Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Oh geez, this chapter took a long time to write. I lost my job and then had to search for a new one. But all is well I found a new one. Hope you all in enjoy the new chapter.

And I'm pretty excited by what I have seen in Season 3 so far.

Thank you to everyone who has been reading my story. Thank you to those who reviewed, favorited, and followed.

Chapter 8

The wind rushed past Zaria's headdress. She sped her speeder up to catch up to Kanan, Ezra and Sabine.

"Aren't we going the wrong way?" Ezra yelled over the wind.

The imps were still chasing them.

The moon was peeking through the clouds.

"We don't want to lead them back to the Ghost. Follow me." Kanan ordered and his speeder accelerated and he turned sharply left. Zaria could see the outline of a town nearby.

She smirked. Kanan's plan was to lose them by splitting up.

Her fingers curled tighter against her handles. She had been going stir crazy.

She was a warrior, she needed to fight. She need to hit something. Zaria could feel that something was going to happen to her.

"See you you at the edge of town." Zaria waved to the others and veered off. Kanan shook his head at her. Troopers followed after her. She hadn't been able to cut loose in a while with how paranoid Hera and Kanan had gotten. They hadn't taken as many jobs from Vizago.

A blast hit a rock up ahead of her.

How cute that the troopers thought they could stay a chance against her. She sneered.

The Sith pureblood switched off her speeder bike and hopped off it. She held her hands up in mock surrender. The storm troopers fell god her ruse. They circled their bike to surround her. Their blasters pointed at her.

"In name of the galactic empire you are under arrest." the lead trooper got off his bike.

Zaria let out a blood curdling laugh. Her force aura projecting her bloodlust. Quick as light, Zaria raised her hands.

She could feel energy thumping under her skin. She released the energy into blue sparking force lighting. The men in front of her screamed as the energy crackled over their skin. Zaria felt so alive.

She had done it, she had made force lighting! Just like her father.

She dodged a shot from behind. She drew her sabers and grinned. The remaining troopers gulped in terror.

"Say your goodbyes gentleman." Zaria cackled high on her power.

She lunged forward and with three force dashes and strikes. Heads rolled to the ground. Zaria stretched her arms and climbed back onto her bike.

She was buzzing with excitement.

Force lightning. By the Bogan gods she had finally done it. She guided her bike to the front of the town. She followed the trail of unconscious troopers left behind by the others. She debated on cutting their heads off as she passed by. Zaria sighed and decided against it.

Her Com buzzed on her wrist.

"Specter seven, pick is a go. I repeat pick up is a go. Head to pick up spot." Kanan's voice crackled in the static.

"Roger that, Specter 1. I'm on my way to pick up. I will meet you in front of town." Zaria swerved her bike and headed for the warehouse. The old grumpy besalisk had his four flabby arms full of the medical and data pad supplies.

Zaria skidded to a stop.

She handed the besalisk his payment.

The warrior girl secured the supplies to the back of her bike.

In seconds she was already on track.

The imps had been taken care of, and the others were waiting for her.

"Let's get this back to Vizago." Kanan says revving his engine.

The ride to Vizago's camp was short.

Vizago was waiting for them.

Zaria was smiling under her headdress.

"You're in a good mood." Ezra raised an eyebrow at Zaria.

Zaria winked at him.

"I'll tell you and Kanan back at home."

"Is it a force thing?" Sabine guessed.

Zaria nodded.

"I'm feeling generous tonight." Vizago was saying to Kanan as they exchanged the supplies for payment.

"Here is some information you rebels will find useful. Grand Moff Tarkin is on Lothal. From what I hear, he isn't very happy about the rebel activities on Lothal."

Kanan's eyes widened.

"Thank you Vizago."

Vizago nodded.

"You have given me good business for the last couple of weeks."

Kanan walked back over to the teens.

"Let's get back to the ship. I gave an idea."

This is a line break.

Kanan sat down looking at his team. His strange but loveable family.

"I have a plan." He announced.

Ezra's head perked up.

"What is it?"

"Yes love, what is it?" Hera put a hand on his arm. Zaria leaned back in her chair.

Sabine waited for Kanan to speak.

