Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Cold. 

Whatever planet ezra landed on after his escape was cold. Incredibly so. And his flight suit was not enough to keep said cold away from his body.

He could feel it in his toes. Like tiny needles numbing them. Slowly the numbness would spread. But he felt them still. And feeling them was a good sign. He was not ready to loose his toes to this cold after all. Or any other limbs for that matter. 

The snow was everlasting. The ship he stole in his escape from HIM sat somewhere in the distance behind him. Out of fuel and greatly damaged. Ezra knew it was useless and beyond any repairs. 

The thought of his time with HIM send shivers down his spine. Adding to the uncomfortable feeling of the biting cold under his skin. 

`It's OK. I got away. He can't find me. I'm OK.`

Like a Mantra, he tried to reassure himself. Repeating the same lines over and over again. Ezra made sure that his mind was only filled with the reassurance he was hoping to give himself. Calming his mind from the creeping feat. He tried to forget. Store away these past weeks into the back of his mind. Far far away.

He knew he'll have to face it one day. That he'll have to accept what happened. Accept his suffering just as Kanan taught him.

'You have to accept your feelings nut suppress them. They are a part of you just as the force is. It is our ever going responsibility not to drown in them and resist the dark side that feeds on them. But they are still a part of us. Only by acceptance we can release to the force. '

He could hear his masters words at the thought of him. They helped him after malachor. Got him through the guilt, the pain, the anger.

Now they were harder to follow than ever before. 

Ezra took a shaky breath as he continued forward. Once again holding onto his mantra. Murmuring it under his breath 

'It's OK. I got away. He can't find me. I'm OK. It's OK. I got away. He can't find me. I'm OK.`

For a while it was the only thing that accompanied him through the endless snowy plains. Slowly becoming quieter as the cold crewped into his bones more and more.

And then he saw it. A town. Far in the distance. Streetlights shimmering into the air like a beacon of hope. 

Ezras stumbling steps quickened. Wherever he was. Whatever this town was. There would be people. And people would mean a way to communicate. Food. And shelter. 

Maybe they would not be friendly to outsiders. But his time as a street kid taught him how to Survive despite that. If he had to steal and banter so be it.

He needed to survive in order to find his way back to the ghost. 

Back home. 

To his crew.

His family. 

And that kept him going. They already lost kanan. They wouldn't loose him. Not like this. Not for Him. He had to made sure of that.

Step after step. Foot after foot. Ezra kept going and going. The feeling in his feet left him along the way. All he could see was the nearing glimmering lights of the settlement before him and the white that surrounded it.

It felt unreal when he finally reached it. He couldn't describe what he was feeling if he wanted to. He was floating outside his own body. His mind was blank and full of questions at the same time. 

Where was he?

How does it go from here?

Will the empire find me here?

Will HE track me down?

What do I do from here on out?

He came to a halt under a street lamp. It was warm. So wonderfully warm on his skin. There was no snow underneath him anymore. Just the pavement and the warmth the lamp mercifully provided. 

All the tension that held him up and kept him going left him as he slid down the wall he was holding onto. Only when he reached the ground, bathing in the warmth of the lamp he let go of his shaky breath. 

The adrenaline left his body. And with it gone the pain returned. 

He knew he was injured. He knew he was bleeding. But the cold and the snow left him so numb he almost forgot. 

Now, in the warmth of the street his back was burning like fire. His left side felt regched. His lungs wheezing in pain with every breath. And his shoulder felt cranky and swollen.

And with the pain came the memories. 

'It's OK. I got away. He can't find me. I'm OK.`

His Mantra returned. And his mind slipped away.

.

Slowly his consciousness came back. Ezra was still sitting against the same wall. Perched under the same lamp. But now there was a shadow lurking over him.

It took a while until he recognised the shadow to be a person. 

And another moment until he realized they were speaking to him. 

Ezra blinked to get his eyes to focus. Everything was blurry, clouded, strange. A sharp tone rang in his ears. It crept into his mind threatened to consume him.

He narrowed his eyes, tilting his head in an attempt to concentrate. Taking a deep breath to tune the ringing in his ears out. To focus. 

He found me

With that thought came the panic, his breathing hitched. The man in front of him seemed to grow bigger, hunching over him, threatening to consume him. 

Ezra did the only thing he found logic in. He dashed forward. Sprinting through the street, not even attempting to look behind him as he turned another corner. 

Slowly his mind became clearer with each step he ran. The aching of his body returned. 

But he couldn't give up. 

After several more turns he slowed, catching his breath. He couldn't feel anyone behind him anymore. 

A quick glance around revealed a market place, buzzling with people. People of several races selling food, clothes and the likes of it.

Being in the middle of the crowds was a strange sensation after all this time. So many voices, so much noise. 

It almost felt like too much.

He bumped into a well dressed man, apologising slightly before continuing his way towards the market stalls. 

A small grin made it onto his lips. A new wallet was resting in his hands.

His feet led him to the stall of a small, elderly woman selling coats that looked just heavenly warm and cozy. A promising comfort he was craving.

The woman gave him a quick, judging look before she held up a thick, long brown coat. 

"You don't seem to be dressed for the weather here son. You will need this if you want to survive this planet"

Her voice was not judging but slightly amused. A teasing smile on her lip as she leaned towards the messy kid in front of her. 

There were not many outsiders who found their way to this part of the galaxy. The coldness of this planet was enough to have most avoid it. 

The only people who did land here were either imperials, who used the planet as storage for god knows who, and people who were on the run from bounty hunters and the likes. 

All in all the bloody complexion of the young man in front of her was nothing she would stick her nose into. She was here to sell her coats and that was all that she did. Questioning was just another way of asking for trouble. 

She was almost suprised by how quiet the boys voice was when he answered, the people here usually carried a rougher tone. 

"How much for it?" 

Ezra stared at the coat almost longingly. He couldn't help himself, hours of walking through the snow made him desperate. 

The woman almost looked at him with pity. It played into ezras hand quite nicely.

"15 credits and it holds you warm"  She finally answered. 

With a nod the young boy reached into his newly acquired wallet and smiled. 30 credits are certainly a good start and would serve him some food and the warm, cozy coat he was longing for. 

He didn't try to haggle with the woman, knowing fully well that she already took pity on him. Haggling would make him fall out of her graces. And staying on her good side was needed if he wants to get some information out of her. 

"Forgive the awkward question, but I'm afraid my ship crashed and I had to pull off an emergency landing. I'm not quite sure about where exactly I landed..." He drifted off to scratch his neck, a habit he knew he would never loose. It brought comfort with it he would miss otherwise. 

The old woman chuckled in response, " Welcome to Ando prime, the nicest piece of ice you'll find in Mid Rim". Her words dripped with sarcasm at the second half. 

But it was a location, a piece of information that would help him figure out how he's going to continue forward. 

"Ah, Ando prime. Im afraid I'm not too confident in knowing how things go around here. A little help on that?" Ezra made sure to give his best impression of a sweet innocent kid he could.

Once again he was met with a light chuckle. "There's not much about it. A bunch of thugs  and imps all around, one not better than the other.  People either come here to do funny buiz or die in the mines. All surrounded by a bunch of bucket heads pretending to be important.  If you need to make money you can go to the mines but then you're probably worse off than being taken by some slavers. You should get out of here as fast as you can I'm telling you. "

Well, that sure sounds hopeful. Really, couldn't have found a better planet to crash on.

He thanked the woman regardless and made his way to search for food. His newly acquired coat now hiding his bloody form and keeping the cold away. He wandered off to some other stalls and got some bread before settling under another lamp in a nearby ally. 

Proper shelter would only require spending more credits and with the comfort of the coat he was fairly certain, that he would not freeze to death out here. Despite that he was long used to nights on the street and they didn't bother him. On the contrary it provided him much opportunity to observe his surrounding. 

He spend a few hours just resting and observing until he noticed the stormtroopers shoving some crates into a nearby house. Ezra pulled his hood further into his face as he watched them station themselves outside the storage house, guarding. 

'Well, if that isn't something. I'm sure it's worth some money if they even bother guarding it. A perfect opportunity for a lothrat' 

It was a perfectly logical conclusion really. And with few other choices the opportunity to annoy the empire on the way, stealing whatever was in there was only natural. 

Just as natural as him climbing into a vent to do just that. With the amount of times ezra found himself sneaking around the bucket heads through vents, one might thing that the empire might learn from it by now. Then again he was not one to complain about it as long as it kept working out for him. 

He was so confident in his vent climbing that he didn't expect said vent to collapse under him, throwing him into one of the crates harshly. The injuries he carried around began to protest as he withered in pain and grabbed the nearest thing to claw at and hold his voice in. Although he was fairly certain his crash would've been loud enough to make himself noticed. 

A bright light started surrounding him, his ears started ringing again and the iron walls, keeping him from the force started screaming. For a small moment everything was burning. 

And then, the door to the storage unit opened and two armored troopers looked upon him. 

Their weapons pointed at him in warning. 

"Karabast" 

Chapter Text

Whatever ezra grabbed in his pain, it crumbled to dust underneath his fingers.

Which was admittely Concerning, considering how solid it was just moments before. 

His head started to drown in a splitting headache that the light, shining into the room behind the troopers only intensified. 

He had to get himself up regardless.

Slowly rising with his hands up in surrender to face the two armored figures pointing their weapons at him. 

"Oh well, look at this. Didn't know I had guests. You see I was just about to get some sleep in here." one of his hands reached for the back of his neck as he said so. It was a habit he followed unconsciously.

The left trooper stiffened at the movement, pointing his weapon at the intruder more fiercely. Not knowing wether or not the intruder front of him kept a weapon behind his back. 

It was already bizarre enough to find a young boy in one of the storage units as is. And honestly, this one didn't look like much of a threat. The kid looked like he'd be 12 years old at the most. His figure looked scrawny and out of place.

The more the 'trooper looked at him, the stranger it was to find him here. 

"Look kid, I don't know how you got here, but this is a restricted area so you're going to have to come with us." he kept his voice calm, hoping to avoid any form of fight or conflict. Although he doubted the kid would be able to put up much of it anyway.

"Oh, really? I'm so sorry about that. I didn't know. How about I'll just... Leave and no one ever saw each other? I'm sure you'd like to avoid the paperwork that probably comes with bringing me.... Wherever you're going to bring me" Ezra said sheepishly while looking around the room trying to form a good escape plan.

The guard that didn't talk before let out a chuckle mumbling something that resembled an "I wish" and ezra watched his companion lightly kick at his leg in warning before he spoke up again,

"I appreciate your efforts to keep our workload down but I'm afraid we're going to have to decline. Come down here kid". Despite him reprimanding his colleague, his own amusement was still hinted in his voice as he spoke.

Maybe it was the amusement, or the lighthearted nature of the conversation they held with the intruder. But neither of the troopers reacted fast enough when the kid leaped up and crawled into the vents above him.

Running towards the vent in an attempt to grab him proofed useless. Their armor was too bulky to climb after him. So they just stood and watched the boy disappear, shouting for him to come back. 

The one who spoke with the kid before cursed lightly before comming their superior about the situation at hand. 

The troopers were standing at the vent ezra disappeared into so their voices echoed to him quite clearly. It took a lot of self control to not burst out laughing at the pieces of conversation that carried to his ears.

"Captain, we have a situation... We, uh found a child."

"..." 

Unfortunately said child could not hear the other side of the conversation. 

"Yes, but we kinda lost it? Inside the vents."

"..." 

"Affirmative. I did say we lost a child inside the vents"

"..." 

"No i did not steal any booze from your desk captain, I am perfectly sober!"

"..."

"I was not even near the bar yesterday! We should focus on the problem ahead which is a CHILD inside OUR VENTILATION SYSTEM! "

"..."

"Male. About this high, probably around the age of 12, blue coat and shaggy hair. Pretty thin in complexion. Found him inside unit A354."

At this point ezra crawled far enough away for the voices to hall into nothing but an unidentifyable murmur. For some reason this whole ventilation system seemed to have doubled in size compared to the relatively midsized building he entered. He was pretty sure he should not be able to see so far straight ahead anymore, especially after considering the distance he climbed already in oder to reach the unit he fell into. 

A345 also sounded like there were way more units around than he initially thought. 

He mentally cursed himself for the situation he found himself in. 

His location in the vents was out there as was a description of his person. The vent exits are probably guarded at this point and it would only be a matter of time until they send some droids to catch him inside the vents of he doesn't exit them. 

Maybe he should have let them lead him away and dashed instead of climbing up again. But something about those two stormtroopers just seemed different. 

They were not normal troopers. They didn't immediately shoot at me. And something tells me they are more competent than the average bucket heads.

Ezra couldn't help but ponder about it. Something just told him he wouldn't be able to escape as easily as usually.

Maybe it was a sign of the force. 

It couldn't be after all it was him who shut himself off as much as possible. Hid away from the force in an attempt to escape HIM. 

A shudder crept down his spine. This was not the time to think about these things.

He could not be captured again. It would've made his whole escape useless. So far they didn't seem to recognise who he is. 

But he was sure this ignorance wouldn't last forever. And once they catch him they'll find out. He refused to let them find out. So ezra had to think. 

Think. 

Think.... 

THINK 

It was frustrating really. He was cornered. His only decent chance in getting out would probably be overwhelming some troopers standing guard and stealing one of their uniforms to blend in.

As he usually does. It kin dof became THE backup plan they came up with on the ghost. 

So why not pull it off on his own? It was routine at this point. 

It sparked his confidence up a little just thinking about it. 

Something else was weird.

They kept calling him a kid or a child. And even went as far as describing him as a 12 year old.

But ezra was 19 when he was separated from his family. Starvation aside he couldn't look THAT young. Something was wrong. It didn't fit.

He decided to brush this thought away.

Maybe the trooper was just another, typically stupid stormtrooper and his sight was as bad as his shooting. That would explain it surely.

He wasn't sure if he tried to convince himself or the rest of the world but he stored the worry away for later. Decidedly ending this train of thought with his totally,llogical conclusion.

He came to a corner and could see the light oozing through an opening on his right. Holding his breath he reduced his movement to as little as possible to avoid any possible noise and listened in an attempt to find out whether or not someone was standing at the other side of the opening. 

It stayed quiet but that didn't reassure ezra completely so hesitantly he opened his mental walls just enough to let a slither of the force in. 

Even that tiny string of the force threatened to become overwhelming after getting used to his constant shielding. So much so that ezra had to calm himself and breath for  few moments in order to understand everything he felt. 

Only then he could focus on the space outside the vent and surely he felt a presence right underneath it.

Quietly waiting.

He was sure whoever they were they had their eyes trained on the vent. But they were alone. And that in itself was a good sign. 

So ezra decided that he would take this chance. If he was successful no one would notice the lone trooper until it was too late and he was already far out. Compared to a group of two or more it was really the best outcome and he wasn't sure how the other vents were guarded.

Shifting back a bit he made sure he made some noise this time. Feeding into the image of a lost 12 year old instead of ezra Bridger, jedi padawan searched by the empire who probably has a bounty on his head.

He'd rather people underestimate him.

Not using the force to open the vent however proofed to be more difficult than he expected. 

He used to much strength to push it out of its place so once it did his super body stumbled right after it. Resulting in his face almost greeting the floor if it wasn't for the armored arms catching him. 

A "Kriff" escaped ezras lips and for a minute it hovered in the air. 

They stared at each other in silence both observing each other. 

It was another trooper. But his white armor was painted with blue accents similar to those he knew from rex. A red cross painted on his shoulder pad stuck out to him and ezra stared at it for a minute. Until his head finally started thinking again. 

No idea why this guys' armor is blue but it's not Rex. I gotta get away. I can't let HIM get me 

Fear once again creeped into the back if ezras mind. Unconsciously his face mirrored his horror and he began to squirm under the strangers hold. 

"Hey, calm down kid" the voice was familiar yet distorted through the helmet. But ezra didn't care he took the vents door that was still in his hands and swung with all his strength. 

*Clonk*

He hit the troopers head causing him to stime as he let go of the frightened child in his arms. Before he could reach out to grab his blaster another loud clonk rang through the room as the ventilation cover once again made contact with his helmet. 

The trooper fell. 

A panicked ezra stood above him, metal in hand debating on whether or not he should hit another time for good measure. 

He went for a light kick to the troopers side instead to see if he would stirr.

When he didn't he poked him with a finger mumbling a "Helloooo, you there?". After a few more poks without any reaction he decided it was safe to keep going and started to strip the man in front of him of his armor. 

His Features reminded him of rex, just as his paint job did but he was too young. Did the empire start producing clones again?

But he didn't have time to think about it and kept going. 

Too big. 

The armor was too big. 

It's been ages since he didn't properly fit into the stormtrooper armor. But here he was with an armor that was too big on him. Is that the reason this one was painted differently? 

But ezra didn't have the luxury of time to think about it. He did not know how long the man in front of him was going to stay unconscious and he refused to use the force to check on his mind. 

Any use of the force that is not necessary would guve them more hints on who he was. Who he was running from. It was a risk he wouldn't take. He couldn't take. 

And it's already been weeks since he put up his mental shields to the extreme. Cutting off as much of the force as possible.

Isolating himself. 

Keeping to himself. 

Protecting himself. 

The slither of force he let in to feel out the room before was already mentally draining. Any more would just exhaust him more and more. And he couldn't allow himself to be exhausted. Not when he was on the run. Not with these risks. 

