Star Wars Rebels is owned by Disney and I make no profit off this use of their intellectual property.

Okay just so we're all clear.

I'm not dead.

But I did feel like death warmed over it at some points. My job was short staffed for weeks. From the end of October to the begin of December I was working two shifts. (I swear if you want to leave a job great I wish you the best but give two weeks notice!)

I did make more money which is very nice but I swear it was get up, work, go home, sleep and then repeat.

Regardless of my personal struggles I thank you all for your patience and continued interest in this story.

There is less action in this chapter but that didn't make it any easier to write. Still I hope you enjoy.

Journey Into Darkness

By Slayzer

-Coruscant, Imperial Palace, Vader's Residence -

The 501st were some of the best soldiers in the Empire. The personal legion of Lord Vader himself and feared across the galaxy as 'Vader's Fist'. They were men for whom the words 'defeat' and 'surrender' had no meaning.

However they had never faced off against an angry Inquisitor.

Exar stalked down the narrow corridors of Vader's personal residence in the Imperial Palace. As he moved he did so without his face mask or hood. There were times to show your opponent chilling indifference and then there were times when you had to let everyone see just how pissed off you were.

Exar's golden eyes blazed with contempt and anger as he beat down another squad of Stormtroopers.

A wave of Force power smashed several troopers into nearby walls. A few quick swings from his lightsaber and he sliced the reaming troopers' blaster barrels in two. Now unarmed and within reach of a lightsaber wielded by an enraged Force user the stormtroopers of Vader's Fist remembered the meaning of 'Fear'. That moment of revelation gave Exar all the openings he needed and he quickly beat the reaming stormtroopers down. Behind him it was the same story as the passageway was strew with beaten and blooded Stormtroopers.

Yet for all that violence Exar hadn't killed anyone.

Yet.

As Exar moved forward deeper into Vader's sanctuary he reached a choke-point where the narrow hallway opened up. There arrayed angst Exar were several squads of stormtroopers, a half dozen red robed Imperial Guards with force pikes and even two Shadow Guards with lightsaber topped staffs.

The stormtroopers had the numbers but they always had numbers and that wasn't anything Exar couldn't handle.

The red Imperial Guards were the elite of the elite and had anti-Force training. Also he had seen those force pikes they used once crush a man in his battle armor and dent the wall behind him with a good hit.

The Shadow Guards were a whole other level of troublesome. Those rare troopers didn't just have anti-Force training but they could wield the Force as well. Being an Inquisitor was only one of many dark paths that a Force sensitive could travel in service to the Emperor. Exar smiled as this would be a chance to cross light blades with one of the mysterious Shadow Guard.

"Stand Down!" A stormtrooper Master Sargent yelled as he and his troops leveled their blasters at Exar.

"I told you that I've come here to see my Lord." Exar then smiled at the forces assembled against him. "It's not my fault your all to stupid to know I was making a statement of fact not a request."

"This is your last chance to surrender!"

Exar sighed. "No this is your last chance to get out of my way. I've already decided that I'm going to trade words with my Master face to face. The only thing that hasn't been decided yet is do I go striding over your corpses or not."

The tension was so tight that a pin dropping would be enough to shatter the still peace.

Exar took one step forward and knew he was committed to the fight now. Only before the first shoot could be fired the Master Sargent raised a fist and called out. "Hold!"

Everyone froze as the NCO conferred with someone on his comlink. After a few moments he and the rest of the stormtroopers lowered their blasters. Even the Imperial and Shadow Guards seem to relax.

"Lord Vader will see you now." The Master Sargent said.

Exar deactivated his lightsaber and the strode down the hallway as if it hadn't almost turned into a bloodbath. Normally he did not relish a visit with his Sith Master but time was now against him. Exar had waited long enough and now the crew of the Resolute were running out of time. The only one who could save them from Tarkin's petty wraith was Lord Vader.

Exar also had questions of his own to ask of his Sith Master.

-One Week Ago, The Resolute, Bridge-

Tarkin gazed out the windows at the endless sea of lights coming from the night side of the Coruscant below. Inquisitor Exar Nihilo stood by the Grand Moff's side waiting like an obedient dog. Behind the two men Chief Petty Officer Smiley and Lieutenant Commander Humah stood at attention.

The door to the bridge opened and Commander Xelha walked in and took a place between Smiley and Humah. She gave the Grand Moff a sharp crisp salute before falling in with her Navy fellows.

Slowly the Grand Moff let his gaze shift from the view of the Empire's capital world to a datapad in his hands. "Do you have any idea the loses we've endured because of this defeat?"

Exar remained facing out the windows as Tarkin turned around to show his displeasure. The three Navy personal gathered there however didn't wilt under Tarkin's gaze. In their own way the three of them had prepared themselves for this. This wasn't an after action debriefing but Tarkin assigning blame for the defeat.

Tarkin read aloud from a datapad in his hand. "The lose of 45 capital ships and a major mid rim maintenance installation. Massive disruption to the outer rim supply network has stalled ship and troop movements across several sectors. The completion of a dozen new Star Destroyers have been indefinitely delayed as parts are now badly needed to shore up the drop in available material. Worst of all this defeat as help fuel a secessionist crisis on dozens of worlds."

Xelha picked up the narrative that Tarkin omitted. "The estimated loss of over 350,000 Imperial personnel."

"Indeed." Tarkin replied more annoyed that an alien woman dared to speak to him out of turn then loses of hundreds of thousands of lives.

Tarkin folded his hands behind his back and glared coldly at the assembled group. "Our Empire is sustained by fear and the absolute belief in it's military invincibility. Your inability to defend your position has caused that belief to be shaken and worst of all you have allowed hope to poison the minds of the weak. These are grave failings indeed."

Even though obedience had been literally breed into him Smiley couldn't hold his tongue. "Commander Xelha is the reason any of us were still alive for the Inquisitor to rescue. By the time that fool administrator and his lapdog command staff got themselves killed we had already lost three fourths of the complex!"

Tarkin rounded on the Chief Petty Officer. "As you say the Administrator and his command staff are all dead. You three are the only ones left who I can punish for this failure."

"With respect Grand Moff." Xelha said but knowing full that Tarkin didn't know the meaning of the word. "Lieutenant Commander Humah wasn't part of the garrison but a member of the relief forces."

Xelha shot a quick sideways look at Humah that said. 'I'm doing you a favor here so get out now while you can.'

TIE jockeys are not known for their commonsense but rather their reckless disregard of safety. That was true from raw ensign to wing admiral. But being a starfighter pilot Humah knew the value of a commander like Xelha who cared for the men and women under her command. Beside which Humah couldn't stand to see a beautiful woman like Xelha suffer Tarkin's wrath alone. Humah's sense of chivalry wouldn't allow it.