"Let's hear it." Zeb grunted.

"I have been doing some thinking about the messages, Travis and Ezra's parents." Kanan leaned forward on his hands.

Ezra blinked in surprise.

"My parents?"

Kanan nodded.

"I have been studying their equipment and journals. I think we should broadcast our own message of hope to the citizens of Lothal and any other system near by."

Jaws dropped.

"Kanan! That's very dangerous." Hera hissed.

"We are supposed to keep a low profile."

"The empire would trace the signal, no problem." Ezra looked down at the floor. Fear curling in the pit of his stomach. The holo broadcast his parents had done had gotten them killed. He didn't want to lose his new family.

"I don't get it, how would a broadcast help?" Zeb frowned.

"People are afraid and losing hope. We have to get it back for them. We have to stop hiding and let the empire know that people aren't just going to take their abuse anymore." Kanan clenched his fist.

"But like Ezra said. The empire would track us in seconds." Sabine folds her arms across her chest.

"Not if the signal comes from one of their own Com towers." Kanan grinned.

Zaria barked out a laugh.

"That might actually work."

Even Hera looked more eager.

"And what would we say in this message? This plan is crazy you guys know that right?" Ezra ran his fingers through his hair.

"Something the empire never talks about the truth. People need to know what's going on out here." Kanan looked around the room.

"Who's ready to do this?"

Hera smiled fondly at Kanan.

"If you think it's a good plan. Than I will support you."

Zeb yawned.

"I never say no to knocking around imps."

Sabine smirked.

"Chopper and I can get a slicer spike ridged up in no time."

Chopper beeped in agreement.

"If I might make the suggestion of the forty six sector communication tower. It would have the strongest signal."

TZ34 suggested.

"Good plan, TZ34." Kanan nodded.

Zaria templed her fingers together.

"It seems risky. But I think you're right Kanan. Right now across the galaxy there are sparks of revolution. But this could start a fire. If that happens it may well be worth the risk. But let's not rush into things."

Zaria stood.

"We need to scope out our options. And the equipment from the Briggers is old. It needs to be updated if we want it to do widespread broadcasting."

Zaria walked over to Kanan's side.

"Do you and Ezra volunteer to tinker with it?" Kanan looks at them.

"Yeah, I'm sure Zaria and I can figure something out." Ezra looked confident.

"Good, now let's eat dinner." Kanan clapped his hands.

This is a line break.

Zaria cursed.

"Kodel gal nu nenx itik sis status zhol meo mazo patogus galas naktis." *

So far she had not been able to create any more Sith lightning. Whatever had let her access it last night was gone.

The Sith pureblood could feel herself out of balance in the force. She had been using to much of the dark side of the force lately.

And she was frustrated she couldn't figure out how to make her Sith lightning work.

The dark had always come easier to her. It felt like she had taken steps back. Her progress being lost in her.

Zaria clenched her fists.

She had found a new family. Made new bonds. The crew of the Ghost was her family now. She feared losing them.

Her friends dying and leaving her on her own again.

Zaria would kill as many imps as she needed. She could be the one to soak her hands in blood. As long as it kept them safe. Zaria hissed in pain as the training droids shot a blasting bolt to her leg.

Her blacked out visor helmet cracked with another shot. She was losing focus.

"Zaria!" Kanan called out to her in the force and out loud. Zaria flung off the visor and turned to face the jedi. His beaming light in the force made her cringe. Her signature was always a shining gray. Now it was being tinged with black and red.

She used the force to crush the tiny circular droids.

"Yes?" She bit out short temperedly.

"Is everything alright, Zaria? I'm a little worried about you." Kanan's voice and force presence soothed Zaria.

She sighed heavily.

"I don't . . . . . I've been killing troopers. Lots of them, and I enjoy it. I enjoy it Kanan. It's just how I am. My whole being presses me to fight, to eliminate threats." Zaria was pacing now.

"I've been trying to fit in. Abide by your example. But I am attached to the crew. I'm so afraid of losing you. I don't want to go through that again."

Zaria was rambling now. Embarrassed she wiped at her eyes.

