Chapter Text
It had been two weeks since Kanan, Ezra and Ahsoka had returned from Malachor. Ezra had come back shaken, Ahsoka bruised and battered and Kanan had come back blind. Even with this sudden change things had not slowed for the Rebellion. Ahsoka had already received new information about the kyber crystal shipment that Hera had been tracking. Now the Ghost was on approach to the world of Bellassa. Sabine was glad to be away from Chopper base. It was just the Ghost crew again on this mission and that was the way she preferred it. She hadn’t signed up to get involved in a larger rebellion, or be a soldier again. It seemed every time they got involved in a rebel command plan or more of Ahsoka’s plans, things always turned out badly for them or they were escaping by the skin of their teeth. Watching the world grow larger in the view screen, Sabine wanted things to go back the way they had been, just her little crew defying the Empire. Of course, even if they left the rebellion now that could never happen. Sabine twisted her lips further into a deeper frown. Kanan was blind, that was not something that could be undone and it changed everything. Sabine had made a private vow to herself in the wake of Kanan’s blinding to step up and help Hera more now that she no longer had Kanan to lean on, help Kanan even more, he wouldn’t admit it but without his sight he’d need more help.
“We're coming up on Bellassa.” Hera called to the crew and Sabine felt the subtle shift as Hera took the ship into the lower atmosphere.
“Why here?” Zeb asked, looking out the viewscreen at the colorful world below them.
“It’s our next mission, Zeb. Remember, Ahsoka tracked the kyber shipments here and we’re going to break into the data hub at the Imperial factory to find out where it's going.” Ezra turned in his seat to look at the Lasat . “I thought you were at the briefing?”
“I was,” Zeb growled. “I mean why Bellassa. Why bring the kyber here, this is just a little artsy planet that makes fabric and pottery? What does the Empire want here, and how does kyber play into it?”
“That’s what you’re going to find out,” Hera answered as she took the Ghost down to the capital city of Ussa.
From above Sabine could see that the city had houses painted a rainbow of colors and wide tree lined boulevards. The water of the seven lakes the city was built around shimmering like cut crystals and Sabine was surprised how beautiful the planet was for being an Imperial work world. They landed on the far side of Ussa city, a fair walk from their target.
“Okay, I’ll be waiting when you get back, we’re not hanging around so be fast and be careful, this is a big Imperial hub.” Hera turned in the caption chair to the team.
“We got this,” Ezra assured. He put a hand on the new lightsaber hilt that hung at his waist.
“We've got this,” Kanan assured the cabin at large.
“Be careful,” Hera said again, giving Kanan a soft smile.
“Always.” Kanan smiled back.
Sabine frowned further as she donned her helmet and stood. Kanan ran his hand along the cockpit wall to find his way off the ship. She knew Kanan was “a Jedi” and “didn’t need his eyes” but he was blind now. For Sabine that meant Kanan was just going to need more help, maybe shouldn't even be involved in missions like this one. Similar sentiments had been shared by Sato, but Kanan had insisted that the loss of his sight didn't mean he'd lost his ability to fight the Empire. Whether Kanan would admit it or not, Sabine knew things had changed, nothing was going to be the same.
The little crew left Ghost and made their ways towards the factory complex that was located on the edge of that sector of the city. As they went carefully but casually through the side streets of Ussa, Sabine realized that though from above it looked beautiful in reality, like the Empire itself, it was not what it appeared. The wide boulevards were blocked off narrowing them at every cross point to create easily controllable bottle necks. Looming large in what had clearly once been a common gathering place at the city's center was now a huge Imperial complex, the brightly colored houses and businesses hadn't been repainted in what Sabine was guessing twenty years and were shabby up close. Ussa reminded her of Lothal, with the Empire looming over everything, and a once bright planet brought to ruin and over washed in Imperial gray.
Sabine saw that the factory complex they were approaching was a large building with a high outer wall that surrounded a small landing and loading yard. It was the side door into the work floor that they were hoping to get access through. Sabine and Chopper had worked up a code cracker cylinder to break the locks and let them into the factory when it was off line like it was today. Pulling the cylinder from her boot Sabine inserted it into the lock.
“Okay, we get in, grab the intelligence and get out. Are we all clear?” Kanan asked the group in a low voice as Sabine plugged her code cracker into the lock.
“Yeah. We're clear.” Zeb grunted.
“Doors open.” Sabine pocketed her code cracker and the four specters slipped through the side door and onto the factory's main floor.
“Office is over there, that’s where the data hub should be.” Sabine pointed to the door across the silent factory floor, then realized Kanan couldn’t see where she was indicating.
