you get involved with these rebels, you'll find it hard to walk away. And eventually, you won't want to. Like it or not, you've now become a rebel, yourself."

Han Solo shook his head. "Don't bet on it."

"We'll see," Kallus said with a knowing smile as he turned and headed further into the amphitheater. He slipped through the massive crowd that had assembled for the festivities to celebrate the victory over the Empire. He spotted Garazeb with the rest of the Ghost crew, so he made his way to join them. When they spotted him, they greeted him warmly.

"Kallus! Good to see you made it through alright. Have we got news for you-" Zeb was going to go further about the news that Hera and Kanan had shared with the crew on the way to Yavin but stopped when he noticed that his friend didn't look as jovial as the others around them. "Wait. What's wrong?"

"We lost Mart. He didn't make it."

The others of the crew looked down as they heard the fate of the young teen. Zeb put a hand on Kallus's shoulder in comfort as he nodded his understanding. "He was a good kid."

The others didn't really know what else to say. Instead, they all took their seats and waited for the victory ceremony to begin. There were speeches given by the various leaders of the rebellion, including the princess who had been so instrumental in delivering the plans to the Imperial Mass Weapon. The final event on the agenda of the ceremony was to give medals to the pilots who were responsible for the destruction of the Death Star; the young man that Rex had been speaking to when Kallus had passed him earlier as well as the freighter pilots whom Kallus once had been in charge of tracking down. The princess, herself, awarded the medals of thanks to the men. When the men turned around, the entire room showed their appreciation for their skills in the battle against the Empire with their applause.

When the ceremony was over, however, the base became quite hectic as each ship waited for their turn to take off and head toward the new bases. One on a distant planet that his ship was assigned to set course for. Kallus sat in the captain's chair of the Shadow Chaser with Wolffe at his side in the navigator's chair. He'd be helping to transport about a dozen individuals. The cargo hold of the ship was also packed with equipment. Kallus had left Tac to supervise the rest of the ship. Kallus wasn't really in the mood to interact with too many people.

It was one reason why he'd asked Wolffe to help him in the cockpit. He wasn't as likely to keep a running commentary as the other clone. Especially since the other man has met the son of his former Jedi General. It seemed that the stories that Kallus had once found fascinating were losing their appeal now that everything reminded the clone of yet another incident where he and his brothers had face certain death if it hadn't been for his General's unorthodox methods.

Kallus waited for his instructions and made the first jump on their way to their new temporary rebel home. He hated to see that his time on the jungle moon had come to an end and hoped to be able to return again someday.

Chapter Text

Valour knelt at her station as she began to carefully remove the dirt and grime from the artifact that had been uncovered earlier that day. As she removed debris layer by layer, she was startled to see that the same rings that had been found on the painting in the Jedi temple on Lothal were here on this painting. Could it mean that it held the same ability to enter into the world between worlds that the Jedi had been able to access?

Kiara put her brush down as she stared at the small indication of the rings in front of her. She cast a glance around her to see if anyone else had noticed them. If they did, they didn't seem to understand their significance. After all, she was the only one who witnessed the temple's activation on Lothal and survived it. And she certainly hadn't put everything that she had witnessed or knew in her report that she'd filed after the events that occurred there.

She debated with herself as to what she should do. She didn't know for sure if this temple was like the one on Lothal, but she did know one thing; if it was, then the emperor mustn't get ahold of the power within it. She grabbed her scraping tool and silently begged forgiveness from whatever forces were listening as she used it to start chipping away at the section of the ring that was in front of her. These temples were all intricately designed, and she could only surmise that the smallest bit of damage could prevent access to the knowledge within. She knew she couldn't do much. Not all at a single time but she hoped that a few bits in various locations removed could put a fly in the ointment.

At the end of her work shift she took in her work. She'd been able to disguise her sabotage to the painting pretty well. At least she thought she had. Once the overseer of the project examined her section of the painting Kiara would know if she had hidden her added flaws well enough. She grabbed her work tools and brushed off the top layer of dirt from her grimy uniform. It would be a long trek back up to the surface and she couldn't wait to remove the grime from every pore of her body. A hot shower was definitely in order.

Today was also a special day. She'd been here at her new posting for just over three months, now. That meant that she could leave the base with a pass. And she knew where she was going to go, too. There was a bar not far from the base where many of the Imperials would go to get out messages to their loved ones. Quite a few of them would also meet up with them on their leaves there. It was the best choice that she had to get a message out as to where she was at. She couldn't send out a Fulcrum message from there, but she could contact her ship to check in.

Kiara rode the impossibly slow lift as it ascended toward the surface. The section that she was assigned to work on was so far beneath the surface that it took more than half an hour just for the lift to take her to the main level of the Imperial base. The crust of dirt that she'd been able to ignore for most of the day became quite cumbersome as she shifted and moved around as the rest of her colleagues waited to ascend to the surface with her. Once the long lift ride was over, she made her way to get cleaned up. She swore that every day it took longer to get the dust out of her hair, and she almost had given up on getting it out from under her nails on a daily basis. When she finally was cleaned up and in a fresh uniform, she felt nearly three kilograms lighter.

As Valour left the complex she took in the sight of the civilian section of the city. It sort of reminded her of the lower levels of Coruscant. The buildings were all built directly on top of one another, and she could tell that any vice that she may want to indulge in could be met mere moments after leaving the Imperial Complex.

As she walked alone towards the bar that she'd been told about, she could feel eyes on her. If she wasn't careful, it would be too easy to go missing from this planet, never to be heard from again. She kept a hand on her blaster and when she felt the force nudge that to her felt like a bug bite on the back of her neck she turned and glared. She didn't know who she was glaring at since she didn't actually see anyone but she knew that they were there. She remained glued in place for a moment as she stared into unseen eyes to let them know that she wouldn't be intimidated. Suddenly she sensed another set of eyes, but these were much closer. She spun and brought her foot up into a swift kick that came in contact with a Rodian. The man hadn't expected the move and had gotten caught square in the jaw with Kiara's boot. He fell to the ground and didn't move.

Valour called out to the darkness after the still unseen owner to the eyes that she felt watching her. "Trust me. I'm more trouble than it's worth. I won't be very profitable to you."

She then stepped over the fallen male and headed toward the bar that she'd left the base in search of. When she found it, it seemed to be nothing special from the outside. Just an unremarkable door, really. If she hadn't had explicit directions, she likely wouldn't have found it. Inside, however, it was quite lively. She made her way to the bar and ordered a drink. She took it and sniffed it. She took a small sip and tested it before spitting the liquid back into the glass discretely.

When the bartender returned to check on her, she glanced around. "I was told to ask for s'Nora."

"s'Nora, huh?" The Sullustan grabbed a glass and started to wipe it as he considered whether or not he'd admit to knowing who Kiara was asking for. He eyed the human for a bit before he lifted his head and pointed with his chin toward the back corner. "He's back there if you have the credits."

Kiara nodded her understanding and got up from her seat. She left her drink along with a generous tip with it as she headed toward the contact. When she got back there, she was surprised to find a cyborg. He appeared to have once been human, but he was far more machine now than man.

"You s'Nora?" Valour asked as she sat across from the man. As she did, she revealed a handful of credits.

"That's right." s'Nora counted the credits in the hand of the woman as his fingers twitched in anticipation. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing much. It is really quite simple. I'd like to get a message out. I was told that you'd be willing to help me."

s'Nora looked between the credits and the woman holding them. "A message to who? What kind of message?"

Kiara smiled and leaned in. "I just want to let my family know where I'm stationed. My brother worries about me. I only want to send out a message to let him know that I made it safe and sound to the base. You know how it's been with rebels attacking so many of the Imperial ships; if I could just let him know where I am I'm sure his mind would be put at ease."

s'Nora mulled over the request. "I can help you out, on one condition. I'll be in the room when you send your message. I can't have any messages that can link back to me sent out to anyone who may attract attention toward my little enterprise. Especially from your boss."

Kiara smiled. "Of course. I fully understand."

Kallus finished his workout and headed back to the Shadow Chaser to get cleaned up. He knew that he could request quarters at the new temporary base where his team had been sent while looking for a more permanent base, but he felt that it was just as well to stay in his quarters on the ship. He strolled toward the ramp of the ship and saw that Tac was floating down to greet him.

"Master Kallus, a transmission is coming in."

Kallus's brow furled. "From whom?"

"I am unsure. It is from the planet of Trilex."

Kallus jogged up the ramp and made his way to the cockpit of the ship and worked the controls to put the message through. When the message was put through, he was surprised to see Valour.

"Kiara!"

"Kal, I don't have much time, but I wanted to pass on to the rest of the family that I made it to Trilex safe and sound. I know that my brother worries about me, so I wanted to make sure I could get a message to everyone. Especially to Alex."

Kiara looked at the camera and Kallus could tell that she was telling him that she wasn't alone in the room.

"I'll make sure that Alex is made aware of your safe arrival," Kallus nodded and added, "I know that he's been especially worried about you."

"Well, he can stop worrying. You can tell him that I've found some interesting places for my downtime. There's even a lounge nearby that has some pretty great music at the end of the work week. It's a little out of the way place owned by a Cerean; Gcolilz's. I've found some very fascinating ways to spend my time while here. It would seem that having fun is almost like a religion."

Kallus filed the information to memory. "I'm sure you will enjoy your off hours while at your new station. The rest of the family will be happy to hear that you are well."

Kiara seemed to look off the screen area for a second and nodded. "I have to go. I'll try to send the family a message to keep in touch when I can. Take care of everyone, Kal. Especially Alex. He sometimes needs more watching after than the others."

Kallus rolled his eyes. "I'm sure he'd disagree about that. Anyway, be careful. Trilex isn't exactly known for being an easy planet to live on."

"I'm always careful. Bye." Kiara waved and said just before the transmission ended.

Kallus sat back in his chair in the cockpit of the Shadow Chaser and thought over what Kiara had said. The part about having fun being a religion really stuck with him. He worked to decipher her message and when the answer to the cryptic message hit him, he was shocked. She was working on another temple. That couldn't be good. Especially after hearing what he had about the one on Lothal. He figured that he'd best share this small bit of information with Kanan. Then, perhaps, he'd see about going to Trilex. If Kiara had found something she wasn't going to be able to share it over subspace with borrowed transmitters. Not to mention, he wasn't all that happy with the idea of his friend being on a planet like Trilex without some sort of aid nearby if she needed it.

Kallus was intrigued with the fact that there appeared to be a Jedi Temple on the vice-ridden planet. He briefly wondered how the Empire ever learned of its presence. He figured that it would be a smart idea to determine the locations of as many Jedi temples as possible. The Empire likely has decided to excavate as many of them as they can.

"Trilex?" Zeb tried to remember everything he knew about the planet. It wasn't much. He'd rarely had a reason to head to that sector of the galaxy. "Why would there be an Imperial base there?"

Kallus paused in his eating to answer the man. He'd joined the crew of the Ghost for the evening meal and took the time to tell them that he'd finally heard from his friend. While it wasn't an official Fulcrum message, he figured that it was as close to one that she could get out at the time.

"It would appear that the Empire has located another hidden Jedi temple. She couldn't share much, and what she could, it had to be coded." Kallus then added, "She wasn't alone when she contacted me."

"Another Jedi temple?" Kanan didn't like the sound of that. Not after what he'd experienced in the one on Lothal. "That can't be good."

"I'm planning on informing the rebel leadership that I'm going to Trilex to try to make contact with her so that she can give me a full rundown of what she's come across since she was transferred there." Kallus started to move his eating utensil around again as he considered ways to blend in with the civilians on the planet.

"What if you are recognized?" Sabine asked. "If the Imperials recognize you-"

"I'm aware of what could happen," Kallus cut the Mandalorian off. "But I have changed my appearance enough that for the most part, I'm not likely to be noticed."

"You've grown a beard, Kallus. That's not exactly a foolproof disguise. The least you should do would be to change your hair color."

"I'm not one of your art projects, Sabine," Kallus rolled his eyes.

Zeb snickered at the idea of turning the young woman loose on his friend. He could only imagine what she'd come up with. "I don't kno-"

Kallus held up a hand to Garazeb to stop him mid-sentence. "Don't you start!"

Hera and Kanan both laughed as the other two started to joke about how they could help keep Kallus hidden from Imperial detection.

Hera was just starting to show her pregnancy. Until recently she'd been able to hide it with her clothing. Now, however, there was no mistaking the fact that the Twi'lek was expecting.

Kallus looked to the couple for a little help, but it was clear that they found his plight of trying to hold off the artist of the group from giving him a makeover to be more than just a little humorous. Even Chopper who was the frequent victim of her creative talents spouted off suggestions to the woman on how to help their friend change his appearance.

"Come on! I think I even have some contacts that you could use to change your eyes." Sabine and Zeb were having way too much fun imagining just what the woman could do if given free rein to change what he looked like.

"No," Kallus said firmly. "Like I said, I'm not an art project. I don't intend to look like one."

Zeb saw the look in Sabine's eyes and knew that she didn't intend to drop it. Once she got an idea in her head, she ran with it; especially if it came to her artistic abilities. After the meal was over he was heading to check on the perimeter before he planned to call it an evening when he swore he'd seen Sabine walking and speaking with Mon Mothma. Zeb snickered since he had the feeling that his friend might be a bit more colorful than he'd like very soon.

Chapter Text

Kallus finished the shutdown procedures before he stood and let the techno-service droid know that he'd be in charge of the ship until he returned. He then walked down the loading ramp, and then had it raised before he left. For once, he was glad that one had to have their bio-signature on file and scanned in order to access the ship. Trilex wasn't exactly known as being a hub of security.

Walking from the port toward the section of the city that held the various bars Kallus felt a bit ridiculous. While he'd been able to prevent the Mandalorian woman from going too crazy, when he'd been ordered by Mon Mothma to change his appearance as a condition to the authorization of his mission to make contact with Kiara as a Fulcrum Agent, he'd had no choice but to subject himself to her creative talents. At least he was able to point out that he needed a look that would cause him to go unnoticed rather than stand out. That did help. Still, he hadn't been able to walk away completely unscathed. Kallus's feet already hurt thanks to the inserts that were put in his shoes to make him appear taller. He hoped that the bar that he was looking for wasn't far away.

Kallus saw a chronometer on the side of a building and saw that it was nearing the end of an Imperial shift. He hoped that meant that the workers would be making their way to the city soon. And that Kiara would be among them. As he strolled toward the other end of the city, he kept his eyes on the alleys and street corners. He didn't like the element that he saw that filled this city. It reminded him too much of the section of Coruscant where he'd grown up. He kept a hand at his blaster, ready to use it if he needed. When he saw the establishment that Kiara had mentioned in her brief transmission, he eyed it skeptically.

Once inside he headed off to the side where he could watch the door. He ordered a drink, but he left it untouched for the most part; only pretending to drink from his glass from time to time to avoid suspicion. He'd been nursing his drink for nearly two hours before he caught sight of Kiara slipping into the door. She paused at the entryway and scanned the customers inside. Kallus saw when she spotted him because she developed a smirk in regard to the makeover that Sabine had given him.

Kiara made her way over to the table and as she sat down Kallus spoke first in a gruff whisper. "Don't say anything. The only way I could come was if I allowed Sabine to change the way I look."

She shook her head while trying not to laugh. "So should I take it that you don't intend to stay a redhead when you leave?"

"Sabine thought that since you mentioned having a brother in your transmission that it would help if I looked more... like you, I suppose." Kallus ran a hand over his dyed auburn hair. "Though at least I was able to remind her that I didn't want to draw attention. She'd intended to give me green hair."

Kiara bit her lip and turned her head away from Alexsandr to keep from laughing at the image that she got in her head for a moment before she turned back. "I'm sorry I missed the opportunity to see that."

"I'm sure you are." Kallus rolled his eyes. He glanced around and saw that a cyborg was approaching. He seemed to be staring at them when he stopped halfway to their table. "Friend of yours?" Kallus whispered.

"He's the one who runs the underground transmission business in the bar." Kiara didn't like the way he seemed to be trying to place Kallus. "Let's get out of here. I'll assume that you left the ship at the port?"

Kallus nodded and stood. He and Kiara then headed out of the bar. When they passed a group of men near an alleyway, he put a protective arm across the back of Kiara while he kept his other hand on his blaster. If it wasn't for the fact that Kiara would travel the streets with her own hand on her blaster, she would have cracked a joke about his behavior. Still, once they made their way onto the Shadow Chaser where they could speak freely without worrying about being overheard Kiara snickered just a bit as she was able to break free from the protective hold.

"Well, that would certainly make the locals believe my cover story about contacting my overprotective brother last week."

"Not funny. I do hope that you don't walk around this city alone often."

"No, not often. But in case you've forgotten, I'm not exactly helpless. I can take care of myself."

"Perhaps, but you are not invincible."

Kiara rolled her eyes. "So why did you come all the way here?"

"Your message," Kallus led Kiara to the common area so that they could sit while they discussed what the woman had learned since she'd left Lothal. When they entered the room, however, the droid became ecstatic at seeing its mistress. He floated over to her and spun in excitement. It took some time to convince the droid that the two organics needed to discuss a few things in private. Once that was done Kallus prodded Valour once more as they sat on one of the couches in the common area. "You said something in your message that led me to believe that the Empire has found another Jedi temple. Is it like the one on Lothal?"

Kiara thought about the temple before she answered. "It isn't a Jedi temple. It is older than the Jedi by a few centuries. But artwork similar to that which was found on Lothal has been uncovered."

"So, it's another temple with a portal?"

"Maybe. Possibly. Which is why I've been working on sabotaging the excavation."

Kallus's eyes widened just a bit. "If you are caught-"

"I know. But I'm careful. I've added a few flaws that when looked at, unless you know what you are looking for, appear to be old damage from the centuries of being left not being maintained. I'm hoping that the minor changes will be enough to keep it from being activated."

Kiara rested her head on the back of the couch and closed her eyes. Being back on her ship was a rare luxury that she wanted to absorb while she was there. When she opened her eyes back up and turned her head to face Alexsandr she found that he was watching her. She sat up and shrugged.

"Anyway, other than that, there's really not much to report. That and the fact that I really don't have much of a way to send in a message if I do come across some information for the rebellion. Even with a transmitter, all transmissions are being heavily monitored off of the planet. So, the odds of getting anything of use out would be nearly non-existent."

Kallus stroked his beard as he considered what Valour was saying. "Then that means that I should stay. At least until you have more information to send in. Then instead of trying to find a way to get the information out I'll just be able to leave the system and get somewhere safe to transmit it."

"No, Alex. Your new look may help keep you under the radar for a little while but if you stick around people will begin to get curious." Kiara sat up and shook her head. "And if anyone looks hard enough, with there being an Imperial base here, they just might cross-reference your appearance with the files of all known Imperial defectors. And if they run a bio-scan-"

"That would only be done if I gave them a reason to be suspicious and take me into custody. And besides, you are the one who created the cover when you sent out a message that you have an overprotective family." Kallus's eyes took on a look that said that he didn't plan to leave just yet. Not unless he had a pretty damn good reason to leave.

Kiara rolled her eyes. "Stubborn as always."

"I have to be. Look at the company that I keep," Kallus chuckled. "Now, since we've gotten that out of the way, how about I fill you in on a few changes that have been made since you left Lothal."

"What kind of changes?" Kiara squinted her eyes.

"The crew of the Ghost is expecting a new member next year." Kallus saw that Valour didn't quite get his meaning right away, so he added, "Hera's pregnant."

Kiara's brow went up. "Really?"

Kallus nodded. "Hera and Kanan have already gone to see her father to tell him the news. Though the crew has forced Hera to take on a more of an administrative role for now since they don't want her taking any risks. You should have seen her face when the whole crew ganged up on her when she volunteered to lead a squad out for a mission. She looked mad enough to rip the limbs off of a gundart."

"Oh no. I'm guessing that it's going to be a long eleven months for her, then." Kiara laughed as she could imagine the patchwork of a family all banning together to make sure that the mother-to-be didn't put herself in danger. What little interaction she had with the woman was enough to tell her that she wasn't one for sitting on the sidelines. Kanan was going to have his hands full with keeping her out of harm's way.

"Eleven?" Kallus didn't know how long Twi'leks were pregnant. Hadn't never needed nor cared to know.

"It may not be quite so long, since Kanan's the father but..." Kiara shrugged. She paused before she asked, "Other than that, how is everyone?"

Kallus leaned back against the couch and thought about how to answer her. "There's still a cloud that hangs over them. It's like no one wants to be the one to mention Ezra in fear that it would cause a dam to break. Especially now with Hera being pregnant."

"Ah, yes, it is the same for pregnant sentients of nearly all species. Pregnancy tends to make them a little extra emotional." She then laughed before adding as she leaned back onto the couch, "I'm surprised that the other fellas didn't volunteer to join you on this trip just so that they could escape the hormones."

"Give it some time and they just might," Kallus joined with a chuckle.

Valour examined her work carefully before she prepared to leave at the end of her shift. She got cleaned up and retrieved her pass to leave the base. When she left and started toward the road that would lead her to the city she scowled as she noticed that Alexsandr was waiting down the block. When she reached him, she couldn't help but to lightly smack him on his arm.

"What the hell do you think you are doing? Do you have a death wish? Just standing out here in the open so close to an Imperial Base?"

"Relax. No one has recognized me. Not to mention, I likely wouldn't have been anyway outside of the sector that I was stationed at." Kallus chuckled but rubbed his arm as if he was trying to soothe the sting from the smack.

"You are taking a big risk in hoping that's true. I thought that you were going to wait for me at the bar."

Kallus glanced around at the individuals who lined the street. "You have to be kidding."

Kiara rolled her eyes. "I think you are taking this role as my overprotective brother just a bit too far. Not to ment-" She paused when she saw troopers up ahead on their path. Or more specifically, the device that they had in their hand as they stopped random citizens on the street. "Dosh!"

"What is it?"

Valour turned and held her finger up to Alex's lips. "Not another word until we get back on the ship."

Kallus gave her a look of confusion before he saw what she had seen. He nodded in understanding. Those devices could pick up vocal voice prints for more than a city block. The two of them did their best to not attract attention as they picked their way back toward the port where the Shadow Chaser was docked. Neither of them spoke since they had no idea of how many other troopers were out on the street with the voice detection devices.

Once the pair were back at the ship Kiara closed the loading ramp behind her on the way up into it. Once safely inside she groaned. "That changes things. I wonder what spurred the Empire to use voice-print devices out there."

Kallus thought back to the time when they'd been out at the bar the night before. "That cyborg. He was looking directly at me for a moment yesterday."

Valour thought about the enhanced man who ran the transmission enterprise. "He must have installed some software that allows him to compare his clients with those who are wanted by the Empire." Kiara shook her head. "So much for no one recognizing you."

"Relax. If he had truly recognized me, I wouldn't have lived long enough to get back to the ship."

Kiara narrowed her eyes at Alex. "If that is true then just why are those troopers out there?"

Kallus sat on the couch in the common room on the ship as he thought about it. "Well, I'm guessing that while the cyborg couldn't see all of my face, he may have seen enough to trigger the facial recognition software's report for a possible sighting. If he is an Imperial contact, that is."

"Which means that you have to get off of this planet and out of this sector. And fast."

"Now wait a minut-"

"Alex, you stay, and you'll be found." Kiara turned towards where Tac was hovering just outside of the common area. "Tac, get the ship ready and you'll need to be the one to interact with the control tower when requesting clearance to leave."

"Of course, Mistress, Kiara." The droid floated off to begin to get the ship ready for take-off.

"You do realize that I know how avoid detection on my own. I'm not an idiot."

Kiara turned back to Alex and snickered. "Depends on one's perspective and the day of the week."

"Cute." Kallus stepped past her as he headed toward the cockpit to help the droid. "But I'm not happy about leaving you here on this planet."

"Duly noted." Kiara shook her head at the man's stubbornness. "But I have a mission here. I have to make sure that the temple isn't activated."

Kallus turned and looked back toward Valour, "And if you are found out? If they realize that you are sabotaging the temple?"

"When did you start to become such a worrying ninny?"

"I guess it was right around the time that I grew a conscience."

Kiara paused since she knew that comment said much more about what the man felt about himself and his past than it did about her. "And if I promise that I'll be careful?"

The two stood looking at one another when the droid came floating down the small corridor where the two were still standing. "I've contacted control and they have approved our immediate departure as soon as we are ready."

"Thanks, Tac. I'll be right up to the cockpit in a moment." Kallus waited until the droid had left them alone once more before he addressed Valour again. "That's one promise that you'd best keep."

Valour reached out and hugged Kallus for a moment before she pulled back. "You'd better go before the Imperials decide to revoke their approval for ship departures."

Kallus sighed. "You're probably right. Just-"

"I know. Be careful. Just make sure you take your own advice, too."

With that, Kiara walked down toward the loading ramp and lowered it so that she could leave the ship. Once it was raised back up Kiara watched as the ship's engines were ignited and lifted up as it briefly hovered overhead before it then shot up towards the sky. With the Shadow Chaser gone, Kiara headed back to the Imperial Base.

Kallus finished informing Mon Mothma what he'd learned from Valour on Trilex regarding the new temple that the Empire had uncovered as well as Valour's attempts to subtly damage it. While the woman may not understand fully the implications of what the temple represented, she could remember a time before the dark times when the Jedi were nearly wiped out to extinction. She knew that they possessed mystical knowledge and power and she agreed that it would be a tragedy on a massive scale if the emperor was able to seize the kind of power that Jarrus had spoken about in his reports that he'd filed after the Battle of Lothal.

After being thanked for his report, he headed back out toward the hanger where he'd seen Hera giving directions to her crew. She had apparently found that the ship needed to be cleaned of the power scoring. Zeb could be seen working alongside the astromech up on top of the ship as he approached. As Kallus was spotted by the Lasat, Zeb told Chopper that he was going to take a break. Kallus heard the droid say something about how Hera wouldn't be happy about the break but since Zeb couldn't understand the droid he didn't respond.

"When did you get back?" Garazeb asked as he walked over to the man who must have taken some of his time during his return trip to remove all traces of Sabine's color alterations that she'd made to his appearance.

"A few hours ago. I've already gone to give my report regarding what I found on Trilex. Mon Mothma said that she'd see about sending other agents to routinely check to see if Valour has anything to report."

"I sort of thought that you would take a while before you came back," Zeb eyed the other man. "Something wrong?"

Kallus let out a long breath. "I'm pretty sure I was detected. As a result, the Imperials had troopers on the street with voice-print identifiers. When that happened, I had to make a quick departure."

"The Empire doesn't usually deploy those-"

"Unless there has been a verified sighting," Kallus finished the Lasat's thoughts. "I didn't even think about that until I was already out of the sector. Which means that even if I'm not there, my presence could potentially be linked back to Valour. The only reason I didn't turn around as soon as I thought about it was the fact that it would only serve to confirm any suspicions."

Zeb saw where Kallus was working the muscles in his jaw. He felt for his friend and tried to find something that he could say to ease the worry of the other man.

"It's not easy having to leave people you care about behind when they have a mission in one place, but you have one in another." Zeb leaned against the hull of the Ghost as he saw Kallus turn to fully face him.

"What are you insinuating?"

"I'm not insinuating anything. I'm downright saying it. You, my friend, have been so far in over your head for a while, now. It's actually been kind of funny to see that, for an intelligence officer, you've been pretty clueless about what's been going on." Zeb chuckled as he saw his friend's face look as if he was about to argue with him. "I've spent months listening to you when you were worried about where she was before Lothal."

"And I assume that you are going to say that you wouldn't be just as worried about Hera or Sabine if they were out of contact for nearly a year?"

"Didn't say that. But I've seen the way you look when you talk about her and the most damning evidence of all... How soon after she made contact with you did you decide that you had to drop everything to go to Trilex?" When Kallus gave him a dirty look Zeb continued. "You know, the rest of us actually had a betting pool going for when you'd be back; if you'd be back. I think that the only ones who haven't been clued in are the two of you."

"Zeb, you are making a lot out of nothing. Valour and I are friends; nothing more. And I'd be concerned for any friend if they were stationed on Trilex or if they were currently embedded into the Empire as a Fulcrum Agent."

"I-" Zeb was cut off at the sound of Hera coming down the Ghost's loading ramp.

"Zeb, why are you down here and not working?" When Hera spotted Kallus, she stopped. "Kallus? I didn't know you were back?"

"I haven't been for long. I'll let Zeb get back to work. I just wanted to check in with all of you. I see you are keeping the crew on their toes, as always."

Hera looked over at the smirk that was on Zeb's face and decided that she'd ask what it was about after the other man was gone. "I figured that since my family here has helped to convince the leadership that I should be pulled from leading any missions until after the baby is born that I'd see to it that they are just as bored as I am."

"I'm sure that you'll be able to put more of your talents to good use, now that you temporarily won't be able to put your piloting skills to the test." Kallus excused himself and then headed back to his cabin in the Shadow Chaser.

Chapter Text

Kanan settled into the chair behind Zeb on the Shadow Chaser. They were going with Kallus on a supply run. Mainly, he'd jumped at the chance because he was getting bored just sticking close to the base. Hera still had half of her pregnancy to go before the baby would arrive. While it was agreed that for the safety of the baby she shouldn't go on any missions since even the relatively tame ones tended to go sideways pretty quickly, for Kanan, he felt that for him to refrain from going on missions was unfair to the rest at the base. He'd even brought Chopper along since he knew from experience that it was better to have the droid along than not.

When Kallus joined them in the cockpit the three of them prepared for a routine mission. Still, it was a chance for the men to also squeeze out a little fun just the three of them. The run itself could be done in just under a rotation but they had agreed that there wasn't any reason to rush so they were planning to stretch it out for three. The fact that there was a drill scheduled the day before their planned return had little to do with their plans. At least that's how Kanan had explained it to Hera.

Once the Shadow Chaser made its jump to hyperspace the men all headed into the common area. Kallus and Zeb sat down at the dejarik table for a game. When Kallus won Kanan could be heard snickering from the couch nearby as the astromech, with its fresh coat of paint in anticipation of infiltrating an Imperial Supply ship, laughed at the outcome of the game.

"Zeb, I'm blind and I saw that coming."

Zeb grumbled at his defeat before he said, "Best three out of five."

"If you are sure you want to do that," Kallus chuckled as he reset the board.

"How did you get so good at this game, anyway?"

"Zeb, it's a game of strategy. When we are dealing with strategy, you are in my wheelhouse."

Kanan found the next couple of games to be entertaining. He figured that Zeb shouldn't have expected anything less with Kallus being a former ISB Agent. The man likely ate, slept, and breathed strategic battle plans for years. When the Lasat lost another game Kanan was about to suggest that Kallus may want to start losing a few games or else the men would be at the table all night. That was until the techno-service droid came flying into the common area.

"Master Kallus, we have a problem!"

Elios straightened his uniform as he prepared to follow his tour guides of the day. It had been a while since he'd taken the time to personally oversee a project like the one here on Trilex but the Moff decided that perhaps it was time. After all, with Tarken's death at the hands of the rebels, there was room for acceleration up further the Imperial ranks. Initiative would be what the emperor would reward.

As he followed the minister who was in charge of the excavation of the ancient temple deep beneath the surface of Trilex he listened with only half an ear. He wasn't sure why the emperor held a personal interest in the project. Still, if the man were personally invested in it then it would do well for him to at least put forth an effort at feigning an equal interest.

While listening to the minister drone on about the various artwork that had been uncovered and the possible meanings behind the paintings Elios pulled out a datapad and mindlessly scrolled through the personnel files of those who were assigned to the base. When he spotted the picture of one resembling one whom he'd not seen since the end of the Clone Wars he stopped. She always looked so much like her mother.

"Minister, how well are those who are assigned here vetted before transferring them here?"

The question seemed to take the old man by surprise. "We don't actually perform the vetting ourselves. The Imperial Security Bureau handles all of that. We only accept whom we are sent. Why?"

Elios glanced down at the datapad for several moments. "This individual, I want her sent for immediately."

The minister took the datapad from the Moff and looked to see who had caught his attention. He didn't really recognize her; but then, he had so many officers working on the project that it was impossible to remember them all.

"Of course." He motioned for some troopers and handed the datapad over to them. "It will, however, take some time. It will take half an hour for the troopers to reach the lower levels and another to return. Perhaps I can show you to my office to make you more comfortable while you wait?"

Elios nodded and waited in the minister's office. It was nearly an hour and a half before the woman was brought to him. When he turned from the office window that overlooked the debauchery that was Trilex he saw recognition in the woman's eyes.

"So, this is where you've been hiding," Elios scowled. "And you call yourself Valour, now, do you?"

Kiara felt her hands twitch at her side. This was worse than any worst case scenario that she'd considered over the years. She hadn't considered that if she were ever outed that it would be by his hands.

The lights in the room began to flicker and the troopers looked up overhead in response. It was the Moff who thought quickly, however. He took his own blaster from his side and stunned Kiara, causing the lights to return to their functional state.

"Have her sedated and restrained. Then I want her sent to my ship. I'll have a cell ready and waiting for her." Elios then holstered his blaster and strolled out of the minister's office. Leaving both him and the troopers confused as to what just happened.

"Tac, what's wrong?"

"It is Mistress Kiara's biochip. It has been activated. She's called for an immediate extraction. I've altered the ship's course to take us to the Trilex system where the tracking device indicates she still is at. It will, however, take more than a full rotation cycle to reach the system."

Kallus looked at the droid as if he had just gut punched him. "Is there a way to shave some time off of that? If she's in trouble, she may not have a day."

"It is in my programing to look for the most efficient path upon the chip's activation. I'm afraid that there is no more direct path than the one I've already inputted into the ship's systems."

Zeb eyed the other man before he turned to Chopper. "Chop, can you pull up the schematics of the base on Trilex from the information that we have on file? We can at least start planning how to get into the base for when we get there."

Chopper warbled and Zeb took it as an affirmative when the droid used his holo-display to pull up what they knew about the base on the planet's surface.

"Kallus, Imperial bases are your area of expertise. Perhaps you should take the lead on this one," Kanan said as he knew that the man would need a bit of a distraction. "Between all of us, the Empire won't stand a chance when we show up."

Over the next several hours the men went over various plans on how to get into the base as well as the Light Cruiser that would be in orbit over the planet on the off chance that she'd been transferred to it. Kallus used his wealth of knowledge regarding Imperial ships and bases to think of every contingency that he could. Even spent hours after it was decided that the men needed to retire for the evening to see to it that they were all well-rested still trying to make sure that he hadn't missed anything. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was overlooking something, though.

"You still at it?" Kallus turned to see Zeb leaning in the doorway. "You know, you won't be of any help to her if you go in exhausted."

"I'm just checking over a few more things."

"You can check over every detail a million times but we both know that any plan will likely have to be tweaked once we get in there."

Kallus knew that Garazeb was likely right. Still, at least while going over the schematics, he felt like he was doing something productive, even if he wasn't really. He set back away from Chopper and motioned for the droid to take down the hologram of the schematic that he'd been studying.

"I know you're right. But the more I-"

"Kallus," Zeb interrupted. "Get some sleep. You're going to need it." He watched as Kallus reluctantly stood up to head to his cabin. As he passed the Lasat Zeb put a hand on Kallus's shoulder. "Hey, she'll be okay. We'll get her back."

Kallus paused before he nodded his head. He hoped that the other man was right.

Kallus looked out of the cockpit as the Shadow Chaser dropped out of hyperspace and felt his stomach drop. "What the hell is that thing doing here? When I was here last there was only one Light Cruiser in orbit. There sure as hell wasn't a Star Destroyer!"

Kanan lowered his brow as he thought. "Well, the plan for the Light Cruiser could still work for the Star Destroyer."

"Great. So that means that I have to hang back with the ship," Zeb grumbled.

"Relax, Zeb. You'll get your chance to blast a few buckets. Besides, we aren't sure yet if that's where Valour even is."

Kallus stared out of the viewing screen at the Star Destroyer as the other men spoke. He was still trying to figure out why one would have been sent to the system. After a moment he pushed a button to call to the droid who was elsewhere on the ship. "Tac, how close does the tracker on the biochip get to telling us where she's at?"

"Checking... Sending the coordinates up to the main console now."

Kallus glanced down at the read out and grumbled, "You were saying, Kanan?"

"Well, let's do this. Bring us about and attach us to the underside of the ship. Then we'll get ready."

Kallus maneuvered the ship into position, grateful for the ship's digital cloak as well as the fact that for the most part, no one really ever bothered to look out of the viewing screens on Imperial ships. No one really looks around them and instead depends on the readout of their computer screens to tell them what is outside their ship. Once the magnetic locks fastened them into place Kallus left the ship to Garazeb as he and Kanan headed toward the forward airlock where two generic sized space suits for humans were located. Part of the emergency repair equipment that Kiara had on hand should she ever need to make repairs in space.

The two men geared up and went out along with Chopper. Carefully, the trio slowly made their way toward the TIE Fighter hanger of the Star Destroyer. When they were just below the shield opening Kanan motioned for the others to wait as he stretched out his senses to know when they would be able to pop up unnoticed. When he sensed that it was time, he motioned for Chopper to use his boosters to go ahead and get inside the Destroyer. Chopper made it and looked around and confirmed that no one was looking in his direction and gave a slight warble as he then rolled over toward a computer port as the men popped up behind him. Kallus and Kanan both ducked and found cover before removing the space suits so that they'd be able to move about more stealthily.

Kanan listened for Chopper and whispered for confirmation that Kiara was indeed on the Imperial ship. "So?"

Chopper beeped and warbled and spun his dome around to look at the men.

"In the secondary detention block?" Kallus thought back to his time on Thrawn's ship. "Alright, this way. Kanan, be ready to do your thing."

The two men slowly made their way toward the detention block with Chopper leading the way with impunity since any Imperials wouldn't think twice about another droid. When anyone seemed to be heading toward them, however, Kanan used the force to give them the suggestion to go another way or to look away while he and Kallus slipped past them. When they got right outside of the detention area Chopper was told to hang back as Kallus reminded Kanan.

"Now remember, we can't use our weapons. If the computer picks up weapon's fire, then there will be an alarm triggered and alert the main bridge."

Kanan nodded his understanding and stood ready when the door opened to the detention area. There were three officers inside, but they were all taken unaware by the duo. Kanan used the force to lift them up and hurl them toward the nearest wall. One man moved to try to get up, but Kallus stepped forward and punched him in the face, rendering him unconscious. He then hurried behind the workstation to pull up where Valour was located. When he did, he practically growled.

"What? What's wrong?" Kanan asked as he heard the other man.

"There are orders to keep her restrained and sedated. Her next injection is scheduled in less than a quarter of an hour. That means someone will be here any minute."

"Why would there be orders to sedate her?"

Kallus shook his head. "I'm not sure. But this means that we'd best hurry."

He bent down toward the unconscious jailers and grabbed what he needed and raced down the long hall where the cells were. When he found the one that the computer had indicated that Kiara was in, he used the code cylinder to open the cell and ducked inside. He found her tossed on her side on the floor of the cell with both hands restrained behind her back; still wearing a dirt-laden uniform from when she'd been working on the planet below. Kallus quickly knelt down and unfastened the restraints before rolling her over. He hoped that since it was time for her next injection that it would make it easier to bring her around.

"Kiara, come on, you've got to wake up."

After a few hard shakes Kallus saw as her eyes twitched. When they opened, they had a glassy look to them, and he wasn't sure if she was really awake at all as she spoke.

"Alex."

"That's right. I got to get you out of here." Alexsandr pulled Kiara into his arms to pick her up and was surprised to find that she resisted.

"No. You can't be here." Kiara mumbled in a sleepy fashion. "They'll kill you. That would make it worse."

"Make what worse?" He looked back down as she'd once more gone limp in his arms. He finished lifting her up and stepped out of the cell and went back to the main hub of the detention area. "I got her, but the drugs have made it where she can't really wake up. Let's get out of here before-"

"Too late!" Kanan said as he pulled out his lightsaber. A second later an individual stepped through the door. When the man saw the escape in progress, he pulled out a blaster and fired. Kanan deflected the bolt, but the damage was done. The alarm sounded and the two men knew it. They ran out of the detention area and began to pick their way back toward the hanger.

Kallus, with his hands full while carrying Kiara, wasn't able to use his blaster so he was solely dependent on Kanan and his lightsaber to run point. It only took a couple of corridors before they were cornered by stormtroopers coming from multiple directions. Kallus set Kiara on her feet while holding her up with one arm and used his other hand to draw his blaster.

"Chopper, we're going to need a little help, here," Kanan said into his comm device while deflecting multiple bolts. The droid responded that more troopers were on their way which was the opposite of what the men wanted to hear. "Kallus, if you've got any suggestions on how to get out of this mess, now would be the time to share."

Dozens more troopers flanked them and despite not wanting to give up they knew that the odds of them getting past the soldiers who completely surrounded them were slim, if at all. In a matter of seconds troopers seized Kanan's lightsaber and Kallus's blaster. That was when the lead trooper reported that the prisoners had been secured.

"Good. Bring them to me," Elios's voice was heard over the comm device.

"Yes, Moff Dume."

Kanan's head shot up when he heard the name of the Moff. Meanwhile, Kallus lifted Kiara back up instead of allowing the troopers to take her. The two men were marched toward the administrative level where the Moff's office was. When they were pushed in, at least a dozen troopers joined them inside. Kallus looked to the man, roughly in his late sixties, sitting behind the desk with his fingers steepled in front of him. The trooper who had taken their weapons placed them on the Moff's desk.

"Well, it seems fortune continues to smile on me. I now have a Jedi to turn over to my Emperor as well."

Chapter Text

Kiara felt the pull to wake up, but she was still so tired. She could tell that she was being held by someone and when she cracked open her eyes, she saw the image of five Alexes dancing around in her vision. She heard people speaking but it sounded as if it was in the distance. She turned her head but instantly felt as if she were on an ocean during a storm; she closed her eyes so that she wouldn't get sick. She could pick up only a stray word here and there as she struggled to control her stomach. It felt empty while it wanted to rebel at the same time. Kiara steadied her nerves as she attempted to identify words and tried to figure out who was saying what.

Jedi.

Emperor.

Gift.

Execution.

Inquisitor.

How had she gotten here? What was going on? She cracked her eyes open once more and saw Kanan, or several of him, off to the side. There was a man speaking out of her field of vision. It caused panic to course through her veins upon hearing him speak. She knew that voice. She tried to turn to face the voice and felt as Kallus, who held her, set her on her feet but kept a tight hold around her waist to support her. When Kiara saw the man who had been speaking, she recognized him. She felt the familiar rush of adrenaline as she spoke in a mere whisper that even Kallus barely heard.

"No. Caleb." Kiara closed her eyes as she was pressed tighter against the warm body supporting her. "He can't know."

Elios Dume was feeling quite pleased with himself. Being able to turn over not just one force user wanted by the Empire but the Jedi as well as an additional rebel was bound to set him apart from his colleagues. Especially since it would show that he was willing to sacrifice everything for the Empire. His Emperor's wishes were all that mattered.

"Sergeant, see to it that these three are put into binders and sedate the Jedi along with my daughter. We can't have them using the force to escape; now can we?" Elios practically spat out the word force.

Kanan heard the Moff refer to Valour as his daughter and his mind was filled with questions. Questions that had little time to fester. The lights all around began to flicker.

It was then that Elios noticed that Kiara was awake. "Sergeant, shoot her!"

The troopers and the three other men in the room were then surprised when every blaster in the room was ripped out of the hands of the troopers as they spun around. The troopers were held at gunpoint by their own weapons. Even the blaster and lightsaber on the desk were lifted up and pointed toward the Moff.

"No." Kiara could barely stand but she wasn't going to let the man who had once been her father harm the men who were with her. She turned the lightsaber on with a thought and it drifted closer toward the man seated in the chair behind the desk.

Kallus cast a glance all around him and saw where the Imperials were all being held by the weapons pointed directly at them. "Kiara, no. You have to stop this."

"Is it any wonder that had her sedated?" Elios shouted. "Not even the Jedi wanted her. They took my son and left me with... that."

"Shut up!" Kallus shouted back. "In case you haven't figured it out, I'm trying to save your life. The least you can do is be silent."

Kanan took a breath. The Loth-wolves had used Kiara to keep him alive. Had repeatedly said Dume together. Now with Moff Dume, he was her father. But he had a son. He turned and placed a hand on Kiara's shoulder where she was still being largely supported by Kallus.

"Kiara, don't. Don't do something that you'll regret."

"Who said I'll regret it?" Kiara's voice was distant and tired.

"I know enough about you to know that you've worked hard for years to try to help people. And I also know that if you use the force to do this, you'll not like what you'd become."

Kallus added with a soft plea with a word, "Kiara."

The room fell deathly silent as not just the two rebels but also the Imperials waited to see what the woman would do next. The answer came in the form of the lightsaber being deactivated and returned to the Jedi's grasp as the blasters all around switched from kill to stun. Elios realized what was about to happen and reached for his comm on his desk but never was able to signal for help before the entire room was stunned minus the men who had come to save Kiara. With the release of the weapons and their clatter to the deck plates, she fell back into a slumber from the exertion. Kallus was quick to lift her back into his arms as she went limp as he took in the sight of the room full of Imperials who were all stunned.

"We should get going before they begin to come around."

Kanan nodded as he motioned for Kallus to give Kiara over to him. "I'll take her. With the force, it will be easier for me."

Kallus only paused for a moment before he shifted her over to him. He then picked up his blaster from where it had fallen after Kiara had released it and led the way back out of the office. As they raced down the corridors both men were surprised when the blast doors closed as they passed through them.

"Chopper, is that you?" Kallus called into his comm unit. When the droid confirmed he couldn't help asking, "What took you so long? You could have done that when we left the detention area!"

Chopper warbled out an excuse, but Kallus didn't bother listening.

He cut the astromech off. "Contact the ship and tell them to get ready. We're nearly to the hangar now."

When the call for a pickup came through Zeb headed down to the loading ramp and as soon as the Shadow Chaser was inside the TIE Fighter's hangar, he lowered the ramp and began to fire his bow rifle to give cover fire as the others entered into the hangar and then picked their way toward the ship. He was a bit surprised that it was Kanan who was carrying what appeared to be an unconscious Valour. He sort of thought that Kallus wouldn't be letting her out of arm's reach for a while. Meanwhile, the blond man was firing off several shots as he and Kanan joined Zeb on the loading ramp.

"Tac! Raise the ramp! Now!"

With the ramp raised Kallus raced toward the cockpit in preparation to fight to fly out of the sector, and fast. Zeb took the turret cannon. That left Kanan to watch over Kiara. Kanan strapped the unconscious woman into a flight chair and strapped in next to her. He sensed the fight going on outside the ship as they fought their way to the hyperspace lane. It helped that the only Imperial ships that found them to fight were those who had a visual of them thanks to the digital cloak.

When the ship lurched to indicate that the Shadow Chaser had made the jump to hyperspace Kanan wasn't surprised to soon find Kallus returning to where he and Kiara were. When Kallus knelt to check on Kiara Kanan spoke up.

"Did you know?"

Kallus looked back up at the Jedi and released his breath. "Only since Lothal. She told me before she headed back to the complex for the evacuation. But she made me promise not to say anything."

Kanan furled his brow. "Why wouldn't she want me to know?"

"I don't know." Kallus shook his head as he lifted Kiara back up so he could take her to rest in her cabin. "You'll have to ask her."

Kanan shadowed Kallus as he led the way toward the woman's cabin. "What about that display of power back there?"

Kallus pulled back as he set Kiara on her bunk and then stood up to lean against the side of it. "No. All I've seen in the past is a street light malfunctioning. She said that she tends to cause things to break when she's upset."

"What about Moff Dume? How much do you know about him?"

Kallus thought back to what he'd known about the various Moffs. "Not much. I never served under him directly. I heard that he's willing to do just about anything to excel."

"Obviously, if he was willing to turn his own daughter over to an Inquisitor." Kanan wondered what could turn a father against his own child. As a man who was expecting his first child, he couldn't imagine handing over his own flesh and blood to the likes of the Inquisitors.

Kiara began to wake up and was confused. She glanced around and noticed that she was in her own cabin on the Shadow Chaser. She sat up and instantly fell back down to the bunk as she was overtaken by a wave of dizziness. She waited for it to pass before she sat up again, but this time much slower. She wondered how she ended up on the ship when the last thing that she could remember was when she'd been on Trilex. She'd been called into the minister's office and then...

She closed her eyes as she remembered seeing her father. Remembered seeing him raising his blaster. Remembered him firing on her.

But that didn't explain why she was on her ship now. Kiara climbed to her feet and swayed slightly as she held onto the side of the bunk as she waited for the room to stop spinning. She had to get to the refresher. Fortunately, her cabin was the one closest to it. When she first got her ship, she never considered having anyone else on it with her and she had been all about simplifying her day. Her quarters were the closest to the refresher which was also on the way back up to the cockpit.

When Kiara finished, she stepped out of the refresher and was taken by surprise to see Tac hovering just outside of it.

"Mistress Kiara!" Tac floated around the woman rapidly, causing her to have to close her eyes as she felt a fresh wave of dizziness as a result. "I'm so pleased to see you well and back on your feet."

"Tac," Kiara leaned against the closed door as she steadied herself.

"Yes, Mistress?"

"Stay still."

Tac paused in mid-air and tilted his head. "Of course."

Kiara carefully started back down the corridor toward her cabin before she addressed her droid. "What happened? Why am I here?"

Tac, remaining where he'd been told to stay still at, responded, "You activated your biochip for an extraction. Master Kallus and his friends, Kanan Jarrus and Garazeb Orrelios, assisted in your removal from an Imperial Star Destroyer."

"Where are they?" Kiara asked as she stopped at the doorway of her cabin.

"They are all in the common area. I was asked to check on you when you went to the refresher since none of them felt that you would want any of them to join you in there." Tac then tilted his head to the other side. "Were they wrong?"

"No." Kiara shook her head but regretted it as the motion triggered a wave of nausea. "They weren't wrong."

"Is there something that you require?"

"Maybe later." Kiara then went back into her cabin and fell back down onto her lower bunk. Several moments later she heard a chime to indicate that someone was at her door. "What?"

On the other side of the door Alex's voice could be heard, "Can I come in?"

"Why the hell not?" Kiara muttered while she kept her eyes closed as she continued her losing battle against the dizziness that still made the room spin around her. When the door slid open, she heard Alex's boots click on the deck plates. He sat on the edge of her bunk, and she could tell that he was looking down at her. "Please tell me that I was at one hell of a party and that's why I feel like I have the galaxy's ultimate hangover."

"I'm afraid not. You were given some pretty powerful sedatives. I was beginning to wonder if you'd wake back up before we got back to Rebel Command. We've even finished the supply run that we were originally on while you were out."

"Great," Kiara opened her eyes and saw the concern in Alex's. On the small table that she had near her bunk she saw a tray that appeared to have a soup bowl with a cover over it. She realized that she'd not eaten in quite some time, but she didn't want to even risk trying to eat just yet. He must have realized that since it was off to the side and looked nearly forgotten. "So, what happened?"

"What's the last thing that you can recall?"

"I was called into the minister's office and..." Kiara breathed out a sigh, "My father was there. He shot me."

Kallus nodded. So, she didn't remember the actual escape. "You must have activated your biochip before he did. It took us a full rotation cycle to get to you, though. They were giving you an injection of sedatives every two hours, which means that you had quite a bit in your system when we got you out of there."

"Great. So, anything interesting happen?"

"You could say that," Alex paused as he saw that Kiara was trying to sit up, so he helped her before he continued. "For one thing, I thought you only caused things to break when you use your force abilities."

Kiara shrugged, "It's what happens the most when I lose control over them," she paused before asking, "Why? What did I do?"

"You turned the troopers' blasters against them, and against the Moff." Kallus could see that Kiara was trying to remember the events of the rescue, but she had no memory of the event. "And there is one more thing. Kanan knows."

"How?"

"The Moff was planning to turn both of you over to the Inquisitors. I think that's what triggered your ability to focus enough and use your powers. I heard you say that he couldn't know about Caleb. He spouted some things that he shouldn't, but among them, he mentioned that he had a son that the Jedi took while they left-"

"Me."

Kallus nodded. "From there, it was a simple matter. He does want to speak to you, but he'll wait."

"That's going to be a fun conversation," Kiara muttered as she tilted her head back and closed her eyes again.

She put her hand down at her side and used all of her will to calm her system. After a moment she felt Alex's warm hand wrap around hers. She turned her hand over and grasped his hand back and held it as she listened to the sound of the ship's engines beneath the deck plates. The two then sat there for several moments in silence.

Chapter Text

When the Shadow Chaser landed with a thud Kiara waited for a while before she left her cabin where she'd stayed for the duration of the trip to whatever rebel base that the others had founded after the defeat of the Death Star and the evacuation of the base on Yavin IV. She heard as various crates were off-loaded as well as the chatter of the men and droids as they went about their work. Eventually, though, the ship went silent, and she knew that she had to leave her cabin to do what needed to be done. She had to go find Kanan. Her brother, Caleb, and talk to him.

She headed toward the common area and wasn't surprised to see him sitting there waiting for her. He got up, likely enough he could sense how unsteady she still was thanks to the drugs in her system, but she stopped him before he left the couch.

"Don't bother. I'm alright. Enough to get to the couch, at least." Kiara didn't like that she had to depend on the wall for support but at least she had made it to the common area on her own. Something that she wouldn't have been able to do the day before when she first came to.

"The Imperials really did a number on you, didn't they?"

Kiara got to the couch, sat on it, and turned to face the man she knew as her brother. "Don't you mean that my father did?"

"I wasn't going to jump straight in like that, but now that you mention it..."

"Is it what you stuck around to ask me about when the others left, though." Kiara sighed as she brought her hand up to her throbbing head. "You have questions. So, ask them."

Kanan tilted his head. He knew that she likely could guess each and every one of his questions, but he decided to go ahead and ask the one at the forefront of his mind.

"Why didn't you tell me who you were? I know you figured it out the morning after the collapse of the Jedi temple. When the Loth-wolf was there, and I said what my name was before the Empire. When I said that the reason the wolf kept saying Dume was because my name once was Caleb Dume. Why didn't you say anything then?"

Kiara bit her lip as she tried to gather her thoughts so that she could answer the question the best that she could. "To what end? You were taken from the family when you were young for a reason. The Jedi didn't want you to have attachments to a family. Because families can be a complication. They can help but they can also harm. Telling you that you had a family, my family, would have fallen into the latter. And you didn't need it. You have created a new family for yourself. A brother in Garazeb. A sister in Sabine. You have Hera. And you had Ezra." Kiara paused because she knew that mentioning the teen would be a sore spot. Still, she had to continue. "There was nothing to gain by telling you."

"I had you to gain," Kanan said as he reached out and put a hand on Kiara's.

"If you really knew me you may not see that as a gain." Kiara pulled her hand back. "Alex told me what happened back on the Star Destroyer. What I did. That is why the Jedi didn't want me. You really think that having someone with unstable powers is a plus?"

Kanan lowered his brow. He sensed something behind those words. It was the fact that she had an extremely low opinion of herself. Up until now he hadn't seen it. She'd kept it tightly hidden. But right now, she was too vulnerable to cover her true feelings for herself. He could sense the self-loathing deep under the surface. She was even, if he had to put a word to it, ashamed of herself.

"Who told you that they are unstable? Untrained, yes. But unstable?"

"The Jedi who tested me. According to my mother, our mother, it was the same Jedi who tested you and asked for you to be sent to the temple after seeing your potential. She never let it go that I wasn't deemed worthy to go to the temple. And neither did... Elios," Kiara added without calling the Moff her father.

Kanan paused before considering. "You did draw on the dark side, which is dangerous, especially without any training. That could be what was referred to if the Jedi sensed that you had the tendency for it. Ezra... He had that tendency, too, but he overcame it." Kanan thought back to his padawan. "I suppose that if the Order was still around then they wouldn't have chosen to have him trained, either."

Kiara watched as the man beside her was lost in his own thoughts for a while. "He seemed like a good kid."

"He was, is, the best," Kanan corrected himself.

He wasn't dead. He never sensed his death so that meant that he was still out there somewhere. Just where, he didn't have a clue. Nor did he have any idea of where to start to look for him. Where did the purgill go? Where was their home? Is that where they took Ezra? Was it where there was no way to contact the rest of them? Because if he could have, he had no doubt that he would have found a way to reach out to them.

Hera walked up to where the supplies that the men had gotten while on their run were at and looked around. Kanan didn't seem to be with Kallus and Zeb.

"You guys are late. You were supposed to be back yesterday. And where is Kanan?"

Zeb exchanged a look with Kallus. "Uh, yeah, about that..."

"We had to extract Valour in a hurry. That's why we are a day late getting back." Kallus paused before adding, "Kanan is on the ship with her right now. They have a few things to discuss."

Hera gave a look of confusion as Kallus steered her away from the ship in search of a place to sit to have a talk with her. She was going to find out soon enough, so he figured he'd fill the Twi'lek in while the siblings were occupied. He told her what he knew, explained what he found out after the fight on Lothal but had been sworn to secrecy. He also explained how Kanan had learned about his relationship with the other woman while in the midst of the rescue attempt. Hera listened patiently until the end of the story.

"Well, is she alright?" Hera asked finally. She only briefly met the woman during the incident at the Jedi temple on Lothal as well as after the battle at the Imperial Complex on the planet, but she did like her.

Kallus nodded. "She'll be a bit out of sorts thanks to the drugs until they fully leave her system. But other than that, she's okay. I don't think that she was expecting to both have to leave the Empire and regain a brother in one instance."

Hera agreed. It was a big change. For both of them. She turned to see the ship where they'd left it and wondered how long Kanan and Kiara would be in there. How do you catch up on a lifetime apart?

"Well, I guess for right now, the rest of us have work to do. Were you and Zeb able to get everything that we need?" Hera stood and began to go back to where the supplies were left with the Lasat sorting through them.

Kanan spent the next couple of hours asking questions about Kiara and her childhood. With the way that it appeared that their mother had set a high standard with comparing Kiara to him even though he wasn't around, Kanan was surprised to not hear or sense an ounce of resentment coming from her. Without even knowing it, Kanan was always a ghost that Kiara was expected to live up to. To compete against, in a way.

Did their mother think that if Kiara were stronger in the force that the Jedi would change their minds? Did she not realize that it didn't work that way? That the older she got the less likely she was to be accepted as a Jedi youngling?

Kanan was suddenly struck with a disturbing thought. What if it hadn't been the Jedi who had then taken an interest in Kiara? The Jedi didn't know that the Sith were back, but they had been; even then, hidden in the shadows. And with her tendency it wouldn't have taken much to steer her down that path. Except, while she may have drawn on the dark side the other day, her lifetime of trying to help others showed that her heart wasn't darkened.

Kanan was pulled out of his thought when he realized that Kiara had asked him a question. They'd been going back and forth, each asking and answering. It was his turn to answer one.

"How were you... blinded? If you don't mind me asking?"

"Maul," Kanan said simply.

"What is a Maul?"

"He was a Sith. Ezra came across him when we were on Malachore and he has always been very trusting of the wrong kinds of people. Maul was among those whom he trusted without merit. He also is the one who put Ezra on the path toward the dark side. I didn't realize it for a while. But on Malachore, I was fighting against Maul, and he blinded me with his lightsaber. Though another millimeter or two and he would have taken more than just my sight."

"Oh." Kiara looked down for a moment before looking back up. "But how is it that you don't even seem to not have your sight, at all? I saw you on Lothal and-"

"I draw heavily on the force now. In a way, I guess you can say that I've learned to see more than I ever saw with my eyes. There are still things that I wish that I could see. Like my child who is on the way, I'll never get to actually see his or her face. But it is almost like I've gained more than I have lost most of the time." Kanan thought about his child who would be coming within the year. "You know, if it wasn't for you, I would have died without knowing that I had a child coming. He would have grown up without me. I'm just glad that the Loth-wolf brought you to help that night at the depot. I still can't figure out why he did, though."

"You mean you don't know?" Kiara felt like a fool. Of course, he couldn't know. The Jedi didn't want their prodigies from having attachments to their families and that also likely would include not knowing where they were from. Their home worlds when it wasn't obvious. "Before you were taken to the temple, Lothal was your home. It is where I grew up, before the Empire."

Kanan thought back to how he had seemed to be drawn the planet; always returned there time and time again. Even long before he and the crew of the Ghost had met Ezra. They, he, had rarely been away for long after his first mission that took him to the planet. Now, it did seem to make sense. He was connected to the planet. And in turn, he had connected to the Loth-wolves from the moment that they first led them from the Imperial bombardment of the mountains where they had taken refuge.

"Wait, speaking of the Empire, how did you end up working for them?"

Kiara breathed out a sigh. "In the days following..." She didn't want to mention directly the execution of the Jedi. "Anyway, the Emperor began hunting down all force sensitives, not just the remaining Jedi. Hiding wasn't easy, as I know you can recall. And those who served the Republic who transitioned to serving the Empire were especially pressed to conform to the new regulations regarding the implications of harboring any sensitives."

Kiara paused as she recalled the day that changed everything. "Elios had set it up with a colleague to let me spend some time at an archeological dig of an ancient temple. By that time, I'd taken an interest in ancient force users and archeology, as well. I was there when an Inquisitor showed up for the first time. Elios had been the one to tell them where I was at. I didn't know what she was; just felt that something was wrong. The Inquisitor just showed up and started to slaughter the entire team. Everyone there died because of me. Including my mother."

Kiara had to pause for a minute before she continued. "I thought over that day a million times and I still can't understand why I was left behind. I was hidden but an Inquisitor should have been able to sense where I was hiding." She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Anyway, after a while I was able to stowaway onboard various freighters and eventually made it to Coruscant. Once there, I was able to blend into the lower levels, but I suppose you can say hunger was what drove me to the maddening decision to join the Imperial Academy there. And I eventually figured that it was the best place to hide from the Empire. So long as I did everything that I could to not draw attention to myself."

"And that's where you met Kallus," Kanan said as a matter of fact.

Kiara chuckled. "Yes, that's where I met Alexsandr. He was a rare friend while at the Academy." She paused before she added, "I suppose that is one thing that the Jedi and the Empire have in common. Neither really encourage close friendships and even downright discouraged it. The only reason why we became friends was because I didn't bother really competing with the rest in the class. I had no desire to rise to the top, so I wasn't a threat to him, or anyone else in the class. He had different plans than I did. I planned to join the Imperial Department of Military Research; it had a branch for archeology which is what interested me. From what I have learned, even the Jedi had a section devoted to it, as well."

Kanan hadn't ever considered that the Order and the Empire had anything in common but now that he thought about it, he supposed that they did. He didn't like the idea that they could be compared in any form, so he decided to change the subject.

"But you two were in the same class at the Imperial Academy, you aren't even the same age? You are, what? Two years younger than he is? Three?"

"I lied about my name. Lying about my age to get in was just as simple. That's why Alex and I were in the same class."

"You know, I think you are the only one who I've heard call him by his first name. He just has everyone call him Kallus."

Kiara shrugged, "I've always called him Alex. It'd feel strange to call him Kallus. It'd be as if you called the other members of your crew by their last names."

"True, but we have lived and worked together for years on the Ghost. That brings about a level of friendship, of intimacy, that I know isn't encouraged in the Empire."

Kiara scrunched her nose at the term intimacy. "Oh gods, not you, too. You aren't one of those morons who think that if a man and woman are friends that they're hitting the sheets, are you?"

Kanan cringed at the imagery that popped into his head. Still, he added with a chuckle. "I didn't say that. But, since you brought it up, as your older brother, should I be giving Kallus a warning about how a lightsaber to the gut could find its way in his direction if he isn't careful?"

Even though she knew he couldn't see her rolling her eyes she couldn't stop herself from doing so anyway as she groaned. "You've been my brother a whopping three days and you are already going to go that route? In case you missed it, I don't need a protective brother monitoring who I befriend. Not to mention, it would appear that even you've learned that he's a good friend based on the banter I heard between you while I was in my cabin."

After spending hours discussing serious topics, he figured that this was a welcome reprieve. He started laughing before adding, "Defending him, huh? That is interesting."

Kiara shook her head as she pushed Kanan over on the couch as she considered getting up to go back to her cabin. Unfortunately, being unsteady on her feet from the drugs still finding their way out of her system didn't combine well with trying to storm off. Instead, she just muttered, "I'm glad you are enjoying yourself."

"Hey, I have a lot of years of catching up when it comes to being your older brother."

"Well, if that is true, then that means I have just as many years to catch up on as being your younger, bratty, sister." Kiara grinned since that was something that could be much more fun than his role as the older sibling. "Which means, I want to know about Hera."

Kanan pulled up short as he realized this could be a two-way street.

"Relax. I just want to know your story," Kiara added with a laugh. "You know that Alex and I became friends back during our academy days. So, it is only fair that I learn about how you and Hera, even the rest of the crew, got to know one another."

Chapter Text

Kiara still didn't feel one hundred percent, but she was able to fake it, for the most part. She was out with Hera as she showed her the base that had been set up on the planet of Suaren. It was a small, backwater planet in the Mid-Rim that had a very small population on the other side of the planet. For the most part, it was nearly untouched by the rest of the galaxy. There wasn't any commerce set up with the outside at all. That meant that either everything on the planet was created there or a person had to leave it to get supplies since none would be brought in to buy while on Suaren. Since it was a planet that was practically forgotten by the rest of the galaxy it made for the perfect place to set up a small base.

"So, everyone came here after Yavin IV?" Kiara asked as the two women passed the last of the fighters that she'd been shown in the hanger. The rest of the crew and Alexsandr were all occupied with their duties, so Hera had taken it upon herself to be the newest rebel's guide to the base now that she was finally feeling better for the most part.

"No. We split up into teams. We try to only keep but so many personnel at each base for logistical purposes. The base on Yavin IV had grown thanks to the fact that several cells joined together and went there. But after the evacuation we were split up into three teams to disperse across the galaxy. That way if the Empire finds one base, then the other bases are still safe. Only the highest levels of each cell have any knowledge of the others. Much like how the Fulcrum were, few know anything about those either above or below them along the chain of information."

Hera found a place to sit. She still had nearly half of her pregnancy to go but she was already having to sit more often than she once did. Though by looking at the other woman, she may have been ready to sit as well. From what she'd learned about the drugs that had been put into her system and at the rate that they'd been administered, she was sure that the younger woman was still feeling some of the side effects from them. Even if she acted as if she was over them.

Hera placed a hand on her stomach as it had become a habit that she'd recently developed. When she did so Kiara noticed and asked, "So, do you want a boy or a girl? And don't use the copout that you just want a healthy child. That goes without saying. I know you must have a preference."

Hera glanced over at the other woman, "I may have one but if I tell you, you have to promise to keep it a secret."

Kiara snickered, "I would think that my record would show that I'm really good at keeping secrets."

Hera laughed, "I suppose it does. Alright," she leaned in and whispered, "I'm hoping for a little boy."

"Really?"

"Yes. I know Kanan would be a wonderful father no matter what, but I really think that seeing him with his own son would be a sight to see. When he and Ezra would-" Hera stopped short. "Well, I just think that a son would be nice."

Kiara nodded as she understood. She then asked, "So, have you started to set up a nursery on the Ghost, yet? That should be an interesting project."

Hera laughed but shook her head. "No. I'm not even sure how I'd go about starting something like that."

"You just may need to be a little creative," Kiara then added with a fake and exaggerated tone as she saw the Mandalorian across the hanger heading toward the mess hall, "It's a shame that you don't know anyone with a creative bent to their personality. Someone who could take on the project for you."

Hera saw Sabine and knew what Kiara was suggesting. "Yes, it is a shame. Come on. It's getting close to the mid-day meal. I'll ask her while we eat."

Hera led the newest member to the base toward the Mess Hall. When they got there Kallus was already at the table with Kanan and Zeb along with a few others from the communications center while Sabine was heading their way with her meal. Hera and Kiara got their own meals and joined them. Hera sat between Zeb and Kanan while Kiara sat between Kallus and one of the individuals who had joined from the center. Once there, it became clear that the others were discussing the potential of getting a shipment that the men of the group were planning to intercept. It contained some much-needed equipment and weaponry. Some of which could be used to gain some credits since they were running low, and they couldn't steal everything that they needed from the Empire.

"Didn't you just come back from a supply mission?" Kiara asked since she was sure that was what Alex had told her.

"Yes, they did," Hera said as she gave the men a knowing look. "But Kanan and Zeb have been volunteering for missions right and left. Though I don't know what Kallus's excuse is. Other than the men have all decide to get away from the base together as often as they can."

Kiara chuckled at the looks on the men's faces in response to Hera's comment.

"My knowledge of Imperial protocols will be invaluable on the mission. And we will have a narrow window to slip in and out," Kallus answered the Twi'lek.

Hera shook her head since she was sure that the mission was just an excuse for male bonding, but she let it go. The men were scheduled to head out after the evening meal. She knew that the equipment was needed since the supply of credits had become completely dismal. She just didn't know why Kanan, and the others, decided that they were the ones who had to go.

Kiara watched as the Ghost lifted up and flew away in search of equipment to steal so that it could be sold. She glanced around the base, looking for something to do and she was struck by inspiration. She saw Sabine and Hera going over toward the barracks of the base. She jogged over since she wanted to discuss her idea with the two of them and get the assistance of one of them.

"Hera, Sabine. I have been thinking about your cashflow problem. I think I have a solution for you."

The Twi'lek raised a brow from curiosity. "I'm listening."

"Okay, well, you know that it isn't easy saving up for a ship, even an old freighter, when one works for the Empire. Not to mention afford the upgrades that I have on the Shadow Chaser."

"How were you able to get a ship, anyway?" Sabine was the one to ask.

"Simple, I just took a few credits at a time and when I could, I'd find a game in a bar here and there-"

"You gambled," Hera said as a statement rather than a question.

"Yes. But it isn't really a gamble. I use my ability to read people, and I never lose because of it. And I was thinking, I have some credits hidden in the ship for my next upgrade. I could take it and use it to fix the credit issue."

