#ezrabrine

[illuminatedquill]

Ghost Stories #03

Feat. Captain Rex + Kanan Jarrus/Sabine Wren + Ezra Bridger

Story Context: The aftermath of a successful heist stealing Imperial medical supplies for the Rebellion leaves Rex, Kanan, Sabine, and Ezra stranded in deep space without a working hyperdrive. As efforts to repair the damage get underway, Kanan and Rex reminisce over the past. Meanwhile, Sabine and Ezra, working together to fix the hyperdrive, contemplate the future.

The ship jolted violently as they decelerated from lightspeed. Kanan gripped the arms of his seat tightly, his stomach churning nervously. His recent blindness, an injury from his excursion to a Sith temple on the planet Malachor, prevented him from seeing their current situation properly.

As a Jedi, he was still adapting to his disability, relying more on the Force and his other senses to understand what was happening. Kanan turned his head to the side, where he knew Captain Rex, an old soldier and veteran of the Clone Wars, was sitting in the pilot's seat.

"Rex!" he shouted to be heard over the wailing alarms filling the cabin. "Talk to me!"

"I've got red showing up all over the board," Rex responded, his voice strained with tension. "Shields are still holding, hull's intact, weapons still good; we're not venting atmosphere either . . ."

Kanan heard something spark erratically behind him from one of the consoles. "What's the damage, then?"

A muffled curse: it was Sabine. "Double-check the panel notifications again for me, Ezra. I banged my head pretty hard when we came out of hyperspace."

Ezra replied, concern evident in his tone. "Are you sure you don't want me to look at your head instead? It sounds painful."

Kanan, worried, asked, "Sabine? You alright?"

"It's fine," she replied, exasperated. "I'll be okay, Ezra. Check the panel again and tell me what you see. I want to be sure."

Through the Force, he sensed Ezra's feelings of protectiveness towards Sabine war with his desire to finish the mission. In the end, the latter won - just barely, though. With a sense of reluctance, Ezra moved to Sabine and peered at the panel.

"You see it?" asked Sabine.

"Yeah," Ezra answered. "It's the hyperdrive. Looks it was damaged during the escape."

Beside him, Rex clicked off the alarms. "Well, not the worst problem to have in our current predicament."

Kanan took off his crash webbing and stood up from his seat. "True. But not by much."

The mission had been straight forward: infiltrate an Imperial outpost and steal Imperial medical supplies for the Rebellion. Rex had provided the intelligence, along with volunteering to see it through. Kanan had brought along Sabine and Ezra for back-up.

It had gone smoothly (a rarity in their line of work), until bad luck struck as they were lifting off; a random Imperial patrol appeared and flagged them immediately. From there, it had been a dogfight and chase through an asteroid field before Rex had finally locked in coordinates for a hyperspace route.

"Kanan?" prompted Rex. The Jedi felt Sabine and Ezra's eyes upon him too, waiting for him to announce their next course of action.

Okay, he thought. Time to look good for the kids.

Stroking at his beard, he turned to Rex. "Where exactly did you bring us, Rex?"

"Mid-Rim space, middle of nowhere," replied the old soldier. "It's an old hyperspace route used by pirates."

"Pirates," Kanan repeated. "What about the Empire? Anyone else know about this route?"

"Not that I know of. It's fairly remote."

"But there's still a chance we could still be discovered," Kanan said. "And without a working hyperdrive, we're sitting ducks."

"Agreed," Rex said. "We should get it up and running immediately."

Kanan turned towards Sabine, only to hear her already getting up from her seat. "Sounds like that's a job for me," she said cheerfully.

"I'm helping, too," volunteered Ezra. Sabine frowned at him.

"I can handle it myself, goober," she replied.

Ezra shook his head. "An extra pair of hands wouldn't hurt, Sabine. Besides, Kanan and Rex can keep an eye up out here just fine without me."

"How long to repair the hyperdrive?" asked Rex.

Sabine cocked her head, thinking. "An hour, maybe."

Rex whistled in amazement. "Impressive."

"Make it less," urged Kanan. "The longer we're out here, the more likely it is we get found."

Sabine gave him a two-fingered salute. "Yes, boss. Let's go, Ezra. You can hold the torchlight, I guess."

Ezra rolled his eyes. "So glad to be of help, my lady."

She grinned at him and they set off down the hallway at a brisk pace.

