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

Part 25

Aboard the Star Destroyer Twilight, Hyperspace, 1437, 3279 LY

     When the stormtroopers had detained Kanan, they had taken his lightsaber, his blaster, and his eyeplate. They had let him keep his hands free to guide him as they took him to his cell. Apparently, they didn't want him running into a wall. Memory told him that it was the same cell he had been kept in when the Grand Inquisitor had captured him.

     Kanan snickered to himself. They were scared of a blind Jedi. The door swished open. A voice spoke, one he never wanted to hear again. ''Welcome back, Jedi.'' It was Grand Moff Tarkin. When he heard the older man's voice, he instantly knew that he was wrong about them taking it easy with a blind person. Dead wrong.

     The coordinates Hera had plugged in to the navcomputer took them back to the base on Atollon where Ezra could get the medical attention he needed for his left thigh and his arm, both lightsaber burns. She still regretted leaving Kanan behind for the Empire to snatch up, but she would get him back no matter what.

     Zeb and Sabine walked in, and Zeb growled, ''We have to get Kanan back.'' Hera looked up, worry in her eyes. Her expression asked, What about Ezra? The Lasat added, ''Commander Sato's people can help him. Besides, he probably won't wake up for a while.''

     Sabine exclaimed, ''Zeb!''

     The Twi'lek watched as Zeb answered defensively, ''What? He's been out for a day now! We've all taken turns watching him!''

     Hera sighed in defeat; Zeb was right. About all of it. ''Okay, Zeb,'' she began, ''this is your mission. You're in charge of getting everyone out of there. No one gets left behind, not this time.''

     The Lasat nodded. Hera knew that he put his honor into it as he muttered, ''I promise.''

     ''Are we too late?'' Zeb muttered as Sabine opened the door to Kanan's cell. The Ghost had got them in by the use of A-wings. Sabine had found the Jedi's cell from a couple stormtroopers talking about it. When they had opened the door, the smell of burning flesh filled the Mandalorian's nostrils and she thought she could hear the sound of distant screaming.

     Sabine took a good look, and her stomach dropped when she seen what Zeb meant. The Jedi Knight looked dead. His head had lolled downwards, resting against his chest. Even in the full-body restraints, his body had sagged against them. He didn't respond, not even a twitch, at Zeb's voice, his body completely slack. He looked battered, beaten, past the point of unconsciousness.

     Usually, Sabine could tell if someone was alive or not just by looking. This time, she had to check. Walking over to where Kanan was, she placed her fingers gently to his neck where his pulse should be. No response to her touch.

     There was no pulse.