Episode 1 (2)

                                    

                                          
Kanan, under the guise of a stormtrooper commander, watched as Tua and Kallus pulled up in a speeder. They hadn't anticipated a security detail of any kind, so the company put him a bit on edge. 
                          
As they climbed out, Tua seemed nervous. "Thank you, Agent Kallus, but there...there was no need for an escort."
                          
"Lady Jadis asked me to make sure you reach your shuttle safely," he explained, folding his hands behind his back. 
                          
"I see," she replied, walking towards the hangar. 
                          
From behind her, Kallus was grinning in a way that wasn't exactly comforting. "We can't be too careful about security these days."
                          
Funny you should say that, Kanan thought, following close behind the agent. I wonder what you're going to think in about thirty seconds. 
                          
Sabine dropped down behind them while Tua tried to appear calm. Seriously, she had no poker face whatsoever. "Yes, I suppose so."
                          
"Hey!" Sabine called, drawing her blasters. She began firing at the stormtroopers, making sure not to hit Kanan or Tua.
                          
"Minister, take cover!" Kallus ordered, and Tua ran out of the line of fire. She didn't really see where this plan was going, but she didn't have another option. 
                          
When they were far enough forward, Kanan hit the control panel for the hangar door and shut the rest of the soldiers out. "Surprise," he told Kallus, blasting the panel and effectively locking the doors. 
                          
"Rebels," grumbled Kallus, firing at Kanan. The Jedi dodged the blaster bolts, taking cover behind a crate that was nearby.
                          
Right on cue, Ezra and Hera hopped down into the fray. They drew some of the fire, but Kallus was tired of these particular rebels and went after them, forcing them all to converge where Tua was taking cover. Kanan provided some cover fire for the group. "Minister, get to the shuttle," Ezra instructed. "We'll be right behind you."
                          
"Right," she stammered, darting off towards her ticket to freedom. She didn't look back at Kallus, she didn't look back at the rebels or anything else, she only had eyes for that shuttle. Her vision narrowed as she ran up the ramp. 
                          
Which meant that she was the only one who saw the explosives rigged inside of it. The rebels were too far back, they couldn't see them and didn't know. They were still running up behind her. There was no time to warn them, no time to escape or save herself, much less them.
                          
In the nanosecond she had left, her heart thumped one last time, and the last breath she took was a gasp. She wanted to shout, to say something, to object to this fate, but all she had time to do was to reach backward toward the shuttle bay and think, WAIT! PLEASE!!!
                          
The shuttle burst into bright flames, knocking back the three rebels that were chasing Tua onboard. It didn't do more than bruise them, but as they sat up and looked again, they knew there was no hope for the ex-minister. Ezra even spared a moment to say her name hauntingly before Kallus snapped them back to reality.
                          
"You did this!" he accused, advancing and firing on them again. Kanan, Hera, and Ezra were forced to take cover, and the other stormtroopers finally got through the bay doors so now they were outnumbered too.
                          
Sabine didn't wait for things to get any worse. "Zeb, we need a pickup! Now!"
                          
"Copy, we're on our way," he told her, and Sabine kept an eye out. There was no telling how long the three on the ground could hold their position.
                          
Luckily, Chopper and Zeb pulled through. They arrived in seconds, the shuttle lowering into the bay. Zeb provided cover fire while shouting for the others to "Come on!" Once they were on, Chopper lifted the shuttle slowly enough that Sabine could jump on board from the roof. The door shut and the shuttle sped away...for about five seconds.