Waiting, despite his Jedi training, had never been one of Kanan's strong suits. He heaved a deep sigh and ran an impatient hand through his hair.

"Relax, man," came Rex's voice, sounding relaxed. "It's only been twenty minutes. You keep doing that, all your hair will fall out from the stress."

"That explains your whole look," replied Kanan, annoyed.

Rex raised an eyebrow at the Jedi.

He blew out a frustrated breath. "I'm sorry," he said. "Just feeling tense, lately. Too many close calls."

The old soldier nodded sympathetically. "I understand," he said. "But those kids are smart and capable. You have faith in them, yes?"

"Of course," Kanan answered automatically.

"Then let them do their job. We'll do ours." There was the sound of creaking leather as Rex leaned back in his pilot's chair.

He decided to follow suit, reaching out to the Force for calm. But something still nagged at him; a feeling that had nothing to do with the situation at hand.

No time like the present, he thought. He sat up in his chair again and turned to face Rex.

"I'm sorry about Ahsoka," he said quietly.

For a few moments, Rex was silent. Then, Kanan heard a deep, rumbling snore.

"Hey," said Kanan, feeling a vein pulse in his forehead. "Are you serious right now?"

Rex popped an eye open and let out a laugh. "You're so serious about it. Thought Jedi were supposed to be relaxed in any situation."

"We have our limits, you know," muttered Kanan grumpily. "Did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah, I did," Rex answered. "You don't need to apologize. It is what it is. She wanted to be there."

The old clone sighed. "Just wish I knew what she was thinking, going up against Vader like that. From what I've heard, he's not someone you fight. You either run - or die."

Kanan said, "I think I know why."

Rex turned to look at him, his expression serious. "Really. Tell me."

"Ezra heard some bits of their conversation," said Kanan. "Vader killed Anakin Skywalker."

The soldier's face turned sad. "Ah. That would do it, yes. She'd want justice for her master."

Kanan sat back down in his seat. Ahsoka seeking to avenge her master, Anakin Skywalker, was bringing up his own conflicted feelings about how his own master had died. Unlike Ahsoka, however, there was no single figure responsible for his master's death. The clones had done it, but they had been forced to by Emperor Palpatine. That drive to seek out the truth had given Ahsoka strength, even at the end.

He had none of that. Some days, he felt like he was pretending to be a Jedi.

"Ahsoka had purpose and incredible drive. I feel like I'm just muddling around in the dark sometimes. But even she was lost without her master. If she couldn't figure it out, what hope does someone like me have? To lead Sabine, Ezra, and others to a better future?"

"We're all just doing our best, Kanan," said Rex. "That's all we can give."

The Jedi shook his head. "It doesn't ever feel like it's enough."

"Your entire crew, I'm sure, would say differently," countered Rex. "The kids look up to you."

"I am a blind man," said Kanan bitterly. "And, somehow, they expect me to lead them onto a safer path."

"Yes," replied Rex, sounding irritated. "Even with your disability, they still don't see or think of you any less than what you were before. That says a lot about you as a person, Kanan. Stop listening to your doubts and start listening to their belief in you!"

Kanan went silent, astonished at the sheer force of will behind Rex's words. The old soldier was right - he needed to start looking past his doubts and see himself the way others did. Even now, they were all still depending on him to lead.

"Thanks," he said.

Rex shrugged. "Don't mention it. We all feel a little lost sometimes."

Kanan snorted. "That's an understatement. Been feeling this way since my master died during the war."

"Who was your master?"

The Jedi closed his eyes, remembering. "Master Depa Billaba. She was one of the best."

"General Billaba," said Rex thoughtfully. "General Skywalker talked about her sometimes. Always the highest praise."

Kanan smiled. "She was amazing."

Rex gave him a direct look. "I'm sure she'd be proud of you, Kanan. For all that you've accomplished."

He shrugged. "I hope so, too. But I don't want to die like she did."

"Oh?" Rex asked.

"I could feel her emotions, seconds before she died. The shock, the fear, the confusion - and then . . . she was gone." The emotional memories of that day still scarred him deeply; Kanan knew it was something he would carry with him to the grave.

"Then how would you like it to happen, if I might ask?"

"With peace and purpose," replied Kanan. "That's all I want anyone who witnesses it to feel and understand. No fear, no anger, no confusion."

"Peace and purpose," echoed Rex. "I like that."

