Final Blow (Star Wars Rebels)

Feelings

"So, what's the plan?" Zeb asked, cracking his knuckles.

"I'm going to Mustafar," Kimble said. "Alone," she added as Ezra looked like he was about to interject.

"Are you crazy?" he demanded. "That . . . that . . . whoever it is, obviously wants to kill you! It's bound to be a trap!"

"But I can't let them kill Conner," Kimble pointed out. "They already killed Kaz. Maybe once they let Conner go I can find a way to trick them and escape. Don't worry, I won't throw my life away."

Ezra opened his mouth to protest, but Kanan's warning hand on his shoulder silenced him. Instead, he contented himself with storming onto the Ghost.

"Are you sure about this?" Hera asked Kimble. She nodded.

"I've already lost my family and Kaz. If I lost Conner, I don't know what I would do," Kimble said.

"We'll always be your family. We can come with you if you want us to," Kanan offered.

"No, I don't want to risk getting Conner killed. Just be ready to pick him up when he appears."

The crew climbed aboard the Ghost. Kimble joined Hera in the cockpit as Kanan wandered over to Ezra and Zeb's quarters. He opened the door.

Ezra was laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Kanan could feel the worry and fear coming off of him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kanan asked.

"I don't know," Ezra said. "It's all so confusing."

"Is it about Kaz?"

"Not just him." Kanan waited for Ezra to continue. Ezra finally closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"It's Kimble!" he finally burst out. "She tells me not to worry, but that's all I ever do! I almost lost her before. I don't want to lose her again."

Kanan recognized what Ezra was feeling. He had felt it himself. It was something every young Jedi went through. Ezra was no exception.

"Ezra, this may sound harsh, but you have to let go of those feelings," Kanan instructed. "You have to let Kimble take care of herself. She's more capable than she used to be."

"That's what you all say, but you haven't been there when she's been in danger. When she's almost died . ." Ezra trailed off, eyes still closed. "If she dies, I don't know what I'll do."

"Ezra, I know how hard this is for you," Kanan said softly. "Just let Kimble go. This is something she has to do."

Ezra turned so that his back was to the door. Kanan sighed and rubbed his eyes before turning and leaving the room.

"I'm not losing her again," Ezra said.

The Ghost came out of hyperspace over Mustafar. The blood red planet waited sinisterly, taking up the whole viewport.

Kimble climbed into the Phantom and sat at the controls. The rest of the crew would take the Ghost and wait for some sign of Conner. Meanwhile, Kimble would follow the faint signal from the planets surface.

She navigated the Phantom towards Mustafar's surface. The signal was coming from the side of a volcanic mountain. A pool of lava bubbled below. Kimble landed nearby and stepped off of the Phantom.

She recognized this place. Bits of twisted metal jutted up from the pool of lava and surrounding mountainside. A battered landing platform was nearby. This was the location of the prison where Kimble, Ezra, Conner, and Kaz had been taken. That is, before the rebels blew it up.

Kimble slid down the slope towards two cloaked forms. One of them was probably the mysterious murderer. The other was hopefully Conner.

"How nice of you to join us," the voice from the transmission said as soon as Kimble was within sight.

Now she knew why the voice was so familiar.