"Zaria." Kanan grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Breathe."

Zaria paused and closed her eyes.

She took a deep breath.

Kanan sat down on the ground. He pulled Zaria down next to him.

"I knew about the troopers." He admitted.

"You did?" Zaria blinked.

He nodded.

"You're not as sneaky as you think. Look Zaria, I realize that we have different viewpoints." Kanan looks down at his hands.

"Realistically killing the troopers is a sound strategy. I know you don't make them suffer, it's quick and painless. I'm not going to tell you that you're a bad person for killing them. Because you're not."

Zaria swallowed.

"Zaria up until I met Ezra, I wasn't a practicing Jedi. I've had to kill to survive. You need to do what you think is right.

And as for the matter of attachment." Kanan reached down and gripped her hand. "I've learned that attachment isn't a bad thing. It can be wonderful. But Zaria, you can't be afraid of losing us. It is going to happen. Maybe not today, many not tomorrow. But everyone dies, even stars die."

Zaria felt tears drip down her face.

It was free of her headdress.

Kanan hugged her.

"It's okay to care and love us. But you need to let go of the fear of losing us. You're strong and if need be you can go on without us."

Zaria was sobbing now, feeling her emotions and letting them go.

Kanan held her close.

"Thank you Kanan." Zaria wiped at the snot on her nose.

"I appreciate you coming to talk with me."

Kanan smiled.

"Come on Ezra is waiting for us. Some meditation will do you some good."

This is a line break.

Zaria breathed in and out.

Objects were floating around her.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

She was sinking into the force.

Zaria let it guide her.

A young human male bowed to an dark figure.

"Ram Kota is dead my master." The human reached for a light saber from his belt and presented it to his master.

"Were the witnesses taken care of?" The dark man demanded of him coldly.

"Of course my master. None survived." The boy sunk lower into his bow.

"You have done well my apprentice. I have another task for you. There is a prisoner on their way to the planet Mustafar. It is imperative that she is not in Imperial custody. You will release her." The master orders. Like a good apprentice.

The boy does not questions the demand.

"Your will is mine master, it will be done."

"Once you have freed the prisoner, you will await further instructions."

The vision was fading, slipping away from Zaria. The objects clattered to the floor.

She felt Ezra poking her.

"Wake up sleepy head." Ezra snickered.

"Kanan wants to train outside the ship."

Zaria opened her eyes.

"Everything okay?" Ezra asked.

"I'm fine. I was having a vision." Zaria stood up.

"A vision?" Kanan paused at the door.

"What about? Our mission?"

Zaria shook her head.

"It wasn't clear. But no, it wasn't about our mission. There was a boy. He killed a jedi, named Ram Kota. That's all I can remember it's fading now." Zaria sighed in frustration.

Kanan froze.

"Ram Kota?" He frowned.

"Do you know him, Kanan?" Ezra questioned.

"The name is familiar." Kanan stroked his chin.

"Well, let's get outside. I have something I think I can teach you."

Zaria quirked an eyebrow stalk.

"You think?"

Kanan chuckled.

"It's called Shatterpoint. I'm actually hoping teaching the two of you will help me learn it better."

Standing in the grassy plains of Lothal.

Kanan cleared his throat.

"Shatterpoint is a force technique rediscovered by my Grand master, Mace Windu. This force phenomena will show you weak points in anything. People, objects, events." Kanan explained.

"That sounds incredibly useful." Zaria was awed.

"I know the basics of it. Unfortunately I never learned more after Mace and my master died." Kanan rubbed the back of his neck.

"But I thought if I taught you two the basics it might help me out with it."

Zaria nodded.

"I also have two techniques, I'm having trouble with."

Ezra looked surprised.

"You? You're having trouble with the force? But it always comes so naturally to you."

Zaria smirked. Her canines glinting in the sun light.

"Everyone has their off days. Ezra you should teach us how you master beasts. It will improve your skill. I'm having trouble with Sith lightning, and battle meditation." Zaria waited for Kanan's reaction to her first skill. She was relieved when he merely nodded.

"I don't know if I will be much help with the Sith technique. But I do remember reading some old text logs and something in my holocron about it." Kanan supplied helpfully.

