1 | Star Wars Rebels: Fallen Hope: My Only Jedi

Mourning Friends

Star Destroyer, above Scarif, 1632, 3276 LY

     A freighter jumped out of hyperspace in front of the Star Destroyer Lightkiller and talked its way on board with fake clearance codes. Once it was on board, Kanan searched the area. He found his Padawans in danger and unconsious, a Sith Inquisitor who wielded six lightsabers heading towards them. 

     Without a word, Kanan ran out to help them. He used the Force to leap into the air, crossing meters in seconds, and was on the Sith in a flash, blue lightsaber blazing. He ducked under an amethyst blade, then swung his lightsaber to collide with a crimson blade. The Inquisitor pushed a button, and the lightsaber began to spin.

     The Knight almost lost his lightsaber, but managed to keep a hold of it. With Force speed, he pulled his lightsaber away and cut down on the spinning blades. Two hilts fell to the ground, landing with a clang. ''Come on!'' he shouted to the fallen, yet awakening apprentices. ''The Rebels attacked this Star Destroyer, and it's going to blow!'' 

     The three kids stood up, running towards the waiting Ghost. A familiar presence assaulted Kanan's awareness. His mentor. His friend. His Master. Depa Billaba. While he was distracted, the Third Brother slashed his lightsaber at Kanan. The blind Knight cut one of the hilts off, then jumped back. He didn't anticipate another swing, but caught it in time. More or less.

     Blinding pain shot through Kanan's leg as the hot lightsaber burned through flesh. Well, as he dropped to one knee, his Padawans had attacked, and were fighting well. He heard Hera yell, ''We've gotta go!'' Snow or Sabine must have taken control of the ship. 

     Rising to his feet, Kanan limped towards the Ghost, pain lancing through his leg when he put pressure on it. Come on! he called to his apprentices. They too headed towards the ship. As Kanan was limping, he felt himself unable to take another step. The Inquisitor was holding him in place with the Force.

     Lightkiller shuddered. Phoenix Squadron was pelting them with blasterbolts. Apparently, Kanan was going to go down with it. Blasterbolts whizzed past Kanan, shooting towards the Third Brother. He deflected them, but it allowed Kanan to start limping to escape, ignoring the pain to go faster while Hera distracted the Inquisitor.

     The Force tried to warn him. The warning came too late. Blasters fired, bolts whizzed by, and his leg was hurting badly. He sensed Zeb join Hera. The smell of burnt flesh and metallic blood filled the air. The sound of lightsabers humming and blasters firing filled the landing platform. If Kanan thought this hurt, what was coming would be agonizing. 

     Smoke began to fill the air as sirens wailed and beings yelled. Kanan grit his teeth as a lightsaber hummed and a blasterbolt whizzed towards him. He cried out as the bolt pierced the back of his thigh, collapsing to the duracrete. Voices yelled at him, yelled his name.

     Hera. Kanera. Zeb. Ezra. Caleb. Kana. His Master. Kanan went in and out of consciousness, his leg on fire. Blasterfire filled the air, smoke burned his nostrils from the blasterbolt and the lightsaber injuries. Perhaps he was dying. 

     A touch on the shoulder brought Kanan somewhat back to consciousness. He heard lightsabers clashing, but the one touching him was Ezra. ''Come on,'' he urged. ''Kanan, come on. I know it hurts, but we have to go. Hera, Zeb, and Master Billaba are holding the Third Brother off. Let's go.''

     Kanan moaned, but tried to stand. With Ezra's help, they were able to get to the Ghost, though it was slow and agonizing. When they were at the bottom of the ramp, Ezra Force-pushed him. Surprised, he set his feet down and collapsed into Kanera. Ezra jumped onto the ramp as it closed. ''NO!'' he screamed.

     Forgetting the pain, his sights were set on getting Hera and Zeb. His Master turned to him and called, ''We all will see each other again!'' She swung her green lightsaber to clash with a purple one. Kana and Ezra held him back as he tried to get to his love and his friend. The door closed. Kanan collapsed, tears welling in his eyes as the Ghost shuddered, lifting out of the Lightkiller. 

     The tears didn't come from the pain. They came from the loss. The pain of the loss of friends. Family. Snow called, ''I need Kanera in the cockpit. Caleb, nose gun. Kanan, top gun. Ezra, Phantom.'' 

     Ezra was about to say something when Kanan stopped him. ''It's fine,'' he whispered through gritted teeth. ''I'll go to the medbay later.'' He felt exhausted, pained, and grieved. He was needed, so he'd help. No matter what.

     With great effort, he made his way to the top gun, where he sat and began firing, trying to ignore the throb in his leg from his wounds. He tried to ignore the smell as well, but it took energy. Energy that was sapping from his body, down to his very bones. Still, he'd fight. Until there was no breath in him at all. 

     TIEs were all around. Kanan sensed the area, locking on multiple TIEs, one at a time, and blowing them apart. No matter how good they all did, the TIEs kept coming. It seemed fruitless. He felt like they would lose. They would die. 

     A new and unknown ship emerged from hyperspace to help the fleet, firing their guns at the Imperial ships. Over the comm, the newcomer's voice muttered, ''Transmitting codes now. Please transmit coordinates, Ghost.''

     ''How does he know us?'' Kana growled, sounding irritated and confused. ''I never sent him our codes.'' To the ship, she muttered, ''Receiving codes...Dark Protector.''

     A human male with waist-long dark brown hair stood in front of Kanan, wearing a goofy smile on his tan skin. His teal eyes twinkled in the sunlight as he pointed at his ship. He looked a lot like Kanan. He grinned. ''Do you like it? I'm going to call it the Dark Protector.'' 

     The Jedi Knight blinked. Turning the comm on, he wondered, ''What's your name?''

     ''My name is Jason Dume,'' came the reply, ''but you all know me better as Fulcrum. I want to formally join the Rebellion.'' Kanan gasped.

     ''Of course, Daddy!'' A child's hand reached out to touch the ship. ''Can I fly it?''

     The older man laughed. ''Maybe when you're older, Caleb.'' His robes were brown, looking a lot like the holograms of Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. ''I knew you'd love it,'' his father, Jason, murmured, picking Caleb up. ''You like any ship.''

     ''No,'' Caleb argued. ''I like many ships. I love some ships. I love yours, Daddy. It's pretty.''

     ''Is it?'' Jason wondered, kissing Caleb on the cheek. Setting him down, he turned to Ashla. ''Honey, I'm going to join the pilot academy for this world. Give my son a chance at living in peace. Maybe everything will be okay.''

     Ashla brought Jason into her arms. ''Dear, I love you. I love our son. Do what you must.''  They embraced each other with more love than Caleb had thought the galaxy had, let alone two normal citizens of the Old Republic.

     Kanan gasped as the ship jumped into hyperspace. The pain of his leg had brought him back to his senses. He was exhausted, surprised, and in agony. He knew that the exhaustion came from blood loss and the pain. He couldn't fight unconsciousness and he knew it. As he slumped in his chair, he knew someone would find him. He whispered, ''Dad.''

I made blind jokes. See how many you can find.