So he looked around the room to find a different solution. It was only then that the young jedi realozed that he dropped out inside a medbay. 

A bed on one side and several medical devices, medicine and bandages were scattered on the tables although they seemed to be carefully sorted. 

It reminded him once again of the injuries marking his body. Another thought he found himself shoving away as he approached the tables and grabbed a bunch of bandages shoving them into the troopers boots in an attempt to compensate his height. 

His precious coat shelved as a good polster underneath his arms and stomach filling some of the space the armor left between his body. The helmets visor was positioned at an odd angle compromising his size. 

All in all his appearance was wonky. Awkward to look at and ezra honestly hoped that he could manage to stay at enough distance from any other troopers for them to not notice his ridiculous appearance. 

He took a deep breath and stepped out into the corridor. 

If he didn't know any better he would think he'd be on a ship. The metallic walls, the lights, the doors. Nothing reminded him of the building he initially entered to steal supplies from. 

Maybe the vent connected to another building? It would explain the strangely long vent at least. 

He was disoriented and his limited view only added to the feeling. But at least he couldn't see any other troopers as he started his journey searching for an exit. 

Chapter Text

Ezra stands in the grey corridor unsure in which direction he should go. So he just takes a wild guess and turns right.

The metal that surrounds him feels almost suffocating as he marches along. As if the cold grey is closing in with each step. 

He sees some troopers crossing the hallway and needs to gather as much self control as he can to not act or walk suspicious. Every fiber of his body wants to flinch away, turn around and dash for it. But he can't. So he keeps on walking. 

The comms in his stolen helmet come to life startling him. The unexpected noise sent shivers down his spine as some voice asked for an update on the child in the vents. 

Apparently they send some droids ofter him to get him out. If they find the open shaft by the med bay he'll be found out. He had to hurry.

Another group of blue colored troopers cross his path in the distance but this time one of them stops and stares at him. Ezra halts, staring back unsure of how to proceed. His hand is resting over his stolen blaster as he observes. 

"Kix? Is that blood? What happened?" another familiar voice questions him.

Why do they all sound familiar? Wait, blood?

A confused look down the stolen trooper armor reveals some smeared blood on his chest plate. For the third time that day ezra curses at himself. One of his wounds must have opened when he fell out of that vent.

The other trooper Was approaching him now. 

"Kix?" his voice sounds cautious, worried even. So unlike the voices he usually hears from stormtroopers. 

Ezra lowers his voice in an attempt to make it sound raspy and hide how different it is from the trooper, (kix?) he Tried to immitade, "Ah the child, he slipped by me. Seems to be injured. He went this way."

The voice that answers once again sounds concerned. So worried and genuine that ezra wished it was directed at him. It was a hint at a comfort he misses so dearly from his family. The familiarity of the troopers voice jsut strengthend his longing to go home. The empty pit in his stomach felt heavier than ever. "Are you alright? You sound off kix. Maybe you should head to the cot. I'll chase the child."

"Yeah, you're probably right" his answer was almost a whisper as he desperately prayed the other man would leave before he notices just how stupidly out of place he looks inside the armor. Before the slightly crooked helmet is obvious and the blue of the coat shines through instead of the black dressing that should be underneath.

He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding once the other trooper turns and leaves with a nod. Listening into the comms in case in case 'Kix' is reported to be acting weird ezra continues his way through the endless grey corridors.

After a few more mindless turns he startled out of his trance when he found himself on a large boarding ramp leading down to a lively port.

He was on a ship. 

On a kriffin ship. 

This was impossible. 

He clearly remembered entering the vent of a mid sized storage hall. In the middle of a town that did Definetly NOT have a port this big right beside it. It didn't make sense.

What kind of vent connects a building to a ship? Whose force forsaken mind would build something so incredibly useless?

An almost manic laugh escaped his lips as he transcended down the ramp into the crowd. The only thing keeping him going was the distant instinct to escape. 

Slowly, one foot in front of the other he keeps going and going. 

Until he enters a city he never saw before. 

Until he turned and turned into alleyways away from all these troopers. 

Until his feet started stumbling as his concentration left his exhausted mind. The too big boots finally giving in as he crashed to the ground inside a lonely ally. 

Only then his quiet manic laughter subsided and he moved to remove the armor almost mechanically. Starting with his helmet moving onto his chest plate and the guards surrounding his arms and legs. 

Finally he removed his boots sitting only in his socks. His other boots were left in the medbay, sitting besides the unconscious man called 'Kix'.

A cold breeze brushed against his face and his mind finally returned to the present.

Ezra looked around where he sat. An alleyway without any doors or significant windows greeted him. Cold walls made with an almost inviting brick. All there was were a bunch of garbage tind and random litter lying around. It reminded him of his old days in lothal. 

It was oddly comforting. 

There were no lights and the twilight sky slowly turned this ally dark.

After a few moments of just watching and resting ezra began to move again he didn't keep track of time.

The first thing he did was looking at the helmet. Taking apart the electronics in case there was a tracker inside. He found one and disabled it before putting the helmet aside. 

He'll have to move again soon.

Next he took the boots taking out the bandages and bacta patches he stuffed them with in order to gain some height. They were sweaty and not ideal anymore but they would do. 

Slowly he got up and removed his coat and shirt. For the first time since his escape he took a look at the damage. 

There was a nasty big gash on his left side. The source of the blood that was staining the white chest plate. He figured this would need the most urgent care and slapped one of the two bacta patched on it before wrapping it up with a sweaty bandage. 

His other side was bruised up badly on his ribs. He traced his fingers along the bones and winces when he felt one of them being a little out of place. Probably broken. He would need to reduce his movement for a while. 

His shoulder was also bruised up pretty badly. He knew he dislocated it at some point but pushed it back into place right after crashing his escape ship. 

It would be OK. 

He ignored the other scars decorating his upper body when he put back his torn shirt and coat and moved onto his legs. 

His right Ankle was swollen and and colorful. He slapped the other bacta patch on it before wrapping it up as well in an attempt to stabilis it. His last sweaty bandage was used to wrap a stab wound on his tight before he dressed himself again.

He was going to be fine.... Probably.

He sat back again listing for the helmets comm for any indication that 'Kix' woke up and his escape in the troopers armor was exposed.

It didn't take long before the familiar voice spoke up

"This is CT-5597 Jesse, I just found CT - 6116 Kix unconscious in med bay. He's missing his uniform and blaster."

"Kriff, what's his condition? " It was the same voice although slightly different. 

Another voice, but still the same scolded "Language!" before the first voice answered. 

"Looks like he got hit on the head. Might have a concussion"

"Understood. Everyone look out for trooper Kix, change comm channel by protocol our intruder might listen in" 

And that was ezras sign to move again. With new energy after his rest and his wounds treated as good as necessary he stood up and made his way into the city. 

He left the uniform behind walking barefoot along the streets. Trooper boots would be too eye catching. So he kept an eye out for any stormtroopers and his head down and he walked through the cold. 

The town was somehow familiar to the one he initially entered yet different in every aspect. It was bigger. The street lamps were not providing nearly the same warmth and snow covered the ground. Ice cold water seeping into his socks as he took step after step. 

The buildings looked the same yet more alive. A mixture of humanoids and aliens passing the streets with cheery smiles on their faces. The never ending doom of the empire seemed so far away for them it was startling. 

If it wasn't  the stormtroopers he would catch a climps on every other corner he would almost believe the town was free. Yet the people didn't flinch away from them. He even saw a child walk up to them, talk a few lines and skid away happily. Unharmed and cheerful. 

The sight was such a paradox that it left ezra staring and thoughtless for a minute. 

But these weren't good signs. They could only mean that this planet is incredibly friendly towards the empire. It was dangerous. 

Ezra pulled his hood forther down his face. 

But it still didn't explain how different everything was. How big and lively the town suddenly seemed. 

Or how he ended up on board of a ship. 

A kriffing empire ship whose vents were apparently connected to a building. 

Nothing made sense anymore and ezra was tired. So incredibly tired as the strangeness of the world kept nagging into his skull. 

He wasn't even sure of he could manage words at this point. His jumbled mind was starting to get cloudy. 

When was the last time he slept? 

When HE got him to pass out after...? 

When he blanked out while watching the streets earlier? Before he found the storage hall? Was that sleep or was he just blinking a little longer? 

Whatever it was it wasn't enough. His body was screaming to rest. And he was in no position to fight it anymore. 

So he kept track of every alleyway he passed until he found one secluded and hidden enough to hide in. Too tired to find any other form of lodging he hid behind some abandoned and broken furniture. Taking of his coat and using it as a blanket until darkness consumed him finally. 

Cold hands dragged him to his feet. Another grabbed his face. Made him stare into these eyes.

These cold, unforgiving eyes. 

Staring into his soul seeing everything. 

Sharp teeth flashed and grinned. 

Malicious. 

Predatory. 

Needles pricked every inch of his skin, his eyes his mind. 

He could feel them gouching him, consuming him. 

And these eyes watched and watched and watched. 

His body was melting and freezing. 

His mind was screaming 

Screaming. 

All he heard was screaming. 

Who is screaming? Why?

Where is he?

With a a jolt ezra was pulled out of is dreaming state. 

His throat was hoarse and it tool him a while until he realized he was screaming silently.

His mouth wide open and dry to the point he could feel his teeth stick to his lips. His tongue screaming for water. 

His head was pounding. His body soaked in sweat.

The next thing he realized was the pain on his body. Screaming at him to treat it. 

The he looked around. Confused. 

He wasn't in his cell.

Snow found his vision. He saw snow. 

He smelled the stank of the garbage around him. 

He felt the rough ground under his fingers. 

He heard the buzzing of the street beside him. 

He was in the ally. He got away. He fled from HIM. got away from the troopers 

It's OK. I got away. He can't find me. I'm OK.` It's OK. I got away. He can't find me. I'm OK.`

It's OK. I got away. He can't find me. I'm OK.`

It's OK.

He could go on. 

Chapter Text

Cold. 

Once again he was cold. 

Walking around aimlessly and barefoot for an hour now, ezra Bridger felt completely frozen. 

It was a coldness his beloved new coat couldn't save him from as it crept up his legs and wrapped around his bones. 

If Ezra had one regret it was leaving those trooper boots behind. It was stupid and reckless and now he felt like he was on the verge of loosing his toes. 

And unfortunately he was in such a dazed state yesterday that he was completely lost. He couldn't for the life of him find that ally he initially crashed in to retrieve said trooper boots. If they were even still there.

He couldn't even find the kriffin market square to buy new boots. 

He couldn't find anything except endless streets of living houses and snow. 

Stupid snow. 

Only a few workers passed him every now and then. And he wondered if he imagines the voices that lulled him to sleep before. 

Another shiver went down his spine and for a moment he could've sworn one of his toes tried to exit his foot as he stumbled over his own feet. 

The metal of the stolen weapon he tucked into his pants poked uncomfortably into his side and ezra was tempted to shoot with it until it overheats just to feel his feet again. 

But that was another stupid idea he quickly cast aside as he continued walking down another corner.

And finally his ears could hear more noise and chatter. And chatter meant people and people usually meant stores. And stores means clothes. And clothes means shoes.

Shoes he would kill for no matter how battered used or ugly they would be. 

And he still had 10 credits left from the generous donation he received to allow him to buy a coat and food.

10 credits he was very ready to spend.

He stumbled into the market and towards a stall selling used shoes eagerly. Any attempts to look casual in order to barter were lost to the constant ache of his feet. The bandages on his swollen ankle were soaked and dirty and he wouldn't be suprised if it might get infected.

And it hurt. 

He took a battered but warm looking orange pair and inspected it. Asking the middle aged man behind the stall for the price without looking up. 

His toes were already wiggling in anticipation. 

"9 credits." a Bored voice answered 

With a sceptic look, the young boy lifted up the left boot and raised an eyebrow "With that hole? I'll give you 6"

"8 or none " the tone of voice left no room for arguments and ezra begrudgingly took them out of 'his' wallet. He really needed the boots and he wouldn't risk a mad seller if it meant not getting them.

But instead the seller looked at him confused before his face shifted into an angry scowl 

"I don't know what kinda Planet you're from but we don't take regional money. Creds or nothing" 

Ezra felt offended "What do you mean? Those ARE credits! The only woman toon the 2 day ago when I bought this coat!" 

But the Man only huffed "Listen,  you won't get anywhere with that money. I don't know what kind of separatist hole you came from nor do I care but this is the Republic. Now screw off or pay with real credits. You're disturbing my business." 

Ezra on the other hand was baffled. Did he - did he just say Republic? 

"Wait, what do you mean Republic?"

But the sellers face twisted in anger as he growled at him to go away, threatening that he would make him if he kept disturbing his business while holding a shoe above his head. 

So Ezra did what he was used to. He ducked away and ran for it. 

His bare feet stumbled as his upper body slammed into the booth. Hands catching whatever shoes he could while apologising.

It was far too risky considering the angry conversation he had before but the young thief found himself not caring. It was a matter of survival and he was fairly confident he could win a wild chase. 

And it really was a wild chase. Ezra ran and stumbled, unmatching shoes pressed to his chest and aching bare feet.

Right behind him the angry man screamed in madness. His yellow teeth fletched as spit crossed the air following his curses at the young thief in front of him. Whatever came in his way was thrown at the young boy he was chasing.

A trooper came around the corner and the seller hissed at him to catch the shoe thief before he kept his chase. 

Ezra Was stumbling left and right trying to find a corner or a ledge or something that would ensure his escape. Somewhere he could hide.

He turned the next corner only to come face to face with a black man blocking his path. 

Behind him his persuers screamed to not let him pass. 

Panic rose in ezras chest.

He was trapped. 

They would get him. 

They would take him and find out who he is. And afterwards they will question him and drag him back. 

They will bring him to HIM 

His whole body was trembling, adrenaline ruching to his head as he looked around frantically. Trying to find a way out. A way to get through.

The Man blocking him mustered him curiously, staring at the mismatched shoes in the young boys hands. One clearly to big to fit the kid, grey and high. The other was more likely to fit the child's feet. It was red and ankle high posing a stark contract to the grey boot accompanying it. 

Another glance went to the frantic boys feet and paused to a stare. The young thief's feet were barefoot, although one was wrapped in bandages. Tiny bloody cuts were peeking out from underneath his soles and his toes were a dark unnatural and Definetly unhealthy shade or red. 

Pity fell over him. 

It was a miracle this kid was still walking not less running and here there were moving again.

In quick steps towards him.

Before he could react a harsh push pulled him out of his thoughts as the kids body slammed into him. 

It wasn't enough to push him off his own feet but it was enough to have him stumble for just a second. 

As the man stumbled ezra pushed past him. It was a close call, he could feel the man's hand brushing against his arm in attempt to catch him. But ezra took off and ran with all his might. 

Quicker than before as far as his feet would carry him. Barely registering the passing people and streets. Fear was still deep inside his bones. 

This was about surviving now. 

All he had to do was to survive. 

He would survive. 

Mace windu stood left behind on the street watching a scared child run away on bare feet.

The sight was painful. He was a keeper of peace. His every being worked to avoid this. 

A clones trooper turned the corner and met him the white armor blending into the rest of the snowy blue planet. Besides him a middle aged bulky man arrived. Face red in anger, sweat rolling down his face and the veins on his neck threatening to pop.

An angry growling voice escaped his throat. So menacing that it barely sound human anymore "Where did that dirty thief go?". His angry eyes were turned at the jedi in front of him. 

The Trooper beside him stiffened and held his hand in salute "General!" 

Maces voice was a calming contrast to the two. "That boy... What did he do?" 

Once again the engry man snarled at him "That nasty little rat stole my stuff thats what he did. And he is getting away with it This. Very. Moment.!" 

"We were perusing the suspect until you came along general" the trooper continued. 

The Red on the strangers face turned deeper and Mace was slightly impressed that it even Could. "I demand compensation for my loss as you incompetent swine let him get away!"

 "And you shall receive such. Trooper, I want you to issue a search for the boy in the meantime. I'm sure you're able to find our friend." the jedis words were calm and carried a hint of sadness. 

It was hard on the peacekeeper to see the harshness of the world in such a young child. And he would make sure to help him out of his suffering. He would make sure of it. 

He turned around once more to the trooper he didn't know a name of " And if you find him please be gentle I think he was hurt". 

And with these words lingering in the air he left in search for his young escapee. 

The force whispered to his ear. A feeling of importance. And disturbance creeped up to him as he continued the search. 

This boy was important. Almost like a shatterpoint. Whatever it meant he would make sure the child didn't shatter apart. 

Ezra kept running. 

His panicked mind clung to his durasteel walls. Pushing away the force as much as he could in an attempt to make himself invisible in every way.

Invisible to HIM.

And keeping HIM out as far as possible.

After turning another corner he found himself on the edge of the city. The endless whites of the snow greeted him once again. 

He turned desperately in search of a place to hide but the white was devastatingly persistent. It was everywhere and he knew he would stick out like Sabines painting.

His eyes flickered on edge. His breaths became shallow. The effects of the adrenaline faded with every moment he couldn't find an escape. 

Until he saw it. 

A small pile of wood with a gap just big enough to fit him between sat beside the corner of the last house of town. 

And he crawled into it happily. Pulling logs in front of him to hide himself. 

Now in darkness he finally let his grasps on the shoes soften as he slowly moved to put them on. 

He was exhausted, cold and scared. 

All that surrounded him was the darkness taht would hide him.