"Sir, I can't speak about the battle before the arrival of myself and my team. However the main reason our Navy inflected any substantial damaged on the Rebel Fleet at all was thanks to the Commander's leadership." Humah turned to face Xelha and in her eyes was the respect she didn't have when facing Tarkin. "The Commander is an asset to our Navy and a credit to her uniform."

"But as the sole surviving commanding officer from CM-185 she must answer for the negligence and conduct which has cost us dearly." Tarkin said dismissing all the good work they had done in a moment.

That was when everything became clear for Xelha and she couldn't help but chuckle. Even with the Grand Moff right in front of her she couldn't keep her mirth to herself. The truth of it all was just so pathetic that she had to laugh.

"Your punishing us to cover the failings of the section Governor. You hid the fact that he brought a rebellious slave population on to the station just so he could skim some credits from Empire's finances." Xelha as actually smiling now as she faced down Tarkin. "Tell me did he share those ill-gotten profits with you or are you just protecting your own privilege as a Governor?"

Tarkin was taken back but only for a moment. That small smug smile returned to his withered old face. "I thought you wouldn't understand the reality of the situation but you seem to have gotten to the heart of the matter. The Governor system set up by the Empire gives me unquestioning power and authority over thousands of worlds. That system is worth more then the reputation of any Imperial officer..." Tarkin then cupped Xelha's chin in his cold wrinkly hand and turned her head toward his. "...and certainly more then the life of some female non-human animal who thinks she's one of us."

"Don't you dare touch me again." Xelha's voice was calm but her eyes showed all the contempt she felt for humans who believed they were the 'master race'. She then pulled Tarkin's hand off her face with enough force to make it clear that she could snap his wrist like twig if she wanted.

That was the moment when Exar who had just been standing there silently watching all this took action. In less then a heartbeat the Inquisitor but himself between the Grand Moff and the Commander. The hiss of Exar's red lightsaber coming to life was threatening enough to keep the fragile peace of the room intact. "The Empire can not allow such failure to go unpunished..."

Xelha slowly bowed her head and surrender the last bit of hope she had. Exar seemed like an honorable man and she believe he would stand up for her and those who fought with him. It didn't seem like he was going to put his neck on the line for anyone now that they were no longer useful to him.

"... still this was hardly the first setback our Empire has had. In fact I think the Mustafar Incident was a far grater embarrassment." Exar turned off his lightsaber and then started to run two fingers across the surface of his mask as he thought about something. "I mean a small band of Rebels disables a Star Destroyer then infiltrates it, rescues a high value prisoner before blowing the whole ship right to hell. All of this happening right in the middle of a fleet formation so the rebels were out numbered by tens of thousands to one. They even did all of that without losing one of their own."

Tarkin's face turned red and his clenched knuckles turned white. That disaster was not something he ever allowed to be spoken of again.

Exar turned to face Tarkin and seemed to delight in the Grand Moff's impotent rage. "The ship that was lost was your personal flagship the Sovereign wasn't it? In the end it was everyone's fault but your own and how could anyone blame you? After all you were the first to abandon your ship and your command."

Tarkin wrestled with his self control for several awkward moments. "HOW DARE YOU! What gives you, a lowly Inquisitor, the right to judge my actions!?"

"I judge you not as an Inquisitor but..." Exar pulled off his hood and removed his mask. "... as someone who was there."

"You should be dead!"

"I was dead but the Dark Side resurrected me. It gave me a new life and a new purpose. However I'll admit that sometimes I think about the life I had. Also whenever I need a good laugh I think of you, the great and powerful Grand Moff, being the first rat to abandon his own ship."

Xelha, Smiley and Humah looked watched this all unfold in stunned silence. Exar then waved at his gathered audience. "If this set back shows us anything it's that your doctrine of fear is flawed. If the Empire is going to endure then it will need skilled commanders like Xelha, experienced NCOs like Smiley and talented pilots like Humah. Unfortunately ..." Exar turned back to face Tarkin. "... what we do have in abundance of are wannabe tyrants."

Tarkin took a deep ragged breath and regained his composer. "You shall not get away with this insult."

"Oh but I think I shall. As an Inquisitor I'm only answerable to Lord Vader and the Emperor himself. So while you by be the Governor of the Outer Rim Territories and Grand Moff you don't have any authority over me. In fact as far as I'm concerned..." Exar reached out and seized Tarkin's chin with his cybernetic hand and made sure Tarkin was looking him in the eye. "... you don't exist at all."

With a few words Exar dismissed one of the most powerful men in the galaxy as worthless. More then Exar's words or his tone it was his eyes, those burning yellow eyes, that Tarkin couldn't escape. It was as if for one moment all of existence was just the two of them and then Exar pushed Tarkin out of it.

Tarkin felt as if he was nothing.

Exar then let go and allowed Tarkin back into reality.

Tarkin backed away from the Inquisitor. He then opened his mouth as if to say something then thought better of it and turned around to leave.

Nobody moved or said a word for a while.

Then when Exar was sure Tarkin off the ship he collapsed on to the floor as if physically spent. The Inquisitor then exhaled heavily. "Kriff! For a moment there I thought I pushed the old bastard to far!"

The taboo that held Xelha and the others hostage was released.

"What were you thinking antagonizing the Grand Moff like that!?" Xelha yelled as Smiley and Humah helped Exar to his feet.

"I was thinking if I get him mad enough he'll no longer care about you guys and come after me instead." Exar said plainly.

"What if Tarkin comes after us now to get back a you?"

"Seeing that Tarkin was coming after all of you all ready seemed like a wash. Besides if I can get you all under Inquisitorial jurisdiction then he won't be able to do anything to you."

"What if he decides comes after you 'unofficially'?" Smiley asked.

"Please, at the levels of power I play at conspiracy and assassination are a given job hazard."

Humah shook her head as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You live in a scary galaxy."

"True but I got bad news for you Humah. That scary galaxy I live in is the same one we live in." Exar then pulled his hood up and put his mask back on. "I'll have to go speak with Lord Vader. If he's willing to I can place everyone here under the protection of the Inquisition and my authority."

Exar started for the door but Xelha stopped him with a question. "What if Lord Vader isn't willing to help us?"

"Then I'll convince him."

-Present Day, Imperial Palace on Coruscant, Lord Vader's Chamber-

Several thick heavy doors had to be opened before Exar could walk into Vader's personal sanctum. The room was very much like the man himself as it was cold, sterile and empty. There was something odd however hanging in the middle of the room. Exar didn't know what it was as at first glace. It looked like a spoiled slab of meat but from no animal he'd ever seen at a butcher shop.

Exar drew closer and quickly recognized what, no not a what, but who that was hanging from cables in the ceiling. Exar fell to his knees as he had done hundreds of times before. The fact that this was the first time he'd seen his master naked didn't seem to matter.