"This is also something about it in my holocron. But I just can't seem to get to it. It's a very old holocron. I have a hard time getting past any of my parents entries."

Zaria frowned.

"Well for now let's focus on the techniques maybe after the mission we will have more time to investigate our holocrons."

Kanan gracefully sat down.

Ezra and Zaria followed his example.

Kanan placed three corusca gems on the ground in front of them.

"This is what Mace had me use to practice on. It's important to know shatterpoints can be used to destroy or fix. You must be cautious before using it." Kanan lectured.

Using the force, Kanan made a gem float in the air above his hand.

"You must reach into the force. Look for the weaknesses of the gem. Once the force has shown you the shatterpoints you either destroy or fix the gem." Kanan closed his eyes. Zaria and Ezra did the same.

The two younger force users let the force flow through them. They focused on the gem.

Kanan focused on his gem. Searching for its shatterpoint. The jedi didn't have to search any longer. He could see the exact point of weakness in the gem.

Kanan smiled. Just explaining the technique has helped him immensely.

He opened his eyes.

Ezra had his face in a grimace. Not finding anything in the gem. Zaria's face was deep in concentrate but she also was having trouble.

"It's okay if you two don't get it on the first try. It took me a whole month to even start to see the shatterpoints. I still have trouble." Kanan encouraged them.

"Hey Kanan can you show us?" Ezra requested.

Kanan nodded.

The two watched the jedi close his eyes. The gem floated above his hand.

Kanan found the shatterpoint quicker this time. Zaria and Ezra watched the gem closely. Ezra's eyes widened at the cracks forming on the gem. The large crack inside the middle. The cracks joined together and the gem shattered.

"That was awesome!" Ezra yelled.

"Your masters would be proud Kanan." Zaria smiled. Kanan opened his eyes and the shards of the gem dropped to the ground.

"It's been a long time since I have been able to do that. I would have never gone back to the force if I hadn't met the two of you." Kanan stood.

"Ezra why don't you shows your taming skills. You've gotten better at it than me."

Ezra shrugged modestly and walked to his left.

He closed his eyes.

"I can sense three loth cats. A family. I don't really know how to explain it. But I have this connection with creatures. I just feel the bond and ask them to listen to me."

Ezra sat down and reached out to one of the loth cats.

Kanan and Zaria did the same.

The loth cats wandered over to them.

A small loth cat jumped onto Zaria's lap and purred.

She petted it's fur. It was fascinating to watch her brolin connect with the animals.

Both Kanan and Zaria already had a passing education in this skill.

But Ezra truly had a gift.

Ezra stood and stretched.

"So Zaria I guess your up."

Zaria shooed the little loth cat off.

"Well Sith lightning is a difficult technique to learn. My father was brilliant at it."

Zaria smiled.

"My father used it to overload droids, coms, and on one occasion a ship. He could use it as a shield, he could redirect it. He could knock people out or kill them. And he could focus some in his hand and grab lightsaber with it."

Ezra whistled.

"That's wizard!"

Kanan looked intrigued.

"To be honest I've only ever heard of it being shot out from Sith's hands. I had no idea it had so many other applications."

Zaria scoffed.

"Those Sith pretenders have no imagination."

"So how do you make it work?" Ezra asks.

"Well, other Sith use hate or anger. But my father used jubilation or fury. It feels like you're touching a power grid. The energy gathers in your body and once it builds up. You release it. As of right now I can only build up the energy and maybe shoot it out of my hands." Zaria sighed.

"Show us the process. Perhaps if I look with my shatterpoint I can tell you where you're going wrong." Kanan suggested.

Zaria gaped at him.

"That is the single most amazing idea I have ever heard."

Kanan laughed.

"I heard it's how Mace Windu helped other masters prefect their own force specialties."

Zaria closed her gold eyes and focused on building up the energy in her body.

She moved it to her hands. The energy was resisting. Zaria pushed it out anyway and then it fizzled out as it hit the air.

"I think I saw some sparks." Ezra offered.

Kanan looked thoughtful.

"It looks good until you force it out of you. I think you need to let it flow out instead. Try it again."

