28

AFTER THAT, the crew of the Ghost wasted no time in preventing any more accidental disasters. Once the Ghost left hyperspace, Hera scrambled her ship's signature so no Imperial scans would recognize them, then approached Lothal.

As the rebels had expected, a small planetary blockade consisting of precisely five Star Destroyers was in orbit, but Hera wasn't overly concerned. Getting past a blockade like that would be easy, unless, for some reason, they were ordered to dock with one of the Destroyers and be searched - but Tseebo helpfully confirmed that the probability of that happening was very low.

"Vessel, this is Star Destroyer Ultimatum," said a cold, feminine voice over the com, after but a few moments after the Ghost's appearance. "State your purpose."

Hera frowned, experiencing a strange sense of deja vu when she heard that voice and the name of the Star Destroyer. That was not good, and judging by the comically shocked look on her copilot's face, Kanan recognized them, too (unless he was thinking about something completely irrelevant, like the punch line of a joke he'd heard three years before and had only understood today, or maybe he had suddenly realized what an alien had called him once in a foreign language actually meant).

Thus, Hera beckoned to Zeb - who was still present in the cockpit - just in case.

Zeb rose and lumbered forward, pressing one claw down on the com button. "Just your average ship coming home after a visit with my mee-maw, Captain. Her cookies were delicious."

There was a long silence, as if Zeb's reply had sincerely and completely startled the captain of the Star Destroyer into speechlessness. Zeb was smirking, Hera looked amused, and Kanan's hands were clamped over his face as he struggled not to burst out laughing.

"Well, then... uh..." The captain cleared her throat. "Permission to land. Good day."

Zeb returned to his seat, chuckling, as Kanan finally exploded into laughter, pounding on the dashboard. He continued to do so for several minutes; then he sank back into his chair with a half-giggle, half-sigh, wiping a tear from his beet-red face with one finger.

Hera grinned at Kanan, her heart warmed to see him in a laughing fit. The despairing mood that had fallen over the crew upon Ezra's mysterious disappearance had become even worse when the innocent rebel freighter had been destroyed only about fifteen minutes before. It was indescribably relieving for that mood to be lifted, if even for a little while. She suspected that Zeb had said something so hilarious (it was so far from the truth, and yet he spoke it with such conviction!) quite intentionally, for that very reason.

And, of course, Kanan was adorable.

Aboard the Star Destroyer Ultimatum, Captain Sloane removed her finger from the com button and stared out into space as the Corellian ship soared by.

"Is something the matter, Captain?" queried her young copilot as he walked in.

"No, no," Sloane assured him, but as he plopped back down in his seat, he noticed the troubled expression on her face.

"Are you sure?" he pressed, clearly concerned.

"Well... to be honest, I..." Captain Sloane glanced at him helplessly. "Do you know if the cafeteria is serving cookies today?"

***