Saga A Mirror Image (Rebels)

Great action. Have a feeling it's about to get a lot more chaotic though.

 

Whew! Finally caught up. I am really loving this story so far! Well, it looks like our heroes have jumped from the proverbial frying pan into the fire. (I wish I could think of a clever way to "StarWarsify" that old saying... but I've got nuthin'). Looking forward to more!

 

I have been offline for a couple weeks and just saw your tag for me. I always love seeing Jax, Sacha, Magash, Den and I-Five together. Nice story!

 

Nyota's Heart, Gemma, Jags_Scoundrel, aleja2, Force Smuggler, Ewok_Slayer

Chapter 6

Jax Pavan stepped out of the Laranth and down into the facility. He sensed the intensity of the fighting going on elsewhere and he thought he detected the faint tendrils of Force use elsewhere. So Jarrus and Bridger were probably already here, then. Jax pulled his blaster out of his holster and proceeded into the facility. Sacha and Magash came behind him, and Den and I-Five behind them. I-Five was in his astromech body; he wasn't happy about it, but they needed him to download any info out of the computers here before the Imperials could get it.

Jax turned a corner and snapped off a shot at a stormtrooper. The trooper dropped as the blaster bolt drove through his throat. Jax rushed ahead in a full-on sprint. Two more stormtroopers looked up. Magash and Sacha cut down one each.

"My sensors detect a large massing of life in the central bay of the station," I-Five said. It was still odd to hear such a human voice coming out of an astromech body. "I also detect lots of blaster discharges. Lots."

"Terrific," Den muttered wryly.

Jax considered reaching for his lightsaber. But that was the last thing they needed; if the Imperials got word of a bunch of Jedi here, they'd know something was up. Jax himself wasn't even fully sure what was going on here. Degan Cor had related Fulcrum's request to him, so Jax had complied.

He stopped at the entry to the central bay. There were definitely lots of blaster shots going off in there. He glanced back at I-Five.

"Any sign of our allies?"

"Yes," I-Five said. "Fulcrum's troops are making headway. I think they're penetrating the door at the other side of the bay right now. The Ghost crew are already inside the bay, in the central information stack. They're locked inside but the Imps are cutting the doors down quickly."

"Great." Jax abandoned all thoughts of discovery and drew his lightsaber. "Let's do this. No Imps survive."

It was brutal, but necessary. He slid the door open and rushed in, igniting his aqua blade. Stormtroopers whirled in surprise and opened fire. Jax deflected their bolts back at them. He came within striking distance of a trooper and quickly cut him down. Sacha had her own lightsaber drawn now; she quickly cut down another trooper. She had gotten good with it, Jax mused.

The central information stack opened, and Jarrus and his allies ran out. Two blue lightsabers led the charge, and they were joined by a pair of firing blasters and some kind of electrostaff. Jax couldn't quite understand this motley group, but he liked them.

Jax ended up back-to-back with Jarrus. "Nice of you to join us," Jarrus said.

"Wouldn't miss it," Jax replied.

"Bad news," said a voice over Jax's earbud comlink. He thought it was one of Fulcrum's ship commanders. "The Imps have launched reinforcements. Two more drop ships."

"We need to move now," Jax said. "Five, get in there and download any info you can. We'll cover you!"

An Imperial with a grenade launcher rushed in. Jax lifted him with the Force and hurled him down the nearest stairwell. His grenade launcher went off and a grenade fired up straight into the air. Jarrus grabbed it with the Force and hurled it at a squad of stormtroopers. The grenade exploded, sending the troops flying.

An ISB agent came around the corner and fired at Magash. The Zabrak woman rolled aside and returned fire at him. The ISB agent pulled back and fired again. Jax reached out to shove him with the Force, but had to pull back to deflect a hail of blasterfire from another squad of enemy troops.

However, Fulcrum's troops had reached them by now. The reinforcements were enough to drive the stormtroopers back. The ISB agent called for a retreat, and the rebels were left temporarily safe in the central bay.

"We need to get out now," Jax said.