Hera didn't like the idea. "Kanan and Kallus wouldn't like knowing that you left so soon after escaping the Empire, alone. Especially just yet. If you are recognized-"

"That is where Sabine comes in." Kiara turned to the other young woman. "I know you were responsible for giving Kallus a slight change in appearance when he came to Trilex. What would you do if I gave you free reign?"

"You mean you'd let me do whatever I want?" Sabine was beginning to like this idea.

"Absolutely." Kiara smiled. "And as for being alone, Sabine, have you ever gone to Cantonica?"

"There! Done. Not bad, if I do say so myself." Sabine pulled back and saw where she'd been able to transform Kiara into a Pantoran. With blue skin and white hair, the woman wasn't recognizable at all. When Sabine stepped aside Hera examined her work with a critical eye. If she hadn't been here the whole-time watching Sabine transform the other woman with her body paints, she would have sworn that they were trying to pull a fast one on her.

"I don't believe it," Hera said as Kiara turned to see herself in the mirror.

"Sabine, you've outdone yourself." Kiara then opened a kit that she got out of her storage locker and grimaced. Still, it was a necessity. That business with Alex being nearly caught on Trilex was proof enough. She pulled out the vocal emulator and swallowed it.

"Where did you come across that?" Sabine asked since she knew that they weren't easy to find.

Kiara paused to wait for the device to settle in her throat before she answered in a sing-song voice. "I've collected a wide assortment of things that you can say are hard to find. Like I said, I'm really good at gambling and I haven't really lost yet. But that's also because I know how to choose my opponents and when to walk away from the table." Kiara turned and motioned for one last opinion before she and Sabine were planning to leave for Canto Bight. "Well, do you think I could fool even my own father if he saw me?"

"I have one better than that. I doubt even Kallus would recognize you," Hera laughed. "Will the two of you just promise me one thing? Be careful."

"Hera, you know we will be." Sabine had given her Mandalorian armor a fresh coat of paint to make her less recognizable as well. "We'll be back in about a week."

Hera nodded as she turned to leave the Shadow Chaser.

Two days later when the Ghost returned Hera knew she was going to have fun when the men finished unloading their cargo. She waited for them to head her way before she met them halfway. She already saw that Kallus noticed that the Shadow Chaser was missing from the hanger.

"Where's the ship?" Kallus looked around to see if it had been moved in his absence.

"It's with Kiara and Sabine," Hera answered matter-of-factly. "They went on a mission of their own."

"What?" Both Kallus and Kanan said together.

"What kind of mission? Not to mention, with her just having left the Empire this week, now is not the time for her to have gone on any missions." Kallus's heart started to race in his chest. How could Hera have just let her leave like that? Didn't she understand how dangerous it was?

"Where did they go on this mission of theirs?" Kanan asked since he wasn't happy to hear that his sister, who was still not quite up to a hundred percent when he'd left, was already out in the galaxy. He sort of thought that she'd take more downtime before she jumped into finding missions that she could go on.

"I didn't ask too many questions," Hera said since she figured that it would be best for the men to not know where Kiara and Sabine were. Otherwise, she may not be able to tolerate the men and their concern for the newest member of their small band.

"How could you not ask where they were going?" Kallus asked incredulously.

"Simple. I trust Sabine and Kiara to not do anything that would put them in any danger. They are smart women. Both of them." Hera pointedly glared at both men before adding, "And I might want to add, that Kiara found that you left Chopper behind to spy on her. I think she left you a message that he can give you later. But let me give you both a little advice. She's spent years watching her own back. She doesn't need the two of you to decide to become her protectors. It wouldn't work with me, or Sabine, and it won't work with Kiara. Don't coddle her. And most especially, don't smother her."

With that Hera headed back to work and listened as she heard Chopper approach the men, telling them that he had a message for them. Hera smiled as she left the droid to the men.

Kanan folded his arms as he waited for Chopper to pull up the holo-message that Kiara had left for him and Kallus. Kallus saw an image of Kiara standing in front of the droid and she looked, well if he had to pinpoint it, mad.

"Alright, you two. Both of you listen to me and listen well. I don't need a babysitter. Don't treat me like a damsel in distress. But leave the droids to spy on me again and you might become one, instead. I'll see you in a week's time."

Kallus and Kanan both cringed at the implication of the message.

Kiara called into the control over the desert planet in the Outer Rim that drew people from around the galaxy to ask for permission land. Upon landing she then went to her cabin and sorted through her trunk filled with the clothing that she only kept for missions like this one. She found one slinky dress and changed out of her jumpsuit and slipped into the outfit. She then headed out to give Tac instructions before she and Sabine were to leave. They wouldn't appear to be at the casino together. Sabine would be Kiara's eyes watching for any strange behaviors while she was busy at the tables.

After building up her pot at the various tables Kiara decided it was time to find a Sabacc game. In her earpiece Kiara heard Sabine groan. Kiara asked her what was wrong.

"Let's just say that I recognize one of the players at the table over there."

"Who is he?"

"A smuggler that we've had some run-ins with. His name is Lando Calrissian."

"So should I take it that he deserves to have a few of his credits liberated?"

"You could say that."

"Hum. By reading him, he looks like a man who flirts with anyone with legs." Kiara adjusted her outfit, so she showed just a bit of cleavage. "Should be a simple matter to keep him distracted enough to lose a game or two."

Kiara then headed over to the table and sat beside the smuggler as she tossed her credits onto the table to join the game.

"Well, well. I do love a woman who is confident." Lando gave a wide smile and glanced down where Kiara's bare legs crossed. "Especially lovely ones."

"And I love men who know how to appreciate a woman," Kiara said in her borrowed voice through a smile. "Too many don't seem to know how to treat a lady, nowadays."

The dealer handed out the cards and half of the table must have had terrible hands since Kiara could sense their inner turmoil as they placed their bets. Lando, however, had a decent hand, made better by accepting a new card. Kiara played along, bet only a few credits for a few hands before she finally got the hand she had been waiting for. She then put on a small act of nervously biting her lip to lead Lando to believe that it was a tell, and that she was bluffing. The suave smuggler bet more than half of his credits already on this hand, but Kiara knew that he had more to give. And it was all going to go to a good cause. She licked her lips and spoke up in her borrowed voice.

"Only half? And here I was hoping to see everything," she paused and allowed Lando to watch as she slid her gaze over him slowly before she continued, "that you have to offer."

"Patience. A true gentleman never presses too far on the first date," Lando's smile widened.

"And if the lady is the one to press?" Kiara asked innocently. "Would a gentleman refuse her?"

"A true gentleman would never refuse a lady anything," he paused before adding reluctantly, "unless he's at a Sabacc table."

"Pity."

Kiara returned her attention to her cards and then proceeded to squirm in her seat and leaned forward to place her own bet before Lando added more credits to the pot. He showed his cards when the hand was called with pride as he reached forward to collect his winnings only to have Kiara place her hand on his arm to stop him. When she showed her own cards, his face dropped. She'd had the best possible hand.

Kiara then took her winnings and bade Lando goodbye. "A true gentleman. I hope we cross paths again." Kiara stood while leaving her hand on his arm for just a moment longer and gave him a wink.

As she walked away, she thought about how easy men like Lando were. That was when she heard a voice in her ear.

"I'm pretty sure that if Kallus was here, he'd be fuming at the ears. First you are dressed like that and then you flirted with Lando."

"What does Alexsandr have to do with anything?" Kiara then added, "Oh no. Not you, too, Sabine."

"What? I'm just saying that it's clear that he's into you. So, the question would be: Are you into him?"

Chapter Text

Kiara sat in the captain's seat of her ship as she maneuvered to where they had been cleared to land at the base. She was still in her Pantoran disguise. She did have a point to make, after all. Once she landed, she left Tac to perform the post-shutdown checks while she and Sabine headed toward the Mess Hall since they were just in time for the evening meal. With a nod Sabine hung back for a couple of minutes and let Kiara go ahead of her.

After spotting Hera, Kiara went to the table where she and the rest of the crew of the Ghost along with other various rebels, who appeared to be their friends, were at; including Alexsandr. She smiled at the woman and gave her a look that said to not give her away just yet. Hera gave a nearly imperceptible nod in agreement.

"Hera, I have those supplies that you asked for on my ship. Where should I take them?"

"I'll have them unloaded after the meal. Would you like to join us?"

Kiara glanced around and saw that the only two spaces were either beside the Twi'lek and directly across from Alexsandr or between a couple of their unnamed friends whom she'd yet to meet across from Kanan. "I'd love to. I'll be right back."

As Kiara returned with her meal, she took her place directly across from Alex and gave a polite smile; maybe one that was a bit broader than she usually gave him. He gave a nod in reply but seemed for the most part to ignore her. It was then that Sabine joined the crew which sent both the former ISB Agent and the Jedi to ask where she and Kiara had been.

"We went on a mission to get some credits for some of the things we need around the base." Sabine shrugged as if she had just said that the two of them had gone to a theatrical performance. Speaking of which, she glanced over at the other woman and could tell that she was enjoying her anonymity.

"And just where," Kallus asked, "did you go to do that?"

"Canto Bight," Sabine said simply as she crossed her arms.

"You went to Canto Bight?" Kanan didn't like the sound of that, for either of the younger women. "Alone?"

"No, not alone. We went together." Sabine rolled her eyes. She sort of, kind of, well maybe she understood why the men may be a bit wary for Kiara since she did just escape the Empire the previous week, but Kanan knew that she could take care of herself. "And we were able to bring back more than we had anticipated. Kiara is not one whom you'd want to bet against at the tables."

"Still, that is no place for the two of you. You shouldn't have gone without some backup," Kanan insisted. "That place draws a pretty rough crowd."

"Agreed," Kallus shook his head. "The two of you shouldn't have gone alone. It wouldn't have hurt for you to wait until we returned."

That was when Kiara finally put down her eating utensil and spoke in her borrowed voice. "So willing to run to the rescue of a damsel in distress? Perhaps it wouldn't hurt for you to wait to make sure that said damsel is in need of a rescue in the future." The men of the Ghost and Kallus turned in her direction as they tried to process what they just heard.

Kanan couldn't place the voice, but that comment was very familiar. He stretched out his senses and realized that the new addition to the table was actually his sister. "How in the worlds?"

"Kiara? Why do you-"

"Take note, Alex. This is how you disguise yourself when you go on a mission and don't want to be recognized." Kiara stood and allowed him to take full stock of just how different she looked as a Pantoran. It didn't hurt that her outfit, while it wasn't one that she'd worn during her three days of gambling, was still far different than one that she would have otherwise worn. "I think Sabine did a great job. And I think more people should take advantage of her talents when going out into the field."

"I don't get it," Zeb eyed Kallus and saw that he was speechless. "Why do you sound so different?"

"I had an old model voice emulator from the Republic days that I'd won during a previous gambling trip in my footlocker."

"Well," Zeb chuckled. "No one would ever recognize you in that getup." He then nudged his friend beside him. "What do you think? You think that the Imperials would be able to?"

Kallus schooled his face before answering, "I suppose not."

Kiara snickered as she shook her head. "Don't sound so impressed."

He then cleared his throat before adding, "Though I still don't understand why you chose to take the risk so soon after having to leave the Empire."

"So much for that." Kiara figured she'd had enough to eat so she turned to leave. "Sabine, I may need some help with getting this paint off but there's no rush. I'll be on the ship."

When the woman was out of the Mess Hall it was Hera who spoke, "Kallus, I don't know if you realize this, but she was actually trying to prove that she knows what she's doing. To show that she could be an asset to the cause now that she can no longer work as a Fulcrum Agent. When you joined us, you were able to bring your wealth of knowledge and experience as a former ISB Agent. For her, it's different. She didn't work in a department that would have given her the same opportunities, but she is good at espionage. Her record as a Fulcrum Agent proves that and she's been able to give the Rebellion lots of valuable information over the years. Not to mention, it was her suggestion that she both have Sabine alter her appearance as well as go along as her backup. And the two of you acted as if she was some innocent child who doesn't know how to handle herself."

Kanan listened to Hera and knew that she was right. In fact, just before Kiara left, he swore that he sensed something coming from her. He'd sworn that she'd been a little hurt.

After the meal break, the men were assigned to retrieve the credits that Sabine and Kiara had returned with. They each had a large case that was filled with the winnings that the two had returned to the base with. One for each day that the pair had been on the gambling planet. Kallus had to admit that he'd not thought that they would have been able to come up with so many credits. They had more here than they'd be able to get for all of the equipment that they had stolen with the intent to sell.

When night fell Kallus headed toward the Shadow Chaser since he'd preferred his cabin on the ship over staying in the barracks. He went up the loading ramp and made his way toward the crew quarters. He passed Kiara's cabin and paused as he thought over what Hera had said to, more like scolded, the men at the table after Kiara had left earlier. He hadn't seen her since the incident at the Mess Hall. Even while he, Kanan, and Zeb came for the cases of credits, she had remained strangely absent. Kallus knocked at her door to her cabin, but he didn't hear any sound from inside.

Kallus sighed and decided to head to the common room. He liked to enjoy a game of dejarik before heading off to bed in the evenings. He found that it helped him unwind while keeping his mind sharp. When he stepped into it, though, he found Kiara, back to looking like her old self, sitting on the couch with her legs tucked under her. She was scrolling through a datapad. When he stopped in the doorway, she looked up at him briefly before returning to her datapad. Kallus expected a witty comment but instead she just ignored him.

"What are you reading?" Kallus asked as he walked over to the dejarik table and set it up to play against the computer.

Kiara looked up for a moment as she watched him start a game before she shrugged and looked back down to her datapad before answering. "Just a list of the various supplies that Hera said that the base was still in need of. I figured I'd see if I could find a way to get them."

Kallus nodded. He decided that this was a good time to try to make amends for his behavior in the Mess Hall. Hera was right. Kiara had lived most of her life watching her own back without any backup. She was more than capable of knowing how to handle herself and he'd not exactly shown that he either acknowledged nor accepted that.

"I'm sure you'll be able to. Just like you helped with the credit issue." Kallus watched out of the corner of his eye while focused on the game table. He could tell that she paused and looked in his direction. "You should have seen the leadership when we carried in those cases filled with your winnings. I think I even saw General Dodonna stumble when he saw us carrying them in. You may find that you'll be asked to go back for more after proving that you can turn so little into so much."

Kiara put the datapad down. "This your way of trying to apologize?"

"Maybe. I'm guessing that I'm not doing too well." He saw her shake head before she unfolded her legs out from under her so that she could turn to face Alex.

"You'd do better if you actually said that you shouldn't have doubted me."

"Fine. I shouldn't have doubted you. And after seeing how you went with Sabine, there's no way that I can see that the Empire would have figured out who you were; baring a bio-scan, at least."

Kiara rolled her eyes since he just had to add that last part. "Apology accepted."

Kallus chuckled before he turned back to the game board. He remained engrossed for several moments while Kiara read through the datapad across the room. The silence still felt a bit strained until his game came to an end when she spoke up again.

"How did you beat the computer, Alex?"

"It's nothing special. It happens at least half of the time." Kallus shrugged. "You have your talents, I have mine."

"False modesty doesn't suit you," Kiara let out a small chuckle before she returned to the datapad.

"Care for a game?"

Kiara looked back up with her brow scrunched. "You've got to be kidding. You want me to play a game against you after I just saw you win against the computer?"

Kallus grinned as he leaned back in his chair. "Figured that you would have a pretty good shot. After all, you were able to win at a variety of games at Canto Bight."

"And we both know how I was able to do that, too," Kiara pointed out. "Partially, at least."

"Come on," Alex prodded. "Playing against the computer can get a little monotonous. I could use a new challenge."

Kiara chewed on the inside of her cheek as she debated. Dejarik wasn't really her game. It came with the ship when she got it. She would play it occasionally, but she had never won against the computer like Alex just had. But while playing the computer she hadn't been able to use her ability to read people like she did at the casino. But...

"Fine. But on one condition, no gloating at the end." Kiara stood and walked over to the game table and sat down.

"I'd never."

Kallus reset the board and changed the settings. He waited for Kiara to make her first move then moved his Grimtaash piece and sat back to take in the full board. He watched as Kiara chose her Kintan Strider piece next. They played for the next half an hour, mostly in silence. He wondered if she was reading him like she had often boasted in the past but when she started making some rookie mistakes he figured that she wasn't.

"Considering that you won so many games while out gambling, I'd sort of thought that you'd be more of a challenge."

"I believe I said no gloating."

Alexsandr laughed. "Not gloating. I'm a bit confused. Or am I hard to read?"

"I'm not trying to read you." Kiara rolled her eyes as she shook her head.

"Why not?"

Kiara looked up from the board and sat back in her chair. "Truth?"

"We could start with that," Kallus sounded more than a bit amused.

"When I use the force, I can't really narrow down what I pick up on. With strangers, it's not that big of a deal. But I know you. So, I don't want to risk that I might pick up on something that neither of us may want me to."

Kallus didn't know what to say in response to that. He'd forgotten that with her lack of training that she may not have the skill that he'd taken for granted when around the Jedi. Looking over at her, he admitted that it could get a bit embarrassing for both of them if she were to use her force abilities to take a peek into his mind.

He had been trying to sort out just how he felt about Kiara ever since Garazeb had teased him about how his mind had been so distracted regarding her during her near year long absence. Not to mention after seeing how they interacted together after the Battle of Lothal. He really had just thought that he saw her as a friend but when he heard that her biochip was activated when she needed to escape the Empire, he'd not been able to think clearly. That wasn't something that he was used to, and he didn't want to talk to Kiara about it until after he'd been able to make sense of what it all meant. If she used her talent to take a stroll through his mind, he wouldn't be able to wait until he was ready to discuss any of it with her.

"Okay. I suppose I can understand that." He then made his last move, finalizing his win. "Want to play another game?"

Kiara shook her head. "I know when to walk away from the table. This isn't a game that I can win. Not against you, at least."

Kiara stood and got ready to head to her cabin. When she went to walk past Alex, he put a hand on her arm before she heard him say, "Hey. About earlier. I really am sorry. You know, regarding you going on your mission and all. I was just worried while you were gone. But that doesn't mean that I don't think that you know what you are doing. Okay?"

Kiara sighed. "Okay. I guess I'm just not used to actually having anyone around to worry. It is new to me. So, I'll try to give you some leeway if you give me some, as well. Deal?"

"Deal. And believe it or not, I actually do understand that part. I wasn't used to it either when I suddenly had friends when I left the Empire. It is a bit of a culture shock at first. I wasn't used to having people worried about me. And now, I guess I'm still not used to being the one to worry, either. We can both learn to figure this out together."

Kiara nodded as she let out her breath. "Alright. So, friends?"

Kallus gave a smile as he took in the sight of her standing over him. "Friends."

Hours later, Kallus was staring up at the ceiling of his cabin as he tried to get some sleep.

Friends.

He wasn't sure why, but that one word kept running through his head. Actually, maybe he did know why. Zeb had been right when he said that he was in over his head. What he felt for her wasn't strictly friendship but what it was he couldn't really explain. That worried him.

Chapter Text

Kiara was walking through the small rebel base when she heard her name called out. She turned to find Kanan heading her way. She paused and waited for her brother to catch up to her.

Brother.

That still felt strange to acknowledge. For so long she'd just accepted that the brother that she'd never gotten a chance to know was killed along with the rest of the Jedi. Yet here he was. And while he had the aura of calm that was often associated with the Jedi, she could also tell that he had a bit of a sarcastic bent to his personality that would shine through from time to time.

A family trait, perhaps?

"I wanted to discuss something with you," Kanan said once he joined her, and they continued to stroll through the base.

"What about?"

Kanan appeared a bit uncomfortable for a second before he said, "Your training."

"What training?" Kiara stopped and turned to face the man. She folded her arms as she waited for his reply.

"Training to help you with your force abilities."

"I don't have any desire to train to be a Jedi, Kanan. That time for me has long-since past."

"Maybe. Maybe not. But in any case, it can't hurt to gain a grip on the abilities that you already possess. To help you steer away from the dark side as well as have more control."

Control. That was something that she knew she lacked. As evidence of how many ship's systems she's had to replace over the years. She'd even had to make a minor repair to poor Tac yesterday after she'd gone back to the ship after meeting up with the others at the Mess Hall after she and Sabine had returned to the base. For that, she felt incredibly guilty. She'd been upset and hadn't even realized what she was doing until the techno-service droid fell out of the air when his boosters gave out on him.

After letting out a heavy sigh she nodded reluctantly. After all, it wasn't like she had much else to do at the base. They didn't need an archeologist at a rebel base, and she couldn't spy on the Empire from it, either. That meant that the skills she did have were absolutely useless now that she had fled the Empire. Aside from being able to bring in a few credits from the gaming tables, that is.

"Alright. On one condition. I don't want anyone else at the base to know about any of this. The last thing I need is for people to start to expect me to be another Jedi like you," Kiara said accepting that this was something that she actually really did need to do. "So, where do we start?"

Kanan was startled since he was sure that he'd have to talk her into working with him. "Well, I suppose we should start with the basics and go from there."

"Which would be what, exactly?"

"Meditation. Learning to remain detached regardless of what is going on around you." Kanan then added, "We'll take the Phantom out and work away from the rest of the base. Grab a bag and meet me there in an hour."

Sabine was working with Rex and Zeb to make sure that the base's defense systems were upgraded so that they'd be prepared should the Empire find them on Suaren. The Mandalorian knew that she could only do but so much with the equipment that she had on hand and made a note to figure out what she needed to make the system better.

She thought back to when she'd been on the casino planet with Kiara and wondered if they could go back. After all, she'd made winning look so simple and easy. A few good nights would be all that they'd need to get the credits needed to really give them a fighting chance in the event of an attack.

When she mentioned it to the men, they both agreed that they wouldn't mind adding a few system upgrade ideas of their own. Sabine then started to mull over an idea. One that may not be one to implement just yet but one that could be helpful for them in the long run. She figured that she'd run it by Hera first. And of course, if they did that, they may need to set aside some of the credits that Kiara had been able to win this week as seed money for the plan.

Kiara operated the controls of the Phantom and dropped out of hyperspace just a few systems away from the rebel base. There was a small moon with an old Clone Wars' era base there. She figured that Kanan had decided that it would be best to bring her out away from everyone. Not only to see to it that the others didn't realize that she was force sensitive but also to protect them in the event that her powers went haywire.

"Cozy," Kiara said as guided the ship toward the old, abandoned base. "So how did you find this?"

"Rex."

"Why didn't the leadership choose to use this base instead of building from scratch on Suaren?"

Kanan shrugged, "I guess they thought that it wasn't big enough for the cell. This was a small listening post that only a few clones were stationed at back during the war."

When the ship came to rest just outside the old base the two went outside and Kanan led Kiara inside. The place wasn't in that bad of shape considering its age. Once they had the power to the station switched back on Kanan figured that they'd best go ahead and get started.

"Alright, we'll start with trying to learn some basic meditation techniques. Find a place to sit down and let's get comfortable."

Kiara glanced around the mostly vacant room that they'd made their way to and decided to find a place next to the wall. She had no idea how long this was going to take and if nothing else, she wanted to be able to lean against it if she got tired.

"Alright, the first thing we're going to go over is how to stay in the moment. Not concentrate on our anxieties or worries. They don't matter when we are meditating. Clear your mind."

Kiara closed her eyes and set her hands on her knees as she listened to Kanan start to try to guide her through a Jedi meditation.

"Concentrate on the force. Feel it flow through you. With the force there is no beginning and no ending. It simply is."

Kiara lost track of time. Every so often Kanan's voice would breathe through the silence. As she allowed him to guide her further into the meditation, however, his voice began to sound more distant.

"When you are at peace, passive, calm, the force will help you discern the dark side from the light. Will help you turn from the darkness and embrace the light."

When Kanan finally put a hand on her shoulder to end the exercise it was late. The sun was starting to go down on the small listening post. Kiara looked around when she realized that they'd actually been meditating for a couple of hours.

"How did it get so late?"

"You went deeper in than I expected on your first attempt. We can work some more on this, tomorrow." Kanan reached down to help pull his sister to her feet.

"Answer me something, how will this help prevent me from fritzing out computer systems and stuff like that when I get upset? How does this help with control?"

Kanan gave a smile as he answered. "It helps build a foundation for you to draw on; helps keep you focused when you feel yourself starting to get to the point of losing control."

"And this really works?"

"Well," he paused for the right words before continuing, "You definitely get more out of it the more you put in. So, it isn't a shortcut, by no means. But yeah, it works. Even when I was hiding from the force before I first met Hera and started the fight against the Empire, I would sometimes subconsciously draw on the lessons that I'd learned as padawan. Without them, I likely wouldn't have been able to survive those years of being on the run on my own."

Kiara walked with Kanan to where they had left their small amount of supplies for the night as she asked about those years. As they set up for the night and ate their evening meal of rations that he'd brought with them Kanan told her of the various jobs that he'd taken during his years on the run. Listening to them, it seemed that her brother had gone through a period of having a death wish considering the jobs that he took. Among them, flying and hauling around highly volatile explosives for a mining company.

She could tell by listening to the stories that while there may have been a few moments here and there, for the most part, those years had been incredibly lonely. She could empathize with him. With the exception of her brief friendship during her academy days where she'd first met Alexsandr, she didn't allow herself to get too comfortable with others during her time in the Empire. Not that it had been a big deal. Friendships were highly discouraged. So, she went for years with colleagues, and eventually contacts, when she made some within the budding rebellion, but no friends. Friends were a luxury who could only get hurt if she were ever found out as a force sensitive. And she'd already watched enough death thanks to her when she watched the Inquisitor tear through the camp when she was on a dig when the Empire first took over. She never wanted to be responsible for that kind of death and destruction again.

The two siblings found the old bunk room that had once housed eight clones at a time and slept on the abandoned beds that night after their long conversation during and after their evening meal. They'd been sleeping for hours when Kiara began to toss and turn as she visited her past in her dreams. She usually didn't think about the past but speaking about it with Kanan seemed to open old wounds.

Kanan woke when he could sense a disturbance across the room. He sat up as a computer panel blew, causing sparks to fly from the old wiring within the wall. He knew that Kallus had told him that Kiara tended to break things when she was upset. This was different than the display that she'd demonstrated in the Moff's, their father's, office. This wasn't using the dark side, but it was an example of how little control she had when she let her guard down.

"Kiara." Kanan stood and listened and realized that Kiara was deep in a dream. "Kiara, you need to wake up." He shouted just a bit louder. "Kiara, wake up."

Kiara began to stir and after a few moments she was able to realize that the sound of Kanan's voice wasn't a part of her dream. She groggily woke up and looked around to see what had caused him to wake her up. When she saw the sparking wires at the wall's computer panel it was a clear indication that the meditation session that she'd been guided through hours prior had been countered by her walk down memory lane.

"Great."

"Are you okay?" Kanan asked now that Kiara was awake.

"Yeah, sure." Kiara sat up and looked at her chronometer and realized that there wasn't enough left of the night to try to go back to sleep. She groaned and got up and started to work on the computer panel to turn off the power supply to it so that it wouldn't catch fire later on. "Sorry for the wakeup call."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Nope." Kiara continued to tinker with the panel until the sparks ceased. "I'll head back to the main corridor. Feel free to try to get some more sleep."

Kanan tilted his head and reached out to stop her from leaving. "Wait."

"What is it?"

"We're not alone here anymore." Kanan's hand went to his lightsaber. "Stay here."

"But-"

"It's an Inquisitor and you don't have a lightsaber. So, stay here."

With that Kanan slipped out of the small bunkroom and went in search of the dark side force user. Kiara was torn between being insulted at having been told to hang back and actually doing what she'd been told. Logically, she knew that she wouldn't have a chance in a fight against an Inquisitor. Yes, she'd come across them before she joined the Empire, but she'd escaped by hiding and just being quicker than them. But in combat, she was woefully outmatched.

Hell, Kanan was right. She doesn't have a lightsaber. She's not a Jedi. Nor does she want to become one. But other than a Sith, which wasn't an option at all, what were her choices so that she wouldn't be regulated to hiding while others fought?

She listened as the battle got closer to the bunkroom. It sounded as if it was just a hallway away. But something felt off. Something was going to happen. She didn't know what, but she didn't question her sense. It had helped her many times over the years. She turned off the lights and stood beside the door with her blaster drawn. When the door opened the room was filled with a red light. Kiara fired her blaster but wasn't surprised when the bolts were deflected. She looked up and saw a woman holding a double lightsaber and she looked to Kiara with a sinister smile. She brought the lightsaber up in preparation to strike but Kiara launched herself at the other woman's legs. She knew that her only chance would be to prevent her from being able to use the lightsaber in the small room.

Kiara had taken the female Inquisitor by surprised since she'd figured that the non-Jedi would be dispatched easily enough. Instead, she found herself in hand-to-hand combat as Kiara grabbed the wrist of the hand that held the weapon in it. She rolled from side to side as she fought for control of the weapon as the lightsaber began to spark before the lightsaber's red blade disappeared back into its sheath and rendered the weapon harmless.

When the Inquisitor realized what had happened, she looked at Kiara in surprise. She wasn't a Jedi. At least, she shouldn't be one since she had waited for her holding a blaster, not a lightsaber. She rolled onto the mystery woman and leaned over her as she pressed her arm against her throat. She used her force powers to keep Kiara held to the floor. She wouldn't need her lightsabers to dispatch this woman.

Kiara didn't know why she couldn't free her arms. She struggled but the Inquisitor suddenly seemed much stronger than she had been just a moment ago. Now she found herself fighting off the lack of air as the woman leaned into her throat. Through her vision that was beginning to darken at the outer edges she spotted where her blaster had fallen to the floor. She tried to recall the calming techniques that Kanan had started to teach her earlier as she focused on the blaster. Only on her blaster; and the force.

The Inquisitor was feeling quite pleased with herself when she saw that the woman's eyes closed and believed that she'd succeeded in causing the woman to pass out, but she wasn't going to stop until she finished the job. She leaned further into her only to be shot from behind.

When the Inquisitor's hold on her was released, she pushed the limp body off of her as she panted and gasped for air. How long had she gone without any? It likely felt much longer than it had been, but her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. When her breathing finally steadied she listened and realized that she couldn't hear Kanan's battle with the second Inquisitor any longer. She stumbled to her feet and grabbed her blaster and went to the door. After a moment to collect herself, she opened the door and was surprised to see that someone was on the other side of it.

Chapter Text

Kanan raced toward the bunkroom where he'd left his sister after he finished his battle against the Inquisitor who had engaged him when he found him after he'd reached the main corridor. It had only been after he was already in the midst of his fight that he realized that the other man, an Inquisitor that he'd yet to have seen before, hadn't been alone. That meant that as he was fighting the dark acolyte, he was worried about what was happening to his sister.

Chapter Text

Elios read over the reports with some optimism. The scientists felt that they had what he needed, and he told them that they best be right. These ysalamiri had better be able do as they assured him and that they can harness their abilities. Because if they failed, he ensured that they would suffer for it.

With that done he then turned his attention toward a set of reports regarding his errant child. He had reports of possible sightings that would need to be followed up on. There were also reports that Inquisitors had a run in with a Jedi who matched the description of the one who had been on the rescue team who had stolen Kiara away from his Star Destroyer. He made a note of the report so that he could read it over more closely after his meetings.

Moff Dume knew that if he could locate this Jedi then he would likely be one step closer to locating his daughter so that he can turn her over to the emperor. As a result, that meant that he needed to learn more about this man. He pulled up the files of recent Jedi activity; activity that had been waning over the years until this one Jedi began to show up. He and a younger Jedi, an apprentice, had mainly shown up in the sectors surrounding the Lothal System in the last couple of years.

"Interesting," the Moff said as he then pulled up the files that had originated from the planet. That was when he pulled up the personnel file of the man who had filed the first report of a Jedi in the sector after more than a decade of the Order's absence. The picture of the ISB Agent who had been in charge of quashing the rebel cell in the sector looked familiar. He'd seen that man before, somewhere. "It can't be."

Elios pulled up some security footage from his daughter's escape and freeze-framed a section as he studied the man who had joined the Jedi in the rescue. How had such a man gone from pursuing the Jedi to aiding him? Joining him on a mission on a Star Destroyer to liberate a force-user, no less?

The Moff returned to the personnel file and saw the notation that the man had deserted more than a year ago. He was surprised that finding the man hadn't been a higher priority with the access to the information that he'd had while within the Empire. Such a desertion at his level was nearly unheard of and even less so that the deserter was allowed to live so long after abandoning the Empire. Those individuals always have a price put on their heads; high enough that any bounty hunter looking for an easy payday are willing to take care of such traitors.

"Why would a man with a price on his head be taking on such missions that would bring him back into the Empire's reach?" Moff Elios Dume leaned back in his chair as he continued to read the former Imperial's file. If asked, he would have to admit that the man's record and subsequent betrayal did fascinate him.

Kallus had decided that he'd go running instead of working out at the small base's gym since the weather was nice. He also had the suspicion that his recent Twi'lek shadow would be waiting for him to ask for his assistance with her own workout. And he knew that she didn't really need any.

He was on his way back toward the base when he spotted Kiara, who must have decided to do the same thing as he had. She'd just gotten a head start on him, that was all. When he approached, he slowed his pace so that he could match hers.

"I thought you were still out with Kanan?"

Kiara shook her head and panted as she answered, "He had plans with Hera to go to her medical checkup."

"She's not ill, is she?" Kallus asked with concern. That earned him a laugh between the gasps for air.

"No, silly. Pregnant women go to a lot of checkups to keep an eye on the child."

"Oh." He then remained silent for a while as the two ran in comfortable silence. That was until his ease of keeping pace with her seemed to irritate the woman at his side.

"How are you not even breathing hard?" Kiara asked just a bit annoyed. "We ran the same path, but you are just-" She came to a stop for a break when they hit an overhang of trees. That was when she placed her hands on her knees as she gasped for air.

Alexsandr couldn't help the chuckle which earned him a dirty look as he came to a stop to join her. "While you were digging around in the ground of various planets and sitting behind a desk doing research, for the most part, I was out chasing criminals."

"I seem to recall that you had a nice cushy desk job when I was on Lothal."

"A desk, yes. Did I stay behind it often? No. Trust me, I was still just as involved with hunting down anyone that I was sent to go after as I had been before I got that office."

"Then it's a good thing I never had to go on the run while you were still an ISB Agent," Kiara decided that she wanted to rest on the ground, so she collapsed beneath the shade of the trees. She then lay there trying to rein in her breathing as she added, "I wouldn't have had a chance. You would have caught me with no trouble at all."

Kallus stood watching as Kiara's chest heaved up and down as she tried to catch her breath. "I'm glad you never had to go on the run then, either. Being on the run together is more fun."

Kiara raised her head and asked, "What?"

"We are both deserters. So, we are both on the run."

She shook her head as she tilted her head back and closed her eyes as it appeared that Alex had decided to wait for her to be ready to continue their run by sitting down beside her on the ground.

"I think we need to work on your idea of fun, Alex."

"You are welcome to try," Alex teased.

"Maybe some other time. I think my lungs are trying to kill me right now." Kiara heard laughter to her side, so she blindly reached out to lightly smack her friend. He caught her hand and held it in place for a few moments before releasing it. Kiara stayed in her place on the ground until she felt ready to continue her run back to the base. When she opened her eyes, Alex was still watching her as if waiting for when she'd be ready to get back up. "Alright. I think I'll survive the rest of the run, now. Just don't tell anyone that I couldn't finish without a break. Okay."

"Your secret is safe with me," Kallus stood and then reached down to pull Valour to her feet before the two headed back in the direction of the rebel base.

A few months later Kanan waited as he listened to the leadership as several teams were given various missions. When each team received their orders, they would leave to start their planning. He knew that Kallus helped with choosing which team's skills and tactics would be best served for each mission. That explained why the crew of the Ghost had mainly been given some of the easier, less dangerous missions as of late. Hera was entering her final months of her pregnancy and while the other man may not admit it, he was making sure that nothing happened to any of them for Hera and the baby's sake. Not that he minded. But he could tell that some of the others in the cell had begun to notice. Not to mention, a mission was botched the week before because the team hadn't been ready for that kind of job.

If he, Zeb, and Sabine had gone, instead, it would have been successful. Kiara could have even joined them. She and Sabine sparred several times a week, so he knew she was prepared. Kanan knew that Sabine had taken it upon herself to make sure that the other woman could take care of herself; likely enough suspecting that such help wouldn't have been appreciated if he or even Kallus had offered it instead. That may have been how it started but it became clear that the two became fast friends. In addition, while his sister didn't have the experience that the rest of them had, and she may still lag behind the rest of them in some areas, she was more than capable of handling herself. Of course, Kanan had known that. After all, she had taken out an Inquisitor on her own and she'd been a Fulcrum for several years.

When the meeting came to an end Kanan walked up toward Kallus but stopped when he heard General Dodonna discussing the destruction of a small cell just a sector away. He paused so that he could find out what had happened. He also wondered why it hadn't been part of the briefing. When the general noticed Kanan he addressed him.

"Kanan, I had hoped that I'd be able to discuss this with you, as well. You heard me inform Agent Kallus of the attack on the cell in the Cr'zileria Sector?"

"Yes. Do you know what happened?"

"I'm afraid so." He looked down a moment before raising his head back up to look at the two men. "It appears to have been the Emperor's Inquisitors. They were looking for someone, but we can only speculate as to whom."

"But they are only deployed when looking for force users," Kallus added. "General, do you feel that they could be part of the same team who Kanan and Kiara came across during their trip to look for supplies at the old Clone base?"

Kanan tilted his head at the cover story that had been given to the leadership for the trip since Kiara hadn't wanted anyone outside their small group to know of her force abilities.

"It is too difficult to determine that. But we must consider that this may be connected. And if they are..." Dodonna looked to Kanan.

"If they are then having a Jedi here on the base may make it more dangerous for everyone involved," Kanan finished for the man.

"I'm afraid so."

"Well, I suppose that I'll just have to leave the base for a while. There is something that Sabine's been interested in pursuing-"

"Perhaps it would be best if I am not privy to what you may be doing while away from the base." With that the general walked away, leaving the two men alone.

"Let's go to the Shadow Chaser to discuss this," Kallus said in a low voice before turning toward the door. Kanan agreed since few needed to know that he may not be the only person at the base whom the Inquisitors may be sensing and searching for. Once on-board Kallus started. "I don't like this. Not just the attack but the fact that the leadership isn't telling the rest of the base about it."

"I'm not sure I do, either."

"So, what do you think we should do?"

Kanan stroked his beard as he considered. It was still possible that the attack was a coincidence. Unlikely, but possible. It was also likely that they were looking for just him. After all, the Inquisitor that he'd fought on the base only saw him, not Kiara. Nor did he know that Kiara was a force sensitive. After all, the body of the other Inquisitor would have shown that she had died from a blaster bolt. Still...

His primary concern, however, was Hera. She was nearing the end of her pregnancy soon and he didn't like the idea of her being on a base that could fall under attack at any moment. With the fact that she was pregnant with a half-human child the length of her pregnancy would be determined by whether the child takes after him or Hera. Which means the child could literally come any day or wait another three months.

"We'll need to call the others in and discuss some possibilities of things to do that are away from the base. Hera and I have discussed possibly going to Ryloth so that her father could be there to see the baby after it's born."

Kallus nodded that he understood. He could see how the woman would want to be near her family as her time to deliver got closer. "What did you mean when you said that Sabine had been interested in a project?"

Kanan chuckled before he shared, "She's been pushing for another trip to Canto Bight. The defense systems are nearly obsolete, and she wanted to go with Kiara to raise some funds so that she could really set things up right around here. I even think Zeb and Rex have added to the list of systems and supplies that could benefit from another influx of cash."

"No." Kallus shook his head. "Are you crazy?"

"Hey, they did just fine the last time. But this time, they'd have Zeb, too. Hell, you could even go." Kanan snickered before adding, "You know, to make sure no other guy gets too fresh with them."

Kallus's eyes flashed just a bit at the thought. "If they go, you'd best believe I'll be going along."

"Good. That means that I won't have to worry about her," Kanan added with sincerity. He knew that Kallus cared for his sister and if he had known about that while they had both been in the Empire, he knew he wouldn't have been okay with it. But he'd fought alongside the man in too many battles for him not to earn his respect. Not to mention, he'd been at the other man's side during the rescue of Kiara from the Star Destroyer and saw how much he had been worried for her. "There is just one thing. You'll need to let Sabine help with your disguise."

"My what?"

Kanan grinned. "You heard me. You'll need to disguise yourself if you go to Canto Bight. We don't want anyone to recognize and turn you over to the Empire, now do we?" He added with some laughter. "Come on. It won't be that bad."

"You say that, but you aren't the one who will become Sabine's latest art project," Kallus groaned.

"It'll be fine. And who knows, you may even have some fun."

"I highly doubt it." Kallus glowered as Kanan shrugged as if giving up on the idea.

"There's always the option of you stayin-"

"Fine. I'll do it. But that doesn't mean that I have to be happy about it." Kallus sighed. No, he couldn't just stay behind while they went off on this fool's errand. He knew it. Kanan knew it. And the rest did, too.

Kanan clapped the other man on the back as he said, "That's the spirit."

A week later Kiara sat up in the cockpit of the Shadow Chaser with Zeb beside her as they called in to control for permission to land at Canto Bight. Sabine was still trying to convince Alexsandr to let her give him a full makeover so that he'd be less likely to be recognized instead of just changing his hair color again the last time Kiara had gone and checked on them. She'd been going over suggestions for most of the trip with him only to have them rejected.

Meanwhile, Zeb was bemoaning that he would be relegated to staying behind on the ship with Tac since it was harder to disguise him. There were also so few Lasat roaming the galaxy that his appearance would likely stand out and make him memorable. Something that they all wanted to avoid.

When Kiara finished the shutdown procedures, she headed back to her cabin to put on her working clothes for the casino then waited for the other two who would be joining her along with Zeb who was making himself as comfortable as he could in the common area, as well. When she heard Sabine assure Alex that he didn't look that bad Kiara turned in her seat and waited to see just what wasn't that bad. When the two finally entered the common area Zeb busted out laughing. That had the effect of having Kallus immediately turning to head back toward his cabin.

"Oh no you don't!" Sabine insisted. "I worked too hard for you to go and take it all off before we've even had a chance to do what we came here to do."

Kiara watched as Alex's shoulders slumped before he turned back around to face his friends. When she saw what Sabine had settled on, she smiled broadly.

"Don't." Alex said quickly when he saw it.

"What? I just think that it'll be fun that we will be quite the matched pair. A pair of Pantorans, that is," Kiara said with her borrowed voice since she was once again using the voice emulator. "So, does this mean that you'll be my date for the evening?"

Sabine and Zeb both snickered at her choice of words. She leaned in to whisper to the Lasat, "If she only knew."

Chapter Text

Kiara stood to get a good look at the work that Sabine had done. She wasn't surprised to see that she had done an excellent job in turning her friend into a Pantoran, just like her. When she stood, however, she saw that Alex grimaced.

"What?"

"What are you wearing?"

Kiara rolled her eyes. Yes, her outfit was a bit on the skimpy side. A style that she wouldn't even consider away from a place like Canto Bight. It was very short and had a slit up to her hip on one side. The limited top that she was wearing was practically a couple of shiny scraps of cloth that barely covered her breasts. But she also was aware that if she didn't want to draw unwanted attention from other gamblers at the tables that she needed to look like nearly every woman in the casino. Not to mention, she knew from years of experience that the briefer the outfit the bigger the bets at the table tended to be.

"Something that will help me blend in with the rest of the women who are here to gamble. Would you prefer that I wore my jumpsuit that I wear when working on the ship's systems?"

Zeb nudged Sabine as the two did their best to become part of the ship's décor so that they could watch the small argument that looked to be brewing.

"At least it would look like you were planning to earn credits at the tables instead of-"

Kiara's eyes flew open at the implication as her jaw tightened from the strain she'd put on her teeth. When she slapped Kallus the other two in the room both felt their jaws drop. Kallus, for his part remained stock-still as the two glared at one another until Tac floated down the corridor.

"Mistress Kiara, I've tapped into the casino's computer as you requested and downloaded the guest list so that you could best decide which tables to start at." Tac zipped around with a small datapad in hand. "There are several high rollers present who were also here when we were last on Cantonica."

Kiara took a step back, no longer wanting to tease Alex on the way he looked as had been her intention when she had first stood up. She grabbed the datapad and glanced over the list of names to see which ones she recognized from over the years of hitting gambling spots like this one to pull in a few extra credits. She snickered when she read over one name in particular before she turned to Sabine, utterly ignoring Alexsandr.

"We'll work the same way as before." Kiara handed the datapad over to the Mandalorian as she spoke, "Tac has noted those who you'll need to keep a watch out for, for me."

Sabine nodded as she glanced over the information, committing much of it to memory. She'd set up an interface with her helmet's computer so that she could refer back to the list as needed. "I'll head inside and get ready. Wait a few minutes."

Kiara then turned toward Zeb to apologize for his having to stay on the ship. He understood but that didn't mean that he had to like it.

"Maybe another time," Zeb said with a shrug.

"Definitely."

Kiara then turned and eyed Alex who still was looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. She didn't have time to figure him out, so she instead slipped past him and headed down the loading ramp to leave the ship. She didn't turn her head when she heard footsteps behind her on the ramp. He had come to the planet to keep an eye on her after all and he couldn't do that from the ship. As they entered the casino Kiara felt a hand on the base of her spine as she walked through the lobby. She ignored it as the two worked their way toward the various game tables.

In her ear Sabine directed her toward a table that had one of the individuals who had a notation on the datapad that indicated that he tended to bet large amounts of credits, especially after he had a few drinks in him. Kiara glanced over toward the man in question and saw that he was already a bit unsteady on his feet.

"Go to the bar and watch from there. I'll go to the tables alone," Kiara muttered without turning to look at the man who still had a possessive hand on her back.

"I don't think so," Kallus said as he looked around the casino.

Kiara practically growled as she spun around, nearly sliding on her impossibly high heels. "We are here for credits. We will only get those credits if I don't have someone glowering over my shoulder at the other gamblers."

"I don't glower," Alex said through gritted teeth.

"Oh no?" Kiara raised her brow for a moment before shaking her head. "I think you coming here was a bad idea. Maybe you should go back to the ship. Especially since once I get to the Sabacc tables, they only allow players into the area."

Kallus shook his head. "Not going to happen. I'll go to the bar; for now. But I'll be watching."

Kiara took a deep breath before she turned to walk toward the gaming tables. She did her best to ignore the man who was watching her every move behind her. She joined a game and put a bet on the table as she started to chat up the man whose name was on the datapad of high rollers.

From the nearest bar Kallus watched as Kiara laughed with those at the table and even flirted with the large Besalisk as the man put one of his four arms around her, resting his hand on her hip. Alex flexed his own hand, forgetting that he had a drink in it, and broke the glass that he'd been holding. He watched as she leaned forward across the table to collect her winnings. He also watched as both men and women at the table eyed her form as she stretched and leaned as she did so. When she moved like that, even less of her blue-painted body was sufficiently covered.

Alex spent the next several hours watching from across the way, moving from one bar to another to shadow Kiara. He listened as Sabine would give warnings against going to certain tables and which ones to join based on who was playing and who was winning. He hated to admit it, but the two women worked seamlessly together. Both drew on their own strengths and abilities.

Finally, after earning more than enough credits to get into a high-stakes game Kallus watched as Kiara went further away into the corner area of the casino that was roped off so that only the players could go. He suspected that this was so that the players couldn't have assistance from anyone walking behind the others to give them a heads up regarding the hands of each individual at the table. This is what Kallus had been waiting for. He hadn't told the others, but he'd had a stash of credits on him, and he saw that it was enough to get into the game that Kiara was joining. He stepped away from the bar and walked in the direction of the Sabacc tables and put his credits on the table as he took a seat across from the woman that he'd come to the planet to watch and protect.

Kallus tried to read what Kiara was thinking when she looked in his direction, but she was well practiced in keeping her face schooled while gambling. He thought about saying something to break the ice, something non-descript that wouldn't reveal that they were on the planet together, but before he got the chance another man took the last place at the table. A seat right beside of Kiara.

"Well, well," a dark-skinned human male smiled broadly at the blue Pantoran woman whom he'd met once before right here at the tables. "This is a surprise. I didn't expect to see such a lovely vision at the tables twice in one lifetime."

"After our last encounter, how could I possibly stay away?" Kiara smiled in Lando's direction. "Especially since finding a true gentleman is so rare in the galaxy."

"You flatter me, my lady," Lando took Kiara's hand and gave it a kiss on the knuckles.

"Is truth really flattery?"

"Perhaps it only sounds as such coming from your lovely lips."

Kallus didn't know if he wanted to roll his eyes or punch the other man as he heard the exchange. Actually, maybe he did know which he'd prefer to do but he settled for rolling his eyes instead.

When the cards were dealt, he did his best to concentrate on the game, but it wasn't easy. The man beside Kiara kept flirting with her and what was worse, she not only didn't discourage him but flirted right back. He also saw that each time that the man beside her took his time to debate on a bet or trading a card Kiara would take the opportunity to cross her legs and shifted in her seat. And of course, it drew the man's attention more times than it didn't.

He knew that the woman was using her ability to read the people at the table so when she put in a lower bet it meant that she didn't have as good of a hand as the others at the table. When she put in a larger bet, she wasn't bluffing. Kallus, for his part, stuck with modest bets. Occasionally winning so he was still coming out ahead. He wasn't here to win, though; that was Kiara's job. No, he was here to... Hell, what was he here to do? He knew what he wanted to do when other players got too close to her, but he couldn't exactly indulge in those impulses.

Kiara, for her part, had earned quite a healthy pot of winnings as she sat at the table. She looked at her cards and knew that this hand was quite promising since few hands would be able to beat it. She was about to place a bet when Sabine's voice came over the comm unit in her ear.

"Guys, we should head back to the ship. I saw security pulling out some weird devices, having individuals to speak into them, and they seem to be looking for someone."

Kiara looked over to Alex and saw that he heard Sabine, too. They may not be looking for them but if his voice print was taken, he could become a convenient prisoner for security to take in to turn over to the Empire. That meant that he needed to get to the ship. He subtly gestured with a brow to indicate that he wanted her to leave first. Kiara looked down at her cards and the bets on the table already. They even included a city on the planet of Bespin. That could bring in a lot more credits than they had hoped. She could win. But she also knew that Alex wasn't about to leave the table until she did. And they couldn't exactly leave at the same time, either. Nor could she actually bet to win because that would extend the game longer than they had before the security got to the table.

Groaning, Kiara placed her cards down on the table to indicate that she was folding. She was withdrawing from the hand. That left Lando the victor. Kiara then stood to leave the table.

"My dear, you aren't planning to leave so soon, are you? I do believe that you have become my Lady Luck. What could I possibly do without you at my side?" Lando gently reached for Kiara's hand as she went to grab her winnings from the table. She placed her other hand on his shoulder and gazed down at his face with a sweet smile.

"I'm sure that you'll be able to find a new talisman to sit at your side, soon enough."

"Perhaps, but I doubt that they will be nearly as lovely or pleasant to speak to. Nor as well-cultured, such as yourself. A true lady."

"Now look who is trying to flatter?"

"But as you said, is it flattery if it is truth?"

"Until our paths cross again, Lando." Kiara then picked up her winnings and eyed Alexsandr and snickered softly to herself. She knew that he'd have to play at least one more hand before making his own exit in order to make it less suspicious. Still, that didn't mean that she intended to head to the ship just yet. Not until he, too, had left the Sabacc table.

Kiara found Sabine and gave her the winnings that she'd collected. Should someone have the inclination, they would be far less likely to try to take them from a Mandalorian Warrior than from someone who looked as if she was a common female player at the casino. Sabine made a quick and hasty exit of her own to wait on the ship. Just in case, she also said that she and Zeb would have the Shadow Chaser ready should they have to fight their way out of the system. Kiara hoped that they wouldn't need to but knew that the precaution was wise.

Kiara stood by the nearest bar to the Sabacc tables while she waited for Alex to make his way from the tables. When he left the area holding a case that contained his winnings, he scanned the room around him and as his eyes fell onto her, she could see that he wasn't happy that she'd waited for him. Still, he wasn't going to let her leave alone and she figured that it only went to reason that she wouldn't want him to do so, either.

Kallus made his way over to where Kiara was at and kept his voice low when he asked, "What do you think you are doing? Why didn't you go back to the ship with Sabine?"

"The same reason why you didn't, I suppose." Kiara rolled her eyes. "Now let's go."

Kallus watched as several officers were filtering their way in their direction. "Wait, not that way." He led Kiara away from the officers with a hand to her lower back and scanned the room for a place to take refuge in until the coast was clear. He spied an alcove that had a variety of plants in it and decided that it would do. "In there."

Kiara glanced at the alcove that seemed tucked away from the rest of the lights and atmosphere of the casino. It would be a tight fit with the two of them. She eyed Alex and the alcove but only briefly as she spotted the officers in search of a mystery individual whom they could only identify by their voice, apparently. She slipped in with him right behind her. The alcove was so tight that she had little choice but to tuck in next to Alex as he put an arm around her but kept an eye on the search party.

"Who do you think they are looking for?" Kiara whispered. Before he responded she felt him tighten his grip slightly around her bare waist.

"I don't know. But it's best to try to avoid detection. And if they get close, we may need to pretend to be too occupied to pay them much attention."

Kiara could sense that a couple of officers were heading in their direction as she asked, "And how do you suggest that we do that?"

Her mind took a second to process the answer that he gave her. He'd bent his head down and gave her a kiss; soft, sweet and lingering. After a second of hesitation and confusion she found her hand reaching up and wrapping itself around Alex's neck. When she did, she felt the kiss turn from being soft and sweet to being a bit more urgent and even demanding.

Chapter Text

Kallus didn't know what had possessed him to kiss Kiara but at least she didn't fight it. In fact, she appeared to be enjoying it as much as he was. He deepened the kiss further just a second before he felt a strong set of hands pulling him back.

"What?" Kallus growled as he turned to glare at the casino's security officers who had interrupted the moment that he'd been looking forward to for quite some time now. His fist flexed at his side as if in search of an outlet for the frustration that he felt from being denied, extending the moment of bliss before returning to reality.

One of the officers, one with the voice print device, shook his head. "He's not one. And you, miss. Could you please speak up for us?"

"What should I say?" Kiara said with her borrowed voice.

"That's enough. She's not one, either. Let's keep moving."

It took a moment to realize what the man had said as he and the others continued on in their search for some unknown individuals. He knew that Kiara seemed to realize that they were in the clear at the same time that he did as he felt her relax against him when he turned to face her.

"I don't think I gave you enough credit when it comes to avoiding detection," Kiara whispered as she glanced past Alex and continued to watch as the officers questioned others as they passed by them. "That was pretty fast thinking. And they certainly looked convinced."

Kallus wanted to groan. She thought that the only reason he'd kissed her was to play the role of a couple looking for a place to get some privacy in this very public setting. When he felt Kiara move to leave the alcove, he held her in place up against him; his hands on both of her hips, his case of winnings had been dropped to beside his feet sometime after he'd started to kiss Kiara. "Not yet. If they see us, they'll think that the only reason we came here was to hide from them. It'll draw suspicion. "

"They don't look like they'll be going anywhere for a while," Kiara kept watch of the officers as she tried to forget the fact that she was standing very close to Alex, with her hands on his chest. She felt herself being carefully shifted so that she wouldn't stumble in her impractical shoes so that Alexsandr could subtly look over her shoulder toward the men who continued to take voice imprints of their clientele.

"No, they don't." Kallus swallowed as he moved one hand to the base of Kiara's back as he lowered his face to the top of her head and whispered into her hair, "We'll give them a few more minutes and if they don't leave, we'll have to see how well you can pretend to be infatuated with me."

Kiara had a flash to their first nighttime escapade to send out a Fulcrum message and couldn't help it. She looked up at Alexsandr and fluttered her lashes with an exaggerated motion. "You mean, I should look at you with blind adoration?"

"You think you are being cute, don't you?"

"Depends," Kiara giggled with her borrowed voice. "Do you think I'm being cute."

"You flirted better with that Lando guy," Kallus rolled his eyes.

"Jealous?" Kiara snickered before she moved her head slightly to watch as the officers started to slowly move further away. "Besides, for him, I was just playing a role. I pretended to be what he expected. But you, you are lucky enough to get the real me."

Kallus's hand on her hip flexed just a bit before he reached down for his case with his winnings. "Come on. We'd better get going. Just stay close."

She slipped an arm around his waist and asked, "Close enough?"

Alex gave her another unreadable look before he nodded and the two began to pick their way toward the exit. He was pleasantly surprised that Kiara had taken on the appearance of having gotten drunk, thus was leaning heavily while she held onto him. Not that he minded. It gave him a better excuse to keep his arms around her. They kept up the act all the way out of the casino and she only stepped away from him as they neared the hangar. When she did, he tried not to seem disappointed.

When they got to the Shadow Chaser, they quickly went up the ramp and closed it before heading towards the common area of the ship where the Lasat and the Mandalorian were waiting for them. Both seemed to be trying to hold back snickers on their faces. That was when Kallus remembered that he'd never turned the comm unit off. He pulled at the earpiece and saw the knowing look on Garazeb's face.

Great. So, they were listening in on what had happened with Kiara. He closed his eyes and steeled himself for the teasing that was no doubt going to be coming his way very soon. Which wouldn't be as bad if it wasn't for the fact that she thought that the only reason that he'd kissed her had been as part of a ruse to avoid detection by the officers. Well, maybe it had started off that way but that wasn't how it ended before he was pulled away in order to record his voice print.

"Well." Kiara walked over to where the credits were laid out. It was clear that the other two had counted them out already. "How did we do?"

Sabine fought a grin since she wanted to talk to the other woman about something other than the credits, but she figured she'd stick to business for now. "You did pretty well. Better than your first night the last time we were here."

"It would have been even better if I hadn't had to walk away from my last hand. The pot was huge, and I had the winning hand."

"How do you know?" Zeb asked skeptically.

"All these years working alongside Kanan, and you have to ask?"

"The force? Isn't there some sort of rule against using it for personal profit or something?"

Kiara laughed. "Maybe for Jedi; but you forget, I am no Jedi."

"Well, at least they didn't catch you two," Sabine said sincerely.

"Actually," Kallus took a seat at the dejarik table as he spoke. "They didn't appear to be looking for us, at all. When they reached us and recorded our voice prints, they dismissed us pretty quickly. You didn't hear that over the comm?"

Zeb answered as Sabine turned away slightly at the question. "Uh, we'd actually turned the comm unit off."

Kiara shook her head as she looked around at the blushes on the others. Alex can set them straight. "Well, I think I'm going to head to my cabin and crash. Tomorrow is bound to be another interesting day."

Kallus waited until after Valour had left and got ready to get to his feet to head to his own cabin when the Mandalorian stopped him. "I want information."

"What?" He looked over to see if Garazeb planned to help him, but he only chuckled as the woman stood in his way to prevent him from standing up. "And why would I feel obligated to comply?"

"Oh, come on!" Sabine rolled her eyes. "It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on when the comm went silent. So..."

"If it doesn't take a genius then you don't require me to give you any further information." Kallus wasn't about to discuss this with the younger woman, no matter how intimidating she tried to appear. Sabine let out a noise of frustration as she turned and threw her hands up into the air. Kallus took the opportunity to stand and began to make a hasty retreat. "I'll see both of you in the morning."

With that Kallus headed toward his cabin and went over the events of the evening, reliving the frustration of watching every interaction that he'd witnessed both from a distance as well as up close when Kiara had shamelessly flirted with various gamblers at the tables. And of course, he tried to figure out how she could have misread the kiss that he'd given her.

He fell onto his bunk in aggravation. If it had just been the two of them on the ship, he probably would have gone over to the cabin across the hall to try to talk to her. But somehow just having Sabine and Garazeb on the ship made it feel as if he had an audience. An unwanted audience.

In the security office of Canto Bight the voice prints that had been taken earlier in search of some fugitives were being cataloged and downloaded into the casino's system. They hadn't found the criminals whom they'd been looking for, but one never knew just who could be found when cross-referenced with the Imperial databases.

The officer who was given the duty of checking each and every voiceprint could nearly do this job in his sleep. Sure, there were usually some minor crooks within their walls but for the most part, they weren't worth looking too hard at. He expected tonight's finds would be much the same. That was until one of the voice prints popped.

Wanted for Desertion:

Bounty of 500,000 credits if captured alive.

Bounty of 300,000 credits if brought in dead

Name: Kallus; Alexsandr

Species: Human

Gender: Male

Skin color: Light

Eye color: Hazel

Hair color: Blond

Height: 1.95 meters

Weight: 90 kilograms

That was quite the bounty for a simple deserter. The officer figured that the man must have some dirt on the Empire for such a hefty sum. The officer pulled up the time stamps of the surveillance footage and saw that the individual on the screen didn't match the Imperial database's description of him. But a person can change their appearance. A voice print didn't lie.

The man was wanted by the Empire, and he was going to be the one to collect the bounty. He didn't bother calling his superiors since they would just take credit, and the bounty. He used his comm unit to transmit a message to the nearest Imperial ship so that they could send someone out to seize the man.

The next day when Kiara stepped out of her cabin wearing an outfit that didn't leave much to the imagination once more Kallus gritted his teeth so that he wouldn't say anything that would earn him another slap like he'd gotten the day before. The day went much the same way it had the day before. He did join in at some of the tables but when he did Kiara would give him polite smiles but, for the most part, she pretended that she didn't even know him as she played the games and encouraged various individuals to place bigger bets than they had otherwise planned.

Of course, sometimes Kallus won instead of her. He wasn't sure if that had been by design or not but this way it did seem to take some of the suspicion off of her when the gambler of the moment learned the hard lesson of not letting a beautiful woman goad them into betting more than they wanted.

When Kiara headed over toward the Sabacc tables Kallus didn't join her this time. He did still keep watch over her, but it seemed that the system that the two women had devised worked so well that he wasn't really needed at all. Kiara, while accepting far more touching than he was comfortable with allowing, would make it very clear when another player overstepped whatever line she had created for herself.

He went to one of the nearby bars in the casino and ordered a drink; a strong one. He'd just taken his first sip when the operations security approached him.

"Sir, we need you to come with us."

"Is there a problem?" Kallus eyed the other men. A half-dozen individuals who had their hands on their blasters.

"Let's not do this here, sir. We have some individuals who are interested in meeting with you." He tilted his head toward the direction of the office where he wanted Kallus to go. Meanwhile Sabine's voice came over in his earpiece.

"I'll be right behind you."

"No," Kallus said to the woman but looked over at the men as he spoke. He downed the rest of his drink in one swallow and put his glass down. "I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding and I'll be fine. I wouldn't want to cause any of the others here any inconvenience. They should all go about their own business."

"In that case," the lead officer prodded Kallus to move, "let's go."

Kallus followed behind the lead officer as he was flanked on all sides as the rest of the men closed ranks. Mentally, he started to note the subtle weaknesses of the others that he knew that a less trained individual likely would miss. Such as the fact that the man to his left had a slight limp. Likely from years of brawls and breaking up fights. He began to take inventory of each of the other men as they slipped away from the playing area of the casino and started down a long hall that he knew that few who came to the gambling planet ever came to. And those who had walked this hall likely wished that they never had.

As the men came to a stop in front of a lift Kallus waited for a moment before he sent a well-placed kick to the man with the limp's knee, causing it to bend the wrong way as he positioned himself to take on the rest of the men as the first one began to howl in pain on the ground.

"Kiara, I lost sight of Kallus. The hall he was taken down is too heavily guarded for me to get through to him."

Kiara had gathered her winnings and left the table as soon as she heard that Kallus had been taken by the facility guards to the security office. She started to walk in the general direction of where he had disappeared, but she wasn't sure what she planned to do. She wasn't exactly dressed to fight. Hell, if she tried to punch anyone, she likely would send herself off balanced in the damned shoes that she was wearing.

"Can you find a computer terminal? Maybe you can see if this has anything to do with yesterday."

"On it."

"Zeb," Kiara started only for him to cut in.

"The ship is primed and ready to go and so am I. I'm coming your way. Kiara, you best get to the ship. If we have to make a run for it, I think it'd be best if you didn't do any actual running."

Kiara glanced down toward the hall where Alex had been taken only moments prior. She knew that Zeb was right. Sabine and Zeb were both better equipped to help him than she was. Especially in her impractical heels. "Alright. But be careful. Both of you."

Down the hall, Kallus was wrestling the last two of the security officers who had been sent to bring him in. He heard one of the men mention a bounty earlier in the fight. That meant that they knew who he was. He flipped one of the officers toward the other last remaining man who was still standing and conscious. With both men dazed and confused from their collisions Kallus punched each of them in the face to finish them off.

He'd heard the others over the comm and knew that they planned to come to the rescue. He raced back in the direction of where he'd come from. When he got within sight of the hall's entrance, he saw Sabine speaking with the guards who had been left to stand watch. She spotted her friend's approach and let out an apology as she slammed both guards' heads together.

"Kallus," Sabine said as they both started toward the entrance. "We were going to come rescue you."

He couldn't suppress the laughter. "Rescue me? How sweet. Sabine, I wasn't aware that you cared."

"Jerk," she said with a slight push as they both got within sight of the exit of the casino.

"As you can see," Kallus continued chuckling, "I don't require a rescue."

Sabine saw where dozens of officers were now heading their way. "Yeah, well, the night is still young. Let's move."

"Zeb, we're heading your way. Get back to the ship."

"Got it, Kallus."

The two continued to run and pulled their blasters as they fought their way toward the hangar where they'd left the Shadow Chaser.

"I don't think we're going to make it," Sabine said as she glanced around her.

"Use your jetpack. I'll be able to run faster alone and if we split up, we'll divide their forces, too."

Sabine frowned at the implication that she was slowing him down. "In that case, you go ahead. I'll cover you and bring up the rear."

"I don't think-"

"Just go. They aren't after me. It's you that they want. So, if you can run faster, then do it!" Sabine said as she activated her jetpack and took to the sky to take out as many running targets as she could. She turned to see Kallus break away from the officers, but he'd paused as if he were waiting for her. "Kallus, get to the ship. Tac, once he's onboard take off and I'll catch you on the fly."

"Of course. We'll join you as soon as Master Kallus is aboard."

From Sabine's vantage point she saw as Kallus reluctantly continued on his way to the ship and left her to deal with the remaining forces. She continued to fire her blasters as the Shadow Chaser flew by with the loading ramp still down. She used her jetpack and flew to the ramp and held onto its support as she waved goodbye to those still trying to follow after the crew.

Chapter Text

Elios read over the file in front of him. He'd had any reports regarding potential sightings of those who had assisted his daughter's escape flagged. He felt that it would be prudent to know as much as he could so that he would be more prepared for those who may seek to get in the way of his turning her over to his Emperor. When the report was filed regarding the former ISB Agent turned deserter showing up on Cantonica he was intrigued. He studied the security footage that had been included with the report filed with the Imperials.

It would seem that the man had single handedly dealt with the security detail that had been sent to capture him and take him to where an Imperial escort was waiting to take him off of their hands. Impressed, he supposed that he shouldn't have been surprised after going over the man's service record. Clearly, he'll have to make sure that if his forces come across the man that they don't underestimate him.

While watching the footage provided of the entrance to the casino where the surveillance cameras had been placed at an angle for an optimal image, Elios watched as the man who had been identified as Agent Kallus in disguise appeared on screen. Smart. He knew that he was a wanted man, and he changed his appearance to the point that even facial recognition software wouldn't have picked him up.

As the agent walked in, he noticed that he had done so with another Pantoran; a woman who was hardly dressed but Elios knew that the outfit would have blended perfectly with the setting. As they walked in the man had placed a possessive hand to her back both times that they had entered the casino. The first time that the man had left the gambling establishment he appeared to have been supporting his female companion; too much alcohol, perhaps. Moff Dume returned the footage to when they had first entered the establishment and had it zoomed in on the woman.

"So, that is why he had risked so much to join a rescue attempt on an Imperial Star Destroyer," Elios leaned back in his chair as he once more replayed the footage from the entrance when the deserter and his daughter entered and left on that first day that they'd been on Cantonica. "Really, quite a reckless thing to do."

Elios then watched as the man left but this time with a Mandalorian in tow after he had practically demolished the security forces that had been sent to capture him. With that, the Moff looked over the report of the man's potential allies. There was the Jedi, of course, whom he'd joined during the rescue on his ship. There was also the Lasat who had been seen in the hanger who covered their race to their ship during the escape from the Star Destroyer. But Elios had uncovered that there were two others in the cell that the Jedi and Lasat were a part of. A Twi'lek and a Mandalorian.

He pulled up what was on file regarding the young woman and saw that it was noted by Grand Admiral Thrawn that she had quite the artistic bent. Elios glanced back toward the security footage and wondered if he was witnessing an example of her artistic abilities as he watched the two disguised deserters.

He made a mental note to look further into the allies of his daughter and the man who appeared to be close to her. He wouldn't be denied again by this rebel cell's involvement. His Emperor saw something in his daughter that he wanted and in exchange the Moff would be greatly compensated; but if he failed to bring her to him, he also knew that there would be a horrible price to pay. That meant that he was determined to be prepared for when his opportunity came.

After spending much of the flight back to Rebel Command working on removing her disguise, Kiara finished clearing the body modification paint off and mentally swore that this would be the last time she'd wear such skimpy outfits while also having to use the paints. After all, it meant that she had to use paint over her entire body. Next time she'd have to disguise herself as a Mirialan. That way the only place she'd have to paint would be her face and hands since the modest outfits would cover her entire body and no one of that species would be caught dead in the outfits she'd worn to Canto Bight, regardless of the reasons.

Kiara let Sabine and Zeb take care of handing off the credits to the leadership as she stayed aboard her ship to check behind them on the repairs that they'd had to make to it after they'd blasted their way out of the Cantonica system. She knew that they were completely capable of making the repairs themselves, and she had made a point of not checking on those repairs during their flight back so that she showed that she trusted them, but this was still her ship. She couldn't help but check them once she was left alone on it, once more.

While in the engine compartment she decided to work on some of the upgrades that she'd been putting off. She thought best when she was working on her ship and, to be honest, she needed to think now that she had the time and space to do it.

