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

Part 24

Outside Corellia, 1304, 3279 LY

     A human female looked back at the human male young Jedi she had detained who was resting peacefully. She, Katarina, was surprised at what he did. It was so much like...like what she would have done, a long time ago in a different life than the one she had now. She hated doing this to a child, but she had to break him somehow. She tried to convince herself that it was for the sake of her name and her life. Yet it didn't seem right.

     Katarina dimly recalled the things that she had learned back in another lifetime. All the things she had learned, had been taught...in one night, she had thrown it all away. Looking at the boy, she smiled sadly. If only his resolve wasn't as strong. He couldn't have survived Order 66 and have the knowledge he has now. Not without a Master. He was just too young.

     ''I'm sorry,'' she whispered to the peacefully sleeping child. ''I wish I didn't have to do this. I really do.'' She was remorseful, but perhaps he could bring her back. No answer. He was still asleep.

     The first thing Kanan realized when he came to was that he was in a chair. The co-pilot's chair; he felt Hera to his left. How long was he out? Did they get Ezra? Where were they? A bump; they had just come out of hyperspace. 

     Were they back at Atollon? Kanan couldn't know, not unless he asked. Behind him, Sabine muttered, ''Shouldn't there be an escort?''

     Hera answered, ''Works in our favor.''

     The comm flickered to life. The exchange between Sabine and Hera meant that Kanan had only been out for a few minutes, ten at the most. A feminine voice growled, ''Shuttle 7576, what are you doing here?''

     No, Kanan thought, horror chilling his blood. It can't be. It's been years. ''Katarina,'' he whispered.

     Hera didn't know Kanan was awake until he whispered, ''Katarina.'' Who Katarina was, she couldn't know. She thought she had known everything about the Jedi's past, but she was wrong. So very, horribly wrong. 

     The blind adult human male lunged onto the controls, pressing the comm button before anyone could stop him. He growled, ''Ma'am, we were sent to provide escort back to Coruscant. Your master told us that you had some 'precious cargo'.''

     A pause. For Ezra's sake, Hera hoped Kanan knew what he was doing. An answer: ''Very well then, shuttle.'' Sabine and Zeb were already in the TIE by the time Hera detached it from the Imperial shuttle. ''Why did you detach a TIE, trooper?''

     Kanan had better think of something fast. He did. Pressing the button, he answered, ''Ma'am, it's the best way to protect the cargo.'' A minute later, the TIE detached from the other shuttle, and Hera pulled back, firing at the shuttle. Then Kanan growled, ''Join us or get blown to bits.''

     ''Jedi,'' the female, Katarina, hissed, ''I know you took Ezra.'' Hera watched Kanan's fist clench, then relax. ''I...can't join you. I have too many regrets, too many things I've done. Perhaps the Force will forgive me...perhaps it won't. Either way, you can't.'' A pause. ''Before you blow me to bits, Jedi, tell me who you are.''

     To Hera's surprise, Kanan answered, ''Kanan Jarrus. You might have known me as...as Caleb, Katarina.'' As soon as he had finished, Hera blew the shuttle up. By Kanan's flinch, she knew he felt the death. 

     Sabine and Zeb climbed out of the TIE, carrying an unconscious Ezra. He looked battered at the least, dead at worst. Hera somehow knew he wasn't dead, though. As she put in coordinates for hyperspace, a sight stopped her dead. The Star Destroyer Twilight. They had nowhere to run as TIEs zoomed towards them. 

     Hera watched as Kanan gasped, and his expression was horrified. It changed to grim determination as he stood up. Then, before anyone could stop him, he ran to their own TIE, jumped in, and detached. ''Kanan Jarrus, what in the bloody blazes are you doing?'' she yelled into the comm.

     Kanan answered, ''Go, Hera! Get out of here!'' TIEs swarmed in. Sabine and Zeb were yelling behind her, telling her to get Kanan. But Hera knew what had to be done.

     The Twi'lek whispered, ''They'll go easy on a blind person.'' The outrage of Sabine and Zeb was drowned out as the shuttle entered hyperspace, leaving Kanan behind.