I-Five called, "I've downloaded all the info I could and deleted it from the mainframe. We can leave."

"Good." Jax glanced at Jarrus. "Wait. Did you feel that?"

Kanan nodded grimly. "I think the Imp drop ships have an Inquisitor on them."

 

Oh, I was just set to applaud with relief when ... an Inquisitor! Yikes! They need to have left already!

 

This is pretty cool reminds me of Han and Luke fighting together on the skiff in ROTJ.

 

This will be interesting.

 

An Inquisitor? Not good! Looking forward to more!

 

Inquisitors are never good. It is nice to see that I-Five doesn't accidentally put his probe into electrical sockets like Artoo sometimes does. Nice update!

 

Yay, I love Rebels! Great action so far. Love the way the two crews work so well together. Looking forward to more!

 

Sorry it's been a while, guys; finals for school and stuff. Next week I'll be done with all that so hopefully I'll be able to get back to updating this regularly–and then when I'm done with this I have another treat.

 

Yahoo!!! Another treat -- sounds wonderful and exciting -- look forward to both.

 

Nyota's Heart, Gemma, Jags_Scoundrel, aleja2, Force Smuggler, Ewok_Slayer, sorry again all, for the delay. Now that school's out I'll try to get this story knocked out pretty quickly, and we can move on to that other thing.

Chapter 7

"So what's the plan?" Sacha asked.

Kanan glanced at her. "The information I-Five has is vital. We have to protect him at all costs. I can take the Inquisitor."

"Not alone," Jax replied. "I've faced more than my share of those guys in my time. I'm with you."

"You're not doing this without me," Ezra added.

"Ezra, the last time we faced an Inquisitor, you almost died," Kanan said. "I can't risk you dying again."

Ezra shook his head stubbornly. "That was different. I've had more training since then, and I can tell through the Force that this guy isn't as strong as the other one was. We can take him."

Zeb nodded. "Take the kid, Kanan. The rest of us will get the droid to safety. Just hurry along, okay? Don't take too long."

"All right," Kanan said reluctantly. "Let's go, then."

He, Jax, and Ezra rushed down the corridor toward the landing bay, while the others headed back to the Laranth. Kanan didn't like this; it was putting Ezra in too much danger. The kid was good, but he wasn't immortal.

They encountered resistance when a squad of stormtroopers rushed at them. Three lightsabers snapped to life, and they charged in. Blaster bolts ricocheted wildly around the room, and in moments the stormtroopers lay in heaps on the floor. The three Jedi pressed on.

* * *

Sacha kept one hand on her lightsaber as they ran, but she didn't draw it; she preferred her blaster. Zeb and Sabine were ahead of her, I-Five directly behind, and Magash and Den directly behind him. As they ran, Sacha reached out tentatively with the Force.

"Stop!" she hissed.

A squad of Imperial soldiers rounded the corner. Sacha and Zeb snapped off shots in unison, and two of the troopers dropped. Sabine unloaded with her twin blasters, and another soldier fell. Den and Magash finished off the last of them.

They continued sprinting for the Laranth. In moments, they had arrived. I-Five trundled up the ramp. Den followed him. Sacha, along with Magash, turned to face the Lothal rebels.

"Thanks for your help," she said.

"It's essential that that information doesn't get into Imperial hands," Zeb replied. "Better to destroy it than let it reach them."

Sacha nodded. "We'll be careful."

Her Force senses prickled again, and she snapped her blaster up. An Imperial sniper, stationed on the balcony above the hangar, opened fire. Sacha returned with a shot of her own and then rolled for cover behind a crate. The sniper caught Zeb in his shoulder; the armored rebel groaned–more in anger than pain, Sacha sensed–and dropped to cover.

Magash and Sabine returned fire on the sniper. Sacha sprinted for the back of the hangar and clambered up a ladder. The sniper tried to get a shot off at her, but Sabine and Magash kept him pinned down. Sacha threw herself onto the balcony and rolled, charging at the sniper. He dropped his rifle, spun, and fired a blaster pistol at her. Sacha rolled aside, but the shot knocked her blaster from her hand. Wincing in pain, Sacha threw herself at him. She punched him in the jaw. He slammed into the balcony railing and dropped his blaster over the side.

