"I don't like this," Hera said, as she piloted the Ghost to its destination on Lothal. "Are we even sure this intel is correct? A-and it's way too dangerous for one person."

The Ghost was too quiet, and held an air of tension. Kanan held his breath as the ship went in for a landing under the silent cover of night. The crew had intercepted some info that the Empire was creating a powerful weapon, something that could not only finish every planet in the galaxy, but possibly in the whole universe. Something like that was too big not to check out.

"Hera, look. Whatever this weapon is, out intel says its being tested here, on Lothal. We need to find it, and get rid of it. Nothing good can come of it," Kanan said, crossing his arms.

"But why do you have to go alone?" Hera asked and she placed the ship in park. "This is too dangerous to be a one man job, we don't even know where to start looking!"

"Exactly, the fewer people looking for it, the less likely it is for the Empire to know someone's trying to take it down. Too many people equals too much risk, you know this."

Not only that, it wasn't like the others were in any condition to help out. Sabine and Zeb were busy gathering intel from some off world Empire Academy, and Ezra had been sick all week. He was in no condition to do anything.

"Look, it's gotta be done. You know it and I know it." Kanan grabbed his pack, and slung it over his shoulder. "I'll keep in contact. There's nothing to worry about."

And with one last hug from Hera, he walked off the Ghost, out into Lothal.

The best place to learn about anything is in a bar. At least, that's what Kanan had learned through his years, and luckily, there was one right on the cusp of the town's border. He could ask around, try and find something out. It would be a start.

The bar's sign was written in some script he couldn't read, he almost wish he had Sabine here with him. She was great a different dialects, and whenever they had a difficult situation, she just charmed her way out of it. No matter.

He walked in, the place smelled of old puss. There really wasn't many people there. Nothing to go on, but like the old Jedi used to say, "Nothing is as empty as it appears at first glance."

He sat down, blew a few credits on a drink. He laughed with the bartender, joked with some girls who passed by. Just normal bar stuff, something to blend himself into the background. This place seemed so familiar to him, like an old pair of shoes he had forgotten about. But it wasn't just that, there was a presence here. The Force was telling him. Something familiar to him, but changed, like an old knife that had grown crooked with age. There was someone here. Watching him.

"You know," Kanan began as he ordered another beer, "I've been hearing some weird stuff around town lately. Somethin' about the Empire building a new tower to one of the generals somewhere."

The bartender, a Zabrakan with orange skin that seemed to filter through his nails, scoffed. "Actually, I have been hearing about some kind of project. But, it's just rumors."

"Rumors?" Kanan asked, leaning in closer.

"Yeah. I don't know much, but apparently it's happening somewhere on the coast."

The coast? But our intel didn't say anything about that. In fact, there hasn't been any activity there at all.

"You think?" Kanan asked, "It's been pretty quiet there. I mean, if they were building something, wouldn't it make a larger ruckus?"

The bartender shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno, just tellin' ya what I've been hearin'. You want another?"

Kanan shook his head a left a large tip on the table. "No thanks. I've got work to do."

The coast? This could be nothing…but Kanan couldn't take that chance. He hugged his jacket close to him and moved on.

All the while, feeling that strange familiar presence following him as well. Someone was there.

The coast of the town was always so very quiet. There was never much water on Lothal, and what was there was polluted by Empire factories. Most people never really went anywhere near the ocean. Too many bad memories of when the Empire first came.

Kanan scanned the coastline, there was nothing here. Nothing at all. But perhaps that was the point? If the Empire was testing some kind of weapon, they wouldn't want it out in the open where Rebels like him could poke around. Was there some kind of an entrance? Was it under ground?

Kanan took a deep breath, and tried to ignore the smell of fumes filling his lungs. "Just focus on your breathing," he told himself. If there was an entrance, he could find it. If there was some kind of testing going on, he would be able to sense it.

"Just. Breathe."

And he allowed his training to flood back to him. Everything is connected, everything is the same. Listen to the world and it will tell you the answer.

"Listen to its story."

He concentrated, deep beneath the sands of Lothal, deep within the entrails of the planet's catacombs, there was something down there.

Something big.

"I think I've found what I've looking for."

This mission was going smoother than most. By now, he would've at least had some resistance, but so far, everything was going well.

Well, accept for the fact that he had to find a way in. Kanan thought hard. Whatever was going on, they were doing it underground, through catacombs, and tunnels as to not be detected right? So what if the entrance was underground too? Kind of like an underground passageway that could only be accessed through-

"The sewers."

The last time the crew was on Lothal, Ezra had told them that the sewers led to a lot of different places throughout Lothal, and lately the Empire had gotten wind of these tunnel and began to limit the public's access to them.

But what if they were using them for something else? As a passageway perhaps? Maybe that's why the Intel didn't have much to go on when it came to finding a location, because no one other than locals would know about those tunnels.

Okay, Kanan thought, it shouldn't be hard to get access to a restricted area. I do that three times before breakfast.

He went back into town, and…borrowed a storm trooper's uniform. The city was so lousy with those white suits, Kanan was sure the guy would find a replacement soon. Getting into the restricted area was easy. The Troopers didn't even bat an eye, they just waved him into the sewer system without even checking if he had the proper clearance.