Just then the vessel shuddered and there came the sound of a muffled explosion from somewhere near the engine bay.

Kanan let out a groan.

"You might not be getting your wish if those two aren't more careful," remarked Rex dryly.

The Jedi sat up in his seat and punched the intercom button. "Hey, you two," he said, injecting calm into his voice, "everything okay down there?"

Desperately waving his arms to clear the acrid smoke, Ezra stumbled towards a nearby console and found the speaker button.

"Yeah," Ezra gasped, suppressing a coughing fit. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sabine scrambling towards a corner to get some fresh air. "We're all good! How - how are you guys doing?"

Rex's voice came over the intercom before Kanan could reply. "We're doing fine. Are you sure everything's alright? The ship jolted just a bit, right now."

"Uh," said Ezra nervously. He looked at Sabine for guidance. She just waved him off, coughing into her arm.

"I'll call you back," he finished and cut the call.

Sabine crouched down, taking deep breaths. Ezra approached her cautiously, trying not to laugh at the scorch marks on her face and the messy hair sticking up in odd directions.

"So," he teased. "That seemed to go well."

She glared at him. "You want to do this? Be my guest."

Ezra grinned at her and held out his hand. After a moment, the glare faded and she grabbed it, hauling herself up. Together, they walked back to the engine bay; one of the vents was popped open, revealing the internal workings within. Sabine had been working feverishly inside it, making steady progress with the repair until she had accidentally overloaded one of the circuits.

Peering at it now, she made a disgusted noise. "Faulty wiring," she grumbled. "Typical cheap Imperial engineering."

"Fixable?" asked Ezra.

"Very," replied Sabine. "But it's going to take a few extra minutes. Need to bypass the old circuits and make new connections."

He nodded, pretending that made sense to him. "Better get at it, then."

"So helpful," said Sabine. "Just hand me the tools when I ask for them, goober."

Ezra handed her an electric torch and she resumed her work, leaning over the vent, eyes narrowed in concentration. He watched Sabine, admiring her skill and technique - not the first time he'd done so during their friendship, and it wouldn't be the last.

It never failed to amaze him how talented she was. There was very little Sabine Wren could not accomplish when she put her mind to it.

Ezra crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby bulkhead, basking in the sounds of her work. Despite the somewhat desperate circumstances, this was a relatively peaceful situation - at least, by their standards.

Sabine stuck an empty hand out of the vent. "Pass me the spanner."

Ezra complied. "Sabine," he said, suddenly feeling bold.

"Hmmm?"

"You ever think about the future? About what you'll do when this war ends?"

There was a heavy thunk from inside the vent, followed by a loud curse. Sabine pulled her head out, staring at Ezra with an incredulous expression.

"You want to have this conversation now? When I'm attempting to repair one of the most complicated pieces of machinery in the known galaxy?"

Ezra rubbed at the back of his head, feeling sheepish. "Things have been non-stop with us, lately. I think we should take the time to talk whenever we can, you know?"

Sabine's stare softened. "True," she admitted. "This is quiet as it gets with us, isn't it."

"Yeah," agreed Ezra. "And with the war against the Empire heating up, I don't think we'll get many more chances to just . . . talk."

Sabine nodded at the nearby control console. "Go to the control console and initiate the start-up sequence. I'm just about finished, I think."

Ezra did so. The hyperdrive computer began to run a diagnostics test, beginning to cycle through its programming. "Now, we wait," Sabine said. She sat down, her back against the wall. He walked back over to sit next to her, their shoulders touching gently.

They sat there together, just enjoying the gentle hum of machinery and each other's presence for a few precious minutes.

Then, Sabine said, "I suppose I'd go back home to my family. Help them with the situation on Mandalore."

Ezra glanced at her. "You don't talk about them often."

"There's a reason for that," Sabine said, heat creeping into her tone. She grimaced. "It's complicated, Ezra."

"But you still care about them," he pointed out. "You still want to go home and help them."

She looked down at her boots, scuffed with years of use. "Yeah. We didn't part on the best terms, but they're still family."

"That's good," Ezra said. "You have a goal."

"I guess," she replied. "What about you? I'm assuming you and Kanan are going to get started on rebuilding the Jedi Order?"

He frowned, rubbing at the back of his head. "Actually . . . no."

Sabine turned to him; her eyes were wide with surprise. "What?"