“Okay. Sabine you get the intelligence. Zeb, Ezra and I will plant detonators around the factory and make it look like that was our target.” Kanan patted the bag at his side.
Sabine nodded, then verbalized “right" and made for the data hub, annoyed at herself for failing to remember again that Kanan could not see her motion. Sabine had only just come through the door into the dark office when she saw a man leaning over the computer terminal. Drawing her blaster swiftly Sabine pointed it at him and ordered, “move away from the hub.” The man, a human male in his forties with a thick close cut beard and long hair pulled back at his neck, froze and did as he was told. Sabine hurried over to the data hub readouts, they were all flashing green as the final files erased themselves.
“Karabast!” Still holding her blaster on the man Sabine punched her wrist comm, “We have a problem. All the intel’s been wiped. They were expecting us.”
“Then get out of there.” Kanan’s voice came back to her.
“You, move.” Sabine jabbed her blaster at the tall man and gestured towards the door with it. It was possible they could get something out of him, like how the Empire knew they were coming, and maybe salvage something from the mission. Somewhere in the back of her mind it bothered Sabine that he wasn’t dressed in an Imperial uniform.
“Okay, okay, I’m moving,” the man said, exiting the office in front of Sabine as they came back onto the main factory floor.
“You scum, why’d you wipe the data.” Zeb growled aggressively.
"And how'd you know we were coming here?" Sabine added as she dug her blaster into his back with one hand and lifted the blaster out of his holster with the other.
Kanan cut off any further conversation, “It doesn't matter, the Empire knows we’re here. We need to leave, now. Specter One to Ghost , we’re heading back, the missions a scrub.” The double click they got back told them Hera understood.
"What are we going to do with him?" Ezra asked, gesturing to the man Sabine had captured.
“I say we finish him." Zeb took a step toward the bearded man.
Before any further conversation could take place the little group was cut off by the creaking groan of the large loading bay doors opening. Standing in the court yard was an official looking man wearing robes backed by a squad of troopers. These troopers didn’t have the rangy look that the troops posted on the backwaters like Lothal had.
“Move." Sabine jabbed her blaster harder into the bearded man's back and used him as a human shield while they made a quick scramble for cover. Several large crates labeled as supplies for the factory sat close to the back wall in the otherwise open shipping hanger.
“Hera, we’re going to need a pick up. We got company,” Kanan called into his comm.
“On my way,” Hera’s voice crackled back to them.
“Surrender and your lives will be spared,” The official looking man called in a voice drunk with victory.
“Not going to happen,” Zeb growled back.
“I see you're adding new members to your ranks, Lands. But this won't save you. Surrender and give up your leader. You have no choice. The might of the Empire will not be defied.” The man folded his hands behind his back with a pleased smile.
“It sounds like you're not friends with these guys?” Ezra looked around Zeb to eye the bearded man.
“No. And I’m guessing you aren’t either?” Lands cast an eye over the motley crew. Sabine saw Lands's face go through rapid micro expression changes as he looked them over. A Lasat , a boy in his late teens, a Mandalorian with an aggressive blaster in his ribs, and what appeared to be a man wearing a face shield without eye holes. As his eyes landed on Kanan, Sabine could see surprise and definitely doubt cross his face.
“Open fire!” the man wearing robes and standing in the doorway of the loading bay called.
“Blast it!” Sabine cursed. The troopers were better than those on Lothal and other outer rim planets. In a matter of seconds the troopers assembled in formation and layed down fire to keep them pinned down behind the crates. Sabine knew the tactic was to force her team to wait until a likely even larger force of troopers could come in and capture them all. “There’s too many of them.” Sabine grabbed the blaster from her belt that she’d taken from the Lands and dumped it back into his grip, “Lend a hand.”
“We need to get out of here,” Zeb grunted over the noise of the blaster fire.
“Hera’s got us.” Kanan assured.
“Hera, where are you?” Zeb called into his own comm as several bolts narrowly missed his head, one singeing his ear. “Owch!”
“I’m on my way, running into a little trouble over here.” Hera called back. Sabine thought her voice sounded strained. “I’ll be coming into the loading bay with the ramp down, be ready to get on board fast.”
“There’s a lot of open ground Hera. We won't make it without cover, or a distraction,” Sabine added into the conversation.
“A distraction, let me think.” Ezra looked around clearly trying to find inspiration.
“I got it,” Lands said confidently and lifted his own comm to his lips, “Babe, I need a distraction at the rear of the court yard. Make it showy.”