Ezra took out the blaster he hid inside his clothes and waited. 

He was waiting for than to come to him. 

And he was ready to fight. 

He would survive. 

Chapter Text

When Kix Was first told to join Mace windu on a mission on Ando Prime because they were short on Medics.

The medic clone was always eager to help and treat those injured. That was his purpose and what he was made for after all. But that didn't mean he was ready to leave HIS Jetii and HIS squad behind without protest. Especially of said jedi has the last name skywalker and the concerningly persistent habit of getting hurt.

So yes Kix was worried. 

When he found out that the reason General Skywalker was so willing to send his clones out on other missions his annoyance turned amused. 

A certain senator by the name of Padme needed an Escort for a two week trip.(Those kind of missions also just mysteriously happened to be interrupted resulting in those two being missing for a WHILE).

The council requested him to send his troops to help out in other areas during the time he was gone if the necessity arrives. 

And when Jesse was also send to the mission, Kix started to consider it a form of vacation. 

And for once it wasn't a difficult mission really. They were just staying at the planet site guarding some ancient Jedi artifact while Mace was out doing diplomatic work in town. The artifacts were to be put in a secured in a secure storage unit within the endless snow fields of the ice planet.

Said storage did however require a thick ice mass under some special requirements he did not understand to be present on the lake in front of it so the carpets could be moved inside. And despite the biting cold the planet provided, said ice was not thick enough as of right now. So they were just stationed to wait out.

I could have been easy. 

Skywalker wasn't even there to crash land a ship or have something expose or do anything else that would make things go haywire. 

He was only stationed as a medic in case things happened. Injuries happen under all circumstances even if there was no battle. He was expecting some twisted ankle or a severe cold here and there. 

Instead Kix found himself on the floor of the medbay with a severely pounding head. His vision as blurry and for a moment everything was fuzzy. His brain felg like there was a coat of fur dampening it and the harsh white of the room felt like he was staring directly into the sun. 

A concerned voice was talking in the distance but it sounded muffled as if the person was talking into a pillow. And the voice was annoying his headache in a way Kix really didn't appreciate.

He needed the voice to stop. 

So he blinked hard trying to focus on the voices source. He found himself staring at a blurry, familiar helmet and it felg like hours until he found this helmet to belong to Jesse and the voice to Sound recognisable. 

"Geez Kix you're out of it, can you hear me? What happened?"

It took some more concentration to remember how to use his voice before Kix could answer. "I don't - there was a Child? It fell on me." he paused, puzzling together his memories about what happened next.

"A child fell on you? And that got you stripped on the floor of med bay with a concussion?" Jesse teased. 

"No the Kid fell and - " He paused taking note of the lack of armor on his body. The realization feeding into uis confusion. But he continued "It was the one we were commend about. The Kid that climbed into the vents I think. I heard some rattling from the vents here and then the kid fell out of it. I catched him and - force he was terrified." he paused again, his memories were a little hazy from here on and his head was screaming at him.

Jesse noticed his brothers discomfort and reached for a glass of water while guiding the medic to sit on one of the chairs. Quietly coming, asking for a medic or medic droid to come and check on them. 

Kix steadied his breath after gulping down in the water before he started talking again. "He had the same face some soldiers get when they are caught in memories. The Kid looked so frightened. He was no older than 12, probably even younger. I tried to calm him." he let out a dried chuckle "His response was whacking my head with the vent with a strength that was impressive for his scrawny figure. I think he hit me twice. Maybe more I don't know. Next thing I know was you standing over me."

Jesse nodded in response. Quietly taking in his friends story, unsure how to respond other than handing him some pain killers while reporting on the situation to their captain. The medic came in sometime he was talking and hovered over kix. The room fell into silence only interrupted by a quiet gasp from Kix. 

Following his gaze Jesse noticed the vent the kid fell from and he couldn't help but stare. The vent was bloody . Large smeared bloodstains decorated it's side. Blood that was clearly not from kix. It looked like a scene from a horror holo. 

The rest of the day went by in a breeze for Kix. At one point he was called to watch the security footage of what happened. It was a surreal feeling to watch oneself be decked by a child and stripped. He watched the bloodied, horrified child steal his blaster and shoving bandages into his boots. "You think that why he broke in? For the medical supplies?" he asked the other troopers investigating the case with him.

"Wouldn't a clinic be an easier target then? The med care on this planet isn't bad and most clinics take on poor patients for little coin" the officer on the computer answered in return.

"Maybe. How did he get in anyway?" the concussed medic asked in return 

"Good question. None of the cams catch him before falling into the storage. As far as we know he didn't steal anything except your stuff and the bandages. They found your armor in an ally about two blocks away by the way so you can have that back soon." This time it was Commander Ponds who answered." The kid does however still have your blaster so we're on a search for him. I already informed the general. Apparently had another run in with our intruder on the way. Finding the Kid is a priority for now. "

A variety of "Yes sirs" echoes through the room before they each went on their way.

Kix returned to his cot as he was assigned to two days of bed rest before he could be back on duty again. His thoughts however were a mess as he tried to process what happened. Part of him found himself worried for the Child.

He knew, the horror he saw in the child's eyes would haunt him for a while. 

The next two weeks went by uneventful. Reports of the Kid surfaced up from town patrol here and there but none managed to catch the young thief. 

Even general Windu, was unsuccessful when he tried to locate the Kid with whatever force Magic the Jetii use. Muttering something about it being strange that he couldn't feel his presence the Jetii was now found roaming through the city more often than not.

Some who never saw him, nicknamed the child the little ghost of Ando Prime. Claiming the stories about the kid were resembling haunted stories more and more.

And they were not wrong. With each passing day the stories the troopers told each other about their little fugitive became more and more creative. Maces' unability to catch him as well feeding into them.

And the Jetii General himself deepened his infamous scowl with each passing day.

The times were strange.

Kix Was currently on his way back from treating an injured soldier who slipped on the ice in the outskirts of town when he heard a strange rustling from one of the trash bins.

Turning his head to investigate he froze in his spot. 

There he was. 

The cause of his headaches. 

The despair of the troopers. 

The Ghost of Ando Prime. 

And he looked not nearly as threatening as the stories around him. The sight in front of him was that of a small, dirty and battered child who carefully sat aside his coat on a semi clean corner of a box leaning against the wall. His grey shirt was torn and bloody. Some remnants of a printed number could be seen on the back. His orange pants were no less bloody but in a slightly better condition.

Kix moved to hid behind the corner, carefully watching. Some bandages shone through the rip in his shirt around his torso. 

'So he did need the medical supplies. '

The Medic did not approach and kept watching. His hand traveling to the comm button on his helmet. The last thing he wanted to do is frighten the Kid and let him slip away again while he was on his own. Reinforcements were probably a better idea and the Jetii usually proved to be less intimidating in the eyes of the civis. 

He saw the Kid climb into one of the larger garbage bins and scavange through it. Probably looking for anything of value. 

His stomach churned as he watched the Kid pull out a two loafs of half rotten bread. He could see the furry fungus on it from all the way he was standing. He expected the Kid to put it back but instead watched in horror as he bit into it. 

Kix felt sick as he watched. Reinforcements long forgotten. His hand traveled to his med kit knowing fully well that he had some ration bars stored inside. They might be tasteless but they were safe to eat and not about to come to life.

All measures of safety left the clones head at the sight of the child eating rotten food eagerly. With eyes full of relief as if it was the best thing the Kid ate in his life. 

The stolen blaster in the kids possession was  long forgotten. As was the reminder of the vent that hit his head. All he saw now was a vulnerable, hungry child that needs help.

So kix took off his helmet, found the ration bar in his bag and approached.

"You... Probably shouldn't eat that" he tried to keep his voice as calm as he possibly could.

The kid still flinched away, grasping onto his mold covered bread and crawling backwards towards the edge by his coat. Kix watched as one of the boys hands hovered on his right side right where a bulky corner could be seen on his shirt. 

'So he still has the blaster. ' he boted mentally before he spoke up again.

"Its OK. I have something that's better for food." he wiggled the ration bar in the air "You can have that instead."

The kid took another step back and Kix put his hands up in surrender. 

"I'm not going to do anything." he paused to bend forward and place the ration bar on the ground. His eyes never leaving the small boy in front of him as he stepped back to give some distance between them "Here. For you"

The Ghost of Ando Prime looked more like a lost tooka kit as he slowly approached the ration bar, glaring at kix. For a moment the clone wondered how the child managed to cause so much chaos as innocently as he looked. 

Following another glare from the boy Kix took one more step back and watched as the little one took the bar and hurried back into the allyway. His glare ever present on his face and his right hand still hovering over where he assumed the blaster was hidden. 

Kix sat down on the floor and introduced himself "My name is Kix. Why don't you tell me yours as trade for the food?"

He didn't exactly expect an answer so the following silence was expected. His eyes once again fell on the outlines of the bandages peeking from under the kids shirt.

"You're hurt" it was more of a statement than a question. The boy flinched in response. Once again the glare intensified.

"I can help you, or at least give you something to treat yourself and give you some pointers." there was a desperation in his voice that even he didn't know he had. But the shivering child just kept watching suspiciously.

With a sigh kix moved to stand up and get his helmet, get his comm and ask for reinforcements. Maybe the general could get through. But the chances of the kid being gone by the time they arrived would be high. This situation was in the process of becoming another failed attempt of catching a child. 

But the child needed help. It looked like he was on the verge of death. Skin so pale and sunken in it was a miracle that the boy moved as quickly mad well as he did. 

A small, quiet and croaked voice stopped him in his movement. "You're.... A clone?" it was nothing but a whisper and Kix almost thought he imagined it. He nodded in suprise "Yes I am. My birth number is CT 6116 but I chose the name Kix. Im a medic, if you let me I can help you"

He watched as a variety of motioned displayed on the child's face. None he could really exactly pinpoint before his face twisted back into a glare. He could feel him watch and assess him until the kid spoke up again.

"Bandages" even in that one mumbled word he could hear the conflict that radiated from the boy.

Kix on the other side was unsure what täht word implied and he couldn't help a confused "Sorry" to escape his lips.

This time the kid revealed his blaster and pointed at him. "I need bandages. If you want to help me." there was a clear determination in his voice this time. The way he held the blaster was clearly trained and Kix wondered how the child had learned to handle one.

But instead he nodded and pulled out his medical supplies from his backpack. Putting bandages and bacta pads in front of him before standing up and stepping back again. His hands up in surrender. This time aware of the blaster pointing at him but something told him he was not in any real danger. Maybe it was the fragility radiating of the child. 

A part of him regretted not asking for reinforcements before approach but he was also sure that none of this progress would have been made in the presence of more trooper. The Medic in him was painfully aware of the way each of the children's step was stiff he clearly favored one foot over the other. 

Once the supplies were taken the kid went back into his corner right by a crate he could probably use to climb up and launch himself onto the roof of the building next to him. 

"If you want to I can give you pointers while you tend to yourself. I just want to help I promise I won't do anything." Kix reassured once again in an attempt to both keep the boy from running and get him treated. He really  didn't want to see a child suffer above anything else.

The boy looked at him for a long moment. His eyes were softer than before. It reminded him of a scared tooka eyeing the food on someones palm. The boy was really like a cat. 

"Your helmet." the kid finally murmured "Give me your helmet so I know you're not calling for someone."

"How do you know I didn't already?" the question escaped his lips before he could think about it. The medic winced at how threatening it sounded.

But the kid only shrugged "I'd you did they'd already be here. The next patrol isn't far off from here."

On thisy he couldn't help himself from questioning further "How do you know where the next patrol is"

Once again the child only shrugged. A confident smirk now on his face "Your patrolling routes are pretty predictable. It doesn't take long to memorize. So your helmet and I'll let you help out or no helmet and I'll be in my way. Your choice"

The kids confidence was so different from before it threw kix off by a lot. His body language still reminded him of a scared kitten but his attitude was closer to the smuggler they encountered a few months ago. It was absurd. But somehow welcomed. 

It meant that the Kid might not be as close to death as he looked. 

So he did another reckless thing and tossed his helmet. He watched as the kid placed it behind him and stepped closer to the trooper. The distance was still far enough that he could dash away easily especially after kix sat down again. And the blaster was still pointed to the medics head. But it still signified some trust between them. 

The boy seemed to notice his questioning Face "You remind me of someone. He's a clone too. He uh....helped me with a lot."

Kix nodded in response, expression turning serious "Let's get you treated dressed then"

Once again the boy hesitated. Doubt spreading in his face. Kix noticed the way his eyes were darting around and his grip on the blaster stiffened. He watched the boy check that the safety was off before putting the blaster I one hand, still aiming and using his other hand to pull off his shirt. 

"I.. Uh tried to use a bacta patch but I think something is wrong. I might have done something wrong. But I don't have anything else to treat it" his voice was unsure and nervous as he stumbled over his words. 

Kix watched how his shirt went higher revealing his bandaged toro. As it reached the end of the bandages black, purple, green and blue bruises were revealed along his ribs. Scars scattered around his skin in various forms. Some even resembling ones he saw on tortured war prisoners before. The implication seemed impossible. Surely it was just his imagination. He could only see the front of the boy but some lines of scars indicated that there were even more on his back. 

The soldier forgot how to breathe. 

This was nothing compared to the horror of the kids eyes that left an imprint on him. This was a different kind of horror. A horror that felt so much more real. 

So much worse. 

The boy began to unwrap the bandages and Kix could feel the blood draining from his face. His eyes went wide at the sight of a big open gash on the boys side. Reaching from just above the belly button to his hip. 

Clearly infected. The bacta patch the boy tried to treat it with was way too small to dress the wound and the wound was clearly not properly cleaned. 

The blood he saw at the vent made a lot more sense now. It's incredible the kid moved around with this. Even more so that he managed to run away from trained soldier and a jedi.

And worse of all, the medic was almost convinced that this is not the only injury the kid carried around. 

He has seen a lot of soldiers running into battles wounded. But none were in such a state. 

None were a child. 

This should not be a thing. 

Gulping down his horror he went into treatment mode. 

"Osik. This-This is infected. It needs to be cleaned. Honestly you should be in a hospital bed right now." his voice was a little shaky. Every inch of his body wanted to run to the kid, treat him and drag him to the hospital bed. But he couldn't. 

Once again he cursed himself for not calling reinforcement sooner but maybe if this takes long enough someone will miss him. 

"Just tell me how to deal with it!" the kid snapped in response. 

Kix turned to his backpack and took out two water bottles and a bunch of disinfectants before rolling them over to where the boy was standing. 

"Wash out the wound with water first, then use the disinfectant to sterilise it as best you can. It would probably be better if I-" he tried to get up and approach him but a blastershot to the floor in front of his feet stopped him. He distantly registered that the blaster was on stun mode. 

"No! You stay there. I can do this" the kid hissed at him again. 

Kix put his hands up in surrender again. 

"OK ok, I got it" 

Both turned silent as the young boy started pouring water to the gash. It would surely be incredibly painful but the child stayed silent, not even flinching. 

Once the kid was satisfied he looked up to the clone in question. Kix nodded in response. It was not as good as if it was done by a professional, in a hospital, with proper equipment. But it was the most they could do as they were. 

He watched carefully as the young boy applied the antiseptics pointing to places that he seemed to miss or appeared to need more attention. Luckily none of the flesh looked dead and wouldn't be required to be cut off. But once again he couldn't be sure from the distance. 

Once that was done as well, the clone gave the young man a bigger bacta patch and new bandages. 

"Can you, give me a name to call you by? I keep kalling you boy in my head and it doesn't feel right." he questioned while the boy was rewrapping his torso. The bruises on his ribs chew his mind up with worry. 

" 'names Dev" the boy said. Kix wasn't entirely convinced it was his actual name but it was a name. A step in the right direction. 

"Thank you, Dev." 

Once the kid was ready he turned to the crate Kix noticed earlier. Climbing up as he expected. But before he could disappear completely the medic shouted out 

"Those bandages will need to be changed and the wound recleabed tomorrow. I'll wait here for you... Please?" 

Dev watched him carefully in silence for a long while before answering. 

"I won't show if you're not alone, no tricks. I'll know if you trick me" 

And with that the boy disappeared. 

Leaving a disturbed Kix behind in silence. 

Chapter Text

Ezra was shaking.

The past two weeks were hard. He felt his hope draining out of his soul with each passing hour. The cold around him an ever present constant. 

A fiery heat pooling insinde his head brought a contrasting comfort to it. 

He knew it was a developing fever. He knew it wasn't a good thing. He knew his body was on his last resorts. But he couldn't help not caring. It was warmth he'd miss otherwise. 

His stomach was twisting in a Hunger he didn't think he'd be able to feel anymore. He thought he grew numb to it again. Just like all those years ago on the street. But maybe he never really was. Maybe it was just a twist of his memory trying to make his childhood happier than it was.

With more time passing each movement he made became harder. 

Getting food was difficult. The troopers on this planet were more competent than he was used to. Chasing him whenever he came too close to the market or turned the wrong corner.

Pickpocketing felt like an impossible task. He was top well known after the shoe fiasco. The locals didn't look kindly upon him. They were wary and he couldn't even blame them.

He thought about sneaking into a random ship at port. Escaping this planet. But once again these strange troopers were in the way. 

He had no way of escape, no way to acquire food and no way to contact his family.

To top it off something was strange with his body. His scars and injuries remained the same. The same familiar trails of white, red and dark lines decorated his body. His hair was the same shaggy mess he had when he escaped but somehow everything was.... Smaller. 

