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illuminatedquill · 4 months

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Sabine Wren & Ezra Bridger

Family's End - and Beginning (Part One)

Story Summary: What if the events of Ahsoka had happened differently? What if Sabine had made darker choices in her quest to find Ezra? What if the Ezra she found waiting on Peridea was no longer the heroic young Jedi from her youth? The return of Ezra Bridger to the known galaxy should have been a cause for celebration. But, instead, it heralded war . . .

*Art done by my fantastic friend, Scragon!

Seatos - The Fall

The scarlet blade of her adversary whipped in the space where her head had been mere seconds before; Sabine ducked into a low side-ways roll, her combat reflexes serving her well in this life-or-death duel.

She came back to her feet and ignited her lightsaber in a guard stance. The emerald blade sprang into existence with a satisfying snap-hiss.

Shin Hati, the dark-side mercenary, eyed her with grim amusement. The tree her blade had struck, instead of Sabine's head, began to tip over having been cut clean through. The crimson line of cauterized wood hissed and sparked as the top began to slip off the trunk, before falling completely over with a deafening thunk.

The red forest around them rustled and whispered with echoes from the fallen tree - and then fell silent. Sabine felt her skin break out in goosebumps at the eerie silence enveloping them like a funeral shroud.

Shin stared at her malevolently. The young woman's eyes were devoid of humanity; it only reflected the scarlet of her blade.

"You are amusing," Shin said. "So much fun to play with you."

Sabine tightened her grip on the lightsaber hilt. She stepped cautiously to her right, her eyes never leaving the mercenary. Sweat dripped down her brow; her breathing was tight and controlled.

Control your fear, she thought. I need to get through this.

For Ezra.

Her friend's face, as she remembered it, flashed through her mind; a bright, earnest face with piercing blue eyes that looked as though they could pierce through durasteel. She had always found those eyes to be magnetic, almost arresting in their gaze. When she was younger, Sabine quietly admitted to herself - and no one else - that she liked Ezra looking at her.

His face, his smell, his voice, his laugh and the quiet, easy confidence he gained as he grew in his Force powers and Jedi training - all of it surged through her mind like raw voltage, giving her surety and courage.

The fear dissipated like mist in the early morning dawn. Sabine stared at her adversary and said, "I'd appreciate it if we could speed this up. It's getting a little boring for me."

Shin seemed disappointed by that statement. "You're not enjoying this?"

"No, not really. You don't exactly meet my preference of dance partner."

The mercenary cocked her head. "You prefer Bridger?"

"Keep his name out of your mouth," snapped Sabine.

An evil grin slowly spread over Shin's face. "You'll be seeing him soon enough," she whispered.

And then she struck forward with a Force-enhanced dash. Sabine met her scarlet blade with her own emerald one, emitting a battle cry. The two blades erupted into hissing, sparks flying from where the plasma connected.

"I'll be sure to send him to you after I kill you," snarled Shin. "You can be reunited in whatever existence comes after this."

Sabine gritted her teeth, pushing with all her might against Shin's blade. "You talk too much," she replied tersely and forced the mercenary back with a shove.

Shin slid back a few inches only but it gave Sabine an opening. She slashed forward, her lightsaber a green-white blur against Shin's blade.

Shin parried her strikes, eyes narrowing with murderous intent - and then widening in surprise.

Too late, Sabine thought smugly.

Always be aware of your surroundings, Ahsoka had taught her.

The fallen tree trunk that Shin had slashed now lay directly behind her. Sabine pressed her attack -

Shin tripped with a cry over the trunk. She sprawled onto her backside, scrambling to get clear -

Sabine leapt up, the tip of her emerald blade pointed down towards Shin's chest -

Shin raised a hand at the last second.

Sabine froze in mid-air, gripped by an invisible force.

"Damn it!" she yelled. The point of her lightsaber was mere inches away from the mercenary's sternum. It might as well have been a hundred miles away, for all the good it did her.

Panting, hand still raised, Shin acknowledged her. "Not bad, Wren. Almost had me."

Sabine fought with all her strength but she could not escape the Force-grip the mercenary had on her.

Shin sneered at her. "Almost being the operative word there."

With casual contempt, she flung Sabine backwards. Sabine hit a tree, hard; the Mandalorian armor absorbed most of the blow, but it still left her winded when she collapsed onto the leaf-strewn ground below.

Get up. Get up!

Sabine had barely gotten her legs back underneath her when she was lifted yet again in another Force-grip. Shin was walking towards her, malicious glee lighting up her dead eyes.

Sabine waited until the mercenary was within range . . .

Shin stopped a foot away from her. Close enough, Sabine thought.

