high seas and gnoses (pt 1)
tartaglia x gn!reader
words: 1.9k
warnings: cursing, scary tagtag, thats pretty much it tbh
summary: somewhere out there is a dragon that thinks you stole its treasure. who better to help you return it than a pirate captain with an addiction to adrenaline?
a/n: this is the 1st chap of a series i came up with while watching a youtube vid on pirates of the carribean and i remembered how much those movies slapped and thought "what if i slapped genshin on this and made it even better" so here's the beginning to a pirate au you didn't ask for but I'm delivering anyways. super exited to see where this goes, i have some ideas for how its gonna work out already!! maybe smut later on but i haven't decided ;);) didn't proofread this so good luck lolololol
They came at the crack ass of dawn.
As you slept (read: tried not to throw up and embarrass yourself) on the damp floor underneath a stranger who was practically sweating through his hammock, the scout above deck screamed his warning:
Pirates.
The crew around you burst into action as if none of them had been snoring loud enough to rival a warhorn just seconds before. A menacing alarm bell pierced the frenzy of orders that suffocated everyone below deck. What remnants of drowsiness you had were officially gone.
Pirates. You hadn’t even been on sea for a full 24 hours and you were already being raided by pirates. They couldn’t have at least waited to board and slaughter you all until you’d had some breakfast?
The men and women of the Alcor scrambled about. Your hand flew to your trouser pocket – it was still there. With your conscience slightly eased, you grabbed the shoulder of a young girl as she rushed past you. She turned, clearly a bit irritated at your interruption; you were only a passenger, of course. You weren’t one of them. “Can you –” she began.
“What do you need me to do?” Your voice shook while you said it. You weren’t even sure if she could hear you over all the noise. But you knew if you sat still long enough, the panic would take over and devour you whole.
Her gaze softened a bit. “Follow me.”
It was in the middle of lugging a cannonball under the young girl’s instruction that you were caught.
A large hand grabbed a fistful of the back of your shirt, forcing you to drop your load. It slammed into the wood boards below you, narrowly missing your toes, and forming a little crater in the floor.
You tried to wiggle out of the stranger’s grip. “Hey! Get the fuck –”
A slap, and suddenly your head was turned to the side, your cheek tingling. Your jaw hung open in shock. “Stop squirming,” your captor grumbled. He was a large, heavy-set man, his face almost completely obscured by a mask and hat.
To your left, the young girl hung over the shoulder of another pirate, dressed and built similarly to the one that handled you like a mother cat to her kitten.
The both of you were carried to the top deck and plopped unceremoniously in line with the rest of the crew. On the horizon, the sun peeked above just enough so that its rays shone directly into your eyes.
You squinted and hung your head down to let your eyes adjust. A few of the pirates muttered amongst each other while the rest carried crate after crate of food and valuables from the ship's hull. Their heavy footsteps creaked on the deck. It only made the silence of the sea that much more deafening.
You took a deep breath. Focused on a hole in the wooden plank below you. Though you weren’t a sailor by any means, the gentle swaying of the ship managed to calm your nerves a bit.
As your eyes adjusted, your eyes settled on the stone narwhal heading the massive vessel. It formed a majestic arch, its horn pointing proudly at a perfect 45-degree angle.
Your heart sank. The relic in your pocket suddenly felt infinitely heavier. Of course, the first pirates you ever encounter are the crew of the Childe of Abyss.
“Fantastic! Is that everyone?”
The cheery voice ripped you from your thoughts. You glanced to your left. The crow’s nest scout, Kazuha, kneeled next to you; a few people down from him, the Alcor’s captain, Beidou. She glared up at the man who stood in front of her.
At first glance he was short. He was a short man with obnoxiously orange hair that you quickly realized was natural and not dyed. But then you took in the way he leaned over Beidou, towered almost, and it dawned on you that this man was not short, the rest of the crew was just freakishly tall.
And when Beidou aimed her angry, “Fuck you,” at the lanky ginger, it clicked that this was his crew.
He let out a laugh that almost sounded genuine. “You’re not my type but I appreciate the compliment! Now,” he scanned over you all and placed his hands on his hips, “empty your pockets.”
“What, are the three chests of gold you dragged up not enough for you?” Beidou snarked.
No one moved. A pirate sporting a hood and mask that covered the bottom of his face had his dagger at her throat in an instant.
The ginger chuckled and placed a hand on the man’s arm that held the dagger. Slowly, the dagger was put away. “A bit antsy today, aren’t we?” He cocked his head. “Normally I’d love to fight this out with you, comrade, but unfortunately, I didn’t sleep too well last night. Why don’t you take a look around you instead?”
Beidou held her glare, then glanced around at her crew. When she looked at you, a twinge of remorse appeared.