The first thing he noticed was his hands. They were too small. The way they wrapped around the blaster was wrong making handling it more awkward. Then his height. The trooper he stole the armor from wasn't weirdly big, no be was small. It explained his description as a child just as well as it confused him.

He chose not to think about it too much. His thoughts stayed with surviving, keeping his goal of finding his family again. Finding a way back. Finding home. And he clung to those thoughts desperately in every moment he had time to think. As long as he remembered his family. Took in the their sweet voices as they echoes in his head. Remembered their faces and imagines their reactions to coming home.

As long as he thought of his family, his mind didn't remind him of HIM. Although that didn't mean that his cold, dark present didn't slither into his brain whenever it could. Whenever he allowed himself a break he saw those cold eyes. He felt the prickling needles. His mind being probed and burned. 

So he kept his mind busy with good things. 

That is whenever he didn't have to think about ways to escape. From stormtroopers, shop owners and that strange dark skinned man with the angry look on his face. He had a scowl on him that led ezra to believe he was not to be messed with.

It was strange. He saw the man walking around in robes he could swear he saw before. The stormtroopers clearly respected him, he had to be of high command but there was no fear in the Troopers voices when they spoke to him. And sometimes ezra could feel a sense of familiarity from the man they called general. 

But that didn't change the fact that he was chased by him. It made him dread every encounter with the scowling man as he was even more competent than the stormtroopers around.

It made everything even more difficult. 

Ezra missed lothal. The tall grass, the warming sun and the familiar town. He knew where to go to find a job to earn credits. He had people he could pick pocket from and he would have known where to find a doctor willing to treat a street rat with discretion. Years of contacts waited for him on lothal. 

Here, in the cold, he was alone. 

Maybe that was the reason he gave in to the Stormtrooper, Kix yesterday. 

He was at his lowest point doing something he swore he would never have to do again : Eat mold from the trash bin. Just like the rat he was would do.

The fact that he was caught doing so was humiliating. Even more so that it was my an imperial. 

He wasn't even sure if the Medic was actually imperial. The people around kept talking about the Republic. But the Republic fell 20 years ago. 

Maybe this was some kind of backwater planet that was once part of the Republic. One that the empire didn't care about. Maybe the remaining troops here tried to hold onto the image of a long forgotten past. 

But this Kix was a clone. 

Ezra knew about the chips. The fact that they made you follow orders, control your mind and clean part of your personality. Rex told him about it after he had another fight with Kanan. 

It wasn't the only thing the old clone told him about his brothers. Sometimes he would sway in happy memories and explain the adventures they met during the clone wars. He'd often tell him that they made the horrors of war bearable. Each having their own personality.He told him about the paint job of his armor and how he and his brothers honored ahsoka with their helmets. 

After all those years these stories were just, well stories for ezra but he knew well how much more they were for Rex. Sometimes he mourned over the lost souls of his friends brothers. Regretting never meeting them. 

And maybe it was those stories of brothers fighting together, trusting each other endlessly that led to ezra giving just a little bit of trust towards Kix, the medic.

The fact that he didn't hand him in immediately made him believe that he was either not ordered to or the chip was damaged after meeting the vent. 

And the rational part of his brain told him that he'd never meet his family if he wasn't getting that medical attention he was offered.

Kix had a kindness to him that made him feel like home. He didn't need the force to see how worried he was for him. He saw a concern so deep in his eyes that he almost regretted hitting him in the head. 

Still, he couldn't reveal his name. Not with the imperial data on him. Dev was surely also known and associated with him but his feverish brain couldn't think of a better one as it became more and more hazy. 

He didn't remember how he returned to his hideout afterwards and he was almost certain that he passed out from more than just tiredness. 

His heart felt warm that night and it was more than the fever speaking to him. 

Now ezra Was back on the roof besides the alleyway he met the clone the day before. Listening into his surroundings in alarm.

He was ready to run away at any given moment. 

His head was pounding. His fever got worse during the night. He wasn't sure if he could manage an escape from the robed scowling man. 

Seriously that man had a scowl so deep, ezra named him Mr. Angry face. 

It was a game from his days on the street of lothal. Naming people as you watched them pass by, giving them little back stories. So in his head he made up a story of Mr. Angry face having a normal face until he got bitten by an angry loth rat. Now his days were spend looking angry until he found the perfect, magical meiloorun to cure him. 

... 

Maybe his fever was getting to his head a little too much. 

He didn't know if Kix would really return. And if he did he didn't know if he would keep his promise of coming alone. But giving up on the opportunity to get medical supplies would be even more idiotic than walking into this potential trap. 

He'd shoot himself through if he had to. He would survive no matter what. If they catch him he'll have to escape. He escaped HIM after all. Surely he could escape these strange troopers and Mr. Angry Face.

So ezra waited. They never agreed on a time. Each time the shadows shifted under the sun he was doubting the medic would come more. It was a painfully boring wait. 

He had to concentrate to keep his thoughts under control. 

And finally he heard steps.

Aiming his gun ezra took a careful peek from the edge of the roof. There, at the entrance of the alley a Blue painted trooper stood. The red cross vibrant on his shoulder and a heavy backpack on his shoulders.

He watched the clone take off his helmet before shouting for him "Dev? Are you here? I brought food!"

 Ezra kept silent. He'd wait a little more to observe. See if he'd talk to someone over the comms or if someone else would approach. 

"I promise I'm alone, don't worry!". Ezra stayed still. Just a moment longer.

He watched the medic sigh and sit down by the trash bin. He watched how he sat his helmet aside and played with the edge of his armor. He watched how the medic breathed steadily and how his eyes wandered but never stopped at a single spot. 

Only after 30 minutes of watching was the boy convinced and moved to climb down. Blaster still clutched in his hand. He could feel his mind slipping into clouds over the movement bug forced himself to ignore it.

That fever is starting to become more of a hazard instead of a comfort. He'd need to do something about it. Part of him remembered the clinic in town. Maybe he could infiltrate and steal some meds. Just enough to get through. Not enough to get caught. 

It would be a risk but a necessity.

His thoughts quieted as he jumped down the final crate, unfortunately putting too much weight on his bad foot. It healed quite well after the first aid he did all these nights ago but the jump put too much pressure on it resulting in a stumble. His hazy mind couldn't find his balance in time before his body crashed in the floor. 

He didn't scream at the pain that went through him. Hot white and piercing. He didn't even move. He just clenched his teeth waiting for more to come. There would always be more. 

His eyes tried to find something to focus on within the blurry mess of the world. White and blue entered his vision and he knew. He knew what's to come. His body stiffened as hands found his face and a chuckle escaped his lips as a light dacend around his vision. Slowly he forgot where he was as his eyes wondered. 

A bright and blending dot dancing around and he couldn't help but follow it in amusement. It reminded him of the wild yet gentle force that surrounded him before this. The very thing that brought him and his family together, showed him the way to Kanan, Hera, Sabine, zeb and Chopper and so many more as time went on. 

Grief washed over him as he remembered that it was him that shut himself off from this warm source. The grief was quickly replaced with fear and shear terror as he remembered the reason. 

But there was no pain. 

Instead he felt hands under his shirt and the bandage on his wounds unravel. He felt something cold on his forehead and it all stayed so incredible gentle. 

He couldn't help but relax, letting his head fall to the side to call out to those gentle hands that treated him all that time ago. 

"Hera?" his voice was quiet and weak but she would understand. She always did.

But the voice that answered wasn't hera. It sounded familiar yet so wrong all the same.

Once again ezra wanted to run away as he heard a quiet, unfamiliar whisper of "You'll be OK, I promise"

Part of him wanted to believe it. 

Chapter Text

Kix's brows furrowed as he watched the child, Dev, climb down the side of the building.

'Something in his movement is wrong'

He watched as his small body stopped on top of the crate leaning against the wall. Eyes dazed seemingly looking no where. The boys body swayed slightly as he stepped to the edge ready to climb down, stolen blaster firm in his hand.

Time seemingly slowed as the kid made a final jump towards the ground only to crumble into himself. 

For a moment the medic stared unmoving, knowing fully well how much he could scare the child if he approached to quickly. But Dev didn't move anymore. 

He was still, eyes wide open and staring. No sound escaped his lips. No loud breath or gasp that would surely follow a hard fall. Especially with the kids injuries.

He was supposed to be in pain. 

Cry, shout, gasp, anything. 

He was a child. 

Instead Dev leay still on the floor, blood peeked through the bandages flashing through the rips within his shirt. 

He looked dead.

Quickly disregarding the thought, the clone ran to the small boys side. His backpack stuffed with medical supplies and food found it's place on the floor, it's content quickly pulled out and lined up in reach. 

All the medic could do was whisper reassurances to them both as he treated the wounds in routine. 

Except it wasn't routine. 

The body was too small. 

Too young to be lying there. 

He wasn't on a battle field. 

He didn't have a soldier in front of him. Or a jedi. 

This wasn't the war. 

This was a different kind of horror, a different reality. 

Finally Kix did what he should have done before. He reached for his comm and called for help. 

Ezra was dreaming. 

He knew it was a dream because he was with his family, on the ghost. Hera was stroking his hair and Kanan stood smiling beside her. Their hands were intertwined, clearly in love. 

In the background he could hear zeb and Sabine talking about Sabines newest painting while chopper threatened them with violence if he was not included in the art installment. 

It was peaceful. 

But it couldn't be real. Kanan was dead, died in the explosion on lothal. 

Protecting them. Watching his loved ones as he took his last breath. Looking at hera for the last time. 

Ezra knew, he watched it happen. Twice even. And there was nothing he could do to prevent it.

Just like Melachor, his master protected them, and all Ezra could do was watch. It was cruel, it took everything of him to accept it.

To not be consumed in his own guilt.

To know his master died when he was needed most. That it was right, that everything was OK.

Ezra couldn't be with him, not when the rest of the crew was also there.

Unless he died too.

No! Hera, zeb and Sabine were alive. They had to be. 

So it must be a dream. A cruel, but beautiful dream reminding him of a better time. Reminding him of what he was fighting for. Of why he was with HIM. 

Why he couldn't leg HIM have what he wants. 

Why ezra had to ENDURE.

Still it was a welcome dream. It was comforting and warm. He bathed in the feeling of being cared for, smiled as gentle hands were tending his injuries. Putting cool gel to his aching ankle.

He was content to take a break from reality. 

The injured padawan found himself listening to Zeb and Sabines chatter. They were bickering about something else now.

Their voices warbed and started to sound off. 

Their words tuned in louder as hera and Kanan faded slowly into transparency. 

"... if there wouldn't be a bunch of strangers!" it sounded like Rex. Was he also part of the dream?

"I can't risk him getting away again! We're guarding on alert until the general arrives and stay unless he orders differently." funny, this one sounded like Rex too. But why was Rex talking to himself? And why did he sound so... Young?

Rex 1 (?) sighed in frustration, " Fine, but be aware that you're risking a panic reaction from the patient. It won't be pretty. "

The other rex (or was it a third rex? How many were there) chuckled "I'm sure we can handle a Child."

"The 'Child' slipped through our grasps for two weeks straight after knocking out one of our soldiers and stealing one of our blaster. Not to mention that he can skillfully disassemble our helmet tracker AND managed to hide from the general. All while heavily injured. I suggest you don't underestimate our little thief here, Booster " this time it was the second Rex. This one had a stern voice. Sounded more serious. 

The third Rex, apparently called Booster mumbled a yes sir on response. 

The more they talked and the more they listened the ghost faded. Ezra knew it meant he had to wake up. 

The conversation reminded him of how he fainted. The medic, Kix, must have brought him somewhere to the imps.

Ezra wasn't sure if he could face reality already. 

Yet he felt his eyes open. 

Only to close them tightly to escape the brightness thar surrounded him. Blinking away the haziness, he set to try again. 

Everything was grey. He was surrounded by steel walls again, trapped in their endless cold. 

He slowly moved to shift his hands, testing how far they could move whole trying to not make it obvious that he moved at all. Suprise washed over him. 

He wasn't restrained. 

He took a deep breath before trying to move his head to see the source of the arguing voicess, only to have his lungs screaming before he fell into a heavy cough. 

Each cough shooting pain to his ribs that he tried his bed to control. Instantly he found the clone medic by his side. The red cross on his shoulder entering his view as gentle hands helped him sit up.

"Easy there". He heard his aid mutter and a glass of water was placed in his hands.

The young boy stared at it unsure of what to make of the glass. When was the last time he was offered water and given a choice to drink it?

"You should drink, it's OK. It's just water." he heard kix encourage him. Something about the medic him trust him. Ezra took a sip without thinking.

"How are you feeling?" the clone questioned quietly once he did. There was so much worry in the man's voice that it was hard to believe it was real.

The young jedi shrugged in response. He felt numb, confused with a strange lack of pain. 

Instead of talking he looked around. There were 4 other purple painted stormtrooper in the room. All wearing helmetsvwith the exception of kix, who stood out with his blue paint job. Two of the purples were stationed at the infirmaries door, clearly guarding him and stayed one by the bed he was sitting on. This one clearly ready to jump in any time. Hand resting by his blaster. 

Ezra was trapped. 

All thoughts of calmness left him. The safety kix emitted long forgotten. The medic was but a distant present in the room. 

One of the purple trooper spoke up now, voice firm with a hinted command "Where did you get those injuries kid?"

All ezra could hear was a interrogation. His jaw clamped shut. Screwed together teeth clenching into each other. Deep panicked breaths entered his lungs through his nose. He forced his trembling body to still in anticipation for what's to come. A glare found his eyes, directed at his interrogator.

He wouldn't give them away. 

HE wouldn't win. THEY wouldn't get what they want. 

Ezra made sure of it. Every fibre of his  body made sure of it. His walls were still strong and ungiving. Barricade after barricade was repositioned to cover the small gap he opened when he was in the vent.

Grasping onto his isolation his body shrunk into itself, trapped in anticipation. 

"Okay kid, at least tell me if you got someone out there taking care of you that we can get in contact with" the interrogator asked. The question so unnaturally innocent. As if they didn't already know. A new game of pretend. 

Ezra made himself small in respond, pressing his body into the corner, shielding his face with unbound hands. Making use of the small amount of protection they allowed before the pain kicker in again. 

Instead of pain kix spoke up again, emitting the same familiar calm although this time his voice sounded pressed instead of gentle "Commander that's enough for now. He is a patient" 

Before the purple interrogator could answer the door to the small room opened revealing a scowling man standing in the door. 

A serious of saluted "General" echoed through the room with the exception of the small child cowering in the corner who simply watched with wary eyes. The boys face was hidden behind his arms in addition to the hair falling into his face. 

"What's going on here?" the dark skinned man asked, his scowl deepening as he caught sight of the kids condition. 

"The PATIENT is in a state of panic. As a DOCTOR I'm advising you to leave the mount of people to a minimum." Kix answered the new arrival, protectively.

The robed man gave a nod towards the interrogator and ezra watched as the stormtrooper left the room leaving him alone with Kix and the 'General'.

The medic turned back to his patient, frown matching the generals "Your bandage got wet. May I redo it?"

Confusion crossed ezra as he looked down on himself. The glass previously filled with water lay on the bed besides his injured foot. The obviously new, clean bandages now dripping wet. He noted a lighter bandage on his other foot before his eyes turned up to watch 'Mr. Angry face' again. He didn't answer the question asked.

The clone followed the young boys eyes, "Ah the general. Don't worry he's all bark no bite. He may look like this but he's actually a nice guy!".

The 'whisper' was loud enough for the general to hear and ezra couldn't help but worry for the clone that might now be facing serious consequences for the sake of cracking a joke for him. He felt his breathing hitch at the thought of loosing his only ally in this place.

There's no way the imperials would take making fun of a high ranking general lightly. 

But nothing of the sort happened.

Instead the frowning man in the door smiled and gave a reassuring apology to him. "My apologies, I do not mean any harm"

The boy was so perplexed that he slowly straightened his leg to give tge medic access to the wet bandages. Letting him treat him one again with gentle hands while thanking him for letting him do so.

Everything was so out of place as he was asked once agsin if there are any other injuries to be wary of. 

Kix Was so incredibly gentle and friendly as he instructed him to bed rest and promised that he's going to heal. When he explained the pain meds and fever reducer they gave him. 

Yet, his mouth remained shut, muzzled by an invisible force. Even if he wanted to talk, he knew he couldn't. The situation left him mute and no sound would be able to pass his lips.

His voice was out of his control now. 

Ezra didn't know if he could ever talk again. 

He gave a nod in appreciation as Kix handed  him another ration bar. His eyes never leaving the smiling stranger by the door. The smile looked slightly awkward, as if it wasn't an expression he wore often. And judging by the times ezra encountered the men he could easily guess that his usual face would be a scowl.

An angry frown signifying the ever present possibility to wipe out. A reminder to be wary of him. 

Ezra watched the man stap worward and flinched away on instinct.

Whatever was about to happen it was in this mans hand now.  So ezra waited to watch what the stranger would do. 

Chapter Text

The med bay on the Republic transporter was lingering in a strange atmosphere. Three troopers stood in the hallway guarding a small patient room。

Inside a child, a clone and a jedi stared at each other in silence.

As the jedi master slowly approached the little patient, the force sang in harmony with his steps. A familiar calm tried to reach into the child's mind, hesitant as it couldn't seem to find a connection.