This was…a little too easy. If the Empire's big secret weapon was down there, wouldn't security be a little tighter? Something was definitely wrong, but he was too far into the systems to stop and turn back. If he did, then the trooper at the gate would know something was up, and he might not get another chance.

This was his one shot, and he wasn't about to blow it because of paranoia. If it did turn out to be a trap, he could handle it. The sewers eventually led to the catacombs underneath the coastline, he could practically hear the ocean waves above him. This was the place.

Kanan looked around through his Storm Trooper helmet. The walls were lined with heavy canons, like the ones used in the Clone Wars, with artillery like that, the Empire could keep Lothal in a constant state of panic.

"This must be what our intel was about." Kanan reached for his comm, "Spector 1 to Ghost. Spector 1 to Ghost."

But all he got was static.

"Great, I'm too far underground. I can't get a signal."

Well, that was to be expected. No matter, those cannons had to go. Kanan looked around, there were storm troopers everywhere. He couldn't just go in, light saber blazing. That would not only give away himself, but it might tip the Empire off about the Rebellion having inside info. No, this had to be done quietly.

"But how exactly?"

Kanan tapped his helmet, and walked over to the cannons, only to be stopped by some buckethead who demanded to see his security clearance.

Great, now they wanted to beef up security?

"Uh, yeah well…" Kanan tapped the outside of his outer armor, as if searching for a lost ID card. "General Kallus told me…that…"

Ah Force it.

With one swift arm wave, the Stormtrooper was sent flying off his feet.

And that was enough to get everyone's attention.

"Sector 2 we have a hostile by the cannons. Repeat, a hostile by the cannons. He is a Jedi, send word to Kallus."

Well, so much for the element of surprise. But again, all Kanan had to do was get those cannons taken out, and he could get back the Ghost, and if that meant cracking a few bucketheads, then so be it.

He whipped out his light saber as the stormtroopers began to swarm. Their blasters blazing and their orders clearer with each advancement. Take that Jedi out.

Kanan dodged, he blocked, he moved with all the speed of a fighter ship, gliding past enemy fire as if they were stray strands of dust. He was nearing the cannons, just a little further now, so close he could smell their ammunition…

And then he felt a sharp pain graze his shoulder, and his lightsaber dropped down onto the ground.

You lost focus… he told himself. Too caught up in what was in front of him, paying no attention to his surroundings. Too impatient. Just like his master always told him. And now, he was staring down the barrel of multiple blasters.

"Call Kallus, we've got his Jedi…and the other Rebels can't be too far behind."

Kanan clutched his shoulder and closed his eyes…and he felt a familiar presence fill his body. He had been followed here by the same person who was at the bar. How had he not sensed that before?

He rolled his eyes. Right, too unfocused.

"Just come quietly," one of the troopers said, "Kallus has a few questions for ya'."

The soldiers advanced, their blasters pointed squarely at Kanan's jaw.

"Well, those questions are just gonna have to wait."

And that voice, mechanic and deep, filled Kanan's ears. Out of nowhere, shots fired from the left, disarming and disorienting enough troopers for Kanan to land a right hook, and bolt out of danger. They shot back, tried to confuse and hinder, but Kanan was too quick, and in no time he had grabbed his saber and was lost in the catacombs of Lothal.

He tried his com again, "Spector 1 to Ghost."

But still no response.

"It's no use," came the familiar voice, and the familiar presence, again. "All communications are jammed."

Kanan looked around, trying to find the source of that voice. The man who had helped him.

"What?" Came a cheeky retort, "You're not gonna thank me for saving you?"

Kanan winced at that voice, both oddly annoying, and strangely familiar.

"I wouldn't say you saved me," Kanan said.

"I would," came the man's voice.

"How about you stepped out into the open. Maybe we could get properly introduced?" Kanan placed his hand on his weapon's hilt. For all he knew this guy could be an Imperial under the guise of a Rebel. Wouldn't be the first time. "Why don't you come on out?"

And then footsteps. Hard heavy footsteps of boots. Whoever this guy was, he wasn't much on the subtle side. Kanan turned to his side, to see a tall man (almost his height) in a painted trooper helmet that would make Sabine jealous. The colors swirled together in a mix of orange and green, almost hypnotizing.

"Nice helmet," Kanan said.

"Thanks. I had a friend paint it for me."

Kanan could almost hear the smile in this guy's voice, almost as if he were joking with him.

Kanan turned his saber on, and the cave lit up in a blue light. "How about you lose it and let me see your pretty eyes, huh?"

The man merely raised his arms, and placed his hands on his helmet. "Don't freak out, alright?"

This man, this man who stood with the stature of a soldier, and had the presence of an old forgotten friend, stood before Kanan and removed his helmet. His hair was the color of the sky at dusk, and his eyes glowed with a vibrant blue that rivaled the storms themselves. A wide scar graced his face, from fore head down to his left cheek, and his chin had given birth a dirty goatee. The face and voice were different, dulled and jagged, but still the frozen, as if time had refused to change anything further.

"Ezra?"