The ginger bent down to catch her eyes. “You’re a good captain. I can tell you care for your crew. You want what’s best for them.” He straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest. “And I want what’s best for mine. And I’m nothing if not a thorough captain.”
The captain of the Abyss didn’t reiterate his command, but it went unsaid. Beidou gave a short nod, almost imperceptible if you weren’t looking for it, but it was all her crew needed.
Everyone shoved their hands in their pockets, dredging up the last of their wares for the awaiting hands in front of them. Lockets, trinkets, crumpled pieces of paper – Kazuha even produced a pendant and a blunt.
You, however, were frozen. You only had one thing in your pocket, and it was something you could most certainly not give up.
The pirate in front of you brandished his gun at your forehead. You tensed, but kept your gaze forward.
“Pockets,” he repeated.
“I don’t have anything. I’m a civilian.” It was only half a lie.
He cocked the gun’s hammer.
“Ah, a stubborn one so early in the morning?”
Your eyes flicked up to see the captain resting an elbow on his subordinate’s shoulder. It was a little too high up for it to look natural. Despite the gun to your head, you couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh.
The captain cocked an eyebrow. “Somethin’ funny?”
You averted your gaze and shook your head, smile fading.
He crouched down to your level. This close, without the sun as a backlight, you could see him better. A red earring dangling from his left ear. Freckles blooming across his face from hours spent in the sun. Eyes like the ocean; deep, dark, and holding secrets you probably didn’t want to know the answers to.
He held out a gloved hand.
You held his stare. Your hands stayed pressed to your clothed thighs.
He frowned, no, pouted as your defiance, then stood up. “Kill her.”
“Wait!” you blurted out. “I –” You looked to everyone surrounding you, enemy and ally, then back to the captain. He held a hand up to the man holding the gun, looking at you expectantly.
“Can I speak with you? In private?” you asked.
The captain sighed and thought on your request for about .7 seconds. “Okay.”
And strutted off to the captain’s quarters without a second look.
You blinked and shot a glance at the man still holding a gun to your head. He shook his head in a way you’d only ever seen tired dads do around their rambunctious toddlers, but holstered his gun. You took that as your cue and dashed after the man who held your life in his hands.
When you opened the door to Beidou’s quarters, the captain was waiting for you, leaning against the desk that centered the room.
The door automatically closed behind you with the motion of the ship, making you jump.
The captain watched you curiously, but the way his fingers drummed against the rim of the desk told you his patience wouldn’t last forever.
You steeled your nerves and reached into your pocket, hesitating.
The captain huffed out a laugh. “Jeez, you really know how to up the suspense, don’t you?”
You glared at him. “I’m nervous because I know you’re probably going to think I’m crazy when I tell you what I need to. And my life quite literally depends on whether you do or not.”
He held up his hands in mock surrender, but his amused smile didn’t fade.
You pulled the relic from your pocket and showed it to him.
He stared blankly at the golden chess piece in your hand. “What the fuck is that?”
You ignored him. You expected this. “Do you know what a gnosis is?” you prompted.
He snorted. “You think I've managed to live my entire life as a pirate and not know what a gnosis is?”
You rolled your eyes. “It’s a yes or no question.”
“Fine. Yes.”
“Great. This is the Geo gnosis.”
The captain stared at you in what could only be described as bewilderment. Then a laugh bubbled out of him. His shoulders shook as he dragged a hand down his face. When his laughter subsided, he spoke. “What’s your name?”
Your eyebrows furrowed. Did this mean he was going to let you live? “(Y/N),” you replied.
“(Y/N), sweetheart, that is a chess piece,” he concluded.
Before you could launch your tirade, he cut you short.
“A very fancy chess piece, I will say! But, still a chess piece.” Pity was written all over his face.
You collected yourself. The last thing you needed was to piss him off while trying to convince him to keep you alive. You clutched the gnosis with an iron grip. “Don't patronize me. Whether you believe me or not, the point is, I’m not supposed to have this. And there is someone – some – the owner of this chess piece,” you spat out, “is looking for it. I’m trying to return it before they find me.”
The captain reached up to scratch behind his ear, making the red stone in the earring flicker in the dim light of the cabin. “And what does this have to do with me not killing you?”
“The owner of this… relic is very, very rich.” Not a lie. An estimation based on what had read about dragons. “Personally, I just want to drop this thing off and be rid of it. Which means if you take me where I need to go, whatever treasure we find is yours for the taking.” A lie. You had spent all you had on passage aboard the Alcor, which was now in the hands of one of the worst pirate crews in Teyvat. You would be taking at least one thing for yourself.
The captain takes a moment to assess you. Then, “Okay.”