"My Lord Vader." Exar said then raised his head to looked at what was left of the man.

Vader's body was little more then a severely damaged head and torsos. His skull was malformed and his chest sagged with white bags of atrophied muscles. His chest was crisscrossed with cybernetic connections that would plug him into the life saving machinery of his black armor. As bad as his body looked however his eyes were both alive with power and unyielding to anything but the will behind them. This was the first time Exar looked into his master's eyes and what he saw there only reinforced his loyalty.

Exar knew that this was the man who would guide the galaxy toward peace.

"You are most impatient my young disciple." Without his helmet to distort his voice Vader sounded almost fatherly.

Or was that just Exar's imagination?

"Forgive me but time is of the essence. I need your help with the matter we discussed. I want you to intercede on behalf of the survivors of CM-185."

"Your brashness has made an enemy of Grand Moff Tarkin."

"Tarkin is determined to make an enemy of all known space."

Vader's scared and shattered face twisted ever so slightly as if to make a smile. "Yet you ask me to incur Tarkin's displeasure as well? The Grand Moff may be ambitious and shot sighted but his influence should not be underestimated. Not with the military or with the Emperor."

The walls around the room opened up and racks upon racks of cybernetic limbs were revealed within. Two medical droids came online and began grabbing arms and legs. Looking around Exar saw several full suits of the black armor and helmet that the galaxy at large had grown to fear.

"True but you are the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Military and the Sith apprentice of Emperor Palpatine. You could overrule Tarkin in this matter."

"I could." Vader said and was not at all convinced that he should. One of the medical droids came over and attached Vader's right arm to his body. Exar knew well the blinding pain of reactivating neural cybernetic connections. Vader bore that pain with only the slightest signs of discomfort even thought it must have been agonizing.

'He has lived and suffered like that for as long as I've been alive. To the very day.' Exar thought and gained new appreciation of his Sith Master.

"If we are going to win the coming war, and you know very well a civil war is coming, then we'll need people like the ones Tarkin's going to throw away."

"The armies of the Empire are without end. We will always have the people we need." Vader said still not convinced.

"No we will not. The Empire can only draw on it's loyal human populations but every marginalized and oppressed sentient, human and alien, would aid a rebellion."

"Strange, I don't recall training you to be a politician." Vader said as his left arm was reattached to his body. The agony of it made perspiration start to pour down his pale face. Sith Lord or not it seemed that the man still felt pain like anyone else.

Exar walked over to a medical station took a clean cloth and soaked it in cold water. He then walked back to his lord and raised the cloth to Vader's face. The look Vader gave him stopped him however.

After a few moments Vader silently nodded his head as he gave permission to Exar.

Exar ran the cold washcloth over his lord's face. He made sure to use his right hand, the one that was still flesh and blood, to touche Vader's skin. Exar was ministering to Vader in much the same way that an adult son would to his ill father.

This was not lost on either of them.

"My parents abandoned me. They followed the call of rebellion and left their son to fend for himself on the street." Exar said as he washed his lord's face. "When I followed you from Lothal it was because I never wanted to feel like that again. That also meant being strong enough not to abandon anyone."

The medical droids then began to reattach Vader's pelvis and legs. The cables and wires that had been holding Vader up were disconnected and the Sith Lord stood under his own power. He flexed his cybernetic arms and then turned to regard Exar.

"Every well. I will see that those you fought with are given clemency."

"I also want the Resolute."

Vader scowled at that ship's name and the many memories it brought with it. "That boat is a dialect and should be hauling garbage."

"The ship is still very serviceable and perfect for my needs. After all the Navy would resent it if I commandeered one of their new Star Destroyers but they wont miss an older Venator class."

"What would you use such a ship for?" Vader asked.

"As a rapid reaction force. This way I can use the raid and ambush tactics of the Rebels against them. We will become the scalpel to Tarkin's hammer and anvil."

The two medical droids then started fitting Vader into his armor. He took several long minutes to consider Exar's request. "Very well but I'll assign some your personnel myself to keep an eye on you."

Exar nodded curtly and then turned to leave.

"I sense there is more you wish to say." Vader said before Exar could make it that far.

Exar's hands clenched into fist but he kept his back to his master. "During the mission I was told there was a Jedi leading that attack force but there were in fact two Jedi there. One of them I killed but the other one was my old master Kanan Jarrus." Exar turned around to face Lord Vader. "Did you know about Kanan when you sent me there?"

"I knew that he and the rest of your old Rebel friends were alive. I did not know that they were involved in that attack."

"So I just happened to run into my old master on my first mission out." A disbelieving smiled crossed Exar's face.

"There are few true coincidences but I am curious as to why you didn't return with them. It must have been a temptation to go back to them."

Exar scowled at that for a moment. Then he took Vader's cape from one of the droids so he could drape it over his lord's shoulders himself. Vader had not put on his helmet so Exar could still look him in the eye as he spoke. "I could no more go back to being Ezra Bridger then you could return to being Anakin Skywalker."

Vader waited until he had put his helmet back on and took a deep wheezing and synthetic sounding breath. "Never call me by that name again."

"It dose not matter what you call yourself as you will always be you."

"And just who am I?" Vader asked.

Exar shook his head and smiled sadly. "You are the man I pity the most, the man I respect the most, the man I fear the most, the man I admire the most, the man I most want to kill and the closest thing I have to a father."

Vader consider Exar's words and his feelings for a moment. "Until I find the child that was stolen from me you are the closest thing I have to a son."

Exar was taken back by Vader's reply. "And after you find your lost child?"

Vader didn't even hesitate to answer as he walked away from Exar. "Then you will be the closest thing my child has to a brother."

To took Exar a few moments for Vader's words sink in. The young man then smiled to himself and ran so he could keep pace with his master.

-The Ghost, Sabine's Room-

Sabine took a deep satisfied breath of air as she looked at her latest masterpiece. She didn't even mind the slight rush of paint fumes that ran up her noise. Pain had kept her from her craft for far too long. It felt good to get her hands speckled in paint again.

Sabine wiped some sweat from her hair that was now a bright shade of cerulean blue and smiled. 'Okay now to show it off to everybody.'

-Ten Minutes later-

Hera was going over the logistic of her Phoenix Squad seeing to the needs of both her pilots and the machines they flew. Years spent scrounging for all the parts the Ghost needed made her an old hand at this.

"Hey Hera." Sabine said walking into the Ghost's common room.

Hera looked up for the datapad in her hands to greet Sabine. However what she saw almost made the twi'lek woman jump. "Sabine!"

"What?" Sabine asked as if her armor just happened to turn radiant shades of blue and yellow with some purple and orange highlights without her knowing it.

Hera smiled and laughed at the change in Sabine's wardrobe. "Quit playing around and let me see you."

Sabine did several slow graceful turns to show off her armor's new color pallet. "So what do you think?"