"What are you guys doing?" Zeb asked as he and Sabine walked towards them.

"Zaria is trying to shoot lightning from her fingertips." Ezra answered not looking up from Zaria's red hands.

Zaria was deep in concentration.

Kanan's eyes closed watching in the force.

Zeb yelped as a bolt of purple Sith lightning shot out near his feet. The dirt turning into glass from the heat. Zaria jumped up and pumped a fist into the air.

"I did it! I did it!" she cheered.

"Should we be worried?" Zeb grunted as Zaria laugh and began to spark.

Kanan shook his head.

"Nah, it will be fine."

"I'd be more worried for our enemies." Sabine snickers.

"So how goes the force training?" Sabine looks at Zaria chasing Ezra around and trying to give him a shock.

"It went really well today." Kanan answers.

Zeb growled and picked both of the younger force user up.

"That's enough of that you two." He scolded. "Hera says it's time to eat." Sabine smiles.

"She sent us out to get you three."

"Zaria, Ezra, Food." Kanan called out. The two were wrestling Zeb to the ground.

This is a line break.

Sabine was working on the spikes for the mission. Zaria sat at the workbench.

She was adjusting the old Bridger transceiver.

"I though Ezra and you were supposed to update that old thing together?" Sabine looked up.

"Ezra decided not to." Zaria shrugged.

"Oh, I see." Sabine says sadly.

"Ezra's strong, he'll be okay." Zaria fiddled with the components inside the machine.

"I'm glad you're here with us. It's nice to have another girl who's around my age." Sabine admits.

Zaria grinned.

"It's nice to be around people again. As far as roommates go. You're not bad."

"After the mission we should spar. We have really gotten the chance to." Sabine suggests.

Zaria nodded.

"Yes, sparring with you should be fun. No force, no weapons, just hand to hand. I've seen that you practice imperial and mandalorian styles."

Sabine nodded.

"I'm interested in your styles. Teräs Käsi and

Enchani right?"

Zaria grinned.

"My father taught them to me."

Sabine grinned back.

"My mother taught me mine."

This is a line break.

Zaria perched on the high rise above the road to the main imperial communication tower. She was full of nervous energy the vision she had had last night had shaken her. If they weren't on such an important mission. Zaria would have spoken with Kanan about it more.

"TZ34 picked right. This tower handles all of the coms for every imperial operation on the planet. Including the empire's HoloNet broadcasts." Kanan says looking to Sabine. Sabine pulled down the sensor on her mandalorian helmet and checked the defenses.

"They've got four squads of troopers guarding the perimeter and Three anti-ship guns. Not an easy trip to the front door."

Sabine sighed.

Kanan smiled.

"Let's not underestimate ourselves."

Ezra shrugged his shoulders.

"What's the worse that could happen?"

Zaria snorted.

"Getting in will be easy, getting out on the other hand. The moment we start our attack. Reinforcements will be on their way in matter of minutes."

Sabine frowned under her helmet.

"That's true this mission will have serious time constraints. We have to be quick and fast. The data spikes would take at least five minutes to upload Chopper's and my programming into the central computer." Sabine stared at the tower.

"Then after uploading we should be able to transmit from the Bridgers' machine."

Kanan looked determined as he gazed at the tower.

"Three would be better."

Sabine crossed her arms with irritation.

"You can have it good or you can have it fast."

"Having it good is our best option." Zaria agreed.

"The empire won't know what hit them." Ezra grinned.

"Alright, Sabine scan us a holo map and let's get out of here." Kanan ordered.

Zaria's sensitive ears picked up on a shuttle traveling up the road.

"Shuttle!" she hissed in warning and went flat on top of the high rise they were spying on top of. The others did the same.

It passed by underneath them.

A Droid detached itself from the rear.

Zaria groaned.

"It's one of those new annoying imperial spy bots."

Sabine leveled a blaster at the droid.

"Imperial probe droid." Sabine corrected her. "Can it see us?" Ezra questioned.

"Not yet." Sabine readied her blasters.

"We need to move." Kanan tensed as the droid passed under them.

"It's going to see our bikes, their right by their road." Ezra hissed.

