33

MERE MOMENTS later, Hera was in the cockpit, starting up the Ghost.

"Setting course for Tarkintown," she reported on the internal com, then glanced over her shoulder at Chopper. "Chopper, I need you to run a diagnostic and make sure the Ghost didn't sustain any major damage during that Star Destroyer attack. If Vizago has information on Ezra, fake or otherwise, there's no telling what we might have to do."

"Wrr-wrr." Chopper rolled away, hopefully to do just that.

If he isn't, I'm going to pull that Astromech's battery, Hera thought irritably, then considered something for a moment and turned on the internal com again. "Kanan, did you remove that tracking device before you came in?"

"Yes, Hera. Removed it and busted it up, too."

"Thank you, love." Hera decidedly left the com on in case Chopper had anything to report on the diagnostic once it was done.

Then the Ghost took off, leaving Capitol City far behind.

It wasn't a very long trip. Hera almost wished it was. It had been a while since any of the crewmembers had slept, and they definitely needed rest. But she knew very well and unquestionably that every second had to be devoted to finding Ezra, and she certainly didn't have a negative word to say or think about that.

The Ghost landed gently on a grassy hill overlooking Tarkintown. It was still mostly soot and charred remains of people's homes down below, but it was beginning to be slowly rebuilt by new individuals who had lost their farms to the Empire.

The entry ramp hissed open, and out walked four of the rebels who often visited the area: Kanan, Hera, Zeb, and Sabine. As they stepped off into the cool field, they all felt very strange. There was something missing, something that belonged there with them on ops like this. Each one of them knew exactly what was wrong. Ezra's disappearance had left many vacant holes that couldn't be filled.

No one exactly led the way. The tiny band simply walked together in silence, but its members shared a similar thought.

If everything goes right, Ezra will rejoin us soon.

But nothing has gone right so far.