"It's gorgeous Sabine. Your best work yet and long over due."

Sabine nodded and thought about those years spent lost in her grief and rage. It felt like the long winter of her heart had passed and spring had come at last.

Zeb walked in from the kitchen with a mouth full of food and almost choked. He pounded his chest to work the bit of food that was stuck in his throat down. "Give a guy a little warning before you surprise him like that."

"Sorry, dose that mean you think it's too much?" Sabine asked.

Zeb smiled and waved his hand as if nothing happened. "Naw I like it but it might give the poor Kid start when he sees you in that."

"That's the plan. Then when I have Ezra's distracted you knock him out and grab him. Then when he get him back on the Ghost it's up to Hera and Kanan to wear him down with lectures until they knock all that 'Dork Side' nonsense out of him."

Hera snort laughed at the thought. "So your saying Ezra's fallen to the 'Dork Side'?"

"Sad to say but yes. Our dear little Ezzy fallen to dorkness and we'll have to straighten him out." The smile slipped from Sabine's face as all kidding aside the challenge of bringing Ezra back home was a major one. "I'll do whatever it takes to bring Ezra back home."

Zeb put a hand and Sabine's shoulder. "Same goes for all of us without saying."

Hera nodded soberly. "We will bring Ezra home but it's no joke to say I'm going to lecture that young man until he begs for mercy."

Zeb cracked his sizable knuckles. "Also no joke to say I owe him a punch to the face for all he's put us through these past three years."

"In speaking of punching our dear friends in the face, when is Kanan due back?" Sabine ask while referenced the thrashing she gave him a little over a week a ago.

"He said his meeting with Ahsoka was running long but he should be back soon." Hera answered.

"Do you think Ahsoka will help us save Ezra?" Sabine asked.

Hera got quiet for a moment as she thought about it. "Honesty I don't know. Ahsoka is committed to the Rebellion cause but she's also deeply rooted in the Jedi ways."

Zeb snorted and wiggled his fingers mockingly as he spoke. "Right, once they've fallen to the dark side and all that."

"Force or no Force we're the ones who know and understand Ezra the best." Sabine said as she leaned back against a wall.

The crew then heard the familiar 'thunk' and 'hiss' of the Phantom docking. Hera, Zeb and Sabine headed up to talk with Kanan to find out what Ahsoka had said.

Kanan saw his crew there to greet him the moment he stepped off the Phantom. He looked somewhat downheartedly at them. "Neither the Rebellion nor Ahsoka are going to help us with Ezra. They feel we are on a fool's errand and a dangerous one at that."

Zeb laughed humorlessly at that. "Ha! People say the same thing about fighting the Empire but that hasn't stopped anyone here yet."

Hera nodded along with Zeb's words. "And it wont stop us from saving Ezra either."

"So we're go it alone then?" Sabine asked.

Kanan smiled somewhat sheepishly. "If all I got was a simple 'No' then I would have been back sooner. Fact is I did get some help."

The voice of a young man called out from inside the Phantom. "Master, where should I put my belongings."

A young man with a large duffel bag moved around from behind Kanan so he could meet the rest of the crew. The young human male had brown eyes and tanned skin. He wore his reddish brown hair close cropped but for a single braided of hair that was hanging off to the side. As for clothing he had on a dark gray jacket over a blue shirt with black pair of slacks and boots. A workman's tool belt was wrapped around his waist and hanging innocuously from it was the hilt of a lightsaber.

Kanan waved the young man forward in front of the crew. "You all remember Jai Kell right?"

Jai set down his duffel bag and exited a hand in greeting to the rest of the crew. "I can't thank you guys enough for what you did rescuing me from that academy."

The reaction Jai got from the crew was nothing short of Hoth like chilly. He lowered his hand after several awkward moments when no one shook it. Seeing that didn't work he thought he'd try making some small talk.

"Nice armor. I love the colors." Jai said complementing Sabine on her work.

Sabine scoffed at the Jai's words and turned away from him. "I didn't do this for you to enjoy."

Kanan put himself between his new padawan and his crew. "Jai why don't you give me a few moments with everybody." He then spotted Chopper coming out of the cockpit. "Hey, Chop! Why don't you show Jai around the Ghost and help him get reacquainted with it."

The droid was no more thrilled to see Jai with Kanan then anyone else was but Chopper was always temperamental so it didn't matter that much.

Jai walked through the cold valley of the crew's stares as he followed Chopper to the lower decks. Once he was gone Sabine, Hera and Zeb all opened their mouths to say something. Kanan silenced them all with a hard glace. "Taking on Jai Kell was my choice and it's Jedi business so it's not open to a vote. But honestly I expected better from all of you."

Sabine was the first to respond. "You expected better!? I thought you wanted to save Ezra now you've taken on a new Padawan to replace him!"

"If the Jedi Order is going to have chance of surviving they those of us who are left have to pass on what we've learned to a new generation. Jai was already apprenticed under a Jedi Knight but when the chance came for him to help us save Ezra he jumped at it. This even over Ahsoka's disapproval."

"If Jai already has a master then he should train with them!" Sabine counted.

Hera nodded her head as something fell into place. "Jai's last master was Weber Cross. The Jedi Knight that Ezra killed on CM-185."

Kanan nodded. "I spent the better part of week with Jai making sure he was up to this. He started training in the ways of the Force because of Ezra and when he heard that Ezra was alive he wanted to help."

Sabine didn't believe a word of it. "He want's to help save the man who killed his master?"

"Vengeance is not the Jedi way but gratitude is. Jai knows that he'd be an Inquisitor or worst if Ezra hadn't helped him. His intent to help Ezra is genuine and he was the only one that wanted to help us."

Kanan had said the final word on the matter.

Jai Kell was now part of the crew.

Sabine still didn't like it.

-Imperial Shipyard CC-247 on Coruscant-

Commander Nara Xelha looked out from a window at Resolute as crews swarmed all around the ship. That ship had been her first and as it would seem to be also her last command. It had been well over a week since Tarkin made his threats and Inquisitor Exar was nowhere to be found.

"Captain Xelha! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Xelha turned around to see Josette Humah running up to her. She may have enjoyed the sight of the tall athletic human woman running for a moment as Josette's tight flight suit hugged her body nicely. By their nature Zeltrons like Xelha were somewhat indiscriminate in their 'appreciation' of others species. As such Xelha's people had the stigma of being morally lose and promiscuous by the Imperial culture at large.

On the reverse most Zeltrons thought the Empire, and before them the Republic, were prudish, self-shaming and repressed. (The Zeltron people also found if funny when those some righteous humans would often come to their home world to 'cool their thrusters' for a few weeks.)

Regardless none of that matter right now as they were both Imperial Naval officers.