She twitched her right forearm, pointing it towards Shin - and then squeezed her hand into a fist, activating the flamethrower mechanism within the vambrace.

A gout of bright, orange flame erupted with a howl at Shin. She screamed and dove to the side.

And, more importantly, lost her concentration for the Force-grip.

Sabine was ready; the moment she felt the grip dissolve, she dropped into a low roll and came back to her feet with the lightsaber ready.

Shin, with a snarl, threw off her burning cloak and glared at Sabine.

"So many tricks," she hissed. "But they cannot hide the truth."

Sabine leapt at her, her emerald blade a blur in the furious strikes she aimed at Shin. The mercenary danced around them, parrying it away with a sickening grin, constantly moving.

They fought to a standstill in the middle of a familiar clearing - Shin was maneuvering them somewhere -

No. Maneuvering her.

The mercenary laughed and gave Sabine a vicious Force-shove.

The fallen tree trunk. Shin was using the same tactic on her.

And she had fallen for it. With a scream of rage, Sabine fell over the tree trunk, like Shin had mere minutes ago.

She tried to roll over onto her side, fighting to get the wind back in her -

Shin stood over her, a grim monotone colored ghost against the red backdrop of the forest. With a cackle, her boot came down on Sabine's neck, pinning her to the ground.

Sabine struck out with her lightsaber, hoping it would drive the mercenary off her -

Shin swatted her strike aside with contemptuous ease. Her boot dug deep into Sabine's neck, choking off her air.

The mercenary leaned down, eyes wide with sadistic glee. "You have no power here, Wren. That is the truth your tricks cannot hide."

Weakly, vision fading from the lack of air, Sabine tried to strike at Shin again. This time, the mercenary grabbed her hand.

"This lightsaber belonged to Bridger, didn't it?" asked Shin. "He gave it to you."

Ezra . . .

You know I can always count on you.

She was fading.

F a d i n g . . .

"A Jedi's life is their lightsaber," continued Shin, oblivious to Sabine's pain. "It is a gift, rarely given."

The mercenary glanced down at Sabine and gave her a wicked sneer.

"What a waste. His faith in you was misplaced."

With a grunt, Shin drew on the Force for extra strength and brutally crushed Sabine's hand, her lightsaber still in it.

Sabine screamed as she watched the metallic cylinder warp and dent in her grip - before the emerald blade whimpered out of existence.

Laughing, Shin stepped off Sabine's neck. She watched Sabine's hand fall limp, the crushed lightsaber hilt still sparking feebly in her grip.

"No," whispered Sabine. Ezra's lightsaber. His last gift to her.

You know I can always count on you.

Something dark and poisonous began to bloom inside Sabine's chest.

She heard Shin's lightsaber activate with a sinister snap-hiss.

Sabine didn't care. She just stared at the broken lightsaber in her hand.

You know I can always count on you.

The thing inside her chest began to roar and shake. Beating at the inside of her sternum, howling to be freed.

A scarlet blade appeared over her face. She could feel the heat radiating from Shin's blade.

"Time to die," Shin declared. "I'll send your beloved Bridger to see you soon, I promise."

Ezra.

Something

inside

Sabine

snapped.

There was a howling in her head, as she reached deep within - deeper than she'd ever delved before - reaching inside that dark, swirling abyss she'd kept at bay all these years -

Touching some raw power that had lain dormant. Waiting for her to break through with the strength forged from rage, from despair, from grief -

Sabine touched the Force.

And it leapt to obey her.

She snarled and twisted her other hand in a vicious motion.

Shin's arm snapped with an audible crack in the quiet forest. Screaming, in shock, the mercenary dropped her lightsaber.

Sabine quietly got to her feet and picked it up. She looked at Shin's lightsaber and then back at her own ruined one.

She clipped her own lightsaber back onto her belt and then activated Shin's.

Falling to her knees with the pain, the mercenary stared at Sabine with some new emotion in her eyes.

Is that fear? Sabine thought.

The idea made her feel a little sick - but she also recognized the private thrill of satisfaction underneath it, running like a cool stream of water underneath the heat of battle.

Shin was helpless before her, staring at the scarlet blade in Sabine's hand.

Sabine stepped in front of her. The glow from Shin's blade threw the mercenary's face into sickly light in the dim forest; she shied away from the deadly hum and heat emanating from the lightsaber.

"What are you going to do now?" asked the mercenary. Her voice, thread through with pain, was still surprisingly steady. "Are you going to kill me?"

Sabine considered her words, cocking her head.

Shin smirked. "You can't do it. You don't have the - "

Sabine made a single, swift slash.