Kiara thought back to the kiss that she'd shared with Alexsandr. She had tried to play it off as if it was nothing more than a ruse, just as the fact that they'd both had to wear disguises, to avoid detection. But the truth was, she knew it was anything but. No matter how much she'd continued to tell nearly anyone who suggested that they were more than just friends, that kiss said otherwise. Things were changing between them and that scared her. Alex was her best friend, and the only real one she had after the Clone Wars until she came to the rebel base, and she didn't want to lose that friendship.

Overhead, she heard footsteps and knew that he'd returned to the ship. She could separate his steps from the others'. She had thought that he'd stay in the Command Center since it was no secret that he had become an integral part of the staff after joining the Rebellion. Not just because of his knowledge regarding the Empire but also thanks to his keen mind and ability to devise plans that could benefit the cause that reviled even most of the generals. It was the same reason why he'd excelled in his career within the Empire. If he had remained, there was no doubt that he'd likely would have risen to the top in record time. Perhaps only surpassed by Thrawn.

She looked down at her chronometer and realized that it was much later than she had thought. It had been shortly after the midday meal when she began the repairs and now it was well after the evening meal. So, no wonder he'd returned to the ship.

Kiara continued working on the system that she'd practically torn apart to upgrade it. She didn't like leaving repairs half-finished. Especially while on a base that could, in actuality, be attacked at any moment. Leaving vital systems unrepaired could cost lives if an evacuation were needed. Not to mention, she wanted the extra time before she finally saw Alexsandr alone for the first time in days since the evening in the casino. She worked several more hours on it until the upgrade was finally completed and the system was fully restored.

When she climbed out of the engine compartment her hands were covered with grime and she had oil streaks on her face from where she'd wiped the sweat away as she was working. It was also well into the night. She glanced down at herself once she was out of the compartment and figured that she'd best head to the refresher to get cleaned up. As she passed the common area toward the crew quarters where the refresher was located, she saw that Alexsandr was lounging on the couch reading from a datapad. When he heard her, he looked up and grinned as he saw the state that she was in. Standing there in her work jumpsuit and she knew she looked absolutely filthy.

"What are you still doing awake? I sort of thought that you would have turned in already."

"I waited up. I thought that we should talk." Alex put his datapad down and stood up and crossed the small room and couldn't help the small chuckle when he stepped close enough to smear the grease that was on Kiara's forehead. "This is a good look on you."

She rolled her eyes at that. "I'm sure." She pulled out her oil-stained rag in her pocket and wiped her face as best as she could before she tossed it aside. "It's a little late. I'm not sure that this would be the best time to-"

"Actually, it seems like the best time. Tac has powered down for the night and we aren't likely to be interrupted by anyone right now." Kallus put a hand on Kiara's elbow and led her over to the lounge area and waited until after she'd sat down on the couch before he joined her. "I've been putting some thought into this, and I think that we need to talk about Cantonica."

Kiara swallowed but she tried to cover her discomfort. "Relax. It's okay. I know that you just were-"

"No. That's just it. It may not have been the best time but that kiss, it was real. I've wanted to do that for quite some time." Alex took one of Kiara's grime-ridden hands and held it. "You had to have known that. Hell, half the base knows it."

Kiara thought back to the first time that she got an indication that he did; back on that night when they'd played dejarik. She had reached out with her senses to try to get the upper hand in the game by reading him but when she did, she got more than she had expected. That had caused her to pull back. She'd tried to ignore what she knew ever since. Then came the incident at Canto Bight. Again, she tried to play it off but now she was confronted by the man in question and there was no ignoring what they both knew. She sighed as she nodded.

"Try not to seem so thrilled," Alex said as he saw the look of resignation on Kiara. His heart faltered at the look on her face. He didn't know what he really expected but it wasn't what he was seeing.

"I'm sorry. It's just... You've been my best friend and I don't want to ruin that."

"Who says that it has to ruin anything? We'll still be best friends. This, between us, only makes us more, not less." Alexsandr brushed a hand to push back some errant strands of hair that had fallen over Kiara's face as he leaned forward. "I know you said that you don't want to ruin what we have, but I don't lose what we could have, either. We're good together. Always have been." He got within a hair's breadth away from Kiara's lips before he added, "I love you."

With that, he closed the last bit of distance between them and gave a slow and gentle kiss. One to test to see if he'd be pushed away. When he wasn't he placed his hand behind her neck and pulled her toward him as he increased the intensity of the kiss. It was when Kiara not just accepted his kisses but returned them that he pulled her over onto his lap as he sat back against the couch. He could then wrap both arms around the woman who had haunted his thoughts and dreams for so long. He felt her hands move over him, mimicking his own exploration.

When the kiss came to an end, he affectionately kissed the tip of Kiara's nose before he pulled her closer to him so that she could rest her head on his shoulder. He placed his cheek on the top of her head and grinned to himself. The two sat there for a moment, just absorbing the new level of closeness that they'd found and accepted.

Eventually, Kiara reluctantly looked at her chronometer and groaned. "The day's going to get started soon and neither of us has gotten any rest, yet."

"I suppose I should let you go get cleaned up and some sleep," Alex loosened his hold around Kiara as he spoke. He exchanged a chaste kiss before she stood and left the common room of the Shadow Chaser. He'll not be able to get any sleep, but he had lots of experience with going for days with little to no sleep. At least this time the reason for that lack of sleep was worth it.

Sabine watched as Kiara and Kallus sat at the midday meal. She could tell that something was different, just as she had seen at the morning meal, but she hadn't been able to get the woman aside to discuss the events at Canto Bight just yet. Sabine had spent most of the morning discussing which teams should be sent and where to purchase the equipment needed for the security upgrades now that they had the credits for them. For the most part, Rex took that over while she had a few suggestions since some of the newer teams had yet to earn the clone's trust, but she had seen that the missions would be a good chance to send them out to see how the teams worked together.

Now with that done Sabine suggested that she and Kiara spend the afternoon sparring. She saw that the other woman hesitated for a second before she agreed. She wasn't dumb. Kiara knew that Sabine wanted to talk about her relationship with the man sitting beside her. She intended to get all of the gossip that she could.

"It may be closer to the evening meal, though. I have a transmission with Kanan..." Kiara glanced toward where others were sitting nearby who didn't know that she was a force sensitive.

Fortunately, Sabine understood. "Make sure he knows that just because we aren't his sister that it doesn't mean that we don't want to hear from him, too."

Kiara laughed. "I'll make sure I tell him that. But he knows that I am less likely to be busy like the rest of you during the day."

And it was true. When on the base she spent most of her time bored. It gave her plenty of time to work on the assignments that Kanan gave her while learning to control her force abilities but there was little that she was suited for while at the base. Her particular skill set didn't exactly lend itself well to working here. When she wasn't working on gaining control, she would instead bury herself in her personal research project while reading legends on the holo-net.

"You stay busy enough," Kallus stated as he finished his meal. He knew what she filled her days with, but he was sworn to secrecy.

Kiara shrugged. "Maybe I'm just surrounded by overachievers."

"I don't know what you are talking about?" Kallus chuckled before he got ready to leave. He had a meeting with General Dodonna in a quarter of an hour. He nonchalantly dropped a kiss to the top of her head before he left with, "I'll see you later."

Sabine watched on with a grin and Garazeb raised a brow since he'd not expected his friend to go public so fast. When he saw that Kiara's face took on a pale pink tinge, he figured that he'd spare the young woman some embarrassment and joined Kallus in leaving. He'd leave Sabine to interrogate her, instead. He was likely to know the result of the conversation, whether he wanted to or not, when he saw her later.

Chapter Text

"Mistress Kiara! Master Kallus! A message is coming in from Ryloth on the priority channel."

Both humans had been sitting together in the common area of the Shadow Chaser when the droid came floating down the corridor excitedly.

"Tac, go find Zeb and Sabine," Kiara unfolded her legs out from under herself and said as she stood to walk over to the comm unit in the common room. She'd been reading her datapad researching the purrgil still while Alexsandr had been sitting beside her while going over intelligence reports before the droid had raced in, bubbling over with excitement. Kiara had the transmission ready as soon as the two members of the Ghost crew joined them.

Shortly after the droid headed out both the Mandalorian and the Lasat came running in as if they had both run at top speed. "Tac said-"

"We waited until you got here," Kiara said as she switched the transmission on.

The holo-message flickered to life to show that Kanan was standing before the camera, and he was holding a small, squirming bundle. As soon as the ones gathered took in the fact that Hera had finally given birth, he shifted the baby in his arms in an effort to make sure that his family at a distance could get their first look at his new son.

"I'd like introduce the newest member of the Ghost crew; Spectre Seven. Jacen Syndulla."

"He's so cute!" Sabine squealed. "Oh, hey, wait. How's Hera?"

"She's fine. She's actually asleep right now so I figured I'd take the time to send out a message to the rest of you."

"We'll have to toast to the health of your son when we are able to all get back together again," Kallus said from his place behind the others.

"That mean that you're buying?" Kanan asked with a chuckle.

"I am. It's not every day that you become a first-time father," Alexsandr confirmed. "We'll need to set aside the time to come and see you and Hera. I'm sure that when we tell the leadership that they will understand."

For several moments those gathered in the common room on the Shadow Chaser spent the time asking about the baby as well as its parents. When the transmission ended Sabine said that she'd take care of informing the leadership of their impending trip away from the rebel base. She wouldn't tell them where Kanan and Hera had gone since General Dodonna hadn't wanted to know, just in case. But with the birth of the couple's child, they now planned to leave to see them just as soon as they could gather their supplies. Zeb joined her so that he could search out Rex since the two of them shared the responsibilities for the base's security, so he wanted to give the man a heads' up.

Once alone, Kallus pulled Kiara back to sit beside him on the couch as she'd been before the transmission had come in. He knew that once they left the planet to head to Ryloth quiet moments like this with just the two of them would be few and far between while transporting their friends with them.

He still would grin whenever Kiara would get comfortable while leaning against him. When she rested against his shoulder as she went back to her datapad, as he did the same with his own, he rested his cheek on top of her head. They would be preparing to leave in a couple of days and, until then, he wanted to enjoy the quiet intimacy that he'd come to love.

Elios read over the report sent by his scientists. They had a provisional serum ready for him, though they couldn't guarantee the outcome for him since they didn't have a force-sensitive to use as a test subject. Without an actual force-sensitive to use the experimental solution on, they could only hypothesize as to the effects that it would cause within the system of an individual. He instructed them to continue their research since he wanted an alternative method of delivering the concoction if need be. He would get them a test subject; one way or another.

The Moff sent a message that they had best hope that it did indeed work and informed them that he wanted the serum rushed to his ship. Hopefully, it would be his ticket to rise above the other Moffs and allow him to stand out for his Emperor.

With that done, he checked in with his head of security. After reading over the reports of several incidents where the various members of the crew who apparently were now allies, and more, with his daughter he had instructed his head of security to increase the training of his men. When he seized his daughter this time, he didn't want to lose her thanks to the incompetency of his troopers.

Elios checked to see the progress of the training and he was assured that they were prepared to prevent another escape like had taken place back in the Trilex system. He then gave the order to set in a course. He knew where the rebel cell was, thanks to his informant. He had for quite some time. He was even aware of the fact that the Jedi wasn't with the rest of the cell. He'd been asked to leave after a close call on a nearby system. That meant that their greatest weapon wouldn't be an issue. The rebels were vulnerable. That meant that he wouldn't get a better chance to move forward now that he had the tools he needed he felt ready to move forward with his plans.

By the end of this week, he will prove that he is worthy of his Emperor.

Kallus stepped out into the early morning hours, getting a head start to the day. Their small crew planned to leave the system later in the evening. Still, he and the others would all help with the daily tasks as much as they could before they would leave for Ryloth. It was still an hour before he would usually get up in the morning but there was too much to do to waste time trying to get any more sleep. He'd rest once they made the jump to hyperspace.

An alarm suddenly sounded when Kallus was only halfway to the Command Center from the hangar. He started running on instinct and raced into the communications room and demanded to know what was going on as soon as he crossed the threshold.

"A Star Destroyer just dropped out of hyperspace, sir," the communications officer said over the blaring of the alarm.

"Get the fighters up in the air!" General Dodonna could be heard shouting from across the room. "And send out the order for everyone to prepare to evacuate."

"How did they find us?" Someone could be heard in the room asking.

Kallus wanted to tell the general that this was what he'd been afraid of for quite some time, now. He'd told the leadership that they needed to move on after Kanan and Kiara's run-in with the Inquisitors, but they hadn't wanted to abandon the base so soon after having established it. But at the moment, there were more important things to worry about other than where to cast the blame for the attack. It would wait until after they were all out of this mess. He set about directing the fighters as they scrambled to face off with the looming Imperial ships.

Meanwhile Rex and Zeb worked together to prepare the base for an invasion. Sabine briefed the ground forces on what they could expect and gave a refresher of what to do to help ensure that they would survive. Kiara set about to help load various transports with the equipment that could easily be loaded. Each of the transports would be expected to take on as many of the land crew as possible when the evacuation order was given. Each of the rebels had their own tasks and no one had time to think about what the others were doing. They all just simply expected that everyone else was doing what needed to be done.

Elios stared out of his office's viewing port and watched as the pitiful rebel forces left the planet's surface and headed toward his Star Destroyer. He watched as his TIE fighters were sent out to intercept them as if they were pests and were being swatted. He instructed for his admiral serving under him to prepare for the ground assault. Moff Dume wouldn't be going to the planet's surface, as he preferred to lead from his ship.

"Moff Dume, we have engaged the enemy."

"Excellent. Remember, deaths are inevitable but there are those whom I wish to be taken alive. If the woman whose description you were given the information regarding is found dead, then you will suffer the same fate. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Inform me when the base is secured."

When a blast rocked the base Kallus reached out to steady the older general to prevent him from losing his balance.

"This battle isn't one that we can win. The transports are ready to take off," General Dodonna said as he looked around the communications room of the Command Center. "We should give the order."

Kallus hated to admit it, but he agreed with the general. "I'm afraid you're right. Head to your transport and I'll send out the order."

"Good luck. I will see you at the rendezvous point."

Kallus nodded and turned to the communications operator, "Go. I'll take care of this."

The operator nodded gratefully as she stood and headed to join her evacuation team that she'd been assigned to. As she did so Kallus sat at the station to send out the evacuation order. He then activated the self-destruct system on the computer that Sabine had devised so that the Empire couldn't glean any useful information from the equipment that they had to leave behind. When he stood in the doorway, he waited just long enough to see that the countdown timer was activated before he grabbed his blaster and started to make his way to the hangar where the Shadow Chaser was still waiting for him. Most of the rest of the ground crew had already left on the previous transports. Two of them had been shot down before they had barely gotten out of the planet's atmosphere. But Kallus knew that the Shadow Chaser would get out when others couldn't.

"Alex, where are you?"

"I'm on my way. I had to set the self-destruct."

"Hurry! The base is being overrun and we are using the ship's cannons to cover everyone trying to get to their ships. Troopers are already everywhere!"

"I'll be there in just a moment. I'm only another corridor away."

As he ran down the hall, he helped the others who were making their way to the hangar. When another blast rocked the building, it was followed by stormtrooper fire as they filed their way into the corridor. Kallus returned fire as he bent to lift one of the other men who had tripped over fallen debris as he led those around him away from the troopers. As they ran toward the hangar where only the Shadow Chaser and two other transports remained Kallus continued to send random shots behind him to cover their escape.

From the ramp of the ship Zeb and the two women all kept up a continual barrage of weapons' fire to cover those trying to make it to the last of the transports. Rex was using the cannon to shoot at the bucket heads. They were only waiting for Kallus.

"There he is," Zeb shouted. "Kiara, you may want to get up to the cockpit so we can get out of here as soon as he hits the ramp."

Kiara fired off one more shot at a stormtrooper before nodding and turning to head to the cockpit. Wolffe was already up there and had fired up the engines so as soon as Alex set a boot onto the loading ramp the ship was ready to lift off.

Sabine stood with her back against Zeb's as she continued to down the countless supply of enemy soldiers who were trying to crowd their way toward the ship. Where Zeb stood, he watched as Kallus seemed to practically be carrying one of the other rebels who had come out of the main building with him. As the troopers surrounded him with the small group that he'd led out Zeb heard the other man's voice come over the comm unit behind him in the ship.

"Kiara! Raise the ramp. Go!"

Zeb's eyes went wide when he heard that and as the ramp closed with him and Sabine still standing on it, he called for his friend. "Kallus!"

A trooper took the comm device from the man as the rest of his comrades held him and the others that he'd been with at blaster point. The sergeant sent his men to seize control of the nearest transport that still had yet to take off.

Kallus was pushed to his knees with his hands on his head as he looked up toward where the Shadow Chaser took to the sky. He only prayed that it would get past the blockade. When the ship disappeared from view Kallus closed his eyes. He wondered if he'd see the ship, or its owner, again.

He was restrained along with the rest of those who hadn't been able to escape; many served within the Command Center. Kallus glanced around and saw that most of them were lower ranked individuals. The general had been on one of the other transports. A quick glance also told him that he was the highest ranked rebel that the Imperials captured.

Good. That meant that they won't get the information that they had hoped to get from the leadership. He could withstand whatever they did to him. Being able to resist torture had been part of his training within the Imperial Security Bureau. And he had been a very good student.

Kiara sat beside Wolffe and the two worked together as they flew the Shadow Chaser past the Imperial blockade. When the alarms started to go off that the blasts that they were taking on were causing damage she called down to Sabine to ask her to join Tac and help with the repairs.

"Uh... Right. I'll get right on that."

"What was that about?" Wolffe asked since the woman seemed to sound a bit off.

"Who knows. We'll find out after we blast our way out of this system. Start calculating the jump to hyperspace." Kiara continued to do her best to stay a step ahead of the TIE fighters and saw that the transport that had taken off right behind them was hit. The blast must have started a chain reaction as the ship exploded into a fiery ball. She didn't see the second one take off at all. That meant that they were the last ship to make it off of the surface

Wolffe indicated that he was ready, so Kiara put in the last sequence into the computer and when the stars changed their appearance to indicate that they were in hyperspace both of them leaned back into their chairs in relief. Wolffe told Kiara that he'd stay in the cockpit and when they came out of hyperspace after finishing their first jump he'd go ahead and make the second one before they would then head to the rendezvous to join the rest of the cell, or at least those who had made it out.

Kiara nodded and headed back toward the common area where she expected to find her friends. As she headed in that direction, she passed those who lined the corridors who had been assigned to leave out on the Shadow Chaser. She wasn't sure where she could have squeezed in anyone else but if they'd had to, they would have found a way. When she got to the common room she walked in and saw where Zeb had his head in his hands. Rex was sitting beside him, and he had a hand on the Lasat's shoulder.

"Zeb?" When the man lifted his head to face her, she saw a look of utter sorrow. That was when she glanced around. She knew that the ship was packed but she would have expected to see Alexsandr here with Zeb. "Where's Alex?"

Zeb stood and walked over to the young woman and looked at her for a moment before her pulled her toward him to wrap her in a hug. "I'm sorry."

Kiara heard the words, but it took several moments for them to reach her brain. When she registered them, her breath quickened, and her vision blurred. Nearby, the dejarik table smoldered where a fire began. A computer panel behind her in the wall also sparked. The refugees who were crammed into the small space began to move to put out the fire and sparks in confusion.

"He told me he was onboard. I didn't take off until he said-" Kiara whispered into the Lasat's chest as he held tightly onto her.

"He knew you wouldn't, we wouldn't, leave otherwise. But he also knew that he wouldn't be able to get to the ship before we were overrun with troopers."

"He's a deserter. They'll kill him." As she spoke, she felt the dampness leaking from her eyes streaming down her cheeks.

"We're not going to let that happen," Zeb insisted. Would the leadership send in a team, no. But they never let that stop them before. They'd get his friend out. He didn't know how, just yet, but they would.

Chapter Text

Kallus, hands restrained behind his back and forced to remain on his knees, looked over at the troopers and the pilots who were given the task of transporting the rebel captives toward the shuttle that would take them aboard the Star Destroyer that was up in orbit. He could take them. He'd just have to bide his time. Perhaps after they were on the shuttle. Then maybe, just maybe, they could get lucky enough to make a jump to hyperspace before the Imperials realized what was going on.

The people whom he'd been working alongside of for months all waited to be herded toward the shuttles. They each knew that once the Empire was finished with them that they would be killed. And with the fact that most of the individuals with him knew few rebel secrets, if any, it won't take long for that execution to come for most of them. For him... He could look forward to a different fate since he wasn't just a rebel; he was an Imperial Deserter. That meant that they would use him as an example to any others who had the inclination to follow his path. By the end, the Empire would see to it that he'd welcome death.

"You," the trooper sergeant walked up to him. "Name."

"What's it to you?" Kallus replied.

In response the trooper brought the butt of his blaster rifle down onto his forehead and repeated, "I said name!"

Kallus had fallen backwards from the force. Instead of replying he awkwardly repositioned himself back beside the rest of his comrades. Once he was back in place he looked defiantly back at the trooper. That earned him another hit with the butt of the rifle.

"Name!"

He caught sight of Zila, a young woman who had only recently been sent to join them on Suaren, who looked like she was about to become hysterical at the sight of the man being beaten right in front of her. He once more moved to get back into place as he tried to give her a slight smile of reassurance. But to be honest, he knew that any hope that he could give her would only be false hope. Still, it was all that he could offer so he tried to give it.

Kallus once more took his place beside his fellow rebels and looked up at the trooper and waited for the next time that the rifle would be brought down on him. This time, however, instead of bringing it down on the defiant blond man the trooper pointed his rifle at the young woman beside him. When he did, Zila's cries loosened his tongue.

"Kallus." It wasn't like they didn't actually already know it. No doubt, which was why he was the only one whom they'd given the treatment that he'd just endured. They only wanted to confirm it.

The trooper spoke into his comm device for a minute before he walked back over to where he'd left his prisoner and raised his blaster back up to Kallus. He waited for another question but this time the trooper squeezed the trigger.

Elios frowned when he learned that his daughter had been on one of the ships that had gotten away. He'd given a description of the ship that she'd been spotted on before to ensure that it was only to be shot to be disabled, not destroyed. Still, he did learn that he had a consolation prize. The deserter who had helped to free her when she'd been on his ship; the former ISB Agent had been among the rebels who had been captured. Knowing the man's abilities and skillset he ordered the man to be stunned before making the trip to the Star Destroyer. From what he could tell, it would appear that the man had become quite valuable to the Rebellion. That meant that he'd now just become very valuable to him and the Empire. He'll learn all that he could from the man regarding their secrets.

When the shuttle arrived, he had his admiral interrogate the others whom the agent had apparently been trying to help escape. Elios would take over the questioning of the deserter himself. He strolled into the detention cell and watched as the man was placed onto the interrogation table. He was strapped in before the effects from the stunning wore off. Elios had the table then turned to put the man in a standing position. When he saw the signs of the man beginning to wake up, he had the other Imperials leave. He wanted to enjoy this without an audience.

"So, Agent Kallus, it would appear that you have finally come home."

Kallus didn't bother trying to fight his bonds. He knew that the gesture would be a waste of strength. He instead tried to focus his vision and when he realized who was speaking to him, he lowered his brow and set his jaw in response.

"Or do you have another rank that you'd rather that I use? One that you were given by the rebels, perhaps." Elios tilted his head before asking, "Not feeling talkative?"

"No," Kallus said simply.

"Oh, we'll change that soon enough. By the time we are finished, not only will you be telling me everything that you know about the rebels, but you'll also help me find my daughter."

That sent Kallus's eyes flying open in rage. "Go to hell! I'm not going to tell you anything."

"Maybe, maybe not. But in any case, you'll still help me bring my daughter home," Elios said as he took up the remote for the table and worked the controls to move the mechanical arm closer toward the man strapped down before him. "Because I have a suspicion that just as you risked everything to rescue her from my ship at Trilex, she will now risk everything to save you. So regardless of if you actually say anything, you've already betrayed her and your rebel friends. You should have allowed yourself to be killed down on the planet instead of being taken alive. That was your biggest mistake."

Elios then pressed the button and held it down as the man before him screamed in agony.

When the Shadow Chaser reached the rendezvous Kiara stayed in her cabin as Sabine and Zeb took care of offloading the ship. She sat on her bunk and tried her best to reach out and sense Alex. It wasn't easy for her, but she thought that she could sense him. But to be honest, she wasn't sure if that was wishful thinking or not. Still, after the incident in the common room she knew that she needed to devote her time to meditation, or she likely wouldn't have much of a ship left by the time the group of refugees made it to join the rest of the survivors.

She tried to focus but all she sensed was pain and fear. But were those her own emotions or his?

When the ship fell silent, she realized that the transfer of both personnel and equipment was finished. That meant that only Zeb and Sabine remained. Even the clone troopers would be gone since they would be needed elsewhere. When the ship rocked Kiara knew that the uncoupling from the rendezvous ship was complete. They would take those who had made it off of Suaren to the next base. Or bases since she doubted that enough of them from their cell had survived to be given their own base again. Instead, they would be scattered to join the various other cells.

When the chime to her cabin sounded Kiara sighed. She had hoped that the others would give her just a little bit more time. She wanted to be alone. Still, she knew that they meant well. Especially Zeb. He'd been the one who started to field questions about both Kallus as well as the fritzing out of various systems. He'd assured them that while the ship had taken on some unexpected damage during their escape that they would all make it safely to join the rest of the fleet. Sabine had taken her to her cabin and had tried to convince her that they would get Kallus back before she headed out to make the repairs that the ship needed along with Tac. Kiara knew that she'd have to face the others sooner or later, so she steeled herself before she opened her door.

"Kanan!" She found herself being pulled towards her brother and wrapped in a warm embrace. She stayed there for several moments before she asked, "I thought you were on Ryloth. What about Hera? And the baby? How did you get here?"

"Hera and the baby are fine on Ryloth. I had Cham fly the Ghost here so that I could help the rest of my family. We got here a while before the rest of you so I did a little investigating to find out where we can start to get Kallus back."

"Hera is okay with this?"

"It was her idea. Now, come on, the others are waiting for us," Kanan said with a lopsided grin.

Kiara stepped out of her cabin and walked with Kanan toward the common room of the ship. There, she was surprised to see one of the old clone troopers.

"Rex? I thought that you were leaving with the others?"

"I assigned myself to a very important mission. Wolffe wanted to come but one of us had to go back with the others. We actually had to flip for who won the right to join the rest of you."

"You don't carry currency..." Kiara said just a bit confused.

"Who said we flipped a coin?" Rex grinned. "We may not be as young as we once were, but we can still get the job done. So, let's get on with this."

Kiara whispered to Kanan, "Do I want to know how they settled it between themselves?"

"Probably not." Kanan snickered before he stepped forward. "Alright, Chop. Pull up the information that we've found."

Kallus's screams could be heard throughout the entire detention block. He had the feeling that it had been by design. Used to encourage the others who had been taken to tell their interrogators of any rebel secrets that they may have. Half of the time the Moff didn't even bother asking any questions. Perhaps he'd gotten tired of asking only to be met with stony silence. When the latest round of electrical shocks faded away the man stepped forward and studied Kallus intently.

"Quite resilient, aren't you? Here I have broken a number of your bones, tortured you beyond the abilities of most to withstand, and yet you still remain silent to my queries. But I'm afraid that you showed a weakness while down on the surface." Elios went to the door and opened it to reveal that two troopers stood on either side of the young woman whom the trooper had threatened to shoot if he didn't give him his name. She was panicking, crying, as she had to be drug into Kallus's cell. "It would seem that while you are more than willing to accept pain on your own behalf, you do not wish to see it inflicted on others."

Zila's eyes went wide when she heard the Moff's words. She struggled as best as she could, but she had already lost most of her strength during her own interrogation.

"Now, let us try this again. Tell me the location of the rest of the rebels." When Kallus hesitated Dume nodded toward the troopers holding their prisoner. They dragged her over to a wall and restrained her to it and stepped back. "Last chance, Agent."

Kallus saw the young woman's tears and knew that she likely couldn't even see him through them. He didn't address the Moff, instead he said the only thing that he could to the woman. "I'm sorry. I can't tell him anything."

Zila's cries became more panicked as Moff Dume stepped over toward the bound woman. "You can thank your fellow rebel for the pain that you now will be forced to endure."

Elios then pulled out his blaster and fired it at one of the woman's hands. Her cries of panic turned to those of pain as the Moff returned to look at the man held captive to the near-useless torturing device. The man looked away as best as he could from the woman who was sobbing in front of him.

"Now, again I ask, where are the rebels?" When he was met with silence from the man Elios fired once more, hitting the lower arm just above where he'd shot the woman's hand only moments prior. "Do you enjoy knowing that it is your stubbornness that is the source of so much pain?"

The Moff turned to address the woman after seeing that Kallus planned to remain mute. "You are in pain because of him. Do you want it to stop? Then ask him to help you. Plead with him. The power to stop your torture is his. All he has to do is to tell me what I want to know. Then all of this unpleasantness can be over. Ask him."

"Please! Please stop him!" Zila begged the man across the room. "Please tell him what he wants to know! Please!" When the Imperial raised his blaster, her pleas became even more desperate if that had been possible. "No! Kallus! Stop him! Please!"

Elios watched as the man listened to each cry. Watched each painfully inflicted wound to every single non-vital area of the woman's body. "I must say, if you were still one of us, such an ability to ignore the pleas and cries of your comrade here would be admirable. But for a rebel, you seem to have quite the tolerance for watching others in pain. Perhaps you've not changed as much as you would like to think."

Finally, he turned and put the woman out of her misery. He motioned for the troopers to take the body away.

"I hope you don't think we are finished, just yet. I have another two dozen prisoners who are of no use to me. Correction, they only serve one purpose now. That is unless, of course, you want to spare them and give them all swift and painless deaths."

Kallus watched as another prisoner was brought in and replaced where Zila had been restrained. He then watched the same torturous exchange occur all over again. By the time the other prisoner was dispatched the Moff was beginning to lose patience. With the rebel dead he turned to the deserter and used his blaster to fire upon both of the man's knees. That earned him the first sound that the man had made in hours. Another terrible scream of pain.

"Just to let you know what pain you are inflicting on your friends in their final moments," Moff Dume said while the body of the previous rebel was removed to make room for the next one, and then the next one, until the only rebel left was the one strapped to the interrogation table.

"I wonder..." Elios stepped back over toward Kallus and looked in his eyes. "Would you have remained silent if that had been my daughter? You care for her, don't you? What with how you behaved with her during her rescue; was even one who helped to talk her down from her episode. And, of course, the way you interacted when the two of you were at Canto Bight."

Kallus's eyes focused on the man before him at the mentioning of their latest mission together.

"I saw the security footage. You seemed to be quite taken with her. So, I suppose that all I will need to do will be to wait until your friends make their evitable rescue attempt. Because then I'll have you, my daughter, and whatever information you have locked away in your head," the Moff smiled.

"You call yourself a father?" Kallus practically spat out at the other man. "You have no right to refer to her as your daughter."

"Ah! He speaks." Elios chuckled. "I'll not hear judgment from you on how I conduct my family. You have no idea what it was like, when she was younger, nor when the Empire began. And I'm sure you are unaware of the things that my daughter has done with her demonic abilities over the years. The powers that she contains belong to hell. And that is where they will be returned, soon enough."

Chapter Text

They knew it was a trap. The Star Destroyer was still in the Suaren system. The Empire wanted it to be easy enough for when they went to rescue Kallus. The entire crew knew it. But it didn't matter. They were going in. Kanan learned that the ship that their friend was being held on was the same ship that Kiara had been rescued from. That meant they were going up against Moff Dume; their father. Kanan wanted to wait to tell her that in private.

Sabine listened as the others discussed the various ways that they could go in while trying to avoid detection. She knew that she had a bit of a surprise that none of them were expecting. "I think I have something that can help with that. And in a way, I guess we can thank Kallus because he's the one who got them."

"What are you talking about? Got what?" Kiara asked.

"That first night at Cantonica, when the two of you had to leave the table separately? Well, when he played that last hand while waiting for you to leave, he won." Sabine saw the look of confusion on the faces all around her but continued. "It was mostly credits but the game was really high stakes. Anyway, when we got back to the base, he didn't exactly hand over all of his winnings to the leadership to buy the supplies that we went there to get the credits for."

Sabine motioned for the others to follow her toward the engine compartment and pulled aside a panel to reveal hibridium crystals. "He knew that you blew out half of your supply of the crystals when you went in to save Kanan and Hera at the depot the night before we met you. When Lando bet them, I don't think he was willing to walk away without them. It was supposed to be a surprise."

Kiara stared at the crystals for what felt like forever before she said, "So now, the Imperials won't see us coming."

"That's the idea. We could probably fly right into a hangar, and they won't even know."

"What about the sensor for when ships enter and exit the bay?" Kanan asked.

"Likely enough, they'll just assume that it's a glitch in the system. Especially if we are patient and don't leave the ship until after they'd determined just that."

Rex nodded his agreement. "We can fly into the private hangar, where the commanding officer's ship is docked. There will be less traffic there."

"Good idea. That way it will take them longer to figure out where we are heading, too, when we grab Kallus to leave. They'll just think that we will be going to the main hangar since that is where we went in the last time." Kanan then turned toward Rex, "The two of us will go in as troopers. We'll be transferring a prisoner to the detention block that Kallus is being held in."

"And I'll be the prisoner," Zeb said as he nodded his agreement with the plan.

"Wait a minute. I'm going in, too," Kiara spoke up and insisted.

"Too dangerous," Kanan shook his head. "The Empire will still be looking for you." He ran a hand over his head and smoothed his hair as he sighed. He hadn't wanted to tell her like this. "This is the Moff's ship. The same ship that we extracted you from."

"The same-" Kiara swallowed hard. That meant that Elios Dume was the one who had attacked the rebel base. She shook her head. "Even so-"

Sabine put a hand on her shoulder. "The best thing that you can do would be to stay safe. That way you'll be here for when they bring him back. We'll have the ship ready to both provide cover fire as well as take off as soon as they get aboard."

Kiara felt her breathing shallow and could hear the buzzing of the ship's systems in her ears. She struggled to not allow the energy that wanted an outlet to rise up and short out one of those systems. She closed her eyes and reined in her emotions that were fueling that energy and only once she felt herself steadied, did she open them and nodded. She'd stay aboard, but she wasn't happy about it.

Kallus could barely see through the pain that he was in. He'd been electrocuted, drugged, beaten, and even shot several times. Now, it seemed as if the newest method of torture was to deny him rest. Anytime he started to pass out a trooper was stationed to hit him to keep him awake.

The Moff had left him for the time being. He knew that the man would return, though. He seemed to derive pleasure from seeing Kallus beaten before him. But he wanted more. He'd yet to break the former ISB Agent and doing so had become a challenge that he intended to rise to meet.

He didn't know how long he'd been on the ship. Everything blurred together. Still, at least the others had finally been put out of their misery. Misery that he couldn't help. If he had, he wouldn't have been responsible for just their deaths but that of many more as well. He hoped that they had understood that in their last moments.

"Alex."

Kallus moved his head up slightly. Great, now he's starting to hallucinate. Still, he'd much rather think about Kiara right now if these were his last moments. When his head began to tilt forward in exhaustion once more the trooper used the butt of his blaster rifle to strike him. This time, instead of jolting Kallus awake, he had been given the sweet release of unconsciousness.

When the Shadow Chaser dropped out of hyperspace Kiara made sure that they did so with the planet of the system that the Star Destroyer was orbiting around would be between them and it. Once out of hyperspace she activated the cloak. Ideally, they would have had time to test it and make sure that it wouldn't fail them before having to use it on a mission. But this was anything but an ideal situation.

Once the cloak was activated, she then moved to head toward the Star Destroyer and plotted a course to take them into the private hangar of the Moff. Her father's private hangar. The man who wanted to turn her over to the emperor. The man who now had Alexsandr.

Her hands wanted to shake so badly as she maneuvered her ship into the hangar. There was plenty of room since the hangar was also big enough for any important dignitaries to leave their ships when they arrived. When the landing procedures were completed, she sat back in her chair and Zeb reached over from the navigator's chair and put a comforting hand on her arm. Kiara nodded at him and turned to face the others.

Now, they waited. They needed to let the officers in the control room investigate and conclude that they'd just had a minor glitch in their system. Nothing to wake their superiors to inform them about.

While they waited Kanan encouraged her to use her time to meditate. Reluctantly, she agreed. Her nerves were on high-alert and when that happened, she could be hazardous to her ship's systems. And she didn't need to risk that while they were on a mission of mercy to retrieve Alexsandr. She headed to her cabin to try to calm herself.

Sabine took over the ship's controls and monitored to let the others know when it appeared that the coast was clear. The loading ramp was on the opposite side of the ship that was facing the viewing screen up in the control room. She hoped that would prevent anyone from noticing too easily as the ramp was lowered to let Chopper and the men out of the ship. She would remain ready for when they began their return. Until then, she'd stay in the cockpit with Tac.

In her cabin, Kiara had a difficult time finding her calm. She couldn't clear her mind so instead she muttered Alex's name; almost as if it was a mantra.

"Alex."

She focused on him. Reached out and tried to find him. When she allowed the force to flow through her she was able to sense him. He was in immense pain and so very tired.

Kiara wanted to scream in frustration at the pain she felt radiating from the man whom she'd only recently realized that she loved. And she knew who had done this to him. She felt anger rise up in her as she thought about what Elios had done to Alexsandr.

Before she realized what she was doing she started to change her focus. She'd never wanted to know where her father was. Hadn't wanted to use the force to reach out and sense him but now, now she did.

Kanan and Rex slipped out of the ship in their borrowed stormtrooper uniforms with Zeb in tow. His restraints were deactivated so he could fight at a moment's notice. The only downfall to this plan was that he couldn't take his bow rifle. That meant that the only weapon he'd have if needed were his own bare hands until he could liberate a blaster from a bucket head.

Kanan lead the team, including Chopper, out of the hangar before anyone from the Control Room could casually look out below them. Once in a hidden alcove he had the droid hook up to a computer terminal so that he could look for Kallus as well as how to get to him. When he found the man, he warbled and beeped. He also informed the team that the rest of the survivors had been executed already.

Zeb closed his eyes as he took in the news. Intellectually, he had known that the survivors would be killed quickly since they wouldn't be valuable to the Empire, but it didn't make it easier to hear it confirmed. After all of these years of war, death could still shake him to the core when he heard that good people had faced that last enemy.

"Let's go." Captain Rex said as he took charge. He was a soldier first and foremost and right now they had a mission to complete. He nodded to Chopper, and he led the way toward the detention block where Kallus was being held.

"Remember," Kanan whispered as they finally reached the door that led to the detention block. "Kallus told me last time that any weapons' fire will set off an alarm, so we need to be careful."

"Just be ready, then," Rex told the Jedi.

"I don't mind busting a few heads together," Zeb said as he lowered his voice in anger. "Now, let's go get Kallus out of there."

Kanan took a breath to prepare himself then nodded towards Rex to tell him he was ready. The clone then activated the door. The officers looked up at the troopers delivering a large purple alien that they'd never actually seen before. No doubt a rebel who had been seized on the surface of Suaren along with the others. The lead officer stepped forward since he hadn't been notified of a transfer.

Kanan didn't waste time. He used the force to lift the men and thrust them up against the wall. Zeb rushed forward and punched each of them while Kanan held them. Meanwhile, Rex told Chopper to interface with the ship's computer to find out exactly which cell Kallus was in. When Chopper found it, he warbled and told the men.

Rex led the way toward the cell while Kanan covered them since his lightsaber wouldn't activate the weapons' alarm. He stood near the door to take anyone by surprise if they came in while they were there. Zeb followed the clone once he was sure that the buckets wouldn't wake up again any time soon. When Rex used the borrowed code cylinder to open the cell, he wasn't expecting to see another trooper standing next to the captured man strapped to an interrogation table. Zeb lunged at the trooper and knocked him out before the trooper could sound the alarm.

When Zeb stood back up from where he'd taken the trooper down, he turned and took in the sight of Kallus on the interrogation table. "Is he even alive?"

Rex stepped forward and tried to find a pulse. He was about to give up when he found it. It was very weak, but it was still there. "He won't be for long if we don't get him out of here."

Both men worked together to remove the straps that held the unconscious man to the table. With them undone, Zeb lifted his friend up onto his shoulder and took the blaster from the trooper that he'd knocked out after coming into the cell. He moved him as gingerly as he could since he didn't want to inflict any more pain on his friend. He could only hope that he'd remain unconscious during the escape since at least then he wouldn't feel his injuries or the pain that they sent through him.

The extraction team then prepared for their return to their ship. They knew that the moment that they stepped out into the corridor that they would quickly come face to face with troopers who would then trigger an alarm so they mentally prepared before they ran out. It didn't take long to run into that first set of troopers on a routine patrol of the night watch. That meant that they could expect more shortly.

"Chop, go on ahead and find a way to close the blast doors to give us a clear path to the hangar," Kanan ordered the droid as he deflected several blaster bolts.

Chopper gave an affirmative before he rolled on ahead of the team. He could go much faster since the troopers didn't see him as a threat with his Imperial paint job. He found a computer access port near the hangar and slowly began to close the blast doors not to just the private hangar but for the main hangar, as well, to make the Imperials believe that they were heading there. He then sent out a message to the ship that they were on their way back.

Sabine left Tac in the cockpit to be ready for the ship to take off as soon she gave the word. She was concerned that Kiara never returned from her cabin, but she couldn't go check on her just now. Sabine stood ready at the ramp and waited for the cue to lower it with her blaster in hand. When the astromech droid saw the team running in behind him he told the Mandalorian that they were there and rolled up the loading ramp once it was lowered while speaking animatedly.

Kanan continued to deflect blaster bolts as both Zeb and Rex returned fire as they raced toward the cloaked ship. They could only see it was there thanks to the ramp being lowered so that they could go inside. Zeb was told to go first since he had Kallus while the other two men covered him. He nodded and made his way to the Shadow Chaser. He dodged blaster fire as he raced rapidly up the loading ramp.

When Zeb went by, Sabine had been busy providing cover fire for the other men, but she saw the Lasat carry the injured man out of the corner of her eye. She'd gasped upon seeing Kallus for the first time before she turned back to her job at hand. She continued to blast troopers as Kanan and Rex joined her on the loading ramp. When they were aboard Sabine called for Tac.

"Now. Get us out of here."

"Of course," Tac responded as the loading ramp was raised. The ship then began its ascent as Rex made it to the cockpit and took the controls with Sabine at his side. They then prepared to leave; hopefully undetected.

Meanwhile, Zeb had taken Kallus to his cabin and left him with Kanan as he went in search of the med-kit. Not that it would have anything that would come close to helping the man lying in the bunk. He needed a full bacta submersion. Likely several days' worth.

Kanan did his best to determine the extent of the man's injuries with the use of the force. When he extended his senses, though, he raised his head in alarm.

"No."

Kanan left Kallus's side and raced over to the cabin across the corridor. He pressed the access panel and sensed that Kiara was still where he'd left her earlier. He'd wanted her to meditate to focus her abilities and center herself. He'd hoped that it would help to keep her mind occupied during the rescue. But now... Kanan swallowed hard. Now he could sense a very dark energy surrounding her and flowing through her.

"Kiara!"

Chapter Text

Elios stepped into his quarters after spending yet more hours attempting to break his prisoner. It had been three days already without any sign of the rebel breaking. He had to admire the fortitude of the man. If only he hadn't chosen to make himself the enemy of the Empire. But he had and that meant that he needed to pay for that error in judgment.

He prepared to rest for a few hours and knew that it would only be a matter of time before the man would break. Everyone had a breaking point. Elios would sleep for only a few hours. Then he'll return to the Detention Block.

After slipping into his bunk, he turned the lights down and relaxed. When the alarms sounded that the ship's security had been breached, he knew that the rebels had come to extract their comrade. He sat up and put his legs over the side of his bunk and prepared to deal with the situation.

It was then that his eyes flew open as he searched for the source of a painful sensation that induced panic. He brought both hands to his throat to look for the invisible hands that seemed to be holding him tightly. He couldn't breathe nor could he reach his panel to signal to his guards outside his room that he needed help. His legs moved by instinct as he squirmed and moved on the bed as he tried to move away from his unseen attacker. He could feel his eyes begin to leak as he gasped for air. Still looking all around him to see who had dared to attack him in his own bed.

Suddenly, as quickly as it had begun, the invisible attack ceased. Elios gasped for air as he tried to compute what had just happened to him. He had heard of some of his colleagues facing a similar fate when they had the misfortune of displeasing his Emperor. Had this been a warning? That the man was growing impatient with his lack of progress?

He was then struck with a horrifying thought. He knew that the rebels were on his ship. What if his daughter was with them? What if she had gained enough control to have been his attacker? In the past, the danger that she'd always brought with her had been because she had no control. But first, the display in his office at Trilex, and now this? His hands shook as he reached out for the light at his bedside. He then sat there for a few moments to calm himself.

Kanan knelt beside his sister and called out her name, trying his best to reach her through the dark energy that she had called up. He put his hands on either side of Kiara and shook her, trying to snap her out of the trance that she had fallen into.

"Kiara, listen to me. You have to pull back. You can't give in to the dark side!" Kanan plead with his sister. He tried to lure her back from the darkness that was calling to her. "Listen, we got him out. We got Kallus. He's here. You hear me, Kiara? We have Kallus."

He sensed a crack in the dark shell that surrounded Kiara and continued, "Kallus is in his cabin. We got away. He did. Come on. Let's go see him while we head back to the fleet."

Kiara could hear Kanan in the distance. She focused on that light in the darkness that seemed to surround her, licking at her like waves of the ocean on a beach. She listened as she heard him say that he'd returned with Alexsandr. He was with them. He was safe. She mentally stepped away from the darkness that beckoned her further.

She glanced up at her brother's face and his look of concern. When he sensed that the shadows no longer surrounded her with dark side energy, he pulled her into a hug and held her to him. As the darkness faded, she held tight to him for several minutes, absorbing his body heat since she was so incredibly cold before she leaned back.

"Is he..."

"Zeb is in with him trying to tend to his injuries. Rex has contacted Rebel Command and they've instructed a Med-ship to alter course to meet us halfway."

Kiara waited for Kanan to continue to say the one thing that he hadn't. That Alex would be okay. But he didn't. She stood and left her cabin to go across the corridor to his. When she opened the door, she saw that Zeb was doing his best with the ship's med-kit. Saw that he'd even had to resort to putting the emergency respirator on Alex. That meant that he'd been having difficulty even drawing his own breath without the device to help him breathe.

Zeb looked up when the young woman came in. He could see by the look in her eyes that she'd never seen anyone with these kinds of injuries before. She'd never seen this side of the war. The results of torture. All color in her face drained as she looked at the broken body of Kallus. He wanted to tell her that it looked worse than it was, but the truth was, it was likely worse than it looked. He couldn't be absolutely certain, but he'd be willing to wager that the man had internal injuries to match his external ones. That meant that they were racing the clock to get him to the Med-ship and treated.

When Kanan heard the intake of air at the sight of Kallus he put a hand on Kiara's shoulder. It was when both men heard a dangerously low tone coming from her.

"He deserves to die. You shouldn't have stopped me. He did this to Alex."

Zeb saw the look in the young woman's eyes and was shocked. The look that crossed her face as she stared at Kallus spoke to the fact that if the Moff was in the room right now that he wouldn't walk out alive. But he was curious as to what she meant that Kanan shouldn't have stopped her. Stopped her from what?

"He may deserve to die but not at your hands and not with the force." Kanan turned her to look at him. Forcing her to turn away from the visual reminder of the source of the anger that wanted to take over. "If you let him steer you down that path then he wins even if you do end up killing him. Because it would be crossing a line that you can't come back from." Kanan leaned his forehead against hers before he added, "He is a monster. Don't let him turn you into one by pushing you over into the dark side."

With a ragged breath as she concentrated on pushing the darkness away, Kiara nodded.

Kanan turned her back to the door. "Let's let Zeb take care of him while we go sit in the other room."

Zeb gave Kiara a nod to say that he'd watch over Kallus as she looked back at him before allowing the other man to steer her away. Right now, the injuries were just too raw for her to witness. When they left the cabin and impromptu infirmary, he went back to trying to clean the wounds that he could and using the meds that he had to ease the pain that the man was in, even if he couldn't tell them that he was hurting.

Elios watched as the bodies of both his admiral and head of security were hauled out of his office. Their incompetence had cost him not just the deserter who was a treasure trove of rebel secrets, but they had allowed the cell that his daughter was a part of escape, as well. And he'd come to the conclusion that the attack that he'd endured had to have been her. If it had been the emperor, he would have preferred to watch the effects of his power to deny life. So, he would have contacted him over subspace, first. The same with his henchman and acolyte, Vader.

That made her even more dangerous.

Dume gritted his teeth knowing that his failure to extract the rebels' location will not please his Emperor. He only hoped that he would not face a similar experience when he contacted the man as he'd had in the early morning hours during the rescue of the deserter.

The Moff gave barked out orders and the men around him all snapped to do their jobs quickly as they eyed the bodies of their former superiors. If they had been expendable, then they knew that they were as well.

Rex waited for the clearance to come through before he headed to land in the hangar of the Med-ship with practiced expertise. He called down to the others to let them know that they should stand by for the medical personnel to board to help take Kallus aboard.

Kanan and Sabine sat with Kiara in the common room of the ship. The cabin would be too small for all of them to help with Kallus and the best thing that they could do would be to stand back and let the staff work without their hindering them. Zeb could help fill them in on what had happened as well as what he'd already done to try to help the injured man.

When the ship docked it was only a matter of moments before Kiara watched as strangers were led by Tac floating ahead of them in the hall to lead them toward Alex's cabin where he'd been taken. Her own breaths seemed to be labored and strained as she waited for those same strangers to walk back past the common room. This time with Alex on the floating medical stretcher. When the team took him away Kiara couldn't help but wonder if that would be the last time that she'd get to see him.

The crew then followed as far as they were allowed before they began the long vigil to wait to see if their friend would survive his extensive injuries. Kanan worked with Kiara to help her meditate to find her calm, still wary that she'd reach out to touch the dark side again. Especially if Kallus didn't make it.

Kiara did her best to concentrate on Kanan's instruction to help her meditate but she couldn't clear her mind. Not knowing that just a mere few corridors away Alex was in a fight for his life. One that he wouldn't be in if she had made sure that everyone was onboard before she flew the ship off of the surface of Suaren. There had to have been a way to make sure that he hadn't been left behind. She knew that they had been losing ground to the stormtroopers every moment that they lingered on the surface but there had to have been a better solution. She shouldn't have left him behind.

The force was in all living things, Kiara thought. That includes him, right? She wondered... She focused on Alexsandr and found the light that was his life force energy. It was dim; too dim. She focused on that light and tried to let its presence calm her. She imagined that light getting just a little bit brighter. Barely. Nearly indiscernible from where it had been. She then clung to that image of the light that represented him. She couldn't help him but as long as she could sense his lifeforce then that meant that Alex was alive. It meant that he could recover.

Hours later doctors joined the crew to inform them that the surgery was complete, and that Kallus had survived it. To Zeb it sounded as if the man was surprised by that fact. Likely had expected for Kallus to die on the table. He then explained that Kallus would need extensive bacta submersion sessions in twelve-hour increments. They would reevaluate his prognosis before and after each session and he would be heavily monitored for the time being.

Zeb listened and heard the words that they didn't say. Right now, they still didn't expect Kallus to survive. So, they wouldn't give the hope that he'd be okay. They didn't want to raise their expectations. He looked over at the young woman that was the closest thing that the man had to family, outside of he and the rest of the Ghost crew, and saw that she understood what he did, as well. He stepped closer and put an arm around her and was glad that she leaned into him for support. This wasn't easy on the woman, and he knew that the next several days would be a heart-wrenching game of wait and see.

Kiara sat beside the bed that Alexsandr was lying on in the infirmary. He looked better than he had when she'd seen him when she saw him back on the ship, but he still looked... broken. She wanted to reach out and touch him, hold his hand, but she was afraid. He'd always been so vital and full of life but now, he looked as if fate itself had decided to abandon him and only gave him the slightest scrap of life to cling to. Instead, she simply sat off to the side and watched as the machines worked to keep him alive. Already, Alex had been given four bacta submersion treatments. That meant that he was no longer on the edge of death itself, but he was still so very battered.

Kiara sat as close as her chair allowed and watched as Alex slept, that's how she preferred to think of it, and did her best to keep a one-way conversation up. The doctor had said that it would help him to hear people talking so each of the crew of the Ghost had agreed to fill a shift of a few hours at a time by speaking to him about nearly anything that they could think of. She wasn't sure what the others spoke with him about when they were here. It didn't matter. Just that they spoke.

"You know one thing I was thinking about? You remember that one kid back in the academy, Zuiol? I got a flash of how the two of you used to practically turn nearly every possible activity into a competition."

Kiara let out a forced laugh to pretend that she was actually having a good time. No need to bring Alex down by acting depressed. She could pretend to flirt with gamblers at Canto Bight with ease. Pretending that she wasn't scared to death at the moment and wanted to take a stroll down memory should be easy. Should be. Should be, but it seemed so incredibly difficult.

"I swear, the two of you likely even turned a trip to the refresher into an opportunity to compete against the other. Both of you had to be the first at everything. The fastest, strongest, and the brightest. But we both know how that turned out, don't we? I still hold with my assessment that I had a while back. You are an overachiever. Always have been." Kiara swallowed hard. "Always will be."

She put a hand down to join Alexsandr's where it lay on the top of the sheet that he was covered with between his bacta treatments. Each time she reached out she was still surprised to feel how cool to the touch he was. This wasn't the touch of the vibrant man that she knew.

Kiara willed him to move. Twitch. Show in any way at all that he was coming back from the edge of death. But no matter how much she willed it, he didn't give her a sign. Nothing. Still, she would keep waiting for one.

"Hey," Zeb said softly from the doorway. He was there to relieve her. He'd spend the next few hours talking to his friend until it was time for him to have his next bacta treatment. "You alright?"

Kiara shrugged. How could she answer that? It wasn't her who was laying there somewhere between life and death. So, in comparison, yes, she was alright. Did she feel alright, though? Hell no.

"When was the last time you slept?" Zeb asked as he took the seat next to her.

"I don't know."

"Then go and get some sleep." The Lasat then added, "He'll be alright, and I'll make sure that you are the first to know if he wakes up."

After a brief moment's hesitation, she nodded. She stood and kept her hand on Alex's as she told him that she'd be back later. Truth be told, she was disappointed that the declaration hadn't elicited a response. When it didn't, she sighed and made her way out of the room and slowly put distance between her and the infirmary.

Zeb waited until the woman was gone before he started to speak to the unconscious man. "You know, I have to say I'm just a bit jealous. I wish I had someone who would look at me like she looks at you. You are one lucky bastard where that's concerned. The two of you are quite the match, too. You the by the book officer, her always seeming to want to tease you. Sabine, I think she was trying to see what Kiara saw in you for a while. Not that she didn't have fun kidding both of you about your relationship. All harmless, and all."

Zeb took a deep breath. "But I guess you just showed everyone the real Kallus that you had hidden deeply back when you were in the Empire. Because the man who I met several years ago back on Lothal wouldn't have sacrificed himself so that others could get away. When we were stranded on the moon back at Genosis, the last thing that I would have ever expected would have been to see the man that you are now and trying to get you to wake up so that I can tell you that am honored to call you a friend."

Zeb shook his head since he knew that Kallus didn't need talk like that. He needed more uplifting talk. "Anyway, Hera and the baby are coming here to see you. Quite the honor, pal. The baby's first trip and it is all for you."

Zeb gave a grin before he told the man about latest holo-message that Hera had sent stating that she was joining the rest of them and if anyone thought about stopping her that they'd best reconsider.

Chapter Text

As he began to become aware of what was around him, he felt as if he was floating. Effortlessly. The liquid felt thick and warm. So, he wasn't in a natural body of water. He tried to listen to what was around him, but he couldn't hear anything. He couldn't figure out why. Or was there nothing to hear? Where was he?

Kallus spent hours hovering in the warm, thick, gelatinous substance in a daze. He stayed in the state between sleep and consciousness. He tried to pull himself toward one or the other, but he didn't have any luck. He was just there.

At some point he felt the pulling away of the gooey substance from his body and a chill replaced it as the warmth that it had brought faded away. He then felt himself on a soft surface. A bed, perhaps. Once there, he felt a warm sensation once more.

After he was placed on the soft bed something forced one of his eyes open and followed by a bright light; then the process repeated with the other. He wanted to recoil from the brightness of it, but he couldn't. As the light receded, though, he heard muffles. He couldn't distinguish anything past the fact that there was now sound whereas before there had been utter silence. After a while the muffles changed in tone and tenor a bit and they lulled him back to the bliss of nothingness.

Sabine finished her shift of keeping Kallus company and headed back to the Shadow Chaser. Kiara had come in after her. She'd been training with Kanan when Kallus had first been taken out of the bacta tank, so she'd taken the first shift.

She knew that Hera would be coming in later in the day and she looked forward to seeing her as well as getting her first good look at hers and Kanan's baby boy. The child would be a welcomed distraction from what was going on.

If anyone had told her a couple of years ago that she'd be so worried about the man back in the infirmary she wouldn't have believed it. To say that she hated the man when he was working for the Empire would have been a mild way to put it. Now she considered him a friend. A friend who had sacrificed himself so that the rest of them could escape on Suaren. Kallus wasn't the same man he'd been when he'd first been assigned to rid the sector that Lothal was in of rebels. That man wouldn't have done what the one lying in the medical bay right now had done.

When she got back to the common room on the ship, she sat at the dejarik table and figured that she could use a distraction. Kanan and Zeb were in a holo-meeting with the leadership for the daily briefing and knew that they would likely be busy until Hera showed up later in the day.

As she was considering a move while playing the game she glanced over and saw a datapad on the couch. She'd seen Kiara absorbed in it nearly every time that she didn't have anything else to do. Curious, Sabine stood and walked over to it. She picked it up and went to turn it on but stopped.

Why did she feel like she was invading Kiara's privacy?

Sabine shook her head to shake off the thought. It was just a datapad that she always leaves right out in the open. It wasn't like she was snooping around in her cabin. She pushed the button to activate the device and saw that it was left off on what looked to be an article from the holonet. She scrolled a bit to find the subject matter of it and paused.

Purrgil?

Why would she be reading about purrgil?

Sabine put the datapad back down and backed away from it as if it was a dangerous explosive. She went back to sit at the dejarik table, but her mind was no longer on the game.

Ezra had disappeared when he and the Imperial forces were pulled away from Lothal by the purrgil. There hadn't been any sight of the young man since then. They had tried to discern the trajectory of the purrgil's jump into hyperspace, but they hadn't been able to find anything. She hated to admit it, but they had been forced to abandon the search. And since then, there had been so much going on...

Sabine looked back at the datapad across the room. She wondered...

Kiara walked around Kallus's room as she once more tried to keep up a running commentary of her life as well as nearly anything else that she could think of to try to reach past the haze that he was trapped in. The medical staff had said that his latest exam after the bacta treatments had shown that he was healing up well. The bones were mended, and his internal injuries had all but been forgotten. That was all well and good, but he still wasn't awake. Even the miracle fluid hadn't brought his mind back even as it healed his body. For that, they could only wait to see what would happen.

In frustration, Kiara sat down next to Kallus on the bed facing him. She wished she knew what was going on in his head. Could he even hear her or the rest or were they wasting their breath trying to talk to him?

She reached for his hand and felt the way it was so limp. No response at all. She intertwined his fingers with hers and sat there facing him for a while. With only the sounds of the machines monitoring Kallus to break the silence.

She closed her eyes and did her best to meditate. She focused on Alexsandr and waded through darkness to find the light that represented his life force. It was brighter than it had been before. Stronger. That was comforting. She wanted to reach out and touch that light. Wanted to pull it toward herself. Wanted it to push the darkness away to make room for it.

"Alex," Kiara said softly as she remained focused. She focused on Alex. Focused on his breathing. Focused on her own to match his. "You have to come back to me. I'm not quite ready to let you go. Not like this. Not now. Probably not ever."

Outside of Kallus's room someone dropped something and pulled Kiara out of her meditation. She looked up and glanced toward the door and realized what had happened and shook her head. Accidents happen.

She turned her attention back to the man before her and wondered how long he would stay as he was. The doctor's had stated that he didn't require anymore bacta treatments. The fluid had healed his injuries. He'd face therapy once he woke up but for now, there wasn't anything else for them to do. For Kiara, it was scarier to hear than it had been to watch the staff first take him from her ship. At least then, they were doing something. They had a plan. But now?

Taking in a deep sigh Kiara moved her hand to put Kallus's back down onto the bed. That was when she noticed something. It wasn't a large difference, but it was there. His hand wasn't resting as limply as it had been earlier.

"Alex?" Kiara's heart sped up in anticipation. "Alex? Can you hear me?"

She waited for several moments while trying to take in everything at once. Were his eyes moving? No. Was that a twitch of a brow? Maybe? No. It wasn't. She focused on the hand in her own.

"Alex, I'd really like for you to give me some sort of sign. Can you move any part of your hand for me? Just a little. It doesn't have to be much?"

Kiara remained hyper-focused as she sat in strained silence, willing the man to respond but didn't want to push any further. If he was aware of what was going on, and he was trying, her repeated requests would only serve to frustrate him. After waiting for more than a quarter of an hour she relaxed, where she sat and squeezed the hand that she was holding.

"Maybe tomorrow," Kiara said while trying to sound positive. Maybe she'd imagined the whole thing. It was just wishful thinking.

When the Ghost landed in the hangar of the medical ship Kanan and the rest of his crew waited anxiously for Hera to finish the shutdown procedures before the ramp was extended. Then they raced up to see both mother and child. When they got inside, they found Hera coming out of her cabin with the baby. Sabine had helped to create a crib that could be used to strap the baby in when she was flying. A must for the kind of flying she tended to need to do when on missions. And even when not on missions, one never knew when things would go sideways.

"There are my two favorite people in the galaxy," Kanan said as he reached Hera and took the baby from her.

Zeb nudged Sabine, "Should we be insulted that we aren't included as being part of his favorite people?"

Sabine laughed. "I don't know about you, but I am highly insulted. I personally feel that I'm absolutely delightful to be around."

"You can be," Kanan responded as he nestled his son against him, "But you have some really stiff competition."

"I suppose I do," Sabine nodded as she stepped closer to see the sleeping baby. He looked to have inherited a lot of Kanan's DNA since he looked mostly human, but he had a slight green color to his skin that spoke to his Twi'lek parentage. "He is so cute."

"More so when he's sleeping," Hera said as she grinned. "Not so much when he's not happy. So, let's try not to wake him up just yet." She looked around and then asked, "How is Kallus?"

Zeb and Sabine looked at one another as Kanan shook his head. "He still hasn't woken up. The doctors have done what they can but... The fact that he hasn't come to, yet, doesn't look good."

Hera looked down as she took in the news. She hated to hear that about their friend. From what she'd heard, the man had willingly stayed behind so that the those on the Shadow Chaser could get away. Not an easy decision to make; especially knowing full-well what that would mean for him. He, better than anyone, would have been aware of what was in store for him when he gave the order for the ship to leave.

"How is your sister handling it?" Hera asked. She'd also heard about her brush with the dark side and Kanan's concern for her. Though to be honest, if she had the power and someone did the same to Kanan, she'd be more than just a little tempted to do the same thing that Kiara had nearly done.

"Still hanging in there but we all know that the longer it takes for Kallus to wake up the less likely that he will wake up at all. Once..." Kanan didn't allow himself to finish that thought. Hera nodded since she understood. He didn't have to say more.

"Well, let's go see those two. It's been too long."

Kiara looked up as she heard the crew of the Ghost all make their way into the room in the infirmary.

"Thought we'd bring the party here so that you and Kallus both could join us," Kanan said as he sensed the question before his sister could ask as they entered.

"And it's okay? You know, with the staff?"

"I pointed out that if they thought that having one of us in here talking to Kallus would help then the effects would only be multiplied if there were more of us in here," Kanan grinned.

"And how could they do anything but agree in the face of such reasoning," Kiara released Alex's hand and stood to face the group. As she stepped closer to get her first really good look at the baby in her brother's arms, he asked her if she wanted to hold him. Kiara took a moment before she shook her head. "He's sleeping. And I know the saying, anyone who wakes a sleeping child is responsible for getting him back to sleep."

Hera snickered. "I haven't heard that, but I think I'll have to remember it," she said as she gave the others a meaningful look.

"I'm sure you'll find that the rest will try to be a lot quieter while Jacen sleeps, now," Kiara let out a soft laugh.

"Good. Though once we move on to the new base, that should still offer its own challenges." The Twi'lek shook her head.

She and the others were asked to help set up the new base after they had to abandon Suaren. General Dodonna's transport hadn't made it out so many of the higher ranked officers were killed during the raid on the last base. That meant that they needed as many of the experienced fighters as they could get to help lead the cell. The crew of the Ghost was among the most skilled and they were needed on the front lines of the war against the Empire.

In the darkness that had become his normal, he listened as the muffles that had soothed his mind changed. There were many muffles rather than one. He still couldn't separate the sounds; no words made it past the haze that he'd been surrounded by since... How long has he been here. Or has he always been here? Has there ever been a before?

When the muffles grew, he felt an absence. He couldn't describe it. Just that he'd lost something. He tried to reach through the darkness and pull it back to him. He ignored the sounds. They didn't mean much to him anyway. He just focused on reaching for the presence that had been there with him before it left. It made him feel... Made him feel like the galaxy wasn't trying to spin him around in every direction at once. It had stilled him.

He just had to reach out and bring it back to him. He needed it to stop the sensation of endless falling through space.

Zeb was telling the others of his latest conversation with Rex over subspace and how the man had already started to work with Wolffe to set up the new base's security. They both, however, welcomed his and Sabine's help once they arrived to help set up the systems and equipment. Especially Sabine with her ingenuity. He was about to joke as he turned to face Kiara that she may be asked to go back to Canto Bight when he looked past the woman to Kallus behind her. That's when he caught sight of movement.

"Hey, did any of you see that?"

Everyone turned their attention to where Zeb was indicating. It was Kiara who asked, "See what?"

"His hand. It moved. Flexed." Zeb and the rest of the crew waited in silence to see if the man would move again. It had been the first real sign of life, progress, since he'd first been extracted from the cell on the Star Destroyer. His heart raced as he waited. Waited for anything. "Kallus?" He finally spoke up as he saw Kiara sit back on the bed to face him. She grabbed his hand then pulled back, realizing that if he did move his hand the others may not be able to see it. "Can you do that again?"

The silence seemed deafening as each person's attention was focused on the man in the bed. Kanan stretched out his senses and could feel a change in the man that he hadn't sensed in the many days that they'd been on the Med-ship. It was like he was trying to muddle through a thick darkness that wanted to pull him back. But he was trying. Trying to come back to the land of the living. Back to the people, or the person, that he cares about.

When another slight twitch of the hand was made the entire room erupted in cheers of relief. That then woke the sleeping baby.

"Oops," Sabine recoiled just a bit from the shrill screams as the two parents started to work together to try to quieten the child. "So, Kiara. Does this mean we all have to help put the baby back to sleep?"

"I suppose we all have to take a shot at it until someone can actually succeed," she said with a sigh. She reached forward from where she sat and took Alex's hand and watched as Kanan handed his son over to Hera as she tried to soothe the baby. She figured that they were better suited to calming the screaming babe.

She'd stay where she was and focused on Alex, instead. At least until it was time for her to return to her ship for a few hours. Unfortunately, the others would leave the next day on the Ghost. That meant that she would be the only one to remain to wait for Alex to wake up. She knew that none of them wanted to leave but they were needed. The war doesn't stop for one person.

Chapter Text

Kiara sat in the room that had become too familiar to her. The others had to leave out on the Ghost earlier that week, already. That meant that she knew no one else on the Med-ship other than the unconscious man lying on the bed in the room. They had promised to contact her as frequently as they could, and she equally promised to send word the moment that there was any change in Alex's condition.

She'd settled in her seat with her datapad in her hands as she read over more information regarding the purgill. The only thing she really had to fill her time. She had read aloud to Alexsandr the reports that she sloshed through; including Wolffe's report from the battle of Lothal and was interested in the mentioning that Ezra had sent the Ghost with orders through Mart that they were to send out a message on frequency zero.

She wondered...

She looked through the report and others from after the battle and couldn't see where anyone had duplicated the call. Or if they had, they didn't put it in the reports. Which was possible.

"I wish you could tell me what you know about the days after that battle," Kiara sighed. She knew that he and the rest who had joined the Ghost crew had stayed on the planet to help the citizens learn to fight in case they needed to for the following weeks so if anyone had attempted to recreate the call Alex may know about it.

She leaned her head on her hand as she continued to read the files that she'd downloaded onto her datapad and had been reading for several hours, knowing that she could hear the exhaustion in her own voice. That meant that she was going to have to return to her cabin to sleep, soon. She reluctantly stood and gave Alexsandr a light kiss on his lips.

"I'll be back in a few hours. Hopefully, I didn't bore you with all of this research." Kiara then walked toward the door and just as the door was about to close behind her, she heard a very slight groan coming from inside. She spun on her heels and her eyes found Alex's form on the bed immediately. She heard another ever so slight groan, and she was back at his bedside, grabbing his hand, before she could even compute what she was doing. "Alex? Take your time. I'm right here."

She saw as his eyes moved behind closed lids and watched on with anticipation. Her heart wanted to beat out of her chest from the stress of waiting. Against her palm she felt a slight movement under her hand which only heightened the excitement. When both movements ceased, and Alex went silent once more, she felt her heart sink. She'd been sure that he was going to finally wake up. But it was a good sign. He was fighting to wake up. She just had to be patient.

Alexsandr could finally distinguish a voice instead of muffles. A voice that he knew well. He couldn't do much other than to lay there and listen. She sounded tired. So tired. Nearly as tired as he was.