Mace windu fought against another scowl forming on his face as he came to a sad realization. The small body in front of him was trembling in such pure fear, desperate to hide itself from the world that he hid even from the very force itself.

Shielding was a trained technique for force wielders but even non sensitive beings can develop strong mental walls if they are desperate enough. The thickness of the child's walls hinted to a desperation stronger than the jedi could ever imagine.

It now made sense that he couldn't feel the boy before.

It was saddening. 

"You're alright boy, no harm will come your way" the master tried to reassure the young bring in front of him "You're in a med bay under the care of the Republic".

The child didn't answer him. 

"I am jedi master Mace Windu, your name is Dev, isn't it? You don't have to be afraid anymore." he tried to bring peace as he spoke slowly, putting reassurance into the force. Jedi had a great reputation in many systems and since Ando Prime was in favor of the Republic he thought that him revealing himself as a jedi would calm the boy down.

He didn't expect the kids glare to turn from wary to angry. He watched the child shake his head in denial, maybe with a hind of confusion. But the most he saw in the boy was anger.

Mace tried to put a strong suggestion of calm towards the boy, but he seemed to frighten more instead. Small blue eyes finally found his and the force seemed to sing in aa familiar pattern although for only just a second. 

The jedi Master didn't know what to do. He was a keeper of peace, following the strict code of the order with his whole heart. He sat side by side with the most powerful jedi, watched many youngling grow and trained his own padawan. Mace windu Was a role model of a jedi. 

Yet he was at a loss of what to do or think. He didn't know how to act as the force sang so weirdly and these blue eyes looked at his so frightened. He didn't have an answer to this enigma of a child called Dev that somehow seemed so important yet stayed without explanation. 

Ezra opened his mouth in response to the man's words. The jedi were dead, fell with the Republic. Whatever new tactic they were trying on him wasn't working. 

He wanted to scream at him, be angry that he used the name of a Jedi for his dark uses. Scream to tell them to stop and that it was useless. Scream that the empire took the Jedi and his master away and that this was nothing but a bad joke. Tell them that took everything from his people and had no right to do this right now. 

But no words escaped his lips. The muzzle he put on himself remained the same within these grey walls. The interrogation would again be fruitless and soon ezra would wake up strapped in the interrogation table again.  The droid would put another med into him to keep him in check until HE started the other torture again. Until HE could try to break his mind again. 

But ezra Bridger would not break. 

He would carry Kanans legacy until his last breath. 

And he wanted to scream at them that this is exactly what was going to happen. But words just couldn't escape. He was mute. 

He tried to force them out, for one talking to his captors. But he couldn't. 

His throat felt scratchy and torn but not painful. Like he physically should be able to talk. 

He could talk, he knew he could. 

But it didn't work. No sound, no noise, nothing. Only air passing his mouth. 

As if he lost control of his own voice. The very thing that he used to defy in any way possible. The very thing he needed for snarly remarks and controlled provoking. 

When he was with HIM silence was defiance. The ast piece of control he had over his body. Staying silence was oddly freeing and satisfying. It was the only thing ezra had that made them frustrated. 

Now it was choking him. 

Another realization hit him as the man approached further. He felt the force around his mind, not prying or poking but embracing him, almost dearly. He knew this man who called himself a Jedi was wielding the force but ezra had no way of determining it's intention without opening up and actually FEEL the force. 

But he couldn't. Any gap in his shield would  only be a new weakness to exploit. 

It didn't matter either way. The jedi were dead, Kanan was dead and ahsoka was somewhere he didn't know maybe still on malachor, maybe even in a different world. He didn't know how the world between worlds worked but it didn't matter because ahsoka wasn't here. No one was left but him and maybe old kenobi on Tatooine. 

This man Definetly wasn't old kenobi. 

So Ezras only conclusion was that Mace Windu was no Jedi, but a man of the dark side. A darksider who found a strange joy in pretending this was the Republic.

Ezra looked at Kix. He didn't know what made him trust the clone but the trust in this clone was strong. So strong and irrational that even in this situation he found this trust to be intact.  Even after Kix brought him to the darksider ezra put his trust in him.

He hoped his eyes were clear enough in his call for help, that the medic would catch on and finally tell him what's hoing on. Ezra pointed at his throat indicating that he can't talk and gasped onto the clones hand in desperation. 

The darksider kept approaching. 

Kix put a calming hand on ezras shoulder as he reassured the boy in front of him. "It's OK, you don't have to talk. You'll be OK. We just want to help."

Ezra stayed silent and scooted further behind, making sure the medic stayed between him and the darksider.

"Mace is a friend you can trust him" the words found their way to ezra from the side and the robed man finally stood still. Seemingly realizing that the child is scared of him. Frown finally returning to his face.

The padawan nodded hesitantly at the words. He wasn't sure why he nodded or what he even nodded to. He just did and it felt alright. 

He might as well cooperate. His injuries were being treated here and so far they didn't go with aggressive interrogation methods. He was relatively save for the moment. Escaping in his current state with the force wielder around would be too risky. 

This whole situation felt strange. Too strange. These people talking about the Republic and having a clone around wasn't actually something that sounded like the empire or HIM. It was too abstract, too many resources.

'Something else might be going on here, and I'm going to find out what' 

Now that he decided to cooperate anyway he slowly uncurled his body giving in to the ache that formed from it's position. Almost immediately the medic started checking for further damage. 

The self proclaimed jedi chose to simply watch in silence. Far too soon the medic joined the activity of "Watching the injured child" also known as staring at ezra in silence with an expectant look.

They want him to do something. Maybe stand up and dance? Sing for their entertainment? Ezra didn't know,but he would neither of those. So he just stared back.

They sat in silence and stared until the clone finally cleared his throat and leaned forward. His voice was soft compared to the purple armored interrogator before. "Dev, I'm going ask you a few questions, all you need to do is nod or shake your head, nothing difficult alright?"

Ezra nodded. He felt exposed and had the sudden urge to hug something and took the beds pillow into his arm feeling small. 

"First of all, Is there anything that's still hurting too much? Enough that you think it needs more treatment?"

The young boy paused for a moment before shaking his head. His injuries hurt but no more than they did from the beginning. In fact they hurt much less now. 

" That's good " and the medic sounded genuinely reliefed about it, "Are those - no uhm - Do you have someone who can take care of you?"

He did, he had hera and zeb and Sabine and Chopper  rex and the Rebellion. His family. Even if he didn't know where they are right now or how to get to them. Ezra nodded.

"Good! Good, that's good. Do you know where they are?"

He shook his head. He wished he did. But he didn't. He didn't know when he would. 

"Okay. Did you... get separated from them?" The clones voice turned so gentle, so quit and caring that ezra wondered if he got a lesson on how to sound caring from hera. Before this he was sure only hera would be able to produce a voice filled with so much care.

Ezra nodded once again. He felt lost somehow. This one sided conversation turned out to be more difficult than any amount of torture and pain he endured in the past weeks and he didn't even know why. All he was doing was nodding and shaking his head. Yet, he felt like a child. Small and vulnerable. 

As of none of the once strong rebel and padawan remained. As if he was back alone on the streets of lothal after his parents were taken. When nobody took him in and he learned to survive.

For a moment he wondered if this is what it would have felt like if someone cared enough to take him in back then. 

"We can help you find them." it was a different voice , the force wielder spoke now.

Ezra hugged the pillow tighter. 

Kix glanced at the other man in the room before he continued questioning the boy. 

"Dev, these questions now might be a bit more difficult for you." he paused, before his voice turned serious "But it's very, very important that you answer truthfully. Shaking your head or" another pause "nodding is enough. But you have to answer this one, do you understand"

The pillow was squeezed tight enough for his knuckles to turn white when ezra nodded once once more. 

"Your injuries, were they - were they done to you by someone?"

The two men took a sharp breath when they saw the nod. It was the expected answer but that fact didn't make it less painful to be confirmed.

Someone hurt a child in ways that looked like torture. And the kid didn't even hesitate to confirm it.

"Was it the people that take care of you?" once the question left the medic the room fell into tension. But to both men's relief the kid shook his head vehemently.

Ezra Was almost offended by what they suggested. His crew, his family would never. The idea itself felt nauseating. Putting them and HIM into the same pot. 

"OK good, that's good. You're doing great Dev. Really, really great. Just a few more questions. You're very brave"

Ezra didn't move or care to respond. Just sat waiting for the next question to come. Waiting for this interrogation, everything to be over so he could find a way home.

"Do you know who did this to you?" 

He nodded without thinking, they should know too. At least the person with the rank of general should have access to his information. If they didn't know yet, they didn't catch on to who he was. It was a good sign. 

"Is the one that did this to you here? In the city?" 

He shook his head. Stars, ezra hoped not with all his might. He didn't want to return to his cell after all. 

"Do you know where they are?" ezra shook his head. He didn't know and he doesn't want to find out for the moment. Not before he's back with his family and safe. 

"you're doing great Dev. Do you know if there's a way to contact the people taking care of you?"

Ezra did, but he wouldn't give away the frequency to contact the ghost or the rebellion. He shrugged.

"You did great. You're doing great. Thank you Dev. You're probably hungry are you?"

Before ezra could even nod food was put in front of him. It was a stew with a smell so incredibly delicious that he couldn't help but drool over it. And the first spoon full tasted heavenly. 

He didn't think about whether it was safe to eat, or what it was that swam in the stew. All he could think about was the heavenly delicious taste as he hate. 

He heard the medic chuckle at his eagerness but found himself not caring in the slightest. He had food, warm food even. 

The stew was eaten quicker than he wanted it too. A sudden heaviness fell onto his eyelids.

Did they drug the stew? Or is it the adrenaline escaping him?

Distantly he could hear the quiet reassurance of "It's alright you should rest" before his body went numb and sleep consumed him. 

Chapter Text

Mace and Kix watch the young boy close his eyes after glaring at the Jedi one last time, cleary unwilling to fall asleep. 

The medic raises his hand to gently tuck his patient in bed, making sure the infirmaries blankets would keep him warm.

At this very moment he looked so peaceful and small. Part of the clones heart clenched in anger at the thought of someone abusing such a small, helpless being. It wasn‘t right and he really hoped the Jedi agrees to hunt the abuser down in order to bring him to justice. 

Glancing down at Dev for a last time, he finally got up and turned to his general.

The Jedi gestured at him to step outside, clearly indicating a need to talk in private, away from the boys ear. Kix follows silently.They exit the Infirmary together, waiting just a moment for the guards outside to enter to watch the child in their stead, before turning  to find a more private location. 

Kix's mind suddenly became very aware of how he didn‘t inform the general of finding Dev after he and his brothers were specifically ordered to look out for the child.

He disobeyed his orders in favor of the child. And he would have continued to disobey his orders if it wasn't for Devs alarming condition. If he didn't see for himself that the child was dying right there, in some dark corner behind trash bins and abandoned crates, if Kix didn't feel so utterly helpless and desperate in saving him, he wouldn't have commend for the rest of them.

He would have disobeyed in favor of the boy and he wouldn't have regretted it. 

But he wasn't under Anakin Orders-are-but-a-suggestion Skywalker and his equally chaos inducing padawan and the somehow encouraging them master kenobi. No Kix was currently under the orders of Master Windu, a Jedi known for being rather strict in the order.

Kix might actually be in trouble this time. 

His mind was went into a spiral of possible disciplinary actions he could face. Especially if he would be send back to Kamino for disciplinary. The kamonians were sometimes very clear i how replaceable they all were, how disposable.

Kamino might be the closest thing he and his brothers had to a homeplanet but sometimes it was bug a reminder that they were 'Just clones, a means to make money'  in the eyes of many. Being sent there after you did something wrong enough to go into disciplinary there would often lead to being disposed.

Decommissioned. 

It was another terrifying aspect of their life made for war.

That didn't mean that Kix would leave this war, this life willingly. He knew this was his calling, what he was made for. The clone found a home, a family fighting together with their Jetii side by side. It was his culture.

Treating the wounds of those who fell victims to the war, his brothers and Jetii was his calling. He was a medic, a doctor and as long as he could help he would.

Thats why he handled the situation the way he did. He acted as a medic, a doctor following his calling. He acted in ways he thought were best for the injured child in front of him. Tried not to put more stressed in the already damaged body and mind in front of him. Spare the Kid from more horrors while trying his best to get him food and medical attention. He did what was right. 

He would do it again.

The moment Kix reached his determination  reached an empty patient room and entered. He still didn't feel ready for whatever kind of conversation would come but that was alright, or well if it wasn't it didn't matter either way.

He took a deep breath before following the jedi general. 

"You're name is kix right?" Mace started and the medic only nodded in response. "You were the one to find the child. I need you to report what happened". While it didn't sound angry, there was no voice for argue in his tone.

The clone took another deep breath to gather his thoughts before responding, "I met the boy, Dev, in an alley near the thirds patrol route after treating hazard - uh the clone that slipped with the crates - yesterday." he paused, unsure of how to phrase this encounter.

If the Jedi was impatient about it he didn't let it show. Instead he watched the nervous medic with gentle eyes that didn't seem to fit the circumstances.

Kix finally continued, "I found a terrified, injured child eating molden food from the trash." another small pause, this time to let his memories pass, "I gave him a ration bar and supplies to treat his injuries. After helping him treat his wounds I let him go. Told him I'd meet him today for more treatment and supplies to find him collapsing on the verge of death. That's when I called for reinforcements. "

Mace stared at him quietly for a second. Eyebrows back to his usual frown he finally asked the question the Clone anticipated from the beginning , "Why didn't you report yesterday's meeting, or call for reinforcement then?"

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

The generals face shifted in suprise, a rare expression to see lately. "Granted"

The medic smiled now, if only very slightly   "Sir, I found a a terrified, bleeding child with strong reactions to anyone in Stormtrooper armor. Believe me I have experienced his reaction first hand" he rubbed his head in unconscious movement while he continued, "I then found said child to carry clear signs of abuse, emotional and physical. Do you think crowding him with more stormtroopers or dragging him here would have been beneficial to our situation?"

Mace opened his mouth to respond but Kix didn't let him before he continued. 

" I am aware that I should have reported. However, as a doctor my priority lies in the patients well-being and survival. I was under the strong impression that both would be at risk with the involvement of more parties before the possibility of drastic stress respond would be reduced. I kept my silence for the sake of a patients survival as was my responsibility. " he ended his speech with a determined stare at the Jedi on front of him.

Anxiety tried to creep into the back of his mind but Kix suppressed it for the time being.

Finally Mace responded," Very well". The jedi paused in thought for another second. Seemingly collecting his word bofer he continued. "While I do not support your choice to not inform me, I do understand your decision. However, I think we can come to an agreement that you will inform me about matters regarding the boy from now on."

It was an order, not a suggestion. 

Kix smiled and saluted with a " Yes sir!" before he added a warning " Please do note that I will not share a patients personal data unless necessary. "

For a moment he expected anger or at least some sort of irritation but the jedi only let out a quiet chuckle before their conversation continued. 

"You mentioned signs of abuse?" 

Kix took a deep breath. Anxiety turned to sadness as he remembered what he saw with the boy, and what it implied. 

"Yes, some of the bruises and injuries imply trauma caused by another person. In addition some he shows scarring -" the medic paused to compose himself. "he shows scarring that i have otherwise only seen in tortured war prisoners and slaves" 

Images of the small abused body that waited for them just a few rooms over flashed through his mental eye again. The way the long scars along his back overlapped each other. The small scars found along his tender points. Needle scars at his neck and arms. Fading bruises from restricted bondage accompanied by a wide range of battle scars. 

And his current injuries on top of it all. The wide gash on his side, clearly bruised ribs. Scabs of blood could be found on his head, elbows and hands. Scraped knees and twisted ankle were the least of his worries. 

All in all the child looked horrifying. The jedi could be counted lucky that he didn't see much more than the child's already bandaged chest. Kix couldn't tell if the jedi would have acted harsher otherwise. The least the kid needs is a Jedi demanding answers about his injuries. 

Just as he did now. Asking question after question about each injury the medic described to him. Demanding to know what could've caused such injuries, how old the wound seemed. 

And the medic answered to anything that seemed relevant in finding out how to help the child. 

Finally the two of them fell into silence, processing. 

Mace wad the first to break silence it again "What can we - do we need to do to help him? What does he need?" 

"There seemed to be someone he trusts called hera around. We can start by trying to find her. Other than that lots of rest and care. He is also at flight risk so we need to be careful of that" kix answered truthfully. 

"We still need to question him on how he managed to enter our ship and break into our storage" Mace required quietly. He knew it wasn't an easy thing to ask the child but it needed to be done. As a general of the GAR he needed to eliminate security risks. It had to be done not only for protocol but to ensure the safety of him and his troops. 

Unexpectedly Kix shook his head in response "Not now, he needs time. He is clearly traumatised and rushing things puts him at risk." 

"Our mission here will be over in a few days" Mace said, thinking out loud "I do not feel comfortable in simply leaving him in one of the hospitals here" 

"No that doesn't seem right" the clone agreed quietly. Both men fell into silence trying to find an answer none of them have. 

"I will. See if I can discuss it with the council or the other generals, see if they have a suitable idea on how to proceed. For now I believe we can bring him with us to Coruscant" Mace finally concluded and kix nodded before both men went their separate ways again. 

Mace walked towards his office to schedule a meeting and Kix returned back to his patient. 

The child was kept sleeping for the rest of the day and Mace couldn't stop thinking about him. 