Again? “... Okay?”
He nodded, apparently not seeing the problem with his quick decision-making. “I don’t have any thieves on my crew. And you’re interesting. That’s hard to come by on these waters,” he laughed at his own joke.
“I –” You didn’t steal it. That’s what you were about to say. You got it from someone else. Were they the thief? Maybe. Or maybe it was the person who gave it to them. You didn’t know how far the trail went back. But if you said that, you’d be throwing away the only leverage you had on your life.
“Somethin’ wrong, comrade?” And he was very close to you now.
You avoided his eyes, afraid they might somehow see your thoughts, and answered. “No. Sorry. Thank you, uh… captain.”
A grin stretched across his face, revealing faint crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes. “Tartaglia,” he winked. “Welcome aboard.”
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Sabine Wren
Passed Through Fire
Story summary: An unexpected conversation with Jacen Syndulla and his mother, Hera, leaves Sabine Wren with doubts regarding her path as a Jedi. Later that same night Sabine experiences an intense Force vision; what she learns within it will lead to a choice - one that will determine her future as a Jedi, forever.
Sequel to this story:
The Wren-Bridger watchtower is quiet; night on Lothal is falling fast. The stars from the balcony can be seen twinkling overhead, too many to count. Below, the fields of grass sway in the cool evening breeze.
Somewhere, a family of loth-cats scurries through the undergrowth looking for shelter.
Somewhere, the distant howl of loth-wolves can be heard, echoing through the night air.
To some, it is a warning. But for Sabine, she finds the howl to be a comfort. As does her partner, and fellow Jedi, Ezra Bridger.
Sabine leans on the balcony railing taking in the sight and, once again, finds herself falling in love with Lothal. It is home. Always will be.
Our home.
There’s a shared feeling of familiarity and warmth that crosses through the Force. She turned to find Ezra, smiling at her from the doorway.
“It’s a beautiful view,” he said.
Sabine rolled her eyes, but couldn’t fight back a smile.
“Hey, it really is,” Ezra protested. “Lothal nights are one of a kind.”
Sabine arches an eyebrow at her partner. “So, you weren’t talking about me?”
“I mean, what words can be used to describe your beauty, Lady Wren? Truly, there are none that can properly convey the constellations in your eyes-”
Sabine scoffed. “What third-rate romantic holo-vid did you pull that from?”
“Actually, I got it from Lando. He said it a lot better, though.”
“Lando, huh. Maybe I should ring him up and hear how it’s properly said, then.”
She made to move inside the watchtower - until Ezra playfully grabbed her by the waist and twirled her into a smooth dance move that dipped her near the floor with him bent over her in a graceful arch.
“Not a chance, Lady Wren,” he said, his eyes serious.
Sabine’s pulse sky-rocketed. Oh, very smooth, Ezra Bridger, she thought.
After a heated moment, he stood her back up and took a bow.
“Well? How was that? Still want to call Lando?”
Trying her level best to sound non-chalant, Sabine replied, “Nice moves.”
“Ah, high praise.” His eyes sparkled as he pointed out, “I don’t think it’s quite that cold for your cheeks to be flushed, however, my Lady Wren.”
Sabine cursed silently. He held out a hand to her.
She took it. "To bed?" she asked.
"Sure. Unless you want to do some light sparring first? To help settle you."
"Not the exercise I'm interested in, at the moment," she said with a smirk.
Ezra's eyes flashed with heat. "Well, let's not waste anymore time."
They were half-way through the living room when their comm station beeped, alerting to an incoming call.
Sabine cursed out loud this time.
Ezra chuckled and crossed over to the comms.
The blue hologram sputtered forth the image of Jacen Syndulla appeared.
"Hi, Ezra! Hi, Sabine!" said the young boy. His grin was infectious in its youthful energy.
"Jacen!" Sabine joined her partner at the comm station, hurriedly buttoning up her blouse. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah!" Jacen peered closer at the two of them. "Are you guys okay?"
Ezra said, "Yeah, we are. Why?"
"You two look out of breath. Been sparring again?"
Sabine coughed loudly and smoothed her hair. Ezra hid a grin behind his hand.
"Sort of," Sabine said, sheepishly. "Why are you calling this late?"
Jacen grinned and said, "Mom's taking me to see Ahsoka tomorrow."
Sabine looked at Ezra, who mirrored the same look of surprise she had. They knew that Jacen was Force sensitive and most likely held the same strength that lied inherent in his father's blood, Kanan Jarrus. It was only a matter of time before the Jedi path came calling for him.
Hera, however, had been particularly quiet about what she thought regarding her son's future path. As a mother, it can't have been easy for her to think about giving Jacen to the Jedi for training.