He wanted to do something. Anything. He was so frustrated; not being able to move, speak, or anything. He wanted to leave this soft bed that he felt under him. Wanted to open his eyes. Wanted to close his hand when he felt something, a hand perhaps, in his own.

He heard her tell him that she'd be back later. Felt the soft kiss that she left on his lips before he suddenly felt alone once more. Staying in the darkness of the haze alone was disconcerting and he tried to groan in frustration. This time it felt different. He heard a sound that he'd not heard before while in this shadowy world between life and death; awake and unconsciousness. Was that him? He worked to make the sound again and he heard it once more. A very soft and slight groan but he'd made it.

In response a comforting touch returned to his hand, and he knew that she was back. She spoke to him, and he did his best to let her know that he could hear her. That he didn't want her to leave. He wanted to open his eyes. Wanted to see her. His eyelids refused to lift the veil that kept him in darkness, however. He instead concentrated on where he felt her presence and absorbed its warmth once more. He tried to embrace that warmth. Still, he felt as if he was trying to move his limbs through durasteel.

Exhausted, without any success, he had to stop. He had to return deeper into the darkness. Staying near the surface for long was too difficult and he'd used so much energy. Wasted energy, he felt, since he'd not been able to accomplish anything.

Kiara fell asleep with her head on Alex's arm the night before. After his brief display of trying to come around she hadn't been willing to leave. Still, as she straightened from where she'd slept, her neck aching from the position she'd left it in for hours, she knew she had to leave, even if briefly. She needed to get cleaned up and she had promised to send a message to the others about any change.

She went to her ship and left a message with Chopper when he answered for the Ghost and informed the others of the brief, yet frustrating, moment that it appeared that Alex was waking up. She then went to the refresher to get cleaned up with a fresh jumpsuit and tamed her hair back down since it looked as if she'd spent the night having a much more enjoyable time than she had. Her eyes looked sunken from the weeks' long vigil but there wasn't much that she could do about it. She was worried and tired, and her eyes didn't hide it one bit.

When she was ready for the rest of the day, she asked Tac to monitor frequency zero for her. She didn't want him to send out any messages, just to monitor and record any data that he could. She didn't know what she expected to find but it was the first real clue that she had to pursue so she figured that it wouldn't hurt to at least monitor the channel for a while.

With that done, she returned to the room in the infirmary where she'd left Alexsandr. The doctors planned to perform their daily exam while she was gone. They had been encouraged by the report that she'd given them of the activity of the night before. However, it was their experience that it was best to observe their patients without any friends or family around. Kiara figured that she'd been gone long enough to allow them to perform their tests when she headed back.

In the room, Kiara was surprised to find that while Alex wasn't awake, he did appear to have the doctors' attention. He was moving, twitching, and groaning. He sounded aggravated. She raced to his side while feeling somewhere between excitement and concern.

"Is he alright?"

One of the doctors in the room nodded. "As long as he's been out, it'll take time for him to wake up. He seems to be trying to do just that, but it won't be easy. Just give him time. Let him go at his own pace."

Kiara acknowledged the doctor's words and clung to the hope that the man was really on the verge of waking from the nightmare that he's been trapped in. She waited until the doctors finished with their exams and then left her alone once more with the man who seemed to be struggling to awaken.

With his energy restored, Kallus felt as if the weight of the thick haze around him seemed to lighten. Not much, but a little. He could hear men and woman standing around him, talking about him. Speaking of him as if he wasn't in the room. Hearing them frustrated him immensely since they acted as if he was nothing but an intriguing case. He was more than an oddity for their amusement, though.

Frustrated, he wanted to shout at them. To tell them to leave him alone. That he wasn't a medical experiment. He was able to find his own voice, again. A groan, a bit stronger than it had been before. How long ago was that? Still, the groan didn't encourage the men and women to leave him be.

Eventually, he heard their voices mix together, but one joined them.

"Is he alright?"

She was back. He felt the warmth spread from where his hand came in contact with hers and he focused on where they met. He used it as if it were a lifeline to pull himself out of the darkness that surrounded him. He also could sense that she was trying to find him in shadows that kept him prisoner. Using the force to guide him back to where she was?

Kallus did his best to flex his fingers, do anything to let her know that he could sense her, knew she was there. That he was trying to break away from the haze that still held him back.

Too soon, he was forced to stop his fight. He no longer had the energy to keep going. He'd have to wait. Wait until he was stronger. He couldn't give up, though.

Kiara watched as Alex's movements and groans stilled and sighed. Close but not quite. She then settled into the chair next to the bed and wondered if this was going to become the new normal. Waiting for moments of hope only to watch it fade when he eventually goes quiet again for the rest of the day.

She swallowed. She'd realized something that she couldn't tell the others yet, but she had to give voice to it. Kiara closed her eyes as she paused while trying to formulate the words that she needed.

"This was all my fault. And I don't mean because I flew the ship out before you were onboard. Which I'm still angry that you tricked me into doing, by the way. But- But it is because I was at the base at all. I'm the cause of so many deaths and I should have seen it before." Kiara furled her brows as she thought back to the events of that day that changed everything.

"Elios wasn't even the Moff of the sector where Suaren is in. He went there looking for me. He wanted me and he took it out on you when he didn't get me." She brushed a hot tear from her eye and blinked back the rest. "And he's not going to stop trying to find me. Which means that I can't go back and join the others at this new base of theirs. If I go there, then they won't be safe. So that means when you get well-enough, I won't be joining you there."

Kiara's face took a hard look before she added, "Not yet. I won't go anywhere until I know you are okay but-"

Her breathing labored as she tried to keep the fact hidden that she wanted to wail at the thought of walking away from what she'd found with not just Alex, but she'd also be leaving behind her brother and her friends that she'd gained since leaving the Empire. But if she wanted to protect them then that was exactly what she would have to do.

He heard himself groan softly and he tried to turn his head to the side. It moved ever so slightly. He listened to the quiet around him as he tried to figure out where he was. He cracked his eyes open but closed them when it felt as if he had blades stabbing him in them. They were incredibly dry. He did his best to blink to work up some moisture and then tried to open them again just ever so slightly.

It was dim. Not dark, just dim. He spent several minutes letting his vision adjust to the shadows that filled the room. As he did, he noticed that there was a slight weight on his left arm. He worked to move his head so that he could look to his left and saw that Kiara was asleep with her head on his arm; almost like she was using it as a pillow.

He struggled and reached his right hand over and rested it on top of her head and slipped his fingers into her soft hair. He then listened to her soft breathing as she slept and allowed the sound of it to lull him back to sleep.

Hours later Kiara began to wake up and felt something on her head. She lifted her head before she felt and saw Alexsandr's hand fall back onto himself. Had he woken up in the night and she missed it after several weeks' worth of showing indications that he was trying to come around? "Alex?"

There was no response, which was disheartening. She then sat and waited for the daily exam. When the medical staff came in to check on their patient, she explained how she'd woken up to find that he'd apparently at least partially regained consciousness during the night. Enough to place a hand on her as she slept.

She was then herded out so that they could perform their exam in peace, but she insisted that she'd return in a half an hour. She then rushed through her morning routine of getting cleaned up and changing into a fresh jumpsuit while Tac would download any data he had from his monitoring of the frequency that apparently the purrgil used.

Once that was finished, she walked back into the room that held Alexsandr and listened to the doctors finish up their examination and informed Kiara that he could wake at any moment for good or it could take many more days. They just didn't know. As they were explaining that a groan broke through and caught the attention of all in the room.

"I'm... right... here." Kallus tried to sound annoyed at the fact that they were acting as if he wasn't even present for their little confab, but his voice instead came out in a soft, yet gruff, whisper.

Kiara went to make her way to the bed but was pushed back as the staff reexamined Alexsandr, leaving her to wait across the room as they busied themselves with their work. When he spoke again, she had to smile.

"Stop... poking... me."

She saw as he tried to lift an arm to shove the people away from him, but he clearly was too weak to put much strength behind the effort. Still, Kiara couldn't help laughing at the attempt. As the staff annoyed Alex, she sent out a message with her datapad to Tac to have him contact the others to tell them that he was awake and that she'd fill them in when she knew more.

Once the two were alone again, she saw that Alex still looked so incredibly tired. She wanted to let him rest but at the same time a part of her was afraid that if he fell back to sleep that he wouldn't wake up again. Irrational, she knew, but the idea loomed over her anyway.

"How?" Alexsandr asked, wanting to ask how he'd gotten to the infirmary that he clearly was at. Kiara understood. Likely, her ability to read people.

"After Suaren," Kiara reflexively tightened her hand at her side. "We couldn't let you stay in the hands of the Empire, now, could we?"

He had so many questions, but he knew he'd not be able to ask them right now. He could feel the dark tide trying to take him back to the regenerative slumber. He listened as Kiara changed the subject and told him about how the others had left to help set up the next base but had promised to stay in touch. She also told him that they likely would return now that she had informed them that he'd woken up. Though she hadn't said how long it had been since he'd been rescued, he had the distinct impression, both from hearing what she was saying as well as what he'd heard from the doctors, that he'd been out for much longer than he was comfortable with thinking about.

For now, though, he intertwined his fingers with hers and listened as she spoke and allowed her voice to lull him back to sleep. He'll ask his questions later.

Chapter Text

Kallus listened as the doctor went on about how he had lots of therapy ahead of him now that he was awake and had been cleared to start to work on regaining full use of his body once more. They also informed him that it wouldn't be easy and would likely press his limits, but it would be important that he stuck with it.

"I'm well aware," he let out an aggravated growl as he sat with his arms crossed. He glowered at the medical personnel who seemed to think that he was a moron. Of course, he knew that he wouldn't be able to just jump back to life as it had been before his stent back with the Empire and the results of his interrogation.

"Doc, I don't think you understand who you are talking to," Kiara's voice could be heard from the doorway to announce that she was back whether the daily exam and the private discussion with their patient was over or not. She had a small bag with some of Alex's personal belongings that she suspected that he may want. "You are speaking to an overachiever, there. I'd be more worried about impressing it upon him to not work too fast rather than to make sure that he works hard enough."

The doctor looked back with a disapproving look since he had yet to say that it was alright for the woman to return to the room. Still, he knew from the months that she'd been here that once she returned that there would be no asking her to leave for more time. He sighed and shook his head.

"I'll set up the appointments to get everything started. The sooner the better."

"On that, we agree," Kallus said since he didn't relish the feeling of being weak and wanted to start building back his strength as quickly as possible. At least with the fact that he'd apparently been given many bacta treatments and they had healed his bones and muscles, it shouldn't take long to get back to his previous condition. So even if they felt weak, they just needed to be worked so that his strength returned.

"Well, I guess I'll be leaving." The doctor spun and left the room so that he could get the therapy appointments started. He knew that the man wouldn't be able to remain on the Med-ship until he was fully back to his old self. They were mainly for emergencies and to get things set up so that the individuals could leave and go back to their work within the Rebellion. Though, few came to the ship with the injuries that the man in the bed had. It did help that he was already in peak condition before he was so brutally injured. If he hadn't, the doctor had no doubt that he wouldn't have ever made it to the ship in the first place. And even if he had, the surgery alone could have killed him. Perhaps the woman was correct in her assessment of his being an overachiever.

Once alone Kiara moved over to the bed and sat down on it looking toward Alex as she took in a sight that she'd been waiting for, for several weeks. He was awake, conscious, and for the first time in as many weeks she felt as if he was finally going to be alright.

"Well, you are looking much better today."

Kallus scratched at his overgrown beard, an indication of how long he'd not been able to trim it. "If you say so."

He looked over at the bag that she brought with her and tried to stretch toward it on the other end of the bed to pull it to himself so that he could look through it. When he did so he felt how weak his body really was when it protested the movement. Kiara saw the look of discomfort that crossed his face so she moved the bag closer so that he wouldn't have to strain to get it. When he dug around in the bag, she saw that he pulled out his trimmer, first, to address his beard.

"When did you say that the others will be here?"

She snickered but didn't point out the fact that she'd never would have considered him vain. If she had known that the condition of his beard had been such a point of contention, then she would have seen to its care long before now. Still, it was funny to see this side of Alexsandr. As he started to work on his facial hair, she answered him.

"Sometime tomorrow evening. They said that it will take them at least a full rotation to get here from the base. They are taking this morning to prepare all of the others there for their temporary absence."

"Good. That means that I have time to finally work on getting out of this bed. I don't want to have to be stuck here when they arrive."

Kiara raised a brow as she shook her head. "Don't you think you are rushing things just a bit? After all of the time that you've been out of it-"

"All the more reason to jump in headfirst and get things moving." Kallus ran a hand over his face and felt the change after he'd trimmed the excess hair away. He would have to wait until he found his way to the refresher to see how well he'd done without a mirror. And he'd need to go there sooner or later, too. The first thing that he'd done once he was conscious enough to do so, he'd removed every tube and wire that was hooked up to him. He didn't want nor need any of them.

"Like I said, an overachiever," Kiara muttered. "I'll tell the doctor to see to it that the therapist comes in-"

"Don't bother. I don't need them. I will get by just fine, without them." Kallus turned on the bed to throw his legs over but was only able to allow them to fall off of the bed, instead. "I know how to walk, I just have to get up and get started," he pulled at the side of the bed to try to stand up on his own.

Kiara moved and stood up next to where he was trying to stand, slipping an arm around him to help to steady him. She could tell that asking the man to take his time would be a waste of breath. She could feel that he tried to brush off her help, but he'd reluctantly accepted it when he realized that both of his knees felt as if they were made of jelly. When he remembered why they felt so weak he flexed a hand into a fist.

"Alright. How about we just walk to the other side of the room and back, first?" Kiara could feel and sense the strain that Alex's legs were under as he tried to move forward. He wasn't going to say anything but the first attempt to remain upright was already harder than he had expected.

Kallus swallowed since he wanted to get to the refresher, but he knew that there wouldn't be any way that he'd be able to make it right now. Not on his first try. And to be honest, maybe he shouldn't have discounted the therapist right out of hand since he didn't relish the idea of asking Kiara to help him go there, either, for anything other than to check on his facial grooming. When it came to another purpose, he would be more comfortable with a stranger, he supposed.

He nodded and concentrated on putting one foot in front of another. He didn't even look up to see how far he'd walked or still had to go. He just watched and willed each leg forward. By the time Kiara helped him to turn around to return to his bed he was breathing hard and as he fell back onto the bed he had sweat falling from his forehead.

"Not bad for the first time," Kiara said trying to be positive. After all, he was awake. That was all that she really cared about right now. Though a look in his eyes told her that his pride had taken a hit since he'd been certain that the small walk about the room would be a simple matter. He had now just received a bit of a dose of reality. He wouldn't be able to rush his recovery, no matter what he may have previously thought.

"That wasn't bad?" Kallus groaned as he struggled to rein in his breathing.

"No, it wasn't." Kiara shook her head. "When you want to try it again, I'll help you."

That evening, Kallus insisted that Kiara return to the ship to sleep. He didn't like the idea that she'd not slept well in recent weeks while waiting for him to wake up, so he felt guilty. She would have fought him on it, but she was absolutely exhausted from the endless nights of worrying as well as being reminded of the fact that Kallus was significantly taller and heavier than she was. Especially when she did her best to support him when he tried to walk the room to build his strength.

When she got back to the Shadow Chaser Tac was waiting for her with his daily briefing of the data that he'd been monitoring and was quick to ask about Alex.

"How is Master Kallus? Is he fully functional yet?"

"He's fine. He'll be... fully functional, soon enough." Kiara told the droid. "In the meantime, did you find anything interesting while scanning frequency zero today?"

"I am not sure if you would find it interesting. There seemed to have been a slight harmonic change in the background of the channel's transmissions this afternoon. It remained altered for point zero four two five seconds. It then returned to the previous harmonics."

Kiara glanced over the data with a raised brow. A change of such a slight and brief moment may not have been anything but at the same time she couldn't discount it right off hand, either. She marked the information for further review and then went about her nightly routine so that she could get some sleep. When she got to her cabin she practically fell onto the bunk where she hadn't slept on in weeks and was asleep before she could roll over to get comfortable.

The next morning the doctor made his morning exam a little earlier and he was leaving as Kiara showed up at the room in the infirmary. Inside it the therapist was still helping Kallus and was trying to show him a mobility assistance device so that he could get around without as much help. Kiara snickered to herself since she didn't really see the man actually using it on his own; he had far too much pride. She figured that would be the theme of the day, and likely many more during the rehabilitation process. Pride and stubbornness. Though perhaps he could actually put them to good use in the days to come.

Kiara stayed back near the door and remained still and quiet to not let the man know that she'd returned just yet. When she watched Alex's knees buckle, causing the therapist to step forward to assist him to then get him back onto the bed, Kiara slipped a bit further into the hall so that he wouldn't know that she'd been there to watch his stumble. She waited until Alex was sitting back in the bed before she walked in as if she'd just arrived.

"So, I see we are ready to start the day."

Kiara ignored the grumble that she heard coming from both Alexsandr and the therapist who had been working with him. She walked over to the chair on the opposite side of the bed that the therapist was standing and listened as he gave Alex instructions of what to do to try to rebuild his strength and knew from experience that he'd follow them ten-fold. She supposed that he figured that if he did then he'd be able to return to his old normal much faster. She just hoped that he didn't do more harm than good.

"Rest for now, but make sure you work on moving around every couple of hours. Call for the staff to come in to help you if needed." With that, the therapist made a hasty retreat. Kiara figured that the same personality that had once sent Imperials scrambling from his presence had decided to take over while working on his rehabilitation. She gave a soft laugh as the other man left.

"You've been a delightful patient, I see," Kiara shook her head. "How did you sleep?"

Kallus shrugged, "I slept."

Kiara rolled her eyes at the response. "Right. Anyway, I brought your clothes that you wanted for when the others come." She then tried to tease, "Not interested in sporting the provided medical gown for all of them?"

"No," Kallus growled as he reached for the bag. He'd give himself some time to recover from his small walk with the mobility device before he tried to change his clothing. At least he'll look and feel a bit more like himself, then. When he saw that everything that he'd asked for was there he leaned back against the bed that was raised behind him.

He sat there for several moments in silence and for a few minutes he forgot where he was at. He closed his eyes as he tried to steady himself for the next attempt to just walk across the damn room. He knew he'd not wait two hours to try again. The sooner he was up the sooner he'd be able to do so without looking like a wounded animal.

He thought back to the Star Destroyer. Back to his time in the detention cell. He didn't know how many hours he'd endured his time there. But he could recall every single jolt of electricity. Every injection. Every break of a bone. Even every blaster bolt; both fired at him and the others. He'd been trained to set aside personal pain in the event of capture and torture back when he served the Empire. In a way, they had prepared him for them.

What he wasn't prepared for, though, was watching his fellow rebels suffer. Most of whom he'd been friendly with when working together back first on Yavin IV and then Suaren. They weren't nameless faces who had cried out for him to help them in their last moments. They were the individuals who haunted his dreams the night before. People who didn't deserve to die the way that they had.

"Alex." Kallus looked over to where he saw concern on Kiara's face. He took a deep breath and tried to give her a smile to assure her that he was alright. Instead, she said, "Stay out of your head. It's over and you did the only thing that you could."

Kallus seemed to deflate just a little when he realized that she knew what he was thinking about. Damn the force for letting her read him so well. Still, he nodded then went to swing his legs back over the bed. If he needed to stay out of his head, then that meant that he needed to actually be doing something. So, he figured that trying to walk the room and then the halls would have to do.

He didn't need to ask. She walked around and gave her support so that he wouldn't have to use the device that the therapist had left for him for when he wanted, or needed, to get up on his own. He couldn't explain it, but he didn't seem to feel her eyes watching him when she was right at his side as much as if she was to stand back as he tried to stumble his way around with the walking aide.

Chapter Text

Kiara bit back the chuckle that wanted to escape her lips when she led the others to Alex's room and found him fully dressed, including his boots, sitting in the chair that was beside the bed. She knew that he hated that she'd seen him in his weakened condition, and he didn't intend to let the others do so as well. She didn't say anything, but she did find it just a little amusing.

Before the crew returned to the Med-ship Kiara had made sure that there were extra chairs brought in so that they could all sit down during their visit. Of course, since Alex chose to take one of the chairs that the staff brought in that meant that there was one less than needed. She shrugged and sat on the edge of the bed to leave the chairs that had been brought in free for the rest.

The baby woke up on his own shortly after the group filtered into the room so the game of "Pass the Baby" started. One that it didn't appear that Alex wanted to join, he was perfectly happy watching the child from his place next to the others as they held the babe. It wasn't all that surprising. Kiara figured that he'd never actually been this close to anyone who couldn't at least walk, yet. Nor had he ever considered wanting to be, either. Still, he showed interest so long as he wasn't expected to hold him.

Kiara took her nephew from Sabine and held him as he seemed to be looking at and taking everything in. When she felt her arm grow a little warm, she made a face. "Alright, I'm done. He's wet. Or I hope he's only wet."

Kanan chuckled since he couldn't help it. "Not done, yet. You get to change his diaper since you were holding him."

"Um, no. I'll pass. Now take him."

Hera stood and took Jacen from the other woman and walked behind her to use the bed to change the baby. When the mother was tending to her child it became clear that the diaper wasn't just wet. Kiara made a mental note to go and change her top, just in case any of it had leaked onto her sleeve.

"So, Kallus," Zeb finally spoke up. "When do you get to bust out of here? I know that you've got to be going stir crazy looking at the same four walls."

"He's only been fully awake since yesterday, Zeb," Kiara reminded. Yes, Alex had been there for a couple of months, but he wasn't aware of nearly any of that time. "Let's not rush him out the airlock of the ship, shall we?"

"But I plan to leave as soon as I can," Kallus added in response to Zeb's question. "I've been told that as soon as I make sufficient progress that I'll be encouraged to leave."

Kiara snickered at the word encouraged. "In other words, in only one full day, he's been grumpy enough to scare the hell out of half the staff so they can't wait until he's gone."

The other men in the room both chuckled while Kanan said, "That's one way to make sure that they don't drag their feet on letting you leave."

"Not to mention, sometimes, a man can make more progress outside of hospital walls," Zeb added.

"Just figures that you two would find it funny," Kiara shook her head. "But I have been thinking ahead, since I already know that Alex will be going to the base sooner than later, regarding getting things set up. I'm going to assume that the hangar at the new base will be just as far from the main building as it was on Suaren."

Sabine tilted her head, "Its actually just a bit further. Why?"

Kiara jutted her chin toward Alex. "We all know that he'll be too stubborn to not jump back to work just as soon as he can. But it will be a while before he'll be able to make that kind of walk on a regular basis."

"I'll manage just fine," Kallus groaned.

"Maybe. But in the event that you can't, I think it would be better for the others to set aside a room close to the main building where we all know you'll be working at. That way you'll have fewer steps, especially at the end of the day, to put in."

Kallus worked his jaw since he didn't want the others to know just how much trouble he had walking at the moment. He had hoped that he'd be able to hide any discomfort that trying to use his newly healed limbs gave him. Still, he knew that in his present condition, just imagining trying to make it to the communications center from the hanger back on Suaren exhausted him.

"I'll see to getting things set up," Hera stated as she finished cleaning the baby up and walked around with him in her arms as he looked to be getting sleepy. "But there is one thing that I wanted to give you a heads up on. Mon Mothma and a few others are planning to come to see you tomorrow. That is if you think that you'll be up to it. She figured that it would be better to come and debrief you in person rather than wait and have you file a report."

Everyone in the room understood exactly what he'd be debriefed about. They wanted to know precisely what not just Kallus but any of the others that he was aware of had endured at the hands of the Imperials. The news seemed to suck the air out of the room as no one wanted to look at the man as they were reminded of the torture that he'd survived.

"I suppose it is for the best." Kallus finally broke the silence. "And perhaps now, Mon Mothma can learn just what kind of treatment the Empire affords their prisoners. For a rebel, she is still far too much of an idealist."

Kanan insisted on staying in Kallus's room since he doubted that man would let the leadership know if they pushed him too far. So instead, he'd keep his senses keen and decided that he'd speak up when he felt that the man had had enough.

As Kallus began his report, he explained the events of the day when the Imperials raided the base. He told them that he'd seen to it that the self-destruct on the equipment was triggered, and he'd tried to help the others in the base get to their transports. He described wave after wave of troopers approaching the hangar and he knew that he wouldn't have been able to get to the Shadow Chaser before the ship was overrun. It had been then that he instructed the others to take off.

With the survivors who had been assigned to the ship gone Kallus explained that the rest were all lined up to be identified. He was the highest ranked individual who remained when the only other transport left had been shot down. He then informed those gathered that the Imperials knew who he was before they had ever left the surface. He was beat with the butt of a rifle twice and the troopers pulled his name out of him to confirm it by threatening one of the young women who had been left behind as well. He was then stunned and didn't regain consciousness until after he'd not only left the surface but also was in the detention cell. That meant that they must have stunned him again when he first showed signs of waking up while on the shuttle on the way to the Star Destroyer.

Kallus then described his own torture with detached detail. He explained the electrocution, the breaking of his bones, and the drugs that had been given to him to try to induce the man to give up the secrets that he held. At that point, he took a moment to gather his thoughts. To brace himself.

Kanan thought that would be the extent of it, but he was aware already that both knees had been shot with a blaster, so he knew that there was more. He was tempted to tell the leaders that the other man had had enough for the day, and they would need to pick up the rest the next day, but something told him that Kallus needed to go ahead and push through. His audience was captivated and waited patiently for him to continue.

"That's when the Moff decided to take a different approach. Figured that I may not be able to endure the pain of others as much as I did my own. So, he started to bring the other prisoners in one at a time. He let them know that they would be tortured because I hadn't told them what he wanted to know. That it would only stop if I broke my silence." Kallus swallowed hard.

"The Moff even pressed them to beg for me to let him know what he wanted. Especially when he took his blaster and started to fire one at a time in every non-vital location on the prisoners' bodies. Each of them was tortured in that method, one by one, for hours before they were finally executed. When he killed one prisoner, he simply had the troopers haul the body out and bring in a new one until all of them met with the same end. Somewhere along the way the Moff shot my knees so that I could feel what the others were feeling in their final moments."

Kanan was shocked at the treatment that Kallus had endured. Not just the physical torture but psychological as well. Forcing him to live through the torture of the others right in front of him. He knew that the Empire could be heartless, but this surpassed even his imagination of what to expect. What was worse, while only Kallus knew the truth, Kanan was aware that the man who had done the contemptible acts was actually the Jedi's own father. Was this the kind of blood that ran through his veins? Surely not? This was the man who had raised Kiara while he'd been lucky enough to go to the Jedi temple on Coruscant.

After a moment of allowing the rest to absorb what Kallus had told them he looked up and glared at Mon Mothma. She was always so quick to push to work through the appropriate channels and when others were captured, she'd said that she would work with the Empire to ensure the civil treatment of the prisoners. With his face taking on a hard look he spoke up once more.

"This is the Empire's version of fair and just treatment of their prisoners. Because in their mind, this is what is fair. No one but those who serve the Empire matter to them. And if they need to torture someone to get what they want, then so be it. Never forget that. The only reason I'm alive is because he wasn't able to break me. He wanted the information that I had and wasn't willing to give that up. Otherwise, I would have been executed just like the others."

"When we got to him, he was nearly dead, as well," Kanan added. He already had sent in his report during that first week when they'd brought Kallus here to the Med-ship, but he figured that a reminder didn't hurt. "He had multiple internal injuries, including punctures to both of his lungs. He was barely breathing and had to be hooked up to the emergency respirator on the ship and he barely had a pulse. He wouldn't have survived the night if we hadn't had pulled him out. Whether the Moff returned to interrogate and torture him or not."

"I'm aware of your report, Master Jedi," Mon Mothma replied curtly. She had for so many years tried to abide by certain rules and had always believed that those rules were universal. Yet now, she was faced with the brutal reality that the Empire doesn't follow the same rules as the rest of civilized society. "I must ask, was there anything that you were forced to divulge while being questioned."

Kallus raised a brow at the tame way to refer to his torture. "No."

"Nothing at all?" Mon Mothma prodded once more.

"Nothing. It was one reason why the Moff was so irritated. One reason why he kept killing more prisoners. If I had told him anything the rest may not have died in the way that they had. They would have still died, just not in torment as they had."

Kanan was impressed. He was able to endure torture when captured in the past, but he had relied on his Jedi training for that, though his experiences hadn't been nearly as harsh as the former agent's. But Kallus was not a Jedi. Didn't even have the slightest force sensitivity. Yet he'd been able to remain steadfast. His level of respect that he had for the man just increased tenfold.

When the leadership left Kallus's room Kanan asked him if he was alright. What could he say? He briskly nodded and glanced covertly toward the bed. As much as he hated it, the debriefing wore him out. He wasn't sure if it was physically or mentally, but he was exhausted. When Kanan spoke up again, Kallus was reminded that the man didn't need to see with his own eyes to see what was going on around him.

"You want any help getting back out of the chair and onto the bed? You need to get some rest."

"I'll manage," Kallus shook his head before adding, "But thank you for asking. I'll be fine, though."

"If you are sure..."

"I am."

"Alright," Kanan figured he'd leave the man some pride by not insisting that he needed help. He would advise the medical staff to come check on him when he left. "I'll go ahead and leave. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Kallus watched as the Jedi walked out and sighed. He then braced himself for the task of trying to stand up on his weakened limbs and climbed onto the bed. It was harder than he remembered but he had done it and this time without any help from either the medical staff or well-meaning friends. Once on the bed he pulled off his boots and figured that he was as undressed as he needed before he leaned back onto his pillow and fell into a deep sleep before he had time to relive, once more, the report that he'd given earlier.

He hoped that by the end of the week that he'd be leaving the Med-ship. That meant that tomorrow would be another busy day of trying to strengthen his muscles so that he could move around easier.

The Shadow Chaser and the Ghost both received clearance to land at the new base on Vilte III within minutes of one another. The crew of the Ghost were eager to show their two friends the new base. For Alex, Kiara knew that he wasn't happy that he would be moved to a room in the barracks close to the main building so that he'd be able to better navigate his life until his body was strong enough to handle the trek from the hangar to the main building and back several times a day. He had his belongings that he'd want for the foreseeable future packed and ready for the others to help him move them over.

He glanced around his cabin on the Shadow Chaser and was determined to be back in it as quickly as he could. Maybe a month. No, make that three weeks at most. He'll work to see to it that he'll rebuild his strength in record time.

"Ready?" Kiara asked as he stepped out of the cabin carefully. She waited until she sensed a buckle of his knees before she reached forward and put an arm around his waist. She'd lightened the gravity on the ship while in transit to help him but now that they were on the planet the slight reprieve that she'd given him was over.

"As I'll ever be," Kallus groaned when Kiara had to help him not fall flat on his face. He wasn't ready for the rest of the base to see him being practically carried through the hanger.

"Relax, people will just think that we can't keep our hands off of one another. Not that you are being helped across the way." Kiara pointed out and joked. "Now, let's go meet with the others. They will help with your stuff."

Kallus nodded. "Just don't get into your head to use that cabin for anything else. I will want it back."

Kiara laughed. "Trust me, that cabin will always be yours. Even if you aren't using it. In fact, if you want, you can even lock it. And I promise not to go in and mess with any of your stuff."

"No, I trust you. I've never considered you to be too curious or nosey, anyway."

Kiara helped Alex down to the loading ramp and followed Hera and Sabine toward the barracks where they had a room waiting for him while Zeb and Kanan went in to get his belongings. As she did so she took in the dismal appearance of the new rebel base. It was on a desert planet so there was nothing around for kilometers other than sand and sand dunes. As the heat caused sweat to drip down her back before she'd even gotten all the way across the hangar, she wished that she would have changed into a lighter jumpsuit. She thought that this was just one more reason for Alexsandr to be closer to where he'd be working. He won't have to endure the intense heat as much as if he'd had to make this walk both day and night.

By the time that the small group made it to the barracks Kiara was supporting more of Alex's weight and Sabine had even joined her on the other side of the man to help. Neither of them said anything since acknowledging it would just make it worse for him. They just concentrated on helping him get to where he could relax.

Once in the room that had been set aside for Kallus he practically fell onto the bunk and took deep breaths while trying to ignore the burn in the lower half of his body from his thighs all the way down to his ankles.

"I think I'd best go see if Kanan and Zeb got lost. They should have gotten here before us," Kiara said as she glanced around the room before setting her eyes back toward Alex.

"We'll keep Kallus company until you get back," Sabine said as she took one of the chairs in the room.

Kiara nodded and then headed back to the hangar. She had something that she needed to do. Then... Then she was going to make all of them very angry with her.

Chapter Text

Kiara spotted a random astromech droid as she headed back towards the hangar. It was as good as any. She went over and instructed it to follow her back to her ship. As she walked toward the Shadow Chaser, she caught sight of Kanan and Zeb heading toward the barracks, so she slowed her pace until they were out of sight. She then led the droid to the ship where Tac met her on the loading ramp.

"Mistress Kiara, I'm surprised to see you have returned so quickly. Did the others forget any of Master Kallus's things? Are you here for-"

"Prepare the ship, Tac. We'll be leaving momentarily. And get the cloak ready to be used, as well." Kiara could tell that the droid was confused but he floated back off to do as he was told. She then turned to face the astromech droid and told him to get his recording device ready. She had a message or two to record. It would be difficult but necessary. She can't stay and she had to try to convey to the others why so that they could understand that.

"Alright, let's get this over with."

Kanan and Zeb took the few possessions that Kallus wanted in his temporary room with them and then waited with the others for Kiara to return. Apparently, she'd gone in search of them when they didn't make it to the room with the rest of them. It was funny, Zeb thought, since he hadn't seen the woman on his way here. He supposed that she must have gotten lost, with it being the first time that she'd come to this base.

The crew of the Ghost began to fill Kallus in on the various changes that the cell had made since this base was on a desert planet as well as how they did their best to beat the heat. They also told him about some of the newer members of the cell as well as who had made it here from Suaren. They were even planning a special dinner in his honor after finally returning from the Med-ship. The rebels of the cell wanted to show their respect for what he'd endured at the hands of the Empire.

As for Kallus, he wasn't sure if he wanted to be the center of attention. Especially for just doing what had been his job. Not to mention, he wouldn't feel right since so many hadn't made it back after they were captured. He was lucky. It wasn't like he'd made some heroic escape, either on his own or by leading others away from the clutches of the Empire. He wanted to ask the others to cancel the evening festivities, but he was aware that it wasn't just about him. The rest of the rebel cell needed a reason to break the monotony of the routine and wanted something to celebrate. So, for now, he'd be that something. Even though it was the last thing that he wanted.

After a while, Kallus finally couldn't help it as he sat on the bunk with his back against the wall while the others remained standing around.  He asked, "What is taking Kiara so long? I know that the hangar is a bit far away but-"

"I'll go find her," Sabine said as she went out the door.

She made her way back to the hangar, speaking with various people along the way to see if they had spotted Kiara recently. None of them had so she kept trudging through the heat to where the Shadow Chaser had been left. She passed the fighters, set closer to the barracks for the event that the pilots needed to get into them in a hurry. She then passed by several freighters and transports that belonged to the Rebellion. Finally, she reached where the private ships of those who were members of the rebel cell were at. Sabine spotted the Ghost and walked around to behind it where Kiara's ship had been not more than an hour ago. But when she got there all she saw was sand. The Shadow Chaser was nowhere to be seen.

Sabine lowered her brow in concern. Well, maybe Kiara had wanted to test the cloak for some reason. She kept walking and prepared herself to walk into the hull of an invisible ship, but she never came in contact with it at all. When she stood in the middle of the area where the ship should have been she pulled out her comm device.

"Um, guys?"

"Did you find Kiara, yet? Did she get lost?" Kanan's voice came over the unit and sounded as if he was about to tease either her or Kiara. Or maybe both.

"Did she say anything to any of you?"

"About what? Why?" Kanan's voice suddenly didn't sound as teasing.

"Because the ship, and Kiara, are gone." Sabine cringed when she heard everyone on the other end of the comm start to ask questions in concern and surprise at once. "No one saw Kiara around when I asked about her on my way out here. Why would Kiara leave?"

There was a pause before Zeb was the one to come back over the comm, "I'll go check with Control to see if they can tell us when she left out. Maybe even see if they can give us a trajectory of where she was headed when she left."

"Zeb, she has both a cloaking device and a computer digital scrambler so that no one can track her ship. If she doesn't want anyone to know where she was going, we won't."

Kallus insisted that he'd be alright enough to make it to the Control Room on his own. He couldn't just stay in his quarters in the barracks while everyone was scrambling to try to find Kiara. When he faltered and leaned against the wall to gather his energy, when he became just a bit too exhausted than he wanted the others to know about, he closed his eyes and wondered why she would leave.

Did he miss something? He knew that while on Suaren she'd felt like she had nothing to really do on the base. Still, he didn't think that she was unhappy. Only bored. But perhaps he was wrong. But why hadn't she said anything to him?

"Kallus?" He opened his eyes and saw Zeb had waited for him. "You okay?"

He let out a mix between a sigh and a growl before he answered his friend. "Yes. I'll catch up with you in Control."

The last thing that he wanted was for people to start treating him differently. Nor did he want them to feel obligated to help him. He'll only get stronger by getting around on his own.

Zeb tilted his head to one side as he considered whether or not to stay but could tell that the man needed to be alone. "Alright. Come as quick as you can. But I'll be back if you aren't there in a quarter of an hour."

He gave Kallus the directions to make one more turn another couple of corridors away before Zeb left the man to make his way on his own. The man was striving to regain his pride, so he figured he'd do his best to let him do just that.

After the Lasat left, Kallus did his best to will his legs to take one step then another. Focusing only on the next one rather than his destination or why he was going there. When he reached the door and looked up, he figured that he'd taken longer than this allotted quarter of an hour since Zeb was standing there in silence, but he'd stood back to wait for the man to get to the door under his own power.

Zeb nodded both as encouragement as well as understanding. He then opened the door and waited for Kallus to go through to join the rest of them. When he got in, he saw that there was a brief record of when the Shadow Chaser lifted off. Apparently, Kiara had activated the cloak just as the ship entered into the upper stratosphere. That meant that they had no record of what direction she planned to take the ship once completely off world.

As the crew continued to mull over the strange departure of the woman an astromech droid joined them in the room and beeped that he had messages for both Kallus as well as the Ghost crew.

"Messages from whom?" Kallus asked as he sat in a chair that someone had nonchalantly put behind him without drawing attention to it or his need for the chair.

The astromech responded that it was from Kiara which spurred Kanan to tell him to play the message for the crew since they were all there. A second later the image of Kiara came into view for those who could see the message.

"If you are watching this, it means that I've been gone for about two hours. I didn't want to risk the chance that any of you would find out and try to stop me before I left so I gave this droid implicit instructions to not find you for two hours." Kiara looked apologetically at the camera and took a deep breath.

"And I know you are angry, concerned, hurt, and likely much more but I have my reasons for doing this. I'd much rather that you all be mad at me but stay alive. You see, if I stay at the base then I'll put everyone there at risk. Again. What happened on Suaren, what happened after, was all my fault. Moff Dume wasn't even the Moff over the system. He went to Suaren because I was there. When he didn't get me then he took his anger out on those who were left behind."

Kiara's face took on a determined look before she spoke once more. "I will not allow that to happen again. Too many people have gotten hurt, have been killed, because I happened to be nearby. That means that for right now, the only thing that I can do in good conscious is to stay away. Please, don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing and I'm good at staying under the radar. And I'll be careful. I just ask that the rest of you do the same. Take care of each other. It's what all of you are best at. And now, it's time for me to do what I'm best at. I won't ask for forgiveness. And I don't expect anything from any of you."

Sabine eyed both the woman's brother as well as the man who was closer to Kiara than any of the rest of them and saw where both men's jaws were tightened with their muscles in them twitching. She turned her attention back to the message when Kiara gave one last bid farewell.

"This isn't goodbye. Not forever, I hope. But it will be for as long as needed. Until then, may the force be with all of you."

With that, the droid's projector turned off and the room was filled with silence. Each of the members of the Ghost crew and Kallus exchanged glances with one another as they mulled over what the message had said.

"Doing what she does best? Going off on her own?" Kanan shook his head as he tried to stretch out his senses to find his sister. She wasn't in the system any longer, which he already knew but he had to confirm.

Kallus thought more and remembered the one thing other than training with Kanan that she'd filled her time with when the others were busy with the running of the daily missions of running a rebellion. "Research," he muttered more to himself than anyone else.

"What would she be researching?" Zeb asked with a scratch to his head.

"Purrgil," Sabine said as she recalled finding the datapad in the common room of the Shadow Chaser while Kallus was at the Med-ship. "She was researching the purrgil."

Kallus was sure that she hadn't told anyone else, so he had to ask, "How did you know that?"

Sabine shrugged. "I came across her datapad one day. I didn't ask her about it. But... What about what she said about Suaren?"

Hera didn't know what one subject had to do with another, but she focused on one at a time. "I'll have to see if we can confirm the name of the Moff of the sector that Suaren is in. But if she's right, the question would need to be asked: How did he know she was there? If Moff Dume knew she was there, then we need to know by what means."

Kanan rested his chin in his thumb and forefinger as he brushed his beard with them as he thought. If what Kiara had said in the message was right, then they needed to investigate the leak of information.

"There are a few possibilities," Kanan said as he set his mind to work on this problem that he could actually see reason in. "One, a tracker was placed on the ship when it was in the hangar of the Star Destroyer."

Zeb shook his head and dismissed that right off hand. "I had the ship outside of the Destroyer until you were all back in the hangar, practically. There wasn't time plus I was right there at the ramp so I would have noticed someone trying to get close to the ship."

Kanan furled his brow before adding, "Then the second way that I could see how the Moff knew of where Kiara was at is that the man has somehow gotten a spy to report back to him."

"A spy?" Zeb asked incredulously.

"The Rebellion has the Fulcrum network. It only stands to reason that the Empire would have their own spies to infiltrate the rebellion," Kallus pointed out.

Hera narrowed her eyes at the idea that there could be a spy among them. "We'll need to review the personnel who were on the base and who were out on missions at the time. See if anything unusual pops out at us."

"But what about Kiara? Shouldn't we try to go find her," Zeb asked since he knew that he wasn't the only one thinking about the woman, as well.

What was it with others developing a martyr complex around him? First Ezra sacrificed himself to rid Lothal of the Imperials. Next, Kallus practically committed suicide by sending the rest of them away from Suaren without him. They were lucky to get to him before he actually did die. And now, Kiara has gone off on her own for fear that she'd bring more Imperial wrath down on them.

Sabine shook her head. "With her cloak activated, there's no way for us to even guess where she was going when she left. So, to answer your question, we don't find her. At least not right now."

That evening, Kallus went back to his quarters with a new understanding of why Kiara had been insistent on his moving into the barracks and to make sure he had his personal belongings. She knew she was leaving him behind. She'd made it all seem so practical but really, she was making her getaway less complicated.

He collapsed onto the bunk in the room when he got back and closed his eyes to fight off the pain that filled his existence while he'd been making his way back to his quarters. He'd been just staring up at the ceiling for several moments when a chime indicated that someone was at his door.

"Come in," he groaned as he sat up to see the astromech droid from before. "What do you want?" The droid beeped out that he had another message that he'd been instructed to deliver in private. Kallus's heart sped up involuntarily when he heard that Kiara had left him a message. "Well, go ahead and play it."

He watched the droid cast a projection just a few feet from him and felt a twinge in his heart when he saw Kiara staring back at him.

"Alex, I know you are upset, but I hope that you can understand that I couldn't risk Elios finding me again. He almost killed you and from what you said about his questions, he's put things together about the two of us. That means that the only way I can protect you is to go away. I won't let him hurt you again. I'll find a way to put an end to him, one way or another. And don't worry, that doesn't mean that you have to go tell Kanan since I don't plan to go dark side acolyte on you. It's just..."

Kiara seemed to flounder for her words. "There has to be a way take him out of the equation. I can't be the cause of anyone else getting hurt because of me. The cause of any more death. And that's exactly what would have happened if I stayed. Leaving you behind is killing me. But if I lost you to Elios," Kiara swallowed visibly at the thought.

"It'd break me.  That's why I had to do this. I plan to continue both my research on the purrgil as well as studying the old ways before the Jedi. I figure that would be the best way to continue to train to rein in my force abilities. So maybe I'll stop frying computer systems when I'm angry or emotional. I know of a few places to go that will still allow me to stay off of the radar."

Kiara ran her hand through her hair as she chewed on her lip. "Just know that I left because I do love you. More than I'd be able to ever tell you. And I hope to be able to come back to you. But if you-" Kallus heard her take in a sharp inhale as she stopped herself. "I'll understand if this pushes you away. But at least I won't be the cause of you being hunted down and killed. So, if nothing else, that will have to be enough for me. You have all of my love; now and forever."

With that, the message ended, and the droid waited for Kallus to dismiss it.

The man sat on the bunk just trying to take in what he had heard on the message, and also trying to absorb the sound of Kiara's voice. He had the droid play the message over again and even a third time. He wondered where these places that she could go were and how she knew that they would be safe to go. He hated being left in the position of not having anything to do but just hope and trust that she knew what she was doing.

Chapter Text

Kiara scanned the system after she dropped out of hyperspace. Nothing showed up on her scans but just to be safe she stayed cloaked, anyway. This was just one more jump on her way to the system that she intended but she didn't want to go straight to her destination just in case she had been detected and was being followed after making her way from the last planet that held an unexpected Imperial base.

This system would be a good hiding place. Whereas this system had once been a bustling hub of the arts it was now a graveyard. The presence of so many deaths had left a disturbance in the force to make it more difficult for anyone to pick up her own force signature out of the masses. Even with the mass execution having taken place more than a year ago the imprint on the force that it had made was still quite strong.

Kiara maneuvered her ship toward one of the large rocks floating through space to land and allowed her ship to blend into the asteroid field that had only been here for a short time. She then prepared to stay for a rotation, perhaps two, before she moved on. She glanced around the ship and actually felt disconcerted by the quietness of it. She'd asked Tac to power down until she called for him, explaining that she would need to power the ship's systems down to avoid detection should anyone be nearby. To his credit, he didn't ask any questions; fully trusting his mistress. It wouldn't have been the first time that she'd been on a self-imposed mission that required stealth.

In actuality, she felt too guilty for leaving the rebel base behind, along with all whom she'd left there, whenever he would ask about Alex and if they should send a message to check on him. Asking the droid to shut down was the only way to keep herself from sending out a message to the base, to Alexsandr.

Kiara left the cockpit and went to her ship's common area that never before seemed to be too big or too quiet. Now, she sat on her couch and tried to read over her datapad and looked up every few moments; for what she didn't know. After about an hour of trying to read over the information on the pad she decided that the only thing that she could do would be to meditate and try to find her center. Her focus for the days, weeks, months, and many more, ahead.

She glanced over at the datapad where she'd been reading about the ancient force users and let out a breath before she pulled her legs up on the couch so that she could cross them under her and placed her hands on her knees. The Kwa were supposedly one of the original force users. There were a few but she'd centered on this species for her research for now. She planned to go to their home world eventually. Her first stop on her planned itinerary of force studies was one of their temples in a nearby sector. She also had other locations set aside. Most of which were known to have a temple of some kind devoted to the force at them. And she was meticulous to make sure that she steered clear of any planets that the Empire showed interest in, for the most part.

Kiara focused on the force, making herself ignore where her thoughts wanted to drift to naturally, and allowed the force to guide them. Calming her. She had to let go if she wanted to be able to fulfill her mission. She needed more control. Power without control was a liability that she couldn't afford. Not if she eventually intended to take Elios down. Because that was the only way that her friends and her chosen family would be safe from him. She will do whatever it takes to keep the man from hurting any of them again.

Kallus walked toward his quarters after his duty shift. While he was still strained when he made the trek at the end of each day, in the months since he'd been on the desert planet it had become easier to get back and forth without showing his difficulty. In the morning he was even able to do some workouts to help build up his strength; though he would pay for it in the evening. As he picked his way toward the barracks, he saw a frustratingly familiar blue Twi'lek.

"Kallus, I'm glad to see you are finally starting to look as if you've recovered from your ordeal with the Imperials," Salora said with a sweet smile as she stepped forward to slip an arm through his own. "Though I am surprised that you seemed to have returned to us alone. Should I assume that your friend, what was her name? That the Imperials got her like many of the others?"

Kallus moved his arm and willed himself not to fall from the sudden movement. He'd put in a particularly grueling workout this morning before his long shift in the control room. "I'm not sure I know who you are referring to. I had many friends, and several didn't survive Suaren."

"Yet you were able to show our Imperials adversaries that you are not a man to underestimate."

Kallus wanted to roll his eyes at the flattery that she tried to ply him with. It was always the same thing with her. Flirting and trying to stroke his ego. He wanted to but somehow, he was able to keep his eyes from taking a look at the sky as he neared the living quarters. "Was there something that you wanted?"

He knew that was the wrong question when the woman gave a coy smile as she glanced down at his body before looking back up at his face. He wondered why he wanted to cringe. After all, she was pleasant looking and, on the surface, he supposed that he should be flattered by her attention.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm pleased to see you are well. After all, it couldn't have been easy to survive the attentions of the Moff."

"Well, thank you for your concern. I need to go now since I'm supposed to meet with Garazeb before the evening meal."

"Perhaps I'll see you then." Salora then stood up on her toes to leave a kiss on Kallus's cheek before she turned to leave.

Kallus continued toward his quarters when he paused and looked back toward where the Twi'lek had left. He then turned around and returned to Control. He wondered about something.

When he got back to the main control room, he ignored the questions as to why he was back so soon after he'd just left for the evening. Instead, he went over to one of the men, an insectoid whose species he couldn't recall at the moment, who served as an intelligence officer at the base.

"D'wyza, can you do me a favor. Who is the one who vetted Salora? Where was she before she joined the cell back on Suaren?"

The man spoke into his translator to respond, "It may take a minute to pull that up. May I ask why?"

"Just a feeling. I learned a long time ago to follow my gut." Kallus pulled up a chair next to the man while he waited for the findings.

The insectoid nodded and punched up the data without questioning more. Much of his work over the years had been assisted by trusting his own instincts. "Let's see... Before Suaren she was assigned to the cell that worked out of the Yosk system."

"The same cell that was attacked less than two weeks after setting up the base?"

The other man tilted his head at the human. "Yes."

"What about before then?"

More taps on the computer were made as the officer complied with the request. "The Proxa asteroid belt's cell."

"Another cell that had the unfortunate luck of being raided. How soon after our Twi'lek arrived was that?"

"Looks like a month."

"Either this woman has incredibly unfortunate luck or there is something really sinister going on here." Kallus then urged, "And the original reference? Who inducted her into the ranks of being a rebel?"

"The computer says that it was Ta'al Vaush but..."

"But what?"

"The date that is on here is after he was executed by the Imperials back on Jakus VI."

Kallus narrowed his eyes. "Who would have been in charge of vetting her?"

D'wyza scanned the file in front of him and noticed that the man who signed off on the background check had been the victim of an engine failure right about the same time Salora joined the Rebellion.

"At this point, I hardly consider that a coincidence." Kallus stared at the computer screen and read the rest of the report that was on file. "Let's call a meeting so we can decide how best to go forward with this."

The insectoid nodded and started to call up the leaders of the cell to inform them that a meeting was being called. It went without saying that if a meeting was being called at this time in the evening that they needed to come to the main building as inconspicuous as possible. Kallus then asked for the man to join him in the meeting with the higher ranked individuals. Since he had been who had just pulled the woman's file up then he may as well as join them since he knew more than they did at the moment.

When Rex, Wolffe, Hera, Kanan, and Zeb arrived they only waited a few more minutes for the rest of the leadership team of the cell to show up. Seeing that the baby wasn't with Hera, Kallus suspected that he'd been left with Sabine. The mother didn't trust many with her child yet and a meeting like this wouldn't exactly be the kind of place for a baby. Kallus had to say, given what he was about to tell the others, such caution was wise.

"Kallus, what's wrong? You've never called a meeting like this, especially right at mealtime." Zeb tried to kid his friend though he saw that the man didn't even crack a smile.

"Kallus?" Kanan asked with expectation. "Now that we're all here, care to fill us in?"

"I believe I have found our Imperial spy." Kallus nodded to D'wyza to pull up Salora's file. The insectoid had highlighted the bases, dates that the woman joined them, as well as their attacks. In addition, he'd marked the untimely death of the man who had been given the task to vet her before being brought to any of the rebel bases. "As you can see, Salora is either the unluckiest woman in the galaxy or she's been guiding the Empire to the cells that she's been assigned to."

Hera frowned. "How were you able to put this together?"

"It was something that she said earlier when she was trying to flirt with me. She mentioned how I was lucky to have had survived the Moff's attentions. The thing is, I never told her nor anyone else on this base, just who had been my interrogator. Nor are many ranked high enough to pull up any of the reports that would have been referenced. Salora doesn't meet that qualification. All she should have known was that there was a Star Destroyer in orbit when she left out on her transport. Not all Star Destroyers have Moffs on them. In fact, most do not."

"Which means that she slipped when she mentioned it earlier," Hera was angry as she spoke. The woman was responsible for so many deaths. And now with her on base that meant that everyone here was in danger, too. Including her son. "So, what are we going to do about it?"

"Right now, we have a lot of speculation but no real proof," Kallus said with a shake of his head. "But... She won't know that."

"So now we just need to bring her in and make it where she isn't suspicious when she comes so that she doesn't instead try to make a run for it," Kanan thought aloud.

"Shoot, that'd be simple enough." Zeb then gave a knowing look toward the blond across the room and chuckled. "All we'll need will be for Kallus to stop playing hard to get."

"Now wait just a minute!" Kallus could barely endure the woman's attempts at trying to flirt with and seduce him as it was when she found him without the rest of his friends.

"Well, we all have seen how she seems to have her eye on you," Hera said in support of Zeb's suggestion.

"You have got to be kidding," rolling his eyes as he let out a groan.

Kanan walked over and put an arm across the other man's shoulders as he snickered. "Look on the bright side. It will be the last time you'll have to put up with her flirtation."

"I can't believe that I'm going to do this."

Zeb snickered, "But you have too strong of a sense of duty to not."

When Kallus glared at him it caused him to laugh even harder. Which then caused Kanan to join him.

Kiara operated her ship's controls as she dropped out of hyperspace. She'd spent the last few months hopping from one system to another. The first temple that she had planned to visit was overrun with Imperials, so she had slipped out of the system without them ever knowing that she had been there. She figured that she needed to concentrate on places outside of the Core or Mid-rim worlds. She set course for a location that she doubted that she'd find the Empire's lackeys and it had taken her more than a week to reach this most recent location.

The Sith had wiped out a large portion of the population of the inhabitants on the planet's surface back during the Clone Wars. Kiara knew that there were still a few small villages but the largest, strongest, tribe was eliminated years ago.

She set a course for where her information showed that there had once been a temple on the surface. Luckily, it wasn't even on the same continent as the settlements that remained on the planet. Even so, she decided to keep the cloak on until she landed the ship. Then she'd power down not just the ship but the cloak, as well, to allow the crystals to cool down while she investigated the planet's temple.

Once the landing procedures were completed, she went back to where Tac was at after he'd powered down the last time. She smiled at the cheerful droid's reaction to being powered back up. He never seemed to be upset no matter how long he'd been powered down each time that she then reactivated him. Instead, he always asked her how she was and if there was anything that he could do for her.

"We've landed on a planet, and I plan to hike into the forest. I probably won't be back for a couple of days."

"Then I shall keep watch over the ship," the droid spun around to confirm before adding, "And since we are still alone, I shall scan and monitor the area and will alert you to any approach of natives or anyone else who may show up while you are on your... hike."

"What would I do without you, Tac?"

"You are quite capable. I'm sure you would be fine. But that doesn't mean that I won't perform my duties to the best of my abilities."

"I never doubted otherwise."

Kiara then grabbed her bag that she'd packed and left the ship. She took a moment to orient herself then headed into the forest. Or would this be considered more of a jungle? She had a blaster on her hip and used a vibro-blade to help cut her path through the underbrush and walked for about an hour before she caught sight of stone that were clearly cut, indicating an ancient temple rather than a natural occurrence in nature. When she got to the base of the large, stone pyramid she planned to sit on the ground for a rest break.

As she approached the temple, she sensed something just before she felt the ground begin to shake under her feet. She jumped to one side as she watched a large, massive worm with many rows of teeth explode out from below the dirt. It zeroed in on her and she pulled her blaster out, but the bolts seemed to have little to no effect on the creature. When it started to undulate in her direction, she turned to try to run but knew that the thing was much faster than she was. She instinctively made another jump and rolled to watch as the monster moved forward to bite where she had just been.

She didn't sense any intelligence, so it appeared that it was only responding on its baser instincts. That meant that there was no reasoning with it. It was either kill it or be killed. Kiara stretched out her feelings with the force and imagined an invisible hand large enough to wrap around the massive cross between a worm and snake that towered over her. As it moved to once more bite where she was standing, she took her imaginary hand and squeezed. And kept squeezing until the monster stopped moving and hung limply from the hold that she held on to it with the force.

Sighing, she released the creature. She stretched out her senses and tried to use the force to see if she could sense any more of the massive animal, but she didn't sense anything. Nor did she sense anybody else, so she at least was able to relax on that front.

When she was sufficiently rested, she started to make her way around the temple while trying to find a way in. A door. She stopped looking with her eyes and instead just allowed her feet to have a mind of their own. When she did, she came across a vine-laden door. She used her blade to start hacking the vines away and once that was done, she put a hand to the stone and tried to find the way to open the door. When she felt a stone wiggle ever so slightly under her hand she pressed it with more force, triggering the door to move in response.

Kiara dug out her light from her bag and stepped inside the door frame. With the light from the outside at her back it was difficult to make out much in the darkness. She took a moment to gather her nerve before she decided to go further. Going on digs with hundreds of colleagues was one thing. Going into an ancient temple completely alone was quite another.

Finding her resolve, she took a step then another until she was about halfway down the entrance hall. She felt a force prick on the back of her neck which caused her to pause. She didn't question it, she just stepped to the side nearer to the wall and then continued down the hall. When she'd been walking into the darkened, ancient temple for more than a quarter of an hour she entered into a large antechamber wrapped in shadows since her small light couldn't illuminate much of the room. She took her time looking along the walls as she stepped further in but stopped when she heard an airy, whispered voice.

Chapter Text

"Welcome. It has been a long time since anyone has come to our temple to seek our wisdom. Tell us, what is it that you seek?" The disembodied voice sounded as if it was all around her.

"Who are you?" Kiara asked as she tried to find the source of the voice. The temple was covered in darkness, and she searched the walls for torches to light to allow her to see where she was at more clearly. With them lit, she still couldn't see the source of the voices around her.

"We are the keepers of this temple."

"That doesn't really tell me what I wanted to know. Who are you?" Kiara crossed her arms in defiance.

"The spirits of previous force users."

She tilted her head. "A ghost?"

"If that is simpler for you to understand, then yes. A ghost." There was a pause before the voice spoke back up once more. "Now, answer our question. What is it that you seek?"

Kiara stepped further into the shadow-casted room. "I suppose that what I'm looking for, the reason I'm here, is because I'm seeking knowledge."

"Ah! The ultimate power. Knowledge. And what would you use this knowledge for? Bend the wills of your enemies to your desire, perhaps? Cause others to fear you?"

"I don't intend any such thing. I seek knowledge so that I can gain control of the power that I already possess. I don't want to use it to create fear." Kiara shook her head. "In fact, I prefer that no one even knows that I'm a force sensitive."

"So, you prefer to have an unknown advantage over your adversaries?" The whispered voice asked as if it was intrigued.

"No. In fact, the only adversary that I have knows full well what I've been capable of in the past." Kiara put her hands on her hips defiantly.

"I am to believe that you are truly only here for knowledge and control over yourself. And that you do not wish to use it to rise above your enemy?"

"Do I eventually want to bring him down? Yes. But I can't do that until I learn to control myself. That way I don't end up drifting over to the dark side."

"Dark side? You speak of Jedi and Sith." The voice could be heard chuckling. "Both have perverted the Will of the Force. Neither understand it to be as it once was. They do not understand that it is balance that one should strive for. Not the exclusion of the other. Go too far to either side and you lose yourself."

Kiara stopped in her exploration of the shadow covered temple when she reached a doorway to another hall. "The Jedi aren't evil like the Sith."

"Evil? No. Misguided? Yes." The voice sounded amused. "For thousands of years, balance is what was strove for. It was only when those who drifted too far to one side or the other and the others considered it to be a danger that living in the shadowed middle ground was considered undesirable."

Kiara tilted her head as she considered what had become the beliefs of the Jedi toward the end of their reign as the supreme force-users. Kanan, for an example, was the most grounded person she knew. His relationship with Hera, however, would have likely sent him into exile from the Order. Yet if asked, she supposed that he represented the best of the Jedi, to her.

"Now, if you truly are here for knowledge, go down that hall. There, if you are found worthy, you will find what you seek."

Kiara looked down at the darkened hall and eyed it suspiciously. "What do you mean if I'm found worthy?"

"Your motives will be judged. If they are found to be undesirable, then you will be killed. But if you are as you appear to be, then the knowledge that you wish to obtain will be provided to you."

She swallowed hard as she considered her options.

Kallus sat with the rest of the Ghost crew during the evening meal and did his best to not glare at them for the plan that they were about to set into motion. When Salora joined the table, as she either did or attempted to do nearly every night, he wasn't surprised at all. Especially since the others had intentionally left the seat next to him vacant.

"I had hoped to see you again this evening when I saw you earlier," the Twi'lek said as she settled next to Kallus, making sure that her thigh touched his. "Are you doing well?"

"Well enough," Kallus said in a gruff tone.

Zeb turned his head away so that his grin wasn't seen by the Imperial spy when Hera's comm device went off.

"Yes?" Hera asked as she shifted Jacen in her arms from where she'd been holding him with one arm and had used her other hand to eat moments before.

"The team on Vaxal has sent in a request for assistance. Sergeant Slaoen specifically asked for your crew."

Hera nodded with a sigh. "He is very particular about who he works with." She then glanced around at the others at the table before adding, "Alright, let's get ready to head out."

Sabine let out an aggravated complaint. "We're in the middle of our meal."

Kanan stood and took his son from Hera so that she could stand. "We have rations on the Ghost if you are still hungry." He then turned toward Salora. "Could you do us a favor? Make sure Kallus makes it alright to his quarters? And don't let him tell you that he can make it there just fine. That isn't the point."

Kallus rolled his eyes. He didn't even need to pretend to be annoyed by the man's suggestion. Still, the result was precisely as they intended.

"It would be my pleasure to ensure that the agent here gets all the way to his quarters," Salora said as she slipped an arm around Kallus and gave him a one-armed hug as she smiled.

Zeb couldn't help it. He kidded his friend as he made his exit. "Don't do anything I would do. You're not up to it."

"Very funny, Garazeb." Kallus narrowed his eyes as the rest of the crew left and he knew that the communications officer had been told to get them out so that they could get into position. Once he was left alone at the table with the Twi'lek under suspicion he took his time finishing his meal. The others needed the time, and he didn't exactly relish the next step of this plan.

"I had hoped that we'd get to spend some time alone," the woman said at his side as he finally prepared to stand to head back toward his living quarters. Kallus even acted as if his knees buckled before he left the table. Perhaps from the sudden change of position. After all, it had been an issue from time to time while regaining his previous strength in his limbs; a reason why he'd worked so hard to strengthen his muscles over the last several months. When he did so, Salora put her arm around his waist and pressed firmly against him. "Allow me."

"I actually planned to go to the base's gym after the meal. Not my quarters."

"Non-sense. You clearly should go and rest in your bed and I'm going to see to it that is where you'll be when I leave you. Later." Salora then steered Kallus toward the living quarters of the base. "You know, I do enjoy these moments where we've been able to spend time without anyone else. It can be so hard getting to know one another otherwise."

Kallus nodded as he focused on the fact that they were only another corridor to his room. "I suppose that is true. Why don't you tell me more about yourself? What made you join the Rebellion?"

The Twi'lek gave a coy smile. "Do you really want to waste this opportunity asking such questions?"

"I may be willing to listen if you have another topic of discussion," Kallus stated simply.

"I'm sure that I'll be able to find something that can interest you. Perhaps once we've gotten to your room."

It took all the power that Kallus had to not roll his eyes. When the two got to his quarters he wasn't surprised when the woman invited herself into it. She did her best to steer him toward the bed, but he instead sat in the lone chair in the room. He glanced around and saw that Chopper was stationed just inside the closet with the door cracked open. When he saw that Kallus noticed him, he hopped ever so slightly on his servos but was careful not to make a sound.

"Well, I must say, I'm impressed. This room is kept as orderly as I suspected. Though, I'm not sure why I would have expected otherwise. Having been a former ISB Agent, and all. A testament of your years of service to the Empire, perhaps?" Salora sat on the edge of the bed and faced Kallus as he sat on the chair next to her.

"I do prefer order."

"Should I assume that you prefer to be in charge, in all aspects of life?" Salora placed a hand on Kallus's knee closest to her and bit her lip as she moved her hand upward only for Kallus to stop her. "Is something the matter? After all, it is all around the base that your girlfriend left you. That means you are a single man again."

Kallus growled at the mention of Kiara's departure. "The problem is, I don't go for women who still work for the Empire."

Salora's eyes widened just a touch before she tried to throw off the man's accusations. "I don't know what you are talking about. I've been a loyal member of the Rebellion for over a year, now."

Kallus shook his head. "Give me a little credit. Won't you? I'm smarter than you. You've been in contact with the Empire and have been slipping information regarding cell locations and missions."

The smile that the Twi'lek sent his way now was much different than the one she usually gave him. This one didn't have anything to do with seduction. "I think that you must still be suffering from your injuries if you think that I could possibly be working for the Empire. And I'd appreciate you not throwing around such accusations."

Kallus narrowed his eyes before he continued, "You made a mistake. You've made several, in fact. But to be expected, really. An amateur can't be expected to-

"Who are you calling an amateur?"

"So, you are admitting that you are a professional spy, instead?" Kallus grinned when he saw the woman's face change.

Salora's face became cold as she pulled out a vibro-blade that had been hidden in her clothing and leapt forward toward the man. The force of it sent both Kallus and the chair backwards as the two then began to wrestle for the weapon. The woman had the upper hand for two reasons. One, she had more leverage thanks to Kallus's position sitting in the chair. The other, while he was getting stronger every day, he was still healing.

Kallus grabbed the woman's wrists to prevent her from bringing the blade down onto him. When she realized that he was stronger than she had anticipated she then began to bring her knees up to blindly try to injure the man. Before she could make contact, however, she felt a jolt of electricity before she collapsed onto the man below her.

When he saw Chopper standing behind the woman Kallus took a deep breath and nodded, "Thanks. At least I can count on you. I had thought that the others would have burst in before now."

"We knew you were able to take care of yourself," Zeb joked as he entered the room. "But we did leave Chop here just in case."

Kallus shook his head. In a way, he was glad that the others had decided to stay pulled back. It showed that they once more trusted in his abilities to take care of himself. Even if he isn't fully back to his old self just yet.

"Well, what are you just standing there, for? Get her out of here and put her in a detention cell. And then Kanan and the others can see if he can get more information out of her regarding just who her contact is and what she's shared since coming to this base."

Zeb nodded. "The leadership has made the decision. We're leaving. Hopefully we'll be able to return once the Empire thinks that we've totally abandoned it. The orders have already gone out."

After a moment of consideration Kallus agreed with the decision. One mistake that they'd made on Suaren was not acting soon enough when Kanan and Kiara had come across the Inquisitors.

"I'll get my stuff together to get ready for the transport."

"Transport?" Zeb shook his head with a chuckle. "I don't think so. You are coming with us, Roomy."

Chapter Text

Kanan stood along with several others of the cell's leadership as they continued to ask the Twi'lek spy what she knew of the Imperial plans as well as to determine what she'd already told Moff Dume about them. It had been hours and tempers were getting short and he was aggravated, as well.

"Salora, you do realize that if I wanted, I could just reach into your mind and take what I need, right? But I don't want to do that since it is never pleasant, for either of us. So, I'm going to have to ask you one last time; how much does the Moff know about the base? About us?"

The pale blue Twi'lek glared at the Jedi. "I doubt it. If you could, you wouldn't have wasted so much time trying to get me to talk. So, spare me the theatrics."

Kanan turned toward the others and slumped his shoulders. He had hoped that the threat alone would have been enough but clearly it wasn't. He wasn't one to use this ability lightly, but it did have its purpose, and this was one instance of it.

He cleared his mind and focused on the woman restrained in the chair in front of him. He peeled one layer away from her mind and then another. Delving further until he found what she was trying to hide. The interrogation had brought the information to the surface of her mind since she was actively trying to monitor what she was saying in response to their questions.

Yes, the Moff knew exactly where they were and she wasn't due to report back in for another three rotations. So, they had that long before the Imperials learned that something was up when she failed to contact them.

Kanan went just a little further and saw that Salora had been asked to give information regarding Kiara once it was made known that the two were at the same posting. That's when Kanan was shocked to learn that the woman had shared her knowledge that he was Kiara's brother with her Imperial contact. That meant that the Moff knew that he was his son and was the Jedi who helped to rescue his daughter.

When he pulled back, he would have glared at the woman if he still could behind his mask that shielded his eyes. "We have three days before the Empire will suspect that something is wrong when she doesn't make contact. That's when she's due for her next transmission."

Salora sat back in shock. How did he know that? She never even really felt the man's invasion into her mind. She'd witnessed the same procedure performed by the Emperor's Sith Acolyte, but it had looked absolutely painful for the poor individual who had been at the hands of the man that was called Vader. But this Jedi, he'd taken what he needed without so much as a twinge of pain.

"But she's told them everything. From base operations as well as the identity of those who are stationed here." Kanan then added, "And more. Send out the word of how long we have before we have to leave. What we can't get packed and loaded onto the ships we'll have to leave behind. We don't need another incident like Suaren."

Kanan turned and left. The others could handle the prisoner. He had to re-center himself after learning what he had. He headed toward where the rest of the crew of the Ghost were waiting for him, on the ship, so that he could share what he'd extracted from their Imperial spy. They each listened and it was Hera who spoke when he was finished.