I'm reality he's been thinking about Dev ever since he came across the child on the streets all those nights ago. The image of the injured boy stayed in his mind ever since. Both worry and curiosity stayed in his mind. 

The kid was intriguing at first. 

Something in the force sang whenever the child popped up in his. An urgency surrounded him accompanied by a familiarity he could g quite place. 

Now that he knew the real extent of the child's horror his curiousity was replaced by the need to help him. 

Only he didn't know how. As a jedi he was trained to fight in order to protect. He was taught the ways of the force and how to meditate. He was taught to protect peace. And once war came he was taught to be a soldier for that very cause. 

But he was never trained to deal with such true horrors. But now that he faced it he knew that it was his duty to help him. 

Yet he felt helpless. 

He was confident in the ways the Order taught him. The teachings of peace and serenity. The warm force around him always felt so right. 

This felt wrong. 

The war itself already felt wrong. Seeing all that death pain and suffering within the battlefield. Sending clones, men who never knew the joys of life, to die for them. 

If was all wrong. 

Mace himself caused a lot of suffering. He was aware of how brutal his sword was. How easy it was to slice along someone's neck and ending their life. But he always believed he did it for the right cause. 

He thought it was the way of the force. 

Now he wasn't so sure. 

Mace's world was slowly collapsing. All because of a single 12 year old boy. All because of a child he knew nothing about. 

A painful mystery. 

And the jedi wasn't sure what to do with it all. How world was collapsing. 

All he could do is watch as it did. 

Chapter Text

When ezra opened his exes again he was suprised to still be lying in a hospital bed. Part of him expected to be back in a cell or at least abandoned in some street corner.

But he wasn't. 

He wasn't even restrained. A careless mistake on the others part for underestimating him, surely. But it was welcomed. 

Even so he didn't move. The world seemed to be heavy around him but it was at peace. So beautifully at peace that he could use the moment to forget just a little.

He stared at the grey ceiling above him basking in quiet comfort. The room itself was not quiet. He could hear the quiet humming of machines, the low breathing of another person, quiet steps from the hallway and a rhythmic tapping sound. But none of those sounds were threatening in any way. 

He focused on his own breathing. Falling into a familiar pattern he know from meditation as he did. He would not reach out to the force, he wasn't naive enough for that but the familiar motion was comforting.

He could've sworn he felt the force giving him a warm hug despite his isolation from it. 

All was nice.

He let his mind wander around, assessing his current situation. Gathering the facts he found himself in, trying to piece them together. Solving the complex puzzle he found himself to be a part of. Or trying to that is.

Starting with the obvious, ezra was in a med bay receiving medical treatment. As far as he could tell the treatment was of good quality and he was even provided with painkillers judging by his lack of pain. That in itself was impressive considering how expensive those are and how tight the empire was in controlling them. That pointed against him being held by the empire.

The person giving him such treatment is a clone. A clone called Kix with a CT number that was way too young to be alive according to everything ezra knew about clones. Even though Rex said he was one of the earlier clones that left the tube in Kamino and there were younger clones made. Ezra knew of the enhanced aging. If the empire truly stopped the production of all clones when they said they did, kix would be older. In other words, kix came to be from either someone other than the empire, the empire was lying about the clones, or there were other circumstances that lead to kix not aging as fast. If the answer wasn't the empire lying it would not make sense that Kix was working as a Stormtrooper after the empire declared that clones were not needed anymore. Another point against the empire.

They also didn't seem to recognise him yet. The empire surely would've put force suppressors and cuffs on him if they did. Maybe even one of those nasty slave collars he was forced to wear under HIM. But until now there wasn't more security than a few guards. Granted he was also heavily injured and feverish but he would still expect more caution unless there were safety measurements he wasn't aware of. If that was the case he really isn't looking forward to knowing what they are. As things stand the seemingly lacking security also pointed against these people being from the empire.

However, the fact that Kix and others wore stormtrooper armor was concerning. Granted the paints were clearly against empire regulations and something about the armor was off but they were trooper armor. This armor was either stolen, replicated or actually hinting towards this being imperial. The amount of armored men he found throughout the city, the ship and the med bay Was no small number. On top of that the armored stormtrooper were trained in military service. The way they spoke, walk, march and hold themselves were all results of high grade training. No organisation with that amount of trained, armored soldiers would've stayed under the empires radar. Or at least the rebellion would've had Intel on them. Then again, it's been 2 years since ezra was part of the rebellion. 2 years of being in HIS hands were enough to miss the rise of such a huge group to rise. Still, it didn't explain the presence of the clone. Something just didn't add up.

And then, there was also the force user. The dark skinned man with that angry expression on his face. His robes were familiar. Ezra spend years watching old recordings on Kanans holocron. He would be a fool if he didn't recognise the resemblance to the jedi robes of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Added to the light saber on his belt he gave off the image of one of the Jedi, ezra heard so many stories about. If that wasn't enough the man even introduced himself as a jedi master named Mace Windu. Anyone daring to be so bold would either be dead or hunted by the empire.

Unless it was another trap. Just like master Luminara.

Ezra still remembered the pain Kanan felt after learning that the respected Jedi died. The hurt and anger of knowing that her remains were used in such cruel manner. The disappointment and loneliness that radiated off of his master after he lost, yet another hope. Back then ezra was too scared and upset on his own to really understand his masters agony. Their emotions mixed through the freshly build bond they shared without either of them truly noticing how strong said bond was already. And ezra didn't even know there was a bond at all. Everything was just a confusing mess of emotions for him. 

But now Ezra went through the pain of loosing his own master. Ezra now knew the loneliness of thinking he is the last of the Jedi. Of knowing there is no one to rely on. And he had Ahsoka somewhere out there still.

Seeing someone claim the title of Jedi gave him as much hope as it scared him. The possibility of Mace Windu being a dark sider was just so much higher than him being an actual Jedi, not to mention a Jedi Master. 

Believing him to be a dark sider just seemed so much easier. 

And a Jedi, leading a whole army of military trained Stormtroopers? That was simply too absurd to be true.

Still Ezra knew this guy way a force user. Even in his cut off state he could feel it. And it didn't particularly feel dark. It wasn't as cold as it was whenever HE entered the cell. No this, this was a warmth he hasn't felt in a long time. And it was confusing. 

Whoever this guy was, he wasn't dark. And that wouldn't do if he was serving the empire.

But the Republic? People on the streets at least believed this was Republic territory. Stars, the shoe vendor didn't even recognise the empires credits and called him a separatist. Even if the empire fell during Ezras time away this didn't make sense.

None of it really made sense. 

The only real conclusion he could come to was that he was on SOME planet that believed it was Republic. He was put into a medbay, probably on the same ship he fell into, and was treated by a clone and a force User. Whatever this was was probably not imperial.

Maybe this is some strange, cut off rebel cell? That would at least explain some of it. But the clone? Yeah, he still had no clue. 

Ezra really wanted to go home. Give Hera the biggest hug he could possibly give, bicker around with zeb, maybe tease him about him and kallus a little and then watch Sabine paint for hours. He wanted to go to Rex and practice shooting with the old grandpa. He wanted to chase around chopper and pull little pranks on the murder droid. 

He wanted his family. 

But instead he was on this confusing ship, hurt and unable to kriffing talk. It was scary more so than he would ever admit it was. 

Just as he finished that thought a realisation hit him. He was on a ship. If it was really the same ship he was on the first time he fell out of a vent it was a reasonably sized ship as well. Ships had communicators. Ships of this size even had long distance communication. If Ezra could sneak away and find such a communicator he could contact his home. 

He might have to slice around the technology here and there, make sure the transmission couldn't be tracked to the rebels. But he could contact them. He could call home and even if they couldn't reach him, even if they couldn't rescue them he could see his family again. 

Ezra was almost hesitant to give into the overwhelming hope this thought carried. The pure excitement that radiated in the air around him was a feeling almost foreign to him now. 

But it was hope. And that's all Ezra needed. 

Ezra left his thoughts when he realized the tapping sound besides him stopped. He wasn't sure when it did or how long he just stared at the ceiling but now that he noticed he forced himself to stay in the present. 

Not noticing his surroundings could be deadly after all. 

Slowly, almost hesitantly he tore his gaze away from the grey durasteel above him and turned his head to glance into the room. 

Kix sat beside him. Holopad in hand and fingers pausing over what looked like a file he was working on. It didn't take a genius to fess that he was tapping away on it just moments before. Clearly the source of the rhythmic noise that filled the room when ezra first woke up.

The medic was watching him cautiously. His worried face shifted to a small, reassuring smile the moment he saw ezra looked at him now instead of the ceiling.

"Good morning, Dev. How are you feeling today?" he asked. His voice was calm and quiet, almost a whisper.

Ezra blinked at him. He didn't even attempt to speak after he couldn't the last time he tried. His throat didn't feel as tight as it did before. There was no panic around him anymore. But he didn't know if his voice would work and he surely didn't want to humiliate himself again. 

The clone seemed to notice his hesitation and smiled as he said, "It's OK. Is there anything that hurts? A nod or shaking your head is alright."

Ezra paused. His ribs were hurting whenever he took a deep breath but it wasn't something to be worried about. He's had worse. His side was surprisingly painless. Sure it hurt a little but just enough to be aware that it was injured. Overall it was uncomfortable at most. His ankle was also silent. 

The deep breath he took when he shook his head in denial, must have given away a slightly pained expression. The medic simply raised a brow and asked him to point at where he was hurting.

Ezra didn't move. 

"You can point at it, or I can poke at you until I find it. Your choice kiddo. But this is a med bay and things get treated here one way or another" there was amusement in the clones  voice that reminded him of Hera.

He let out a little grunt before pointing at his ribs mumbling that it " 'Hurts when I breathe". 

Kix nodded in response before explaining that the young boy managed to break 2 ribs and crack a third and is now under strict bed rest until he was healed enouth and the bone mender could do it's job in fixing the rest.

Ezra stopped listening somewhere between the dangers of leaving broken ribs untreated and the even greater danger hopping around on roofs does to it. Instead he was caught up in the fact that he just talked.

Sure he just quietly mumbled but he talked. His voice was fine. There was no reason for it to not work earlier. He should've been able to make a snarly remark at the force user or demand answers for one of the many questions in his head. But he physically couldn't.  He couldn't even let out a single noise earlier but here he was able to talk as if nothing was ever wrong with him.

It was an upsetting revelation. 

The medics voice stopped and ezra forced himself to pay attention to the man treating his wounds.

"Dev," Kix started "I need to know if you have any other complains. If anything else hurts or you feel sick you need to tell me. I promise I just want to help you"

Once again Ezra stayed quiet. His only response a familiar nod.

Somehow he expected the Clone to be angry at his lacking cooperation. HE always got mad, no THEY always did. It wasn't just HIM getting mad at such things.

Instead Kix smiled as he said "Thank you." the medic visibly paused before looking into ezras eyes in seriousness "I know this might be hard but now that you're awake I need you to do some more tests with me. Nothing bad I promise but I need to make sure you're healthy. Dying is not allowed in my Med bay."

It was grounding somehow. He was told to stay alive. That he is not allowed to die here. That he will be taken care of tk ensure he stays alive. It was a promise. 

Ezra would survive.

So he endured. He let Kix examine his eyes and hie ears. Had the medic test his range of motion. Let himself he helped into a standing position to measure his height and weight. He let it all happen because it meant he would survive.

Until Kix took out the needle asking to draw blood. Blood that would ultimately mark him as the enemy. Blood that would betray his image of an innocent child and reveal himself to be a rebel, a thief and a Jedi Padawan. 

Ezra did the only thing his mind could think of as the needle drew closer and closer to his arm. He scooted away as far as physically possible. 

Kix reached out to him to reassure him, coax him into accepting his help. His hand, the one without the needle drew closer now. Determined to grab him. Ezra would be taken, forced by hands that were not his again. Loosing his freedom, everything he fought to regain. Everything happened so fast. 

Ezra big down on his captors hand. 

Kix screamed in pain and suprise.

The door was pushed open and 2 guarding Stormtroopers entered the small room.

Ezra trembled as he tried to get away, scrambled into position to defend himself. He looked around for anything he could use as a weapon and grabbed whatever was within his range of motion. Fear controlled the young boy as he crouched on the bed, spoon in hand, eyes feral. 

Kix turned to the guards saying something ezra didn't quite catch. Moments of silence followed accompanied by crisp tension. 

Ezra stared, the guards stared, kix stared. 

And the guards left the room again. 

Confusion, all ezra could think about was how confusing this was. Why would they leave? He bit their medic. He defied them. He injured a trooper. He tried to run.

He should be punished. 

Ezra Was a naughty boy and should be punished. 

He was prepared for pain, humiliation and suffering. But nothing came up.

Instead Kix took a step away from him, arms held up to be seen clearly. There was no needle in the clones hand anymore. Instead he seemed to do everything to look the least threatening as possible. 

Ezra stilled, watching his companion. The medic helped him. All Kix ever did was help him and somehow he trusted in that.

No he trusted the trooper even before that. When he fell out of the vents into the Medics arms. Moments after he cracked open to the force. Felt for the force.

Back then he already knew that he was to be trusted. The moment he punched him unconscious he knew the man in front of him was kind. The second hit only deepend that feeling. 

It made him almost regret stripping him when he did.

Would that trust last if kix knew the truth?

Ezra didn't know. Didn't have an answer. In truth he could barely answer anything about his current situation.

But he wanted to trust. He was craving someone to trust. And he didn't want to risk loosing that one person to trust. He did not want to loose his only comfort. It made his body shake in fear and anticipation as he stared at Kix with pleading, glassy eyes.

Once again the medic met him with nothing but kindness. So much kindness. And ezra once again wonders how one could be so kind again. Who other than The ghost Crew has ever shown him such pure kindness, such worry? Once again Ezra found himself not knowing.

"It's OK." The medic said "I won't force you, I promise". The moment those words left his mouth, released them to the air for ezra to hear the boy relaxed.

More questions followed. Has ezra been exposed to different illnesses around the galaxy? Has he gotten his shots?

And finally, after what felt like hours the medic left the room to find him food. 

Ezra stared after him for a while. The two Stormtroopers guarding the room made sure he was aware of their presence, talking loudly, shifting in ways that made noise and checking  in on him regularly.

Yet, it took only a moment of a distraction. Another trooper passing by, asking a question, for ezra to slip away.

Once again he crawled through the vents. 

But he had a goal now. He didn't crawl to escape, he was on his way to find a communication port. 

He was on his way to contact his family. 

He was on his way home. 

For the first time in months, ezra had a genuine smile on his lips. 

Chapter Text

Somehow, crawling through vents has an odd comfort attached to it. 

The space is tight and usually dusty, the air is cold and so is the metal. But it's peaceful. You're alone and it feels like nobody can reach you while you can reach wherever you like in secret. You can spy on people without problem because nk one expects you to be there. The vents have always been a reliable escape route and hiding space.

Of course Ezra Bridger would never admit that he likes the vents as much as he did. 

He felt himself relax the further he crawled down the endless grey tube. The med bay way past him by now.

A part of him felt guilty for leaving the bay. Kix was nothing but kind to him, providing food and comfort while accommodating to his weird inability to speak. The clone was patience when facing ezras fear and didn't even get angry that he hit him in the head and more recently bit him. Ezra Was fairly sure he tasted blood then.

But that guilt was not enough to make him stop smiling. 

For the first time ezra actually had a plan that might reunite him with his people. He had a plan to get home and nothing could stop him.

His escape from HIM wasn't a plan at all. He made countless plans of escaping during his time as a captive, as a slave. None of them worked. 

His body shivers at the reminder of his first attempt. Back then they didn't bring HIM into the interrogation rooms yet. No before that first escape plan all he knew were a few guards, an interrogation droid and the occasional visits from higher ranks. 

Until he tried to escape, until they brought HIM into his cell. He thought it was a bad dream, that there was no way - no!

This wasn't the time to think about the past, ezra reminded himself, this was the time to think about the future, about the plan he has.

Ezra kept crawling.

One by one he passed new openings to different rooms within the ship. At first it was just a surprising number of med rooms, then things shifted to storage rooms, private quarters, bathrooms and even a gym. Ezra passed more and more rooms of various purposes until he finnaly came to another turn.

The halls became less and less crowded except for a few guarding troopers in front of a few rooms that were seemingly occupied. Ezra continued to crawl forward until the force-users, Windus, voice caught his attention. Slowing his movement in fear of making any noise he shuffled to the side, guided by the older man's voice. Finally he arrived at the vent of a well lit room.

He ducked his head between his shoulders in an attempt to be smaller before he peeked through the small openings between the metal. He didn't see much more than the back of the man's bald head standing further into the room. A light blue glow illuminated the man's front and ezra could make out the signature blue flickering of a Holo. 

He was on a call, ezra realized, that means this is a communicator. Hopefully with a long range. Their conversation didn't make much sense to him until their topic shifted to one of much more interest to the you d jedi, hiding in the vent.

"While the transport went on without problems we encountered a different, interruption you could say." Mace started.

"Oh?" another voice started, it was different from the one ezra heard from the Holo before. Maybe there was more than one person on the other side of the line?

"Yes, we encountered a young boy named Dev. He is quite injured. I believe it is unsafe for him to remain on the planet. At least until we investigate this further. I'm planning on bringing him back with us before finding a suitable place for him." The force user explained.

