Next Steps

Happy Birthday

They arrived at Lothal a few days later and Sabine and Ezra went back to their house. Ezra collapsed on the couch and winced, "It's good to be home." Sabine smiled and brought out 2 mugs of caf, "I know." She handed one to him and sat down next to him. Ezra's chest was wrapped up and amazingly it didn't hurt. Ezra put his arm around Sabine and she leaned in, "I love you Sabine." "I love you my Cyar'ika", Sabine said in return. They sat like that watching the sun set behind Lothal's fields. 

That night Ezra was awoken with a deep pain in his chest. It wasn't his injury, but something else. He looked over to see Sabine gone and her Wextar blasters were gone as well. He threw on his robe and went looking for her. He finally found her shooting mercilessly at a cardboard target. He sensed great pain and grief and knew it was probably about all that had happened in the last few weeks. He approached her cautiously and watched her demolish the target. Sabine holstered her pistols and turned around, "I need to be alone right now Ez." Ezra nodded, he knew when Sabine needed space, it was smart to keep out of her way. He had learned the hard way and ended up with her not talking to him for awhile. "I'll be meditating on the rock over there if you need me." He walked over and sat down on the rock and tried to focus. But he couldn't and so he watched Sabine pace and pace. It was what she did when she was upset. He kept watching her pace and run her hand through her dyed hair. 

Sabine was conflicted, she had to destroy that weapon again and she had to come up with a plan soon. She couldn't have anyone else dying from her weapon. And the pressure from everything else wasn't helping her think clearly. 

Ezra decided to take a walk. Sabine was still pacing and it seemed that she wasn't going to be opening up anytime soon. He got up and walked over to where she was sitting, head in her hands. "I'm going for a walk, do you want to come along?" Sabine shook her head and tried to hide the tears. Ezra sensed them, but didn't say anything about it. He stood there awkwardly and then walked away. 

Ezra came back from his walk and noticed Sabine was gone. The sun had risen and the lights were on inside the tower. He walked in the door to find Sabine studying a diagram intently. "What's that?", he asked. Sabine didn't answer, but only scribbled something down on a notebook. Ezra realized it was the Duchess and he looked closer, "They really changed it." Sabine nodded and kept scribbling down numbers and codes. "Uh, do you know what day it is?", asked Ezra innocently. Sabine shook her head, "No, I don't really care either right now. I have to figure out how to destroy this weapon." "Oh, of course", Ezra said a bit dejectedly. He shouldn't have expected her to remember it was Empire Day, the day his parents were taken and his birthday with everything going on. But it still hurt a little to have her forget, she had never forgotten in the past. "I'm going to go meet with Jacean." Sabine nodded, "All right." He dressed and then rode to the Ghost to meet Jacean. 

Jacean came out and handed him a present, "Here, it's from all of us." Ezra opened it and grinned, it was holodisk filled with pictures from when he met the Ghost crew to now. "You can load pictures on there too", said Jacean. "Mom put basically almost her whole picture collection on there and it is categorized." He pointed to the different folders. Ezra opened up the folder named Ezra and Jacean and started to scroll through the album. "This is wonderful Jacean, thanks!" Jacean smiled, "You're welcome Master." "Ready to train? How about a sparring match?" Jacean grinned, "I'm beating you this time." They sparred for a few hours and it ended up that Ezra pinned Jacean to the ground every time. He helped his Padawan up, "Good job, you are getting better." "Thank you. Where did you learn that spin move? I don't recall that one in the Jedi textbook." "Oh, Sabine taught me that one. It's a Mandalorian move." "Well it worked. Talking about Sabine, what are you doing for your birthday?" Ezra sighed, "Sabine kind of forgot about it and I don't want to add to her stress. So I wasn't going to bring it up." "Master! Sabine will kill you if you didn't tell her." "It's just that she's been really stressed and worried lately." Jacean put a hand on his Master's shoulder, "Tell her." Ezra cracked a smile, "You are so much like your dad. Smart, brave, talented and persistent." Jacean eyes sparkled, "I would've loved to know him." Ezra smiled, "He would've be so proud of you Jacean." They parted ways and Ezra headed home. 

Sabine was working on her data pad trying to figure out a weakness in the weapon. "Ugh! This weapon is impossible to destroy! Every time I think I found an opening, there's a security protection." Ezra sat down and looked at the data pad, "What about this part?" Sabine frowned, "It is vulnerable, except it will kill the person destroying it. It's programmed so anyone who mettles with it, is instantly killed." Ezra rubbed his neck, "I could have a go at it, I could..." "Absolutely not!", Sabine interrupted. "I can't lose you again Ez", she said softly. "Look I'm sorry I've been so angry, but I'm just..." "Under a lot of stress", said Ezra pulling her to him. "Yeah", Sabine laid her head on his shoulder. "How do you put up with me?" Ezra smiled, "Because I love you and I understand what you're going through. Believe me." Sabine smiled back, "That's why you're the only one I could love. And I don't think any other man could put up with my temper." Ezra chuckled, "Don't all Mandalorians have tempers?" "Yes, but I have 2nd the worst temper of any Mandalorian woman." "And who has the first?", asked Ezra curiously. "My mother." Ezra cracked a smile, "Too true. I would not get on your mother's bad side." Sabine chuckled, "You don't want to be." Ezra grinned and pulled her close, "I'll make sure to blame everything on you then." Sabine lightly punched him playfully, "You're bad Ezra Bridger. And don't you think that I forgot about your birthday either." Ezra raised an eyebrow, "I seriously thought you did." "Well to be fair, I didn't remember until about 3:00 this afternoon." Sabine pulled a present out and handed it to him, "Open it." Ezra tore the paper off carefully and chuckled, "Sabine Wren, where did you get this?" "First correction it's Sabine Wren-Bridger and second I have my resources." Ezra stared at the object in his hand, it was a Death Trooper helmet, to add to his collection. "Sabine thank you", he squeezed her gently and looked at the helmet once more. It was very rare and hard to find.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door and Sabine went to answer it. She opened the door and was really surprised, "Bo-Katan Kryze!?" "Can I come in?" "Of course", Sabine led her in and they walked into the living room. "My Lady", said Ezra respectively. Bo-Katan raised her hand, "No formalities please. I have come as a friend. Your mother Sabine is wanting you to return to Krownest. As you know the Duchess is being worked on and we need to figure out a plan." Sabine looked over at Ezra who nodded, "Very well we will leave tomorrow morning", Sabine said. Bo-Katan nodded, "I will sleep on my ship and I will see you tomorrow." With that Bo-Katan left.