"We'll be ready in three days. That's more time than we usually get before an evacuation order is sounded. But this about Salora telling the Moff about you... That's exactly one of the things that Kiara didn't want."

"I know. And we can't even tell her about it."

"That's not exactly true, Kanan." Sabine hopped off of a container that they had already loaded onto the ship. They were all in the cargo compartment when Kanan had found them and she had sat on it when it came time to have a confab. "We can still send a message to her ship. Even if she doesn't answer the call. It will then be logged into the ship's communications log. And if she doesn't check, I'm willing to bet that Tac will."

Zeb eyed the young woman. "What makes you so sure?"

Sabine grinned. "Because I've been doing it since she left. Tac will usually send a brief message just to say that she's alright. Even if he won't tell me anything else. But I've been trying to at least get a feel for where she's been by the trajectory of the transmissions."

"Sabine, I can't believe that the rest of us haven't thought about doing that." Hera chuckled. "So, any idea where she'd been?"

"Just generalized areas. Last week she was in the Mytaranor sector."

Kallus sat on his bunk, the bottom bunk, on the Ghost as they lifted off from the desert planet. He'll have to admit, he won't miss the heat that engulfed the base day in and day out. He hoped that the next planet would have a more temperate climate. Perhaps one that was closer to that of Yavin IV would be nice. Still, he knew that the harsher planets would be safer since the Empire was less likely to have a presence on them.

He and the rest of the members of the rebel cell had all worked hard for more than a full rotation without stopping to try to evacuate just in case Salora's contacts decided to come looking for her early. She was being transported to a camp on a small world in the Outer Rim where their prisoners of war were relocated. In a way, he sometimes wished that those who put his rebel allies in danger could face the same kind of punishment that the Empire enacts. But only those who actively and willingly work the kind of evil that the woman did. But then, he likely was being influenced by his own personal experiences with the Empire; both before and after joining the Rebellion.

After pushing himself so hard for the last rotation he was beyond exhausted. He leaned back and laid on his bunk and stared up at the bottom of the bunk above him. He swore that he'd rest for just a moment before he joined the rest of the crew in the common area. When he closed his eyes, he told himself that it would only be for a minute.

When he opened them up again the room was darkened, and he could hear Zeb sleeping in his bunk above him. He sat up and looked to his chronometer on his wrist and saw that he'd been sleeping for nearly twelve hours. He never slept that long. Never. But then, combine the extra work, pushing through an entire rotation, and add his still healing body and he supposed it was a recipe for sacking out for such a long stretch. It felt strange that after all of this time, he was still healing, despite the fact that he appeared to have fully recovered by now.

He left the room as quietly as he could and made his way first to the common area and saw that no one was awake yet. It was still likely another hour or two before the rest of the crew woke up. Knowing that he was as alone as he could get on the ship, he then went down to the cargo area and set himself to a modified workout routine. He climbed the ladder, hung upside down from it to perform crunches, and pulled himself up by his arms. By the time he could hear sounds from the rest of the crew as they awakened he'd been working out for a couple of hours and had worked up a sweat.

Kallus figured that he'd best go and get cleaned up for the day. He started to head back up toward the refresher but stopped when he heard the cry of the baby coming from Hera's cabin. The cry had him frozen in his steps. He swallowed as he heard the cries but not the ones from the babe. No. Instead, he heard those of others.

"Please! Please stop them!"

"Please! Please tell them what they want to know!"

"No! Please, Kallus! Stop them! Please!"

Zeb headed toward the refresher when he stepped out of his cabin. When he saw Sabine, he nodded at her in greeting as he stretched.

"Kallus ever wake up?" Sabine asked since she'd been surprised when he'd turned in so early.

"Must have. He got up before I did," Zeb shrugged.

Sabine looked up and saw the man in question standing right outside of the refresher. He looked like he was in a daze. In fact, he had a bit of a glassy-eyed look to him. "Speaking of. There he is. But what's wrong with him?"

Zeb's brow furled as he took in the state that the other man was in. "Sabine, how about you leave us alone. I'll take care of him."

Sabine nodded. She figured she'd go and find Kanan and Hera and see how their night with the baby had gone. She had heard Jacen's morning wake up call. They may appreciate a relief if she volunteered to babysit the little boy. He was growing so fast, and it wouldn't be long before the crew would have to figure out a way to babyproof the Ghost.

Zeb stepped forward softly, not trying to make any sudden movements or sounds. When he was within reach of the other man, he spoke up but waited for a reply before attempting to place a hand on him.

"Kallus? Where are you, Kallus? What are you seeing? What are you hearing?" Zeb watched and saw that Kallus didn't even appear to have heard him. He reached out and put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Kallus, listen to me. What you are seeing, it isn't real. It's over. You have to leave it behind. Kallus. Snap out of it."

When Kallus's eyes slowly became less glassy, and he started to register what was going on around him Zeb kept his hand on the other man's shoulder to try to ground him. "Are you with me, yet, Pal?"

Kallus looked confused when he realized that Zeb was right in front of him. "Where did you come from?"

"I've been here for several minutes. Are you alright?"

Kallus stepped away so that Zeb's hand fell off of his shoulder and shook his head. "Of course, I am. I was just going to go get cleaned up after a workout."

"Kallus, you need to talk about it?"

He looked up at the Lasat and saw the concern in his eyes. He'd lived through many years of war, and it was clear that he knew what had just happened. He'd likely had moments just like it before. Still, he wasn't ready to talk about it. It had been hard enough to just give a report on his experience to the leadership when Mon Mothma and the others were at the Med-ship. He wasn't ready to relive his time on the Star Destroyer again just yet.

"I'll be fine. I promise." Kallus then gave his friend a smile. "But I appreciate your concern."

Tac continued to scan for the approach of any potential threats. The villages and the Imperial prison were on another continent, but he was aware that patrols may be in the area. Not to mention, there may be individuals who weren't connected to the tribes and villages.

The droid didn't find patrols, but it did find that there were large predatory reptilians known as rancors on the planet. He hoped that his mistress was alright. He decided that he'd best reactivate the cloak. At least for the night. He'd reevaluate the need for it come the morning. He didn't like being so exposed on a planet with not just Imperials but massive predators as well.

With the cloak reactivated he went back to monitoring frequency zero. He detected another brief change, so he made sure that the data was saved for Mistress Kiara to go over it. He also had a few upgrades that he knew that his mistress had planned so he decided that he'd go ahead and tend to them for her. It was his primary function, after all.

He was down in the engine department when he heard the alarm sound that indicated another change to frequency zero came in. He floated up and raced toward the cockpit and saw that the harmonics weren't just altered a slight amount. The frequency had had a massive change. He then performed a scan of the entire system and was surprised to see that there were dozens of large objects in orbit. They read as organic. This was extremely important. He must contact his mistress.

Chapter Text

Kiara stared out of the cockpit and wondered by how much her calculations had been off by. Nowhere in sight were there any purrgil. Not even one. She leaned back in her chair and blew out a breath.

"Well, so much for that idea..." She looked over the scanner to double check that there was in fact nothing to be found in the scanning radius. She swallowed. She wasn't sure what to do next. Still, it didn't hurt to try and reach for the improbable a few times, right? She lowered the cloak and moved on to the next system to set up.

She operated her communications panel and had the system send out a repeating message on frequency zero. She'd been able to look through the Ghost's comm logs to glean what message Ezra had sent out by way of Mart on that day on Lothal. She then sat in her captain's chair and waited. She didn't know if anything would happen, but it wasn't as if she had any place to be. No. In fact, she needed time to just think and sit. To mull over her experience back in the temple.

What was it called when she was inside the pocket dimension? The Infinity Gate. A gateway that the Kwa had used to move instantaneously through space many thousands of years before the formation of the Jedi. By doing so, they were able to manipulate time when inside the actual Gateway. That was how she was in there for years, how many she had lost count of while learning and studying, without any time having passed for those outside it. She was taught by the spirits of so many Kwa but learning of how to use the force as they did and actually putting it into practice were two different things. She needed to put what she learned into action. To train with the practical aspects of it. To allow the Cosmic and Living Force to both merge and guide her. Only by creating a symbiotic relationship with the force will she truly find balance and, with it, control.

"Tac," Kiara called to the techno-service droid as she stood up.

"Yes, Mistress Kiara?" The droid floated into the cockpit.

"I'm going outside. Keep a watch over things, will you?"

Tac tilted his head in confusion. "Outside, Mistress?"

"That's right. I'm going to meditate but tell me if you start picking anything up."

"Could you give me an idea of what to expect to detect?"

"Hopefully? Purrgil."

Kiara then headed toward the forward airlock where the emergency space suits were located for when she may need to make external repairs while in space. She then carefully went through the first hatch to the hull and locked it behind her before opening the final hatch and with the use of both her booster rockets as well as the magnetic locks on her boots she made her way to the top of the Shadow Chaser. Truth be told, this was always her favorite view. Sitting on the top of her ship with nothing but a space suit between her and oblivion. In some strange way, it always made her feel more connected with the galaxy itself.

She sat and fastened her safety harness to the ship to keep her in place as she then set about meditating. She sensed the galaxy at large and, now that she knew what to look for, could even sense the presence of the Kwa spirits within the Galactic Force. She focused on finding the place between the light and the dark, the shadows, where the balance of the two would be found. By doing so, she would find that balance within herself.

Sabine sent out a message to the Shadow Chaser to inform Kiara, or Tac, that they had information that she needed to pass on to her and that it would be best to not send it over subspace. She then prepared to leave and return to go to the common area of the ship when a transmission came in. Surprised, she turned back and opened the comm link and saw the ever-cheerful droid that served Kiara. The polar opposite of Chopper, Sabine thought with a wry grin. She had yet to see the droid complain about anything.

"Mistress Sabine, you said that you have urgent news for Mistress Kiara?"

"Yes. But it would be best for the safety of everyone involved that we do not discuss it over the comms." Sabine was trying to subtly detect the location of the transmission's origin as she spoke.

The droid tilted its head as if he were trying to determine his next words. "Would not knowing this information place Mistress Kiara in danger?"

Sabine considered her words before saying, "It's possible. It has to do with the Imperial who has been hunting for her. But I don't feel comfortable with saying more-"

"My primary function is to place Mistress Kiara's safety of utmost importance. That overrides any other orders that I may have." The droid spun around from its neck down and then fully faced the transmitter once more. "I have sent our coordinates directly to your ship. I will prepare for your arrival."

With that, the droid cut the transmission. That left Sabine just a bit shocked but relieved. With the enhancements that the other woman had made to her ship, getting even a generalized location via an open communication hadn't been easy. But now, Tac had given her the exact location of where the missing member of the family was at. She made the calculations to change their hyperspace jump then headed back to join the rest of the crew.

When she did, it was Hera who looked up from trying to feed Jacen some sort of baby food. Sabine didn't want to know what it was supposed to be.

"Did I detect a change in the ship's direction?"

Sabine nodded. The woman knew her ship and could sense the slightest change in it at any given moment. "We're going to intercept Kiara."

The entire crew was surprised, to say the least, most especially both Kanan and Kallus.

"You were able to contact Kiara?" Kanan asked surprised.

"Not exactly. Tac responded to the message that I sent, and he gave me the coordinates," Sabine explained. "When I mentioned it could possibly affect Kiara's safety and that we shouldn't share some of it over subspace he overrode any other orders that he had. We should be there in just a couple of hours."

Kallus thought back to the droid in question. "That droid just earned an oil-bath for sure, for this." His smile faltered before asking, "But Kiara doesn't know that we are coming, then?"

"I don't know. Tac did say that he'd prepare for our arrival. That likely would include telling Kiara, right?" Sabine gave a sympathetic smile toward the man. He acted tough but she's learned enough about him in the last couple of years to know that sometimes there was a crack in that rough exterior. And Kiara had the tendency of revealing those cracks in him. "But in any case, we'll all get to see her this evening."

Kallus nodded and thought about the woman and her message that she'd left several months ago. He got up to return to the cabin that he shared with Zeb and sat on the bunk alone and thought about the fact that he was going to get to see Kiara again very soon.

Kiara sensed it just before she saw it. Dozens of purrgil dropped out of hyperspace all around her. She looked up from her place on top of her ship and took in a sharp intake of air from her tanks. If she had been impressed by the view when she'd been in her cockpit the one she had now was completely and totally mesmerizing.

"Mistress Kiara-"

"I see them, Tac. Just keep monitoring them. I'll be in when I'm finished."

"But-"

"I'll be alright."

Kiara then shut off her comm device as she focused in on the purrgil. She saw where the largest of the pod seemed to take an interest in her and she watched as it drifted closer to her. It let out a growl as if it was irritated that she'd called it here with her call with the ship's communication system. She peeled back her own mind's defenses and sensed the animal probing her.

"I'm looking for someone. I think he is a friend of yours," Kiara addressed the lead purrgil. It growled but didn't do much else. Instead, it felt as if the creature wanted to probe her mind further. Wanted to know why she was interested in the young man. She swallowed hard and brought her memories of the day on Lothal as well as the concern of the others for the young Jedi to the forefront of her mind. She then sat on the top of her ship in communion with the purrgil for the next couple of hours. She needed them to trust her if she expected them to tell her, or better take her to, where Ezra was at.

Elios stepped behind the admiral and growled. "Well?"

"The ship still shows on our system. That means that they have yet to find the tracker that was placed while docked on the rebel medical ship."

"Good. When it comes out of hyperspace, I want to set course. And have the special torpedoes ready for testing. If all goes well, then we will have the first of our gifts to give to the emperor soon."

"Yes, sir." The admiral gave a curt nod as he turned to direct his staff to carry out the orders.

Elios could tell that the man hoped to be given more information regarding his plan, but he didn't require such information to be useful. He only needed to do what was expected of him. The Moff turned and returned to his office to go over the information that he had on the crew of the ship that he was tracking. The same allies that he'd already researched when looking into those who had aided his daughter. But now, they were more than just his daughter's allies. He looked at the image of the Jedi on the file that he had pulled up and grimaced.

"So, Caleb. You've returned." Elios's jaw shifted as he thought about the fact that the boy that he once called son was now a Jedi and the bane of the Empire's existence. "Perhaps it would have been best if you had remained dead with the rest of the Jedi."

The man shook his head and continued to reread the updates to the file since it was confirmed by his Twi'lek spy that he was actually Kiara's brother. Apparently, the idea of not sharing their relationship once they learned of it had not crossed their minds. A mistake and he would exploit it.

The entire crew crowded into the cockpit when they prepared to drop out of hyperspace. When the stars returned to their natural state around them Kallus was the first to speak up.

"What the hell is she doing?" His jaw dropped when he spotted Kiara sitting on top of her ship in the midst of dozens of purrgil all floating around the Shadow Chaser. Many dangerously close to the ship and the woman on top.

"Why does this remind me of Ezra?" Zeb asked as he shook his head.

"Because she's trying to recreate the relationship that he had with them," Hera said with clarity. "Of course. Why didn't we think of it before?"

Outside the purrgil swam away from both ships and once they were clear they glowed and then jumped back into hyperspace. When they did Kiara could be seen shaking her head as she made her way back toward the Shadow Chaser's forward airlock to return to the interior of it.

When that was done, Hera moved the Ghost to dock with the other ship. Once they were in place and the procedure completed, she and the others headed toward their own airlock where Kallus had somehow already beaten them to it. When they were all there the man pressed the sequenced into the ship's computer that caused the hatch to open. As it did the crew could hear Kiara speaking to Tac with her discarded space suit on the deck beside her where she'd left it when she removed it.

"You could have told me that they were coming."

"I did try. It was when purrgil first arrived, but it appears that your comm device had malfunctioned. I couldn't reach you any longer." The droid dropped just a bit in the air in response to his mistress's displeasure. When he spotted the others making their way through the airlock, however, he twirled and floated forward to greet them. "Master Kallus. It is so good to see that you are fully functional again."

"It's good to see you, too, Tac," Kallus said but he was already trying to judge if the droid was the only one pleased to see the rest of them. "Kiara."

Kiara wasn't happy that Tac had apparently gone behind her back, but she was glad to see that Kallus seemed to be fully healed; though she knew that even if he wasn't he wouldn't let anyone know. She stepped forward and wrapped the man in a hug and made no move to step away as he did the same. She felt him rest his chin on top of her head as she was able to hear his heartbeat beneath her ear from its place on his chest.

"Alright, you two." Kanan stepped forward. "There are others here who are happy to see my sister, you know."

Kiara laughed as she released Alexsandr and turned to hug her brother. When she released him, she spotted Jacen in Hera's arms and smiled. "He's gotten so big."

"Yeah, well that happens when you are gone for months without a word to the rest of us."

"Here we go." Kiara sighed before she led the crew back toward the common area of her ship. "I know that you are all unhappy. For now, let's just jump to what Tac said that you had to tell me. About some sort of news that you needed to pass on in person rather than through a transmission."

"We found the spy that the Moff had to infiltrate the rebel base." Kallus said as he took a seat at the dejarik table. Kanan and Hera took the couch along with Sabine and Zeb took the seat across from Kallus. Kiara took another seat to face the rest at the same time. "Salora."

"Salora?" Kiara thought back to the Twi'lek in question. "But Suaren wasn't even her first posting."

"And all of them met with similar ends that it met," Kallus said as he shook his head.

Kanan then added, "But when she learned about you, she was the one to share with the Moff about your location; as well as more."

"Such as?" Kiara asked. At least now she knew how Elios knew that she was on the planet.

"We didn't exactly make the fact that we're siblings a secret when on base. So, she told the Moff about our relationship," Kanan said and waited for her to process that information. "I know you thought that you were protecting everyone when you left. Thought that it would keep the Moff away, but now-"

"Now he'll come after you anyway," Kiara finished for him. She slowly took in a breath and, equally slowly, released it. "So, is that why you are here rather than back at the base?"

"We had to abandon the base," Hera said from her place beside of Kanan. "At least for now. We didn't want to risk another raid. We're getting ready to head to the rendezvous when we leave here. We were hoping that you'd come with us."

Kiara looked torn, especially when she looked over at Alex. After a moment's consideration she shook her head, much to the disappointment of everyone else in the room. "I think I'd be more useful out here. There isn't much that I can actually do at a base. But out here-"

"You are trying to get the purrgil to help you find Ezra," Sabine asked for confirmation. "That's why they were here."

Kiara shrugged. "It's been one of the things that I've been doing while out on my own."

"One of?" Kanan asked. "What else have you been doing?"

"I've been going to several ancient temples from before the Jedi. And I found one that belonged to the Kwa that was particularly illuminating."

"How so?"

"There was a gateway similar to the one on Lothal. Along with its guardians. I spent some time learning inside the gateway. It's... difficult to explain. You know from being in the one on Lothal that they defy physics along with nearly any other scientific measurement." Kiara watched for a reaction as she said, "I was actually inside the temple for several years only to return to nearly the same moment of time that I first went in."

"You're kidding?" Zeb asked. Why was it that things tended to get so weird like this when the force was involved?

"No. I learned a lot from the spirits of the Kwa while there but... I suppose I was dovetailing both research projects together. Used what I learned in there to try to get the purrgil to trust me. Today was the first time that they actually showed up when I sent out the call that Ezra had Mart and Wolffe send out on Lothal."

"That's what you were doing out in the middle of space on top of your ship when we showed up?" Kallus asked with a combination of curiosity and irritation.

"Guilty." Kiara laughed before she asked, "What is that look for? I actually enjoy doing spacewalks. I always have. And by doing it, I showed the purrgil that I trust them, even if they don't trust me, yet. That will come in time."

Chapter Text

Kallus sat while listening to what Kiara had been doing since she'd left on her own private mission. He had to admit, she'd accomplished quite a bit in her absence. He just wished that she hadn't needed to leave the rest of them, him, behind to do it. He heard Kanan and Kiara discuss what the spirits of the Kwa had told her about the force and about balance, along with a lot of other things that he didn't quite follow. But he got the gist of it. She had learned what she needed to start gaining the control over her abilities that had eluded her for most of her life.

Still, it was clear that she wouldn't be returning with the Ghost crew when they returned to the Rebellion. He was about to say something, anything really, to try to convey that he was proud of all the hard work that she'd put into her training when a sound caused him to freeze.

Hera shifted Jacen as he let it be known that he was tired and wanted to go to sleep. She bounced her son in her arms. "Guess I'll need to go put him down. I'll be back."

"Need any help?" Kanan asked as he prepared to stand to join her.

"I got it." Hera then left out of the common area and headed toward the airlock to go back to the Ghost.

When the crew got ready to return to their conversation Zeb noticed that Kallus hadn't moved in several minutes and spotted the too familiar glassy-eyed look. Hearing the baby's cries seemed to throw his friend into his episodes more frequently now that they have been flying around on the Ghost. While back at the base he could put more distance between him and his triggers but on a ship the size of the Ghost there was no escape from the sound of the cries.

He held a hand up to the rest as he put his other on his friend's shoulder to ground him back to the present. When the look on Kallus's face started to revert back to normal Zeb then started the conversation back as if it had never stopped. Kiara raised a brow in question toward the Lasat but he just gave a slight shake of his head in response. This wasn't the time to explain. He'd do so in private. He lowered his hand from the man's shoulder and watched him out of the corner of his eye as the episode passed.

Kallus felt a little disoriented for several moments as the conversation started back up around him. He started to see how the others in the room were eyeing him, which told him that he'd had another flashback. Well, an obvious one, at least. He had small moments several times a day, it seemed. Zeb had told him that it was to be expected. That didn't make him feel better about how his mind had decided to go back to the Star Destroyer and the events that occurred there long after his body was practically healed. That something as simple as a child crying for his mother could cause him to hear cries of another sort at any time.

As the conversation continued, Zeb stood and excused himself for a while and returned at around the same time that Hera did. By then the conversation had changed to how Kiara had hoped that she'd be able to eventually get the lead purrgil to tell her where they had taken Ezra.

"Wait, you mean in a literal sense, don't you?" Sabine asked.

"They are sentient, Sabine. In fact, in their minds, we are the ones that they doubt the intelligence of."

"And your sitting out in space on top of your ship was going to do what, exactly, regarding their doubts of your intelligence?" Kallus asked since he still couldn't help but think that to do such a thing, without anyone other than her techno-service droid around, was more than a bit reckless.

Kiara laughed. "Probably nothing. But if nothing else, perhaps they'll become amused by my oddities."

Kallus went to send back a retort when an alarm sounded throughout the ship just before Tac's voice could be heard on the comm channel.

"Mistress Kiara! A Star Destroyer has just dropped out of hyperspace!"

That sent everyone scrambling. As the crew of the Ghost started to race toward the airlock Zeb called out, "I'll take the turret cannon on the Ghost. Sabine, you take the nose cannon. Kallus, you get on the Shadow Chaser's!"

"On it!" Kallus turned and headed toward the cannon.

The ship rocked as it was hit but it only caused minor damage. Over the comm he heard Hera give the order to prepare to detach the two ships so that they would have better maneuverability. When the ship rocked once more, he knew it was due to the decoupling of the ships. He scanned the space in front of him and saw that the TIE fighters had been deployed in their direction. He and the rest operating the cannons all started to take shots at their ample targets while both pilots found their own with the use of their main guns.

"Hera, start making the calculations to make a jump to hyperspace. We'll both jump at the same time. And if we go in separate directions, it will make it harder for them to try to follow us. We can meet back up after a jump or two."

"Sounds like a plan. Chopper?" There was a pause before the woman spoke again. "Alright, we've got them. On your mark."

"Three. Two. One!"

Kallus watched as the stars changed their appearance to show that they had entered into hyperspace. He took in a deep breath of relief. He stood up and went in search of the woman that he'd spent far too much time apart from. He wasn't surprised to find her directing Tac in a minor repair from the torpedo that had rocked the ship at the start of the small skirmish. He smiled upon seeing her but paused when he saw her put a hand to her head and shake it before she realized that he was there.

"You alright? You didn't hit your head back there, did you?"

"No, I'm just a little dizzy for some reason." Kiara gave herself one last shake before she turned her attention to Alex. "What about you? You know, since..."

Kallus shrugged. He knew that she'd noticed his episode earlier before the Imperials showed up. "Better. For the most part, it's like nothing ever happened... Unless I push myself too far."

"Which happens regularly," Kiara said since she knew him too well. "And then you push yourself more to try to prove that you are just fine, right?"

Kallus chuckled. "Maybe."

"When will you ever learn?" Kiara shook her head. "Anyway, I set a series of jumps in the nav-computer. I plan to go and see if I can contact the others to find out where they want to rendezvous. Care to join me?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Kallus motioned for Kiara to walk ahead of him back up toward the cockpit. When they sat down, they waited for the comm link to be established. When Hera and Kanan's faces popped up he asked, "Is everyone over there alright after our run-in with our friends?"

"For the most part. Sabine is having to work with Chopper to make a few repairs, but we seemed to have made it out fairly unscathed," Hera confirmed while eyeing Kanan. "I'll send some coordinates for a rendezvous. The problem is, we've been asked to make a detour first by Mon Mothma."

Kallus listened but was distracted when he saw that Kanan was resting his head on his hand. "Kanan? Is something wrong?"

Both women eyed Kanan in response to Kallus's question. Kanan lifted his head and asked, "Why would you ask?"

Kallus turned to look at Kiara then back at the transmitter. "I spotted Kiara holding her head the same way you are now a few minutes ago. She didn't hit her head; is it too much to assume that you didn't either during the escape? I don't believe in coincidences. Why would you both suddenly have bouts of dizziness or headaches." He then asked Kiara, "Do you sense anything differently than from before?"

Kiara eyed Alexsandr before she realized what had been bugging her since the fight against the Empire. "Actually... I can't sense anything," she said with alarm.

"So, it's both of us." Kanan said dejectedly. "By the time the ships had separated I couldn't sense the force any longer. And that left me completely blind for the first time."

"Hera? Why did you tell us that everyone was fine?" Kiara asked as she tried to figure out what could have caused both hers and Kanan's ability to sense the force to disappear.

"Kanan didn't want to worry you." Hera shook her head. "I don't get it. How is this possible?"

"As far as I know, it shouldn't be," Kanan answered. "Kallus, are you aware of anything that the Empire was working on that could do this?"

The man shook his head. "If they were, it would have been held in utmost secrecy. Meaning that if I didn't need to know about it, I wouldn't have."

"Well, it looks like they have something now." Kiara felt disconcerted being disconnected from the force. And this is how most people live their lives? "But the question is, how did they expose us to whatever it is that they have used on us?"

Kallus thought back to the interaction with the Imperials. "Hera, how much damage was done to the Ghost?"

"Not much. It mainly just knocked a few minor systems offline. Why?"

Kallus scrolled through the ship's data that had been recorded during the interaction. "Because the first blast that rocked the ships was from a torpedo. And neither ship had its shields up. That means that we should have substantial damage to them."

"You think that the torpedo was modified?"

Kallus nodded. "It wouldn't be the first time that the Empire has released a biological agent via a torpedo. It wasn't meant to cause damage to the ships."

Kiara scrunched her brow. "How could a biological weapon be used to block Kanan and I from using the force? Is there even anything that can do that?"

"Apparently there is now," Kallus flipped some switches. "Hera, purge the ventilation systems to rid them of any lingering remnants of the agent. I'll try to do some research to see if we can figure out what the Empire has stumbled upon."

Hera started to flip switched of her own as she nodded. "I'll put out some feelers, too, to see if anyone has any idea of what we may have stumbled upon."

"One more thing," Kallus said when he saw that Hera was about to end the transmission. "We were in the middle of nowhere. There was no reason for that Star Destroyer to show up. It was as if they knew we were there. So, you may want to try to check for a tracking device. We'll do the same over here."

Hera's eyes darkened at the thought that someone had put a tracker on her ship. She nodded and with that the transmission ended.

"Didn't you check for that when you found out that Salora was a spy?" Kiara asked in response to the idea that the Ghost could have a tracker.

"No." Kallus said with a sigh. "Kanan said that when he checked using the force that Salora hadn't ever put a tracker on the ship."

"Well, she may not have but someone else could have."

"Agreed." Kallus stood and called for Tac. "We need to perform a thorough search of the ship to ensure that there aren't any trackers onboard."

"Oh my! Why of course, Master Kallus. I'll get started on that right away."

"Great, so now the Empire has what? A force suppression weapon of some kind?"

"It would appear so. I'll see if I can find anything on the holo-net that would suggest that any scientists have been working on this. Even when working for the Empire and instructed to keep it a secret, many scientists are so proud of their achievements that they can't help but boast a little. I'll start with some of the scientific journals as well as some of the net-sites where they may go to discuss projects with one another." Kallus turned to the computer station.

Kiara fought off a snicker. She hadn't considered how they both were well-adept at researching. While the subject of her searches had almost always been long since dead his were living and breathing. First it had been to track down criminals and then it was his job to ensure that those individuals deserved their jobs. After all, the first time that she'd seen him since they had left the academy was because he'd found an anomaly in her file.

"I'll help. Maybe if we both look, we'll find something faster."

Elios stood at the bridge of his ship as he waited for word of whether or not the ship had come out of hyperspace yet. He needed to know if the torpedo had worked. And it would be beneficial to know how long the effects of the weapon lasted. Soon, he'll have his test subject. Well, another one, at least.

He had been sent an Inquisitor to help him in his search. At least that was the official reason for his posting to his ship. In actuality, he'd been the first force sensitive to be exposed to the experimental formula that had then been modified to be deployed with the torpedo.

Elios made his way toward the infirmary where the test subject was at. He had been given the serum more than a month ago and the man still had yet to have his force sensitivity to be returned to him. Perhaps the concentration was too pure? He'd been assured that the injection would display stronger results so the dispersal via the torpedo should wear off sooner. And he did need it to wear off since the emperor found an interest in his daughter and she would be useless to the man if she no longer could use the force.

The problem was, he'd been joining his admiral on the bridge when he heard the man give the order to fire the torpedo. It had only been after it was on its way toward the ship called the Ghost that he saw that it wasn't alone. It was docked with his daughter's ship. That meant that she'd been exposed to the experimental concoction, as well. He hoped that his scientists were correct when they had told him that the effects wouldn't affect the victim for nearly as long when delivered via a torpedo.

After getting the latest report on the Inquisitor's status he returned to his office. He then sent out orders to have the scientists killed. He'd have new ones brought in if needed. He would have the only copy of the research by the end of the day. In any case, by now, neither his daughter nor son would be able to use the force. That meant that they were no longer as dangerous.

"Sir, the ship appears to have rejoined the Rebel Fleet. Should we pursue?"

"No. Monitor them and inform me when the ship leaves the fleet behind. At least for now. If they do not leave the fleet in a rotation, we may reevaluate this stance."

"Yes, sir."

Kanan felt weird stumbling around the ship that had been his home for so many years. He had depended on his use of the force so completely that he had taken it for granted. The rest of the crew wanted to help him, but he knew that the only help that they could really give was the space and permission to do exactly as he was doing right now. Stumble and bump into nearly every corner on the ship. In a way, this was far worse than when he'd first been blinded by Maul. He'd floundered then, as well, but he still had sight in some form. Now... Now he was truly blind.

"Kanan," Zeb finally spoke when he saw that the man was getting a little too close to the ladder that would take him down the lower level of the ship. And the hard way if he wasn't careful. Each of the crew had subtly been trying to watch Kanan as he tried to adapt to this new sensation for him. None of them wanted to embarrass the man by making it obvious but they also didn't want to see the man get hurt needlessly. "Why don't we go sit down? Hera will be back from speaking to Mon Mothma soon."

Kanan felt the Lasat take his arm and steer him away from where he'd been heading and soon found himself up against a chair. Aggravated, he collapsed onto it and ran a hand over his hair.

"Any word from Kallus and Kiara? She still affected, too?"

"Yeah, Kallus sent in a message saying that they are delving into trying to figure all of this out. Apparently, he found that Thrawn was funding a project for exactly this same thing. So, it would appear that someone has picked up where he'd left off."

"Moff Dume," Kanan sneered at his father's name. "I guess he decided that he's lost two prisoners to the interference of a force user or two and he didn't intend for it to be a factor the next time he had one of us in a cell."

Zeb wanted to encourage the other man but was interrupted when Sabine joined them carrying Jacen and he was screaming louder than he'd ever heard him.

"Kanan, I can't get Jacen to calm down. Want to try?" Sabine carefully handed the baby over to his father who continued to scream "What is wrong with him? He's not hungry. He's dry. It isn't time for another nap. He's been like this ever since-"

"The run in with the Empire," Kanan finished for her. "He's crying because he can't sense the force and he doesn't know why."

Zeb knew that the Jedi recruited Kanan as a young child, but he'd never really bothered asking how young. "He can use the force now? At this age?"

"Use it? No. But he would feel connected to something. For him, he just knows that something that has always been a part of his life is suddenly gone." Kanan hugged his son to him and tried to soothe him. At least he could sympathize with him. If he wasn't a grown man he'd probably cry, too. In fact, he may still do so if things didn't return to normal soon.

Chapter Text

Kiara went over the information that Alex had been able to uncover regarding the project that Thrawn had apparently started only for her father to pick up after he disappeared. The first man had researchers who had come across a lizard-like creature that had the natural ability to create a bubble around itself that would repel the force. Thrawn had hoped to turn that into a weapon against Jedi; against Kanan. At the time of the man's disappearance his scientists had yet to figure out way to duplicate the ysalamiri's ability.

"I want to check on something," Kallus said as he continued to go over the limited information that he'd been able to dig up. "Set course for the nearest habitable planet."

Kiara eyed Alex confused. "Why?"

"Just going to check out a gut feeling." Kallus shrugged before going back to the holonet and the latest find. It would seem that several scientists have been found executed who worked for the Moff. That meant that the man was cleaning house. Getting rid of those who may have any knowledge regarding the experimental weapon.

Kiara nodded before setting course for a small planet that was only a short distance from where they were at. She then added with a chuckle. "Far be it for me to question your gut."

Kanan listened as the others tried to figure out how they would manage both taking care of Jacen and him (since they seemed to feel that he was helpless now that he was newly reblinded by his loss of the force) as well as how to go forward with the mission that they'd received directly from Mon Mothma.

"I'll be fine here, and I can take care of my son, too," Kanan insisted with his arms crossed.

Hera glanced back and forth between him and the rest of the crew before she sighed in resignation. They had been going around in circles trying to figure out how they were going to get the job done and make sure that Kanan and Jacen would be alright.

"I know you can, Love. But that doesn't mean that we can't still be concerned," Hera said but knew that there was at least one way to keep Kanan from feeling as if they thought that he needed to be babysat, himself. She turned to Chopper. "Chop, you'll stay behind to give us a lift when we call. Be ready at a moment's notice. And while you are here, you can keep performing the search to make sure we don't have a tracker on the ship."

Chopper gave an affirmative as he saw Hera give him a sign to watch over the Jedi. He then waved as the rest of the crew headed down the ramp to go on their mission, sans Kanan.

The blind Jedi made his way down the corridor toward the cabin where Jacen was sleeping. He quietly went in and listened as the baby's soft breathing filled the room. Being assured that the boy was sound asleep Kanan turned and made his way back to the common area of the ship.

"Alright, Chopper. You can stop babysitting me. I know the real reason Hera left you behind. But since she did, you can at least head up to the cockpit so you can be ready when they need a pickup." Kanan put a hand on the wall to check to see how close he was to the common area.

Chopper complained and continued to follow the man and suddenly let out a warble of alarm. A squad of stormtroopers were standing in the common room waiting for Kanan. Before the Jedi could react, however, the troopers stunned both he and Chopper. Sending them both into darkness.

Kiara finished the shutdown procedures and turned to Alex. "Okay, now what?"

Kallus smiled. "Now, we go for a walk."

He reached out a hand and offered it to her. With a bit of suspicion and confusion she took it and the two left the Shadow Chaser behind and headed toward a market on the other side of the spaceport. Kiara took in the sights and actually enjoyed just being able to walk side by side with Alexsandr. It was like they could pretend that the Empire didn't exist; nor did the hardships that it brought with it.

They passed several venders and Alex stopped at one to buy each of them some fruit. They continued their stroll while eating the foreign food that surprisingly started off quite tart but left a sweet aftertaste in Kiara's mouth. She would have to remember to get a few more to take to the ship when they walked back later on. As they reached the other end of the market, Kiara had almost forgotten about why they had come to the small planet and its market to start off with.

"This should be far enough," Kallus said as he stopped walking and pulled Kiara back by the hand to pause her, as well.

"Far enough for what?"

Kallus pointed toward one of the venders and whispered, "See that guy? Try to read him like you would when you are gambling."

"I'd have to use the force for that, Alex."

"I know. Try it anyway."

Kiara tilted her head and gave Alexsandr a look as if he'd lost his mind but went ahead and focused on the vender. She paused for a moment then opened her eyes wide when she realized that she could indeed read him. She turned back toward Alex and pulled him into a hug.

"How did you know?"

"The delivery of the agent that was blocking your ability to use the force didn't come in contact with you. So, the bubble created didn't attach itself directly to you. It attached to the ship," Kallus explained. "So once away from the Shadow Chaser you are no longer in the range of the force suppression bubble."

Kiara looked up with a sudden realization, "We need to tell the others, too. We have to tell Kanan."

Kallus nodded. "I wanted to test my theory first."

"Wait. How long will the bubble surround the ship? Will it be permanent or what?"

"I'm not sure. Likely enough, the Empire doesn't, either. I'm willing to bet that the weapon is still in the experimental phase." Kallus took Kiara's hand and started to walk back toward the spaceport where the Shadow Chaser was docked. "The good news is that they likely don't know that the effects aren't directly linked to either you or Kanan. So even if we come across them, we have a bit of knowledge that they won't know."

Chopper found himself on the deck on his back and panicked when he realized that he'd been deactivated for several minutes. He set himself back upright and spun his dome around looking for any sign of Kanan. Unfortunately, the ship only had one other occupant: the small sleeping baby.

He activated his internal comm device and contacted Hera immediately.

"Whoa! Chop! Slow down. What do you mean that they took Kanan? Who took him?"

Chopper sent out several more warbles and beeps in a panic and heard Hera respond with a determined tone.

"Go ahead and pick us up. We're scrubbing the mission. Is Jacen alright?"

Chopper assured the mother of her son's wellbeing since that was one positive of the experience. At least the Imperials hadn't known about the baby and hadn't harmed him.

"Alright. Lock onto our location and pick us up."

Chopper went to the cockpit and activated the ship and maneuvered it to where the others were and picked them all up. As soon as they were aboard Hera instructed him to scan for any Imperial ships in the sector. They couldn't have gotten far. At least, they hoped.

"Hera, looks like we have a transmission coming in from Kallus and Kiara," Zeb broke the tense silence that had fallen over the crew.

"Put it through," Hera turned in her chair to watch the incoming transmission. It was Kallus who spoke while Kiara was beside him facing the transmitter.

"We've got good news."

"Good. We could use some."

"I had Kiara test out a theory and it worked. It would appear that the force suppression agent only attached itself to the ships. That means that so long as they are away from them then they can still touch the force."

Hera let out a sigh of relief. "So that means that Kanan will still have his ability to see and fight now that he's not on the ship?"

"What do you mean he's not on the ship?" Kiara asked. She saw how worried Hera looked and didn't like it one bit.

"We were on a mission for Mon Mothma and had left Kanan on the ship in a spaceport. While the rest of us were gone, some troopers ambushed and took him. We don't know where, yet."

Kiara narrowed her eyes. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out who had been behind Kanan's kidnapping from the Ghost.

"We will. And when we do, Elios best be prepared. Especially if he hurts Kanan."

Elios strolled into the detention cell where the Jedi had been brought to him. The man had apparently been blinded a few years ago. Still, he'd heard his approach and looked up defiantly.

"Moff Dume, I presume," Kanan practically seethed as he spoke. He'd awakened to find himself on an Imperial Interrogation table. Apparently, the trooper who had been left to guard him had been given orders to send electrical shocks regularly, just to set the stage so that he knew who was in charge.

"So, you know who I am." Elios stopped just a few feet from the man who had once been his own son. "Shall I assume that your sister has told you stories about me? All fabricated, I assure you."

"Just as the fact that you nearly killed a good friend of mine is also fabricated, right?" Kanan tried to calm himself as he spoke. At least now the shocks had been paused, giving him time to collect himself. As he found his inner calm, he realized that he could now sense what was around him with the force. He was surprised and couldn't explain it, but he willingly embraced it like an old friend. "And the fact that you've been hunting her down? Why exactly?"

Elios smiled. "That is none of your concern. As for your friend, I must admit that he impressed me. Or is he a Jedi, too? Is that why I wasn't able to break him? I know Jedi are able to endure more than most."

"Hardly. Why would you want to know? Or are you just trying to capture anyone who is a force sensitive? That why you've changed your tactics and decided to come after me, instead?"

"I needed a test subject before taking your sister to the emperor." Elios sneered before turning his attention back to the trooper who would be standing guard. "I want to be alerted to even the slightest hint of his being able to reach back out to the force. Then, stun him and keep him out until I say otherwise. Though, it may take a while. Our last test subject with the concentrated serum still has yet to regain his ability." Elios turned back toward Kanan before saying, "We had to restrain him, too. You see, the lack of being able to use the force has actually driven him mad. He's been locked in his madness for a month, now. Are you prepared to join him?"

Kanan flexed his fist and struggled against his bindings. Still, he knew that he had the upper hand. He didn't know that his experiment had already worn off. He had to keep it that way until the right moment to get away. Until then, he'll bide his time.

"So how will we find Kanan?" Zeb said over the transmission. Kiara and Kallus were sitting in the Shadow Chaser's common area and joined the crew of the Ghost in their discussion and planning for the man's rescue.

"We don't." Kiara said as she sat back with her arms crossed. When the others looked at her in surprise she continued. "We bring Elios to us. He wants me, then we make a trade."

"That's not an option," Kallus said with a vigorous shake of his head.

"I have to agree," Hera said with a sigh. "We don't know why the Empire wants you, but it can't be good. And we know that Kanan wouldn't agree to that sort of exchange."

"Who said that I'd actually make it back to the Empire?" Kiara said as she snickered. "But I do think that we may need to ask for a transport from Rebel Command. We're going to need to use the force and Elios still thinks that his torpedo has affected Kanan and I both. We can only hope that he's keeping his abilities hidden, waiting for the right moment."

Hera didn't like the idea, but she was willing to listen as Kiara continued as she laid out her plan. It might could work, but there would be a lot of factors that they wouldn't be able to control which meant that there was a high chance of failure. But what other choice did they have? She looked over at Kallus's face through the transmission and saw that he liked the plan less than she did.

"So, where will all of this go down?"

Kiara knew the perfect place that she'd once gone to on a dig before the Empire existed. "Shantipole."

"Are you crazy?" Hera shook her head. "That planet is a one-way ticket for nearly any ship."

"The Shadow Chaser can go with no issues. Even if the transport that I go in on can't leave the atmosphere the Chaser can still be used to get me and Kanan off of the planet."

"What's special about this Shantipole?" Kallus asked since he didn't recognize the planet.

"The planet has an extremely volatile atmosphere that can take a ship down if a pilot isn't skilled enough," Hera explained.

"Which will make it less likely that there will be Imperial back up to pop up out of nowhere," Kiara couldn't help but point out.

"How do you think that you'll be able to convince the Moff to agree to meet there?" Sabine asked while shaking her head. She remembered her time on the planet and knew that it was dangerous to go there.

"Something tells me that if he thinks that he'll get me that he'll ignore the potential risks."

"And if he doesn't? What if he chooses to instead change things so the exchange doesn't take place on the surface?" Kallus didn't trust that the Moff would follow any directions given by his daughter.

"Then it will be a good thing that I know you'll be able to come up with a new plan on the fly."

Elios watched as the Jedi, his son, was tortured. He wanted to see how well his weapon suppressed an individual's ability to use the force and he couldn't think of a better way than to give the man a reason to want to use it. To end his torment. He was about to join in the fun when he was summoned via the comm link.

"I believe I said that I was not to be disturbed."

"Sir, there is a transmission coming in for you. The woman said that you'd want to take it. She claims to be your daughter, Kiara Dume."

Elios's brows arched in surprise. "Well, this isn't what I expected. I'm guessing she's learned of your capture, already," he addressed Kanan then spoke back into his comm device. "I'll take it in my office. I'll be there momentarily."

Kanan sensed the man turn to leave. He wondered what the others had come up with since he knew that they wouldn't leave him in the hands of the Moff. Most especially, he wondered why Kiara would be calling their father.

Moff Dume took his time making his way toward his office. After all, he had the upper hand. He already had Caleb and soon he'll have Kiara. He wondered if he would earn even more favor with his Emperor if he handed over not just his daughter but his son, as well. Surely such an act would place him above his colleagues and would make him worthy of a promotion.

Once he reached his desk, he casually sat behind it and steepled his fingers as he opened the transmission. In it he saw his daughter who had a very determined look on her face.

"Kiara. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You already know. I want Caleb back."

"Do you? And here I didn't think you held on to any family loyalty."

Kiara snickered at the implication that he did, instead. "I give it to those who earn and return it."

"Did you contact me just so you could insult me?"

"No. I contacted you to propose a trade. Caleb has nothing to do with this between us. You let him go and I'll take his place. You can finally kill me like you've wanted for years, now."

"Oh, what I have planned for you is more than just your death," Elios smiled. "Come to my ship and I'll gladly make the exchange."

"I would but we both know that you damaged my ship during our last encounter. I made it as far as Shantipole before I had to make an emergency landing for repairs. Unfortunately, I didn't have the spare parts needed to fix my ship. So that means you'll have to come here to get me."

Elios stared as this daughter. "If this is a trap-"

"You have the might of the Empire behind you. I- well, you've made sure that I have no one. I left the Rebellion. I couldn't risk you attacking anyone else because of me like on Suaren. They only reached out to me because you took Caleb."

"I'll meet you on Shantipole. But be aware, I'll kill him if I see any sign of treachery."

"You won't. I only want to make sure he is safe. What happens to me is of no consequence once he is."

Chapter Text

Kallus stood back as Kiara finished her message to the Moff. When she closed the transmission out, she turned and nodded that it was done. "Now we just need to meet with Hera. Out of all of us she is the best pilot."

Kallus couldn't deny that. And for what they were going to do, they would have the best shot at getting Kanan back and making sure that Kiara isn't taken in his stead with Hera at the helm of the Shadow Chaser. "She and Sabine are bringing the transport that you requested. How did you know that there was a freighter back at command that matched the Chaser's description?"

"I had a lot of time on my hands for the last several months." Kiara shrugged as she sat in the captain's chair and plotted a course for their rendezvous. "I wonder how Zeb drew the short straw to remain back with the Ghost and Jacen."

"Well, I know from experience that Hera wouldn't leave her ship in the hands of just anyone and as for her child, I'm sure that the list of those whom she'd trust with him is even shorter," Kallus said. "Hera would make sure that whoever she leaves her son with can defend him. Personally, I can't see how she and Kanan are able to keep him safe while still working with the Rebellion. I have to admire how they have been able to keep everything balanced."

"That means that you don't think that you could figure it out if you had to?" Kiara chuckled. "Finally, a scenario that you can't figure out. Parenthood."

Kallus gave her a look before shaking his head. "You think you are funny, don't you."

"No," Kiara grinned. "But I just got the image of you trying to babysit Jacen instead of Zeb."

"I'm not volunteering any time soon."

Kiara's lips continued to twitch as she tried to imagine the man who had still yet to even hold the baby try to watch him for an afternoon. Maybe when they weren't all trying to outsmart the Empire...

It was only a quick jump to meet with Hera and Sabine. Kiara went to meet them in the airlock during the trade of the ships. Sabine was in her full armor and looked ready to face off with any Imperials who had the misfortune to cross her when they stepped through the airlock where the two ships were joined.

The Mandalorian stepped forward and asked, "I still don't get how you plan to get this ship down to the surface."

"Once I'm on it instead of my own ship I'll be able to allow the force to guide me down to the surface." Kiara shrugged before she then added, "Just make sure you and Alex stay in the ship until after the Imperials not only have arrived but have already run their scans and landed, too."

"How did you get Kallus to agree to that?"

"Simple. He doesn't have a better plan," Kiara said in a matter-of-fact manner. "And we don't have the luxury of time to try to come up with one, either."

"Which is the only reason why I'm agreeing with this plan of yours, too," Hera said seriously.

"I know. But we need to get moving. We have to be in place before Elios and his men show up."

"Be careful," Hera said as she and Sabine continued past her in the airlock.

"You too," Kiara replied as she closed the hatch behind her.

She then went toward the cockpit of the Fleeting Fae and initiated the sequence to disembark from the Shadow Chaser.

"Alright, I'm all clear. I'll see all of you at the rendezvous."

"Just make sure you are careful," Alex's voice could be heard.

"Always." Kiara smiled as she set course for the planet of Shantipole. After she made the jump, she could sense the force surrounding her again. She missed it and wondered how long her ship would be shrouded by the force suppression bubble. Hopefully, the effects of the torpedo would dissipate in time.

When the ship dropped out of hyperspace, she could feel the difference in the ship she was piloting when it started to fight her guidance down toward the planet's surface. "I'll never take Tac and the upgrades that he's helped me with for granted again."

Kiara leaned on the force heavily to safely land on the hostile world, and it gave her a whole new respect for Hera and her piloting skills. She has flown here with only her skills and nothing else. She could only imagine how good she could have been if she had been able to use the force on top of all of that.

Once the ship had landed and she'd completed the shutdown procedures Kiara wasn't surprised to get a very brief message from Alex to make sure that she'd successfully made it this far. She assured that she had, then set about to making sure that the ship gave off false readings to indicate that it was damaged enough to not be able to fly off of the surface again.

In a way, she sort of wished that she would have at least brought Tac with her, so she'd have someone to talk to while waiting for the Imperials to show up. Alex had tried to insist that he should have tagged along but she pointed out that she was alone when she sent out her transmission and the Moff was bound to have a scan for life-signs to be run. Which meant that he needed to be in the Shadow Chaser under the cloak.

It was nearly a half rotation when she spotted the Star Destroyer show itself overhead. She waited by her ship as she spied an Imperial shuttle head her way. Actually two. The first one crashed before it got far into the hostile atmosphere. When the second one landed nearby, she held her hand on her blaster at her hip but knew that it would only be used as a last resort. She had other cards to play, first. She watched as several stormtroopers headed her way with weapons drawn. They approached her and seized her weapon as she knew that they would and brought out a comm device to project an image of her father in front of her.

"At last, it would appear that a family reunion is overdue."

"We had a deal. Where is Caleb?" Kiara glared at the man as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Did we? Well, I suppose I've decided to alter it. After all, I have the upper hand."

"Do you really?" Kiara gave a suspicious smile. "Because it would appear that you need me alive. For what, I've yet to determine. So, release Caleb or you lose me."

"You seem quite sure of yourself. Why is that?"

Kiara hoped that her years at the tables helped her pull this gamble off well.

"Have your men run a bio-scan. I have a biochip installed. Among other things, it can be used to end my life if I so choose. Whether I activate it manually or if your trigger-happy troopers decide to stun me again like last time. Either happens, and you lose. So, where is my brother?"

"You'd really willingly die?" Elios chuckled at the theatrics of his daughter. Still, he did instruct his men on the ground to run a scan.

"Considering that whatever you have planned can't be good for me or anyone else, hell yes!"

Moff Dume glanced at the results and wanted to growl. "And if I call your bluff and kill Caleb instead? He is just a bonus, after all. He is of no real use to me."

"This is no bluff. You hurt him; you lose us both. Release him and you get me. Not hard to see which way would benefit you."

"Alright, I'll put Caleb on a shuttle just as soon as you are my ship. But that is the last concession that I will make."

Kiara took a deep breath and nodded. The others will have to be prepared for the alternate plan. It's a good thing that they are good at flowing with the changes that tend to happen when things go sideways.

"Alright, but just remember, I can still activate the chip if you try to do anything once I'm on the ship." Kiara then allowed the troopers to steer her toward the shuttle, leaving her borrowed ship behind. She hoped that Kanan was ready for his chance to escape.

Hera watched as the shuttle barely made it out of the planet's atmosphere after several near drops out of the stratosphere. She watched as the Imperials took Kiara back up to the Star Destroyer as she said, "Looks like we are going with Plan B."

"Was there ever any doubt," Kallus asked as he watched from behind Sabine as Hera followed the shuttle then steered the cloaked ship toward the underside of the Imperial Star Destroyer. She then used the magnetic clamps to fasten the Shadow Chaser into place to wait for the next phase of the escape plan.

"I'll go ahead and tap into the Imperial comms. We should know when Kiara and Kanan make their move," Sabine said as she started to work the system in front of her.

Kallus sat with the women not liking the fact that there was now nothing that they could do until they got the signal that stated that Kanan and Kiara were making their way out. All of this waiting was driving him crazy. He wanted to do something.

Kiara followed the troopers toward the bridge of the Star Destroyer and realized she was being taken to the Moff's office off of the bridge. She absorbed her surroundings along the way and took it in both visually as well as with her senses with the force. She mentally catalogued what may come in handy on her way back out. When she finally stepped forward through the office, she saw Kanan restrained, standing behind Elios.

"Kanan! Are you alright?"

He nodded and responded, "Yes... Everything is fine."

Kiara swallowed hard. Good. He could sense the force, too. "You're getting out of here. Now. Right, Elios?"

The Imperial tightened his jaw and studied his two children. He had to decide if his daughter truly was bluffing. "I think not."

Kiara narrowed her eyes. "Wrong choice, Elios."

"And what will you do? Threaten to kill yourself again?" The man laughed. "We both knew that was never going to happen."

She glanced around at the troopers and addressed them, "I know you have just been following orders up to this point. But if you want to make it out of this alive, I suggest that you get to an escape pod. This ship is about to become a graveyard."

The troopers exchanged looks as the ship rocked only to be shocked even more when their weapons all became crushed and crumpled pieces of metal in their hands.

"What?!" Elios placed his hands on his desk as the room shook around him.

Kanan reached out with his hand and called his lightsaber to him as his restraints fell from his hands as Kiara called for her blaster.

"Looks like you made the one mistake that you should have known better than to make, Dad. You made her mad. And you already know what can happen when that happens."

When Kanan stepped closer toward Kiara Elios bellowed at them. "You'll never get off of this ship!"

"Is that a bet?" Kiara laughed. "Because if anything, you should know that when I gamble, I never really lose."

She focused on the ship's propulsion systems that kept the Star Destroyer in orbit over the volatile planet. When she did the ship made a noticeable shift to one side, sending many to slide across the deck plates. Kiara grabbed Kanan's arm to see to it that he stayed with her before they both turned toward the door of the office and ran out.

Kanan used his lightsaber to deflect the random bolts of blaster fire that were sent their way while Kiara concentrated on closing the blast doors behind them with her recently found control over her force abilities. As they made their way toward the hanger Kiara figured that she'd best give Kanan a heads up.

"About the force suppression weapon that the Moff used, it attached itself to the ships. That means, once we start getting close to the ship, you'll lose your ability to use the force, again." Kiara pushed several troopers with the use of the force before she closed another blast door and crumpled the control panel.

"So, once we get close?"

"Sabine and Alex should be getting into place now to help cover us once we lose the force, again. You stay close to me, and we'll get out and leave the bucket heads for them."

Kanan nodded his understanding. He wasn't looking forward to being force-blind again, but he'll take it over staying on this Star Destroyer any day. Just as he started to lose his ability to sense what was going on around him, he heard two familiar voices.

"Fancy finding you two. Come here often?" Sabine asked cheekily as she sent a series of blasts past her friends to cover their escape.

"Too often," Kanan replied. He felt Kiara's arm slip through his as she led him into the darkness that now shrouded him.

"Then why don't I suggest that we get out of here?" Kallus's voice was then heard just ahead of him and Kiara.

"Gladly."

Kiara randomly shot either in front of the team or behind but for the most part she trusted Alex as well as Sabine to deal with the troopers. When she saw the hangar come into view, she spotted Hera firing at troopers from the lowered ramp of her ship. When the Twi'lek saw her family making their way toward the ship she kept firing until Kanan's boots hit the ramp; she then pulled him into a quick hug before she left to run up to the cockpit to get them out of the Star Destroyer before it went down.

Kiara led Kanan to the cockpit where he could strap in then sat in the navigator's chair in her ship while Alex took the turret cannon. Sabine was standing by in case she needed to make some quick repairs as they made their escape.

Up in the turret cannon Kallus shot at as many targets as he could when the TIEs were sent out to stop them from getting away. Up in the turret was also the first chance that he had gotten to see just what kind of damage Kiara had been able to cause by focusing on the propulsion engines of the ship. It was turning and looked as if it was a blade pointed downward as it approached the planet's surface.

Off to the side, he spotted a shuttle disembarking from the private hangar of the Moff. With anger shadowing his vision he placed the shuttle in his sites and fired. When the shuttle exploded, he felt a sense of relief that he'd not expected. For a few seconds he was wrapped up with the fact that the Moff was gone, that he missed a couple of TIEs as they started to fire at the ship. Once the cloak was activated, he then saw that the short-ranged fighters seemed lost as to what to do. They no longer had a ship to return to and taking the ships down toward the planet wasn't desirable.

Kallus watched as those who hadn't been able to escape in a pod, or on the Moff's private shuttle that he had shot down, met their end as the ship began to burn upon its entry into the planet's upper atmosphere. When it hit the surface, it exploded into a giant ball of fire.

Chapter Text

Now that both ships were about to leave the fleet, the Ghost to join the rest of the rebel cell that they'd been a part of since Yavin IV and the Shadow Chaser to continue with Kiara's research of the purrgil, Kallus figured that he'd pull Zeb aside. He wanted to speak to him about how he'd actually moved all of his things back to the Chaser before the Imperials fired upon the two ships when they were docked together. He still couldn't figure out when the man had managed to do that without him or the others realizing what he was doing. When the rest started to head toward the hanger Kallus put a hand on the Lasat's arm to have him hang back for a few minutes.

"So, it would appear that I need to thank you for making sure that my things were returned to the Shadow Chaser."

Zeb shrugged. "We both know that's where you wanted to be. Plus, it is a little quieter there. You won't have to worry about a wailing wakeup call first thing in the morning."

"Well, there is that," Kallus chuckled.

"But," Zeb became a bit more serious as he continued, "You will need to still work on... You know. If you don't, things won't get better. Ignoring what happened... Ignoring the effects of it... It only gets better over time if you actually deal with it. If you need someone to talk to, I'll only ever be a transmission away."

Kallus swallowed hard before nodding. He understood what the man meant. He'd been trying to help him work through and get past his flashbacks.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Besides, you can't say that you'll miss me as a roommate while you'll instead be sharing the ship with Kiara," Zeb snickered.

Kallus acted as if he had to think about whom he'd rather bunk with. He enjoyed his time with Garazeb but when given the choice, there was no comparison.

"Point taken. And yes, I do prefer to be on the Shadow Chaser, and with Kiara. No offense. This has become my home, after all."

"And there is nothing that takes the place of a real home. And of course, good friends." Zeb smiled.

He understood that all too well. He'd been floundering after Lasan before he came across the crew of the Ghost. And it soon became his home, and the crew became his friends and eventually his family. And now, that family has expanded. Kiara and Kallus were both part of that family; even if they resided on another ship.

"Something that I didn't appreciate until after I left the Empire."

It was ironic, he knew now that he thought about it. When he was growing up there was little that he wanted more than a home; a place where he belonged. He had once thought that place was within the Empire. But he could see that it wasn't. It had, however, been a means to find his true home and family.

The two men caught up to the others in the hangar and clasped their hands in farewell until they would see one another again. Kallus would be joining Kiara on her search for the purrgil and Ezra. She also would continue her training with the Kwa teachings. For him, he'd decided to continue to do what he did best, read through files and find any anomalies to vet out the rest of the rebels in the various cells and factions. He could also help and assist with planning out missions, but he didn't have to be present at a base for that. Not permanently, at least. He would split his time both on the Shadow Chaser as well as going to whatever base would be most beneficial at the time.

Kallus joined Kiara in the cockpit of the Shadow Chaser and watched as the Ghost headed out toward the base that the crew would be stationed out of from now on.

"Are you sorry that you won't be going back?" Kiara asked as she saw the look on Alex's face. Like he wasn't sure when he'd see the ship or its crew again. And to be honest, he didn't. Neither did she.

"Maybe a little. But I'm sure that I'd be more sorry if I were on that ship right now, instead. So, I'm where I want to be," Kallus assured her with a smile.

Kiara returned with a smile of her own then set course toward where her research had indicated that the purrgil had likely gone when they had flown out after she was interrupted by the Ghost the last time. She couldn't exactly get out and try to talk to them like she did the last time since the force suppression bubble was still active on the ships. Still, every day that she researched the purrgil offered her the opportunity to uncover a secret of their species that may eventually lead her to finding the missing member of the Ghost family. That meant that he was, by association with Kanan, her family as well.

Kanan really didn't like the fact that while on the base he and Hera had taken crew quarters instead of remaining on the Ghost but until the force suppression bubble dissipated from the ship, it was better for both he and Jacen to stay in the living quarters provided by the base, instead. The good thing about the arrangement was that he didn't have to stumble truly blind around the base. Here, he could be one with the force. While on the ship, he felt as if he was tied up tightly in a wet sack where even the air was harder to breathe.

He checked on his young son, he was starting to crawl, and he'd even caught him trying to get out of his crib the other day and made sure that he was sound asleep before he joined Hera in their bed. Perhaps another perk to not being on the ship full-time. The bunks on the ship were a tight fit, though he and Hera had always made it work. Still, the larger bed in the quarters that had been assigned to them was a bit more comfortable. Maybe he'll have to see if there was a way to alter, to upgrade, the sleeping arrangements on the Ghost.

He got comfortable and slipped off to sleep and fell into a dream-filled slumber.

"But if you intersect the trajectory with the sightings that were reported back during the Clone Wars," Kallus inputted the information into the computer and waited for the holoscreen to catch up with his latest calibration before he continued. "...it could indicate that they have a type of a weigh station nearby where the purrgil may stop off on their way to other locations in the sector."

Kiara studied the system that Alex pointed out. It was similar to the one that the Spectres first came across the animals in space. If she recalled from her conversations with the others correctly, Ezra had learned that they breathed in the gas.

"I agree. We should head there and see if we can call them from there." She tapped something onto her datapad and looked up to say something when she saw that they had a transmission coming in from the Ghost. She put it through quickly since they didn't have a transmission scheduled for the day. It couldn't be good if they were sending out a random message. She waited and saw as Kanan's image was shown on the transmitter. "Kanan? What's going on? What's wrong?"

Kallus walked closer to Kiara to wait for the other man's reply.

"I really don't know. Ordinarily, I would have ignored it. I even would tell Ezra that he couldn't take visions literally. But-" Kanan paused. "But if you had done that then we both know that I wouldn't be standing here so..."

"You had a vision? What did you see?" Kiara studied Kanan since she knew that her brother wasn't comfortable with seeking out visions and less so them coming to him of their own volition.

"It's not so much what I saw in the vision but what I felt."

"Which was?" Kiara waited as Kanan seemed to search for the right words.

"It was about Ezra. I don't think that he can find his way back on his own. And I think... I think that... everything is about to change."

Kiara exchanged a look with Alex in response to Kanan's cryptic response. How could things change? And more importantly, could they prevent it? Or even, should they try?

Chapter Text

"Answer me this," Kallus kept his pace with Valour as he ran alongside her. It had been a while since he'd been able to run; both due to his previous injury as well as being cooped up on the ship recently. No, he wasn't as strong or fast as he had been during their last run together, but it did feel good to actually be out running. "When Kanan, and even Ezra, has had to run from the Empire, they never seemed to have an issue with running no matter how fast they had to go. I thought that this was a force-type enhancement."

Kiara came to a stop since there was no way she could carry on a conversation while trying to run. She only had enough air in her lungs for one. She concentrated on slowing her breathing before she answered Alex's annoying question.

"Maybe it was. Different people have different talents. Just like Ezra had the gift of connecting with animals. Plus, they are faster in general. If I drew on the force, I could run faster now but that wouldn't help me in the long run if I want to be able to run faster without the force. Like if the force suppression weapon is taken back up again and used. I can't just depend on the force."

Kallus considered what Valour said and nodded. Yes. Now that they knew that the Empire had tinkered with force suppression weapons (both Thrawn and Dume's scientists) building up strength and abilities outside of the force would be important. Both Kiara and Kanan had been forced to learn to go without their abilities that had been part of their lives for so long while on their respective ships. The experimental proton torpedo that had delivered a concoction of some sort still affected both ships.

He waited for Valour to catch her breath before leading the way back to the base that they'd come to see Kanan at. Unfortunately, the crew of the Ghost had been sent on a mission and weren't here when they arrived. He had been told that they should arrive back either today or tomorrow, though. They had come to the base so that Kiara and Kanan could discuss his force vision more in depth than they had while communicating through subspace.

It had been the first vision that the man had gotten in regard to his apprentice since his disappearance from Lothal. He knew that the Ghost family were all clinging to this vision to help them bring their missing member back to them. Still, while visions weren't his area of expertise, what little that the man had said in his transmission to his sister hadn't sounded promising. Ezra can't return on his own and things are about to change. What did that even mean? If things were about to change, could they stop it? Can they help Ezra return?

As they approached the base the two looked up to see the Ghost flying toward the base. Kallus knew that Kiara would go and discuss her brother's vision with him, so he headed back to the Shadow Chaser to get cleaned up. Once he had a fresh outfit on, he went back to the living quarters that Kanan stayed in with his small family. When he got there, he was let in by Garazeb. The rest of the crew were just waiting for the two force users to come out of their meditations. From what he could gather, Kiara was trying to help Kanan recall the vision and perhaps allow her to see or sense what the other may have missed.

Kiara focused on Kanan's vision and saw an assortment of images that she tried to catch the meaning of. There was a young boy. Not Ezra. There were purrgil; not surprising, really. There were images of more people she'd never met. Men and women of varying species. Loth-wolves. But most importantly, the overwhelming sense of helplessness and dread. The part that had most distressed Kanan. Like Ezra was trying to reach out to the rest of them but was being pushed away.

After a while, both siblings pulled out of their meditation and realized that the others were looking at them expectantly. Sadly, Kiara couldn't tell them that she could make any more of the visions than Kanan had. Her vision that she had before Kanan's incident on Lothal had been pretty straightforward in comparison. If she didn't intervene, then he would die on that fuel pod. But this, it wasn't just one event on repeat. It was more vague. Still, there was one thing that she figured that she could do.

"Maybe going back to Lothal could help. After all, the Loth-wolves are just about the only specific marker for the vision. The rest, I only recognized the purrgil but... Well, they still are as much of a mystery as anything else."

"But we can't go back," Hera said with a shake of her head. "At least not right now. With so much going on. We're even supposed to help another cell set up their new base soon."

Kallus nodded. He had been asked to help, too, but he figured that they had enough time to at least make a quick trip to Lothal before then going to Hoth. "Perhaps Kanan can fly to Lothal with us, and we could catch up with you after they have had the chance to see if there is anything there that could help them figure out the vision?"

Kanan considered the idea. But he also knew that there was another reason why he should go to Hoth. There was another force user that he'd been contacted regarding. In fact, it was the former princess of Alderaan who had been the one who had reached out to him. She wanted him to help a friend with his force training. Apparently, Master Kenobi had been the one to start off his training, himself. He had been sure that the man had died years ago. Still, he couldn't refuse the request. From what he had heard, the young man was the same age as Ezra and was even the one who had been the fighter pilot who had finally gotten the shot in that destroyed the Death Star.

"I can't. Not right now," Kanan finally said with a shake of his head. "After we get the cell set up, I'll request some time away from the Rebellion to go to Lothal."

Kallus raised a brow but didn't press the matter. "Alright. Well, Kiara? Do you know what we should do when we get to Lothal?"

"Not really but I guess we'll figure it out when we get there," Valour shook her head as she thought about the images she'd seen in the vision.

"Hey, before you go," Sabine pulled out a box that she'd brought with her. "Kanan had me work on something for you."

Kiara looked between Kanan and then Sabine who was holding out a box for her. She opened it up and saw that there were a type of Mandalorian wrist shields inside.

"What's this?"

Kanan smoothed his hair down as he answered her question. "I know you didn't want to train with a lightsaber since you aren't a Jedi, and you don't intend to become one..."

Kiara reached into the box and pulled out the gauntlets and after a moment of examination she put them on as Sabine continued where Kanan left off.

"He wanted to see if I could figure out a way to use the Kyber crystals that were in the Inquisitor's double-bladed lightsaber that you came across back last year. I've figured out a way to use them as a shield but can also be used to go on the offensive if needed."

Kiara looked at the pair with suspicion and doubt for a second before activating the devices. A pure white light illuminated from the devices in the shape of small personal shields from each wrist, but she could sense the life of the crystals inside. They were no longer the red that they had been when the dark acolytes had bled them to use them in their lightsabers.

"It took me a while to purify the kyber crystals. I actually had to focus on the means that I intended for them before they agreed to become your crystals," Kanan said as he sensed his sister examining the new devices. "And you will have the only shields like them in the galaxy. Sabine Wrenn originals."

Kiara chuckled. "I feel honored." She then said seriously, "Thank you. Both of you. Let's just hope that I won't need to use them anytime soon."

"Agreed," Kallus said as he walked closer to look over the new gift that the two members of the Ghost crew had worked on to give to Kiara. When she had activated the shields, it gave the familiar whoosh and hum that he'd come to associate with the ancient weapons of the Jedi. Truly, a one-of-a-kind type of weapon. Designed as a shield that will be able to withstand the assault of a lightsaber. "But I must say, I don't envy the individual who will be the first to have these weapons tested against them."

Kiara deactivated the shields. She and Alex wouldn't leave right now. They'd wait a couple of days so that they could get caught up on everything else with the crew, and the leadership could always use Kallus's input on missions and such when he was around. Kiara would enjoy her time spent with the rest of the family in the meantime before they left.