" Not safe? "another voice, modulated by something this time, " Is he force sensitive? "

" No. " The bald man on this side of the conversation answered, "but he is severely injured, signs of malnutrition, broken bones, hypothermia, the list goes on and I don't think any of the medics on board would let the kid leave. However, I believe we should bring him back for a different reason. The young man feels like a walking shatter point but I can't feel any signs of the from him. Something is urging me to take him with us, I honestly can't place it. "

Ezra could hear murmuring from the other people who seem to discuss something bug it was hard to filter the voices from his position in the vent. Eventually they agreed to bring 'the boy' to their Temple and started talking about other thing, mostly cargo distribution and something about artefacts?

The young padawan didn't pay too much attention on their words as he was still mulling over the meaning of the temple they spoke about. 

Gathering the facts once more he tried to deduce his situation. As far as he knew he was on board of a ship run by stormtroopers following a seemingly powerful force use. His past experience and knowledge of the empire quickly told him he was on board of a siths or dark siders battle ship. Said dark aider seemed to be after some kinds of artefacts.

But they were also treating him, didn't recognise his name or face and they were talking about a temple. However, all jedi temple were long destroyed and the empire didn't operate from any temples  they only had prisons and torture chambers for their captured. 

Was ezra even a captured prisoner? They never restrained him.

After a few more minutes he heard the bald man get a report from a trooper telling him of 'the vent kids escape' before he excused himself to the people on the other hand of the VAL and left in search for Ezra.

Ezra, who was just a few meters away from said search party waited a few more minutes to make sure he was alone before dropping into the room and heading for the comms center.

After a deep breath and a few more glances around the room the boy crouched down in front of the table and took off one of its panels to expose a few wires. A few quick glances at their construction and a few reconnections of said wires and he disabled caller protocol and the comms memory unit to make sure none of his following calls could be tracked. 

His fingers shook as he put in the familiar codes hera drilled into him before starting an encryption and finnaly calling his family. 

He took another deep breath, his voice scratchy and unused as he called "Specter 6 to ghost come in."

A moment of silence, no answer. He tried again. 

"Specter 6 to ghost, I repeat specter 6 to ghost please come in."

A breath. Another intake, his heart beating loudly in his chest, ripcage threatening to burst under its pressure. No reply. 

"Specter 6 to ghost please answer this is Ezra. Hera please."

No answer.

Ezra tried a few more times and disconnected. He didn't dare to think about what might have happened to his family before he changed the codes. He didn't have time to break down now. He didn't know how long he had to reach them. 

Another deep breath. He called.

"Specter 6 to Specter 2 please come in"

Hera always answered. She knew how important it was to be able to reach each other. Hera knew. She would answer and they would come and get him and everything would be fine. 

They would help Ezra get away from them. 

Unless they forgot about Ezra. Unless they won.

But they couldn't have. 

Ezra tried again. 

"Specter 6 to specter 2 please answer."

Nothing, his ears were starting to ring. 

"Specter 2 please I'll buy you as many meilooruns as you want. Please just answer"

The comms stayed silent. Tears started flowing down ezras cheeks. He was scared and alone. He was on the run and hurt and there were stormtroopers everywhere and there was a potential sith and he didn't have Kanan or Hera or Zeb or Sabine or Kallus or anyone with him. He didn't have his weapons and he left the force behind. He was weak and cold and shaky. 

He did g feel this helpless since he was left alone in the streets of lothal.

Hera never answered. None of the Ghost Crew did. 

Think ezra think. You have to think. Maybe they had to change codes. You still know how to contact the rebellion. You can do this. 

He changed the comms code once more. Changed the encryption and made sure the call was displayed to be to a forgotten planet somewhere in the outer rim. He stared at the Holo table with bated breath before a blue figure appeared in it. Ezra stayed crouched and out of the holos reach, right were he sat since rewiring the comms center. 

"Hello there Master windu. To what do I owe the pleasure." 

He connected to something

And he recognised the voice. He listened to it a million times over through the holocron. He heard ig in the desert when Maul was chasing and manipulating him.. But then the voice was older, tired of the hardships life has already put him through. 

But this voice, this voice was even younger than the voice he heard in his message. Yet, it was too familiar to be a coincidence, so Ezra listened in and finally risked a glance. 

The hologram of the man wore clearly Jedi inspired robes, Hans clasped behind his back in a militant fashion and his beard framed his face.

This man looked so much like a young Master Obi-Wan Kenobi it was unnerving. He was also most definitely not ahsoka.

Maybe she put her comms at  base or give it to someone else ？The fulcrum name was one meant for those deep undercover or otherwise unable to be recognisable as a part of the rebellion. It was the name given to informants and has been used for many since Kallus took up the name. It's status as a name for many helped maintain its anonymity.

Maybe this was just a different fulcrum. It was worth a try if it could get Ezra home.

He just wanted to go home.

"This is Specter 6 to fulcrum" he made sure to stay hidden. If he was seen get wss unsure if he could find his voice. It always seemed to fail him now. Ever since he decides not to have a voice so THEY couldn't use it against him.

"I am afraid you got me confused my dear, I'm unfamiliar with a specter 6 or a fulcrum."

Okay maybe he needs to be able to deny things. He could still be undercover. Maybe he is compromised and someone can listen in on them. Time to speak in riddles then.

"I got separated from my ship and unable to call home. I seem to be chasing ghosts in my search." hopefully that was cryptos and yet obvious enough. It was a risk sure but one he was willing to take. He was desperate.

"I'm afraid I can't help you. What is the name of the ship I could take a look if it in any Republic data bases. Although it would be easier for you to ask the people who's comms you correctly occupy."

Again Republic? Is this not a fulcrum? Did ezra make a mistake? He revealed himself as specter 6, the man on the other side didn't recognise it but if he has access to imperial data bases it was only a matter of time until he fibds out. They will bring him back. Ezra can't afford that.

He would die if they put him back with them. If not by HIS hands then by his own hands. He would did before they get what they want. Now that he tasted freedom he was easier to break.

Was this their plan all along?

"Oh I'm sorry my family is here to get me, seems like Tgey found me first. Thank you for trying!" he quickly rushed out before hanging up. A poor attempt to deflect but maybe it would be enough.

All tension left his body in one. The comms didn't work, there was no one to reach. His hope was a lost cause. They will find him again. 

The rebellion either gave him up oflr has to go deeper in cover and was unreachable now. 

Ezra was abandoned. 

Unwanted 

Street Rat. 

He longed for his family, his friends his people anything. He wanted to be hugged and he wanted chopper to chase him through the gjost while cursing him out. He wanted Zebs snoring and Heras cooking. 

He wanted Kanan, his master. His father.

But he was alone. Hope was lost on him.

More and more tears streamed down his face, breathing was difficult. He was alone and shaking. He didn't remember collapsing entirely. He didn't remember clutching his chest and squeezing his eyes shut. He didnt remember the pain. 

All he knew was that he was searching, desperately for the people he loved. 

So he risked something he shouldn't risk. He opened up his shields. Let the force flow back in search for his familiar bonds. He knew thdy could hurt him more now. He cut himself off at the expense of his health in order to prevent their manipulation of him. He was familiar with the mental torture he did through the force. He knew it was stupid. That dying without the force as his body slowly shut down would have been the easier death. Bug he couldn't get himself to regret this. He needed to know them alive. He needed their comfort. 

The force was overwhelming. It was everywhere, so bright he could barely see. So warm it felt hot on his skin. Images, emotions, memories all cam flashing into his mind at once it was beautiful and if was terrifying. 

It hurt in ways he didn't know it could.

His mind felt bob and small at the same time. He could feel his body seize up, his limbs convulsing, his bones cracking further under the rapid motions. His wounds tear open. 

But he couldn't seem to care about all of that. All he cared about was feeling his bonds, reaching his family, knowing them alive. 

Bug his mind stayed empty. There were no bonds anymore. It was as if the other person was never there to begin with. 

Ezra was alone. 

He was not okay. 

This is the end. 

In a last attempt to fade away from his horrible fate he closed off again. Tighter than veer before. He didn't want to feel how abandoned he truly was. 

And finally. 

Ezra gave up. 

It was over. 

Chapter Text

Mace windu had a massive headache. 

Not that that was very surprising, after all having a headache became a constant factor in his existence until now. 

This kind of headache however, was different from his usual pains. 

It started small with the first call about a Kid running away from his troopers and got steadily more intense with each encounter he had with little Dev Morgan. 

Something was wrong with that child. Something beyond the multiple injuries and scars marring his skin. The boy was clearly traumatised but there was more to it than that. 

Dev Morgan was a mystery in every way possible so Mace started to investigate further. 

Nobody knew where the kid came from, no trooper, no locals ever saw him until just a few days ago. A local shop owner claimed that he tried to purchase something with what looked like regional money from another planet and the kid was on the polices forces look out list due to pick pocketing and stealing. 

There were also no records of ships landing planet side that would be able to explain his sudden experience. 

And then there was the feeling the boy brought into the force. His presence was small, barely there. Yet, despite clearly not being force sensitive he felt like a massive walking shatter point. The force whispered with importance whenever the jedi thought about him. A small ounce of familiarity always accompanied him. 

The decision to bring the boy back to Coruscant was easy to make. The temple had resources that would help the child. He could get medical treatment and then be placed in one of the edu corps Orphan facilities that are scattered around the galaxy. They couldn't do this for every child they encountered but they tried to direct kids to the right places whenever they could. 

Unfortunately this planet didn't have an edu Corp presence due to its low population and cultural isolation. Otherwise they could get the boy the help he needed earlier. 

Regardless he made the call to the rest of the council, warning them of the boys presence and making sure they would contact the right places to make room for the kid. 

Yet, With each word he spoke his headache grew more and more painful. The force was vibrating in clear anticipation. Something was about to happen. 

Knowing the events of the past few days and the child's tendency to run away was already well known. Really, getting another call saying that Dev, once again disappeared into the vents should not be as surprising as it somehow was.

A small part of the Jedi master was really hoping the boy would finally start trusting them. Mace really wasn't build for this. 

The Man was prepared to go on yet another search when the force suddenly exploded in distress. The feeling of loneliness and despair was so overwhelming it made the man stubble in his steps. His headache increased to a pain that exceeded the annoyance he felt whenever the skywalker-Kenobi pair explained another of their escapades. 

Distantly he registered a trooper running to his side trying to help him but his mind was too consumed by the grief and pain of another being. All he knew was that he had to help. 

He struggled to pull up his shields enough to block out this presence enough to filter out a location. It took a few steadying breaths and a lot of concentration to clear his mind and vision enough to find his new destination. 

Color him suprised once he found the source of this pain to come from the very communication center he left mere minutes ago. 

His own comm chimed with a message from Kenobi. Mace only looked at it to prevent the building of another headache that would surely come from the consequences of another master. 

 KENOBI: 'Got an interesting call from your ship. Sounded young and rather distressed. Think it might be your kid' 

MACE : 'Thanks, Im on it.' 

So Dev called Kenobi and it did something in the force. Something that was so important and distressing that a non-sensitive kid could brocast a feeling so powerful it hurt in the force. Something that should be impossible.

Mace quickened his step while siding another message to Kix to meet him there. So far Kix was the only one who got through to the boy and Mace was hoping tahts whatever happened, a familiar face would soothe the boy.

Because this had to have been something to do with the boy. Mace would approve and go on Skywalkers chaos missions if it wasn't. 

Yet, somehow, he was still suprised by the unnerving image of the young child laying lifelessly on the floor leaning onto the comm center. 

Reaching out to him in the force was met with an emptiness he only ever saw in those who passed away and joined the force. Unfocused eyes staring af the wall. 

"Dev!" the jedi exclaimed, dreading the confirmation of a young life lost. Of a child dying right in the grasp of his own ship. 

The master stumbled into the room, crouching on the floor. Hands shaking as he reached out to the lifeless child. A small face still stained and wet from tears, red rimmed eyes rolled to side at the touch of the man. 

"Oh my god" the distressed voice of the clone rang in Mace's ears, yet the master barely registered the other man. Too focused on the light breathing coming from the child in front of him.

"What happened?" 

Mace didn't know, he really didn't know. All he knew was this overwhelming grief and pain that still echoed in his mind and the lifeless body in the child in front of him. The lifeless body that was still somehow breathing. 

"General! What happened!?" a rough hand came to his shoulder.. Ace had to snap out of it. He was a general, he was a Jedi master. The force would be with him and he had to act. 

"I don't know the force, it was.... The force was, there was so much pain and them I found him. He called kenobi, I don't know what..." his voice trailed off 

Kix was quicker to act. Calling for a stretcher, checking the boys vitals and getting him into the med bay. 

They couldn't find anything wrong with the boy, the Clones swore it was some force osik. The kids vitals were as normal as they could be in his injured, weak state. 

Ivs were initiated in an attempt to counter the malnutrition, his limplbs were moved regularly. Mace tried to reach out to the kid yet nothing happened. 

Dev stayed unconcious for all three days they remained on planet. His state remained even as they packed up and went into hyper space. 

It was only once they were a few hours away from the temple that something changed. 

Chapter Text

Ezra woke up, once again in the shiny white med room. The Clone he knew as Kix sat beside him tapping away on a data pack. It was almost familiar by now.

Except he felt more empty than ever before. Getting back to his family was all he ever wanted, the final goal of his suffering journey.

Now he didn't know if there is any goal to reach left. Ezra was alone now, a failing padawan in a sith ruled galaxy. Because he was failing. He failed when he trusted Maul and blinded Kanan, he failed when he left ahsoka to die by Vaders hand, he failed Kanan again when he couldn't safe Kanan and left her to raise their child alone, leaving another kid fatherless and now he found he even failed in protecting his family by giving himself to THEM.

It hurt, more than anything before but Ezra didn't feel angry. He didn't fall into despair and fear as the sith wanted.

He was empty.

There was nothing left, no more fight to carry on. They won and Ezra wanted to give up.

He didn't know how long he lay there, staring at the ceiling trying to find anything in him that wasn't emptiness, but it felt like hours passed. The hum of the Ships engine turned louder and louder in his ears as he tried to find sense.

The ship must have started, theyre transporting him.

With the realization dawning him he found himself more aware of his body. Mostly he became aware of the cuffs around his wrists tying him to the bed.
They probably didn't want him to escape again, or hit someone, of both. He kind of deserved that one he admit to himself, but it was not like the cuffs would hold him too long if he truly needed to get away. Cuffs were one of the first things he learned to pick and get out of. The forces on lothal never looked to kindly at the stealing street kids and if he didn't want to get beaten he had to make due with escaping. It was probably the most useful skill from his street days that he brought into the rebellion.

The rebellion that doesn't exist anymore his mind chided in.

The next breath that left his lips was shuddering, a sign of emotion while his mind remained disturbingly empty of anything resembling such.

But it was loud enough to alarm the Clone at his bedside. The medic stopped his typing and stared at the kid that lay before him. Kix didn't wear a helmet so Ezra could see the smile he greeted him with. The medic loomed reliefed but worry still crept behind familiar eyes. In a way those eyes reminded Ezra of Rex.

"Dev! You're awake how do you feel?" the trooper asked kind and professional.

Ezra liked Kix, he was nice so he opened his mouth to respond, but once again now words left his lips.

He found it less disturbing than before. His words were still not within his control but what would he need them for if no one was there to listen anymore. If Zeb wouldn't bicker with him and Sabine wouldn't be annoyed at his childishness.

Still, he didn't want to be rude to the man that patched him up and gave him food so he smiled and nodded instead. The way his lips stretched felt unfamiliar and fake.

Kix didn't mentioned how forced it must look either when he answered, "Good you were out quite a while. We didn't know what was wrong but your body kind of, shut down for the lack of better terms. You were out for about three days."

Kix reached out to unclasp one of the boys hands from the cuffs.

"You're not a prisoner Dev." He said when he noticed the sceptical look thrown his way "But you don't have the best track record and I really like my head without getting a vent door thrown at it"

It was teasing not unkindly and somehow it made Ezra snort a little while he wriggled his hand and sat up. His head hurt and he quickly checked his shields. The force was still quiet and far away. Comfortingly empty. They may have won but at least this one small victory remained.

A data pad was held into his line of sight and took him out of his thoughts.

"I know you struggle with words sometimes so I got you this all set up. There is a Programm with a few basic sentences you can tap if you want to" the clone quickly opened said Programm. It revealed a variety of buttons with words and corresponding pictures on it. Basic phrases and needs to communicate with.
"It will say things out loud for you. Of course you can also write them down here" he tapped another button and a writing pad revealed itself. "But the buttons should cover everything important I car you don't feel like writing either"

The in case you can't read or write remained unsaid but evra knew what it was like as a street kid and if Kix and the rest of this shop didn't know him as Ezra Bridger, Jedi rebel, that was all he was. If it wasn't for his parents and later Hera and Kanan he still wouldn't know many basic things. He was one of the best educated kids on Lothals street but compared to the rest of tne galaxy he was just a dumb kid. It was nice of Kix not to put it into such words.

His smile became a little more real this time, his skin felt a little less stretched.

He tapped the button saying think you and the clones Phase brightened in response.

"Of course you're welcome! I can also teach you a few basic signs to make it easier to communicate in case the data pad is too far away or unavailable."

Ezra tapped thank you again.

"Alright then, how about we test this out for real now. Does anything hurt?"

Ezra tapped yes before pointing at his head. The medic nodded and wrote something on his own data pad before he continued.