"It's just Commander Xelha now that I don't have a ship to run." Xelha said to Humah before turning away to gaze out window.

Humah promptly hit Xelha over the head with a datapad to get her attention. "That's why I've been looking for you everywhere! Your wrong on both counts."

Xelha took the datapad that Humah had just used to assaulted her and read it. It was orders from Lord Vader himself assigning her the command of the Resolute as a military detachment on assignment to the Inquisition. She had to reread it just to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her.

Exar had come through for her and everyone else.

Humah smiled seeing the relief wash over Xelha's lovely reddish face. She also had one more surprise for Xelha. Humah held out a black velvet case. "Your going to need this to go with your new command."

Xelha opened the case and saw a Captain's rank plaque. That was when it dawned on her that she was promoted as well. Humah helped pin Xelha's new rank to her uniform.

Josette Humah then came to attention and snapped off a salute for the newly minted captain. "I look forward to serving with you Captain Xelha."

Nara Xelha returned her salute in kind.

The two woman then shared a smile and laugh.

That was when Inquisitor Exar found them. "I've been looking for you Commander."

Both Xelha and Humah came to attention and replied. "Sir."

"Your not the only one who got a promotion, Captain." Humah said as she pointed to her own rank plaque now a full Commander and not a Lieutenant-Commander.

Xelha smiled apologetically not only for forgetting her new rank but in failing to notice Humah's own promotion.

While watching those two dance around each other was charming to no end Exar had work to do. "-ahem- As I was saying. I have the list of pilot candidates I'd like you to go over Commander Humah."

"Don't think their up to it?" Humah asked as she took a datapad Exar handed her.

"What I think doesn't matter. Your the Wing Commander and they'll be your pilots so your the one who has to sign off on them." Exar turned to Xelha. "There's also a full crew and personnel list in that datapad you have Captain Xelha."

Xelha read into her datapad and saw the new crew members and officers that would be joining them. She noticed something right away just in the names. "Interesting choices. There are quite a few of non-humans on this list."

Exar nodded. "Diversity is one of the greatest strengths of the Rebellion but I don't see why we can't use that as well."

"Because the Empire is overstaffed with humanist pigs." Xelha answered deadpan honest and without looking up from her datapad.

Exar couldn't deny Xelha's observation. That was just one of the many things that he would try to change in the Empire. "Still it takes a special kind of idiot to not see the value of a Sullustan gunnery officer. Every non-human on that list is someone like you Xelha. Their gifts and their talents held back solely because they were seen as aliens and nothing more."

"So is this whole command is some sort of public relations stunt?"

Exar was taken back by that accusation. "No, this command is made up of the best people I could find regardless of their race and background. Our overriding command comes from Lord Vader himself and it is to hunt down Jedi survivors and Rebels. Beyond that if we should take out any pirates, slavers or Imperial officials failing their duties then all the better. However if your not comfortable with this then I can find you another assignment. You don't owe me anything."

Xelha shook her head. "No, I owe you a great deal. You didn't just save my life back on CM-185, you gave it purpose again. So I'll keep following you no what trouble you get us into."

Exar nodded and gave Xelha a respectful salute that she returned in kind.

Humah folded her arms. "So wait Xelha get's the option to opt out of this but I don't?"

Exar smiled. "Well I just figured that if Xelha's sticking with me then you would to. After all your more interested in following her then me."

Humah blushed red at the Inquisitor's words and he even said them right in front of Xelha. "That's not true!"

Exar shrugged as he turned to leave. "Your right that's not totality true..." then he quickly whispered in Humah's ear as he past her. "... but it's not entirely wrong either."

-Lothal, on empty field outside The Ghost-

Sabine was laying down on top the roof of the ghost while she watched Kanan put Jai through some lightsaber training. Jai was blindfolded as two little spherical droids circled him. The padawan held his yellow bladed lightsaber in the reverse grip like his old master Weber Cross used. The two little droids were darting around Jai and shoot small stinging blasts at him.

Jai's lightsaber moved in fast unorthodox arcs and slashes as he whirled around to block one shot after the next. Sabine thought it was nothing like how Ezra used his lightsaber when she fought with him. He had stood his ground and weathered her best shots without viable effort.

Credit where credit is due however as Jai hadn't been hit once.

Kanan however wasn't overly impressed. "Concentrate, don't just flail around. It's not enough to just react but you have to anticipate the attacks before they come."

"I haven't been hit yet." Jai said as he brandish his lightsaber to deflect three quick shots.

"In real combat they only have to hit you once. Your fast and precise but you waste too much movement. Feel where the next attack is coming from so you don't just rush to get there."

Sabine smiled devilishly as she got to her feet and unholstered her blasters. It was time to kick Jai's training up to the next level. After a moment of debate she did set her blaster to stun. Sabine then took careful aim at Jai.

Jai felt something not from the little droids spinning around him for a sharper senses of aggression. Blind to whatever it was he turned to meet this incoming threat. That was when Sabine opened on Jai with both barrels.

Sabine wasn't prepared for Jai's quite response to her attack. One of the deflected stunner bolts came back at her and hit her left hand. Her hand was numbed to the shock and her blaster fell from her hand and landed on the dirt below.

"Sabine!" Kanan yelled after having the mandalorain interfering with his lesson.

Jai turned off his lightsaber and then ripped the blindfold off his face.

Sabine glared scornfully at Jai as she flexed her left hand to get some feeling back into it. She then turned away and then walked to the other side of the Ghost's roof to be alone. Kanan was about to go up there and have some choice words with Sabine about her attitude.

Jai put a hand out to stop Kanan. "Let me talk to her master. I'd rather settle this before we have to go out on a mission together."

"Alright but if she gives you any more trouble you let me know."

Jai picked up Sabine's blaster from the ground and then Force jumped up to grab hold of the Ghost's roof. He then easily pulled himself up on top of the Ghost and waved down to Kanan. "Don't worry."

Sabine was siting on the other side of the Ghost trying her best to will Jai into non-existence. Jai smiled happily and held out Sabine's blaster for her. "I think you dropped this."

She didn't even look at him as she swiped her blaster out of his hand.

Jai sighed and sat down next to Sabine but still well outside her reach just in case she took a swing at him. "I think you and I need to clear somethings up."

Sabine remained as still and uninterested in Jai's words as if she were made of stone. Jai knew this would be harder then he thought. "I've talked it over with Kanan and the others. When we go on a mission I will be Specter Seven so that the name Specter Six is still here for Ezra when we get him back. I'm not here to replace Ezra in anyway."

"Doesn't seem that way to me. And why do you want to save Ezra? You must know he's the one who killed your last master right? Are you coming along with us just for a chance at revenge?"

"Revenge is..." Jai began but Sabine cut him off angrily.