Hours later, Kallus headed back to the Shadow Chaser to grab a datapad that he'd left behind with some information that he'd been working on regarding a project that he'd been asked to look into. When he did, he found that Kiara had taken Hera and Kanan's little boy back to the ship with her. She volunteered to watch him while the others were in a meeting. She was walking him around in the common area of the ship and would even release the small toddler as he tried to balance on his own for a step or two before she returned her hands to support him.

"I can't believe he's gotten so big so quickly," Kallus chuckled from the doorway.

Kiara turned her head and smiled. "Not so quickly. We've just all had a lot going on that we sort of haven't been able to pay attention. Not to mention, we've been away so much." Kiara swooped the little boy up into her arms and walked over to Alexsandr. "Want to hold him for me really quick? I need to go to the refresher."

Kallus's eyes grew wide as she stood waiting for him to reach out to take the little boy from her. "I..."

Kiara snickered when he hesitated. "Relax. He's not as small as he used to be, and it will only be for a minute. It isn't like you've been recruited to mind him for a few hours by yourself."

Kallus awkwardly accepted the little boy as Kiara headed down the corridor toward the refresher. He walked further into the common room and figured that if he was going to be responsible for the little boy then maybe he needed to sit down. That way if he dropped the squirming child, he'd be closer to the deck plates. Kallus carefully sat on the couch and then shifted the boy onto it beside of him instead of continuing to hold him.

A mistake since he no longer had a firm hold on the child. He squirmed and started to go over the side of the couch so that he could walk along the side of the furniture. After a step or two Jacen stumbled and fell backwards onto his bottom. Kallus moved forward to put a hand behind the child's head to prevent it from hitting the deck plates but fortunately he didn't go all of the way backwards. When the child twisted around to start crawling instead Kallus let out a breath of relief and eyed the corridor towards the refresher where Kiara had gone.

What was taking her so long?

Jacen moved over to where a bag of toys had been brought along for him and he started to rummage through it to find a stuffed animal that he seemed to be looking for and started to babble along to it.

"If only you could have seen yourself," Kiara finally said from the doorway while laughing softly. "I think you couldn't have looked more terrified when I first handed him over to you than if you were told to watch over a Gundart."

"Very funny," Kallus stood from where he'd been watching the young boy for the last few minutes and made for a quick escape. "Now, I have a meeting to return to. I only came back for this," Kallus held up the datapad in his hand.

Kiara moved from the door and let him pass with a smile. "Alexsandr Kallus; former Jedi hunter, former ISB Agent, and current member of the Rebellion leadership. Yet you are intimidated by a small child. I like finding new ways to throw you off balance."

"I've never had cause to be around children, before. Well, not those too young to work for the Empire, at least."

"Neither have I," Kiara pointed out. "But I've learned to get used to a lot of new things in recent months. At least here on the ship, the force suppression bubble is still active. That means that Jacen can't use the force to get into trouble."

Kallus paused as he considered the child and the potential ability to use the force already. "Like how?"

Kiara shrugged and answered, "Not sure. I know Kanan has been trying to work with Jacen to help him learn what his son may try to do when out at the living area of the base. I just didn't want to take any chances which is why I brought him here." Kiara put a finger on Kallus's chest before adding, "You aren't the only one who doesn't want to get overwhelmed by a small child. I figured that if I was going to watch him alone for a few hours, not minutes like you just did, I'd best use the only advantage that I had. My own ship and home."

"You always seemed like you knew what you were doing in the past."

Kiara snorted. "Holding a baby a few feet from their parents is vastly different than taking care of one alone."

"I suppose it is," Kallus agreed before he left.

Chapter Text

Tac worked quickly to decide what system to begin his repairs with first. He was just getting into the panel where the life support systems would be accessed when he noticed that a fire had started in the compartment and was burning through the wires of not just that system but several others. Likely the reason for the multiple system failures.

He activated the fire suppression system and quickly did a survey of the damage. There was no way to repair it before the ship would become uninhabitable for the humans. He had to think fast. He returned to where the humans were still drifting in the zero gravity in the corridor and took first his mistress then his master to the escape pod and closed them inside it. He then locked it from the outside to make sure that if they woke up that they wouldn't leave their small emergency pod whose systems were still fully functional.

As the techno-service droid prepared to get to work on repairing the damage from the strange animals a transmission came through. At least the communications system had made it through the run in with the purrgil.

"We saw that you've made enemies of the purrgil. We've run them off but can see from our readings that you require assistance," a stranger's voice could be heard. If Tac could have, he would have released a breath of relief when he heard the man. "Prepare for a tractor beam to lock onto your ship."

"Affirmative. Your assistance is appreciated. I must also request aid for the two humans on board. Both were knocked out and injured during the encounter."

"We'll have the infirmary standing by."

Kallus started to wake up and thought about the strange dream that he'd had. He went to sit up and felt the presence of a massive headache when he did. He put a hand to his head and realized he had a good-sized bump forming in two different locations. So perhaps it hadn't been a dream after all.

"Please, sit back until it can be determined if you have further injuries," a mechanical voice could be heard. Kallus looked around and saw that it belonged to a medical droid.

"Where am I?" he asked as he looked around to see that Kiara was on another bio-bed next to him.

"You are on the Point of Light. The general has requested that she be made aware of when you have awakened. She will be here to answer any questions that you have momentarily."

Kallus nodded with a bit of confusion. The medical droid looked to be an older model but was well cared for. In fact, it looked brand new. Perhaps they were on a rebel ship. Granted, he wasn't aware of any who would be on the way to the Lothal system. To be fair, though, he wasn't sure what system the purrgil had pulled them into when they knocked them out of hyperspace.

When he looked over at the next bio-bed he saw where Kiara was starting to wake up. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't think you really want me to answer that right now," Kiara rubbed her shoulder where she must have hit it on something after she was knocked out. "Where are we?"

"I'm not sure. I know that this isn't an Imperial ship, not any that I'm aware of, anyway. Our medical droid friend over there said something about the general coming down now that we are awake. So, a rebel ship, perhaps?" He saw that she was trying to concentrate, likely on the force, and noticed that her look of confusion only increased. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure. Things... Feel different. And there are other force users on this ship."

"Inquisitors?" Kallus reached down for his blaster only to realize that he hadn't had time to strap it to his side when the purrgil attacked.

"No. There's not anything to indicate any dark intentions. In fact," Kiara paused since it wasn't possible. Her brother had been planning to leave for the Hoth system after she and Alex left the base. Still... "If I didn't know better, I'd swear that Kanan was on this ship."

"I do not know who this Kanan is, but it does gratify me to know that you are not a dark side user, either. I had been concerned when my men came across your ship and then I sensed a great disturbance in the force when you were removed from it."

Both Kiara and Alexsandr looked up to find a female Chalactan, a near human alien who had small protrusions on her forehead, walking in from the side office where the medical staff would adjourn to when their patients didn't require them. She wore brown robes that Kiara knew from her studies as well as her mother's obsession with them that the robes were the traditional garb of the Jedi. But that wasn't possible. Or has she and Alexsandr found one of the few remaining Jedi who had somehow survived since the near extinction of the Order? But she hadn't been told that there were other Jedi who worked with the rebellion.

"You seem confused. Perhaps the hits to your heads were stronger than the medical droid determined."

"No. I guess I'm just not used to seeing Jedi around. Not anymore, at least." Kiara glanced around to take in the appearance of the infirmary where they'd been taken. "I do appreciate your assistance. May I ask how my ship fared?"

The woman smiled. A pilot of nearly any ship would always seem to ask about their ship before verifying their own well-being. "I've instructed my troopers to assist your droid in repairing your ship. It would appear that more than half of the ship's systems were damaged, however. Including life support."

Both members of the crew were surprised by hearing that they'd lost life support. Kallus gave a grateful smile. "Then it would seem that we owe you a debt of gratitude for rescuing us."

"It was nothing that any other shouldn't do when coming across such a scene. Though I must admit that I've never seen a ship drop out of hyperspace within the tentacles of a purrgil before. They've been known to harass ships from time to time but never actually drag them from their routes." Kiara was surprised to hear that they had done that, too. What could have possessed the creatures to do such a thing? The woman in Jedi garb then added, "You are welcomed to stay here on my ship for as long as needed to repair yours. I've rarely come across other force users who are neither Jedi nor Sith. I'm intrigued by your presence. My name is Master Billaba."

That name sounded familiar to Kiara, but she couldn't place it. "I've studied the ancient teachings of the Kwa. I'm Kiara and this is Alex-"

"Please, call me Kallus," he added in behind Kiara.

"Alright. Now that the two of you are well enough, perhaps I should take you to the accommodations that I've had set aside. And you likely could use a meal, as well."

Master Billaba guided the two strangers out of the infirmary. As she did so, they were struck with just how much more was wrong than they had first thought upon waking up on the strange type of ship that neither were familiar with. Outside of the door were soldiers waiting to walk with their general as she led the way. Kiara whispered to Alex in a tone that was nearly inaudible.

"When I heard her say troopers, I thought that... But those aren't stormtroopers."

"No, they're not. They're clone troopers," Kallus confirmed as he looked around carefully.

"How?"

Kallus shook his head ever so slightly. "I have no idea."

"Master!" The sound of a young adolescent could be heard calling as he approached the Jedi with Valour and Kallus in tow.

"Caleb, what have I said about being so enthusiastic while running through the corridors?" The woman admonished patiently.

The young teen boy, with brown hair with a single long braid amongst his otherwise short haircut defined him as being a padawan, let out a breath in response to the question. "That I should save the energy for when we are in true need of doing so."

Kiara listened as the woman spoke to the young boy who looked very familiar somehow. In fact, he was the same boy that she'd seen in the vision that Kanan had shared with her. And the woman had called him-

No, it couldn't be. Could it?

Kiara never realized that she'd stopped walking upon hearing Caleb's name. She'd stood there frozen in place as she realized not so much of where she and Alex had gone to but when.

Kallus stopped when he noticed that Kiara had done the same and followed her line of sight.

Caleb.

"Kiara? Could it be-?"

Kiara nodded and whispered, "Kanan."

Master Billaba had overheard everything and turned her attention back to the two strangers as she approached a set of unused living quarters so that she could sit with them to find out just what had made them so confused. She'd never even heard of these stormtroopers that they had mentioned. Though most of all, she didn't like the way that the woman was looking at her apprentice.

"Caleb, I'll be wrapped up with our visitors for a while. In the meantime, I want you to practice your lightsaber training."

"Can't I stay? Their ship is really cool. Even if it is a mess right now. They have things on there that I couldn't even figure out what they were for."

Despite the strangeness of the situation Kiara couldn't help but find this younger version of her brother to be endearing and more than just a little innocent. She smiled and couldn't help but tell him, "I've made quite a few modifications of my own design."

"What are they all for?" Caleb asked as he turned to look at the female stranger.

"A little bit of everything. After all, one never knows what they will come across in space."

"Especially now with the war," the boy agreed. "Will you show me some of it later on?"

Kiara looked toward the woman who was watching on with affection in her eyes for the boy. "Perhaps later on if it is okay with your master. But for now, I think you'd best go train with your lightsaber as she said. Otherwise, you may not end up the strong and powerful Jedi that I suspect is your destiny to become."

Caleb gave a crooked grin in reply and headed away from the small group just as enthusiastically as when he'd first arrived.

"This way." The Jedi led the couple into the room and requested that her troopers remain outside. Kallus could tell that her men weren't comfortable with their general speaking with the strangers alone. After all, as far as they knew, they could be homicidal maniacs. Kallus suspected that they would likely see the truth to be even worse. With the door closed she motioned to some chairs that were arranged to look at one another in a circle. "Please, have a seat."

Kiara and Alex both took a seat beside the other as Depa Billaba sat across from them both.

"Now, when we were back in the Infirmary you mentioned something about Inquisitors. Then you said that you are not used to seeing Jedi anymore. Then the two of you seemed to be surprised to see my clone troopers and instead referenced a stormtrooper. What is that? And then there was your unusual response to my padawan. I really must insist that you tell me what is going on."

Kallus shook his head as he replied, "I'm not sure you'd believe us if we told you."

"Try me?" The Jedi leaned back in her seat and placed her hands in her lap.

Kiara and Alex exchanged a look before she took a deep breath. "I'll start off by saying that you can at least confirm my identity with the Jedi temple back on Coruscant. My bio-signature will be on file with those of the rest of the force users who were tested but then were chosen to not be taken to the temple for training."

Depa raised a brow since that seemed an odd way to start the conversation. "And why would I need to do that?"

"Because otherwise you may not believe that we-" Kiara bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to decide if she should tell the woman who they were and where they had come from. Wouldn't it change the past? Should they change it if they had the power to? If they were here, wouldn't it speak to the Wills of the Force and that maybe they did want to change things? After all, if it wasn't the will of the force then they wouldn't have been able to come here, right? Ugh! Thinking like this was starting to hurt her head. "We have somehow, with the assistance of the purrgil, travelled through not just space but time as well."

The Jedi looked between the two individuals and sensed nothing but true sincerity. So, if nothing else, they believed what they were telling her. "You travelled through time? With the purrgil?" she asked with more than a bit of disbelief. "And they did that only to decide to leave you stranded here as well?"

Kallus wasn't sure how he'd be able to explain it to the woman, either. But then, perhaps it wasn't his place to try. "I know it is hard to believe."

"Yes, it is." The Jedi Master waited for the pair to continue with their exceptional story. She looked to the woman and asked, "And you said that your identity can be confirmed. And who would that be, exactly?"

Kiara swallowed hard before she replied, "I was born Kiara Dume. The younger sister of your padawan, Caleb Dume."

Depa carefully eyed the woman sitting across from her. She thought back to the look that had been on her face upon seeing Caleb. And of course, the way she'd spoken with him. "So, I take it that my padawan does become a powerful Jedi."

Kiara smiled as she thought that there wasn't any other way that she could describe Kanan. "Power-wise, he may not be the strongest, but he has found a way to find a balance that eludes most Jedi. And he's proven himself over and over again. He has become what I would consider the epidemy of the best qualities of the Jedi."

"And of course, a good friend to those who know him," Kallus added.

Depa used her senses and could feel that the two were being honest with her; even if it was hard to believe. "So, how far into the future are you from?"

"How old is Caleb?" Kiara asked since that would be the standard that she could determine time by.

"He just turned fourteen," the master responded as she saw the pair exchange looks.

"Then we're only a few months away at most. Likely just weeks," Kiara muttered to herself before adding, "Just less than twenty years."

"Purge? What purge?"

"Kiara, I don't know that we should say any more about that," Kallus warned.

She shook her head. "Our presence has already changed things. Set things in motion. Remember what Kanan said about why Ezra couldn't find his own way back to the rest of crew? That things were about to change..." Kiara took a deep breath. "Plus, Master Billaba, here, said that she felt a disturbance in the force when we arrived. Other force users would have, as well. Both Jedi and the Sith. The timeline that we came from likely has already been altered or has collapsed. Meaning that we can't go back."

Kallus thought back to the fact that one of those Sith was the current Chancellor, unbeknownst to the Jedi and galaxy at large, and he grew concerned about the man sensing their sudden appearance in this time period. If he could, then he likely would be sending someone to investigate soon. And their ship wasn't in any condition to be flying for their lives in it. That meant that he and Kiara would be dependent upon the Jedi and her clone troopers to protect them from any dark acolytes sent to find them. Reluctantly, he nodded to her.

"Soon," Kiara thought back to when she was still so young. She'd been twelve when the Empire was created. "The war will end but it will devastate the Jedi Order. The exact details can wait for later. But in our time, there are less than a few hundred Jedi left, scattered throughout the entire galaxy. And of those, nearly all are in hiding. In fact, Kan- Caleb and his apprentice are the only ones until you whom I've met since the end of the Clone War."

Master Billaba couldn't imagine what sort of disaster could wipe out the Jedi Order. The Jedi numbered in the tens of thousands. What could wipe out so many in such a timeframe? She had so many questions but perhaps now wasn't the best time to get those answers. And the woman had made a good point. If she felt the disturbance in the force, then the chances that the Sith Lords in the galaxy also detected it was high.

"I will alert the High Council of our approach to Coruscant. Perhaps they can assist in determining what we should all do next. And you can fully explain what you know."

Chapter Text

Kallus and Kiara joined the Jedi Master in the mess hall for the meal that she insisted on sharing with the pair. She still had many questions, he knew, but she did her best to ask only the questions that wouldn't indicate where they were truly from in the presence of her clone troopers. He suspected that she was still trying to determine just how much to reveal to her captain and commander who served under her.

As he looked around, it felt odd to be looking at a sea of near identical men. He'd seen clones from a distance when he was growing up on Coruscant but never really up close. The only clones he'd actually interacted with were Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor. Three clones who each had their own distinct personalities. The clones that he saw here, after a few moments of watching them, each had their own personalities, too. But one thing they each shared was that they all appeared to be extremely loyal to the Jedi and padawan.

Kallus paused at that thought. Only because in the end, he knew that loyalty wouldn't be enough when the chip that both Kanan and Rex had told him about was activated. All it would take would be for the current chancellor to say three simple words for each of these men to turn on the pair whom right now they would willingly lay down their lives for.

As the meal went on, he wrestled with the idea of what Kiara had suggested. Can they return to their own timeline? Has their presence here alone changed enough of the future so that they can't go back? And if they are stuck here then shouldn't they do what they can to make this new future a better one than the one that they had come from? Could they prevent the Empire from ever forming? There would never then be a need for a rebellion. How many people could be saved?

"Hey," Valour leaned over and bumped his shoulder with her own when the Jedi and her clones all got up and left them alone. "You're awfully quiet."

"Just thinking," Kallus whispered. "How much should we try to change now that we are here? Knowing what we know, would it be right to stay silent about it? Even just letting these people know about the chips could change a lot."

"It's all really confusing. We know so much but then if we say things at the wrong time and in the wrong manner, we could make the new future even worse than the one we know is coming." Kiara sighed. "But then, we are being taken to the Jedi High Council, which means that they will likely push to learn everything that we know."

Kallus lowered his brow. "How much do you know about the council?"

"Not much. I only know the basic structure of the Order from my studies. They never really wanted the outside to know much about them, though. Even Kanan didn't know much about them since he was still so young when the purge happened."

"Then it looks like we are going to get a rare firsthand experience with the High Council."

Kiara nodded. "In any case, I want to go ahead and get the Shadow Chaser back to fighting form; just in case we come across the Sith any time soon."

She wanted to head to the hangar but, in actuality, she had no idea where to go. It must have shown because a clone approached the pair.

"May I be of assistance with something?"

Kallus and Valour both turned to see the clone who appeared to be a commander based on the markings on his armor.

"I was hoping to find my way to the hangar that my ship is in. I'd like to work on it. I'd hate to be dependent on the general's good will longer than needed."

"Of course. Master Billaba asked for me to help the two of you until we have reached Coruscant."

"In otherwise, you've been ordered to watch us," Kallus grinned since he knew that such protocols would be standard regardless of the time or government in place. "A wise precaution."

The clone had a fleeting look of surprise but was able to cover it quickly. "Just follow me."

When they reached the hangar Kiara took in the look of her ship and saw the odd sucker markings that had been left behind by the purrgil when it had wrapped its tentacles around it. She examined it and couldn't help but wonder, yet again, why the creatures had attacked her ship.

"This is worse than I had thought."

"Mistress Kiara?" Tac floated down the ramp upon hearing his mistress's voice. He saw both her as well as his master. "Master Kallus? It is good to see both of you. I was so worried."

"Tac," Kiara couldn't help the smile that spread across her face upon hearing the droid's greeting. "So, how much damage do we have to work on?"

"Our new friends have been quite helpful with the repairs so far. Fortunately, we had replacement parts for most of the systems that were affected. The life support systems did get the worst of the damage, however. It will take some time before it will be fully operational."

"Well, I suppose I should go and take a look at it." Kiara followed the droid up the ramp and set about trying to figure out what it would take to repair the systems.

Kallus eyed the trooper who had been assigned to be their escort while on the ship. He had overheard him and watched the lips as some of the clones were speaking during the midday meal; putting his skill of lip reading to use. At least one had overheard the Jedi Master's conversation when she had contacted the High Council about him and Kiara. He knew that their presence was nearly all that those on the ship could talk about. Kallus figured that if they were stuck here in the past, perhaps he'd start trying to make his new future a more positive one. He thought back to some of the things that Rex had told him in the past about the end of the Clone Wars and what had brought it about.

"I'm trying to figure out where in the timeline I've found myself in," Kallus said since he knew that this clone already had been discussing the fact that the strangers claimed to be from the future. "Tell me, has the truth about the inhibitor chips in each of the clones been revealed yet?"

The clone looked up sharply. "What chips?"

"Oh, so they have yet to be discovered," Kallus acted as if he was surprised. "But of course, they were designed to only be activated by the Sith, so I guess-"

The clone narrowed his eyes upon the mention of the ancient adversary of the Jedi; meaning the enemy of his general, as well. "Explain that. What chips? And why would they be designed to only be activated by the Sith?"

"Perhaps you'd want to come in and sit down while we discuss this. But I must warn, the Sith have their eyes and ears everywhere. So, what I'm about to tell you will need to be kept to the utmost secrecy. The High Council will be informed, of course, but they don't exactly have a track record to indicate that they would share what they may know."

Kiara spent the rest of the day elbow deep in engine grease as she worked along with both Tac and a few clones who had been assigned to help get her ship fully operational. She'd been so busy that she barely gave Alex, and what he was up to, a second thought. Knowing that their presence had created a disturbance and the fact that word of their arrival had been sent to Coruscant, it stressed the need for their ability to fight and escape if need be.

When Kiara got cleaned up for the evening meal, she finally saw that Alexsandr had apparently become quite friendly with the clone who had been stationed to guard and guide them. She wasn't all that surprised since he had so much military experience that he'd find quite a lot in common with the clones, really. But when she walked down the ramp of the Shadow Chaser, she actually heard the pair discussing the inhibitor chips that each of the clones had in them.

When the two saw that she was approaching she heard Alex mutter to the clone. "Remember, this must remain quiet, but I'd suggest having the chips removed as quickly as you can. That way you can be sure to protect yourselves and the Jedi when they are activated in your fellow clones."

The clone nodded before turning to see the woman return to them. "The evening meal will begin being served soon. Shall I lead the way?"

"Please," Kiara motioned for the man to lead the way as she gave Alexsandr a questioning look. He only shrugged and followed Commander Grey back toward the mess hall. When the trio got their meals and sat down, they were soon joined by the young adolescent Jedi.

"I was hoping that I'd get to see you again," the young Caleb Dume sat across the strangers between a couple of clone troopers. "Can I go see your ship when we finish eating?"

Kiara exchanged a smile with Kallus as they tried to picture this boy growing up to become the man whom they knew in their own time. "Only if it is alright with your master. I wouldn't want to do anything that she isn't comfortable with."

"She'll be fine with it. She just said that I had to go with Commander Grey. I'm not sure what kind of trouble I could get into in the hangar but-"

The clone in question snickered but quickly covered it up with a smile. "Who said she's trying to protect you? She may be looking out for our new friends."

The young padawan gave a look to the clone before he laughed as he gave a light push for teasing him. "Very funny. Besides, with you there, it's not like there'll be any danger."

Kiara watched the exchange where it was clear that Caleb and the clones all had a very special relationship. How could they be forced to turn against the people whom they clearly have a strong affection for just by a few simple words being uttered? She listened as the young teen spoke about his latest training session and the clones around him volunteered to help in his next one. They'd fire lower energy blasts for the young Jedi to deflect with his lightsaber. She continued to eat her meal as they discussed their training sessions and as she lifted her eating utensil, her wrist shields caught Caleb's attention.

"What are those? You didn't have those earlier."

She looked at her wrists. No, she didn't have them on earlier since there hadn't been time when she'd awakened to the purrgil attack to put them on. "You have quite the keen sense of observation. These are some shields that a friend made for me."

Commander Grey eyed the devices from where he was sitting. "They look to have a Mandalorian design to them."

Kiara smiled, "That's because my friend is a Mandalorian. She wanted me to have something on me just in case I needed to defend myself."

"Good friend," Grey said as he itched to examine the gauntlets up close.

"Very," Kiara agreed.

After the meal she led her brother back to her ship and took pride in showing it off to him. Even if he wasn't aware of their connection, he took great interest in her ship, and she enjoyed the time she was able to spend with him. Caleb did seem uncomfortable when he asked why he couldn't sense the force when in the hangar and surrounding area. She explained that someone had been trying to develop a weapon against force users but assured that the man was dead now and he couldn't keep working on that weapon. Once she'd finished her explanation, she looked up to find that the Jedi Master had joined them once more.

"I was wondering about that, myself," Depa commented as she joined her padawan as he left the strangers' ship. "How could someone create a weapon like that?"

Kallus looked to Kiara before saying, "We aren't really sure of the details. We do know that an animal was found with a natural ability to suppress the force. But where they were first found and when, I'm not exactly sure. The scientists were killed after they succeeded by the man who commissioned their research and then he died in battle. So, to the best of our knowledge, all who were a part of the program are dead."

"Dead, where you are from," Depa added since that didn't mean that they couldn't be a threat in this timeframe if they chose to be.

Kallus nodded. "Correct."

Depa Billaba paused as she glanced between the strangers then down to her padawan. She didn't want to ask her questions in front of the boy. Still, she would be present when they were to be questioned by the High Council. She tucked the information away for later when she'd be able to ask more about it. She then led Caleb away as the pair were taken back to their quarters where they'd been assigned to stay while in transit to Coruscant.

When Valour and Kallus were alone in their room, she had to ask about what she'd heard earlier. "So, care to tell me why you told the clones about the inhibitor chips?"

"Considering that we'll be telling the High Council about them soon, yet they directly affect the men, themselves, I didn't see much harm in it. And with these being the clones responsible for Kanan and his master's safety..." Kallus shrugged.

Kiara took a breath and nodded. It was so hard to decide what they could or should say and to whom. After all, if word got back to the Sith too soon then he likely would just implement his plans ahead of schedule. Patience is what was needed when trying to go forward. Still, the fact that Alex wanted to offer some protection for her brother was touching.

Several days later, Kiara and Alexsandr both stood behind Depa Billaba and Caleb Dume as they prepared to leave the shuttle that they'd taken to Coruscant. More specifically to the Jedi temple on the planet. Kiara had hoped that she'd be able to fly her own ship, but it still had another system that needed repair before it would be flight worthy. Depa assured that it would be brought to the temple as soon as it was repaired.

When the hatch was opened Kiara looked past the Jedi and saw a small reception of about four other members of the Order waiting for them. No doubt acting as both the welcoming committee as well as a sentry to protect the temple. Kiara acknowledged the Jedi as they greeted her, but she knew that they wouldn't ask their questions of her and Alex until they were behind closed doors. Or at least she hadn't thought that any questions would be asked until they were before the council.

"Which one of you is the force user," a darker-skinned man asked who looked to be about fifteen to twenty years older than she or Alex.

Depa motioned for Kiara, so she answered, "I am. Why?"

"Then you will come with us. Your friend will be asked to wait elsewhere."

"Now wait just a minute!" Kallus didn't like the idea of being separated.

"What does his not being a force sensitive have to do with anything? In fact, I would have expected that you'd want to ask him questions, too. Especially since he doesn't have the ability to block a force user from being able to detect if he is being truthful." Kiara crossed her arms as she stared down the Jedi who wanted to split them up.

Off to the side Kallus could spot a younger human male, perhaps in his early twenties, who seemed to be trying to keep himself from laughing at how Kiara was challenging the Jedi Master. Something told him by looking at the young man that he wasn't used to witnessing others defying the dark-skinned Jedi.

"Alright," Mace finally relented. After all, she did have a point. Of the two, the man is the one who would be less likely to hide anything from the rest of them. "Follow me, then."

Chapter Text

As the pair followed the Jedi through the temple, they both took in the opulence of their surroundings. Neither had seen anything like the temple. During the near endless halls and corridors that the pair walked through on their way to the lift that would take them along with their Jedi escorts to the center spire they observed evidence of ancient battles along with priceless art that lined their path. Once the retinue of Jedi led their visitors to the High Council Chamber the Jedi took their seats, while others were already waiting for them, and it was clear that Kallus and Valour were to stand in the middle of the room.

"Now, why don't you explain just who you are and why we are to believe you when you say that you are from the future," Mace Windu started the meeting.

"The fact that you know we are from the future speaks to the fact that you already have been told who we are." Kallus raised a brow at the man. "As for why you should believe us, you don't have to. That is unless you don't want your arrogance to be the cause of billions of lives either being cut short or ruined. Because in the future that we came from, this council, nor this Order, are still around."

Mace narrowed his eyes at the man. What was it with both of these individuals not knowing how to give the masters their proper due?

"I had hoped that Master Billaba would be joining us for this meeting," Kiara said as she thought back to the fact that the man who seemed to have decided to be the council's spokesman had suggested for the woman to take her padawan elsewhere during the meeting. "I did tell her that my identity could be confirmed."

Another man, this one being a light-skinned human with auburn hair, spoke up as he stroked his beard. "She told us that you are Kiara Dume. However, that is hard to believe to be true since she is only twelve years old and has been confirmed to still be on Lothal. But you said that you are from the future. How is it that you have been able to come to this time if you are who you say you are?"

"Trust me, it wasn't something that we did on our own. We didn't wake up one day and decide to fix the mistakes of the past," Kiara turned to face this man since he treated her with more respect than the one who had first addressed them. "The purrgil are the ones who decided to bring us here."

"The purrgil?" Obi-wan asked. "I've heard of them harassing ships in the past, but this is something new."

"We'd never heard of it, either. One minute we were travelling through hyperspace on a mission and the next we were being pulled out of it and found ourselves waking up in this time period," Kallus snickered as he spoke.

"And you said something about mistakes of the past as well as mentioned that in your future, this council doesn't exist. Could you explain what happened?"

Kiara glanced around the room and instantly liked this master more than the first one. He gave off a much more friendlier vibe.

"I should preface this with the fact that anything that you hear here today must not be shared with anyone, at least not until a plan has been devised on how best to go forward." Kiara saw that most of the council were intrigued but the first Jedi looked at her with indignation. Was he always so arrogant? "Especially not with anyone from the current government."

That then had the eyes of the friendlier Jedi to take on a suspicious look to them. Still, it was the darker-skinned Jedi who spoke up first.

"Our loyalties are to the Republic. Yet you are asking us to-"

"I beg your pardon. However, I was under the impression that the loyalties of the Jedi Order were to the Will of the Force. Governments rise and fall. Usually due to the corruptness of their leaders and officials." Kiara didn't mean to glare, but she did. "And the current government has been corrupted. If you weren't so unbalanced in the force, then perhaps you would have been able to detect that before it got to the level that it has. And if you speak out of turn too fast then it will only cause the disasters that took place in our timeline to occur much faster."

"And you know this because-"

"Because we've lived with the consequences of this council's lack of awareness." Kiara crossed her arms and once more found herself in a starring contest with the man.

"In our time, the Sith has taken over the government and has had the Jedi hunted down to near extinction." Kallus added as he saw once more the youngest of the council was smirking. "We can only assume that our presence here now means that it is the Will of the Force for the events that we lived through to be altered. But if you'd rather have the Republic replaced with a tyrannical empire, then by all means, ignore our warnings. Because that is what will happen to your precious Republic in only a matter of months from now unless things are changed."

On one of the strange chairs a green individual of small stature held up a hand which caused all of the Jedi to quieten and wait for the man to speak up. When he did, both Kiara and Alex found his odd way of speaking to be intriguing.

"Our visitors speak, let us. Our minds on what it is that they have to say, we will then make."

Mace nodded as he spoke up, "Very well. Tell us what you claim to know about what will bring about the destruction of both the Republic as well as the Jedi Order."

Kiara swallowed before she started, "Okay, how much about the creation of the Clone Army do you know?"

That took Obi-wan by surprise since he wasn't sure what one could have to do with the other. "What do you know about it?"

"Right," Kiara sighed. "You don't want to reveal more than you think I might already know." She exchanged a glance with Alex who shrugged at him. She thought back to what both Rex and Kanan had told her before she started. "From what I've learned from both my brother as well as a couple of clone survivors whom we've worked with-"

"Clone survivors?" The younger member on the council looked distressed as the term. "What do you mean?"

"There are even fewer clones around than Jedi in our time," Kallus explained. "Both thanks to their accelerated aging as well as the fact that the Empire worked tirelessly to replace them as quickly as they could after their inhibitor chips were activated. I figured, looking back, that the emperor didn't want the same chips that caused the clones to be turned into weapons against the Jedi to then be turned against him. Though our friend is a first-generation clone. So that means that he's had quite a bit of experience and I find him to be a highly reliable source."

Anakin's eyes widened at the reference of the inhibitor chips. He'd heard about them once before. When Fives was brought back from Kamino he was going on about them when they had to hunt him down. But he'd been hysterical. He'd been convinced that it was the result of a man who was ill from the same virus that had caused Tup to turn on his Jedi general. He looked over at Obi-wan and saw that he was surprised to hear about the chips as well.

"We were told that the inhibitor chips were to prevent the clones from becoming violent thanks to the source for their DNA," Obi-wan said as he leaned back and prepared to hear more of what this pair had to say.

"Told that by whom? The same people who created them, I presume," Kallus snickered. "Do you really think that if they had an ulterior purpose that they would tell you?"

"I suppose not," Obi-wan said simply.

"Such inhibitor chips were a wise precaution," Mace insisted. "Jango Fett was a violent man wh-"

"Who was chosen to be the source for the clone DNA because he was known as being able to kill Jedi with his bare hands, from what I gather." It was now Kallus's turn to stare down the dark-skinned Jedi. "Ever care to wonder why it was he who was chosen to be the source for the genetic material? What were the criteria that was looked for? Who were the ones to choose that man to be the face of the Army of the Grand Republic?"

"Alex," Kiara said softly to get him to tone it down just a little. They weren't going to get through to anyone if they went on the defensive. She then turned toward the Jedi sitting in a circle around them. "The friend of ours, a clone, told us about the chips. He removed his and told us that he didn't fulfill the order when it was given. But the chips were designed, from the beginning, to program the clones. Many of the orders they would obey subconsciously without being told to. Others, these contingency orders on the other hand, must actually be vocalized to activate them. Most of them required multiple steps for activation. But not one. That order is Order Sixty-Six. To force them to kill the Jedi when the Sith Lord gives the order. To cause them to believe that the Jedi had betrayed them and the Republic."

Obi-wan exchanged looks with several other Jedi. He thought back to his discovery of Darth Tyranus and his role in the creation of the Grand Army of the Republic. The pair here didn't seem to have all of the pieces of the puzzle, but they did have pieces that the Order hadn't had up until now.

Kallus watched on as the various thoughts showed on the faces of the Jedi. "Answer me this. If you were to decide to do so, what would be the most strategic way to kill the Jedi?"

"My men would never kill me," the younger Jedi on the council insisted.

"Perhaps not. But from what our friends told me, not every clone had the kind of generals that they had. Our friend has told us many stories and he seemed to practically idolize his, from the way he goes on about his general. But he's also told us of some Jedi who treated the clones as if they were little more than biological droids. For those clones, if they were told to kill their Jedi generals, they likely wouldn't hesitate." Kallus saw the recognition of what he said was true. In fact, he wondered if any of those present were known to treat the men under their command as he'd described.

Anakin's brows creased as he thought about some of the other Jedi who didn't look at the clones as if they were men. And there were many Jedi who were poor generals. He swallowed hard. Yes, he supposed that if someone wanted to kill the Jedi that using the clones who surrounded them in battle would be very effective. While the Jedi were focused on a battle in front of them their clones would be all around them and could strike down the force user before they even knew something was wrong.

Anakin thought back to another comment that the woman had said. One that may be a bit off topic, but it called to him anyway, so he turned to her. "You spoke of the Jedi being out of balance. How do you know of this?"

Kiara let out a soft laugh but quickly covered it up. She hadn't expected anyone to call her out on that comment so quickly. "When one ignores half of the ancient teachings of those who came before regarding the force then of course there will be an imbalance. The ancient force users, not just the Kwa whom I studied the teachings of but the Je'daii as well, taught that going too far to one side or the other is dangerous. That isn't just directed to the dark side but the light, as well. Because one can become blinded by either."

"That is enough," Mace demanded. "The Jedi are no threat. The Sith, however, are."

"If the imbalance within the force causes the Jedi to become blind to the workings of the Sith, then I'd argue that is just as dangerous. Especially when the rest of the galaxy are who will pay the ultimate price for such hubris," Kallus said with a brow raised. The look on the man's face was priceless as he tried to refute the logic of his statement. What was it about this darker-skinned Jedi that made him want to argue with him?

Anakin listened and considered what both of the strangers said. He nodded as he leaned back into his chair. After all, the very fact that there was a prophecy regarding bringing back balance to the force meant that the Jedi acknowledged that they were unbalanced. He looked over at Master Windu and saw that he was about to argue with the strangers again, but Master Yoda raised a hand once more.

"What I have suspected for quite some time, our guests only say. Suffered from our imbalance, the Jedi have. Due to this, able to rise with impunity, the Sith were. Now, return to the issue of the inhibitor chips, let us."

Another master, a Togruta who wasn't actually present but was joining the meeting through a holographic transmission, spoke up. "I can try to learn more about the chips here on Kamino but it would run the risk of tipping off the Kaminoans if they are indeed involved with this plot that our new friends have told us about. After the incident with Fives and Tup, their chips were lost, and likely destroyed. Especially if there is a plot like the ones that we are now being told about."

Obi-wan nodded. "Be sure to be careful. We do not want to tip our hand too quickly. Though, it would help if we knew who this Sith Lord is."

Kallus and Valour both exchanged a look when they saw the Jedi look at them expectantly. Kiara took a deep breath and released it before she spoke. "You mean Emperor Palpatine."

"The Chancellor?! There is no way that the chancellor would be a Sith," Anakin said with a tinge of anger. "He has been nothing but kind to me."

"Let's hear them out, Anakin," Obi-wan calmed his former padawan. "Yes, he has been kind to you, but he has often shown himself to be... different when you aren't around. I've often had my suspicions over the years."

Kallus spoke up, next, "We were taught in our schools that the Empire set up to train their officers that the emperor faced an assassination attempt from the Jedi. That was the story that he used to justify his hunting down of every last Jedi. Clearly, it was all a ruse to gain sympathy from the senate. Though, once he declared himself Emperor the senate lost all of its real power. In our time, it had been disbanded just before the emperor ordered a massive super weapon to destroy Alderaan as a way to show his power to the rest of the galaxy. Hoping that it would stamp out the dissidents who had formed a rebellion to fight against him and his Empire."

Obi-wan absorbed the man's words, especially the fact that apparently this Empire was willing to destroy an entire peaceful planet, before asking, "I assume that it is safe to say that you two are members of that rebellion."

"We weren't always," Kiara said before Kallus spoke once more.

"I'm ashamed to say that I once bought into the Imperial propaganda. I was an Imperial officer who actually was assigned to help maintain the emperor's version of order. It took too many years for me to realize what kind of a tyrannical government that I was supporting. But, yes, I did eventually join the Rebellion."

The Jedi Grand Master looked to be deep in thought as Mace once more spoke up. "I still find it difficult to believe the words of these strangers that the future is as dire as they claim. How do we know that they truly are as they say? This could be a trick of the Sith to get us to commit treason toward the Republic, and the Chancellor."

"Make an interesting point, you do, Master Windu. One way we could be assured, there is, with the permission of our new friends."

"What do you need of us?" Kiara asked.

"Us to go into your minds, to see your memories for ourselves we could be assured of your honesty, if you would allow."

Kiara exchanged a look with Alex before they both nodded. If this is what it would take, then they didn't really see any other choice.

The pair remained still and did their best to clear their minds as the Jedi around them used their force abilities to focus on their thoughts. Kallus thought about his conversations with the clones in the rebellion and what they had told him over the last couple of years. When he looked around the room, he saw a mixture of emotions on the faces of the Jedi. He hoped that this invasion into his thoughts would convince the men and women around him and help them know that they needed to act to change the events that would lead up to the creation of the Empire.

Chapter Text

Anakin sat back as he and the rest of the Jedi High Council pulled back from delving into the minds of the strangers before them. His mind was filled with what he'd seen when he looked into their thoughts. He'd concentrated on the man since it was clear that due to his having no force abilities that he wouldn't be able to alter his memories in an effort to misguide him or the others. When he went into the man's thoughts he saw events of his past, both while he was a part of this Empire that the two had spoken about as well as after he'd left it. One thing that struck him, besides his devotion to his rebellion as well as the lengths that he'd gone to in order to protect others within it indicated, was the similarities of one of the individuals that he'd seen in the man's memories to someone he knew. He did say that his friend was a first-generation clone. And...

Anakin felt a twitch at the corner of his mouth. Didn't this man say that his clone friend idolized his general?

Obi-wan, like the rest of the council, looked to see what Master Yoda would say after the pair before them had willingly allowed the council to reach into their minds to see the truth of their words. The smaller Jedi looked as if he was trying to decide how best to go forward. Finally, he did speak up.

"Cautious, we must be. If we move too swiftly, tip our hand, we could. First, the Jedi from our clone allies, we must protect. Removed from those who work directly under the Jedi, the inhibitor chips must be. Quietly. Pull the clones away from those Jedi who do not require their presence for missions, we should."

"It may be difficult to do that without drawing suspicion," Obi-wan said as he thought about how to go about implementing the removal of the inhibitor chips. He looked to the pair from the future who had brought them the information regarding the Sith's evil plot. "We'll take it from here. We'll have to discuss this in private."

"Rex is outside," Anakin said while keeping a straight face. "I'll have him walk them around until we've finished here."

He saw the look on the faces of the man and woman and wanted to chuckle. He would love to join them now as they went to spend time with their future friend. He also couldn't wait to tell Rex later on what he knew about not just them but him as well. He stood and went to the door to the council where Rex was waiting on the other side for him.

"Rex, could you show our guests around a bit? You know the usual areas to take visitors. I'll be tied up here for a bit longer and will join you when I can."

The clone in question gave a curt nod. "Of course, Sir."

Kiara and Alexsandr walked to the door and followed as the clone that the young Jedi Master referred to as Rex led them to the lift that would take them back down to the rest of the temple. They both were trying to picture this man as the older, tough, and loyal clone that they knew. Kallus then was struck with a thought. If this was Rex, then the man who ordered him to take them around the temple must be the infamous General Skywalker that he'd told so many stories about. The youngest member on the council. To be so young on the Jedi High Council must speak to the fact that at least some of what Rex had told him and the others had been true. He started to smile at the fact that he was able to put names to faces.

"Is something funny?" Rex asked as he eyed the stranger.

"It's just that you remind me of someone I know from where we live."

Rex paused in his steps and turned to face the man. "Is that some sort of joke regarding the fact that I'm a clone?"

Kallus raised his hands to show that he hadn't meant anything by his statement. "Not at all. You remind me of a friend. A good friend whom I respect. In fact, you'd have quite a bit in common."

Rex examined the man's face and saw a bit of sincerity in his eyes, so he let it go. He briskly turned and led the pair around and wondered why he'd been given the duty of being their escort. He was a soldier, not a babysitter.

"Look, I know leading us around isn't exactly what a soldier like you would rather be doing right now," Kallus said. "If you want, you can just take us back to the shuttle that we arrived on, and we'll wait there."

Rex was surprised by the man's intuitive nature, and he'd like nothing more than to dump them back at the shuttle, but he knew that he couldn't. He had his orders. "No, but perhaps there is a place that you'd like to go otherwise, within the temple?"

"Well, I was recently injured and have been working hard to get back into fighting form. However, the last few days have been... hectic. Perhaps a gym?" Kallus then added, "And I'd be grateful for a sparring partner."

Rex chuckled. "That, I think I can help you with."

Kiara shook her head. Of course, he was going to take this opportunity to see Rex as a younger man and try to see how he himself would measure up. It was a good thing that Kallus had mostly gotten back to his condition prior to his interrogation by the Moff. Still, she figured that Alex may be biting more off than he could chew. Rex appeared to be in his prime and he has devoted his entire life to warfare. She followed the men to the gym and chose to watch the foolery that was about to ensue. She did decide to at least withhold any snide remarks until they were behind closed doors later.

Kiara could tell that Rex had to be holding back after hearing Alex state that he'd been injured recently. So at least he wouldn't be put to shame, but it was still clear that the clone wanted to let him know that he could have shown him just how reckless it had been to challenge the clone to a sparring match. Rex would much rather be sparring in the gym here at the temple than playing tour guide.

As she watched she was approached by Depa Billaba. She had instructed her padawan to join a class taught by Jocasta Nu. He wasn't happy about it, of course. It wouldn't be as interesting as the boy preferred but it was important to learn to stay in the moment even when there didn't appear to be anything exciting about it.

"I am surprised to find you here," Depa said as she took a seat next to Kiara.

"The council chose to discuss things in private." Kiara glanced around. There were a few Jedi scattered throughout the gymnasium training, but they weren't very close by. And of course, Rex and Alex were too engrossed with their match for the clone to overhear anything. "I was disappointed that you weren't able to join the meeting."

Depa nodded. She was as well. "If the council felt that I needed to be there then I would have been."

Kiara looked at the woman skeptically. "And if their feelings on the matter were clouded and misguided?"

The Jedi gave a small smile. "We are all misguided from time to time. If it is the council's time for such then I suppose I would be dependent upon others to instead see more clearly. And hopefully then they would impart any wisdom that they found would be needed."

Kiara snickered. "We told them everything. But I must ask, this one master. I believe he was referred to as Windu. Is he always so... Frustrating? Arrogant?"

Depa laughed. "He is confident, with good reason. But he can be difficult at times. I know that all too well; he was my master."

"A very diplomatic way of referring to him." Kiara shook her head. "Anyway, I do hope that you'll be filled in on everything soon."

"As do I." She then added, "I was informed that your ship's repairs have been completed."

"So, it will be brought here to the temple, then?"

"Provided that council approves." Depa looked over at where the men were sparring. "Do you not wish to do more than just sit on the sidelines? It occurs to me that it has been a while since I have been able to spar with another force user. Care to indulge me?"

"I'm afraid that I won't be much of a challenge for you. I can fight, but I've not studied like the Jedi here have."

"All the more reason for you to get some practice in, then. After all, if the Sith learn about you and your friend, then you may be forced to fight."

Kiara thought about Master Billaba's words of warning. She was right. She did need to be prepared. "Alright. I do need to practice with my shields that my friend made for me. They are powered by Kyber crystals just like a lightsaber. Care to help me test them out?"

Depa nodded and led the woman away to a private chamber to spar in while they waited for the council members to determine if they could return to their ship.

Anakin called earlier to find out where Rex and their guests were and had been surprised to learn that they were working out in the Jedi temple's gym. That wasn't a place that many visitors would find of interest. Once the meeting was called to an end he went in search of the trio. When he found Rex and the man from the future, Anakin hadn't expected to find them sparring with one another. He knew Rex was taking it easy on the man, but both were covered in sweat from their prolonged workout. When he entered into the gym Rex spotted him and indicated to the man he was working out with that he was finished. Anakin walked up to them as he heard Rex speak with the visitor.

"Not bad, considering you said you've recently been injured. We'll have to do this again when you are fully healed up," he said as he put a hand to Kallus's shoulder. "There are few non-clones who also aren't Jedi who could keep up with me. I'd like to put it to the test to see if you are one of those few."

Kallus chuckled as he swiped some sweat from his brow. "I look forward to it." He looked around and saw that Kiara wasn't anywhere in sight. "Wait, wasn't Kiara over there earlier?"

"I saw Master Billaba with her earlier. They went to the private room. They are still there. They haven't left."

Rex led the way toward the private workout room and took in the sight of the two women sparring even more vigorously than he and Kallus had. Master Billaba had her lightsaber and the other woman had what looked to be Mandalorian personal wrist shields. He'd seen them deflect blaster bolts before but never a lightsaber. He was intrigued. Looking at his general, he could tell that Skywalker was as well.

"Where did she get those?" Anakin asked as the women continued to spar while they watched on.

"A friend of ours created them for her. Figured that since she doesn't carry a lightsaber, not being a Jedi and all, that she could use something in case she ever had to face a dark acolyte of the Sith. In our time there are many Inquisitors who are sent to hunt down force users."

Rex shot a look at Kallus. "In our time? What is that supposed to mean?"

Anakin studied the man. That wasn't a slip. He had intentionally said what he had. He shrugged. "I'll fill you in on it later. For now, we'd best find our friends a room for the night."

"I was under the impression that we'd be returning to Master Billaba's Light Cruiser. If not our own ship. Why would we require a room here at the temple?" Kallus crossed his arms as he spoke.

Across the room Depa spotted Skywalker so she called an end to the sparring session with the female stranger. When the two of them joined the men, Anakin explained.

"The council has deemed it best if our two visitors remain here for the time being."

"So, we are prisoners?" Kallus asked while glaring.

"No, not at all. In fact-"

"So, if I wanted to go and enjoy the city, I'd be permitted?" He uncrossed his arms and waited for the Jedi to reply.

"Well, no. But you'll be given comfortable rooms and you'll be able to-"

"I see." Alexsandr gave a wry chuckle that spoke to the fact that he found this anything but funny. "So at least our prison will be a comfortable one. It doesn't make it any less of one, though."

"Alex, let's hear him out."

Anakin gave her a grateful smile. He sort of wished that he hadn't been elected to be the one to inform their guests that they would have to remain at the temple for the time being. "With the fact that your arrival has caused a disturbance in the force, we fear that if you leave the temple that the Sith could take the opportunity to try to find you. Here, your presence can be masked by that of so many force users. This really is for your own protection. Especially considering..." Anakin still found this part hard to believe even though he'd seen their memories for himself, "who the Sith Lord is."

Kiara let out a sigh but nodded in acceptance. "For now. But our presence can also be masked on my ship. If we do leave, so long as we are on it, the Sith still won't be able to sense us there."

"I'll make sure that your ship is brought to the temple. And I'll keep that in mind. Trust me. I wouldn't want to be told that I had to stay here, neither," Anakin gave a wide smile and motioned to lead the small group toward the few rooms that were set aside for the rare occasions for non-Jedi to stay at the temple. In fact, he wasn't sure if he knew of a time where he'd seen that they were used before.

"I must go and see to my padawan, but I do hope that I'll be able to see you again," Depa said to the pair.

"So do I. And if it wouldn't be out of line, perhaps you could bring your apprentice with you the next time," Kiara said since she did want to see her brother again before the pair returned to their place on the frontlines of the Clone War.

"Of course." With that she departed.

Once they were shown their room Anakin and Rex left and waited outside for a clone escort to arrive who would be stationed outside of the room. Now that they were alone Rex turned to his general and friend.

"Now would you tell me what that was all about in the gym? And what makes those two so special?"

"Rex, you are not going to believe me."

The clone tilted his head. "With everything that I've seen since becoming your captain, I doubt that there is much that would surprise me."

Anakin smiled since that sounded like a challenge to him. And he loved a challenge. "Then you won't be surprised to hear that they are from the future."

Rex looked back to the door behind him and then back to Skywalker. "I stand corrected."

Anakin let out a hearty laugh. "Trust me, I found it hard to believe, too. But... Well, it is the truth. Now we have to decide what to do with the knowledge that they brought with them. Speaking of, remember Fives? What he told us?"

Rex's eyes darkened at the memory of the man's final moments. "I do."

"He was right. Which means when we leave here, we'll be taking you to the medical bay. You have a chip that needs to be removed. We need to quietly remove them without letting anyone else know. We are starting with those clones who work closest with Jedi."

Chapter Text

Kallus woke early and looked out of the window toward the city that he remembered as a boy. The early sunlight glittered off of the tall buildings that covered the planet's surface. Buildings built on top of one another. Growing up, he rarely saw a sunrise like this one. The sun's light had a difficult time penetrating the dark shadows of the lower levels where he'd grown up.

Out there, right now, his younger self was waking up to a dismal existence and didn't really have any hope of escaping it. He had such simple dreams back then. He just wanted a real home and a family. He'd finally found that on the Shadow Chaser with Kiara. His family also included the crew of the Ghost. They weren't here but Kiara and the ship were. He knew that his teenaged self wouldn't ever believe the life that he'd lived so far.

"Hey." Kiara walked up and found Alex looking particularly pensive. "Cabin fever already setting in?"

"That happened the moment that we were told that we couldn't leave, yesterday."

"Well, we could still go and explore the temple."

"So long as we take our shadows outside the door with us." Kallus shook his head. "I'm not really interested, anyway."

"You haven't been on Coruscant in a long time, have you?" Kiara slipped an arm around his waist and leaned her head on this shoulder. "Bringing up some memories?"

"Maybe. Some that should have been left in the past." He stared out the window and rested his cheek on top of Kiara's head. "But I was also thinking about us." Kiara moved her head just enough to look up at him, so he continued. "Say what you want about the Empire, but it did get both of us out of the lives we had before it. And it brought both of us together. Now that things are changing, will our younger selves find one another?"

Kiara shook her head as she leaned back into Alex. "I don't know. I'm still on Lothal in this time and if it wasn't for the Empire and the Inquisitors, I likely would have lived there for the rest of my life. Few really leave the planet. And while I would have loved studying archaeology still, my father wouldn't have sent me to school for it. He sent me on a dig but that was to get me away from Lothal for when the Inquisitors were sent for me."

Kallus tightened his arm around Kiara at the mentioning of the man and his decision to make it easier for the Emperor's dark acolytes to find her. "And even fewer escape the lower levels of Coruscant."

"But you'd be one of those few," Kiara said with confidence. "You aren't one to just be satisfied with what you are able to scrounge for."

Alex snickered. "And you are, I suppose?" He felt her shrug and wondered if there was a way to help their younger selves just as much as they were trying to help the galaxy at large.

Kiara left Alex in the suite that they'd been assigned to. No doubt it was designed for dignitaries. It was too large and opulent for her tastes. But then, much of the temple could fit that description. She took a lift along with her clone guard and asked if he had any suggestions of places where she could go to explore.

"I'm sorry, I don't. There are few places where non-Jedi are permitted. To be honest, I've not come this far into the temple before."

Kiara bit her lip and nodded. "Alright. Well, I suppose I'll just return to the gym. Perhaps Master Billaba and her padawan will be able to return to the planet's surface. But in the meantime, if the cause of my staying here is for my safety, then perhaps I should work on taking it more into my own hands."

"Very well, Ma'am." The clone started to lead the woman through the cavernous corridors toward where she may be able to meet up with the Jedi in question.

"Forgive me, but I don't think I caught your name," Kiara asked as she took the leisurely stroll toward the gym.

The clone eyed the stranger since few wanted to speak to clones, much less learn their names. "Trip, Ma'am."

"Trip?"

"Yes, Ma'am. My number is CT-9333."

"So, Trip stands for triple threes? I like it, Trip. And please, my name is Kiara. I don't stand much on ceremony."

"Yes, Ma'a- Kiara. May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"You know that you and your friend are just about all that many can talk about." Kiara paused in her steps as she turned to the clone. Trip paused and turned toward her as well. "Is what they say about you true?"

Kiara chewed the inside of her cheek as she considered how she should best answer his question. "I suppose I wouldn't be garnering the attention that I have and placed in that suite here in the temple if it wasn't. But you are wondering more about what is being said regarding...?"

"That we have chips that can be used to control us?" Trip pressed since he was surprised to find the woman so willing to speak with him.

Kiara let out a breath. "You and your brothers have been given a terrible role to play in history. But hopefully, we can change that role and how history will unfold."

Trip stared at the woman and looked for any sign of dishonesty but found none. He briskly nodded and turned to continue to lead her to where she hoped to find Master Billaba. He'd been taken the night before to have his own inhibitor chip removed. He supposed that those who were stationed here at the temple were among the first who would have theirs removed. When he was asked to go to the medical bay, he was told that there was an issue with the chips and there was a cause for concern that they may develop tumors around them. So, the Jedi hadn't told them the truth about the chips or their need to have them removed.

Trip supposed that it was only to be expected. He'd spoken with Billaba's commander, Commander Grey, when he was stationed at the temple the day before when the woman was here. He'd told Trip what he'd been told by the man whom he and his comrade, Gambit, were stationed to guard and escort around the temple about the chips' true purpose. He'd not believed it but then he and Gambit were brought in to have their inhibitor chips removed... Add that to the fact that recently there were rumors regarding the chips when another clone, one named Fives, tried to share what he'd learned with those who would listen just before he was killed. The few clones who had heard the man had assumed that he was delusional at the time. But now...

When the pair approached the workout area Kiara was surprised to be met with Rex and his general. "Master Skywalker, to what do I owe this honor?"

"I was hoping that I could speak with you in private. You know, without Master Windu around to cause both you and your friend to become more aggravated than needed." Anakin gave a smile as he chuckled. "Not that I can't say that I didn't enjoy the both of you putting him in his place yesterday."

"Why do I get the feeling that I did what you have wanted to do for years?" She couldn't help the snicker that escaped her.

"Perhaps because you are astute in your ability to read other people."

Kiara joined in the laughter. "If you only knew."

"I'll see to her," Anakin said to the clone escort to allow him to leave.

"As you wish, Sir." With that, Trip lowered his head briefly before he left.

"So, where shall we talk?"

"Actually, I was hoping that you'd show me around your ship. From what I've heard, you've made quite a few upgrades and I'd love to get a look at them."

"A bit of a gearhead, yourself?"

"Maybe. I used to work on all sorts of ships and droids when I was younger, and I still enjoy getting a little grease under the nails from time to time."

"Mind if we have Alex tag along? He's already going out of his mind being stuck in the temple."

Anakin shrugged, "I'll have Gambit escort him to the ship."

"In that case, lead the way."

"Master Kallus! Mistress Kiara!" Tac floated down the ramp and greeted his humans enthusiastically. "I'm pleased to inform you that the ship's systems are fully functional once more."

"That's good to hear. Now if only we could put them to the test," Kallus eyed the clone escort as well as the Jedi.

"I'll show you the cockpit," Kiara said to Skywalker as she gave Alex a look which caused him to roll his eyes.

Fine, he won't say anything else that might offend the other men. "I'll take this opportunity to change into a fresh set of clothes. We didn't exactly have any warning to pack a bag before we were moved into the temple."

Anakin indicated to the escort that he and Rex could take over his duties for now. In the cockpit he sat in the captain's chair and examined the clear indication that the ship had been modified for combat. He looked over the control panel and eyed a switch that didn't seem to have originally been a part of the panel. He filed its presence away for later before he began the conversation that he'd been wanting to have since the day before.

"Yesterday, you mentioned the balance of the force," Anakin started. "And said that you studied another theology. Could you tell me more about it?"

"About the Kwa?" Anakin nodded so she tried to figure out a way to explain the Kwa to him. "They are an older Order than the Jedi. Even older than the Je'daii. Both, though, stressed balance in the force. I studied at an ancient temple that had long ago been forgotten."

"How did you find it?"

Kiara laughed. "Lots of research of ancient temples. And of course, an awful lot of luck."

"Where is that temple at?"

"Why?"

Anakin shrugged. "I might be interested in going to take a look around."

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea. You have to be fairly balanced to be allowed inside the Gateway of Knowledge. If you try to go in and you aren't, then you will be killed."

He lowered his eyes before he spoke back up. "Have you ever heard of any of the Jedi prophecies? Especially the one about the Chosen One?"

"No," Kiara said slowly as she waited for the man to continue. "Should I have?"

"Probably not," he then added, "I sort of wish I hadn't."

That had her full attention. "So, what is it? What does it say?"

"There is a prophecy that states that there will be one Jedi who will help to restore balance to the Jedi." Anakin paused before he continued, "The master who found me was convinced that I was destined to be that Jedi."

Kiara blinked at the statement. "And they told you that? Talk about being burdened with the expectation of greatness."

Anakin snickered. "It was his dying wish that I be trained to be a Jedi. I suppose I've been trying to live up to his faith in me ever since."

"One thing that I don't get, if the Jedi knew that they were unbalanced, and that prophecy clearly indicates that they do know that they are and have been for some time, then why haven't they done anything to change things?"

Anakin eyed Kiara before shaking his head. "Huh. I guess I haven't really thought about that."

"Seems to be unfair to put all that pressure on you without anyone else willing to put in the work to change the balance of the Order."

"You know, I have to agree with you." Anakin stared out of the cockpit up toward the sky. "So, do you think that you can share more of what the teachings of the Kwa are?"

"Wouldn't that be sacrilegious or something here at the Jedi Temple?"

"I suppose it would be." Anakin let out a breath. His eyes drifted back over to the switch that he'd spotted earlier. "What's that for?"

Kiara followed where the man indicated. "Oh, um," she swallowed hard before she answered, "That's the switch that operates the cloaking device."

Anakin's eyes went wide. "This ship has a cloaking device?"

Kiara nodded. "It wasn't easy to save up for, that's for sure."

"No doubt." Anakin was then struck by inspiration. "You and your friend aren't happy with remaining on Coruscant, right?"

"Right," she answered a bit suspiciously. "Why?"

"And this ship has a force suppression bubble around it so as long as you are in or near it then no one can sense you. Which is one of the reasons why the council wanted you to remain at the temple, correct?"

"Uh huh," Kiara suspected she knew where this conversation was going but that was ridiculous, right?

"Then what do you say to leaving the temple and then we can discuss more about the Kwa."

Kiara laughed. "And you could get a demonstration of the cloak while we are at it?"

"Exactly!" The Jedi's smile was so wide that it was infectious.

"And you won't get into trouble?"

"No more than usual," Anakin said so matter of fact that it was clear to Kiara that he was used to pushing the limits. "So, what do you say?"

Kiara thought for a few seconds before she nodded. "I say let's go for it." She pressed a button to let both Kallus and Rex as well as Tac to be prepared for take-off. "Hey, you two, strap in. We're going to give Master Skywalker a test flight of the ship."

"General Skywalker, is that wise?" Rex asked since he had been present when the man had informed the pair that the two would be guests of the Jedi temple for the foreseeable future.

"Of course." Anakin was halfway through the takeoff procedures and noticed that as he did so that the ship's owner was working on activating the cloak at the same time. "And don't worry, you won't be blamed for my actions."

"Oh no? I'll be sure to tell Master Kenobi that you made that promise."

"You just leave him to me."

"Don't I always?"

Anakin steered the ship upward away from the busy traffic patterns and made for the upper atmosphere as Kiara activated the Cloak and digital scrambler just as the comm indicated that the planetary traffic control was contacting them regarding the fact that they didn't seek permission to take off. Once the ship went invisible though Kiara switched the comm off.

"No point in listening to them panic over the fact that they can't find us on their scans any longer. Though I'm sure that there will be a lot of activity down there trying to determine if we are a threat, now."

"In a way, I kind of wish I could watch." The Jedi chuckled at the mental image of what he suspected was going on at flight traffic control.

"Well, should we set the ship in orbit? Or what were you planning for this little excursion?"

"Actually, I still was hoping that we could go to that temple that you were talking about. And you could tell me more about the Kwa." Anakin spun in the chair to look at the woman beside him. "I really do want to know more. And if I were more in balance with the force, would that mean that I'd be better able to protect those that I care about?"

Kiara eyed him. "I thought that in this time it was looked down on for Jedi to have people that they care about... Like that, at least."

"It is. But just because it is forbidden doesn't mean you can just cut yourself off from people, you know?"

"Oh, I know. And trust me, my brother in the future has a family and it hasn't made him any less able to be a great Jedi."

"Really?"

Kiara nodded. "He's been able to draw on his feelings for the people he loves to become stronger while still maintaining his devotion to the force. I never could see why teaching how to do that wasn't part of the Jedi teachings. The belief that a person can't have both is a relatively new teaching on the grand scale of things. Have others been steered toward the dark side thanks to an unhealthy relationship? I'm sure that they have. But that would be all the more reason to teach how to balance a relationship, instead, right?"

"I tend to agree. So?" Anakin waited patiently while he waited for the woman to put the coordinates into the nav-computer. As she did, he typed in the sequence to send the ship into hyperspace. When the ship made the jump, he heard the footfalls of the other men joining them in the cockpit.

"General Skywalker, I thought we were only going to go up into orbit. Where are we going?"

"You know, I'm not sure?" Anakin turned to Kiara. "What planet are we going to?"

"Dathomir."

"The same planet that Asajj Ventress is from?" Anakin questioned.

"Perhaps. I don't know who that is. We'll be going to a continent that is uninhabited, though."

"And for what reason are we going there?" Kallus wanted to know.

"We are going to help Master Skywalker find his balance."

Chapter Text

Kallus sat at the dejarik table and waited for Rex to make his move. They were on their third game and Rex was determined not to lose another one. What the man didn't know was in addition to Kallus's ability to beat the computer on a regular basis he'd also played the man in the future several times. So that meant that he knew many of the man's strategies as well. He watched as the man considered many moves before he finally sent his holographic piece forward. Kallus smiled since it was a move he'd anticipated. Still, he waited a few moments before he made his next move which brought the game to an end. When he did Rex's brow lowered.

"How did you do that?"

Kallus chuckled. "You were told I'm from the future, right?" When he saw the man's look of doubt he continued. "And that one of my friends was a clone? That friend is you. And your game hasn't changed much in nearly twenty years."

Rex narrowed his eyes since he still found the whole idea of time travel to be hard to believe and more than a little ridiculous. "Is that so?"

The blond stood to stretch after three games of dejarik. He looked toward the corridor in the direction of the cargo hold. That was where Kiara and the Jedi had gone to discuss whatever it was that force users discuss. The difference between the Jedi Order and the ancient teachings of the Kwa that Kiara had stumbled upon and studied. They'd been there for the entire day while they traveled through hyperspace.

Tac was asked to remain in the cockpit. After their last trip through hyperspace, he figured that it would be best to keep the droid there to monitor things while the rest of them were elsewhere on the ship.

"Well, since it's getting late, I'll show you to the two unused cabins. You and Skywalker can use those."

Rex followed Kallus to the two cabins that faced one another on the end of the corridor that led to the cargo hold as Anakin and Kiara were coming out of it from their all-day conversation/study session. "Everything alright, Sir? You've been busy all day."

Anakin chuckled and nodded. "Just a lot to take in. Most of the basics are pretty similar to the Jedi Order but the differences are pretty substantial. Takes a bit to take it all in."

The clone raised a brow but nodded. He didn't really know more than a casual passing knowledge of what the Jedi taught so he would have to take the general's word for it.

"I was just showing Rex these cabins that the two of you can use," Kallus said chuckling indicating to the cabins facing one another. "We won't arrive on Dathomir for another week, and it isn't like we're going to make you stay in the cargo hold."

"I forgot how far it was to Dathomir." Anakin cringed a bit at the thought of the long journey to the Outer Rim.

"Having second thoughts about this trip?" Kiara asked as she leaned against the door frame to the corridor.

"Too late if I was." Anakin sighed. "But I have the feeling that this is well worth any trouble that I might get into."

"And it looks like this time it was you two who didn't have a chance to grab a bag before being whisked away," Kallus opened one of the cabins and opened the closet to show some spare jumpsuits that were a generic size that Rex would use to help with making repairs in the future. "These should fit, roughly."

"So, I'm going to be wearing some stranger's clothes?"

"Not a stranger," Kallus snickered. "These are some that you left here. So, they are yours." He then turned to Anakin. "I'm sorry I don't have any Jedi robes so you'll have to either borrow some of these or I can probably find something that can fit you. After all, if you wear the same thing for a week, I'm going to have to keep you in the airlock."

Anakin chuckled. "Fair point. Thanks for the offer for the loans. Now, I think I should at least send out a transmission to someone since I'll be gone for so long."

Kallus nodded before he joined Kiara where she was waiting out in the corridor. "If you need some privacy just head to the common room. No one will interrupt you. We'll see the two of you in the morning."

"You aren't going to ask who I'm going to contact?" Anakin asked just a bit surprised.

"I'm not sure it's any of my business," Kallus smirked. "I doubt that you'll be contacting the Order so quickly after you made such an effort to slip off of Coruscant undetected. Which leads me to believe that this transmission would be of a personal nature, instead."

Rex covered a smile with one hand since he was often asked to help cover his general's transmissions to Senator Amidala. He was sure that more people knew about their forbidden relationship than the Jedi wanted to admit. But at least right here on this ship, Anakin could openly contact the woman that he loved.

"I'll go ahead and turn in for the night. I'll see you in the morning, Sir."

Anakin grinned as he left the spare quarters and headed to the common room. He operated the comm unit in the room and waited for it to flicker to life. He needed to let Padmé know where he was heading. He could handle being in trouble with Obi-wan and the rest of the council, but he had no desire to face his wife after being gone for at least two weeks with no word by the time he returned to Coruscant. And he knew that she wouldn't rat him out.

Obi-wan didn't know why but he should have expected to find Anakin to be missing at the same time as their strange visitors. When the alert went out regarding an unauthorized departure of a ship over Capital City on Coruscant he'd immediately suspected their guests. He didn't know why, he just did. But when he'd learned that their escorts were actually relieved by Anakin, he grew confused. Why had he left with them? Didn't he know that if they were to prevent the events that they had warned the council about that keeping them hidden was of utmost importance?

He'd gone to see if Padmé knew where he may have gone but he wasn't able to explain to her why the location of the individuals whom he'd disappeared with was so vital to learn. Even though he trusted her, she was still part of the senate, and the Jedi were treading treacherously close to treason. It could be seen as plotting to overthrow the chancellor because, essentially, they were. Not because he is the Chancellor but because he was the Sith Lord who appears to have orchestrated the current war as a ruse to give him an opportunity to wipe out the Jedi Order.

He left her suites dejected since he was no closer to learning where his former padawan had gone and he wasn't sure if there was anyone else that the man would have shared his plans with. Ahsoka would have been one, but she was no longer a part of the order and hadn't reached out since she'd left. And of course, from what he could tell, Rex was with Anakin. So at least maybe the clone could help prevent Anakin from getting into too much trouble. Thinking of clones, he spied Cody walking up to him. He'd clearly come looking for him.

"Cody, do you have a report?"

The man nodded. "Sir, we've been able to remove the defective chips from three percent of the clones in the field as of right now. And per your recommendation, we've been working from those who work closest with the Jedi and plan to move outward from there."

