It was supposed to be a simple data retrieval mission. Rumors of a new Imperial Outpost on Batonn had recently reached the Rebellion, so Mon Mothma dispatched two of their best agents, resident Jedi Ezra Bridger and Mandalorian Supercommando Sabine Wren, to investigate the situation. Usually they wouldn't need to send Rebels of such high caliber for such a simple mission but the recent tragic events of the planet and it's occupation by the Empire had caused the Rebellion to treat the situation far more cautiously than a normal mission.

The plan was simple: arrive in a stolen Imperial Shuttle, infiltrate the command center, extract the data, and get out before anyone noticed them. Clean and simple. Too bad it didn't work.

Ezra and Sabine arrived in a stolen Lambda class shuttle wearing stolen Scout Trooper armor to disguise themselves. This time it was just them, as everyone else was busy with other missions and using Chopper to infiltrate bases was no longer an option thanks to Thrawn's new military precautions.

When they landed, they saw how massive the building truly was. It was a modified Imperial Planetary Occupation Facility, similar to the one on Lothal. But this one seemed larger, more complex, and it had visible weapons ready to shoot down anything coming at it. Ezra and Sabine shared a look, then started approaching the intimidating structure.

As they were about to enter, two guards stopped them. "Identification numbers and authorization passes." That was really odd. Authorization just to get into the building? These protocols were more thorough than they thought.

Luckily they had come prepared for a potential questioning and had an answer ready, "JH-092 and JH-093. We're here to deliver confidential information to the Commander." They handed them a stolen code cylinder and, after a moment of holding their breaths, were let in. "You're cleared. Move along," the stormtrooper said with a wave of his arm.

"That's weird," Sabine said after they entered the building. "The security here is really tight. I've never seen identification for just coming inside. I wonder what's going on here that needs this much security."

"That's what we're here to find out. If something important is being planned here, the Rebellion has to know about it," Ezra said. As they approached a lift that should have taken them to the command center they saw that the place was packed with heavily armed defenses. Stormtroopers were everywhere, and a lot of them were heavily armed.

"Sabine, look," Ezra said pointing out odd turret emplacements and automated wall mounted blasters. "It's like this place was prepared for a battle. Even the doors look like they'd be magnalocked shut with three layers."

"This building was probably made to stop the insurgency here. But Thrawn got to them first, I guess."

At that point the lift brought them to where the command center should have been. Emphasis on should.

"Ezra this is the mess hall. Are you sure we're on the right floor."

"I'm sure. But if the command center isn't here then where is it?"

"I'm not sure," Sabine said. "But we need to find out."

As they discussed on what to do on the way back to the lift, they saw two things. First they saw what probably was a maintenance closet. It was completely empty. Second they saw a familiar ISB uniform. It seemed that the Empire had sent an Agent to Batonn in case of a resurgent rebellion on the planet. With a shared look Ezra and Sabine entered the closet.

Just as the ISB Agent was about to enter the lift, Ezra used the Force to pull him into the closet with them.

It didn't take long to make him talk. He was actually quite squeamish, despite being an ISB Agent. Kallus would be disappointed. After that they knocked him unconscious and stuffed him in a closet.

"Do you think anyone will find that guy?" Ezra asked.

"Only after we're long gone."

As they started heading to the Command Center, a thought nagged in Sabine's head. The place was pretty heavily defended, even despite the incompetent soldiers that were in charge of it. And the Command Center was in the middle of the base. That definitely wasn't Imperial Protocol.

Sabine was snapped out of reverie by Ezra, "Sabine, we're here. Are you okay? You seemed pretty out of it."

"Umm, yeah just thinking."

"Don't worry, we're almost done here. And, if you want, we can probably take our time in getting back."

Whereas before she would have usually brushed off his blatant attempts at flirting, this time she actually blushed. After Thrawn had attacked Atollon and destroyed the Rebel forces, the two got together. After coming so close to losing her new family, Sabine realized how much they all meant to her. Especially Ezra. Once they got back onto the ship, and away from the prying eyes of her brother, she kissed him.

After that, they shared the little moments when they could. Stealing looks at each other when on a mission, secret kisses in cargo hold of the Ghost, watching the sun of Yavin set in the evening. They hadn't told anyone yet, not even Kanan or Hera. They just didn't feel comfortable with the idea of anyone else knowing yet. It was a difficult time for all of them, where survival was uncertain no one needed to uselessly worry about them not being dedicated.

Sabine lifted his helmet and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "I'm looking forward to it." Ezra had a goofy smile on his face as he started walking into the control room.

As he approached the terminal Sabine started to wonder about some things. Why was the control room here? Usually it was placed higher up on the building. And what about those defenses? There were dozens of worlds with rebels on them, why send this fortress to a world where they were all destroyed?

Then it all clicked together. "Ezra, STO-" Then she watched in horror as he collapsed, barely conscious, from a shock from the terminal A split second later, an alarm started to ring.

It had all been a trap. The Empire must have leaked the information to the Alliance, knowing that they would've sent someone to try and retrieve it. This was bad. Very bad. Ezra could barely stand, they were in the heart of an Imperial fortress, specifically designed so that they couldn't escape, without backup on an occupied world. Sabine had to think fast. A squad of stormtrooper was probably already on its way.

Sabine grabbed Ezra as gently as she could and started limping away with him. "S-Sabine, you need to-"

"Don't you start, Ezra Bridger. I am NOT leaving you."