Sabine aimed her blasters.

Ezra held up a hand.

"Wait, if we shoot it then they will know something's up. Let me try something." Ezra closed his eyes and stretched out his hand. The force reached out searching.

Ezra connected with a loth-cat.

He suggested the animal attack the tiny floating droid. The loth cat growled and sprang into the air. The little droid didn't stand a chance. Zaria snickered as the loth cat's claws scratched and bit the bot.

The Droid whined and it's power core was smoking. The spy bots were not meant for battle. It didn't take much to destroy one. The Droid clanked to the ground. The loth cat hissed and ran off.

"Good job my little brolin. I have to say you're becoming quite the beast tamer." Zaria ruffled her little brother's hair.

Kanan looked proud of his padawan.

"Okay I'm impressed. We should start calling you Lord of the beasts." Sabine chuckled.

They slid down and jumped onto their bikes. "Let's get out of here." Kanan led the way back to the ship.

This is a line break.

They gathered around the mess table.

Sabine was installing the data spikes into Chopper. Zeb was cleaning his weapon for the mission.

"Well spikes have been installed. Chopper can upload the programing to the computer core from any terminal." Sabine gave Chopper a find pat.

Chopper beeped.

"Stop complaining bolt brain. You have the easy job." Zeb grunted.

"And the range of the spike?" Kanan stroked his chin.

"As long as the tower is transmitting and hooked up to the holonet. It's range is as far as the nearest systems by Lothal. We're good to go." Sabine grinned.

"Everyone will hear what we say. Well anyone who has their mandatory imperial channel on. Which would be quite a few."

TZ34 stepped forward.

"I have also made a modification to the spikes that will allow our transmitter to use emergency imperial channel. It will reach more people."

Zaria smiled.

"Good job TZ34."

"Thank you mistress." TZ34 looked quite proud of himself.

"All right once the spikes are uploaded we signal." Kanan stopped pacing the room.

"And I will be waiting to spirit you away in the Phantom." Hera confirmed the plan.

"You got it. That's the plan." Kanan smiled at Hera.

Sabine rolled her eyes.

"Because things always go according to the plans."

Ezra's mood fell.

"She's right about that." He muttered.

"What's wrong?" Kanan walked over to the seated Ezra.

"Nothing." Ezra shrugged.

Zaria raised an eyebrow stalk.

"Come on let's take a walk." Kanan led Ezra out of the room.

"I'm going to go prepare for the mission." Zaria left to her shared room.

She hooked her sabers and blasters to her belt. The Sith pureblood wrapped her headdress around her head.

She rummaged around in her closet for her armor. Her father had made it for her. Strong but light as not to hamper her speed. Zaria sat down on her bunk waiting for the call to leave. She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling of something bad going to happen.

This is a line break.

It was a beautiful night. The two moons were full and shone brilliantly down on the grass plains. Zaria's keen gold eyes could pick out the shadow of Sabine on her speeder with a tank of explosives hooked behind her. The mission was going well. But she still couldn't shake the feeling of something being off. The plan was in action. Zeb barreled towards the anti-ship guns. Chopper jammed the imps coms.

Zaria grinned as she slaughtered the troopers. Kanan, Sabine, Ezra and Chopper ducked into the com tower to upload their spike. Zaria threw her sabers and pulled them back into her hands using the force. Bodies toppled to the ground, heads rolled.

Zaria frowned and a dressed her com.

"Hang on, Ezra how many squads were here yesterday?"

"There were four squads." He answered.

"I only see two squads worth of troopers here." Zaria glared at the dead troopers.

"Zaria, Zeb, we have incoming the Imperial are on their way." Kanan warns them through their coms.

"It's a trap!" Zaria hissed.

The Sith pureblood looked out upon the horizon.

"I see four shuttle transports and three air transports headed our way." Zaria reported. "Zeb use the guns to knock out as much as their forces you can managed."

"Good thinking, Sabine we're gonna need you to speed up." Kanan ordered.

Zaria felt a shiver in the force.

She gasped as she felt the Pal'uan Inquisitor in the force.

'Kanan!' Zaria cried out into the force.