"Not the way of the Jedi! I know, I've heard that before. Few peoples in the galaxy have fought with the Jedi as much as the Mandalorains have. Do you know what insight my people gained about the Jedi from our many wars with them?"

Jai stayed silent but shook his head no.

"For all their rhetoric, Force powers and laser swords a Jedi is no different then anyone else. They fall pray to overconfidence, arrogance and even petty vendettas. Only a few truly fall to evil megalomania but even fewer still ever achieve those high minded ideals your all so found of. The rest of them were just like anyone else in the galaxy."

"I didn't become a Jedi because of the ideals or even some noble cause like freedom. The day I heard that Ezra died was the day I chose to walk the path of the Jedi. If it wasn't of Ezra then I would be some dark side killer or Empire puppet. I thought I'd never get the chance to pay Ezra back for what he did for me but now I can."

The fire in Sabine's eyes cooled a little as she listened to Jai speak. He sounded honest and sincere in his want to help Ezra.

Jai saw this and smiled. "You now even tho he's with the Empire now I was happy to hear that Ezra is still alive. I know it will be hard but we both want to get Ezra back." Jai's smile became a little more playful. "But I would say you want Ezra back more then anyone."

Sabine blushed but didn't say anything and Jai didn't call her on it.

Jai got to his feet and held out and hand. "So why don't you help me to help you get Ezra back home where he belongs."

Sabine allowed herself to smile a little. She ignored Jai's outstretched hand and pulled herself up to her feet. "Alright. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. I'll even help you get ready."

Jai was about to thank Sabine when she suddenly ignited Ezra's old lightsaber and swung for his head. Jai barely had time to get dodge and get his own lightsaber ready to parry Sabine's next attack. However that was what Sabine was counting on and she hit Jai with a sidekick that knocked him right off the roof of the Ghost.

Jai landed hard in the dirt but quickly pulled himself up. "What the hell are you doing!? I thought we were cool now!?"

Sabine look down almost mockingly at Jai from her high vantage point. She brandish Ezra's blue lightsaber at him as she spoke. "We're cool. This is me helping you. You see I noticed that when I fought with Ezra that he doesn't have a middle gear. Ezra is either waiting patiently behind an iron wall defense or he's coming at you with a relentless attack. Now I saw your good with blocking blasters but I'll bet your swordsmanship is lacking."

Jai couldn't auger with Sabine's assessment of his skill. Weber Cross had trained him thinking he'd be fighting bucket-heads with blaster more then foes wielding lightsabers. Jai got back on his guard with a flourish of his yellow bladed lightsaber.

This would make for good training.

"Bring It!" Jai said.

Like anyone ever had to say that to a Mandalorain.

-half an hour later-

Kanan was helping Hera set the table for dinner. She had not been happy at first to have a new crew member dumped on them without so much as a word of warning. Kanan however always had a way with Hera. More to the point he had 'his' way with Hera and that put her in a much better mood.

Zeb came up from the engine compartment with his clothes stained with grease. "So what do we got for eats today?" Zeb asked while he eyed the spread of food.

"I'll tell you after you wash up." Hera said chiding Zeb on the condition of his clothing.

Kanan checked his wrist chronograph. "Where are Sabine and Jai?"

"Right here!" Sabine said in an unusually good mood.

Jai dragged himself after her with a black eye and a hand holding his bloody nose shut.

Kanan walked over and pried Jai's hand away from his injured face. Kanan whistled and then shook his head at the damage done. "Sabine got you with that damned phantom elbow of her's that comes out of nowhere, right?"

"How did you... arugh!" Jai started to say something but Kanan pushed a clean cloth under his bleeding nose.

"Who do you think she perfected it on? I had no idea what I was getting into when I said I'd teach her how to use a lightsaber."

Sabine glowed as if she was just given high praise. "Don't ever underestimate the combat instincts of a Mandalorain."

-The Resolute, Hanger-

Exar and Smiley were going over the first transports of new materially and personnel for the ship.

"It's taking longer with the supply network tied up in knots. So we won't have our full garrison of Stormtroopers for a while but the crew we had with us from CM-185 is settling in nicely." Smiley reported as shuttles landed and were unloaded all around them.

Exar who had his hood up and his mask on nodded his head. "I wasn't expecting that we'd be able to set out right a way anyway. Do the best you can with what we have."

"Yes, sir but it seems one of the officers you requested is arriving early."

"How early?"

Smiley came to attention as a newly minted Stormtrooper Second Lieutenant came down one of the shuttle ramps.

Second Lieutenant Zare Leonis looked around the old Venator-class hanger and wondered what trick of the Dark Side brought him here. He spotted the cause soon enough. The hooded creepy guy next to the Jango Fett clone. Zare squared his shoulders in his black dress uniform and quick marched up to the pair. "Second Lieutenant Zare Leonis reporting as ordered."

Smiley nodded and could see the shinny needing to be knocked off the young lieutenant. Well what were NCOs like Smiley for if not to break in new officers. "Good to have you with us, Sir."

Exar cut in before anything else could be said. "Smiley I'll leave you to oversee the rest of the resupply. Seeing as I'm as useful as deadweight around here I'll show our new lieutenant around."

Zare was taken back by the Inquisitor's tone. The man talked like he knew Zare from somewhere. Zare had only meet with one Inquisitor before and that was still an unpleasant memory years later. Never the less Zare fell in behind the Inquisitor and the two made their way out of the hanger.

The corridors of the Resolute were a filled with jumble of people, droids and equipment. Exar wanted the ship not just back to full operational but upgraded to modern Naval standards. The ship was well over twenty years old and numerous advancements had been made in senors, deflectors and gunnery in that time. Anyone who thought of this ship was just a relic would be in for a nasty surprise.

"Sir, I don't understand why I was chosen for this..." Zare hunted for the right word as he looked around him. "... assignment."

"'Ours is not to question why but to do or die' isn't that what they say in the Stormtrooper Corps?"

"That saying goes back to the Republic and I do obey the orders given to me."

"Really?" Exar asked and Zare fought to stop a chill running down his back. Did this Inquisitor know about the help he gave the Rebels back on Lothal? Was it the data breaches as he searched for his sister Dhara? If that was so transferring him out here just to kill him seemed needlessly convoluted.

Then again Zare wasn't so sure that an Inquisitor wouldn't do just that.

Exar called an elevator for them. The doors opened and a young female sailor holding a hover cart looked up from a datapad. "Sir!" it was a bit of a start to find yourself face to face with the Inquisitor without warning. She then blushed at her outburst. "Sorry but I wasn't expecting the Imperial Inquisition."

Exar shrugged as if he gets that reaction all the time. "No one expects the Imperial Inquisition. Now I need this elevator."

"Huh? But this isn't my floor." She held out the datapad that had the instructions of where to deliver the crate.

Exar's cybernetic arm slammed loudly into the elevator's wall and the young women jumped. "Get out and then get the next one."