"Alright what about your injuries? The bacta and bone mender should have done most of it's job by now but you were in a pretty bad shape and somehow your rest time kept getting interrupted by little adventures." he winked as he teased and for a moment he could see Kanan teasing him after getting injured after a mission while Sabine painted his cast in pretty colors. The strain wasn't too bad and they were low on bacta so it needed to heal traditionally.

He was annoyed at forst but he kept using it as an excuse to get out of chores it was fun. He missed it.

After a moment he gave Kix the negative. His body was sore and he could feel the weird stretch of recently mended skin but nothing felt out of place anymore. His ankle was still weird to move and he was sure he was still a little feverish from infection but the rest of him felt OK.

"Good. I really like you Dev and I fell like this a mutual feeling but I prefer you healthy and not on my sick bed."

Ezra let out another small snicker at that. It was good to know that Kix liked him and the padawan really felt like he could trust this little friendship they build.

But how long would this last? How long until he failed again and another life was ruined because of him? How long until the empire went and took them from him?

His thoughts turned the air sour and thick and suddenly he couldn't look at the medic sitting at his bedside. He couldn't bear the sight of another potential loss. He felt his eyes brim with tears threatening to spill.

It was strange. Years of torture left him feeling like there were no more tears left but a little kindness brought them back so easily.

"Dev," this time the medics voice was gentle it made his tears finally spill. "Do you know what happened? We found you collapsed on the floor after you called General Kenobi but we couldn't figure out why."

Kenobi. The name had Ezra look at the Clone. Really look but there was of trace of deception. Only kindness and concern. So much concern.

So he didn't imagine tge similarity. But Master Kenobi didn't have any other relatives and certainly none that were famous enough to be called a general. The man was known as a hero during the clone wars. So much so people still talked about him on the streets in hushed whispered. A general kenobi would have been famously paraded by the empire.

But then again Ezra was away for years things could have changed. And found himself with people talking about a republic while a clone younger than any should be took care of him.

He looked down at his body and it was still small. Smaller than it should be. Small enough to be the kid that just learned about a Jedi and his crew helping others. Younger than he himself should be.

Maybe his journey took too long and things changed. Maybe the empire changed. Maybe something more was going on.

Maybe ezra truly was a kid again. But even the, the republic fell and the empire came the day he was born. If still didn't make sense.

His head hurt again. He didn't want to think about it. His family was gone what did it matter of he was a child. What did it matter if that was truly Obi-Wan Kenobi he talked to. What did it matter if it meant everything he ever fought for is lost. What did it matter if it was just the result of another failure.

So he chose to ignore it instead and shook his head in denial.

"That's OK" kix said, all gentle again.

Ezra turned to the Pad in his hand again opening the writing tool to avoid searching for the words he needed. Kix waited patiently for him to finish.

'Where are we going' his handwriting was shaky and ugly, a reminder if the years spent without practicing it.

"Ah you noticed the engines huh? We are currently a few hours away from Coruscant heading towards the Temple. I think the general would be better at explaining things to you."

Coruscant? That place was dangerous. It was the center of the empire, the place the Jedi once called home that turned into their deathbed. Sometimes Kanan would talk to him about it. Wondrous tales about Jedi living in community, children playing tag with the force. Tales about freches and schools and rooms full of art and wondrous things. A place of such variety there would always be something new to find, something else to explore.

"Alright enough with the medic interrogation. I really would like it if you are something and then, if you feel well enough the general, thats the bald man in the brown robes, would like to talk to him is that alright?" kix asked taking him away from his memories.

Ezra stomach decided to answer by growling instead. Words or data pad was no longer needed.

" Alright, alright I'm already in it" the medic laughed as he went in search for the promised food.

___

The broth he was given was simple and plain but it was warm and it felt heavenly to his dried out throat.

He could barely stop himself to think about what would come after he finished it and soon the Jedi imitator sat in front of him.

The mans face was stern but his body was open and inviting, seemingly unthreatening. But ezra knew better. He knew how easily it was to be deceived.

"Let me introduce myself again, my name is Mace Windu I am a Jedi it is nice to meet you" The mans voice was deep and smooth. A soothing calmness seemed to accompany it as it traveled to Ezras ears.

Ezra nodded in response before writing 'Dev Morgan' on his pad. He has already given that name so there was no harm in sticking to it.

"Again, it is a pleasure to meet you Dev, I am sure you have many questions about your current situation but let me start by telling you that none of us intent to harm you in any kind of way"

Ezra choose not to react to that statement. Instead he watched for any signs that betrayed the many true intentions. Yet, nothing in his body language seemed to tell a lie.

"When Kix found you, you were in a very rought shape which is why you were brought to our ship for treatment and why we took to come with us. You are not in trouble. We asked around but no one on planet knows you or claims to has seen you other than the instance fo you borrowing those shoes. "

The mans lip twitched in amusement at the word borrow. It was different from the usual reaction officials had when he stole. Strange.

" We were without any options to get you the help you needed other than bringing you along. I have contacted a place owned by the educational corps of the Jedi Order. They are set up on curoscant and have a room available for you to take in about two weeks when one if their kids leaves for their own place. It is a safe place you can stay at, get food and clothes and go to school at. It is an offer of help for you and you could leave whenever you want . "

It sounded too good of an offer to bring to any kid on the street. People don't do that. They don't help kids, especially not street kids. It sounded like a trap or a place for the empire to get kids to do some new and nasty shit with them.

It sounded like the kind of place the ghost Crew would investigate and rescue kids from. Maybe, just maybe, that was also something ezra could do. Now that he had nothing left to loose he could at least use the little he currently has to help these kids out.

He nodded.

"Until then, I have arranged for a place for you to stay at at the Temple. It might be very different from what you know but there is also food and clothes for you there. And Kix would be able to help you recover a little more."

Ezra nodded again, this time a little more enthusiastically. He was curious about the trample, he wanted to see the place Kanan, his master, his... Second father, grew up in and told tales about.

And staying with kix a little longer also sounded wonderful.

Again he nodded in response and as soon as he did the familiar feeling of leaving hyper space washed over his body.

"Ah," the Korun started "It seems the timing is just right. Welcome to Coruscant Dev" he said before leaving the room.

And Ezra, ezra really wasnt sure what would await him once he followed.

Chapter Text

Lothal is full of wide fields. Fields so big you get lost in an endless sea of grass without seeing any sign of civilization in miles.

And between these fields you will find rocks and animals. Nature in a pure form. And sometimes, if you're lucky enough you'll meet a lothwolf.

Magical beasts carrying a history and grace that outmatches most other species in the wide galaxy.

If you look at lothal from space the planet only has a few points lighting it up at night. Little points that sparkle and glimmer into the endless void of space.

Now, looking at Coruscant from one of the many windows of the ship Ezra saw what it looks like if those tiny glittering spots spread all consuming around a planet. It was beautiful to see. Night didn't seem to matter on the planet as light spread in giant circles around its surface. Encompassing the planet with an intricate net that showcased the liveliness of it. It was amazing. It was surreal.

"Yeah, first time seeing it is always special" Kix noted from Ezras right. He wasn't wearing his helmet so the boy could easily read the clones face. The man's lips held a gentle smile in them. Not a note of maliciousness to be seen.

If Ezra was on the street, Kix was the kind of person he would target for a quick nip at the pocket. Kind people were always more likely to just let it go or at least give a few credits out of pity when they catch you. Judging people based on their facial expressions becomes easy if all you got to do all day is watch them. As a street rat, there is no school to go to, no homework to do, no room to clean. You don't have parent telling you to help them in the house or friends asking you to play games. All you have is you, yourself and the next job that gives you food and supplies to survive another day. Sometimes, when you were lucky people would give you odd jobs for a few credits. Sometimes you found yourself doing the dirty work for some sleemos. Sometimes, when times were hard you were offered even worse jobs, knowing that you'd eventually crack and accept just to keep yourself afloat.

But most of the times the only job you could do, especially as a child, was watch people and find the next target to steal from. And if all you do is watch and steal for years you become good at judging people too. Because that would be all you could do.

And Kix would be a very fine target. Somehow, in Ezras mind that made him trustworthy. Trust was a dangerous game. Still, Ezra found himself wanting nothing but play into said game.

On the padawans other side was another trooper but his paint job was purple not blue like Kix. Their helmet was on and without the force ezra saw nothing on them that he could help to judge what kind of person they were. But he knew the Trooper was there to watch them.

Just as the two by the door and, to Ezras amusement, the one by the vent were. For a moment the padawans had the mind to try to crawl into the vent just to spite them. He wondered how they reacted to getting the job as vent guard. Did they let ezra escape and was put there as a form of reprimand? Or there they simply told 'There's a kid who likes vents make sure they don't crawl inside ours'.
The self-proclaimed Jedi master left right after dropping Ezra by the window stating that he had to announce their arrival.

Ezra didn't mind. Preferred it if he was being honest with himself. The clones, or at least Kix showed him enough evidence of being trustworthy to be at least somewhat comfortable bedside him. Windu however, was one big mystery. He was a force user who claimed to be a jedi working with clones in trooper armor. Nothing about that sounded trustworthy in the slightest. At least not in the galaxy Ezra left behind when he took an out with the purgils.

Logically he knew that many things could have changed during his time with THEM. He knew, somehow, that this was not another illusion. He knew this was a form of reality the short glimpses of the force he let in showed him that. But yet, it was strange. Nothing truly made sense. Could things really have changed in such drastic manners? How long has he been away for the Jedi to rise again? For the empire to fall? But then why did no one even react at the mentions of the empire.

And why in the ever loving force was Ezra in the body of a child?

He didn't know any of the answers. All he knew was that he was alone in the galaxy once again. His family gone.

Unconsciously the boy drifted closer to the clone on his right. Ezra didn't even notice how desperately he was seeking comfort until an armored hand fell on his shoulder.

Careful not to react too obvious to the touch the young boy stared straight ahead while his body slowly melted to the touch.

They stood in silence as they watched the sparkling lights grow into building revealing rows and rows of windows. Slowly the net of light became one of streets and lights until a tall building, taller than any other ezra has seen stretched into their sight. A huge hanger at its side that was full of ships and life.

People in robes Ezra has only ever heard stories of and now seen on Mace wandered freely through the port between ships and troopers.

"Welcome to the Jedi temple of Coruscant" Windus voice cut through Ezras amazement. The Jedi now stood at the door guarded by the two troopers.

"Come Dev. I will show you to our medical halls. Someone will look at your injuries, and we can discuss where you will stay from now on" the mans voice was kind and his body language open but ezra couldn't help but hear a threat behind his words 'discussing where he stays' sounds like containment. Somehow it dulled the fascination he felt for this place.

"Kix already looked at my injuries" he pointed out. He trusted the clones care. The idea of a stranger probing him felt wrong. It made his skin itch.

"Yes, but the healers here have better equipment. I would like you to be checked here again." Windu answered casually.

"If it's just the equipment, kix can do it" Ezra countered. It was childish but he didn't care. He wanted to hold onto the one person he felt he could trust. Unconsciously he took a step closer to the clone as he said so.

Said clone went and crouched in front of him in response. "Dev, it's going to be OK. They're all excellent healers and I trust them with mine and any of my brothers and generals life. I'm only a field medic they can help you."

Something in ezra felt betrayed "So you're going to drop me off and go?" it was bitter and more childish than he should be. He was an adult only stuck in this smaller childish body. But he was also tired. He didn't want to lose the last person who kept him from feeling alone.

The Clone sends a lost look towards the windu silently requesting something. Asking for permission Ezra noticed.

The Jedi rubbed at his temples in return as if to chase away a headache. Ezra watched as the self-proclaimed master took a deep breath, then another seemingly bracing himself for something before speaking up.

"Kix may accompany you as long as it is needed." he paused in order to massage his head again before he continued with a sigh "I will inform... Skywalker that he may take a medic from my company if necessary for the duration of this time." then, quietly he grumbled to himself "Although I doubt he will need anyone as long as he is on a mission with Amidala"

Kix smiled at the news and looked as Ezra encouraging "Alright Dev, will you come with me to the healers? I'll be with you the whole way I promise."

Ezra nodded in response. This was fine. Kix was nice. The Clone wouldn't betray him. He could escape some more prying hands by claiming Kix already handled it if he was lucky.

"But you will let yourself get examined. That is non-negotiable!" the clone added in a stern voice as if he could sense Ezras unwillingness to get examined.

Kanan once told him about the wrath of a medic and rex taught him the phrase 'Medic outranks everyone'. Ezra never truly understood what they meant. The rebellion barely had enough people to keep afloat. Resources were sparse. If you didn't need to you didn't go to the medics it was as simple as that.

Looking at Kix he got a feeling he might find out now. Something told him not to challenge the clone on this. So he nodded instead.

______

Leaving the ship felt strange.

Ezra couldn't feel his surroundings in the force. He was too exhausted after his outburst to use any of his abilities and quite frankly he didn't want to feel the force.

The cold emptiness of cutting himself off was better than the pain of feeling and knowing his family wasn't there anymore. He kept himself closed off for years in attempts to keep himself safe from THEM. Closing the little gap he left to himself came easy.

Still the surrounding sight was fascinating. Clones and Jedi-looking people were everywhere. Like ghosts of old tales come to life. The hangar was full of people from any species one could imagine. A Kel Dor and a Mon Kalamari were quietly conversing in one corner while a small green one walked over towards another human.

Not even the rebellion was this diverse... This big.

But what truly shocked ezra was when he noticed what else these robbed beings were carrying : light sabers.

He couldn't feel them but the moment he saw them he just knew they were real. And there were hundreds of them around. The shear amount was overwhelming.

Ezra and Kanan had to travel so long, were so desperate on their search for a replacement kyber for his lost saber. He remembered the pain and disappointment of being on a sear h for weeks only to find a crystal that denied him. He remembered how unworthy he felt in that moment, how he questioned ever being a Jedi.

And he remembered Kanan who gently put a hand on his shoulder. Kanan who led him back towards the Ghost, hugged him and told him a tale of finding his own crystal.

His mentor spoke of a cave full of crystals, one more beautiful than the other. And he spoke of a boy fascinated by such colors who wanted nothing more but to reach for them only to be denied. Kanan told a story about ice walls easing each crystal getting thicker with each attempt to reach one. He spoke of his own frustration, how it felt like falling into a dark hole without escape, only the sky to be seen - but never reached. And then Kanan took his own saber out and opened it up to let Ezra see his crystal.

It was small, there were a few dents and imperfections on its surface. It barely looked like kyber. But in the force it sang beautifully. It was a song of pain and hope. A song of family and trust. It was Kanans song. Ezra could have spent hours listening to its tunes.

It was then that Ezra understood what it meant to find his own crystal. How it becomes as much a part of your soul as every piece of the story that is your life. So they continued searching.

Now surrounded by lightsabers he missed his kyber song. He knew it by heart of course. It was a song he could never forget.

It was wild and playful in its own unique way. It spoke of freedom. But if you listened closely enough you could head the warmth of the ghost. A simple tune for each of the crews members that combined until they projected a piece of home and safety.

What would so many Kybers sound like? Would they combine into a harmony or become an overwhelming dissonance in the force? Would one even be able to hear them sing or would it turn into a nonsensical hum?

In all his musing Ezra didn't even notice he stopped and stared at one of the figures. It was a Kel'Dor who happily chatted with a Togruta. Both of them stood facing each other in a way that gave Ezra a good view on the Sabers they carried comfortably at their hips.

Open and for anyone to see.

In fact, they carried them so leisurely that ezra wondered if he could just snatch them up and run. It was fascinating in a new kind of way.

"Come on Dev, this way!" Kix called out putting an encouraging hand on his back "I know the temple is fascinating and I promise you we can look for a tour guide later but healers come first"
His voice stayed gentle, nothing but kind. He wasn't particularly loud either.

Still, it seemed to be enough for the Kel'Dor to somehow notice his onlooker. Ezra watched as they paused in their talk, nodded to their conversation partner and turned to ezra. Even behind the mask he gave off a kind feeling.

How did everyone feel so kind here?

"I don't think we know each other. My name is Plo Koon, it is a pleasure to meet you initiate"

Ezra startled at the title. What is an initiate? Did they know who he is after all? Does he need to flee? How does he get out of here?

He took a step back. "I-I'm not" he felt his throat closing in again. Talking felt like an impossibly hard task at hand. When did he start talking again? Why did his ability leave him yet again? Where was the pad Kix gave him?

His skin felt wrong, too tight on him. What was wrong with him? Why was breathing so hard as well?

The Kel'Dor knelt down in front of him, but he kept his distance. He was still far enough away for Ezra to just slip through.

He watched as the Man's hand gestured in the air similarly to the way kanns would when he was using the force. Ezra could never quite imitate the easiness his mentor displayed while doing so.

A comforting weight and warmth spread over his body. "You can breathe" the voice was a little distorted through the mask but it was enough of a reminder for ezra to... Breathe again.

"I promise you are safe here, whether or not you are part of this temple you are welcome"

A more physical weight joined the comfort and ezra looked up to see Mace standing beside him. The bald man smiled at him.

"Why don't we keep going. I promise you are OK"

And for the first time since he crashed onto an icy planet, that promise to be OK felt like a possibility. It wasn't perfect. He barely beloved it.

But right here, in this strange temple walking alongside Kix, Mace and Plo koon towards some healers Hall ezra never heard off before, the galaxy felt just a little bit less lonely.