8

HERA WASN'T really the kind of person who got angry very easily. Sometimes - most of the time, in fact - she could be the most levelheaded person on the crew (aside from Tseebo, at least).

But when Ezra pulled a stunt like this, you really had to cut her some slack.

And her own droid turning against her was just the final fruit atop the jogan cake.

"CHOPPER!" she screamed for the umpteenth time as he again barred her way, whirring his mechanical arms at her. "LET ME THROUGH!"

"Wrr wrr wrr!" Chopper shook his electroshock probe at her threateningly.

"Everything I've done for you and this is what I get?!" shouted Hera, enraged. She jumped back to avoid getting zapped and scowled at Chopper, eyes burning with liquid fire. "Where would you be without me?!"

"Wrr wrr," Chopper decided. "Warrp worr wrr!"

"You would most certainly NOT be running a self-founded top-line oil company buried in a mountain of your own credits!" Hera yelled.

Chopper spun his dome slowly, jerking his arms. "Wrr wrr, wrr wrr..."

Hera arched an eyebrow, scoffing. "Really. And pray tell, how does a C1 and an R4 equal five chronos?"

"Wrr, wrr wrr-"

Just then, the entire ship gave a lurch, sending Hera stumbling into Chopper. Gently, he pushed her back up.

"Warr wrr," remarked the battered old droid.

Hera stared down at Chopper, frowning slightly. "But - Chop-" She gave up with a frustrated sigh and pressed a hand to her forehead. "All right... that's definitely true - and when I do, I'm going to box that boy's ears in," she added seethingly, stepping onto the ladder.

"Wrr!" Chopper waved after her cheerfully, turning away.

"And don't you think you can confound me into forgetting about what you've done for a minute," Hera said sharply, pausing to glare downwards. "I'll be back for you, buster."

"Fwrrrrrrrrrr," he growled as he rolled out of sight.

"And watch your language!"

***

Ezra continuously pulled back on the controls, forcing the shuddering Corellian freighter into an ever climbing, nearly 90 degree ascent. A wide cringe was on his face as he listened to Hera screaming just down below the cockpit. Please, Chopper... just a little while longer...

Why did almost everything somehow end up riding on that cantankerous old garbage can?

Suddenly, as the lilac-hued clouds above broke apart to reveal the starry expanse of space, a loud beeping noise snatched at Ezra's attention. His sapphire gaze flicked across the control board until he spotted the source - a little rectangular button. It was flashing a warning orange light.

"That's never good!" Ezra yipped, panic stabbing through him. "Ohh, Force - what the heck does it mean - what do I do, what do I do, what do I-"

"EZRA BRIDGER!"

Ezra screamed and tumbled out of the pilot's seat.

Lying flat on his back on the cold floor, Ezra slowly looked up to find himself staring at an absolutely livid green face.

"Oh," Ezra squeaked. "Hi, Hera."

Gosh, he'd never seen her lekku twitch that way before.

Hera seized him by the front of his shirt and shoved him into the copilot's chair. "Sit," she growled, plopping down into her own. "Don't move, touch nothing."

Ezra dipped his head meekly.

Hera took one look at the control board and hissed. "Great, the fuel light's on! Wasting power, wasting credits..." She began to guide the ship back down, dissolving into mutters.

"Uh, Hera," Ezra piped up waveringly.

Hera was silent. Her rage was palpable.

"I-I..." Ezra gulped, staring at her with wide, nervous eyes. "I was trying to go somewhere..."

Hera's lekku flicked. She continued to steer the Ghost gently downwards, much more slowly than he had. He also noticed the freighter wasn't shuddering anymore.

"Somewhere where I could meet a guy who could help us find Kanan," Ezra added hoarsely.

"Go on, then," Hera said in a low, rather cold voice, her eyes fixed on the sky outside.

"..Cloud City," mumbled Ezra. "O-On.. on Bespin."

Hera let that sink in for a moment.

"I see why you didn't talk to me about that first," she said wryly, glancing at him. Anger still flashed on her face. "But this is my ship and I am its captain. You will not go behind my back for anything anymore, young man. Understand?"

"Yes, Hera," Ezra told her solemnly, looking down. "I'm sorry."

Hera's expression softened. "Good. Thank you, Ezra." She sighed and switched the ship into a hover, then stood and glanced at him inquiringly. "So I take it you don't like Ahsoka's plan?"

"No, no, Ahsoka's plan is great! But... I just think that Lando could really help us."

"I see," Hera mused, regarding him. "Why's that?"

"I contacted him after you left," he admitted. "I told him we need to find a bounty hunter. I think Lando could help because he knows the crime world, and he told me that's exactly why he just might be able to." He paused. "Well, more or less. You know how he talks."

Hera nodded thoughtfully. (She thought that it almost looked like his nose had wrinkled when he'd said that.) "All right. I'm going to land so we can refuel." She laid a hand on Ezra's shoulder. "Then I'm going to leave Ahsoka a message and set a course for Bespin."

Ezra looked relieved. It was clear to her that he had real hope in Lando, so she would too.

"And we really need to fill in the others," Hera added softly, her face falling. "They all need to be filled in."

"I'll go do it," Ezra murmured sadly.

Hera nodded faintly and sat back down while Ezra stood and turned to go.

"And, Ezra?"

He paused. "I know, I'm in big trouble." He didn't sound too unhappy - more like he thought that it was more than fair.

"I'll think about that. But I just wanted to say.. stay strong." Hera didn't look back. "We are getting Kanan back, and we're getting him back soon. We are not going to let this happen again." I can't.

"Thanks, Hera," Ezra said quietly. "Believe me, I'm going to do everything I can to stop this."

Hera heard him leave the cockpit and looked down, smiling through her bitter tears.

"I know you will," she whispered, even though he was already gone.

You already are.

Just please... don't keep trying to do it alone.

***