She rushed to obey but in her hast she bumped Zare with the cart. "Sorry!"

Zare was about to say something but she had moved on down the corridor. The wrong corridor in the wrong section of the ship for whatever it was she was delivering. He kind of felt bad for her.

Exar waved Zare into the now empty elevator and hit a floor number. After the elevator stated to move for a bit Exar opened the contrail panel and stopped it between floors.

"Alright this gives us as much privacy as we can get on an Imperial ship." Exar said then pulled back his hood and removed his mask. "I think our introduction is long overdue but you once knew me as Devi Morgan."

Zare promptly decked Exar with a right cross to the face and then pushed him up against the elevator's far wall. "You Kirffing Son of a Schutta!"

"Oh good, you do remember me." Exar said smiling viciously at the man who had him by the throat.

"I thought you were dead. We all thought that you were dead!"

"I've been hearing that a lot lately."

Zare tightened his grip on the neckline of Exar's under armor robes. "You don't even care do you?"

"Let's make one thing clear." Exar said then used a hand gesture used to Force throw Zare across the evaluator and hold him against the opposite wall. Zare struggled helplessly against the invisible bonds that held him. Exar spat some blood from his mouth and then rubbed his sore chin. "I gave you that hit as a freebie. Come at me again and it will start costing you."

Exar then let Zare go.

Zare took a movement to marshal his temper but he didn't attack Exar again. "Alright, so what do you want with me."

"I need your help." Exar said simply.

"Why should I help you? After all you abandoned your friends and joined the Empire."

"You don't know anything about what I've been through!" Exar said his voice rising and sounding loud in the enclosed space of the elevator. "Did you know they tortured me? I don't just main mentality or emotionally but as in beaten almost to death. I begged at first for mercy and then for death even knowing I wouldn't get either. Through all that I never gave up a single name from the Rebellion and I knew many of the players." Exar grew quite and got up right in Zare's face. "I never said a word about your part in anything we did. If I had you and your family would be dead now."

Zare glared back harshly at Exar. "So your blackmailing me now? Obey or it's my life."

Exar frustration boiled over and he punched the wall behind Zare. "No! I didn't keep you safe so I could use you. I did it because even while dead to the galaxy and suffering in some hell I still thought of you as a friend."

Exar took a deep breath and calmed downed. "If we're not friends anymore it still doesn't change the fact that I know your a good man Zare Leonis. I need all the good men and women the Empire can muster."

Exar back away and then started the elevator up again.

It was perhaps the longest most awkward elevator ride of Zare's life. Neither man said another word or even looked at each other. Finally when the doors opened Zare asked a question before Exar got out.

"Just what are you trying to accomplish?"

Exar looked back and smiled that pure honest smile that even the Dark Side couldn't take from him. "I'm trying to save the galaxy."

Zare Leonis followed Exar out of the elevator and the two of them continued touring the ship.

-The Resolute, Captain Xelha's Personal Quarters-

Captain Nara Xelha was putting the finishing touches on her quarters. Smaller then the room she had on CM-185 but with the same drab Imperial architecture. Didn't help that all her personal effect were floating out in the middle of space. Still with her new Captains pay and the abundance of markets on Coruscant she found some nice Zeltron furnishings.

The walls were hung with silk pastel tapestries while a wind chime made from the fossilizes of Zeltron's ancient aquatic life rang softly. Zeltron furniture also tended to be lower to the floor and wider as they may need to double as a bed in a moment's notice. (Some humans said it was because the Zeltron's were so promiscuous but they just viewed it as being practical.)

The only thing that Xelha didn't have that she wished she did was some civies. Her whole wardrobe had been blasted to space dust. She knew she wouldn't have much call to ware anything but her uniform on ship but she still like something for when they made port.

The door chimed.

"Come in." Xelha said as she fussed over the pillows on her new frictionless sofa.

Commander Josette Humah entered wearing her black ship's suit and carrying a bottle and two glasses. "Are you getting settled in Captain?"

"Yes." Xelha turned to face Humah and that when she spotted the bottle and her Navy training came up. "That is against regulation."

Humah smiled an set the bottle and glasses down. "Don't worry it's nonalcoholic yogan juice. It's the Inquisitor's favorite dink and it is quite refreshing."

"In that case pour me a glass will you?"

Xelha took a glass that was offered to her and shared a silent toast with Humah. However she soon wiped the smile from her face. "I think we need to clear something up between us Commander Humah. I don't want there to be any misunderstanding or hurt feelings."

"What are you talking about?"

"I just don't want to be seen as stringing you along. I'm grateful for your consideration and friendship but I want you to understand I'm an officer before anything else."

"I understand that. I see you as an officer and a good one at that. But forgive me for being forward but you seemed like someone like me."

"Someone like you?" Xelha ask and it was only slightly an accusation. "I know my people have well a earned reputation but..."

Josette stopped Xelha right there with a kind smile. "I meant you seem lonely."

Xelha had been lonely. Her time in the Navy had been one of ostracism and otherness. In a way she pushed people away because she wanted to be seen as a officer first. So she found herself alone and in a job where no one respected her in. Xelha had been terribly lonely.

Humah had lived through much the same kind of loneliness only for far longer then Xelha had. Being called 'butch' as if her physicality and strength somehow made her less of a women. Or as if being gay somehow made her less of a human. Well being gay was enough to not make a daughter or sister to her family anymore.

Seeing that Zeltrond were more empathic then most races Xelha saw those phantoms of emotional pain cross Humah's face. She could never understand how humans could view gender and sexuality as somehow different aspects of a person. As if one could define the other.

"Josette, I can call you Josette when we're off duty like this can't I?"

Josette Humah smiled. "Only if I can call you Nara when we're alone."

Nara Xelha nodded and blushed a little bit. "It's just you know that fraternization is frowned upon."

"Frowned upon but as long as I don't ask you for favors there's no problem." Josette took a step toward Nara.

Nara reached out and touched Josette's hand and then ran her finger ups along the other woman's arms and shoulder. "I'd worry about you every time you went out in one of those death traps you call a starfighter."

Josette sighted as Nara stretched her fingertips out and brushed the side of her neck cheek. Humah was a taller then Xelha but the Zeltron had better proportions. Josette moved closer until their bodies were almost pressing up against one another. "Your a good Captain so you'd worry about everyone on your ship. I don't think this would undermine you ability to command."

"And just what is this?" Nara said asking about what Josette thought the two of them where.

Josette responded by kissing her.

It was a kiss Nara returned with passion. However she broke it when she felt Josette's hands on her body. "Hold it. I think we should go slow."

"I disagree." Josette said pulling the top her of her ship suit open. "I'm a TIE pilot and slow is the same as dead. Besides you can't order me around now as we're off duty and your out of uniform."

