1 | Star Wars Rebels: Beginning Of The End (completed)

Part 18

Imperial Garrison, Lothal, 1542, 3279

     Two white-armored troopers ran down the corridor, aiming their blasters at three people: a Mandalorian female, a Lasat male, and a human male. Before they could pop off a shot, the human male stuck out his arms, sending the troopers flying. They didn't slow their running pace as another trooper came up on them, blaster in hand. The human male, Ezra, dived into the Force, sticking his arm out, balling his fist. The stormtrooper dropped with a cry, lifeless by the time he hit the ground.

     "Where'd you learn that?" the Mandalorian, Sabine, asked Ezra. In truth, she probably didn't want to know. He had crushed the trooper, leaving the armor intact. He had used the dark side, taught to him by the holocron. He justified himself to himself by saying that it was to protect his friends which was the truth. That's why he let the holocron teach him in the first place. 

     Wordlessly, Ezra shook his head, deciding it was best if none of them knew. They were there for a reason. To help an old friend. He muttered, "This is it." They were at a cell, one of dozens, but he knew that it was the number. "Get us in, Sabine." 

     The Lasat, Zeb, muttered, "Aye, aye." Sabine shook her head, but pushed some buttons, getting them into the cell. An older man looked up, seen the trio, and stood up. It was the man they had come for. Ryder Azadi. "Seems like the Empire found you," Zeb growled. 

     "I'm Ezra," the sixteen-year-old introduced. "This is Zeb and Sabine. Remember me from Lothal?" With how his appearance changed, he didn't want the ex-governor thinking he was a stranger.

     Ryder laughed. "I know who you are, Ezra. I don't suppose you're here to have a chat." Ezra smiled. Of course he wasn't, and the older man knew it. Motioning forward, he led them down the hallway toward where Hera would pick them up in the Ghost. It opened up to a spacious room where ships would normally be had there been any. Many stormtroopers followed behind, blasters raised, but not firing.

     Ezra shouted, "Go! I'll be right behind you!" Sabine seemed as if she wanted to protest, but Zeb grabbed her and Ryder, dragging them outside. 

     "Hands up, rebel scum," a trooper called out. Ezra only grinned, drawing the Force into himself, then unleashing it in a blast that went all directions, throwing the troopers against the walls. Pretty soon, he stood in the bay with bucketheads lying crumpled all around him. 

     Running outside, Ezra found himself in the midst of a firefight. Two walkers blocked their way, one firing at the Ghost as it swooped back around, the other firing at the rebels. A dozen stormtroopers fired at them, no, make that ten. Sabine just lied two out. She yelled, "We have to move!" 

     Once again, Ezra dived into the Force, finding balance in it. Next he stretched out, feeling the buckethead inside of the walker preparing to fire. A sound, a blasterbolt whizzing toward him. He imagined redirecting it, bending it to where he wanted it to go, then exerted himself. Just as he imagined, the blasterbolt went back to the walker, bringing it down in all its blazing glory. 

     Ezra heard a blasterbolt shoot from out of the second walker, heading for the Ghost. He took ahold of the walker in the Force, lifting it up, grunting with effort. Too tired to keep it up, he smashed it against the ground, destroying it and killing the inhabitants. He fell to his knees in overexertion, but grinned in grim satisfaction. He was just protecting his friends, doing what he had to do. 

     Sabine threw a detonator into the midst of troopers, then helped Ezra up. Once he was up, he shrugged her off, getting ready to jump into the ship to escape. He let the others go first, protecting them, then jumped in. As the Ghost sped off into the darkness of space unchallenged, he made his way to the cockpit, getting there as Hera made the jump to hyperspace. 

     "What was that?" Hera asked, confused.

     Zeb answered before Ezra had the chance to explain. "Ezra used his Jedi powers to lift the walker and smash it. Pretty wizard, eh?"

     Ezra justified, "I did what I had to do."

     Hera quietly sated, "You know Konan wouldn't approve."

     "Why would he care? He's never around," Ezra growled, looking away from Hera.

     ''Ezra Bridger, you know Kanan cares about all of us.''

     ''Yeah, well, he has a funny way of showing it because he's never around.'' He looked at the Twi'lek. ''Ever since the mission with the detonator failed, he's been detached from everyone. What if he doesn't care? What if we're on our own?''

     ''Ezra,'' Hera warned.

     ''No, Hera,'' Ezra persisted. ''I've been left to teach myself. As for you guys, he doesn't even help on missions. If we're not on our own, he sure makes it seem that way. Honestly,-''

     ''Ezra!'' the pilot exclaimed. ''Go to your room!''

     As Ezra made his way out angrily, he felt the eyes of the others on him. He shut the door, only to hear Sabine ask, ''What was that all about?''

     The sixteen-year old paused to hear what Hera had to say. She only murmured, ''Sometimes it's best not to know.''

     Ezra walked into his room, banging his fist on the wall. ''I did what I had to do to protect them. Can't they see that?''

     He didn't realize that he left the holocron open until its female voice whispered, ''Sometimes you must do what others think is wrong in order to gain the victory, in order to help them in the long run. What else is it you desire?''

     The boy thought for a moment, wondering what he should say. He missed Kanan, wanted him back. If he hadn't trusted Maul, his Master wouldn't be blind. None of this would have happened. ''I wish Kanan wasn't blind. I wish he was here with me.''

     ''We cannot change the past,'' the holocron reminded. ''We can only change what we do now, so the same mistake does not happen again. Knowledge is strength. Strength is power. Power will keep you from making the same mistake again.''

     Ezra raised an eyebrow, and wondered, ''Haven't I learned enough? The things I know that I've learned from you have helped me and will continue to help me. I'm strong enough now, right?''

     The female voice assured, ''That was only the beginning of my knowledge. Your friends will only be protected for so long. I feel your energy, and it is not strong enough, you are not strong enough. Let me teach you, make you more powerful. When I am done teaching you all that I know, you will be able to lift a walker with the Force like it is a feather. You could move whole worlds to protect your friends!''

     Ezra looked down at the Sith artifact. ''Teach me more. Please. I will never let my friends get hurt again. No one will be hurt again.''