"Good. Make sure that the need for discretion is pressed. We don't need for rumors to take hold. Nor do we need to worry anyone needlessly." He hated to lie to the man about the truth behind the chips and why they needed to be removed but it was necessary.

"Sir. I hate to say this, but rumors have already begun to spread. But that is to be expected, I'm sure."

Obi-wan eyed the clone and asked, "What kind of rumors?"

Cody looked the Jedi in the eye. "Sir, there are concerns about the removal of the chips being linked to the incident from several weeks ago. The incident where a clone claimed that the chips were used to control us."

Obi-wan stroked his beard. "And what are your thoughts on the rumors going around?"

Cody's posture straightened just a touch before he replied, "If the rumors are true, then I appreciate the Jedi looking into it and removing them. I like to think that I'm able to make my own decisions and don't like the idea that the ability could be taken away by something like that. And I'm glad that you had me remove it today."

"I see." Obi-wan took a breath as he nodded. "In any case, we need to stamp out the rumors for now."

"I'll see to it, Sir." Cody then asked, "Any word on Master Skywalker?"

"Unfortunately, no."

The clone relaxed his posture before he put a hand on the man's shoulder whom he considered as a friend. "Don't worry, Sir. He'll be fine. He's well-practiced at getting out of any situations that he finds himself in."

Obi-wan smiled. "Only because he is well-practiced at getting into such situations."

In the Office of the Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine was surrounded by his various alleged advisors. They rarely had advice for him, rather he was the one who did all of the thinking around here. Still, he preferred to surround himself with those who knew who he was so that they could at times be helpful in implementing his plans.

He looked over at one of his acolytes, Sim Aloo, who served under him as advisor and wanted to throw the man across the room for his lack of ability to tell him what he wanted to know. He'd yet to be able to tell him what had caused the massive disturbance in the force that he'd sensed several days ago. He would deal with that man, later.

"Well?" Palpatine waited impatiently as he glared at Mas Amedda, the Vice Chair of the Senate. "What have you been able to determine?"

"There are rumors that the Jedi are concerned about the inhibitor chips growing tumors around them. As such, they are implementing a plan to have them removed."

"So, they have determined what they are for," Palpatine said in disgust. "But how?"

"Sire, they may not know. The story about a tumor would indicate that they are proceeding with caution after what happened with CT-5385 and CT-5555."

"I want to be certain of that. In any case, we are now working against the clock. We need to implement Order Sixty-Six before they have removed too many chips, but we must also ensure to spur the Jedi into acting in a way that we can tell the Senate that they were committing treason." He was so close that he could taste victory and he would not allow anyone to steal it away from him.

"How do you suggest that we do that?" Amedda asked only to be pushed up against the wall with the force, being held in place with pressure on his neck.

"That is your job to determine!" Palpatine bellowed before he casually released his force-grip on the blue Chagrian. "So, see to it. I want options by the morning."

"As you wish," the man stood and bowed before he and the rest of the half a dozen advisors hastily retreated from the chancellor's office.

Once alone, Palpatine sat behind his desk and spun in his chair to look out over the city. He looked in the direction of the Jedi temple and sneered. "You have not won just yet."

"So," Anakin began as he and the others began to eat their morning meals of rations. "I know you told me that you found the Kwa by luck, but have you always held with the belief of balance or-"

Kiara couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Actually, before I found their temple, I was probably one of the most unbalanced people I knew. At least where the force was concerned. Anytime I got upset I was a danger to nearly any electronic system around me. Poor Tac has had to have nearly every system repaired at least a dozen times." After another small giggle she then became more somber.

"And when my father, who is, was, or maybe I should say will be, a Moff in the Empire, attacked the rebel base that Alex and the others were at and nearly killed him... Let's just say that it was too easy to reach out and do the same thing to him; nearly kill him. But fortunately, my brother was there to pull me back and stopped me. Many times, doing the easy thing is the wrong thing. That's one thing that I had to realize. Just like sometimes there are instances when we can't see the good in a situation but that's because we aren't the ones meant to see it. Just as sometimes we benefit from horrible times that others have had to endure and go through. But that is the universe's way of bringing about balance."

"It's not that easy, though, when you are the one going through the hard times for others," Anakin said just a bit gruff.

"But like I said, sometimes, the easy choice is the wrong one," Kiara shrugged. "It sounded better coming from the spirits in the temple."

"Sort of like how advice always seems to sound more wise coming from Master Yoda rather than Master Windu," Anakin snickered.

"Wait, are you comparing me to that arrogant Jedi from the other day?" Kiara gave a look of mock-indignation. "I'm insulted."

"I don't know, Kallus, you know her better than I do. Does she remind you of Master Windu at all?" Anakin asked as he leaned back and openly laughed.

"You don't think that even if I thought so that I'd say it, do you? I'm not that stupid." He sent Valour a smile before holding his hands up as if in surrender. "Not that I would agree, anyway."

Rex figured he'd change the subject, just to be safe. He had no desire to be trapped on a small ship where the owners were at odds with one another if Skywalker's teasing backfired. "So, the injury that you mentioned before, it was from when her father tried to kill you? I've heard of over-protective fathers before but that's taking it a bit far, don't you think?"

"Trust me, he wasn't exactly a protective father." Kiara rolled her eyes. "Vindictive is more the word for it."

"Ouch. Sorry I said anything."

"I'm sure Elios did what most fathers only dream of doing when their daughters are in a relationship," Kallus gave an awkward laugh. "It's a good thing that I was taught well by the ISB, and I paid attention and was a good student when it came to enduring torture."

"Wait a minute, this all takes place less than twenty years in the future. That must mean that your father is in the military now, too." Anakin didn't like the idea that someone like this could be working now under the current administration.

"Yes, but he only truly indulged in his more aggressive tendencies after the Empire took over." Kiara swallowed and figured she'd change the subject. "So, when you sent out your transmission the other night, did you learn anything regarding the search for us after we left Coruscant? Get any dirt on the goings ons back there?"

Anakin could hear the need for a change in topic, so he let it drop. "Let's just say that Obi-wan realized that you were with me pretty quickly and he isn't happy. But he'll get over it. Especially if this trip is as helpful as I hope."

"Well, here's hoping for a go-"

"Mistress Kiara!" Tac floated into the common area excitedly. "There's been a change on frequency zero."

"The purrgil?" Kiara quickly stood up to head to the cockpit.

"No, Ma'am. A transmission."

"Frequency zero?" Rex questioned. "No one uses that frequency."

"Almost no one," Kallus corrected. "Only the purrgil and-"

"Ezra!" Kiara activated the comm unit in the common room, but it looked as if the message there were coordinates being sent instead. "Lothal?"

Kallus read over the coordinates while both of the other men looked at them questioningly.

"Who is Ezra? What does he have to do with the purrgil?"

"It's a long story," Kiara said she worked on sending a message back to the point of origin of the transmission. She needed to confirm that it was indeed Ezra who had sent out the coordinates.

Anakin looked around and then said, "We seem to have the time."

Chapter Text

The Shadow Chaser dropped out of hyperspace around Dathomir. Kiara piloted the ship toward the uninhabited continent where she knew the temple was at. From experience, she maintained the cloak as she flew the ship as close to the temple as possible. Once the landing procedures were completed, she prepared to leave the cockpit to head toward the common area where the men were waiting. When she stood and turned, however, she saw where she had a transmission coming in on frequency zero. She pressed a button quickly to call for Kallus.

"Alex, we have a transmission coming in."

Kiara then went ahead and pulled up the transmission where she saw an image of the long-lost member of the Ghost crew. He was looking at her through subspace and was clearly surprised to see her.

"It's you! How did you get here?"

"The same way you did. The purrgil." Kiara smiled at the younger man as she sensed that Alex was joining her in the cockpit. "We've been looking for you ever since you disappeared. But at least now, we know why we couldn't find you anywhere."

Ezra saw Kallus come into view and had to ask, "Wait, did everyone come?"

"Unfortunately, no. The purrgil only pulled the Shadow Chaser here, not the Ghost," Kallus shook his head. "And I'm afraid you've missed quite a lot."

Ezra looked down as he spoke, "I can only imagine. So, how long have I been missing? You know, there?"

"Close to two years," Kallus told him and watched as the young Jedi took in the information. "And you? How long have you been here? Is Thrawn here?"

"Less than a year. When the purrgil dropped out of hyperspace in the middle of nowhere I was able to get to an escape pod and got away from the Star Destroyer. When my pod was away, the purrgil crushed the remaining ships. And my pod was the only one that they allowed to survive and reach Lothal. So, no. Thrawn isn't here. He's dead just like the rest of the Imperials who were onboard. My pod was then brought back to Lothal."

"We'll fly there to get you as soon as we can. When we get there, I'll fill you in on everything. Both regarding what has happened in our time and what is being changed in this one."

"Changed?" Ezra cocked his head but held any further questions. "When can I expect you?"

Kiara spoke up this time. "We are about three day's travel from you. I'll send Alex to get you while I remain here."

"I'm not sure that splitting up is a good idea," Kallus stated as he looked over at her.

"I'll spend at least a week in the temple, and you won't have anything to do but stay here on the ship with Rex anyway. Instead, you can use that time to get Ezra. And there is no place safer from the Sith than inside the temple. There are multiple layers of security to prevent someone like them from getting inside."

"Rex?" Ezra smiled at the mention of the old clone.

Kallus snickered because he knew that the young man wasn't going to believe that they'd already located the current version of the man. "Alright. Expect me in about three days. Where on the planet will you be?"

"I've been staying near Capital City. Just a little to the north. A small town about a hundred kilometers away from it."

"Alright. I don't recall a spaceport in that area so I'll land as close to the town as I can." Kallus didn't like the idea of leaving Kiara and Skywalker on the planet without a ride, but he also didn't care for staying on the ship with nothing to do but to wait around, either.

"I'll be waiting. In the meantime, I have a few things to take care of. Especially if I'll be leaving Lothal." With that, Ezra ended the transmission.

"Looks like you've got a mission for while Skywalker and I are in the temple." Kiara turned to head toward the common room where she'd left the other men. She paused at her cabin on the way to grab her knapsack that she'd packed for her time in the temple. She'd intended to spend more time there both before and after going into the Infinity Gate that led to the Gateway of Knowledge of the Kwa. The Jedi had agreed so they were prepared with the supplies needed for an extended stay, already.

"I still don't like the idea of you being on this planet without a way to get off if you need it."

"I know but finding Ezra and being able to bring him back is a great opportunity. I don't know what will happen with us or if we'll be able to go back to our time, but we can at least all be together." Kiara and Alexsandr made it to the common room, and they were greeted by the other men waiting for them.

Anakin waited for the woman and gave a look as he asked, "Everything alright?"

Kiara nodded. "Someone that we've been looking for was brought to this time. The young Jedi that we told you about. He was able to reach out to us. Now we know where he is at. While we are studying at the temple and interacting with the spirits of the Kwa, Alex will be taking the Shadow Chaser to Lothal to retrieve him."

Anakin turned to Rex and said, "Then it looks like you are going to Lothal." When the man looked as if he planned to object, he added, "That way we'll be able to tell the council that our friends here had an escort at all times."

Rex heaved a sigh but nodded. He didn't like leaving his general on this planet without him, but he couldn't refuse the order, even when it was given as more of a suggestion. "Alright, Sir. But I suggest that we don't take off until we know that the two of you are actually in the temple."

Skywalker nodded. "Agreed. Tac can use the ship's systems to monitor our progress and we'll have our comm devices on."

Kiara waited by the loading ramp and added, "It will take just under an hour from here to get to the temple. I landed closer than I did the last time. Keep the cloak on just to make sure until after you leave the system. And good luck with finding Ezra."

"Be careful," Kallus said as he watched the loading ramp lower with her on it. Skywalker nodded as Kiara winked her affirmative. Once they were both out of the ship the ramp was raised once more and the two men remaining on the ship headed toward the cockpit where they would watch the progress of the other two on the computer scans.

Kiara took the lead as she led Skywalker toward the ancient temple. Things looked similar to what she remembered from her time, but twenty years did create some difference in the way the brush looked as they made their trek. One thing that was handy, however, was that she didn't have to use her vibro-blade to cut through the vegetation since the Jedi had his lightsaber that could cut through it all with ease. It made the trek to the temple faster because of it as well.

"As we get closer, we'll need to be careful. The temple is guarded by wuffa worms. They are massive worm-like creatures that have large teeth."

Anakin exchanged a look with Kiara as she warned him. "How close to the temple will we come across them?"

"Could be at any time. Blasters don't really affect them much, though."

"Well luckily, I don't go anywhere without my lightsaber. So-" He was interrupted by a rumble from beneath the ground. It undulated like a wave in the ocean before a huge creature burst through the ground and loomed over him and Kiara. He raised his lightsaber prepared to strike it when another wuffa worm came up from behind them. "I see what you mean, now."

Kiara left the first one for the Jedi as she focused on the second and used the force to pick it up and sent it flying back toward the trees. She didn't want to kill both of the guardians since they would help to prevent other people from following them into the temple if anyone tried. After all, without a ship to leave on for the next week, having the worms to guard the entrance would be helpful.

"Don't kill them. We need their protection in case the inhabitants of this planet or the Sith sense our presence here."

Anakin gave her an incredulous look but nodded anyway. Yes, they could be helpful later on. Especially since they knew about them, but others may not. "Fine, I'll try. But I won't make any promises."

He lifted the worm with the force much like Kiara had but he held it in place until it stopped moving. He only withheld its air long enough to cause it to pass out.

"Let's get to the temple before they wake up." Anakin nodded as he put his lightsaber back onto his belt.

"It's just through here. Only about another quarter of an hour. I brought us this way since the door to the temple is on this side of it. So, we won't have to go around the entire thing looking for it."

The two made the last bit of the trek in comfortable silence while dispatching three more wuffa worms before they reached the temple. Kiara headed to the area where she knew that the doorway was hidden. When she came across the vine-laden door she motioned for the Jedi to start hacking the vines away and once that was done, she put a hand to the stone and tried to find the way to open the door. When she felt a stone wiggle ever so slightly under her hand she pressed it with more force, triggering the door to move in response.

Anakin used his lightsaber as a torch in the darkened entrance. "Alright, now what?" Behind him he saw the door closing them inside.

"This way." Kiara stepped in front of the Jedi and took in the sight of the interior of the temple by the blue light that the saber was giving off. The pair walked for several moments before a familiar voice could be heard by Kiara.

"Welcome. It has been a long time since anyone has come to seek our wisdom. Tell us, what is it that you seek?" The disembodied voice sounded as if it was all around them. After a pause, the voice added, "One of you seems familiar. However, this is not your time. You were not to find us yet."

"I know. I have somehow found my way to the past. But I came to seek more of your wisdom as well as I have brought a friend. He wishes to learn from you about how to bring balance to his life and his view of the force."

A cool breeze made its way around the pair and Kiara gave a reassuring smile to Anakin to let him know that it was to be expected. He nodded and tried not to go on high alert.

"You have been hurt greatly over the years, my child. The Jedi have expected much from you. You are the Chosen One but not in the way that they expect. But your pain keeps you from your destiny."

Anakin's brow went up in surprise. "What do you know of it?"

"Your hurt is never far from your thoughts. Your loss. Your fear of more loss. It causes you to be unbalanced. But knowledge can help bring you peace. Bring you balance. The Sith have sought you out and have been manipulating you for years. Causing you to feel betrayal. He has sparked fear in you. Haunted your dreams."

Anakin thought of his nightmares, his visions of Padmé dying in childbirth. "How do you know that the dreams are from the Sith? How did you even know about them in the first place?"

"Here, in this temple, much can be seen. And you have a dark shadow that follows you. Trying to encompass you. Without finding your balance, the Sith will gain you as an ally."

He looked around in the empty temple and shouted in anger. "I'll never join the Sith."

Kiara stepped back since she felt as if she was intruding on this conversation between the Jedi and Kwa.

"You would never while not influenced by the Sith. You are kind and loving of those who are close to you, to a fault. But the Sith are quick to expose and use a weakness."

Anakin let out a breath. He thought back to his dreams after his encounter with the Mortis gods. He saw images that he wanted to forget. For a while he had but they slowly returned to him in bits and pieces. He saw that with the son's influence he became someone that he wouldn't have wanted.

"So how can I become stronger so that the Sith can't expose such weakness?" Anakin looked downward and was lost in thought before he heard the response to his query.

"You are too unbalanced for the Infinity Gate to enter into the Gateway of Knowledge. But if you are willing, we will help you. But you must trust us."

Kiara saw the man to her side glance toward her and gave him a nod. "This is what you came here for. The spirits are willing to help you commune with the Wills of the Force."

Anakin let out a shaky breath. Sometimes getting what you were searching for can be intimidating. "Alright. What do I need to do?"

The disembodied voice softly answered, "Take the corridor directly in front of you. There, you will be able to heal. Because without healing, you will not be able to find the balance that you seek. The peace."

"And while I'm here? Where will I be allowed to go?" Kiara asked since she didn't see the corridor that she'd taken before to be tested before being allowed to head toward the Infinity Gate which led to the Gateway of Knowledge.

There was a pause while another light breeze surrounded her. "You have grown much since your last visit to our sanctum. You will be tested for your intentions then you will be allowed to continue your lessons." As the voice of the spirits spoke a corridor to the right was revealed that she hadn't seen earlier when the spirits had been speaking to Anakin.

Kiara took out her light from her pack and looked down the corridor before she turned to Anakin. "Trust them. And I'll meet you back here in a week; when you are ready."

If someone asked, he didn't know if he'd be able to explain why he trusted both this stranger whom he'd only known for just over a week as well as this ghostly voice of the long-dead Kwa. But his heart felt more at peace in this temple than he had felt since he was a small boy. He gave the woman a smile as he nodded before turning toward the corridor that the voice had indicated. The two then went their separate ways and put their fates in the hands of the temple guardians.

Palpatine sat in meditation and briefly felt another disturbance in the force. It only lasted for less than an hour, but he'd felt it. Whatever had caused it couldn't be good for his plans regarding eliminating the Jedi. He'd sensed different disturbances over the years. One last year he'd still yet to be able to narrow down what had happened. Still, it had been so far out in the Outer Rim, and it had never moved closer that he had determined that it wasn't of any great threat. Even if his assassins and acolytes had yet to locate the source of that disturbance.

As the time drew closer to implementing his plan regarding the destruction of the Jedi Order, he knew he needed to tighten his hold on Skywalker. He would play a significant role in his plot. He stood and called for his guards as well as his transport. He had sent word that he planned to visit the Jedi temple today.

He walked with regal grace toward where his Red Guards were waiting for him at the entrance of his office. They flanked him and went with him along with a few of his advisors as he made his way to the landing pad at the temple. There he spotted several Jedi who were there to greet him. Among them, Mace Windu, who took the lead when addressing him.

"Chancellor, to what do we owe this honor?" Mace gave a reverent bow while eyeing Obi-wan. This was the Sith that they'd been searching for since the Clone Wars began. He couldn't believe that he'd been so close this entire time, but they'd never noticed it.

Palpatine gave a sickeningly pleasant smile as he greeted the Jedi. He confidently walked past the Jedi who had gathered there to greet him.

"I am here for a favor. I'd like to borrow Master Skywalker."

Chapter Text

Obi-wan felt his brow lower as the Chancellor requested Anakin's presence. The man had inserted himself into the younger man's life since the very first time that he'd met him. Over the years it had irritated him, and he wasn't sure why. Now, he suspected that the force had been trying to warn him about the man.

"I'm afraid that Anakin is away on a mission for the Jedi Order at the moment. He may not return for quite some time."

Palpatine tilted his head. "What kind of mission, Master Kenobi?"

"I'm not at liberty to say, I'm afraid. This is a private Jedi matter rather than one of a political nature." Obi-wan gave a guarded smile. He and the other masters who had come to meet with the Sith Lord were among those with the strongest mental discipline. They knew that they needed to maintain a tight rein over their thoughts in the presence of the man.

"Really?" Palpatine tried to focus on the man then glanced around when he realized that the man had a tighter hold on his thoughts than usual. "Then perhaps you can loan me another Jedi, instead. I feel that with the increased Separatist activity that I'd be safer with a Jedi nearby."

Obi-wan eyed Mace before the darker-skinned Jedi spoke up. "In that case, I volunteer to help keep an eye on you, Chancellor. Anything for the safety of the Republic."

Palpatine gave a pleased smile and then said, "Then I accept your assistance."

Kallus navigated the Shadow Chaser through the upper atmosphere of Lothal and flew toward Capital City then headed north to find the town that Ezra had mentioned in his transmission. Heading there, he felt a bit of nostalgia as he looked over the grasslands of the planet. He'd not gotten to see the planet as it was now; before the Empire showed up. It was no small wonder that the planet looked so much more peaceful and serene than the Lothal that he'd seen in the future.

The Clone Wars hadn't made it to this planet. That meant that while the planet wasn't a hub of prosperity like most of the Core Worlds it wasn't stripped of its wealth as it had been in the time that he'd served the Empire on it.

When the ship landed Rex watched on as he completed the shutdown procedures and asked, "So, this young man. This Ezra? You said that he's a Jedi?"

"Yes. He was trained by Master Billaba's padawan. He was one of the few who survived Order Sixty-Six. And the stories I could tell about Ezra when he was younger, and I was still an ISB Agent. That boy was the bane of my existence at times. In fact, I have the feeling that he and your General Skywalker would have made great friends." Kallus chuckled.

"How so?"

"Just wait until you meet him. And of course, until they meet one another."

Rex groaned at that. "I can imagine."

"Well, I guess we'd best head to town and see if we can locate Ezra. The quicker we find him the sooner we can return to Dathomir."

"So, how will we find him?" Rex asked as he joined Kallus on his way out of the ship.

"Hopefully, he has been waiting and watching for the ship and he'll come and find us." Kallus turned to the techno-service droid and addressed him. "Close the ship up after we've left. Keep watch over it."

"Of course, Master Kallus."

"Well, let's start heading toward the town."

Kallus led the clone beside him toward the town in the distance and started to share stories of when he'd first met the young Jedi that they were here to find. When he described how Ezra had broken out of the detention cell Rex started to chuckle. Yes, this boy did seem to have the same spark that General Skywalker has. He was still snickering when he heard the other man groan just slightly.

"What is it?" Rex looked around and spied a white cat-like creature nearby. It looked as if it was waiting for them.

"Loth-cats. They can be a bit temperamental, but I have the feeling that Ezra sent it to find us."

Rex studied the animal from where they stood. "And why is that?"

"Because the boy has always had a strong connection to animals." Kallus shook his head. "Let's follow the cat and see if it does takes us to where Ezra is at."

"We're going to follow a cat?" Rex eyed the other man suspiciously.

Kallus chuckled. "Are you going to stand there and tell me that after all of this time working with the Jedi, that this is the strangest thing you've ever done?"

Rex went to say something but closed his mouth and considered his answer before he finally gave it, "I suppose not. Alright, so we're going to follow the Loth-cat."

The white Loth-cat headed away and towards the small town nearby. Taking care to look behind it ever so often to ensure that the two men were still behind it. In the distance toward the mountain range close to the town the clone spotted more Loth-animals. When Rex spotted the gigantic wolves, he raised his blasters only for Kallus to put a hand on his arm.

"Relax. They won't hurt us. Not so long as they know we are Ezra's friends."

"You don't seem surprised to see them."

"Let's just say that I've had dealings with some of them before. And I know that I never want to upset them. But in the vision that Kiara's brother had, the Loth-wolves were in it. It was one reason why we were traveling toward Lothal when the purrgil decided to pull us backward through time."

Ziarah waited as she watched the Jedi meditate on what was affecting her daughter once more. This was the second time that this strange illness seemed to have affected her in less than a month. The first time it had lasted nearly a week then it went away. But after a week of being back to normal she'd fallen ill again three days ago. The doctor hadn't been able to find a cause for the state that she was in. She could coax her to tend to certain biological matters and sip on some broth, but her daughter didn't really seem to understand what was going on or even know who was with her. In the twelve, nearly thirteen, years that she'd been a mother to her second child she'd yet to come across anything like this.

When the doctor couldn't give any answers, Ziarah had instead asked the young Jedi who had found his way to Lothal less than about a year ago to come. Once he took up residence on the planet near the town he'd stumbled upon her daughter when she'd had an outburst of force energy in a fit. He'd then begun to spend time with her. Much like an older brother would. Oh, she knew that he wasn't nearly old enough to be a master, but he was a Jedi. She hoped that when the Jedi eventually left, as they always do, that this time the Jedi would deem her daughter worthy enough to be taken to the temple on Coruscant. That is where she needed to be. Some place where other force users can teach her what she needs to control her abilities.

When the Jedi looked up the mother waited for him to say what was going on. When he spoke, however, he seemed to be just as lost as the doctors had been.

"There seems to be a great disturbance in the force surrounding her. I've never seen anything like it."

"Could you ask the rest of the Jedi? Maybe they have."

Ezra furled his brow at the question. He knew that the Jedi still had the Order in this time, but he'd been working hard to not draw their attention. He wasn't sure what he'd say to them if they found him. But he also didn't want to draw the attention of the Sith in this time period. Which is the only reason why he first approached the young girl when he'd come across her several months ago. He didn't want the Sith to find her, either.

After a while, it became clear that the woman standing near the doorway waiting for him, whose husband was out fighting for the Republic at the moment, expected him to give some mystical answer for her daughter's ailments being the source of many of the girl's issues. The mother, especially, would push until the girl would lose her control. That wasn't how you teach to control the abilities that the force can offer.

"I do have friends who are coming here today." Ezra didn't mention that they wouldn't be from the Jedi. He'll just allow the woman to make her own assumptions. "And I'll be leaving with them."

"But-"

As the woman went to speak again, they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Ziarah turned to head back to the living space with the Jedi and opened the door to find a small Loth-cat there with two men. One with a military style crew-cut that made his light hair nearly undiscernible and the other, also with blond hair but with a beard.

"Kallus, I see you got my message, there," Ezra chuckled as the loth-cat sauntered into living space. The cat rubbed against the young man's legs and waited for him to reach down to scratch behind his ears. After being satisfied with the affection it was given the cat then continued toward the small bedroom where the twelve-year-old girl was lying in a nearly unconscious state.

"Well, I do know you." Kallus chuckled and turned to Rex. "Rex, this is Ezra."

When the young man heard who the other man was his eyes widened before he then gave a broad smile. He'd never thought that he'd be able to see the clone in his prime.

"Sir," Rex gave a curt nod.

"Please, come in. I'm Ziarah Dume and welcome to my home." She then turned back to Ezra. "So, I assume that these are the people that you mentioned would be coming today." Ziarah motioned for the men to step further into the home.

"Yes. If you don't mind, I'd like to speak with them in private for a little while." Ezra had a lot of questions, but he knew that he couldn't ask any of them in front of the woman.

"I need to go to the market, anyway. Especially while you are still here with Kiara. I'll only be a short while."

Ezra nodded and saw both a look of surprise as well as what looked to be concern on Kallus's face. "Take your time."

When the woman was gone Kallus spoke up, "Dume?"

"Yes. I'm pretty sure that I've somehow found Kanan's family. They had a son who went to the Jedi temple on Coruscant. They think I'm here from there, too."

"What's wrong with Kiara?" Kallus asked with concern.

"I'm not sure. The girl just suddenly went ill to the point of barely being conscious more than two weeks ago. After nearly a week she went back to normal for yet another week. But three days ago, she slipped back into this ill and docile state. I was afraid that she'd been located by the Sith, so I've been staying here this go round." Ezra motioned for the men to have a seat.

Kallus, instead leaned against the wall as he thought. "The timeline that you've indicated would match the times when we've been here. When the girl was fine, that would have been the same timeframe that it took for us to fly from Coruscant to Dathomir. Then once Kiara left the ship to go to the temple on the planet and the two of us came here, her younger self slipped back into this state that you indicated."

Ezra tilted his head. "Wait, younger self? But she's a Valour, not Dume."

"She changed her name when she joined the Empire. But the Kiara back there in the bedroom is the same one you met in the future. And is Kanan's sister."

The young Jedi looked confused. "Why didn't she tell us then when we all worked together at the temple here on Lothal? When we all went back to the cave of the Loth-wolves?"

"She had her reasons. But the important thing here is that it appears that when she's been out of the Shadow Chaser that her younger self seems to be suffering from it." Kallus put a hand to his chin as he thought. "It could be that having two of the same persons in the same time period causes negatives affects to the original individual in this point of time."

Rex didn't know much about time travel. Did anyone? But the other man's explanation caused him to think about him, as well. "If that is the case, then now that you aren't on the ship, could we expect that your younger self may be suffering the same effects that the girl is?"

Kallus's brows went down. Yes, the likelihood was there. And he wouldn't have anyone there who would really care for his younger self if he were severely ill.

"Wait, why would the ship have offered any kind of barrier to the effects of the duality?" Ezra asked in confusion.

"It's a long story. But maybe if the effects weren't there when the older Kiara was on the ship, perhaps taking the younger one there could help her."

"Well, getting permission to take her there shouldn't be a problem since her mother has been practically begging me to take her to Coruscant with me."

"Yes, I know all about the Dumes and their..." Kallus paused to find a tame way to refer to Kiara's parents. "Their opinions of her force abilities and what they feel should be done about them."

"What about you? Rex is right. If this is happening to Kiara then it is likely happening to your younger self, too."

"I know." Kallus sighed. "But it will take a while to get back to Coruscant even if we went straight there."

"Would you know where you are at?" Rex looked a little uncomfortable but asked as he thought back to those whom he knew back on Coruscant. "If you do, I may be able to contact a friend to find... well, find you."

The former agent looked at the clone over before saying, "Can you trust your friend to keep... me... from being found by anyone else? If the wrong people found out about our coming from the future, I'm not sure what would happen if our younger selves were harmed or killed in this time period while we are here."

"Other than my brothers and the general? There are few others whom I would trust more," Rex assured as he crossed his arms. When Kallus gave a nod, the clone started to walk to the door. He'll need to get back to the ship to send out a transmission.

"I'll tell Tac you are on your way back." He then added, "And thank you." He then told Rex where he lived back when he was fourteen, nearing fifteen soon. An address that he hadn't been able to forget in all of these years regardless of how he'd tried. An address that spoke to how alone he'd been.

Rex gave a smile before he left the small home that they'd been led to by the Loth-cat. When the man was gone Ezra chuckled.

"I don't think I really pictured how different that man became as he got older. Does he know about... What does he know about, so far?"

"Yes, he knows that we know his future self. And that we are friends." Kallus then chuckled. "I even beat him repeatedly playing dejarik to prove that I know his strategies better than he does."

Ezra shook his head. "Poor Rex. I'm sure that wounded his pride a little."

"Just a bit." He then looked toward where the Loth-cat had disappeared to when they came in. "Now, about Kiara. I think we should get her to the ship as soon as possible to test our theory about the ship being an area that can block the- whatever it is that is causing her to be affected by Kiara's presence in this time."

Ezra still wanted to know more about why the ship may be safe from the issues of their duality. "So why shouldn't she be affected while on the ship?"

"In the future, Thrawn had hired some scientists to work on creating a weapon that could suppress the force. After he disappeared with you and the purrgil, Kiara's... father... took up the research and had the scientist to pick up where Thrawn's had left off. The Shadow Chaser and the Ghost were both fired on by a modified torpedo with the concoction that they produced, and it has created a force suppression bubble around the ships."

"So, where is Kiara now?"

Kallus frowned. "She and General Skywalker remained on Dathomir to study at an ancient temple while Rex and I were sent here to retrieve you."

"Skywalker? As in Ahsoka's Jedi master? And Rex's general?"

"That would be the same one," Kallus confirmed. "Now, let's see about getting Kiara back to the ship so we can test my theory. Then once we see that, we'll have to decide what to do next."

Ezra nodded and got up to lead the other man to where he knew that the girl, who was now eight years younger than him, was unconscious. After learning that she was the younger sister of his Jedi master he'd started to think of her as his own younger sister. Which meant that he was concerned for her now that she seemed to have fallen ill. But if the issue was the fact that there shouldn't be two of her in the same time, then they needed to figure out a way to get himself and the other two back to their own time. After all, he was due to be born in only a couple of days.

Chapter Text

Anakin spent quite some time communing with the spirits of the Kwa. He was quick to realize that many of the essentials of the Jedi Order had their roots within the ancient teachings that came before them. Such as the three pillars of the Jedi: The Force, Knowledge, and Self-Discipline. But one thing that was different was that instead of shunning all negative emotions, they instilled the proper use of that anger for a positive result.

The Kwa seemed to have taught that if you repress your anger that it could grow to the point of no longer being able to control it. He could see that. Yes, there have been times where he'd feel himself use his force abilities in anger and he'd always felt guilty for it later. Even if his use of the force in that manner had been for the greater good.

As he stayed in a strange room within the temple absorbing the teachings that they developed long before the Jedi were even founded, he felt himself becoming calmer than he could ever remember. He was then taken to another chamber where he would be allowed to learn even more of the teachings of the Kwa. He was told that he would be tested for his motives before taking him to the gateway where Kiara had gone to when they'd first arrived on the planet.

Palpatine eyed the Jedi who had volunteered to tag along as part of his personal security when it became known to him that Anakin Skywalker had mysteriously been absent from the Jedi temple. He'd put his feelers out but he'd yet to be able to discover the location of the missing Jedi. Even his inside man who was a temple guard couldn't learn of the young man's whereabouts. That disturbed him.

He'd been prepared to put into action his plans so that he'd be able to push the younger man further to the dark side. He'd felt that he was ready. He'd been able to put a distance between him and the other Jedi with various acts and comments; not just recently but over the years, as well. And he'd been able to get the young Jedi onto the Jedi Council through his machinations.

But the other man, Master Windu, Palpatine sneered as he looked over at him and couldn't help but look forward to the day when he'd no longer be an issue for him. He wondered if he'd be able to dispatch the man himself or if the man will be on a mission with his clones when the time is right for his order to go out. Perhaps he'll have to force himself to be patient enough to allow himself to be the one to kill the annoying man. Though he could only hope to hold off on acting for a short while longer.

Padmé had her driver take her to the area that she was told to go by Rex where there was a young man who needed to be found and cared for. He was a little vague about why, but he'd been insistent that no one should be told about his request. He'd been sure that she'd be able to send someone to retrieve him then send him to be cared for by her private Nabooian doctors if need be. Still, if the situation was this important where neither the Jedi nor anyone within the government should be aware of the clone's request then she felt that it required a personal touch.

The clone never asked for personal favors. Ever. But he was such a good friend to Anakin that she couldn't help but decide to seek out the teenager that Rex was so concerned about, herself. She had her driver wait for her since any closer and she was sure that there would be unwanted attention. She was dressed in the simplest clothing that she could find that would still fit her very pregnant stomach. Most of the clothing that she had for when she felt she either would want or need to sneak out without her guards no longer fit. Nor did her cloaks blend in well with the lower level of the city.

As she looked around while she walked down the pathway toward where she was asked to find the teen, she took in the plight of those who lived on this level of the heart of the Republic. Was it just her imagination or did the people here look as if they'd lost hope of having more than the meager belongings and opportunities they had down here?

Padmé wrapped her arms around herself as she wished that she'd been able to find a cloak that would have been appropriate for the environment. Even though the sun wouldn't go down for several hours it was already quite chilly down here. Of course, the strength of the sun didn't seem to actually make it down this far below the cityscape. She looked down between the buildings where she needed to go and saw how dark it appeared. She turned and started to walk in the direction of the decrepit and rundown area where Rex had indicated where the teenager who needed to be found would be located at. When she did, a Dressellian stepped out in front of her.

"I haven't seen you around here before. You look a mite out of place, Little Lady. Need a tour guide?"

"No, thank you. I won't be staying long." Padmé tried to step around the man but couldn't with the narrowness of the walkway of the lower levels as well as her rotund belly at the moment.

"Oh? And what makes you so special to think that you can just come down to where we live and gawk at us like vermin and leave to return to your comfortable home in the upper levels?"

Padmé lowered her hand to her blaster hidden within her layers of clothing. She swallowed hard since she knew that if the man had any intentions of harming her the blaster was her only protection or means to defend herself. In her condition, running away wouldn't be possible.

"Listen, I don't want any trouble with you."

"Then you shouldn't have come down here where you don't belong."

From behind Padmé she heard a familiar voice. "That's funny. I thought we lived on a free planet. Which means we can go where we want. Even here."

"Ahsoka?" The senator turned and saw where the young woman looked defiant at the alien. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you arrive and thought that you could use a little help... with whatever errand you are running." Ahsoka narrowed her eyes at the Dressellian whom she'd had several run-ins with since she'd left the Jedi Order. "After all, what are friends for?"

The man looked between the women and practically growled. The young woman had been a thorn in his side since she had first shown up in the lower levels. And he had the bruises to show for it.

"So, she's a friend of yours?"

"She is. And you know what that means. You leave her alone or you learn if you can fly down to the next skywalk." Ahsoka watched as the despot turned to leave. She put her hands to her hips to glare at those around who appeared to have started to take an interest in the interaction. When the man was out of sight, she turned to the woman whom she'd not seen since her trial that led to her leaving of the Jedi Order. "Now, care to explain what it is that you are doing down here? This is no place for you. Especially now."

Ahsoka motioned toward the other woman's obviously pregnant belly.

"Rex sent word that a boy a few years younger than you needed to be found and taken somewhere safe." Padmé started to walk down the pathway to get closer to the address that she'd been given. "We both know that he wouldn't ask for a favor unless it was important, so I figured that-"

"That you'd take it upon yourself to put both yours and your child's life in harm's way. I can only assume that Master Skywalker isn't on Coruscant if you are down here. Otherwise, he'd be here instead of you. Because he wouldn't want you down here."

Padmé rolled her eyes. "And I suppose that he'd want you down here, instead?"

"Our relationship is different than yours."

"That doesn't mean that he would want to know that this is where you stay, now. If he knew you lived down here, he'd likely come for you and find you a different place to live, himself."

"How about neither of us tell him?" Ahsoka smiled as she glanced around and saw where Padmé had come to a halt. The door no longer closed fully, and the place looked abandoned. "What is this place supposed to be?"

"According to Rex, several teens have banded together to live here. The one that I'm looking for is named Kallus."

Ahsoka eyed the other woman then said, "Perhaps I should take you back to your speeder first."

"No. I'll be fine. Let's just go ahead and ask for this Kallus and figure out a way to convince him to come with us."

"Okay." Ahsoka pressed the chime button but didn't really expect it to work. After the cursory attempt she pounded on the doorframe since she knew that if she had on the door, it would have come off of its hinges. When a young man roughly her own age answered she rolled her eyes at the look he gave her. "We're here to see Kallus."

"You sure you wouldn't rather see me?" When the boy asked that it earned him a soured look.

"Sorry, but no. Where is he?" Padmé suppressed a laugh at the Togruta's reaction to the boy's interest in her.

The young man sighed and stepped aside to let the two females in and motioned toward the back of the old, abandoned store that had been converted into a place to sleep by several teens. "He's asleep. Or sick. Not sure which. Just sort of came up on him pretty sudden a couple of hours ago."

"And you aren't worried about him?" The senator carefully picked her way across the littered floor.

"Not much I can do either way." With that the young man headed back out, unconcerned for the females or why they may be there.

"What a good friend," Ahsoka said with a sarcastic tone.

"Agreed. Let's go see what we can find."

Kallus carried young Kiara as he led Ezra back to where he'd left the Shadow Chaser. They would wait to see if his theory was correct before involving Ziarah. To be honest, Kallus figured that it would be better for him to return to the ship and remain there since he wasn't sure if he'd be able to look past what he knew about Kiara's parents to remain civil. As they walked toward the outskirts of town the man looked to the Jedi and raised a brow.

"Is that cat going to follow us all of the way back to the ship?"

Ezra glanced down to his feet where the white Loth-cat was keeping pace with him and Kallus. He seemed to be acting as if he had no doubt that he would go wherever he was going. "Probably."

"Wonderful."

When the two men got to the ship the cat followed them all of the way up the loading ramp and behaved as if he'd owned the ship. Kallus placed the girl in Kiara's cabin on the lower bunk and left her there. The Loth-cat hopped up onto the bunk and curled up beside the child. He then took Ezra to the common room to discuss with him not just how he and Valour had come to this time but all that he'd missed since he disappeared with the purrgil from Lothal.

Ezra was happy to hear that Kanan and Hera have adapted to becoming parents well. He explained that he had a vision that Kanan was going to become a father which is why he'd stunned him when they were on their way to face Thrawn. He didn't want the man to miss the birth of his child. The young Jedi did wish that he hadn't had to leave his family but at least he knew that his sacrifice had been worth it. He could imagine the pair being parents and he hoped to be able to see it for himself.

"So," Kallus started changing the subject. "How did you find the Dumes?"

Ezra shrugged. "I spent most of my time trying to stay under the radar once I realized where, or should I say when, I was. I only went to town when I needed to swipe some food. I actually stayed over in the mountains."

"With the Loth-wolves," Kallus said more of a statement rather than a question. "And of course, the cats."

The younger man chuckled. "Sometimes it comes in handy to be able to communicate with them. And I had experience with hiding out with them from the crew's time stranded on Lothal, before. The only difference this time was that I didn't have any of the others in the local cell to contact." Ezra sat in silence for a moment before he said, "But one day, I came across the girl, and it was clear that she was upset. It sounded like her parents were punishing her for her use of the force. That, of course, didn't help since she didn't have any control. I felt that it couldn't hurt to help her, so I spoke to her, helped to calm her down. After that, she started to find me when I was in town, and it was sort of like having a little sister." Ezra smiled. "It made the time a little less lonely."

Kallus nodded his understanding. Yes, he knew how lonely it can get with no one that you can really talk to. "And eventually her parents learned about you."

"Yes. It was after her father left back out. He serves on board a ship here in this time during the war. Not really sure of his rank. It doesn't matter, anyway. But her mother found Kiara meditating and asked how she learned to do it. So, she told her mother about me. She thought I was sent by the Order to reevaluate her daughter and I just never bothered to correct her. It would be difficult to explain how I could be a Jedi but not associated with the ones on Coruscant."

Rex had joined the two during some point of the conversation so he offered, "I could probably find out what ship the father is on, if you want."

"No," Kallus was quick to say. "It would be best to not involve him if we can avoid it. Otherwise, I may have to kill him."

Both the clone and Jedi expected for him to make light of his comment as if he had been joking but he was dead serious. When they realized that, they exchanged looks with one another but didn't ask for further explanations. After all, Rex had heard about the injuries that the man had inflicted on his daughter's romantic interest in the future.

Down the hall, young Kiara woke up and found herself in a strange room that she'd never been in. She sat up in alarm and looked around. The Loth-cat that tended to follow Ezra around was curled up beside her, so she rubbed the cat's fur as she took in the strange room that she'd found herself in. It looked to her that she was on a ship. She'd only left Lothal a couple of times. She would pester her father to allow her to go on archaeological digs. She was always amazed at how long forgotten towns and buildings could be hidden below the ground on distant worlds. He had a friend who had let her go on one and she'd been told that there was another that she could go on if she minded her mother well enough. It was due to start in a couple of weeks and she'd been preparing for her trip. Then she felt so tired and sick. How long ago had that been? Had she been sent on the trip despite her being ill?

She stood from the bunk and opened the door that led to a corridor just outside of it. She poked her head out and wondered which way to go. She listened and heard voices coming from the far end of the corridor. One of them sounded as if it belonged to her friend, Ezra.

"Ah. You are awake." A techno-service droid popped out of nowhere, it seemed, from the other end of the corridor. "I was asked to check in with you periodically. Are you feeling fully functional again?"

The twelve-year-old girl giggled at the question. "I guess I am. I don't feel sick anymore. But can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Actually, I have two somethings. First, how did I get here?"

The droid tilted his head and spun his body. "Master Kallus and the Jedi named Ezra brought you here hoping that you'd feel better. Which it seems that it has worked. I will need to tell them that you are awake now."

"Oh." Kiara felt better knowing that Ezra was here. If he trusted this Kallus person then he must be alright, too, if he was one of his friends. "Okay, well, my second question would be, where is the refresher?"

"That is an easy answer. The refresher is the next door down this way on the same side of the corridor as the room you came out of." The droid floated over to the door and activated it to allow it to open to reveal the refresher to the child. "When you are ready, I will show you to the common room where the men are at."

"You are going to just stay outside the refresher until I come back out?"

"Unless you feel that you would rather that I wait inside, of course."

The girl raised her hands and waved them slightly. "No. I'll be fine. Outside of the door would be better." The girl stepped inside and then added, "I won't be long."

Chapter Text

Padmé stepped forward with Ahsoka when they found a blond human teen who looked as if he was very sick lying on what passed for a pallet to sleep on. She bent down and checked for a fever but found none.

"Looks like we found the boy that Rex asked me to locate." She looked up at the other woman and asked, "Now how do we get him out of here?"

"I guess I'll have to use the force to help us. I'm not sure that we could carry him out between the two of us. Not between your condition and the fact that he's taller than either of us." Ahsoka knelt to try to get a handhold on the teen when he appeared to be regaining consciousness. "Wait."

Padmé saw what the former Jedi did. The boy was coming around. "Are you feeling any better? Are you alright?"

The teen looked up and realized that two strange women were kneeling over him. He nearly flinched but worked hard to not show any weakness or the fact that he was a little intimidated at their sudden appearance.

"Who are you?"

"We are friends and are here to help you. For exact details, it may be better to get out of here, first. But we were asked to come find you and take you someplace safe." The senator tried to stand back up but ended up having to accept Ahsoka's help to do so. "Now, you aren't going to let a woman in my condition walk back after making my way all the way here without you, are you?"

Alexsandr eyed the woman whom he'd never met before but sighed since he would feel a bit guilty. "Fine."

He stood and felt a little dizzy from doing so, so fast. He had no idea why he'd gotten sick again. He's been perfectly fine for the last week and a half. Granted, he'd spent a few days before that with a mysterious illness but then it had passed on its own. He'd ended up being extremely dehydrated and lost a little weight but healthy otherwise. At least as far as he could tell.

Ahsoka saw the boy reach out to the wall to steady himself briefly and became worried. Why was Rex concerned about this teen? Padmé was right. He wouldn't have asked for this favor if it wasn't important. She walked with the pair and when they reached where the driver had been left to wait Ahsoka had made up her mind. When asked if she'd go with them, she agreed. She was intrigued and she hoped that she'd be able to get answers. If not right away, then once the clone returned to the planet.

Alexsandr eyed the speeder and realized that these women weren't from the lower levels. No one had speeders that looked that expensive down here. He eyed the pregnant woman and took in her clothes. There wasn't any dirt, no smudges, no tears, nothing that would tell him that she had been down in the lower levels of the city for longer than quarter of an hour, a half at most.

"Where are we going?"

"For now? My place." Padmé accepted her driver's help into her speeder and sat and waited for both the teen boy and the former padawan of her husband to join her. "From there, we'll see."

As they flew up into the upper levels of the city Ahsoka took in the view that she'd not seen in several months. She'd not been able to afford to stay closer to the upper levels on her own, so she'd become lost in the crowd with those who barely scrapped by. She was a decent mechanic so getting work where she could did help her with her essentials but that was about it. She didn't have the experience or the contacts that those at the upper levels required to get a better job. And there weren't exactly a lot of positions available for former Jedi.

When the speeder landed on the pad outside of the senator's living quarters, she had to smile. How many times had she come here with Anakin, or even just to spend time with the other woman on her own under the guise of fulfilling one duty or another. Ahsoka had always genuinely liked the senator who was clearly much closer to Anakin than the Jedi High Council would approve of.

In the time since leaving the Jedi Order she had been trying to sort out her thoughts and feelings about the Jedi. They had been so quick to assume that she'd bombed the temple without really looking at the evidence. So rigid and at one time she had been just as staunch. But her time with Skywalker had opened her eyes to other ways of thinking. Oh, she knew that some of his methods were a bit unorthodox, but they seemed to be the best ones at times. So now, even if she wanted to return, she no longer held onto some of the beliefs that the Jedi taught. That meant that she didn't have anywhere that she belonged, now. She wasn't a Jedi, nor could she ever associate with the Sith.

"Come on in. I'll try to contact Rex and let him know that we have Kallus, here, and tell him that he's safe." The pregnant woman led the pair into her apartment. "And then perhaps we can have some food prepared. I think both of you could use a decent meal."

Young Kiara walked down the corridor while carrying the Loth-cat behind the droid and noticed something was different about this ship. She couldn't explain what it was. She just felt strange. Especially when she tried to see how many people were in the common area where they were heading on the other end of the corridor. She couldn't sense anyone, but she could hear their voices. When she got to the doorway she looked in and saw Ezra and two other men with him. They appeared to be speaking with someone through subspace. She paused to try to listen to what was going on.

"I'm glad you were able to find... him," a man with a beard said as he raked a hand through his blond hair. "We won't be there for at least a week and a half. We still need to go and pick up Skywalker and Valour before we go back to Coruscant. Hopefully they will be ready to return when we go and get them."

"Well, is there any way that you can let me know where he is? What he might be doing?" The woman on the transmission was very pregnant. She looked as if she could deliver at any moment.

The other man who stood stiffly by the two men was the one to answer this time. "I'm afraid not, Senator. But you know that when he can, you'll be the first to hear anything from him."

"I'd better." The woman laughed. "So, I guess for now, I'll be taking in the boy and see to his safety. But I do want to hear about everything when you get here. Everything that you can tell me, at least. Oh," the woman added, "Rex, guess who I found when I was looking for this young man? I brought Ahsoka back with me, too. I'm hoping that I'll be able to talk her into sticking around, this time."

"Perhaps you can tell her that you'll be needing someone you trust who can protect that little one that will be here soon. With the lives that you and General Skywalker live, someone who can protect the little one will be a must."

"And why would you mention Anakin," the senator asked coyly. After all, no one was supposed to know that he was the father of her child.

"I think we both know without me saying it," Rex said with his arms crossed. "And if I've figured it out then we know that others, have, too. So, I think that having Ahsoka around, especially right now, is a great idea."

"I'll make sure I tell her you said that. And I do like the idea of having her around more often." Padmé turned as if she heard something out of range of the transmitter. "Well, I think I'd best go. I wanted to send this message before we sat down to eat. I think both of them need a really good meal. I'll see you in about a week and a half. Let me know if you'll be delayed."

"I'll try." Rex nodded before the transmission faded away. He then turned and saw that the girl had woken up and found her way to the rest of them. "Looks like your friend is awake."

Ezra and Kallus both turned around and saw where the young girl was trying to covertly look into the room. When she realized that the men were all looking in her direction she stepped fully into the doorway and gave a weak wave.

"Hey."

Ezra waved her in. "I see you look like you are feeling much better."

Kallus looked her over and saw that the pale color that he'd noticed earlier was gone. She did indeed look much healthier now. That meant that the issue with the duality was solved as long as one of them was in the ship. Which meant that for the health of his younger self he would have to remain on the ship as well.

"A little. Who are they?" Young Kiara walked over and sat in one of the seats in the room. The Loth-cat leapt down to the deck and bound over to the young Jedi and settled into his lap.

"These are some friends of mine. This is Kallus and Rex."

"I suppose that we should take off if we are going to get the others. I'll have Tac send out a message to let them know we are on our way back. And you might want to let that thing back off of the ship before we leave." Kallus stood, indicating the Loth-cat, and headed toward the corridor then turned to speak to the girl. "I'm glad you are feeling better."

Young Kiara smiled back as the man left to head to the cockpit. "So," she asked Ezra, "Where are we going?"

"I sent a message to your mother saying I was going to take you with me when I go to meet with other force users. One of the individuals that we are going to pick up is a Jedi but the other isn't. She is like you. Someone who had to sort of figure things out for herself."

"You likely made her day," the girl said just a bit grumpily. "For as long as I can remember that's all she's wanted. For me to go off with the Jedi. And when she met you..."

The two men watched as she pulled her knees up to her chest and rest her chin on them as the girl then shrugged. Ezra felt bad for her. He'd seen firsthand how much her mother had pushed her in the hopes that she'd be taken to the Jedi temple. She'd actually balked at his insistence to stop pushing her development of power and instead started to teach her meditation and how to remain calm. Ziarah didn't see the benefit of teaching what didn't help her daughter to become stronger. But Kiara was powerful enough. Too powerful if she had no control. But with control then she could be a force to reckon with.

Ezra quickly released the Loth-cat back out to the meadow just outside of the ship. He then returned to the common room where he'd left Kiara.

"Well, we have quite some time to kill while we travel. I think it would be better to see if we can find something else to dwell on, for now." Ezra gave the girl a smile and watched as she nodded then stood to leave; presumably to return to the cabin that she'd woke up in.

She was almost out of the room when she paused and turned back. "Um... Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why can't I feel the force?"

"You've already tried?"

Ezra was surprised since he figured that so long as he didn't work with the younger girl then maybe it would take longer before she discovered the change in the environment. But then again, she was only a couple of years younger than he'd been when he first met the Ghost crew. And while he didn't know what the force was, it was still a very ingrained part of his life already. And if there was one thing that he hated when he was that age it was when people tried to dumb down anything for him.

"It's complicated and I don't really know everything about it, but this ship was fired on by a weapon that suppresses the force. Fortunately, it was only an experiment so we shouldn't come across another one like it. At least any time soon. But that is also why you feel better now that you are on the ship. There's a disturbance in the force that is the reason why you got sick."

"Oh." Young Kiara thought about what the young man said. "Does that mean that I can't leave?"

"For right now. But we are going to try to figure out a way to set everything right, again." Ezra then indicated toward the dejarik table. "Have you ever played?" When the girl shook her head, he got up and motioned for her to take the other seat at the table. "Why don't I teach you? I'm not good but I can tell you the basics. It will give you something to pass the time."

Rex, still sitting off to the side, snickered softly as he watched as the young Jedi started to teach the child the game. As they became engrossed in the game he got up and headed toward the cockpit. He'd pass the time with the other man whom he'd already developed a bit of a friendship with over the last week of travelling.

Back at the Kwa temple on Dathomir Kiara stepped out of the Infinity Gateway. She'd spent what felt to be years, once more, within the Gateway of Knowledge. She looked around and saw where she'd left her supplies that she knew she wouldn't need inside the gateways and walked over to her bag. She pulled out her comm device and sent out a quick message to see if the Shadow Chaser was back yet. When it was the clone who answered her, she figured that he'd been bored and had chosen to man the cockpit for Alex and Ezra.

"Are you and General Skywalker ready to return to the ship?"

"Not yet. I just figured I'd check in with you to make sure the three of you made it back."

"Actually, there are four of us now, instead of three."

Kiara eyed the comm device and asked, "Did you say four?"

"I did. Apparently, the forth person is you as a kid. The Jedi, Ezra, brought her with him. It would appear that the duality of there being two of you in the same time period was causing the young you some problems. He can explain it all when you get back."

Kiara hadn't thought about her younger self or what she was doing during the time that she'd been in this time period. Of course, she'd never wondered about the potential repercussions of time travel, either, before being brought out of her own time.

"Right. Well, I'll let you know when Skywalker is ready to leave." Kiara sat down near the wall where she had set her bag at and figured that she'd pull out a ration to get a meal in while she waited.

"We'll be standing by."

Kiara sat in silence as she meditated on the force while waiting for the Jedi after her meal was done. She didn't know when to expect him. Technically, he could have spent as much time or more in the Infinity Gate if he'd gone into it by now and still returned to the rest of the temple when she did. She hoped that his delayed return didn't speak negatively regarding the man's test before being allowed into the gateways.

As she focused on the force, she felt something different about it. If felt... darker. Something was about to happen. As she noticed the date, it was getting closer to the day that she knew in the previous timeline that the order to kill the Jedi went out. She wondered if her and Alex's presence had upped the date of that order instead of preventing it. As she focused, she sensed the Jedi joining her, but she remained in her meditative state. She willed the force to prepare her for the coming days, weeks, and months. When she heard a quick intake of air she pulled back and looked to her side where Anakin sat.

"What's wrong?"

Anakin lowered a brow before he answered, "He's still planning to kill her. Just like he always planned to, but I didn't realize it."

Kiara stood as she saw the man do the same. She had questions but figured that there was plenty of time to ask. She grabbed up her pack and settled it onto her back as Anakin did the same with his own. As they started to head toward the entrance of the temple, she handed the comm device to the man. He nodded his gratefulness and called for the ship. He was pleased that the man he needed was the one who answered.

"Rex, I need you to contact the men back on Coruscant. Send as many as you can, all of whom have had their chips removed, and set up an escort for Padmé. The Sith Lord intends to have her killed. I want her taken someplace safe and protected."

"Yes, Sir. I'll see to it immediately. I'll send Jessie to take care of it. He had his chip removed when I had mine. I'll make sure to impress upon him the need for discretion."

"Thanks, Rex. And go ahead and get the ship ready for take-off. We'll be there as soon as we can."

"Understood."

Chapter Text

Kiara increased her speed to keep up with Anakin's pace. She sensed that he was concerned but he had a calmer aura to him than he had before he went into the temple. Curious since they had a bit of a hike to return to the Shadow Chaser she asked, "How long did it take you? I think I was in there for more than five years the first time. This time, I remained there about the same."

Anakin chuckled, "Try a decade between the first chamber then the gateway that you told me about. It's a good thing you told me about how time works differently in the temple. Otherwise, I am sure I wouldn't have been able to be patient enough to actually stay there and learn what I needed to know."

She smiled as she thought back to her own time in the temple that first time. "I think knowing that time worked differently was the only thing that gave me patience for some of the lessons that they had me sit through, too. At times, it felt like endless lessons. I don't think I sat through that many hours of lessons at the Academy."

"Well, I can't say that since I think that's pretty much all that I did at the temple for the most part. Well, besides lightsaber training. And since I was told that I was the Chosen One, I think I was given even more lessons about the Jedi of the past than if I had just been plain Anakin. One who would have been found much younger than when I was at nine. At first, I was told that I was too old to train by the time Qui-gon discovered me."

"Too old at nine? No wonder the Jedi never came to Lothal no matter how hard my mother had me work. Guess that means that Ezra wouldn't have been trained at the temple, either. I think he was fourteen when Kanan found him and took him on as his apprentice."

"I know. From what they said, the older the child the more likely to have attachments that would cause them to go to the dark side."

"Wait a minute. Didn't you tell me that the Sith that the galaxy actually knows about, this Dooku, was a Jedi. Right? That means that he went dark, and he had the same upbringing as the rest of the Jedi."

"I did. He was Master Yoda's Padawan and the master of the man who trained my master."

"Then it would appear the Jedi are just as likely to bring up a Sith as anyone else." Kiara snickered as she ducked under a branch of a nearby tree.

"After studying in there, and knowing what I do about the Jedi, I'm sort of surprised that more Jedi haven't gone to the dark side. And to be honest, if I really thought about it..." Anakin shook his head.

"I think nearly all of us have had a brush with the dark side at one time or another," Kiara placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Trust me. I understand the slippery slope. If Kanan hadn't pulled me back, I would have likely not found my way back and then eventually able to come here to find my balance."

"What did you do?"

Kiara let out a heavy sigh. "My father became a high-level Imperial. A Moff. He learned what rebel base I was at. He then led an attack on the base. Alex was in the group that was left behind during the evacuation. My father tortured him to the point of near death. When I realized what he'd done during the rescue I sort of... force choked him and was ready to kill him until my brother talked me out of it."

Anakin thought about how it had been his fear of losing Padmé recently that had been the driving force behind many of his actions lately. Such as seeking council from the chancellor. Little did he know at the time that the very man whom he'd sought assistance from was the one who had been the architect of his visions that had caused him to have so much fear regarding the impending delivery of their child.

The spirits in the Kwa temple had allowed him to see so much that he'd been blind to in the past. It had also allowed him to see what could happen to him if he didn't find his balance. He'd become what he hated the most; a Sith Lord. When he first saw that version of himself, he didn't want to believe it. But it wasn't the first time he'd seen it. He'd seen the same thing on the strange planet with the Mortis gods. He hadn't understood the meaning of the visions, then. But the Kwa helped him to see with clarity.

He still will protect his friends and family, but he would trust the Will of the Force. A hard lesson for a man who has had so much loss in his life. It was why the Kwa took so much extra time with him. He learned that he was dangerously close to crossing a line that he would never want to cross. A line that would be near impossible to come back from.

"Well, I'm glad you found your way to this temple, and all that it teaches." Anakin gave a smile then focused back on the trek to the ship. When they got there the others didn't waste time and got the Shadow Chaser up in the air before they had fully gotten all of the way into the living space of the ship. When the Jedi found the clone, Rex was quick to approach him.

"Sir, I contacted Jesse and he's on his way to the Senator's apartments, now. But I can give you a little bit of good news. She already has one person there who will be able to help protect her; Ahsoka Tano."

"Ahsoka's there?" Anakin asked in surprise and a bit of hope. "How?"

"I'm not sure of the specifics but I did suggest that it would be beneficial to have the commander around. Especially for the little one coming soon." Rex smiled as he saw the Jedi's reaction to hearing that his former padawan was with the woman whom he was in a relationship with.

"That's a good idea. Thanks for putting that out there." Anakin gave a grateful smile to the other man. "But she doesn't have her lightsabers. If something happens... I need to send a message to her. I wanted to give them to her myself. I made her some new ones in hopes that she'd come back to the Order one day. But now seems as good of a time to give them to her as any. They are at the apartment."

"The cockpit will be empty in a moment. It won't be long. You can go and use the transmitter up there to send out a message." Rex motioned toward the cabin that he'd been using. "Now, since we have two new passengers, you can either bunk in with me or with the other Jedi. He's just a little younger than you but I think that the two of you could drive General Kenobi crazy if given the opportunity."

"Is that so?" Anakin chuckled. "Should I send Obi-wan a message in warning, while I'm at it?"

"Might not be a bad idea." Rex snickered. "But it would be more fun to watch him without any notice."

"Rex, I like the way you think."

Ahsoka followed Padmé to her room where there appeared to be a hidden compartment in one of the busts that sat on a table near the bed of the room. When the other woman opened the compartment and pulled out a box, she handed it to Ahsoka. She looked at it cautiously before she spoke up.

"What is it?"

"Anakin made these for you. He hoped that he'd be able to give them to you one day. He had a vision that there will be an attack, though, he didn't go into a lot of details. When Rex told him that you were here, he insisted that you may need these in the coming days. He hopes that you'll stay to help protect me along with the clone troopers that he's sent here." The woman sat on the bed to rest her aching back. The closer she got to her time to deliver the more often she found that she needed to sit down.

"But I'm not a Jedi any longer." Ahsoka couldn't help but remove them from the box and tested the weight in her hands. They felt perfect. As if made just for her; and they had been.

"I don't think that matters to him. He wants you here because he loves you. You are part of his family, and these will help protect you and others that you care for, as well."

Ahsoka ignited the blades and saw that Anakin had given her blue blades to replace the green ones she once had. She had to smile since her new blades would match his.

"I suppose that if he's seen a vision that you may be in danger then I should stick around. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you or the baby. And it would be nice to see Anakin again. Though, the clones need to be aware of the fact that I'm not their commander any longer."

"I'm pretty sure that the men out there don't care that you aren't a Jedi or a commander. They respect you because of your years of fighting alongside them. The way you have treated them, served with them, took the same risks that they have; that is what they care about." Padmé placed a hand on the young woman's hand. "Regardless of what has happened, this is where you belong."

Ahsoka blinked back the moisture that wanted to form tears at the sentiment. She smiled and hooked the lightsabers to her belt. Since she'd left the Order, she'd felt lost without a place to belong. Yet here she was being told that she was still wanted here with Anakin and the woman that he loved.

"Well, since you and Anakin want me here, I'll stay for now. And nothing will happen to you, or your child, while I'm around."

"In that case, I doubt Ani will ever let you leave again," Padmé joked. "Now, why don't we go and see if our clone guards have any more information than we do about why Anakin is so concerned suddenly. And if they have a plan in place to keep him from worrying so much."

Ahsoka nodded and followed the woman out to the door that would lead to the corridor outside of the apartment. When Padmé opened the door, the corridor was revealed to be full of clones who lined it. One thing that caught Ahsoka's attention, however, was that they had all painted their helmets to resemble her Togruta markings. She knew the men well enough to know that they had done so to show their respect for her and appreciation that she was back. Even if she wasn't a Jedi or commander any longer.

Jesse stepped forward and gave his report and informed the women that half of the clones that he'd arranged for the first watch would be outside the balcony to ensure that no one snuck in to harm the senator from that way.

"I would suggest that we find a safer location for you, Senator. Rex suggested and I agree that a request to go to the Jedi temple may be the safest place."

"I'm not sure that they would approve of such a request. I'll be fine here in my home. Especially with all of you here to see to it."

"You have our word that we'll do everything possible to keep you safe." Jesse then turned to the younger woman. "It's good to see you, Commander."

Ahsoka smiled and withheld her correction. The man knew she wasn't a commander any longer but, as she had just been reminded by the other woman, he still saw her as one. "I'm glad to see you and the others, too." She stepped aside and asked the lieutenant to join them inside. "Perhaps you should come in and fill us in on what you have planned so far. And we can work together to see to it that we keep the senator safe."

Jesse nodded and joined the women inside the apartment. They had quite a lot to discuss.

Mace followed behind Chancellor Palpatine as he went to join many from the upper crust of Capital City at an opera. Mace stood back as the man and his retinue enjoyed the theatrics of the night. He couldn't explain it, but he sensed that something was different tonight. When the man asked him to join him at his side and sent his companions away, Mace approached a bit leery but was careful to not allow his distrust of the man to show.

"I have been wondering, Master Jedi. During the last couple of weeks of volunteering to be my Jedi guard," Palpatine turned in his seat as he spoke. "Have you learned anything? Have you found out why the Jedi will not win the war against the Sith?"

Mace's eyes darted to the man and narrowed. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean, Chancellor."

"Is that so? And here I thought that the Jedi had learned who I really am, and you were sent to keep an eye on me." Palpatine gave a wide smile as he spoke. "But answer me this. How far are you willing to go to save the lives of innocent people?"

"So, it is true? You are the Sith Lord that we've been looking for." Mace was immensely aware of the fact that they were having this conversation in the opera hall which was packed nearly beyond capacity. He was sure that the man had waited patiently for this moment to ensure that he couldn't react rashly without risking the safety of others.

"The Order has been so blind, and now it is time for the Jedi to be no more. When I'm through with you and the rest of the Order, there will be no Jedi left in the galaxy." Palpatine gave a predatory look over to the dark-skinned man. "And that starts tonight."

"Is that so," Mace said as he placed his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber.

"Yes, and you will be the lynchpin of it all." Palpatine stood to face the Jedi as the other man did the same and watched him in his private box at the opera. "I have instructed an admiral loyal to only me to seize control over the Jedi Venator overhead. You see, every person in its sights will die. The ship that is assigned to you, if I'm not mistaken. All it will take will be for a single transmission and the ship will fire upon this building."

"Effectively framing the Jedi for the deaths of all of these people."

"That, or you can choose to try to stop me from sending out that transmission." The Sith pulled out his lightsaber and smiled as he waited for the man's response. He then used his other hand to pull out his comm device. "Admiral, prepare to fire on my mark."

Mace narrowed his eyes. "You won't fire upon the same building that you are in. That would be suicide."

"Perhaps not. But were you not aware that an emergency meeting at the Senate building was called for tonight to discuss the war as well as whether or not I should be granted even more power."

"You would kill the entire senate, practically, in one blow?"

Palpatine gave a sinister smile as he pulled the comm back up to his mouth. When he went to speak Mace used the force and pulled it to himself. The chancellor then cackled. "It won't be that easy to stop me, Jedi."

Mace knew that regardless of what he chose to do, the Sith had made it so he couldn't really win. He still had his hand to his weapon, and he knew that the man was waiting for him to draw his lightsaber. "I can't let you fire upon the senate."

"Then you'd best stop me," Palpatine cackled and grinned when he saw the look in the other man's eyes change. He had him.

Mace ignited his lightsaber and waited for the man to do the same with his own.

The Sith muttered, "I've been looking forward to this. And I was hoping that I'd be able to kill you personally."

Chapter Text

Palpatine snickered at the Jedi as he allowed himself to go to the ground as the man continued to bring his lightsaber down onto him. Palpatine had no problem with fending off the blows from his position. No, this was for the security cameras. He knew that he couldn't be seen from the camera's vantage point. That meant that what was filmed was the Jedi repeatedly bringing his blade down.

He heard the attention of the other operagoers turn toward the Jedi and he knew he'd waited long enough. He used his force lightening to take the man by surprise and then used the force to call for his guards to step into his private box from just outside it and shoot the Jedi. He knew that all that the others saw was that he was down on the ground and the Jedi was bringing his weapon down onto him. He fought a grin as he put his own blade away before others who would be rushing in to show concern for him could make it past his advisors who would try to delay them for a moment.

He stood and acted appropriately shaken and directed his people to seize the security footage so that he could display it before the senate. He then headed out with his retinue of followers, fighting past the reporters who were always around when he left the security of his office or apartments. With the footage in hand, he had it clipped so that it first showed Mace joining him for the opera and the two of them speaking, then the two of them standing and facing one another. He'd held his own lightsaber with his body blocking it from view of the camera. Then he was on the ground before he'd brought his weapon up to his defense. The opera box blocked the view of the weapon being used against the Jedi. So, on camera, it only looked as if the Jedi had flipped and had attacked an unarmed man.

He told all who asked that he had squirmed and rocked back and forth on the ground to avoid the blade and he saw that most, if not all, believed him. This had turned out better than he had expected. That meant that there was nothing to stop him from the next phase in his plans. And the senate would play a big role in it.

Padmé Amidala accepted Ahsoka's hand to help her into her senate repulsorpod. The other woman was dressed as one of her handmaids to allow her to go unnoticed. It was the only way that either she or Jesse had allowed her to come here for the emergency meeting that had been called. Apparently, the Vice Chair of the Galactic Senate had called for the meeting thanks to the Droid Army's attack on Kashyyyk. She wasn't sure what the senate could do but she had a duty to represent her planet and the sector that it was in by being at the meeting.