As both Sabine and Ezra knew, that was a lifetime commitment. And it came with a steep price.
"Whoa, buddy." Ezra stroked his beard. "That's a lot sooner than we expected."
Jacen pouted. "Really? I've been waiting for ages!”
"We're happy for you, Jacen. Promise." Sabine side-eyed Ezra, who just shrugged. "What does your mom think about this? Is she excited like you are?"
The young boy's face clouded over. "No . . . she pretends to be, but I feel - I don't know. I feel a lot of different things from her whenever we talk about it."
Sabine nodded. "That makes sense. It's a big decision, Jacen."
Jacen nodded. "Ahsoka asked to think about who I want to teach me. As my Master."
"Really?" asked Sabine. "And who do you want as your Master?"
Jacen looked directly at Sabine. "You, Sabine."
Her heart came shuddering to a halt. She could feel Ezra's gaze fall on her.
"Me?" she asked. "Not Ezra?"
"Yes, you." He pointed at her this time as clarification.
Sabine snuck a look at Ezra, worried. She shouldn't have been; his eyes were full of pride and affection without a single trace of jealousy.
As her mind raced with questions, Ezra asked, dryly, "Is it because she has Mandalorian armor and a jetpack?"
"Noooo . . . well, maybe a little bit."
Sabine buried her face in her hands. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Training Kanan's child. That was a huge responsibility.
Am I up to it? Can I do right by him?
It went without saying how much Kanan had influenced her and Ezra's lives. They wouldn't be here without him.
She missed his presence every day. And she knew that Ezra thought about his former master just as much, if not more.
Without looking up, Sabine asked, "Did you tell Hera about your choice?"
There was a pause. Sabine peeked out from her hands and saw the young boy's face look uncharacteristically anxious.
"Yeah, I told Mom."
"And what did she say?"
Jacen looked furtively to the side for a moment, like he was watching for something. Then he whispered, "Promise you won't get mad?"
Ezra looked confused. "Why would we be mad, Jacen?"
"You have to promise," Jacen urged.
Sabine shared a look with Ezra and then nodded. He replied, "We promise."
I've got a bad feeling about this.
Jacen nodded, and then took a deep breath. "Okay, then. She said . . . Mom said she was against it."
The young boy looked down at his feet, ashamed. "Mom doesn't want Sabine as my master."
Sabine sat down, stunned at the admission. She could feel Ezra's puzzlement emanating through the Force, laced with threads of uncertainty.
Hera didn't trust Sabine to train her child.
Not hard to think about why, Sabine.
Even so . . . it hurt to think that Hera didn't have faith in her.
He was about to ask another question when another voice, familiar and filled with outrage, cut in from Jacen's end of the call.
"Jacen! What are you doing?"
Jacen jerked in surprise, eyes widening in horror. "Mom! I thought-"
"Who are you talking to this late at night - oh, you didn't."
The familiar figure of Hera Syndulla, General of the New Republic, filled the hologram gently pushing Jacen to the side. Out of view, Sabine heard Jacen yell, "Chopper! You were supposed to warn me if she was coming!"
Ezra huffed a laugh.
Hera was dressed in plain, comfy night wear - which, to Sabine's realization, none of them had ever seen Hera in casual clothing before. The former Rebel was always seen in her customary flight suit.
She looked tired, but her eyes were sharp eyeing both of them. "Hello, Ezra. Hello, Sabine."
"Evening, Hera. Sounds like you're having a busy day tomorrow from what Jacen tells us." Ezra sounded calm, as though he wasn't perturbed about what Jacen had just said mere second ago.
"Yeah. Sounds like Jacen said quite a lot while I was in the refresher."
She glared to the side and said, in a tone that brooked no dissent, "Bed. Now."
There was a blur in the background of the hologram that had to be Jacen. Hera watched her son off-screen for a little while more and then sighed.
"Sorry about that," she muttered. "He's too wired about tomorrow."
"It's fine," said Sabine. "We always love hearing from him."
"Hmmm. Maybe not this late at night, though." Hera rubbed at her eyes. "I'm going to get a cup of caf."
"We can leave you for the night if you want-" Ezra began, before he was cut off.
"No. I heard everything Jacen told you. And I suspect that Sabine wants to talk with me."
Sabine stared at the hologram. "Are you sure you're not Force-sensitive? Maybe Jacen gets it from you."
Hera gave a half-smile. "Funny." She looked at Ezra. "Ezra, I love seeing you, but this conversation is between myself and Sabine."
Ezra looked at Sabine and she felt his worry and reassurance pulsing through the connection they had.
"It's okay, Ezra. Go to sleep. I'll try not to be long."
He sighed. "Okay." Leaning down, he gave her a kiss on the cheek before departing.