No matter what else happened, she was not going to just abandon Ezra to be tortured and interrogated by these bastards. They were out in the hallway, and Sabine could definitely hear stormtroopers rushing nearby. The hallway was they were in was completely empty. No doors, no hiding places, not even a mouse droid. The stormtroopers were just around the corner now, it wouldn't take long before they found them.

Ezra tried to stop leaning on Sabine, and pull out his lightsaber, but he only collapsed onto the floor. Sabine didn't know what to do. They could try to fight, but Ezra couldn't even stand and there's no way they'd make it out alive. They could surrender, but then they'd be captured by the Empire and who knows what would happen afterward. Suddenly Sabine had an idea.

"Ezra listen to me. I have a plan. I'm going to stun you. The Empire won't be able to question you while you're out cold, and I'll take the opportunity to make up a lie about having to leave the planet. Then, if that works, I'll hijack the ship and get us to safety."

"What?? Sabine, no that's crazy."

"Ezra, there's no time to argue. I'm sorry about this." Then she drew her blaster and stunned him. "I promise to make it up to you later." She was on her own now.

Within moments the stormtroopers descended upon her. "This Rebel scum fell right into our trap," Sabine said, hoping that none of the fear she felt made it into her voice. "He won't be going anywhere."

The seeming commander of these troops addressed her. "Excellent work, trooper. You two," he said while pointing at some random soldiers, "cuff him and take him to the interrogation room."

"No!" Sabine said. She couldn't help it, she panicked. She had already been in a few Imperial interrogations, she would NEVER let Ezra be in one. "No," she said again, calmer now. "We can't interrogate this Rebel prisoner."

"And why is that, soldier?" The commander said while leaning over her menacingly.

But Sabine was undaunted and kept her cool. "I searched him before you arrived and I found this on him," Sabine said, holding out Ezra's lightsaber. "He's a Jedi. I was sent here, by an INQUISITOR, on a suspicioun that a Jedi might be the Rebel sent here today. He told me to have him transported to the Alderaan System. And you do not want to disobey an Inquisitor."

Several long seconds seemed to pass. Then the commander said, "Fine. Secure the prisoner and take him to a shuttle. I want double security on that ship. We cannot underestimate this boy. The Jedi are incredibly dangerous."

But not as dangerous as a Mandalorian, Sabine thought.

Soon Ezra was cuffed to a portable table and was being moved to a Lambda class shuttle. Just a little further Sabine thought as they exited the fortress. Some stormtroopers were securing Ezra down. Right now there were only a few of them with her. Sabine was good, but if reinforcements got there, without her equipment she wouldn't be able to take down everyone else in the shuttle.

Luckily, Sabine had a perfect plan. She had planted explosives on the shuttle she and Ezra had arrived in. After she detonated it, the Imperials would think it was a Rebel attack and Sabine could use the chaos to force the shuttle to leave without reinforcements.

She looked out the door of the shuttle. Death Troopers were headed straight for them. It was now or never.

The shuttle exploded and with it a few stormtroopers. Immediately everyone took cover, and got into battle positions. Sabine wasted no time. "It's a Rebel attack!! They must've come for the Jedi. We can't let them rescue him, we need to take off now." The effect was instantaneous. Despite all that training, a lot of stormtroopers were still cowards. They took off, trying to get as far away as possible from an attack that would never come.

Meanwhile, on a Star Destroyer Overlooking the Planet

"Captain, report," Grand Moff Tarkin ordered. He had been the one to set the trap in the first place. He had decided that it was time to hunt for the Rebel base. And what better way to do that than make them come to you? "Have you captured the Rebel spy yet?"

"Yes sir, but there has been a change in plans. The Rebel was a Jedi, sir. The Inquisitors had apparently anticipated this and sent an agent of their own to collect him."

"The Inquisitors? Are you sure, Captain?"

"Yes sir."

That's odd. Not the anticipation of the Jedi. Tarkin had enough experience with Force wielders that he knew that their foresight was not out of the question. No, what was odd was that it was the Inquisitors who ordered it. Not Lord Vader or the Emperor. But the Inquisitors. Before that would not have been an issue, but the problem now was that the Inquisitorius had been disbanded. All the Inquisitors had been killed, and Tarkin didn't know of any new dark side users. And Tarkin knows everything about the Empire.

"Captain, order your TIEs to pursue that vessel as quickly as possible. We have an imposter on our hands."

Back with Sabine and Ezra

Ezra was starting to stir. Since they had launched Sabine had taken care of the stormtroopers and untied Ezra. She was plotting the course back home now.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Sabine said. "Sleep well?" She said mockingly.

"Sabine? What happened?"

"I saved our asses again. When we get home, we're gonna have a hell of a story to tell." Just then something started blinking on the console. "Uh-oh. We have TIEs pursuing us. But I think I can start the hyperspace jump before they reach us."

On the Star Destroyer

"Sir, they're preparing a hyperspace jump."

"Open fire on them," the Grand Moff said. "Target their hyperdrive."

Back in Space

"Sabine, they've opened fire on us!"

"Then it's a good thing they can't hit anything!" Sabine said, furiously working as fast as she could to input hyperspace coordinates. "Almost, almost. Got it." Just as they started to enter hyperspace, a blaster bolt from one of the TIEs hit. "AAH!!" they both yelled as they were hurled into hyperspace.