In the repulsorpod Jar Jar Binks was already waiting for her. Ahsoka took great care in making sure that the man didn't recognize her since subtly wasn't his forte. If he knew she was there, the rest of the senate chamber would as well.

"Senator, me'm so glad to see yousa. Do yousa know what disa meeten be about?"

"Not exactly, Jar Jar. Hopefully, the meeting will begin quickly so that we can all do what we need and then leave. I have better things to do than be here this late in the evening."

"Not to mention, yousa needen to getsa yous rest per da litta una."

Padmé nodded and took her seat. Ahsoka stood at her side as the small group waited and watched for nearly a half an hour before the Vice Chair began the meeting.

"I'm afraid that the issue that we'd originally called this meeting for must be set aside. It is with great sorrow that I must inform this body that tonight there was an attack on the Chancellor's life. He has been taken to an undisclosed location for his own safety, but I have been entrusted with showing this evidence to the Senate."

Overhead there was a massive holographic video footage that showed Master Mace Windu first speaking with and then attacking the chancellor with his lightsaber. As gasps went up all over the massive chamber the man continued, "As you can see, the Jedi attacked Chancellor Palpatine unprovoked and without cause. We are fortunate that the clone troopers who were assigned to him acted quickly and dispatched the traitorous Jedi. And we have reason to believe that this was a mass conspiracy on the part of the Jedi. This Jedi was part of their High Council and would have acted on behalf of all Jedi."

Padmé stood and activated her pod's engines to move forward to the middle of the chamber much to the displeasure of Jesse who was on it with her as her personal guard.

"I refuse to believe that the Jedi have worked together to attack the chancellor. We must not condemn an entire group of people based on what scant evidence we have been shown. I do not know what happened in that private box, but I do know that the Jedi wouldn't work together to betray the Republic. I beg of you. Do not act in haste."

Mas Amedda had hoped that this woman would have been dispatched already. Hadn't that been Palpatine's plan? He looked around and saw that she had too many supporters to discount her pleas out of hand. "Very well. We will allow them to prove their innocence to this body. They will be asked to send an envoy to speak before a committee. If the committee hears and finds what they have to say to be believable then they will face no retribution. But if they find that the Jedi knew and helped to plan this assault on democracy then they will face judgment."

Padmé looked to Ahsoka and saw that she was thinking the same thing as she was. How could they prove their innocence? Shouldn't the senate committee instead be charged with proving their guilt?

When the meeting was adjourned, she left with Jesse and Ahsoka and as soon as she was on her private speeder, she called to ask for someone at the Jedi temple to meet with her. She had a hard time getting anyone to speak with her. Finally, Master Fisto agreed to meet with her. He'd wait for her speeder at the landing pad.

She wrung her hands as the trip to the temple took what felt like hours, but she knew it really took less than a quarter of one. All around her were other speeders with more clones from Jesse's Regiment. Their way of protecting her on the move. When she saw the Nautolan she smiled weakly since the man had that way about him. He always appeared to be cheerful. Or at least, he usually did. When she got out of her speeder it quickly became clear that he knew about the accusations against both Master Windu as well as the Jedi Order.

"Master Fisto, I wish my visit wasn't for such dire circumstances." She once more had to rely on both Jesse and Ahsoka as she got out of her speeder. "But I need to inform you of what just occurred at the senate meeting."

"We felt a disturbance in the force and then our communications became jammed with many individuals seeking answers. I'm afraid that there isn't many that we can offer at the moment." Kit looked at the handmaiden and smiled. "Ahsoka, it is nice to see you again. I'm sure that Skywalker will feel the same way when he returns."

The Tagruta nodded but didn't remove her cloak from over her head. She knew that the Jedi would know who she was, but her presence wasn't to protect the senator from the Jedi. "Is there a way that we can go inside and discuss things in private?"

Kit Fisto paused before nodding. "Follow me."

The trio waited for a few squads to join them while the rest would remain outside until they were needed. It was felt that there would be no place safer for the pregnant woman than the Jedi temple. She was led to where visitors were taken in the few instances that they were allowed to meet here at the temple and asked if she was alright when she had to pause on her small trek to the room. She nodded despite the fact that each day it became more difficult to walk this much.

The temple, itself, was fairly quiet. The younglings had all been put to bed and the activity that she was used to seeing the few times she'd been allowed to come to the temple had been called to a halt for the evening. When she was steered to a chair in the room for the meeting, she was quick to ask about the other masters that she had dealt with in the past.

"Where are Master Kenobi and Master Yoda?"

Kit Fisto smiled before he informed her as he sat across from the woman, "We received word that both Dooku and Grievous are on a planet in the Outer Rim. The two of them took a team of Jedi to face them both. In fact, they should be on the planet now. We are hoping that we can end this war soon."

Jesse listened from the side but had to add, "Except for the fact that it's been learned that the chancellor is actually behind the war on both sides."

The Jedi looked at the clone in surprise. "And why would you say that?"

"First the chips being removed from all of us clones that the Jedi could, then Master Skywalker sending our regiment to protect the Senator. We were informed to not allow the man to be alone with her and to only allow clones who have had their chips removed to be part of the security that he asked to have set up for her. That would be overkill unless the man was a true danger. Rex suspects that you've learned that the Chancellor is a Sith. Which would then explain the precautions."

The Jedi took in the clone for a moment before nodding. "No doubt Skywalker discussed this with his captain."

As Kit spoke, Jesse tilted his head as he heard an order go out over his comm. The thing was the order didn't sound familiar.

Ahsoka thought back to the times that she'd met the chancellor in the past and after a moment it didn't take long to connect him with the Sith that the Jedi have been looking for since the beginning of the Clone War. She'd never felt comfortable around the man. She was about to say something when she felt an intense sense of dread and pain. It caused both her and the Jedi Master to double over for several moments. When she was able to straighten back up, she looked to see both the senator and the clone were looking to make sure that she was alright. Jesse had even put an arm around her to keep her from falling to the floor. Across the small room she saw where Master Fisto had leaned more into the chair that he'd been sitting in while speaking with Padmé.

"What happened? Are you alright?" She asked both Ahsoka and Kit Fisto.

"There was a great disturbance in the force," Kit said as he sat up and focused on what he'd just experienced. "A large number of Jedi cried out in the force before being silenced. Somehow, they have been killed."

Jesse furled his brows. "An order went out over the comm to all clones just prior to the two of you doubling over. I heard, Activate Order Sixty-Six. But I don't recall that order from my training. It could be now that I don't have an inhibitor-chi-"

"You are not compelled to follow through with the order. Thankfully we were warned to have the chips removed from as many of you as possible," Kit lowered his eyes since he knew that it had been slow moving in removal of the chips from those clones out in the field. After all, not all Jedi had the right medical equipment nearby to remove the chips from their clone troopers.

"What are you talking about? What chips?" Ahsoka and Padmé both asked in confusion.

"It's a long stor-" Master Fisto was interrupted by Jesse's comm device going off.

"Sir, there is a regiment of clone troopers being delivered just outside of the temple and they are marching toward the entrance. We are positioning ourselves to prevent them from coming in, but they have started to fire upon us!"

"I'll call for reinforcements. Whatever you do, do not let them pass!"

"What could cause clone troopers to march on the temple?" Ahsoka asked in confusion.

"The same thing that caused many clones to turn on their Jedi Generals!" Jesse turned to the door where the two squadrons were waiting just outside it. After opening it he addressed the men there. "The temple is under attack. But your orders from General Skywalker remain the same. We must protect the senator at all costs."

"Yes, Sir!" The men all answered as one.

"I should go and join the other Jedi preparing to guard the temple," Kit said as he turned to Ahsoka. "You should remain here. I know that Skywalker would want you to be his last line of defense."

Ahsoka nodded as she removed her cloak to prepare to fight if the chip-controlled clones made it this far. She just wished that she had more time to find out what was causing the clones to turn against both the Jedi as well as their brothers.

Across the city the young man who had been taken out of the lower levels of Coruscant nearly two weeks ago watched as the news reports went over the airwaves. He didn't know much about the chancellor or the Jedi but the clone troopers who had been assigned to remain with him seemed to think very highly of the Jedi who was their general. He wondered where the women who had come to get him and taken him in had gone. They had only said that they had something important to take care of. He sat in the sitting room and wondered what he was supposed to do other than pull things up on the holo-net.

Even that was a luxury that he'd not had many opportunities to indulge in and access it where he'd been living for the last couple of years after the small orphanage that had once been his home had closed down due to lack of funding. When it closed Alexsandr had joined several other kids his own age to get by. They would find an abandoned building and live there until they were run out only to find another. Usually going down further into the city each time. To be honest, he never expected to ever actually see the sun, much less the moons, from where he laid his head at night.

Alexsandr looked over at the table where some texts were left for him. The woman had said that they needed to do something about his schooling, or lack of it, and had the datapad books brought to the room where he was being allowed to remain for the moment. Having nothing better to do he grabbed a datapad and started to read over it. He figured that it was better than sitting here with nothing to do. He started going through them one at a time and quickly tackled the stack that had been left for him. He was reading through one more when he finally fell asleep on a couch that was more comfortable than he'd ever sat on before coming to this suite in the care of the kind senator. It never even occurred to him that he should have gotten up to go to the guest room that he'd been given to stay in.

That is where he was when he awoke several hours later by the women who had taken him in.

Jesse called for the rest of the 501st to join the clones at the Jedi temple to fight off their brothers who were obsessed with bursting into the temple and dispatching the residents inside. He'd never thought that he'd be battling against his brothers in this way. Fighting to keep them away from the temple that was filled more with sleeping children than anyone else.

He ordered for his men to set their blasters to the wide-ban stun setting since he didn't want to kill his brothers. They didn't have a choice in what they were doing if what he'd learned about the chips was true. The other men didn't realize that they were being manipulated in some way thanks to the chips that the cloners had placed in their brains.

As he and his men were pushed back, he ducked behind a pillar just on the inside of the entrance of the ancient temple. He looked around and spotted a man who was supposed to be on Utapau leading the charge; Count Dooku. The man force pushed many of his men and struck down those who were close enough to him with his lightsaber. The Sith was here and leading the clone troopers in their attack against the Jedi.

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Kit Fisto led many of the Jedi who were stationed at the temple against the troopers who were trying to infiltrate their sanctum. When he saw the former Jedi turned Sith he led a few of his compatriots to deal with him. The clones, still loyal to the Jedi, would deal with their brothers who were attacking the temple.

"Dooku? Why attack here of all places? You once revered this temple as much as any of us?" Kit didn't want to fight his former ally, but he would do what he needed. He couldn't let the man complete whatever mission he had come here for.

The elder human casually flicked his wrist as he activated his lightsaber and shook his head. "The time of the Jedi is over. Surely you can see that."

"What I see is that you have turned your back on everything that you once believed in and instead became the antithesis of it."

Kit squared off with the older man and patiently took him on. Lightsabers clashed and Dooku sent force lightening to try to get one over on the man. Fisto dodged and deflected and leapt just beyond the Count's reach and then waited as other Jedi faced off with the man, as well. He collected himself and went to move back to fight with the Sith when one of the Temple Sentinels turned to attack him. He was taken by surprise and felt the blade brush one of his flexible tentacle-tresses that hung from his head as he barely moved out of the way as it came down toward him. His dark eyes focused on the unlikely ally to the dark-side user.

"What are you doing? You have sworn to protect the temple from those who would desecrate it!"

The temple guardian, a Pau'an, sneered. "I was and I have for years. But the Jedi have lost their way."

"So, you think you will right it by joining the Sith?"

"At least within it, one knows where they stand. The hypocrisy has been settled."

Fisto brought up his blade to fend off the other man's attack and drew on the force more as he sensed other Jedi behind him to help him in his fight. They were now divided between the guard as well as Count Dooku. Up ahead, he saw the clones continue their fight and wondered briefly how they could have gotten to this point.

"We will not allow you to go further into the temple. We will stop you here!" Kit Fisto prepared to propel himself at the dark acolytes and trusted that his fellow Jedi would follow him. They had to win this fight. There wasn't any other option available to them.

Ahsoka heard the distant sounds of the battle creep slowly toward the room that Padmé had been left to remain safe. She didn't like the idea of just waiting for the fight to come to her. She glanced around at the two squads of clones who were in the room with her. Jesse had sent them inside to guard the other woman and had called for more to line the hall outside. She addressed them quickly.

"I'll be joining the men outside of the door. Your orders will remain the same. Protect the senator at all costs."

"Ahsoka! No!" Padmé tried to change the younger woman's mind. "You can't go out there."

"Your safety is the most important in this room and I can do more good out there preventing any dangers from coming in rather than fight them off once they are already in here." Ahsoka then smiled. "Besides, I was trained by Anakin. I'll be fine."

The pregnant woman sighed. "Just be careful."

Ahsoka nodded as she walked outside of the room and pulled out her lightsabers as she strolled to the front of the clones who lined the hall while prepared to defend the woman who was close to their general. She called to the force to calm herself as she waited for the battle to make its way through the temple. She could sense the pain caused by blaster bolts as well as lightsaber strikes. She could also sense the fear and determination of the soldiers who were fighting. Fear that they would never show but was there, nonetheless. She held her blades at her side, inactivated, and waited as the fight neared the meeting room behind her.

When she felt the marching grow closer, she ignited her blades and stood at the front of the clones who were still loyal to the Jedi and those they were close to. They stood ready and as the first trooper turned the corner to head in their direction the men behind her started to fire. But these were stun blasts. They were not willing to kill their brothers if they could help it. Unfortunately, the other clones didn't have the same aversion.

Ahsoka deflected bolts as they reached her and sent as many as she could up into the walls and ceilings instead of returning them to the men who fired them. The clones behind her kept up a steady barrage of stun blasts even as many of their numbers fell from the killing bolts that were sent in their direction. The former Jedi knew that if they continued to fight without willing to cause fatal wounds then they would soon lose their advantage of numbers. She leapt forward and took the fight forward, kicking the men and using her blades to disable their weapons. She used her many years as a padawan as well as working alongside the clones learning how they fought and thought to take as many down as she could. Behind her, many of her clone troopers followed her lead. They moved forward to fight their brothers in hand-to-hand combat rather than fighting them with blasters.

She didn't know how long they had fought like that but eventually she looked up and found that the soldiers who had come to seize control over those in this section of the temple were defeated. The fighting still raged in other parts of the temple but for now, their battle for the hall was over. She heaved a sigh and looked to her men who were still standing.

"Stun the men here and keep them stunned until we can figure out what to do with them."

One trooper, Besnik, nodded. "Until we can have their chips removed, as well. Hopefully, once they are, they will return to normal."

"And perhaps," Ahsoka added as she reined in her breathing. "You can tell me more about what these chips are and what they are for."

"When there is time," Besnik said with a smile. He and the other men then started to move the unconscious men to the side to make way down the hall so that they wouldn't be trampled on should anyone wish to come down this way.

The woman nodded and stretched out her senses to the larger fight still raging elsewhere. She could sense many Jedi still engaged in warfare against the Sith who led the campaign against the temple. Still, it did feel as if the tide had turned just as her clone trooper once more addressed her.

"Sir, the rest of the 501st have arrived along with the 532nd. The reinforcements have secured the temple and the rogue clones have been contained to smaller skirmishes."

Ahsoka let out a sigh of relief as she smiled to the clone. "That is the best news I've heard all day."

She turned and returned to where she'd left Padmé to inform her of the progress of the battle. Once the temple was secured, she would need to remove the senator from the area and get her someplace safe. She'd once considered the temple to be the safest place in the galaxy but clearly that was no longer true. And with the events of the night, both here at the temple as well as at the opera house, things were bound to get more complicated and interesting here at the temple in the coming days.

Master Fisto looked down in sorrow as he stared at the man that he had no choice but to kill in self-defense. The man had been charged with protecting the Order, yet he'd betrayed it on the highest level. He'd left him no choice when the man had nearly killed one of the younger padawans who had joined their master to defend the temple. With a weary sigh he shook his head and turned to find the defeated Sith Lord, Count Dooku, disarmed and restrained.

"Count Dooku, you have been charged with violating the Jedi Code and with treason. You will be taken into custody, and you will tell us all that we need to know about your Sith Master; Chancellor Palpatine."

The man gave a defiant smirk. "You think that you can defeat him? He's already ruined the Order's reputation with the senate. He's planned this for decades. You won't-"

Dooku's words stopped in this throat, unable to make it past the invisible hand that grasped his neck. The man reached up with his hands but knew that he wouldn't find a physical hand there. He sputtered and gasped as he sought relief from the choking. He found none and in only a moment his eyes became soulless portals to the afterlife.

"It would appear that our Sith Lord's master has decided to leave no witnesses," Kit Fisto shook his head. He then turned to the other masters and clones around him. "Tend to the wounded. And make sure that all of the clones who haven't had their chips removed are taken to have that addressed."

A clone stepped forward and nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Kit headed back to where he'd left the senator and saw that Ahsoka Tano had been busy, as well. There were many downed clones who were being treated by other clones and Ahsoka was leading the senator out to meet him.

"Master Fisto," Senator Amidala addressed the Jedi as she saw him coming toward her. "How bad is it?"

"We've lost many good people, unfortunately. Clones and Jedi. I came to inform you that it would be best for you to leave in case there is a second wave on its way."

"I understand. I've made contact with a friend who will be willing to take me and my retinue here into hiding." Padmé looked around with sadness at the sight of the men who were both dead and some unconscious from the stuns. "But what happened?"

"It would appear that Palpatine sent Dooku and his personal clone forces to attack the temple."

"Why wouldn't Dooku have come with battle droids, instead?"

Ahsoka thought about the other woman's question. "Because this was a mission that required stealth. A battalion of battle droids would have drawn attention here on the Capital. But it wouldn't have been difficult for Count Dooku to have made his way to the planet undetected. Especially if the chancellor was the one who was doing the sneaking."

"Astute as ever, Ahsoka," Master Fisto nodded. "I'm afraid I won't be able to spare anyone to help escort you to your speeder and to your friend, but there are few masters available to protect the younglings."

"I understand. Thank you." The senator put a hand on the man's arm as she passed by him. "I'll make sure I share what I know happened here, that the Sith were responsible for what happened tonight."

"In the meantime, we will need to find someplace safe for the younglings to go. The temple will not be safe for them right now."

Master Fisto then headed up to the temple's center to learn which Jedi Masters survived the attacks around the galaxy just prior to the attack on the temple. From the disturbance that he had felt when it occurred, he knew that the loss will likely be devastating. But he could only imagine the carnage if they hadn't had the warning to try to remove the chips from the clones who were closest to the Jedi.

Young Alexsandr had fallen asleep while reading over the texts that he'd been left while lounging on the couch in the sitting area of the senator's suite. When they returned to the apartment to retrieve him, they rushed to wake him. He looked around and saw that both women were looking at him with concern before addressing the clones behind them.

"Have my handmaids been sent to the safehouse yet?"

"Yes, Senator. He was the last to be moved. And if I may say, coming back here personally may not have been wise. We could have-"

"The boy is under my protection. Which means that I need to see to his safety personally." Senator Amidala spoke in a way that let it be known that she didn't intend to argue her point. She then looked up into the face of the young man, who already surpassed her small stature, and smiled. "Now, Alexsandr, we need to get moving. There isn't time to explain but how well are you able to take care of yourself in a fight?"

Alexsandr tilted his head since that was an odd question but answered, "I started to earn extra credits about six months ago in the fight clubs in the lower levels. I win more times than not against some of the older teens."

Padmé lowered her brows since she hated hearing that someone of his age had already had to learn to fight just to survive. Still, such a background could come in handy right now. "And a blaster, have you ever fired one?"

"A couple of times. Not enough to get good at it, though." What he didn't say was that the only times he'd actually had a blaster had been when one had been found on the body of another resident of the lower levels. He'd never been able to afford more ammunition or power cells so once they were empty, he would toss them since they wouldn't be any use to him any longer.

"That's good enough for now," the woman nodded to a clone. "Give him one for an emergency." Padmé looked back to the teen and added, "This will be just for an emergency. Once we get to our safehouse you'll be returning it. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am." He accepted a blaster from the clone and examined it quickly. He then listened as the clones filled the woman in on their next planned move to get the group out of the city and, from there, off world.

Anakin stared out of the cockpit and tried to meditate. The force suppression bubble was too strong to actually use the force. Still, the meditation helped to clear his mind. He looked out into the starfield as they raced back to Coruscant, but he knew that by the time he reached the planet that much of the events that he saw in his visions would have already taken place.

As he sat in the solitude of the cockpit, he saw that a transmission was coming in. He answered it despite the fact that this wasn't his ship. When the image of his wife came in over subspace he smiled in relief.

"Padmé! You're okay!"

"Ani!" The woman gave her husband a reassuring smile in response to both his own and his concern. "I thought that I'd best let you know that I've had to leave Coruscant. The chancellor has framed Master Windu for an attempt on his life and has essentially started an all-out war with the Jedi. He sent Dooku and clones who still have something called inhibitor chips to attack the Jedi Temple. I was also with Master Fisto when both he and Ahsoka sensed something just before the attack. I'm not sure what happened but I know that a lot of Jedi were involved."

Anakin lowered his eyes as he thought about the potential casualties. "The order that our friends told us about. The one to kill the Jedi."

"What order?" She crossed her arms since there had been far too much secrecy recently for her tastes.

"The individuals that I've been travelling with... You aren't going to believe this, but they are actually from the future. They warned us about the inhibitor chips being used to program the clones to kill the Jedi when the Sith activated them. They are the reason why we started to have them removed. But unfortunately, not fast enough to prevent a lot of death."

"The future?" Padmé gave him a skeptical look. "I'll have to take your word for it."

"You said that you've left Coruscant. Where are you now? Where are you heading?"

"I've been able to seek help from Senator Organa. I didn't want to return home to Naboo since that would likely be the first place anyone would look for me if I really am in danger as you claimed when you recruited Rex to assemble the rest of the 501st under Jesse's command at the moment. I'll send you coordinates. We'll arrive there tomorrow."

Anakin took a look at the coordinates and smirked. "I can be there in only two days instead of the six that I still would have for Coruscant. I'll change course immediately and meet you there. Oh, and consequentially, the young boy that you were sent to find. Is he still with you?"

"Yes. And he's really something. He's been completely engrossed with the clones. Jesse said that it is a shame that he's not a clone himself." Padmé gave a small laugh before she continued. "Said that he shows great promise and has taken him under his wing, so to speak. He even suggested the possibility of military school for the boy. And he seems to be amendable to the idea. Though, just looking at where he's been living, I'm sure he'd jump at just about anything for the promise of regular meals and a roof over his head."

"After meeting him, I have no doubt that the boy is everything that you say."

"I thought that you and Rex hadn't actually met this boy, yet."

"I haven't. But I have met him as a man." He grinned and gave a wink. "He's one of our friends from the future."

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Kallus woke up and looked to where Kiara was pressed up against him in the bunk where they had slept. He could tell that she hadn't slept well over the last week. He wondered if the extended stay on the ship with its force suppression bubble was affecting her. True, they had lived on the ship with its effects of the weapon that had been used against her and Kanan for months prior to being flung through time. But there had been times to leave the ship behind when going to various planets for one reason or another. Sometimes for nothing more than to enjoy some fresh air. They were always finding reasons to land the ship on a moon or planet.

Since coming to this time, and learning of the disturbance that is created when both copies of the same individual were able to be sensed with the use of the force, Kiara has not left the hangar where the Shadow Chaser was docked after being made aware of such effects on her younger self. Kallus, himself didn't feel ill, but he wasn't a force user. So it is possible that had a lot to do with it. As for Ezra, he hadn't left the hangar, either. But he had so much less exposure to the ship than Kiara had, prior to her slow decline in health. So perhaps it was a cumulative effect...

Though he doubted that anyone but himself would notice that she wasn't feeling well. It wasn't like she would say anything. And she did her best to hide the ill effects that she was suffering from. And since she remained within the bubble surrounding the ship in the hanger when she did leave the Shadow Chaser to try to stretch a bit, as well as socialize with Caleb's master or with the new mother who had been asked to remain nearby to be hidden from the Emperor's search through the force, even the Jedi wouldn't sense anything wrong.

Perhaps he should request Skywalker to keep his Padawan within the hangar for the day so that Kiara could get some much needed time away from the ship. He was sure that the young girl would enjoy the opportunity to reconnect with Ezra and share with him what she has learned since starting her studies with her new master here on the Jedi Cruiser.

Many of the other survivors have begun to head out to some of the hidden locations that have been identified as possible safe locations. He knew that his suggestion for the temples on Yavin IV were investigated, and he believed that many of the younglings were taken there for the time being. But unlike before, no one location will be the home for the entire order. So that if one was found, the others would still be safe. Much like he, Ezra, and Kiara had explained that the rebellion from their future timeline functioned.

He also knew that the Jedi had intended to try to reach out to some of their members who had been dispatched prior to the Clone Wars into the Unknown Regions to explore for more options outside of the reach of the Sith Lord. Perhaps that would offer the best place for the new generation of Jedi once they receive their transmissions, eventually.

Kallus looked back to where Kiara was finally sleeping peacefully after a fitful night. He didn't dare to get out of the bunk in fear of waking her. Instead, he spent the next little while just watching her sleep. After all, he didn't have anything of any urgency to attend to. And there was absolutely nothing more important to him than Kiara.

Padmé sat with the unusual young woman who had been the catalyst of her husband's theological revival. She had asked her and the men from her ship to join her for her mid-day meal to give her a change in company. Mainly out of curiosity. She had heard her husband speaking to the blonde man who came from the same time period as the other woman sitting across from her. He seemed to be concerned for her well-being. Since she has been exposed to the effects of the weapon that had been used on her ship to suppress the force in and around it more than any other force user. And hadn't left the ship since she and Anakin returned to it on Dathomir after visiting the temple that had been found on the planet.

To Padmé, the other woman did look a bit more fatigued than she had when they had first met about a week ago. But she didn't know her well enough to gauge anything beyond that. She'd only met with her a few times over the last week. Such as now, having the mid-day meal with the others who have been isolated in the hangar for the safety of not just themselves, but others; while waiting for Anakin to return with the young girl that he's recently taken on as his new Padawan after a morning of lessons. Once he returned, she planned to insist that the other woman wasn't the only one who needed to stretch her legs a bit.

She was suffering from a bit of cabin fever from being stuck in the hangar for so long with no end in sight. She wasn't one to hide away while others tried to keep her from danger. And while she was only a week out from giving birth, she already felt as though she was recovered from it and was ready to take on the galaxy herself. So telling Anakin that she planned to take their children to the infirmary to ensure that they were growing as expected shouldn't be hard. And who knows, perhaps she should request that the other woman should help her instead of one of her handmaidens or Ahsoka. Then she could convince her to have the medical droid to take a look at her to make sure that she was well.

"You want to do what?" Anakin couldn't believe what he was hearing. "If you leave the hangar Palpatine may be able to sense you. He could kill you!"

"Ani, after a week, with all that he has on his plate, I seriously doubt that he's just sitting around in meditation, waiting for the chance to sense me."

"I'm not willing to take that chance," Anakin shook his head as he spoke.

He knew that his wife was stubborn. She had to be for her job (and to be married to him, he conceded silently) but that didn't mean that he was going to just stand back and let her take an unnecessary risk. The medical droid could just as easily run any tests on the children here. There was no need to risk their, nor her, safety in this way. And even if the children did need to go to the infirmary for a checkup, he would take them. Not his wife. Not while he knew Palpatine was still fuming at his failure to eliminate the Jedi as well as kill Padmé during childbirth.

Now to find a way to convince his wife that she needed to stay put where she was until they could find a way to stop Palpatine, once and for all.

Kiara strolled through the corridors of a Jedi Cruiser for the first time since she had left the Point of Light when she and Alexandr left Master Billaba's ship upon their first meeting with the Jedi Counsel. It felt a bit strange to not be in the hangar after being there for the last week. She was told that the Counsel had decided that if they could return the three of them to their own timeline sooner than later, then it would be best for everyone. So after much discussion, the ship was traveling through hyperspace toward Lothal now that the decision has been made.

Hopefully, if all went as planned, in just a few more days, she, Alexandr, and Ezra will be returning to their timeline and their own future that they had left behind. The present couldn't really move forward until the three of them were gone. And to be honest, she missed Kanan and the others. While there had been times where she had gone much longer without any contact with those from the Ghost, at least she could contact them through subspace if she wanted. Here, it was different.

"What a surprise," Kiara heard behind her as she turned to see Master Billaba walking towards her. "I wasn't aware that you have been able to leave the hangar, safely."

"Apparently, it's become a concern for others that perhaps I've begun to experience some effects of long-term exposure to the force suppression bubble around my ship. So, Master Skywalker has agreed to ask his padawan to remain in the hangar after the mid-day meal. I even believe that Ezra planned to spend some time with her to ask her how she's adapting to her new routine within the Order."

Depa tilted her head slightly. "And have you?" She asked before going further when she saw the confusion on the other woman's face. "Have you been experiencing any effects from the weapon used on your ship?"

Kiara sighed as she thought about her response. "I don't think so. Maybe. It's hard to really know. I've had a few headaches, and I'm a bit tired. But not past that, really. And it hasn't really been that bad."

Depa gave a compassionate smile. "Bad enough for your male companion to have noticed, however." The Jedi used her senses to see the sister of her padawan through the eyes of the force before she motioned for her to continue to walk with her. "Perhaps we should put any concerns to rest by making our way to the infirmary. A few scans should put everyone's mind at ease."

"The infirmary is not what I had in mind for a change of scenery," Kiara complained. "Though I wouldn't be opposed to some more combat training like we did back at the Jedi Temple."

"First, let's make sure that there isn't anything of concern by running those scans. Then we shall see to your training."

Kiara rolled her eyes but she knew that at least this would pacify Alex once she told him that she was fine and had seen a medical droid to prove it.

Kallus fell into a roll as he ducked Rex's attack, barely. The clone had agreed to help him train after the mid-day meal. Working along with the clone helped to break up the monotony of remaining in the hanger. He had spent the morning using a makeshift targeting area to maintain his skills with his blaster; competing with Ezra since he, too, could use something to keep busy with. But he was aware that it may not be the wisest thing to do once the younger version of Kiara returned for her time in the hanger to allow the woman that he was concerned for to have some needed time away from the ship and its force suppression bubble. So once the young girl was back in the hangar, they put their blasters away and Kallus had worked on his physical skills that he'd need in a hand-to-hand fight. Meanwhile Ezra joined the young girl to discuss her latest training.

As Kallus got back onto his feet, he caught sight of the Jedi Master reluctantly leaving the hangar with his wife and their young twins. And he wasn't the only one. He heard Rex snicker as he stood back to wait for Kallus to square back off with him.

"Is something amusing?"

"You could say that. There is only one person in the galaxy who consistently wins in a battle of wills against the general. And that would be the senator," Rex chuckled.

Kallus smiled in the direction of the Jedi Master before he realized that Rex was using the opportunity to catch him by surprise. He rubbed his shoulder where the clone had gotten a good connection with during his lapse of concentration before he shook his head and refocused. But he also figured it would be a good chance to learn more about the other man's interactions with the Jedi. During the weeks that he'd spent with the two other men, he'd seen that while there was a clear military hierarchy, it was equally clear that the two men held one another in high regard as friends. And when there were no others from the Order or other clones around, they would often tease one another as if they had been friends for many more years than the war itself had been going on.

"So shall I take it that Master Skywalker frequently loses such battles of will against his wife? I would think that he would have learned a way to hold his ground a bit more, after all of his warring with so many opponents over the years."

Rex stood ready to continue his mock-battle against Kallus as he responded. "Going to battle against an enemy is very different than against a woman when one is in love." Rex then added just before throwing a punch, to take advantage of his words setting in with the other man, "I would think that you would have learned that by now with your own woman. In the short amount I've time I've known you, the only time I ever see you back down is with Kiara."

Kallus now rubbed his jaw where Rex's fist had connected. He saw the grin on the clone's face and knew that he'd responded exactly as expected at the mention of Kiara and his somewhat frequent acquiesce to the woman. If he was to hold his own against the clone during their sparring session, he was going to have to concentrate and not let the other man in his head. Even if he was worried about Kiara's recent bouts of ailments. Hopefully, with some time away from the ship a little each day between now and when they will arrive on Lothal, she will begin to feel a bit better. And of course, once they return to their own time, they will be able to request crew quarters and there will be plenty of time for Kiara to recover from the long-term effects of the weapon used on the Shadow Chaser.

However, Kallus also knew that once the three of them returned to their timeline and future, that they would be returning to a time of war. Which meant that he needed to be fully prepared; both mentally and physically. As such, he was determined to focus on the sparring match with the clone trooper in his prime. Perhaps the best match he could remember being a part of in his life. Before, during, and after he joined and subsequently left the Empire.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Kallus had watched the children, as he has forced himself to think of them to try to not overthink just who they really are, as they were preparing to leave out after the morning meal with the Skywalkers on the Nubian ship that was in the secondary hangar with the Shadow Chaser. He could tell that the young padawan of Master Billaba had been quick to form a friendship with the new ward of Senator Amidala. It was strange but Kallus felt better knowing that his younger self has already begun to settle into his new life. One that had a promise of finding a purpose while also creating healthy friendships.

From behind him, he heard an approach down the loading ramp. He turned and saw Ezra coming down to join him for a morning of training together since neither of them would be leaving the hangar. The young man didn't want to risk his infant self. It would frighten his parents. Which was why, even though they would arrive in the Lothal system later today, they planned to wait until nightfall for them to leave the ship. That way his younger self would be asleep. So any temporary effects wouldn't be noticed by his parents.

With a glance of where Kallus had been looking toward, Ezra asked, "You still haven't actually talked to him, have you?"

"No," Kallus replied simply.

"Why not? Kiara had to spend days with her younger self on our way to rendezvous with the Jedi Order's survivors."

"There is no reason for it. To them, we are just strangers who-"

"That's not exactly true," Ezra interrupted. When he saw Kallus's brow raise in question he continued, "During our flight both to Dathomir, then to join the Jedi, there were times when we discussed our situation."

Kallus sighed. "We never said anything about our plight when the young girl was around."

"That we knew of," Ezra pointed out with a chuckle. The girl's antics reminded him of his own when he first joined the Ghost crew. "It appears that she snuck around in the ventilation system to eavesdrop on the rest of us at least a few times. And she shared what she'd heard with her brother and your younger self. Master Skywalker told me about it last night. Apparently, Master Billaba had overheard a couple of conversations and felt that he should know."

Kallus spent a moment thinking about what he was told. Of course the girl had done that. He knew the woman. Why had he expected her younger self to be any different. Since he was certain that his Kiara would have done the same.

"Speaking of last night," Ezra changed the subject with a sly look. "How did it go?"

Despite trying to remain stoic, he couldn't help the grin that snuck upon his lips. "She said yes. And I have to thank you for your information regarding the traditions of Lothal. When we return and after we've had our reunion with the others, we'll be able to add to the celebration."

Ezra slapped the other man on the back as he congratulated him. "That's great. I can't way to see Kanan's face when he realizes that you'll be his new brother-in-law. After all of the times we had to run from you when you were still an agent."

"I suppose it won't be as humorous for you as if it had been a couple of years ago. In your absence, we've become pretty good friends. And he's been well aware of my affections for his sister."

"Still, there should at least be a moment of surprise that will be funny to see."

"True. And there will be another surprise to be discussed with the others," Kallus stated simply as he was still trying to come to terms with the latest bit of news.

Ezra watched as the younger individuals left the hangar for the day. Each having their own training for the morning. They would return later in the day. "What kind of surprise?" When he saw that his companion wasn't too quick to reply he turned back and added in a question, "Kallus?"

Kallus raised hand to his brow and rubbed it. "I wasn't the only one who needed to speak in private last night. While she was away from the hangar, yesterday afternoon, she went to the infirmary. And while there, she learned that she's pregnant."

"Hey, that's great! I-" Ezra read the man's face before he went on. "It is great, isn't it?"

"Let's just say that I had never once thought about having children. Even when considering the fact that I always felt like I wanted to have a family, that had never been part of the equation. I don't even know where to start, in getting ready for what's coming."

Ezra considered his thoughts before he put them into words. "When I first showed up in Kanan's life out of nowhere, he wasn't prepared to become a master to a kid like me, either. I was just as sarcastic as he was. Moreso, even. I'd been on my own for half of my life up to that point. And I could be a huge pain."

"Yes, well, I could understand that. Having seen just how much of a pain you could be, first hand," Kallus chuckled before adding, "But you were already fourteen at the time. Not a helpless baby."

"Which is good for you. Since you'll have time to get used to the kid before it inherits its mother's sense of humor and tendency to goad you for fun." Ezra snickered since he'd seen first hand a few times since spending time with the couple and living with them on the ship while waiting to return to their own time period. "And it isn't like you'll be in this alone. You have Kiara. And the rest from the Ghost will help, too. You know that they will. After all. You will literally be family. And this crew, this family, sticks together."

Kallus nodded with a small smile. Somehow, while he still felt a bit uneasy, his conversation with the young man did make him feel a bit better.

The two then moved to the part of the hangar that they used for training with their blasters now that the younger individuals were gone for a few hours. Ezra missed being able to practice with a lightsaber. He looked forward to being able to once more practice with his when he reunited with Kanan after leaving his safely with Chopper. He missed their sparring sessions. He missed his family.

Ahsoka sat meditating on the force. She sensed so much darkness and she wanted to see past it to try to get a feel for the coming days. She had worked with Anakin to brush up her battle readiness since, outside of the night of the Jedi Temple's attack, it had been a while since she had been able to hone her saber skills. And now knowing that Palpatine was the Sith Lord that they have been looking for since before the beginning of the Clone Wars meant that she knew that he would be seeking vengeance for the failure of his elaborate plot to destroy the Jedi.

After sitting for a couple of hours, she finally felt that she could sense a change. It wasn't anything straightforward. But rather it was like they were heading towards a resolution. Palpatine was preparing for when he and the Jedi have their final showdown. She worried that Anakin was correct. That he still would plan to come for Padmé and the children. Which is why she and Anakin had agreed that she would remain with them when he wasn't. One of them will always be with them until Palpatine has been brought down.

She checked the time and realized that the time for the others to leave for Lothal was quickly approaching. Just another couple of hours and their passengers from another time will be returned to their own timeline. After which, they will rejoin the rest of the Jedi.

Before they had left out, both Obi-wan and Master Yoda had asked her if she would return to the Order. She knew that neither wanted her to leave in the first place. And with the Order's attack, they would be trying to shore up their allies of lightside force wielders. She was reluctant but did agree to think about it. There was still so much about the Order that she no longer agreed with. But then again, she was sure that things would be changing.

It already has, to an extent. There had been little judgement and no consequences once the remaining council members learned of Anakin's marriage and family. And the man had even spoke to her about some things that he wanted to steer the Order towards, as a way to fulfill the prophecy of bring back balance to the force. Much of which she understood and agreed with. But doubted that the rest of the Jedi would be quick to adopt. She was sure that the Jedi would be in for some growing pains as it moved past the attack from the Sith as well as into the direction that Anakin planned to move them.

Yes, change was indeed on the horizon. She just wasn't sure what that would mean for her. If she should indeed return to the Jedi. But fortunately, this time, she knew that regardless of her decision, she would have a home and family with Anakin and Padmé.

The Jedi Cruiser was to come out of hyperspace within the next hour or less which would bring the futuristic trio closer to returning to their own time. Kiara had taken her small pack of items that she intended to take with her and planned to take it to the shuttle that they would be using to go down to the planet's surface. Leaving the Shadow Chaser to continue to shield the small family who would be left behind to Palpatine's search for them. She would wait for the others there while enjoying her last moments here with her brother and his master. She knew that Master Billaba and Caleb were to join her soon.

But, after speaking with not just Ezra, but both Tac as well as Kiara, Kallus knew that there was one thing that he wanted to do before he left this time period. Ezra was spending the remaining hours with his young friend that he brought with him from Lothal. Waiting for the last moment possible to leave the hangar to protect his younger infant self from any ill effects of his presence in this time period.

Leaving was ironically easier since he wouldn't just be disappearing from her life without her knowing where he went. So, her eavesdropping on the rest of them did help a bit in that regard. And since she had shared what she knew with the young teen from Coruscant, he supposed that what he was about to do would be a bit easier, as well. He had left word with Skywalker that he wanted to speak with his wife's young ward before the ship arrived at their destination.

As the fourteen-year-old boy walked over to join him on the loading ramp of the ship, he could see a bit of apprehension and confusion on his face. It had been the first time that he'd gone out of his way to speak to him, after all. So Kallus fully understood.

"I would introduce myself, but I hear that our young friend, Kiara, has already told you about me," Kallus reached out his hand toward his younger self as he spoke.

The young teen, Alexandr, looked down at the hand for a moment before he accepted it. "You mean she wasn't just fooling around? Making up stories?"

Kallus chuckled. "She may be a little younger than you, and have a different sort of sense of humor than you are used to, but if there is one thing that I've never thought of Kiara as, it's a liar."

"Oh," Alexandr didn't know what he was supposed to say to the man in response. It felt more than a little surreal to hear the man confirm the wild stories that he'd heard from the girl who was a couple of years younger than himself who had found herself the ward of the same family as he had. "You wanted to talk?"

Kallus nodded and invited the boy further up into the ship. "I wanted to know how things have been going since the senator was able to locate you on Coruscant. I've heard that the idea of military school has been floated around. Is that something that you think you'd enjoy?"

"I guess you would know the answer to that more than I would," Alexandr stated with a shrug. All he knew he would enjoy would be knowing that he had a place to sleep at night that wouldn't be raided by other homeless when they were on the lookout for a better place to stay. Along with not going days at time without a meal. If going to military school did that for him, then he welcomed the idea.

Kallus chuckled. "Well, we are no longer exact copies of one another. In just a matter of weeks, you have already begun to go down a more positive path than I would have been able to allow myself to hope for when I was your age. But, I did join the military as soon as I was able. And I did excel in my military career."

"Well," the teen glanced around the ship as they headed toward the common room on the ship as he spoke. "It's good to know that I may be good at something, then."

"Not to sound too arrogant, but you will find that there are some things that you will learn that you do very well. You just haven't had the opportunity to explore those things, yet, while in the lower levels of Coruscant." Kallus saw as Tac came floating toward where the two human males were convening in the common room of the living area of the ship. "But for what I wanted to speak to you about, this is Tac. He has been an invaluable member of the crew for this ship. He has assisted and, in many cases, actually installed the various systems that were added after the ship fell into Kiara's hands."

Tac floated toward the younger male to greet him. "Mistress Kiara even assembled my parts, herself. So aiding with the ship's upgrades were my pleasure. It was, in fact, the purpose of my being. But knowing that the ship-"

"I haven't quite gotten to that part, yet, Tac," Kallus interrupted the techno-service droid.

"Not gotten to what part?" Alexandr asked as he looked back and forth between the man and the droid.

Kallus indicated for the teen to sit as he did so, as well. "The method of our return to our home will be a bit different than how we first came here."

The boy snickered, "I heard that the purrgil had something to do with it."

Kallus smiled since he knew that it sounded as ridiculous as it was. "They did. Which would be why we've had to find a different way to return home. We've found one, but in doing so, there is one issue that we need to address. We won't be able to take the Shadow Chaser with us. Which means that it will be left behind."

"What does that have to do with me?" Alexandr asked from his place next to a game board of some kind.

"We've discussed various options and we, the older version of Kiara and I, have decided that we'd like to offer the ship to you. To use under the guidance of the senator and her family until you reach the age of majority, of course. But the ship will be yours to have as a home. Because I know that was one, among a few others, of the things that I wanted most at your age." Kallus watched as the teen looked skeptical regarding the offer.

"Why me? Didn't you say that this was Kiara's? So why not give it to her younger self?"

Kallus knew that this was likely to be one of the first questions to be asked. "Well, for one, you are a bit older. So, as a result, likely to be able to both fly and use the ship on your own sooner. For another, she's been able to join the Jedi. She will be Master Skywalker's padawan and will be able to expect certain things now as part of the Order. And while you now are also Skywalker's wife's ward, and planning to attend a military school, we felt that gifting the ship to you would help you to choose your own path."

The teen looked around him in disbelief. Was he hearing the man correctly? That when they leave later today, that the ship would be his? "I've never flown a ship before."

"I know. As I said, You'd be able to fly it sooner. Not now." Kallus then motioned toward the small droid that he had to admit, he'd miss more than he thought he ever could. "But that is where Tac comes in. He can fly the ship and he has more knowledge regarding the ship than anyone else. Perhaps even more than our Kiara. Since he was in an integral part of the systems being upgraded over the years. And he was charged with keeping watch over the ship when she was stationed within the Empire in our time, before she left it for the Rebellion, full-time. He will be able to assist you in any way that you may require."

The droid floated ever so slightly higher in response to the praise given to him regarding his service on the ship. A ship that he put just as much of himself into as his mistress had. And he knew that there were some systems on the ship that could be dangerous if the young teen wasn't careful. "It will be my pleasure to be at your service and to remain on this ship to assist you in your new endeavors in your life."

Alexandr stood and was very much curious about the ship that just a few moments ago hadn't really piqued his interest. Now, however, there was little that could draw him away from it at the moment. He was quick to ask for a tour of the ship. As he followed the droid who answered any and all questions that he had, the teen memorized the ship as Kallus watched in satisfaction as he watched the boy's reaction to learning of the gift that he and Kiara had decided to give him. After going over the more simpler systems that Tac felt that were best as an introduction to the Shadow Chaser for the teen, the three then returned back to the common room. Alexandr still had a few questions and only Kallus could give him those answers.

Chapter Text

"You said that you joined the military. How old were you when you did?" Alexandr asked as he was still trying to tap down the giddiness that he felt at such a ship being handed over to him. With the conditions that he did as the senator asked until she felt he was ready to be on his own. Which won't be a hardship, really. The woman was kinder than anyone that he'd ever met and her family were much like her. And they had been quick to take him in out of nowhere. Literally found and took him off of the streets of the lower levels of Coruscant. Treating him as if he'd always been a part of their family. He hadn't understood at first why but now, after speaking to both the young girl who had first told him of who this Kallus and his companion really were, as well as speaking to Kallus himself, he did.

"I was perhaps a year and a half, maybe two, older than you when I first joined the Imperial Academy. I was just looking for a place to belong. And having a steady meal and a place to sleep at night didn't hurt," Kallus admitted. He'd had such simple needs to be met to acquire his loyalty to the Empire. "It was also there, that I first met Kiara."

"The girl who is Master Skywalker's padawan? I don't get it. What's so special about her? She's so much younger than me."

"Well, she didn't appear so young when I first met her. A lot can change in the next couple of years. She no longer looked as young as she does to you, now. And as you age, the difference between you won't seem as stark. She had snuck her way to Coruscant and made her way to the academy for some of the same reasons as I had to join. Which gave us something to connect over. The struggle of having to survive on our own."

Kallus sort of understood. This version of himself has only seen her as the young pre-teen that she was now. But he recalled Kiara after puberty had set in. Her teenage-self looked much older than he now knew her to have been at the time. And he was still a teen, himself. Even though it violated the rules of the academy to fraternize among other cadets, there had been no way for him to not react in some ways to the presence of his friend as a teen, himself.

She had been a bit naive at the time when she chose her bunk in the bunk room that those in their class were all assigned to sleep in. So she had chosen the bottom bunk. A more vulnerable position than she was aware of at the time. But with him, having lived on the streets for most of his life, such a mistake hadn't been missed. So he had chosen the bunk above hers. And from his position, and the fact that he was a light sleeper, he had been able to persuade other teens who may have had dishonorable intentions to think twice should they get too close during the time before they were eventually sent to different divisions just prior to graduation. But by setting himself up so close to her, it had become natural to study together. And that had been the start of their relationship that would eventually lead him to where they were, now. Preparing to have a child together, of all things.

For Alexandr's part, he did think back to seeing the woman who would eventually be the girl who had been a frequent companion since joining the senator and her family on this ship. He'd have to admit, he found the woman pleasing to look at. And since she was supposed to be an older version of the girl, much like the man before him was an older version of himself, he figured that he had something to think about in the future.

"Alright, I guess I'll have to-" As Alexandr spoke, the Jedi Cruiser came out of hyperspace just a few seconds prior feeling as the cruiser was rocked by weapons' fire.

Palpatine watched from the bridge of his ship as the Jedi Cruiser with the man that he had hoped would become his apprentice came out of hyperspace. He'd instructed his men to fire upon the ship the moment it was spotted coming out of the hyperspace lane. He allowed a sinister grin to creep across his face as he saw that the Jedi Cruiser never even had a chance to raise its shields.

"Report," the Chancellor stretched out his senses and found the anonymous female who gave him the sense of being the source of the unraveling of his well-thought out plans for the Jedi's destruction.

"Direct hit, Sir. We've hit both their shield generators as well as their engines. They are dead in space, Sir."

"Excellent. Prepare the boarding parties." As he waited, Palpatine stretched out his feelings and after several moments, he knew that Skywalker was aware that he was here. So be it. He may as well as address the man, and gauge as to if his relationship with him can be salvaged. If not, then he would dispatch him so to eliminate him as a potential threat. And once that was done, he'll seize the children of Skywalker.

The Chancellor had already seen to it to make sure that an alternate recording has already been made to send to the Senate. It will show that the Jedi Cruiser attacked his ship, unprovoked. Leading his supporters to believe that he'd retreated to the edge of the Outer Rim after his near assassination by the Jedi only to be hunted down. So any and all casualties of the skirmish today will be seen as justified.

With confidence, Palpatine prepared to join a boarding party. By the end of this day, Skywalker will either join him, or he will end him. Along with this stranger who is an oddity in the force.

Kiara lost her balance when the ship rocked just as it came out of hyperspace. She looked around her in the main hangar of the ship in confusion. Her own was in the secondary one of the Jedi Cruiser. She heard the alarms blasting all around her and saw as some of the clones who were stationed on the ship prepared for battle. Especially as it appeared that they were preparing for a number of shuttles that were approaching the cruiser.

"Ma'am, I recommend that you find someplace safe to go. It would appear that we are about to be boarded," a clone addressed her as she accepted his help to regain her feet under her.

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure. But those shuttles look to be on a direct course for us." The clone motioned for her to look past the forcefield that kept the coldness of space from the rest of them.

Kiara nodded. The hangar where Alex and the others were at was on the other end of the Jedi Cruiser. She needed to get to them, and get to them quickly. But she could tell that there wouldn't be time before they were overrun with the chancellor's army. She absent-mindedly touched the gauntlets on her wrists. She'd worn them and put her blaster on her belt out of habit but hadn't expected to actually need either while on the ship, outside of the occasional training session. She hadn't felt a need to prepare for a fight while here on the Jedi Cruiser. They weren't supposed to be going off to battle. No. She was supposed to be going home.

Eyeing the first shuttle that made its way past the forcefield of the hangar, she bolted toward the nearest bit of cover. As the shuttle landed and the loading ramp was lowered, she saw that the clone troopers were being faced by an army that was a mix of their clone brothers who still had their inhibitor chips along with droids from the army of the CIS.

Kiara aimed her blaster and added to the fire fight to try to push back the foreign troops. Those not loyal to the Jedi. She briefly wondered, knowing that to doubt it would be foolish, if there was a similar push from the Chancellor's forces in the secondary hangar. That meant that Alex and Ezra were in just as much danger. No. More danger. Because Ezra and the other Jedi had no way of using the force to help defend themselves while near the Shadow Chaser. Not to mention the children who were in the hangar on the ships docked there.

She activated a wrist shield on her less dominant hand. Using it to deflect bolts as they nearly landed on her as she fired her blaster with her other hand. She worked as the clones around her fought to defend the ship against the invasion force. The problem is, the ship had a limited number of clones to fight for the Jedi, since many who had been on the ship had been assigned to help with the protection of the Jedi survivors. And those who were left on the ship were split in their duties. Running the ship as well as splitting up to each of the potential boarding areas opened to the invasion force.

As yet another shuttle landed as the numbers of the clones in the main hangar began to dwindle, a coldness settled in Kiara's chest. A coldness that represented the darkness that could only be that of the Sith Lord's approach. She swallowed hard as she tried to help a downed clone toward the hatch that would lead to the corridor outside of the hangar. She was still several yards away from the hatch when she saw that the loading ramp of the newest shuttle to join the foray of the fight lowered.

Behind a fresh wave of troops Kiara spotted a figure that, while she'd never seen him in person, was unmistakable. He wasn't scarred in the same way that she remembered after he'd declared himself the emperor of her timeline. But she could still recognize him. She'd seen enough holovids of him since she'd come to this time period to know him anywhere.

She stumbled to try to get to the hatch to the corridor and was surprised when the clone that she'd been helping was slung across the hangar by an invisible hand. Kiara shot a look at the man where he lay unmoving before she turned to face the one who had been the catalyst of the action. The Sith Lord who had orchestrated the entire Clone War and the subsequent attack on the Jedi Temple.

Anakin had been on the Nubian ship in the secondary hangar, spending some time with his children and wife ahead of the evening that he had planned down on the surface of Lothal when the ship was rocked by the initial unexpected blast. The children cried out in surprise but he was forced to hand Leia off to one of his wife's handmaidens as he raced quickly to the loading ramp of the ship. He used his comm device to learn that they were attacked by a ship that appeared to have been waiting for them.

He didn't need to be able to touch the force to know who was on the ship who had fired upon them. Palpatine. He wasn't sure how he had found them, but he'd come with the intent to make all of them pay for his failure to destroy the Jedi Order. As he left the Nubian ship he looked out of the forcefield and saw in the distance as shuttles looked to be heading their way. He turned as he heard Ezra joining him on the loading ramp.

Ezra motioned for the girl beside him to run toward the Shadow Chaser. "Get your family onto the ship. Once they are on, the cloaking device can be activated and they can slip out and go to safety while you are fighting against the invasion. No one will be able to sense or see them."

Anakin knew he didn't have time to weigh his options. He trusted the other man, though. He nodded and raced back to where he'd left his family and told his wife and her handmaidens to bring the children quickly. He then guided them to follow Ezra. He knew that the man wished that he had a lightsaber so that he could aid the few Jedi left on the cruiser better. But for now, he could only use his piloting skills and watch over his friends from this time. The men wasted no time with discussion.

Ezra called out for Tac to get the ship ready for takeoff and to turn on the cloaking device.

"Of course, Master Ezra." Tac busied himself quickly with the ship as he spoke into his comm.

The ship lifted off as it cloaked before Anakin's eyes just before his attention was drawn away from where the Shadow Chaser had been to instead where the shuttle with a landing party was approaching the hangar. He knew the moment that the ship had made it clear from the hangar when he was able to once more feel the force surround him in a warm embrace. Anakin was still worried for his family, but he knew that he had to trust in the force. It won't fail him.

He sensed as Rex joined him and the two readied themselves for the fight that was rapidly approaching them. When the shuttle landed in the hangar and opened to allow both clone and droid troopers to flood out of it, they worked with practiced ease. They fought as more shuttles landed with reinforcements within them. As they cut down the droids with ease, and did their best to incapacitate the clones who still had their inhibitor chips rather than kill them, Anakin sensed a presence that he'd know anywhere. Palpatine was on the ship. Likely, his shuttle had boarded the ship from the main hanger. He had to intercept the man before he could do too much damage. As he looked up to the entrance to he hangar, he spotted Master Billaba, her padawan, and Ahsoka. They each had a similar expression on their face. No doubt, they'd raced here to help protect Padmé and the others.

"They're safe, for now," is all that Anakin said as he deflected another blaster bolt. That was all that was needed as the others stepped up to fight the invasion force. "But I need to get to the other hangar. Palpatine has boarded the ship."

Depa had sensed the dark presence, too. She looked to her apprentice and knew that even if she ordered him to remain here, that he'd follow her if she went with Skywalker to face the Dark Lord of the Sith. And if that happened, she had no doubt what would happen. But Skywalker and Ahsoka have fought side-by-side for so long that they were perfectly able to match the other's energy. And there were few that she knew who could match him in a battle with a lightsaber.

"Go. Caleb and I will continue with the fight here."

Anakin nodded and he and Ahsoka made their way out toward where they knew that they would find the Sith Lord. They were able to quickly make their way toward the main hangar. As they approached, it was only then that Anakin realized that Kallus hadn't been on the Shadow Chaser when it took off with his family. The man was easing his way toward the hangar, just like they were. He had his blaster at the ready and took down droids and clones as he went. As they joined the man as they reached the corner where he was stalled, Anakin said that he and Ahsoka would enter the hangar first. The two force-wielders then broke out in a run down the last corridor, facing little opposition in comparison to what they were used to when working side-by-side.

Kiara stepped backwards as the man approached her in a way that reminded her of a predator approaching his prey. And she was the prey. She wasn't ready for this. This wasn't like training with Sabine in hand-to-hand combat. Nor like the limited training that she'd had with Master Billaba. She knew that she was completely outmatched and out of her element with the Sith. When he raised a crimson blade, she raised her wrist gauntlets to protect herself while trying to not panic. The strength behind the blow surprised her. She hadn't considered the man to be physically strong. But as she strained to hold off the blade, she was forced to be confronted by her own physical shortcomings. As well as how woefully untrained she was for this kind of fight.

Palpatine cackled as he saw fear in the eyes of the woman who seemed to have an unusual set of wrist shields. He'd never known Mandalorian wrist shields to successfully hold off a lightsaber. "Tell me. Just how were you able to change things? I had foreseen a victory against the Jedi. Yet, I know somehow you, whoever you are, are responsible for that victory having been ripped out of my grasp."

Sweat trickled down her brow as she focused the force to help her hold off the blade from coming down on her chest as the man leaned further towards her. "I didn't do anything. The force did. I guess it decided it didn't like whatever you had planned, after all." Kiara did her best to not allow the fear and strain to fill her voice as she spoke.

"Is that so?" Palpatine then dropped a second lightsaber from his sleeve to his other hand and activated it. With a hiss, he then swiped down to slice through living flesh.

Kiara screamed in white-hot pain as she lost her balance and fell to the ground. She looked horrified where her left leg, just below the thigh, was no longer attached to the rest of her body.

"And now, you will die for all of the trouble you have caused me."

Palpatine thrust his lightsaber once more as Kiara was again faced with a cascade of more pain than she could have ever imagined. Her mouth was filled with an acrid, bitter taste as she could feel her insides being cooked from the heat of the lightsaber as the Sith held it to her gut.

In the distance, she heard a scream. She didn't know if it was her own or another's as she fought the white-hot, blinding, pain that threatened to overwhelm her.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Anakin had sent a few clones down to the surface to prepare for the pending funeral rite that was to be carried out just prior to the returning of the two men to their own timeline. He knew that watching the funeral pyre would be emotional for the woman's companions, and he wanted to spare them as much pain as he could. Especially the older of the remaining pair. The man felt very closed off as he tried to separate his pain from what they still needed to do to return him and Ezra to their timeline. If that was even possible.

Anakin still wasn't sure how this was supposed to work. Does their timeline even still exist? If it did, then would that mean that everything that had occurred since their arrival in this time did not effect anything in theirs? Or were their infinite possibilities? A timeline where he, himself, will still become a Sith Lord. Will the others return to a timeline where nothing had changed for them, except that they no longer had a member of their crew? Will her death be meaningless for them? For their sake, he hoped that wouldn't be the case.

Finally, after nightfall, it was time for Anakin, his padawan, the men from the future, as well as Master Billaba and her apprentice, to make their way down to the temple on Lothal. The funeral will be held in the shadow of the temple. With the death of Palpatine, the Shadow Chaser wasn't needed to hide the Skywalker family, so the ship was taken for the final flight for Ezra and Kallus as they headed to return to their own time. Anakin piloted the craft while showing the younger version of Kallus for his first lesson on operating the ship that was now his. The teen was excited to have the time to enjoy the brief lesson. Knowing that they'd have many more in the future. The teen would have to remain on the ship, so that he wouldn't be ill-affected by the duality of there being two of the same individuals. But Alexandr didn't mind. He'd be allowed to go into the temple, though, since it was thought that it would protect the young teen once inside it.

Anakin had thought about leaving the two children behind with his wife and Ahsoka, but he decided that it would do good for the young girl to feel that she was part of this Jedi mission. Especially since she knew who the woman had been before being killed by Palpatine. He'd had to explain to her that her future was now on a different path than the other version of herself had been on. And since he was bringing Kiara, it didn't feel right to leave Alexandr behind. He had just as much reason to witness the pair returning to their own timeline as the younger girl did.

Off to the side, Ezra stood beside Kallus as the fire enveloped Kiara in her final rites that he knew that the other man hadn't thought would come so soon after asking her to marry him. Just the night prior he'd also learned that the two of them were expecting a child. Sadly, the man wasn't just mourning the death of his would-be-wife. But that of his child, as well. He'd not even been given the time to get used to the idea of being a father before his family had been ripped from him in one swift action, by Palpatine. The young Jedi couldn't help but feel for the man who had gone from being an enemy to a friend over the years. And he was practically family, now, after he and Kiara had planned to marry. Ezra didn't look forward to having to break the news of Kiara's demise to Kanan when they returned to their own timeline. But, looking as the fire slowly began to dwindle, with the lateness of the evening drawing ever closer to morning, he knew that it was time for the two of them to start on the next part of their journey home.

"Kallus. It's time." Ezra watched and waited for the man to give a curt nod as he swallowed hard.

Reluctantly, the man closed his eyes briefly to steady himself before he lifted Kiara's pack that she had intended to return with. He'd yet to even look inside it. He only knew that whatever was inside was what she had deemed important enough to take with her when she had to leave her ship behind in this time period. That meant that her pack was important enough for him to take with him along with the wrist shields that Kanan and Sabine had made for her. He figured that he'd return them to her brother, but what was in the pack was all that he'd have left of Kiara from now on. Kallus turned toward the Jedi who had given him as much time as they could before they needed to enter into the ancient temple of the Jedi.

Master Billaba turned to her padawan and explained to him that they both needed to commune with the Force, allowing the temple to sense their purpose. Together, she and Caleb concentrated as the temple began to rise from the ground, twisting around until a door was opened for the visitors to the temple. The Jedi led the way with Kallus and Alexandr following behind. The young teen took the opportunity to get a good look at the ancient temple, since he had never thought that he'd have a reason to be at the temple, before. Nor did he think that he'd have the opportunity again.

Master Skywalker and Master Billaba each spoke to their padawans, explaining what they were seeing as the group made its way down a corridor. To Ezra, he wasn't surprised to see the mummified masters, since he'd seen some just like them on his first trip here with Kanan when he was younger. But it didn't make it any less disturbing. After several corridors, the troop came to a stop in a large cathedral deep in the heart of the ancient temple of the Jedi. On the far wall Ezra caught sight of a familiar painting. One where he saw the three Mortis gods with their Loth-wolves guardians off to the side.

"Whoa!" The padawan to Master Billaba exclaimed when he saw the huge portrait.

"Indeed, whoa," Depa gave a gentle smile at the young teen's exuberance. She then turned to Ezra. "I believe you have experience with opening the portal that you require."

Ezra nodded as he walked over toward the daughter painted onto the wall. "The daughter is responsible for opening it. The son closes it. So, one of you will need to activate his image once Kallus and I are gone."

Ezra then matched the position of his hand with that of the daughter's as he felt the energy of the temple flow through him, activating the portal. When the Loth-wolves reacted he heard the children react to the movements of the painted creatures as they moved off to the side and then begin to move in a circle, creating the doorway for them to enter into the portal. He led the rest through the portal, since he was the only one there who had ever actually gone to the strange dimension that could only be described as a strange world between worlds.

The small group then followed behind the young Jedi, with Kallus bringing up the rear. His heart just wasn't in it, any longer, with trying to get back to where he and Ezra belonged. Not with what has occurred in the last several hours. For the young man's part, he had been waiting for so long to return home, and that was all that he focused on, for the moment. He closed his eyes, concentrated on his family, and listened as he heard the voices of the members of the Ghost crew coming from a portal in the not-too-distant portal. Upon hearing Kanan's voice, Ezra headed toward the portal that had activated, to show him his master as he appeared to be tending to a toddling young boy. The son that Ezra knew about by way of the force; the reason why he hadn't allowed Kanan to join him on his mission on Thrawn's ship. He wanted to ensure that he'd be there for Hera and the baby.

Ezra felt the emotions threatening to overwhelm him, as he blinked back the moisture in his eyes. He was going home. After such a long time, he was going to be with his family once more. He wanted to rush the portal, almost afraid that it would close before he could go through, but he looked down at the young girl who had been such a large part of his life over the last several months. Helping time to pass by easier; making it less lonely. It was like the force itself had wanted to send him a connection to his family, even if he hadn't realized it at the time. He'd already said his official goodbyes, but he still felt that she needed one last farewell. He knelt down and gave the young girl a hug and told her to mind her new master as he felt her tighten her embrace around him before finally releasing him. Indicating that she was ready to say goodbye.

With a smile, he stood back up and straightened his shoulders before he took a step through the portal. He saw the moment that Kanan sensed him, as he entered the room that was set up for the small family. Ezra figured that this must be the base that Kallus and Kiara had told him about. The one that the crew of the Ghost were stationed at when they were pulled through time and space by the purrgil. The next moments were a jumble of hugs, calling for the rest of the family to share the news, and questions to learn what had happened to Ezra after he and Thrawn had disappeared with the purrgil.

Kallus watched from his side of the portal with a sad smile. He was happy to see the reunion, but he understood that the moment that he crossed through, that the tone of the reunion would be altered. Still, he knew that he couldn't postpone any longer. He adjusted his pack on his shoulder and prepared to step through when he heard muffles from another portal not too far away from the one that he and the Jedi stood in front of. He tilted his head as he started to catch stray comments as he recognized the voice, the moment, that was being displayed in the portal down the next path in the strange dimension that served as a conduit between time and space.

Kallus wasn't the only one who heard the muffles. The Jedi Masters also tilted their heads as Kallus instinctively turned to walk toward the newly opened portal. Within the portal, he saw the image of himself. But not just him, but Grand Admiral Thrawn, as well. It was the night that the Chiss had followed him to the old communications tower that he'd used to send his Fulcrum transmissions. Kallus watched as the scene played out in front of him. Remembering the fight that he'd engaged in with Thrawn. Then the torturous evening, as the man tried to discern the information on the rebels.

"You may have transmitted your warning, Agent, but in doing so, you've given me the last piece of the puzzle. Now this is the trajectory of General Dodonna's fleet, and this is the trajectory of your Fulcrum transmission. Taken separately, they mean nothing. But together..."

Kallus saw that the two lines met where the map showed empty space. He grinned. "Nothing. There's no planet there. The rebels are smarter than you give them credit for."

"A pity you do not study art, Agent Kallus. There is much it can show you if you know where to look. Such as, a system which doesn't appear on Imperial charts but is represented in the art of the ancient people of this sector. I believe they call this Atollon, now the home of your rebel base." Thrawn pulled out a communication device and signaled his latest flunky. "Admiral Konstantine, deploy the fleet to these coordinates. I will join you shortly."

Kallus caught it. He remembered this moment in time by heart and he heard when there was a variation between his memories as well as what was playing out in front of him. Thrawn said the word, "I"; not "We". He then watched as the scene continued to shift from the way he'd remembered as he had lived it.

Thrawn turned back to the rebel spy as he put his communicator back to his belt where he'd kept it. "I thank you, Agent Kallus, for your assistance in locating the rebel base. Know that you have brought what is to come to your rebel friends down upon them, and will not be able to help them further. I will share with them of your sacrifice, Agent Fulcrum. But for now, I have someplace to be."

With that, Thrawn pulled out his blaster and shot Kallus at point blank, where he hung, strung up from the ceiling of the communications tower. He then signalled toward the stormtroopers at the entrance of the communications tower to collect the corpse of the traitor. "Dispose of that. And make sure that when you return to the Dome, that you are seen with ISB-021. So that any who may have the inclination of following his lead, that the punishment for such treason is known to every single one of them. That no one is above suspicion. Nor would they be granted clemency upon discovery of their treachery."

The troopers gave a curt affirmative as they worked together to remove the agent from where he had been strung up during his interrogation. In short order, they hauled the body out and took it out to the gunship just outside of the communications tower to return to the Imperial Complex. The gunship and Thrawn's shuttle both departed mere seconds from one another.

Kallus watched as the tower grew silent after the Imperials departed from his view through the portal in confusion. Why would the force show him how he could have died that evening on Lothal. He hadn't, of course. He'd instead been taken by Thrawn so that he could gloat to Kallus. He wanted the rebel spy to witness the defeat of the rebel cell that he'd risked so much for. A mistake, perhaps? But Kallus just witnessed that there had been a different possibility. That he could have been ended right here in this place where he and the Chiss had their confrontation.

Kallus remembered that Kanan had a similar experience when he and Ezra had come to this temple the night that they had first met with Kiara. The previous night, she had responded to the visions given to her by the force. As a result, she had saved Kanan's life. But he knew that without her intervention, that he would have died a fiery death up on top of the fuel pod in the Imperial Manufacturing Wing of the complex.

"I don't get it," Anakin finally spoke up from behind the other man. Clearly, the scene that had played out in front of them in the portal depicted Kallus's death that never was. "Why would the temple show this?"

"Kallus?" From the portal that Ezra had gone through, the young man sounded confused that the other man hadn't joined him yet.

Kallus lifted his head as he suddenly thought of something. It appeared that he now had the choice between two portals to go through. He could join Ezra and the Ghost crew or he could...

Kallus adjusted the pack on his shoulder and stepped forward before the Jedi realized what he was going to do. He walked from the temple's portal and stepped into the communication's tower that was still in disarray from his doppleganger's interaction with Grand Admiral Thrawn. He knew that the moment he stepped through that there was no going back. But he didn't care. He had to take this opportunity given to him by the force itself.

He looked outside and saw that the Imperials had left and the area was deserted. He looked off into the distance, where the mountains were. The same mountains where the Shadow Chaser was tucked away, hidden from the rest of the galaxy. Awaiting for the day that Kiara would need it again. That was where he was heading.

The force had given him a second chance. He was taking it.