'It's not just imperials! The Inquisitor is on an air transport.'

'Oh no.' Kanan and Ezra exited the com tower. Kanan's eyes met hers.

Ezra frowned at them.

"Are you two talking through the force?"

"Ezra go get Zeb from the guns." Kanan barked.

"But I-" Ezra began.

"Go!" Kanan ordered.

Ezra grumbled and ran off the gun Zeb was shooting.

"Specter 1 to phantom. We're going to change our pick up." Kanan spoke into his com.

"Not a good idea spector one." Hera warned.

"The plan is changing Specter two. Just keep you eyes on the skies, We'll meet you up there." Kanan tells the pilot.

"Copy that." Hera confirmed.

The rebels regrouped at the entrance to the com tower.

"So what's the plan now?" Ezra yelled over the sound of incoming blaster fire.

"I want all of you inside the tower. Get to the top so Specter two can pick us up." Kanan pushed Ezra and Sabine back towards the door.

"Take the lift to the top." Kanan ordered.

Zaria stared up at the sky. Her blood boiling for a fight.

"Wait what about you and Zaria?" Ezra shouted, Zeb pushing him along.

"We'll take the next one." Kanan urges the other forward.

"Ezra!" Kanan stops his padawan a moment.

"May the force be with you."

Ezra nodded.

The doors closed behind the others.

Zaria reignited her sabers and stabbed the door controls. Agent Kallus got out from a shuttle. His troopers got out behind him.

"Now this is a familiar situation." the ISB Agent drawled.

"Sane situation, same ending. You lose." Kanan bantered. His lightsaber still drawn in a defensive position.

Zaria was searching for an opening.

"I don't think so, rebel." Agent Kallus gazed up at the air transports.

The Inquisitor jumped down gracefully.

Zaria snarled.

The Inquisitor smirked at the two.

He frowned when he saw that the door controls were fried. His gold eyes stared up at the top of the tower. Ezra, Sabine, Zeb and Chopper had made it to the top.

"What did you hope to gain by coming here?" The Inquisitor looked amused as the troopers in an air transport opened fired on their friends.

Zaria snorted and rolled her own gold eyes.

"You're clever figure it out." Kanan ran at the Sith force user. The practice had paid off. Kanan could hold his ground and even go on the offensive now.

"You've sharpened your skills Jedi. I assume it was the girl's doing." The Inquisitor sneered as he met Kanan's lightsaber head on.

Zaria turned her attention to the twelve troopers that Agent Kallus brought with him.

Zaria pounced and stabbed a trooper through the chest. She lazily deflected their shot back at them with her gold light saber. She lifted her free hand and closed a hand of the force on the remaining troopers necks. Zaria cackled when she closed her fist. Agent Kallus flinched at the sound of snapping necks.

"You're very much improved." The Inquisitor held his side still stinging from Kanan's force kick. He looked unwilling impressed by how much Kanan had grown since their last battle.

"There is someone who would like to meet the two of you. Surrender now, and he might let your friends live." The Inquisitor appeared to be winded.

'Trust me, and put away your sabers.' Kanan looked at Zaria.

She blinked and straighten from her crouch. 'I hope you know what you're doing.'

The two Rebels turned on their sabers and hooked them to their belts.

The Inquisitor's eyes widened in surprise at the surrender.

"Unexpected." He muttered.

Kanan's comlink beeped.

Hera shot down from the sky and blasted two of the air transports. The third retreated down to the ground.

Zaria forced pushed the Inquisitor and Kanan swung his blue saber at the dark user. Hera had the phantom's ramp extended.

Ezra's head peaked out from the railing.

"Zaria! Kanan!" He shouted.

'Go little brolin.' Zaria urged.

She was blocking shots from the troopers, so they wouldn't interrupt Kanan's fight.

Kanan groaned and Zaria turned to look behind her.

Kanan's lightsaber was in the Pal'uan's hands, the Sith practitioner had Kanan pinned against the broken door of the com tower with the force.

"Specter two, get out of here." Kanan ordered into his com.

"Negative, Specter one. We are not leaving you behind." Hera's voice cracked.

