Saga of the Bridgers-Year 3

Chapter 18: Through Imperial Eyes

Ezra knew that it would've been hard to separate from the woman he loved, but he didn't imagine it would hit so hard, at least in the first days. Staying in the cabin was a bit difficult. Let alone the fact that she wasn't there with him, wherever he looked, Sabine's drawings were everywhere, reminding him constantly that she wasn't there.

Jaral kept him company until he finally fell asleep the first night, but luckily, Ezra quickly came to terms with that. He might have lost a bit of joy and energy for the first week, but both his biological and extended family stayed close to comfort him and, soon enough, the young Jedi was back in action, managing to completely focus on the mission ahead.

Thus, three weeks passed. The preparations for Lothal went on. The numbers of Phoenix Fleet were increasing day after day. A message from the Imperial Federation's government on Earth confirmed that the invasion fleet mobilized to take Lothal would be completely fit with hyperdrives by June of the year 2224 according to their calendar. Thus, Jordan installed the clock that the Federation used in Rome, so the rebels could keep track of how long before the estimated D-Day.

Ezra found the time to send only one recording to Sabine before he was involved into one of his sister's crazy ideas.

Thanks to Nimbus and some Imperial communication intercepted by Darvos and his decryption team, the rebels had learned that Thrawn suspected the presence of mole in the Imperial Sector Command, and he already knew that the codename was 'Fulcrum'. In short, Kallus was in danger of being exposed, and the rebels had to rescue him. Not just because it was the right thing to do, but because Jaral suspected that Thrawn might uncover Kallus' secret identity and somehow use him to find the rebel base on Atollon.

"Okay, this is madness even for you, Jaral." Jordan exclaimed when his daughter finished explaining her plan to extract Kallus.

"But it is the best chance we have at getting Kallus out of the Empire before he gets caught." Jaral calmly replied.

"I support this." Ezra commented. "So long as it is me to go in."

Now all the heads turned toward him.

"And why would that be any better?" Hera asked exasperated.

"Because the rebellion can go on without an arm," he said, pointing at himself. "but not without its mind." he added looking at his sister.

Everyone grimaced. He did have a point, but Jaral wasn't listening.

"No, either I do this, or we do this together, you're not risking your life on your own." she stated firmly.

"Come on, sis. Don't you have faith in your own plan?" Ezra quipped.

"Yes, but I know it's dangerous. I can't ask you to do it in my place." she insisted.

"Gentlemen, please calm down." Sato intervened. "Major, I'm afraid that Lieutenant Bridger is right. If he gets captured, we can still carry on the attack on Lothal, but without you, half of the strike force will be without a leader."

"But sir..."

"That's my decision, Major. As leader of Phoenix Fleet I order you to take a decision now. Assign the mission to the Lieutenant, or scrap it entirely." the Commander ordered with a calm demeanor.

With a defeated face, Jaral had no other choice but to assign the mission to Ezra, since his abilities gave him the best chances at surviving.

And so, Ezra now found himself on Lothal, on December 5 2224 of the Imperial-Federal Calendar, with the singular mission of letting himself be captured in order to be brought on the light cruiser Kallus was serving at the moment and wait for Rex and Kanan to come aboard with a stolen shuttle and codes and bring the two out of there.