I'd done this before.

Here I was, following behind a soldier dressed in white armor, trekking across a planet full of numerous unknown dangers. If it weren't for the pain coming from my wrist, I would've thought this was a figment from my brighter past.

"Here we are!" Gear, the trooper I'd been following, exclaimed, shaking me from my thoughts.

Lifting my head, I spotted a group of tents and hammocks strung up between several mushrooms. In the center of the encampment was a small fire pit, and as we approached, another Storm Trooper emerged from underneath one of the tents. His face was scarred, and as he caught sight of us, he grabbed his blaster and ran towards us.

"I saw the ship fall, and I--" His voice was cut short as his dark eyes landed on my face. "Who is this?" He sputtered.

"Doc, this is Ashoka Tano, a Jedi," Gear emphasized, "Her padawan is behind us."

"Jedi?" Doc exclaimed, "But they're--"

"Injured," Stance interrupted, coming up behind us, "And the kid is about to pass out."

For the next several moments, tension hung heavily between the three Storm Troopers, and I found my good hand creeping towards my light saber. This was a bad decision. We shouldn't have gone with them. If the soldiers decided to attack, there was a good chance that I would fail in protecting Ezra and myself.

"Bring him," Doc snapped and turned on his heel to head back towards the camp.

"Don't worry," Gear whispered as Stance carried Ezra towards the cluster of tents, "He'll get used to you. Just give him time."

Not saying anything, I forced my legs to move forward. Every part of me wanted to run away back to the ship, but I couldn't leave Ezra. He had stood by me when I was scared and had protected me when I was threatened. Right now, I had to put my uneasiness about the Storm Troopers aside in order to be there for Ezra and protect him if necessary.

As I followed after them, I couldn't help remembering Ezra's words:

"If I die, Kanan is going to kill me."

A smile lighting my face, I subconsciously remembered my own Master and how I would've said the same thing under these circumstances when I was younger. With these sweet memories came darker, more painful ones, and suddenly, my Master was standing right in front of me.

"Hey, Snips," he whispered and grinned at me.

At the sight, my throat constructed and my mind spun with confusion. How was this possible? My Master, the loving, mischievous man I knew, no longer existed, so how was he standing before me now?

"Master?" I stammered and stepped forward. As I approached, the world shifted, and I was alone once again. Shaking my head, I ducked underneath the flap of the tent.

*^*

Ezra was only unconscious for a minute, but I was there when he woke up and when Doc pulled the glass shard from his leg. Unfortunately the troopers' shabby camp was lacking in anesthesia, so nothing could hinder Ezra's pain.

Despite the stitching of Doc's needle, Ezra never whimpered or cried out. Although his body was clearly strained, all the young Jedi did was plaster a smile on his face and talk to me. For a few minutes, his strength puzzled me, but then I realized that he wasn't being strong for himself. He was being strong for me. Even now, in a tent that stank of sweat and blood, Ezra was trying to calm my fears with his easygoing smile: a smile that resembled another's.

"He does remind me of myself," My Master mused, appearing in the corner of the tent with his arms crossed over his chest, "He's smart and fast, and he lost the ones he loved at a very young age." At his sudden appearance, I glanced at Ezra and Doc, but they seemed completely oblivious.

"No, they can't see me, if that's what you're wondering," my Master chuckled, "It's just you and me, like old times."

Standing suddenly, I strode out of the tent. As I walked outside, I vaguely noticed that darkness had fallen, but I was more distracted by the darkness invading my mind. What was going on with me? Why did I keep seeing my Master? Sure, he had a habit of infiltrating my nightmares, but never while my eyes were open.

"Nothing to say, Snips?" My Master asked from where he sat between Gear and Stance by the fire.

"Hey, how's the kid doing?" Stance asked, and as he spoke, I turned my face towards him.

"Doc says that he'll be up on his feet in no time," I replied stiffly, "That is as long as infection doesn't set in."

Sharing a concerned glance with Gear, Stance hurriedly began to scoop me a bowl of whatever concoction was hanging over the fire. "Here, come sit," Stance said, "Food always has a way of getting the mind off of the heart."

Shrugging, I sat down beside Gear and began to wrap my wrist with some bandages I'd snatched when Doc wasn't looking.

"Look," My Master murmured, "They're trying to drug you."

Tilting my head, my eyes watched Stance as he prepared my bowl of soup. Whistling to himself, Stance stirred the soup with a spoon, and then switched the spoon to his other hand. As he did, he nonchalantly slipped a small vial from his sleeve and emptied its contents into the bowl.

"Here you are, ma'am," Stance murmured and handed me the bowl and spoon.

"Don't eat it."

"Why not?" I whispered, "Maybe it'll make you go away."

"That's not what they're doing!" He argued, "They're Storm Troopers! Ezra is already defenseless, and you will be too after you eat the soup. They're going to turn you in to the Galactic Empire."

"I don't think so," I disagreed, "They have no way of contacting their superiors."

"You don't know that!" He snapped and flung the soup from my hands, "You have to go now!"

"I can't leave Ezra!" I shouted and sprang to my feet.

"Whoa, girl, calm down," Stance whispered, his eyes staring into mine. "Sit down and don't worry about the spilled soup. I'll get you another bowl."

"Don't listen to them!" My Master screamed, and I covered my ears with my hands. "Run away. Ezra is waiting for you."

"He is?" I mumbled. A distant part of me knew that it was impossible for Ezra to be waiting for me. He was in the tent with Doc, but even as the rational idea filtered through my brain, my Master's voice drowned it out and snapped my eyes forward.

"Would I ever lie to you?" He asked, his legs tensed to run.

"No, you wouldn't."

"Stance, what do we do?" I heard Gear whisper.

"The spores are affecting her faster than I expected," he remarked, reaching for his weapon laying by the fire, "We have to stop her from running."

"You see?" My Master roared, "They're holding you prisoner! They don't want you to get to Ezra, because they know you'll be stronger together."

"What should I do?"

"Do exactly like I taught you to, Snips," he whispered as he began to walk away, "Fight."

After my Master had disappeared into the shadows, I faced the two troopers. Even in my confused state, I could see the weapons in their hands, ready to fire. My Master was right. They were trying to keep me from Ezra, and it was my duty to protect him, as he had me.

As I reached for the light sabers at my waist, the Storm Troopers fired.