"That's an order." Kanan growled.

The phantom hovered above the tower then it jettisoned away.

The Inquisitor released Kanan. The human jedi fell to his knees. Zaria deactivated her saber. She hurried to Kanan's side.

Kanan smiled sarcastically at the Inquisitor.

"Look like we have time to meet your friend after all."

The Inquisitor lifted a hand and Zaria's sabers flew off her belt and into the waiting Sith user's hands.

Zaria let the frightened troopers cuff her.

Kanan's received the same treatment.

An air transport landed and Zaria recognized the human stepping out of it. She had seen him in the holo-casts.

Grand Moff Tarkin.

He had his thin nose up in the air, his arrogance rolling off him into the force.

"Well done Inquisitor, theses are the results I expect." He inspected the three lightsaber the Pal'uan handed to him.

"So these are the jedi in question." Tarkin tone when he said jedi. Led Zaria to believe he didn't truly believe they were jedi.

"Whatever you want from us. You won't be getting it." Kanan glared defiantly up at the old man.

"Sir, we have a problem." Agent Kallus saluted Tarkin.

"What is it?" Tarkin sounded like an exasperated strict grandfather. He glared at the ISB Agent.

"It appears the insurgents have gain control of the tower's transmitter." Kallus held up his com unit.

Ezra's voice cracked on the holo frequency.

"We have been called criminals. We are not. We are rebels fighting for the people, fight for you. I'm not that old but I remember a time when things were better on Lothal. Maybe not great, but it was livable. Do you see what the empire had done? To your lives, to your children, your families? Your freedom?"

Zaria laughed.

"Stars! Are we good or what? The message is literally being sent out to every frequency there is. Ezra sounds good don't you think Kanan. Inspiring."

Kanan looked proud.

Tarkin looked livid.

"Get the prisoners onto my transport." The grand Moth barked.

Zaria stood next to Kanan. Agent Kallus had his blaster pointed at her back.

"The Empire will only get worse. Unless we all stand together and fight back. It won't be easy. There will be loss and sacrifice. But we can't back down just because we're afraid. That's when we need to stand the tallest. That's what my parents taught 's what my new family helped me remember."

Zaria sniffed and praised Ezra.

"My brolin is so articulate."

"Bring down the Com tower!" Tarkin gritted his teeth.

"We must stand together! Because that's when we are strongest! As one." Ezra's transmission was cut off as the Rockets hit the imperial com tower.

The earth rumbled from the shock wave of the enormous tower hitting the ground.

Kanan looked shocked.

Zaria cackled.

"Bold move Grand Moff. Now you won't have to call and report to your superiors. That you let an insignificant rebel cell communicate a message of hope."

Zaria smirked under her headdress. Tarkin's composure was slipping.

"This is just the beginning Tarkin." Her gold eyes met Tarkin's cold blue ones. She could see the tightening of his jaw under his waxy skin.

"In the history of our galaxy there have been thousands of empires. Yours won't even compared to the great Empires of our past. This pathetic collation of imperials are nothing compared to the great first Sith empire. To the ruthless Eternal empire. To the evil Rakata empire. I looked forward to watching yours crumbled." Zaria purred darkly. Her dark side of the force leaked out and suffocated the air. Oh how sweet it would be to see these Sith pretenders fall. How easy it would be to wrap the force around the weak human's neck and snap.

She hated the Empire.

'ZARIA!' Kanan yelled through their bond.

'Stop, please stop.'

Zaria sighed, she released her anger, her hate, bloodlust, and darkness into the void.

'Sorry.' Zaria looked to Kanan apologetically.

All of the men in the transport sucked in air.

Agent Kallus was staring at her, uneasy fear creeping up on him.

Tarkin straightened.

"You do not know what it takes to win a war. I do. I would not expect a foolish young girl to understand this."

Zaria snarled.

A prick stabbed her neck.

Zaria's vision blurred.

Her knees buckle, Kanan dropped to the floor next to her. The effects of the drugs taking effect.

Zaria glared up at the Grand Moff. Before her strength gave out and she lost herself.

End of chapter 8

*Why can I not get this right? It was so easy last night.