The sniper pulled out a vibroblade and lunged at Sacha. Sacha grasped at her lightsaber, but couldn't get a grip on it as she danced aside to avoid being stabbed by the blade. The sniper lunged again; Sacha finally got her lightsaber off her belt, but it still had its hydrospanner disguise over the top. She swung it blindly and hit the sniper on the head with the heavy hydrospanner. He toppled backward over the railing and hit the ground with a sickening crunch.

"Get aboard the Laranth!" she shouted to the room in general. "We have to go!"

"What about Jax?" Magash asked.

"He can get out on the Ghost," Hera said over the comlink. "Just go!"

Reluctantly, Magash nodded. Sacha dropped to the ground and sprinted at the hatch. Zeb and Sabine ran aboard, too. Den powered up the ship's engine and blasted out. As Sacha slumped in her seat, she hoped she hadn't doomed Jax. She'd never be able to live with herself if she had.

 

Welcome back!

 

Great action, and three against an Inquisitor? This will be good.

 

I like that Erza can use the Force to access someone's Force power or strength -- cool idea.

 

Wonderfully riveting and fast paced action Yup, safeguarding the info I-Five has is crucial! Looking forward to the collaborating continuing between the two crews, as it seems likely.

 

Nyota's Heart, Gemma, Jags_Scoundrel, aleja2, Force Smuggler, Ewok_Slayer, jcgoble3

Chapter 8

Jax kept his lightsaber at the ready as they entered the landing bay. Eight stormtroopers, lining balconies above the room, trained their blasters down on them. Jax raised his weapon above his head, ready to deflect any shots that would come down at him.

"Hold," a voice said.

Two black-cloaked figures, a male and a female, strode forward, each holding an oddly-shaped lightsaber. Jax recognized them instantly as Inquisitors; their weapons alone identified them as such, but he could sense the blight of darkness on them in the Force. As he reached out, he saw jagged red threads of their presences continuing on...and ending shortly after they tangled with the silver and blue threads of Jax, Kanan, and Ezra's presences.

He smiled thinly. The two Inquisitors stepped forward and moved to flank the three Jedi. Jax knew the stormtroopers would likely open fire as soon as the Inquisitors were defeated, so they would have to move fast.

Without asking, Kanan and Ezra turned, preparing to face the right-most Inquisitor–the male. Jax steadied himself, preparing to attack the female on the left. The Inquisitors' lightsabers snapped to life, filling the room with red light.

"Give us the data, now," the male Inquisitor said. "And we will make your deaths swift."

"We don't have it," Jax said. "It's out of your reach now."

The female Inquisitor smiled thinly. "We'll see."

The two dark siders leapt in unison. Jax charged low, bringing his lightsaber up to block the crashing blow of the female's blade. He instantly spun aside and slashed at her back. She brought her saber back and blocked the strike, and then pulled back and slashed again, going for Jax's neck. Jax blocked the blow, holding her blade on his, and shoved her back. She stumbled.

Jax leapt forward, using the Force to enhance the jump. The Inquisitor jumped, too, and they met in the air, a flurry of blows. Jax blocked a strike meant to cut him in half and kicked out, catching her in the gut. The kick messed up her fall, and she landed badly. He heard her knee crack as she hit the ground. Jax landed nimbly and spun his blade.

The woman growled in anger and lunged.

* * *

Kanan unleashed a series of blows on the male Inquistor. Ezra came around behind the man and leapt in. The Inquisitor ducked, and Ezra flew over his head. Kanan rolled aside to avoid his apprentice, and then charged back at the Inquisitor again. The man blocked Kanan's strike and returned one of his own. Kanan shoved the Inquisitor's blade down to the ground and pinned it there.

Ezra kicked the Inquisitor in the back. The man grunted in surprise and fell forward. Kanan angled his blade upward and it slashed through the Inquisitor's right arm. The man tried to roll aside, and Ezra finished him off with a slash to the back.