"Huh? I am off duty but I'm sill in uniform."

Josette then easily picked the smaller woman up in her arms and kissed her. "Give me a few moments and I'll have you out uniform."

Nara didn't seem to mind her new position and quickly warped her shapely legs around Josette's waist. "I don't have an civies so if I'm out of uniform I'll have nothing to wear." The zeltron said and then kissed her new human girlfriend.

Josette growled lustfully at Nara's playfulness. "Now your just being a tease."

Xelha was suddenly grateful she had a new frictionless sofa as she and Humah went about breaking it in.

-Twenty minuets later-

Exar was walking down the corridor with Zare still showing him around the ship. "I'm telling I only have the best people on this ship."

"Really?" Zare asked.

"Look I want you to meet Captain Xelha." Exar said as they made it to the Captain's cabin. "She's just a consummate professional."

Being an Inquisitor he had the override every door on the ship and just let himself and Zare in.

They saw a flash of moment as a very naked Josette rolled over the back of the sofa to hide behind it. Nara was still wearing her officer's over shirt but just barely. The shirt was unbuttoned so she had to use one hand to hold it close and the other hand to pull the hem down because that shirt was all that she was wearing.

"Inquisitor!? What the Kriff are you doing here!?"

With respect to the shirt it was giving a valiant effort to cover Xelha even as parts of her treated to spill out from under it.

Exar and Zare stared for a moment while they processed what they were seeing. (Then they took a few more moments to enjoy what they were seeing.)

Exar shook himself out of it and quickly found Xelha's new wall tapestries incredibility fascinating. "Sorry Captain. I didn't mean to intrude. I just wanted introduce 2nd Lieutenant Leonis to you."

Zare's dark face almost glowed bright red as he blushed to his ears. With nothing to fall back on he snapped off a salute to the nearly naked woman who was still the ship's captain. "Sir!"

Years of drilled in discipline took over and Xelha returned Zare's salute. The allowed her shirt to fall open and reveal everything she had.

Exar then quickly dragged Zare out into the hallway and shut the door behind them.

Xelha stood their for a moment longer before falling to the sofa. "I can't believe that happened."

Humah laughed from behind the sofa and pulled herself up. "That will teach him to knock next time." She said jokingly before picking up where she left off with her lover.

Outside Zare was moving down the corridor and trying to unsee what he saw while Exar kept pace with him.

Exar suddenly reeled back and punched Zare in the shoulder. "You brilliant cheeky bastard!"

"What the hell man!?"

"You and getter Xelha to salute like that! I can't believe you did that!"

Zare blushed at the accusation and at the memory of he saw. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

Exar draped his cybernetic arm around Zare's shoulders. "Don't lie to me. I'm an Inquisitor and I can tell when someone is lying."

Zare threw his arm off him. "Like you had no part in this mess!"

"Hey, I was averting my eyes and looking at the tapestries while you ogled the Captain." Exar seemed to get thoughtful for a moment. "Such a lovely shade of blue."

Exar could have been talking about the some blue from one of the wall tapestries.

Then again he could have been talking about pale blue hair Xelha had.

And not just on her head.

Zare lashed out and hit Exar's while failing to contain his laughter. "Asshole!"

If anyone came saw Exar and Zare right then they would see an Inquisitor and Second Lieutenant trading insults and laughing uproariously.

Or to be more accurate about it they'd have seen Exar and Zare acting like old friends.

-end-

There you go Xelha giving you all a little holiday cheesecake.

I noticed that I was haveing Ezra showing more skin in this fanfic then the ladies were. I hope this concerned has now been addressed. And I find few things as awkward and as funny as someone walking in on a couple.

Also few things are as sexy as a woman just wearing an unbuttoned shirt. She has the fabric cinched tightly around her breast to cover herself but there's not enough to cover her thighs. She is as once being modest and yet is very exposed.

Truthfully I didn't see Xelha and Humah being a thing in this fanfic. Xelha and Smiley were going to be the opposites of Hera and Zeb in Ezra's life in the Empire. Humah wasn't going to be in anything more then the last chapter. She only has a name because I feel that if I call back to someone in another scene then they should have a name. (Case in point Vader's guards were just Vader's guards and didn't need a name so much.)

I was going to try and hook Xelha up with someone else but she was all like.

"No I don't like him and I do not exist just to be someone's arm candy. I'm an officer in the Imperial Navy God Damn it!"

"No your a fan character in story and you have to do what I say."

"You do not get to define my sexuality."

"Okay, fine no love interest then."

Humah then popped up in my head. "I think she's cute."

"Your gay!?" Slayzer asked stunned by his one creations coming out to him.

Humah shrugged. "Apparently, is that a problem?"

"How do you feel about this Xelha?"

"Well there is something irresistible about the continents of a military uniform."

Slayzer sighed feeling his imagine as gone off the rails. "Fine but I may have you both do something exploitative later."

Humah smiled longingly. "Good."

"Wow, your feistier then I thought you'd be."

Anyway that's how my fan characters took over their roles.

Back to Star Wars characters.

I hate Tarkin. So Exar was just going toe to toe with him to put him in his place. That old fool was just like 'Look at me I'm such hot shit.' Exar is then all like 'Your just a cold turd.' When I realize that was all I needed from the since I cut out like half a page of slow and usless dialogue.

The hardest thing here was Vader and Ezra.

Ezra sees Vader as something like a father figure. Just not in the nurturing father figure he had with Kanan. It's more like 'No matter how much he hurt me he still made me the man I am today'. I also don't think it's wrong to pity Vader because he just has nothing real.

Also even now there's a bit of Anikin deep inside Vader. So a part of him see's Ezra as a stand in for his child. Not that the Sith Lord is nurturing him or even cares but some part of him is drawn to Ezra. Kind of like how Ezra see's that as broken and evil as Vader is he's also the best chance the galaxy has for peace.

Other then that I've made Jai Kell and Zare Leonis take the stage as well. I was briefly considering making Jai a love interest for Sabine but I hate love triangles that go nowhere. (Pro-tip, complicated love narratives do not improve a plot just by throwing them in there.)

I am thinking about putting Dhara Leonis in the next chapter. She's going to be the one keeping eyes on Exar so he doesn't overstep the authority he's been given. I also have a fan character in mind for that role but maybe there are too many original characters in here already?

Anyway thank you all for reading and again for your forbearance while I worked some stuff out in my life.

Please tell me what you thought in a review.

I'd like to wish you all a (belated) Happy Hanukkah and an (early) Merry Christmas.

To any Muslim brothers and sisters reading this then 'God's Peace be Upon You'. (You are all very much in my heart and prayers in this trying time we all find ourselves in.)

To the Atheist or Secular minded among us I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Sadly I don't know any Buddhist or Hindu sayings or blessing with which to wish any of you well with.

Peace.