“On it. What’s taking so long?” a clipped male voice clicked over the comm back to Lands.
“I got captured by a third party. I’ll explain later.” Lands turned to look at Sabine. “Ready for whenever your friend arrives,” he assured them.
“Coming in hot in two minutes!” Hera announced her voice crackled with static over the comm.
Laser bolts slammed into the crates causing sparks to fly and the steady fire was slowly turning their cover to rubble. Sabine peeked over the top of her crate as a figure suddenly appeared on the wall that surrounded the courtyard.
“Administrator!” the human male atop the wall called to the robed man.
Ezra lifted his head, Kanan doing the same unseeing in the direction of the figure on top of the wall and saying, “I sense it too." Sabine wasn’t sure what was going on but when the expression on Ezra’s face turned to dread a split second later as the black clad figure ignited a red bladed lightsaber Sabine knew it was something bad.
“It’s an Inquisitor!” The panic in Ezra’s voice was clear. Sabine's own heart started pounding. The Jedi hunters had almost killed Kanan and Ezra the last few times they’d encountered them. “Hera, where are you!” Ezra shouted to his comm.
“I’m almost there,” Hera called back. Sabine saw in the few seconds that had passed the troopers largely turned around and started firing at the Inquisitor. That didn’t make any sense, why would they fire on one of their own? It didn’t matter, she wasn’t about to try fathoming the petty grievances between Imperial command.
The red lightsaber wielding man threw a hand forwards and troopers toppled sideways. For several seconds the cargo bay was free of trooper fire. It was then that Ghost came screaming into the hanger. The gust from the downdraft blew several troopers over as Hera hovered the ship for a few seconds. The Ghost crew, plus their new friend, Lands, ran for the ship's open ramp while they could.
“Get us out of here now!" Ezra called into the comm panel on the wall "There’s an Inquisitor!"
“What! I thought they were all dead?” Hera quickly maneuvered out of the bay, her voice hard to hear over the engines roar with the ramp down and the cargo bay doors open on the back.
“Wait. We can’t leave Ferus,” Lands called, looking back down at the courtyard where the man with the red blade still was.
“You have got to be kidding me!" Ezra shouted over the wind. "We are not rescuing an Inquisitor.”
“The ship ramp’s your ride out.” Lands called into his comm anyway.
“No!” Ezra moved to stop Lands but it was too late. With a grace and ease that seemed uncharacteristic of the other Inquisitors they’d met the red lightsaber wielding man jumped to the top of the wall and from there vaulted even higher up landing on the still open ramp of Ghost .
“Hold it right there,” Zeb growled, pointing his blaster at the man. The Inquisitor teetered back on his heels a moment balancing on the end of the ramp. The slim human male's dark eyes darting from Lands to the Lasat then the rest of them in quick succession.
“No, wait.” Kanan put up a hand to halt Zeb.
“Kanan, he’s an Inquisitor!” Ezra cut in.
“He's got a red lightsaber, Kanan," Sabine informed the Jedi since Kanan couldn't see.
“No, he’s not," Kanan answered Ezra’s accusation. "Calm yourself Ezra, listen to the Force, does he feel like they did?” Kanan asked.
Ezra was quiet for a moment then shook his head, “No. But then why does he have a red lightsaber?”
“I don’t know,” Kanan said.
“I’m confused, are we shooting him or not?” Zeb looked over his shoulder from where he'd moved to block the slim man from coming any further up the ramp.
“Not.” Kanan ordered. Zeb put his blaster down and the dark eyed man came further into the ship. Sabine slapped the ramp button and closed the ship to the wind that was ripping through the cargo hold, everything suddenly became a lot quieter.
“What’s going on back there?” Hera’s voice came over the comm.
“We got two new guests,” Kanan called back.
“What happened?” Hera’s voice sounded over the comm again.
“Another one of Ahsoka’s plans.” Sabine was mad enough to spit. Every time that Togruta got involved with them things always went sideways.
“Everybody strap in, sensors indicate we’re going to have TIEs incoming,” Hera responded. “I’m heading for open space.”
“No, they have an Interdictor cruiser behind the moon. Take a heading at point 6 on the horizon and make for the mountains we have a base you can hide at,” the maybe not Inquisitor called, stepping quickly to the comm and relaying his instructions.
“And why should we listen to you?” Ezra's voice held suspicion still.
“Code phrase by the light of Lothal’s moons,” was all the man said into the comm not talking to Ezra, but Hera.
“Lothal’s moons, You're rebels?” Hera’s voice sounded a little surprised then she called, “heading to point 6 on the horizon.”