Shin's body fell to the ground. Something rolled away from it, softly thumping against the forest ground.

Sabine felt sick inside, staring at the mercenary's headless corpse.

"Like I said before," she said coldly. "You talk too much."

Fear, anger, violence - a warning through the Force.

Sabine mentally shook herself, focusing on the new sensations. Somewhere, up ahead, an intense battle was taking place.

Ahsoka. Baylan Skoll.

Her master needed her. She closed down Shin's lightsaber, grabbed the map, and dashed through the forest, drawing on the Force for extra speed.

And tried not to think about the body she had left behind.

She arrived just in time to see Ahsoka being backed up against a stone pillar by Baylan's brutal attacks.

Heart hammering away inside, Sabine yelled for her master. "Ahsoka!"

Ahsoka spared a glance at her and yelled back, "Sabine! We take him together!"

Sabine didn't need to be told twice; igniting Shin's lightsaber, she leapt into the fray.

Baylan immediately noticed Sabine's new weapon. "No - it can't be. Shin - "

"Won't be joining us," Sabine replied coldly. "She lost her head in the fight."

The distraction worked. Ahsoka slipped out of Baylan's attack and slashed away with her pure-white blade. The former Jedi was put off his guard and forced to give way in order to defend against Ahsoka's attacks.

Sabine waited for a moment when the battle gave her an opportunity -

There. An opening. She dipped her blade low and slashed at Baylan's lower leg; a hole in his defense opened up by Ahsoka's strikes.

The mercenary pivoted with a grunt, parrying away Sabine's blade -

Forcing his flank to be wide open for Ahsoka. She took the opportunity to dash forward and grabbed for Baylan's wrist.

He cried out in frustration as the Jedi Knight twisted it in a classic disarming move. The big man was forced to his knees and dropped his lightsaber.

Sabine scooted forward and kicked it off to the side. Ahsoka, not taking any chances, kept Baylan's arm twisted and locked in position. He couldn't move without causing enormous pain.

"Surrender. You are beaten," she said.

Baylan growled, "Never."

"Suit yourself," Ahsoka replied. Clenching her teeth, she Force-shoved him into the nearest stone pillar, knocking him unconscious.

And the battle was over. Sabine let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding and deactivated her - no, not hers, Shin's - lightsaber.

"Nice work," she said.

Ahsoka looked at her, frowning. "What happened to your lightsaber?"

Sabine gestured at the broken weapon clipped on her belt. "It broke, unfortunately. Shin's fault."

She looked at her master, a smirk forming on her face. "I paid her back for it, though."

Ahsoka's frown deepened even more. Sabine felt a gradually rising sense of annoyance from her master's disapproval.

"Did you really kill Shin?"

"Yes," snapped Sabine. "She didn't leave me a choice."

With a grimace, Sabine pulled out the map. "It doesn't matter. Look, we have the map. Ahsoka, we can find Ezra now. We can bring him home."

Something beeped on Baylan's arm, drawing their attention away. Ahsoka walked over, examined the source.

"What is it?" asked Sabine.

Ahsoka cursed. "An alarm. We must have tripped it during the battle. They'll be sending reinforcements."

"Well, let's high-tail it out of here, then. They can't do anything without the map, right?"

Ahsoka just looked at here. "And then what, Sabine?"

Sabine blinked at her in confusion. "And then we figure out a way to get to Ezra. What else?"

"They'll never stop chasing after the map, Sabine. Wherever we go, there will be a fight," Ahsoka pointed out. "Innocents might get caught in the cross-fire."

Sabine felt her stomach sinking at what Ahsoka was suggesting.

"You're not serious," she said. "We're not doing this. We have the map, Ahsoka!"

"The enemy will never stop! We discussed this. The map has to be destroyed, we have no more time."

Sabine gritted her teeth. "I'm not leaving Ezra out there to die alone, far away from home! I've come too far to stop now."

She stepped forward, pleading. "Please. Please, let's just re-consider this and think of another way."

Ahsoka's gaze softened into sadness. She shook her head. "I'm truly sorry, Sabine. I know how much Ezra means to you. But we cannot risk the return of Thrawn."

The wind howled through the desolate stone structure. A storm was approaching. The beeping emanating from Baylan's vambrace began to intensify in speed and volume.

Ahsoka held out her hand. "Give me the map, Sabine."

I know I can always count on you.

Gripping the map tightly to her chest, Sabine shook her head and took a step back.

Ahsoka sighed - and then reached out with the Force. The map snapped from Sabine's grasp into Ahsoka's.

No, thought Sabine. It can't end like this.

The howling inside her chest began to grow once more . . .

Ahsoka placed the map onto the stone pedestal.

