telling Sabine

[notallofus]

They've settled into a space of quiet between jobs, taking the time to go over the Ghost's systems with fine-toothed combs, taking stop-gap repairs and putting the more permanent fixes in place. It's . . . not bad.

Or it wouldn't be bad, if this quite space didn't also mean that it's just the right time to have some complicated conversations. The crew has really been coming together, and Sabine feels like a permanent part of the team now.

Which means she should probably know what kind of potential future dangers she's signed up for. But --

But the weapons systems down in the gunnery station really could use more calibration, so . . .

Comments

[explosive_artist]

Her brows wrinkle at the unexpected question. She takes a moment to think of an answer, Imperial propaganda clashing with rumor.

"Just that they tried to take over the Republic and betrayed the Senate...at least that's what the Empire would have us believe. I don't buy it. They tried to help Mandalore during the Wars, twice, though there is little data to be found about it. I think they tried to maintain peace throughout the galaxy, but that doesn't line up with them leading the Republic forces during the war. Beyond that, lots of myths and legends. Mystic warriors who stuck their nose where they weren't wanted on one hand, wandering champions who showed up to save people when they had no other hope on the other."

"I'm not sure which I believe. All I know is they helped Mandalore and the Empire doesn't like them, which is two marks in their favor in my book."

Yeah, there's the wars Mandalore fought with the Jedi, but that's ancient history to Sabine.

[notallofus]

"Oh," Kanan says, a little more animated than nervous, because that lie about taking over the Senate, the lie to cover Master Depa and all the rest being killed --

No, he's still not over that. Not completely.

"Oh, we definitely didn't try to take over the Republic. Sticking our noses in people's business . . . that definitely happened, but always with the intention of helping. I -- "

He exhales.

"I had a different name, then. But I was a Jedi apprentice when things all fell apart, and -- I still am one, I guess. Which means if the Empire ever finds out, they're going to come after me -- and us. Hard."

[for_everyone]

Hera stays silent.

But now she does look to Kanan, and moves her hand, gently placing it on his arm.

[explosive_artist]

Sabine's eyes widen in surprise and she pushes off the wall.

"You're a...wow," she says, pacing as she processes this. "Not just the Empire. Well, not just the Empire directly. I wouldn't be surprised if there are bounties out there. Karabast." Says the girl who likely has her own bounty in Mandalore and nearby systems.

She paces some more as she thinks. "I'm good with this, it's just huge. I'll keep your trust, on my honor." She touches the heart piece of her armor as she says this. "But wow. Does Zeb know? Chopper has to know, right?"

[notallofus]

Okay, so that's somehow not the reaction Kanan was expecting.

"Everyone who becomes permanent crew gets to know. So far that's Zeb and you, and Chop's known almost as long as Hera. It -- "

A pause.

"Really? You believe me just like that, without any demonstrations or -- "

Huh. It's . . . kind of nice, really.

[for_everyone]

Hera keeps any sigh of relief to herself.

"It's not something you'd likely lie about," she says to Kanan, keeping her hand on his arm.

[explosive_artist]

Sabine is actually shocked to find she just trusts Kanan. She doesn't need proof. He could claim he has a way through the Kessel Run, and she'd believe him. OK, maybe she'd want to see his route, but she'd believe he had a plan at least.

But she also knows people who know you trust them can take advantage of you, so she needs to offer some reason beyond that, or at least one that they will believe.

"She's right but there's more to it," she says, pointing to Hera and nodding. "I've also seen how you fight. You've had training and very specialized training, perhaps as good as a Mandalorian." Better, she might admit to herself, but not to anyone else.

"Training like that isn't common, so either you're some Empire special ops or Mandalorian. I know you aren't Mando'a, and I know Imperial special ops are nearly brainwashed to only think of the Empire, so Jedi just makes sense."

"I don't think you should tell me your old name. I can't tell what I don't know." Though whether a name would be better intel than the fact of a living jedi, she's not sure.

[notallofus]

Kanan's smile is thin, and a little tired.

"I wasn't going to. He's dead, anyway."

Plus his fighting style is going to be what really gives him away, to anyone that knows it.

Jedi are very . . . distinct that way. Individually.

He moves to rest his hand over Hera's for a second, squeezing lightly. She makes a lot of things easier, and he appreciates it each and every time.

"It is going to come out someday, though. This secret."

[for_everyone]

"We've probably been lucky that it hasn't come up before."

Now, Hera does sigh, briefly touching her free hand to her forehead.

"At least that no one else has seen."

[explosive_artist]

Well, it did take him telling her he was trained with the Jedi for her to connect the dots, so it's not that blatant. Unless you're trained to look for that kind of fighting style.

She also knows about leave the past well burried.

"I'd guess people only think of Jedi when a laser sword is being used. It was their signature."

[notallofus]

"Was," Kanan says, only a little wryly.

"And is."

He unhooks two pieces of machinery from his belt, one cylindrical and the other less so.

"What did you think these were?"

Twisting them together and thumbing the switch releases the blade, glowing blue and eldritch and emitting a very familiar buzzing hum. Kanan finds it comforting, even after all this time.

[for_everyone]

Hera leans slightly away from him, the blue light flashing her eyes.

"He used to carry it in the case of a blaster riflescope," she tells Sabine.

[explosive_artist]

While Sabine leans forward, fascinated.

"I was never sure. I just figured it was some adaptive power cell or something. Definitely more subtle than a riflescope."

"Is the hum bleed over from the mechanics or is it the field interacting with the atmosphere?"

[notallofus]

"It made sense at the time!" Kanan says, grinning with the very beginnings of relief.

That didn't go so badly.

"As for the humming . . . "

He can go into some detail, and he will, but today isn't a day to cover the mystical properties of kyber crystals. So.