Pausing at the bedroom doorway, he said, "Hera."
"Hmmm?"
"Be nice. Please."
Hera arched an eyebrow. "I don't take orders from you, last I checked."
"Consider it a personal favor to me."
She sighed. "Very well."
Something eased out of his shoulders. "Thanks."
He went inside the bedroom. Sabine and Hera were alone.
"Let me grab that cup and then we'll start." The hologram showed static for a second as the call was put on hold.
Sabine crossed her arms and marshalled her emotions.
Anger. Fear. Sadness.
The emotions Jedi were supposed to know how to deal with.
Emotions that she struggled with every day. She felt no wiser, no more adept at being a Jedi then when she first started all those years ago.
Was it a wonder that Hera didn't want her to mentor Jacen?
There was movement and the hologram sharpened to reveal Hera once more with a freshly brewed cup of cafe. She blew on it for a moment and then said, "You go first."
"I . . . understand your decision, Hera. But it does hurt to hear that you don't trust me to teach Jacen."
Hera's gaze turned sharp, along with her tone. "Not just with Jacen, Sabine. I don't trust you at all. With anything."
Sabine felt her hands unconsciously ball into fists. She breathed deeply, trying to regulate her emotions. Feeling that loss of trust; the relationship she had cherished so much with Hera . . . it was gone.
She had thrown it away when she handed the map to Baylan, along with so many other important things.
"You never understood me." The words slipped out; Sabine barely registered that it was coming from her mouth.
Hera snorted. "Oh, I understand why you did it. All for Ezra. Because you loved him so much, and wanted him back so desperately."
There was a brief pause as she took a sip - and then Hera continued: "Well, news flash, Sabine. You weren't the only one who loved Ezra and wanted to see him come back home."
Sabine crossed her arms. "Ten years. You never came forward with a lead on him-"
"I was busy helping to re-build the New Republic! And I had Jacen to take care of! You think I didn't want to help look for him?"
"And where were you when Mandalore was burned! When my family died! And then Ahsoka left me . . . Ezra was all I had left, don't you get it? I had no one!" Sabine was standing now, her voice raising to almost a shout. She could feel her hands trembling with the raw rage and hurt that was spiraling out of her.
At the mention of her family, Hera's eyes lost some of their anger. She looked away for a moment, blinking hard.
Sabine suddenly realized that Hera was crying.
The rage inside her chest quelled and began to disperse. She took another deep, calming breath.
"You're right about that. I wasn't there for you when . . . when Mandalore fell. And your family - Sabine, I'm so sorry for that. I should have been there."
Sabine sat down, feeling exhausted. "It's in the past, Hera."
"No, it isn't. Not for you," Hera said. "And that's my fault."
A silence spread between the two of them that was, for a moment, impenetrable.
Sabine broke it first. "Hera. None of it was your fault. I wasn't exactly . . . I wasn't - it was a bad time for me. I didn't give out any indication that I wanted anyone around me during - well, really, for a long time. Not just with what happened on Mandalore."
Hera nodded. "That's true. But I should have tried harder for you."
Sabine began to feel the tangled ball of emotions inside her dissipate. Tears began to flow freely down her face.
"I messed up so bad, Hera. I know that. Handing over that map leading to Thrawn . . . do you want to know the worst part?"
"What would that be?"
Her voice was barely a whisper. "I would do it all over again. Even if I knew then how it would all turn out. Even if it meant losing your trust and respect."
Hera sighed. "Oh, Sabine."
"It's not just Ezra, you know? I was so lost. I've been feeling like a failure for so long and I wanted to not feel that way anymore. After the War ended . . . all the victory celebrations and I just couldn't feel it. I couldn't feel happy about any of it. I just kept thinking about what we lost."
She kept talking, just letting it all spill out; everything that had been rotting inside her, spreading a poison that needed to be expelled.
"I kept losing, Hera. Don't you get it? You. Zeb. Even Chopper, that blasted droid, went with you. And I was stuck. And I kept coming back to Ezra - how I felt like the universe owed me this one thing. Just this once, for everything that I did."
She let out a shaky breath. "Just one thing to keep. To call my own. I was tired of giving up everything for a greater good."
Hera asked, "Thinking about Ezra was the only thing that made you happy?"
Sabine let out a laugh. "Yeah, that goofball. Who knew that the kid on Lothal would end up . . . meaning so much. I just kept holding onto that memory of him and it got me through a lot."
It kept me alive, she thought.
"You lost sight of him," Hera said, not unkindly. "The real Ezra. The one who would not have wanted his return to come with the risk of danger to our galaxy."
Sabine nodded.
