- the calm before the storm.

gathering forces

The Ghost sped through the dark expanse of sky above Lothal, followed by five TIEs shooting at them. One began to gain on them, shooting at the engines of the ship.

Hera looked over her shoulder at her astromech. "Chopper, Im rolling us starboard. Be ready to fire with those rear guns!"

Zeb ran through the halls of the Ghost, falling into walls as he did so due to the shaking caused by the onslaught of blaster fire. "Karabast! Chopper's down!" He yelled, then patted the fire on control panel of the rear guns out and waving the smoke out of his face. "I've got you covered, Hera. Roll away!"

Hera steered the Ghost sideways, sending them in a slow spiral and giving Zeb the opportunity to shoot at the TIEs. He hit one, only to have them replaced by three more joining the formation.

Inside the Ghost, the lights flickered as more fire came down on them.

"Sabine, I need you in the nose guns, now!" Hera's voice came over the intercom system. Sabine hesitated for a second, then turned on her heel and ran down the hall.

Sabine leaving left Echo, Ezra, and Tseebo in the lounge. Kanan was in one set of the guns while Lexie was in the cockpit with Hera.

Echo finally turned to Ezra, looking between him and Tseebo. "He knows what happened to your-"

"I know what happened to my parents." Ezra cut in. "They're dead." Though he couldn't help the hope that flooded him at the thought of his parents being alive.

"Tseebo," Echo pushed Ezra aside to stand in front of the Rodian, "you have to tell us if they're alive, please." She knew what it was like to live without closure, to spend every waking hour thinking about what could have been, and despite her somewhat negative feelings towards Ezra, she wouldn't want him to live through that too.

"Why do you care so much?!" Ezra demanded, his tone growing increasingly more frustrated.

"Because there's a chance they might still be alive!" She shot back exasperatedly. "And you care! So we have to try and figure it out!"

"Does someone want to explain to my why we're extra popular tonight?" Hera asked.

"We've picked up a passenger..." Kanan answered, shooting at the TIEs. "The Rodian the Imperials are hunting."

Hera's hand hit the steering in exasperation. "And he's important why?"

"He has cybernetic implants that have half the Empire's secrets downloaded." Lexie answered as she reached up to flick a few switches above them on or off. "Also, who was that who took Jace and Elara?"

"She took Jace and Elara?" Hera's sudden lapse in concentration caused the Ghost to jolt and the lights to flicker. "Damnit. I'll tell you later. We need to get this Rodian out of here."

Back in the lounge, Tseebo was finally talking, though it sounded like nonsense. "The Bridgers should hide. The troopers came, they took Mira and Ephraim Bridger away!"

Ezra stared at Tseebo in shock. "Where? Where did they take them?"

Tseebo mumbled something along the lines of 'I don't know', then shook his head. "Forgive Tseebo. Forgive him..."

"Forgive you?!" Ezra demanded, getting closer to Tseebo.

"Ezra!" Echo pulled him back, keeping one hand on his shoulder to keep him from getting up in the Rodian's face.

Tseebo shook his head more, looking down at the floor. "Tseebo failed. Tseebo was afraid. Tseebo could not raise Ezra Bridger."

"Coward!" Ezra tried to pull himself away from Echo. "You could have stopped them! Why didn't you stop them?!" Tseebo's implant began to make noise and he shook his head harder. "Tseebo!"