Ezra shrugged. "We talked about it once. Kanan isn't sure what's meant to happen next if we both survive this war. He says that if it's the will of the Force, it'll happen. Otherwise, we just follow our instincts and continue doing what we've always done."

"Which is what?"

He turned to her, his expression earnest. "Helping people, Sabine. Like Jedi always have done."

She smiled at him. "Such an Ezra response," she teased. "Should have expected it."

"Hey, I am who I am," he responded with a smile of his own.

Sabine's face became thoughtful. "So, what does that mean? Will you two be flying around the galaxy, putting out fires on different worlds?"

"I'm not sure," Ezra confessed. "I don't even know if we'll still be together at that point. I might want to go off by myself, see the galaxy on my own terms. Kanan says that Jedi did that after they were Knighted before taking on a padawan."

"Oh," said Sabine. She suddenly looked sad for a brief moment.

"What is it?" Ezra asked, concerned at the sudden change of mood.

"I just realized . . . we'll probably all separate, won't we? The Ghost crew. We'll all go our separate ways after the war's end."

"Ah," was all he said. He hadn't considered that. "It's a possibility. I can't say for sure."

She shook her head. "It was stupid to think we would all stay together forever."

"Not stupid," Ezra corrected. "It hasn't happened yet. It might not even happen, Sabine. Nothing's certain."

"I just . . . I can imagine Zeb leaving, Hera and Kanan going off on their own to start a family, but you - I don't know, I always thought you and I would stick together." The words came out in a rush, her voice quivering at the last bit.

He felt his heart twist at the melancholy in her voice. Ezra turned to face her fully, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Kanan told me how he decided to move forward with his life after the Clone Wars ended. Do you know how he did it, Sabine?"

She gazed back at him, her brown eyes curious. "How?"

Ezra smiled at her. "He chose someone to follow."

Understanding dawned on Sabine's face. "Hera."

He nodded. "Exactly." Reaching out, he took both of Sabine's hands gently into his own.

"I'll follow you, Sabine," he said. "When all of this is over. I promise."

She was silent, her eyes searching his. "You don't want to go home? To Lothal?"

"You are my home now," said Ezra. Sabine's eyebrows raised in astonishment.

"Along with everyone else on the Ghost," he added hastily, feeling a flush rise on his cheeks. She laughed.

"Thought you were going to go around and help people, like Jedi are supposed to do," she teased.

"Mandalorians are people, too. And I have a friend there who might need my help."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh, will she?"

"She's stubborn about it," Ezra continued, ignoring the warning glare she was giving. "But, yeah, she usually does."

Before she could respond with a suitably sarcastic reply, the lights in the engine bay went out.

"Huh," said Ezra. "Is that a good sign?"

"Uh, maybe," whispered Sabine, her breath warm in his ear. "Give it a second."

Ezra jerked back in surprise at her close proximity. "Sorry," she said, embarrassed. "It's dark."

The lights flickered back on - and suddenly, they were face to face; noses mere inches apart. Sabine's mouth widened slightly, almost as if anticipating . . .

Ezra could feel his heart-beat thumping loudly away in his skull. She was so close to him. So close.

The intercom buzzed. Kanan's voice came through. "We're reading all green on the console up here. Good job, you two. Get back to your seats and let's all go home."

And, just like that, the moment - whatever it was - between them ended. "Back to work," said Ezra, trying not to sound disappointed.

"Seems that way," Sabine replied. "But, Ezra?"

"Yes?"

She winked at him. "Let's continue this talk, later. Okay?"

Ezra paused, feeling his heart begin to race again. "Sounds like a plan," he said, grinning. And they walked back together, their hands brushing so close - so close.

*Author's Note: I found Kanan and Rex's relationship during Rebels intriguing, considering where they started. Wish we could have seen more of them together, becoming friends and bonding over their past experiences in the Clone Wars. I feel like they would have had a lot of deep, introspective conversations and this story is an attempt to illustrate one that I would have liked to see.

And, as always, I have to include our favorite duo. To juxtapose Kanan and Rex's talk about the past, I wanted the kids to focus on the future. My personal view is that Sabine, of everyone in the Ghost, would have the hardest time acclimating to the idea of their family separating permanently. I do believe that if things had turned out differently in the Rebels series finale, Ezra and Sabine would have stuck together, even with the others going their own ways; he probably would have helped with her family regarding Mandalore, and she would have returned the favor by helping restore Lothal.