"Sabine, I understand that. More than you know." Hera leaned back in her chair and sipped at her caf again. "Everyday, I think about Kanan. Especially when it comes to Jacen. I feel so out of my depth with him because of his growing abilities."
Hera sighed. "My own kid. Kanan would know what to do, but he's not here. And sometimes . . . sometimes I resent him for that. Leaving me. Leaving Jacen."
"And then you took on Jedi training with Ahsoka. And I was so hopeful . . ."
"That I could help with Jacen?"
Hera nodded. "Yes."
Sabine waved at herself in a sardonic fashion. "But I turned out like this, instead."
Hera's eyes flashed with renewed fire. "You put my child in danger, Sabine. It's not just about your mistake - you abused your power."
Sabine said, sharply, "What power? I didn't have access to the Force yet, remember?"
"It's not about the Force, Sabine. That's not what makes a Jedi. Even I know that. No, you made a choice. You gambled the fate of our galaxy because of your desire to see Ezra again."
Choice. My choice to save Ezra at the cost of trillions of lives.
"And if you made such a terrible decision before having the Force, then I can't bear to think about what you might do with it. Because there are stories about Jedi who became tempted like you did. And what they did with their abilities is the stuff of nightmares."
Choice. The word echoed in Sabine's head.
"You're worried that I might pass this on to Jacen," Sabine said. Her voice was calm, despite the storm brewing in her stomach.
"Yes," said Hera, quietly. "I see this shadow in you sometimes . . . and it scares me. Jacen can't see it. He adores you."
"His feelings blind him to my failings," said Sabine. "Sounds familiar."
There was another pause. Hera waited for a reply, sipping at the last dregs of her caf.
Sabine just stood there, unable to process anything. She just wanted to sleep - forever.
"Sabine."
She looked at Hera's image.
"Are you certain that this is the right path for you?"
"Being a Jedi?" asked Sabine in a monotone.
Hera nodded.
"I don't know. I struggle with it, everyday."
Hera took that in without comment.
"Why do you want to do it, then? It's not a path that called to you, like with Kanan and Ezra. You chose it."
To atone. But she didn't say that out loud.
Hera, however, guessed at it. "If it's for some kind of penance that you think is owed . . . I'm not sure that's a good reason to be a Jedi."
"Then why should I be a Jedi, then?"
Hera shrugged. "That's for you to figure out." She checked to the side and groaned. "I really hope that chronometer is lying about the time."
"You should get some sleep, Hera," said Sabine, quietly.
"I'll try." She began to turn off the call.
"Hera." Sabine couldn't help herself.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think - can I make this right for you? And Jacen? Can you ever forgive me; trust me again?"
Hera looked at her with such pity and sadness, then. Sabine felt something inside her crumble to dust at the expression.
"I don't think I can, Sabine."
And she was gone.
Sabine turned to enter the watch-tower's sleeping quarters. The doors slid open and she found Ezra, laying awake on their bed.
"You heard?" she asked.
"Yes." He held out his arms. "Come here."
She crawled into his arms and wept her shoulders shaking with bitter grief.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In the dream, she is alone.
Kneeling on a stage of starless night.
A voice comes forth - one that she hasn't heard in a lifetime.
"You look a little lost."
Sabine turns to find the achingly familiar figure of Kanan Jarrus, garbed in traditional Jedi robes.
She whispers, "Kanan." All the memories of him threaten to overwhelm her in this moment.
He smiles. "Hey, Sabine. It's been a while."
In a small voice, Sabine asks, "Are you real? Is this happening in my head?"
Kanan shrugged. "Technically, everything happens in your head. Doesn't make it any less real."
"Is this the Force again? Trying to tell me something?"
Kanan turned serious. "Yeah. I've been watching you for a while now, Sabine."
"And? Impressed by my progress?"
Kanan sat down in front of her, cross-legged. "It hurts."
"Yeah?" She wanted to sound defiant, but all that came out was a croak. "Which part?"
He just looked at her with compassion. "It hurts to see you in so much pain."
Sabine didn't want to talk about this. "Where are we?"
"Within the heart of every Jedi lies a place of stillness; a place to reflect, when they meditate. I call it the Still Place."
She snorted. "The 'Still Place'? Kind of lame."
Kanan pouted. "Look, it's not meant to be creative. It just is, okay? That's what it's called."
Sabine sighed and looked around the empty space they inhabited. "Looks like my Still Place is pretty barren."
"It looks different to every person. Focus, Sabine."
She did, closing her eyes - and . . .
The gentle rustle of grass fields in the wind.
She opened her eyes to find herself in a clearing, surrounded by familiar grass lands. Craning her neck upwards, she saw the familiar night sky view of countless stars. In the distance, she saw the capital city and the watchtower she now called home.
