I Was So Sure (Sequel to True Colors)

Chapter 31

Having Alema back was nice, Jax had to admit that. But there was a hole in where Hera should be. She was their glue, the one holding them together, and it was only a matter of time before they fell apart.
Ezra had taken the lead on the mission to get Hera back, per Kanan’s request.
It had been tense on base as well, and they had been staying low since Hera had been captured.
Jax and Ezra were now on Ezra’s old tower, and they were trying to feel where Hera was.
“Anything?” He heard Zeb ask in the back of his mind.
“Shh!” he heard Sabine say back at him.
Simultaneously, he and Ezra opened their eyes. “I know where she is,” they said in unison.
“She’s in the dome in Governor Pryce’s office,” Ezra continued.
“The administrative offices would be on the 157th level,” Sabine said. “D-block.”
“Okay,” Zeb said slowly. “So how do we get past all the patrols, gun turrets, and watchtowers? It’s not like we can just fly in.”
“That’s exactly what we’ll do,” Ezra realized. “On gliders.”
Zeb sighed. “I wasn’t trying to give you an idea.”
“Ezra’s got a point,” Jax added. “The Empire’s equipped to encounter large things, like sophisticated weaponry and targets. Not a few gliders that will look exactly like birds.”
“I don’t know,” Zeb said with a frown. “If we get spotted, we’re at a pretty big disadvantage.”
“No,” Ezra said. “Like Jax said, we’ll look like birds. Or Loth-bats. There aren’t really birds on Lothal.”
“Oh,” Jax said. “Sorry.”
“Looks towards the south entrance, where the garbage chute is,” Ezra said, handing Zeb a pair of binoculars.
Zeb snatched the binoculars and looked through them.
“I bet we can glide right past them and never be noticed,” Ezra continued.
“Right,” Zeb grumbled. “So where do we get these gliders?”
“Easy,” Sabine said with a shrug. “We make them.”
----
For hours, they were busy making the gliders. It had taken a lot of work, but if it was to get Hera back, Jax would do almost anything. She meant so much to so many people, including him. The Rebellion, and her crew, couldn’t lose her.
Kanan had spent a lot of time meditating. He had been acting differently since his encounter with the Loth-Wolves, but Jax just assumed it was from the stress of Hera being gone.
They had finally finished the gliders, and it was almost dark.
“I’ll let Kanan know we’re ready,” Ezra said.
“I know,” Kanan said from behind them, and Jax turned and saw the man walking towards them. He had completely gotten rid of the beard and had cut off his ponytail, making him have a mullet-like hairstyle. His face was bare, without the mask he had worn over his eyes for so long, and Jax saw the scars that were starting to fade.
Jax couldn’t help but smile. Kanan looked more determined than he had ever seen him, and he had a good feeling about the mission.
“Let’s go get Hera,” Kanan said.
Zeb groaned.
“What’s the matter?” Kanan asked.
“It’s probably good you can’t see this flying contraption,” Zeb said with a lopsided grin. “This is one of the times I’m glad the Force is with you.”
----
Jax had changed into a Imperial pilot’s uniform to blend in when they stole a ship to get Hera in, then make a quick getaway.
Jax readied his glider and he climbed on top of it, letting out a nervous breath.
“Ready?” Ezra asked Zeb, and he gave a nod.
“Go!” Ezra shouted, and Zeb started the speeder, and the gliders gained some air, flying a few feet above the ground.
When they had gained enough air, Ezra detached the hook that was tying them to the speeder, and he heard Zeb shout, “Go get her! Bring her back!”
Jax gave him a nod, even though he knew the Lasat wouldn’t see it.
----
It was nighttime when they arrived at Capitol City, and Jax had a knot that seemed to grow bigger in his stomach as the minutes ticked by. He had a feeling something was going to go wrong on this mission, he just didn’t know what.
They landed on the dome with a clang, and Jax took his helmet off.
“No alarms,” Ezra said. “So far so good.”
“People never pay enough attention to the world around them,” Kanan said, and Jax glanced at the man in surprise.
“Good thing you taught me otherwise,” Ezra said with a smile.
“You’re a good listener, Ezra,” Kanan replied kindly. “It served you here and it will serve you again in the future.”
“What do you mean?” Ezra asked.
“I hate to break up the moment, but we need to keep moving,” Sabine interrupted.