No.

The Jedi Knight ignited her lightsaber. Raised it up -

I know I can always count on you.

"No!" screamed Sabine. The scarlet blade erupted in her hand and she brought it slashing at Ahsoka's face.

Ahsoka pivoted to block her attack. Eyes wide with shock, she shouted over the buzzing of their locked blades, "What are you doing!"

"I have to save him," said Sabine desperately. "I need to save Ezra!"

"Sabine!" yelled Ahsoka. "The whole galaxy is at stake! Don't let your feelings for Ezra cloud your judgment!"

The whole galaxy.

Numerous, countless, faceless beings. All living peaceful lives; free of war, free of terror, free of the cruelty that was all too common-place under the Empire's reign.

And none of them were Ezra Bridger.

The galaxy had long asked for the unquestionable math from her and others: one life, balanced against trillions more.

But no more.

Sabine decided to choose the one life; the only one that mattered to her now. This time, she would ignore the math and do so gladly.

She reached down into the deep, dark, red burning core that existed at the center of her being - and drew deeply on the Force.

Ahsoka sensed her intent, her face lighting up in shock at her Padawan.

"Sabine," she whispered. "You can use the Force?"

Sabine replied with a scream, full of rage, and Force-shoved her master away.

Ahsoka deftly pivoted to the side, dodging it fully. The Jedi Knight pulled out her second lightsaber, ignited it, her face full of regret - and determination.

"I'm sorry, Sabine," she said. "But this must be done. With or without you."

Sabine narrowed her eyes, raising her lightsaber to a guard stance. But she knew it was no use; despite her having access to the Force now, Ahsoka was years and years ahead of her in experience.

It would be a short fight.

I'm sorry, Ezra, she thought miserably. I tried.

And then Baylan appeared behind Ahsoka.

Sabine cried out a warning, purely on reflex. Ahsoka turned -

It was too late. With a grunt, Baylan seized her by the throat and threw her at a stone pillar. It shook with from the sheer force of Ahsoka hitting it, dust sloshing off in a sudden cloud.

"No!" screamed Sabine. Her anger at Ahsoka had evaporated, turning into terror as Baylan began to press his attack. She ran at him, slashing away with her lightsaber -

Baylan, without looking at her, waved his hand in a dismissive motion. Sabine felt herself forced backwards, stumbling onto the ground in a sprawl.

Fully focused on Ahsoka, he raised his other hand in a tight fist. Ahsoka rose into the air, her hands scrabbling at her throat.

Baylan said regretfully, "Such a pity. I didn't want to kill you, Ahsoka Tano."

His expression hardened. "But I'd like to even the score with your apprentice. So I'm afraid this is farewell."

And with a mighty yell, he sent her flying over the cliff edge.

Sabine could only watch in horror as she saw her master disappear. Somehow, despite her mind frozen in shock, she found herself scrambling to the stone pedestal to grab the map.

Baylan turned around to look at her. Sabine ignited her lightsaber and held it over the map.

He chuckled. "It's too late for that, Sabine Wren."

"Stay away!" she shouted. "I'll destroy it!"

His chuckle turned into a full throated laugh. "No, you won't. You would have done so already, as your former master asked."

He was right. She knew he was right.

She aimed the lightsaber's scarlet blade at Baylan, desperation seeping through her voice. "I'll kill you if you don't stay back!"

He cocked his head at her statement. "Like you killed your master?"

Sabine froze. "No. No, that was you! You threw Ahsoka over the edge."

"But you struck at her. Giving me the opening I needed. Quite the team we make." Baylan took a step closer.

"We are not a team. We will never be a team!"

The mercenary took another step forward. His face was weathered, but not unkind. "Such loyalty you display towards Ezra Bridger. I know how deeply you care for him."

Another step closer . . .

He held out his hand. "You don't have to give me the map, Sabine. Come with me, instead. We can find your friend, Ezra, together."

Ezra.

I know I can always count on you.

Another step closer. He was almost directly in front of her now, mere feet away. "You've already come so far. You've betrayed your master. You've betrayed the principals you once staked your life on."

"What's one more step, Sabine? What is Ezra Bridger's life worth to you?"

A whole galaxy at stake.

He took another step forward. Inches away, his hand was from hers.

She knew, deep down, that she had already made the calculations on that math.

Sabine closed her eyes, took a deep, shuddering breath - and reached out to take Baylan's hand.

When she opened her eyes back up, she saw Baylan smiling.

"Well chosen," he said approvingly.

And then Baylan said something that chilled her to the bone.

"Welcome to your first steps into a wider universe," he said. "My new apprentice."

(To be continued)

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