"Of course," she said. "Where else would it be."
Kanan smiled. "I miss being here."
She soaked in the view of the world she loved and her former mentor, taking it all in.
"Why are you here, Kanan?"
He returned his gaze to her. "It's not to punish you, Sabine."
"I think I would deserve it. You know what I've done?"
"I know. But it's time to let that go. It's weighing you down. It's hurting you."
"What is?"
"Your attachment to your failures."
Sabine scoffed. "What attachment? I hate my failures! I hate that I messed up!"
"They're a part of you. You need to accept it. And move on."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "That makes no sense."
"Try."
"Jedi don't try," she shot back. "They do."
"When it comes to the matters of the Force and their abilities, then yes," replied Kanan. "But in everything else - look, Sabine, the universe is a complicated place. There's no guarantee of anything. That's the secret."
He leaned forward. "Sometimes, the best we can do is try. Even Jedi make mistakes."
"Even like the ones I've made?" she asked.
"Okay, that's a pretty exclusive club," Kanan admitted. "But there are other Jedi who did make mistakes like you."
Sabine looked at him and said, "Hera thinks I'm irredeemable, you know. That I've gone too far and abused my power."
Kanan gave her a look. "Do you think that?"
"I saved Ezra. And it came at a cost."
"You also stated that you would do it again, even knowing the outcome. You also haven't answered my question."
She thought about it. "I don't want to be irredeemable."
"What do you want, Sabine?"
"I want to be a Jedi."
Kanan cocked his head. "Why? You've never shown an interest before, when I was training Ezra."
"No," she admitted. "But I was watching. And I saw how it made you better. You both became stronger."
"Is that what you desire? The powers of a Jedi?"
Sabine frowned. "No . . . no." She let out a breath of frustration. "I don't know how to put it."
Kanan waited for her to gather her thoughts. And, at last, Sabine found the words.
"Taking the path of the Jedi made you both . . . more. More than what you already were. But you both were still yourselves, but also not just yourselves." She still found the statement to be clunky, but it felt true to what she felt.
Kanan smiled and nodded for her to continue.
"I wanted that. To be more than what I was. To protect others, like you both did. To prevent tragedies like we experienced from happening to everyone else. The Rebellion had plenty of soldiers, Generals, and heroes . . . but what the galaxy really needed were Jedi."
She looked up at Kanan. "And you and Ezra were gone."
"So, you wanted to step up. Become what you thought everyone needed."
Sabine nodded.
Kanan smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Sabine. I didn't mean to leave you with that burden."
"It was my choice. But, I let everyone down."
"Being a Jedi isn't about the lightsabers or the Force. It's about your choices, Sabine. It's about being the best possible version of yourself. You didn't need to be a Jedi first and foremost - everyone needed you to be yourself."
Sabine shook her head, feeling the tears starting to well up. "But it doesn't matter, Kanan. I think doing this - going down this path, it made me worse."
"Power," said Kanan, "regardless of where it comes from - the Force, political, or financial - is an amplifier for every person. It doesn't change them. It just gives you the ability to be more of . . . yourself."
"So . . . I am irredeemable?"
"You just said that you don't wish to be, right?"
"Right," said Sabine.
Kanan chuckled. "Then you won't."
She blinked at him. "It's that easy?"
The chuckle turned into a full throated laugh. It'd been so long since she'd heard him laugh.
"No, no. You've got to put in a lot of work, Sabine. But if you decide that you want to make amends, then you can."
"Hera doesn't seem to think so."
Kanan stopped laughing. "She'll be a tough one," he admitted. "You crossed a line with her."
He gazed directly at her and for a moment his eyes turned piercing. "You put our son in danger, Sabine."
Sabine felt a chill go through her that had nothing to do with the Lothal evening breeze. "Then why are you helping me?"
"Because I care for you. And so does she. It's why she's so angry with you."
Kanan stood and ignited his lightsaber. The blue blade was bright as any star, casting brilliant light in the quiet field around them.
"Are you ready? To face what comes next?"
Sabine looked at that sky-blue blade and asked, "What comes next, Kanan?"
"Joy. Despair. Love. Heartbreak. And life." He stared at her, face unreadable. "So much of it. If you want."
Nothing about the conversation had particularly inspired her to continue, she reflected. Kanan had simply told her what she needed to hear.
It would be tough. It would be hard, heart-breaking labor to make amends and find her way.
But . . . she wanted to keep fighting. She wanted to do it.
Sabine would see it through to the end. Make more mistakes, learn from them, and keep going. She would try her best and, when the time came, leave this galaxy with as few regrets possible.
And, hopefully, make it a better place for some.
"I'm ready," she said, quietly.