Sabine handed two objects to Kanan. “Magnetic climbers,” she explained. “They’ll stick to the dome’s surface.” she handed them to Kanan, who took them gratefully.
“Perfect,” Kanan said. “Thank you.”
Jax looked below them. “Okay, Pryce’s office is about six levels down. Hera should be…”
“I know where she is,” Kanan interrupted.
“Alright,” Jax said. “We’ll get the ship. Signal us when you’re ready.”
Kanan looked at Jax once more. “You’re a good man, Jax. Remember who you are.”
Jax didn’t know how to respond to that, so he just nodded and they split, Jax, Sabine, and Ezra running into the dome.
“May the Force be with you,” Kanan called after them.
Jax put his helmet back on his head with a smile, and they continued into the dome.
----
They raced through the corridors of the dome, stopping as a patrol walked by so they wouldn’t seem suspicious, then started running again.
They made it to the landing bay, where they found a gunship, just as they were being locked down.
“Well, I guess Kanan got Hera out,” Ezra said.
“I’ll fly,” Sabine said, and they ran to the nearest ship. Sabine knocked out the pilot and hid them, while Ezra and Jax climbed into the back of the ship.
“Aren’t you the copilot?” A stormtrooper asked Jax.
Jax tried to think of a lie. “My friend and I are here for some training. So we’re helping where we can. Currently, we’re here, in the back of the ship.”
The stormtroopers shared a glance.
“Prepare for takeoff,” Sabine said to them. Jax and Ezra grabbed a railing on the ship.
Then Sabine flew away.
They had been following the other ships for a few minutes when their coms beeped.
“Spectre 5, do you read?” Kanan’s voice said. “How are you coming with that ship?”
“Kanan!” Sabine exclaimed. “Did you get her?”
“Of course he did,” Hera’s voice said.
“Yes!” Ezra exclaimed, and Jax sighed. As happy he was about getting Hera back, he could at least contain his excitement. “Yes, isn’t flying great?” he tried, causing Jax to sigh again.
“There’s been a change of plans,” Kanan said. “We need a pickup…”
“In the fuel depot, I know,” Sabine finished. “The Empire does, too.”
“Well, let’s hope you get to us first,” Kanan continued. “We’ll be on top of the central fuel pod.”
They kept flying for a moment before Sabine opened the comm channel again. “You two may want to hang on,” she suggested.
Jax smirked under his helmet. “Sorry, guys, but this is where you get off.”
He and Ezra held on tightly to the railing as Sabine tilted the ship, throwing the stormtroopers out the side of it. She started to fire at the other ships, quickly blowing two of them up, then continued to the fuel depot.
When they got to the fuel depot, the first thing Jax saw was two figures kissing, and he rolled his eyes.
“Hey, enough of that!” Ezra said, but he had a smile on his face.
Jax slid his helmet off his head. “Time to go.”
They were heading up the ship when Jax heard something firing at them, and Jax could only watch as two AT-AT’s shot at the fuel pod. It was as though time itself slowed down, and Jax could do nothing but stand there.
He saw Hera run forward, and he and Ezra outstretched their hands. Kanan pushed Hera back and into Ezra’s arms, sending Ezra stumbling back.
Jax rushed forward, but Kanan stopped him, the fire barrier becoming stronger and stronger, and Kanan was getting weaker.
And then he wasn’t. He looked back at Hera, holding up one wall to protect themselves from the fire, and one to stop anyone from coming to Kanan.
Jax couldn’t believe what was happening. They had to get Kanan out of there. They had to. Jax couldn’t lose him, too.
Hera looked at Kanan in despair and screamed his name, her voice holding so much pain that it shook Jax to the core and he shut his eyes, forcing himself to reopen them, not wanting to miss his chance to get Kanan out.
And then Jax saw his eyes. They had returned to the stunning turquoise they hadn’t been in two years, and his eyes widened.
No. He couldn’t die. Not now.
And then, when time sped up again, Jax felt himself be pushed back in the ship. The ship flew back, and Jax reached a hand out to try and grab Kanan from the fire.
He felt Kanan’s life Force for a moment, and then Jax felt a wave of heat, and then he felt the emptiness of where Kanan once was.
Jax blinked back tears in his eyes as he saw the fire engulf everything in the fuel depot, and they flew farther and farther away.