The two turned toward Jax, but before they could help him, the stormtroopers above them opened fire. Kanan shoved Ezra behind him and began deflecting bolts as fast as he could. Ezra deactivated his lightsaber and opened fire with the stun gun on his hilt.

Jax stabbed the female Inquisitor through the gut and fell back to Kanan's side.

"We need to get out of here," he said. "I sense that my crew already left the station."

Kanan nodded. "Right. We'll get you out on the Ghost."

"Sounds good to me."

The three Jedi began backing toward the door together. Two stormtroopers were hit with reflected fire and fell to the floor. Another was hit with Ezra's stun gun. As soon as they were out of range, the Jedi sprinted away as fast as they could.

"I just had a thought," Jax said.

"I think I had the same thought," Kanan said.

"Care to share?" Ezra asked.

"With the information gone," Kanan said, "the Empire may decide to bomb this place to dust rather than let the info get out."

"But I-Five has the info," Ezra replied.

"But they don't know that." Jax began running a little faster. "I'd say we've got maybe three minutes before the Empire decides to cut their losses and blow us away."

 

Quick work of the Inquisitors. But now they've got to get out before the Empire blows the place to smithereens.

 

Great coordinated team work. Yup, they need to get out fast!

 

Yep. The Imp's would try to blow them up.

 

Great work on the action - always love your duel scenes.

 

Nice action. Welcome back!

 

Nyota's Heart, Gemma, Jags_Scoundrel, aleja2, Force Smuggler, Ewok_Slayer, jcgoble3

Chapter 9

Gouts of fire began pouring from gas lines as the three young Jedi staggered toward the hangar where the Ghost waited. Ezra grimaced as the entire asteroid began to rock. He had a bad feeling that they didn't have long before the whole place was destroyed.

"All ships, get to hyperspace!" Hera was shouting over the comlink. "Get that information out-system, now!"

Ezra wondered what information on a medical facility could be so important the Empire would try to blow them all up to save it. He rounded a corner, stumbled, and slammed into a wall as the station rattled. Kanan grunted as he walked into a door, which failed to open. Kanan stepped back and kicked the door down. The three Jedi pressed on.

"Warning," said an automated voice. "Warning: the southern halls of the facility have been exposed to vacuum. Seek shelter immediately."

Behind them, doors began to lock down, sealing their section of the station off from the now atmosphere-free zones. Ezra sighed in relief. They went around another corner, and were in the hangar where the Ghost was waiting. Chopper buzzed impatiently for them to get aboard.

Ezra and Kanan staggered up the ramp, and Jax came up right behind them. No sooner were they aboard than the ramp shut and the Ghost lifted off. Kanan climbed the ladder to the top portion of the ship and ran to the gun turret. Ezra sagged down to the floor, and Jax sat across from him.

"You handled yourself well," Jax said. "You have a lot of talent for your age."

"Thanks," Ezra replied. "I've learned from the best."

Jax smiled. "Maybe you have."

* * *

The Ghost, the Laranth, and the other Rebel vessels jumped to hyperspace. Aboard the Star Destroyer Devastator, Imperials scrambled around. The captain ordered the bombing ended; no further Rebel vessels remained on the asteroid.

The captain swallowed as he rushed down the hall toward his superior's chamber. He hadn't wanted to report failure...it usually didn't go well for other officers in his position. But all was not lost.

"My Lord," he said, "the Rebels have jumped to hyperspace. But not to worry; we have traced their coordinates. We can follow them to their meager fleet and blast them away."

He cringed, expecting an invisible fist to squeeze around his throat. But it didn't.

"Very well, Captain." A black-gloved fist gestured. "Follow them. We will wipe the pathetic Rebels from the face of the galaxy. And that information must return to my grasp or be destroyed."

Darth Vader rose from his meditation chamber and approached the captain.

"The Jedi must not find out that Obi-Wan Kenobi still lives."

 

They escaped. But the Empire's traced them?

And THAT's what that information is! Interesting that they are on the verge of knowing that Obi-Wan is still alive. Will they be able to do anything with it, though?