The blade lowered and rose onto each of her shoulders without touching.
"By the right of the Council; by the will of the Force. I dub thee, Sabine Wren, Jedi Knight of the Republic."
The lightsaber blade retracted into its hilt. Kanan held out a hand.
She took it and rose to her feet.
"That's it?" she asked. "Don't I get a fancy parade or something?"
His laughter, warm and loving, followed her out of the dream.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The next day, Ezra took Sabine to the hangar bay where the re-salvaged G9, christened The Starburst Phoenix, laid in wait.
He knew that she wanted to focus her mind on something positive considering the mood from last night. Sabine didn't say anything but she appreciated the gesture to cheer her up, nonetheless.
It was good to have a Jedi partner. You were never really alone. Sabine couldn't fathom why the old Jedi Order forbade these kinds of relationships.
They were mid-way through retrofitting the laser turrets when a call came through the comms.
It was Hera.
Ezra looked at Sabine. "If you want, I'll take this."
She shook her head. Sometimes, all we can do is try our best.
"I'm good, Ezra. Go ahead and answer it."
He did. Hera's voice came through, sounding unsteady.
"Hey, Hera," said Ezra. "How'd it go?"
"Ahsoka finished her tests. He's ready to start his official training." Her voice sounded stuffy, like she had been crying.
Sabine spoke. "I'm sorry, Hera."
"No, it's a good thing. He was always meant for this. You should have seen his face, how it lit up . . . I can't take this from him."
There was a few moments of silence. Hera's voice came back on the line, this time sounding more normal.
"When does his training start?" asked Ezra.
"That's the good news. Her and Skywalker are still setting up the Academy and rounding up other candidates. It will still take some time. Maybe a year, at the most."
"You still have time to spend with him," said Sabine, relieved.
"Yeah. I told the Council that I would be taking the next year off to spend time with my son. Mon Mothma personally approved it."
"Good," said Sabine. "They owe you."
"Yeah," replied Hera. "They do."
There was a long pause and then, barely there: "I'm scared."
Sabine caught Ezra's look. He motioned at her to speak.
She frowned and said, "What are you scared of, Hera?"
"Letting Jacen go. The last time I did that with people I loved . . . it didn't end well."
"When was the last time?"
"Kanan. Ezra. And then, you. I let you all go. I should have fought harder to stay by your side."
Sabine let out a breath. "None of that is your fault, Hera. There was a war. It's different this time with Jacen."
"I can hope, right? Trust in the Force." She sounded almost sarcastic in that last one.
"If you need something more, then trust in me, Hera," said Ezra. "And trust in Sabine. We'll look out for him, I promise."
Hera was silent. There were some voices on the other end of the call. Sabine heard a chuckle.
"Jacen wants to know if he can borrow Sabine's jetpack for his training."
Ezra grinned at Sabine. "We'll talk about it," Sabine replied, smiling.
"My vote is no," said Hera, firmly. "But, who knows? It might come in handy some day for a Jedi padawan."
"It did for me," said Sabine.
"And me," added Ezra.
Hera snorted. "Positive influences you two are. The New Jedi Order's best and brightest."
"Hera," began Sabine, cautiously.
"Yes, Sabine?"
Try my best. Make amends.
"Listen. Now that you've got some time off, Ezra and I were wondering if you would love stopping by Lothal to help with a personal project of ours."
Ezra raised his eyebrows questioningly at her but didn't say anything.
"Oh, yeah. Heard you picked up a real clunker of a ship. G9, right?"
"Hey," protested Ezra. "She's got it where it counts, you know. They flew the G9s during the Clone Wars. I heard even some Jedi used them as personal starships."
"Right," snorted Hera. "I'll take your word for it, Ezra, but I'd take the Ghost over your ship, any day.
"Anyway," continued Sabine, glaring daggers at Ezra, "if you wanted to help out. We could use some experienced hands on the repairs. Make sure nothing blows up when we power it on, that sort of thing."
"You haven't powered it on, yet?"
"No. Because we're worried it might blow up if we do. Haven't you been listening?"
Hera sighed. "Repair work, huh. Great start to a vacation."
Sabine replied, "You don't have to, if you think it's too much to handle."
"Nah. Whatever's broken, we'll fix it together," Hera replied. Sabine could almost see Hera's gentle smile in her mind's eye.
Sabine looked at Ezra, who reached out and held her hand.
"My thoughts, exactly."
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Author's Note: This was a really hard one to write. I don't know how I feel about this; I'm not sure if I got everything I wanted to across or if I properly fleshed out the motivations for Sabine. Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated.
Gonna take a break from writing fics for a while but, never fear, I'm already planning the next one. It's gonna be Ezra focused. Stay tuned!
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