A few weeks had passed. The Iron Squadron had joined the Rebellion, and Jax had been busy doing his work as Fulcrum, working until he couldn't see straight. But now, he was going on an actual mission. One he wasn't overly excited for.

Jax sighed as Ezra led them to the airlock of the Ghost.

"Now, everybody," Ezra said. "Just--try to keep an open mind about this, okay?"

"Is there something you're not telling us about this job with Hondo?" Sabine asked.

"Come on," Ezra said with a shrug. "When have I asked you to trust me and it hasn't worked out?"

"Most of the time," Jax supplied.

The airlock door opened, and Hondo stepped out. "My friends, my friends!" Hondo exclaimed. He laughed and took his hat off. "It is I, Hondo!"

Jax groaned, and he heard at least Sabine and Zeb groan as well, and he assumed that the only reason Hera and Kanan didn't was because they were 'responsible'.

"I can't tell you how much your welcome warms this old pirate's heart," Hondo put his hat back on. "You are too gracious."

"I agree," Zeb growled. "Especially since the last time we saw you, you abandoned us on the doomed Imperial station!"

"But it all worked out," Ezra said. "In the end, right?"

"Of course it did!" Hondo said. "Because Hondo always delivers! Just wait until you see what my new partner and I have cooked up." he nudged Ezra, and Ezra gave a nervous smile.

"Wait," Kanan said slowly. "What new partner?"

"Now, remember, guys, okay?" Ezra said. "Open minds?"

The airlock door opened once again, and Jax heard someone complaining.

"Have you recruited these two-bit smugglers yet?" It was someone who looked like a red slug! And from what Jax remembered Ezra and Sabine telling him, it was Azmorigon. The person who tried to use Hera as a slave from a mission from Lando Calrissian.

"Azmorigan?" Hera said in surprise, an angry edge to her voice. "What makes you think we'd even consider working with him?"

"Yes, I--I know the two of you had your past... confrontations," Hondo stammered. "But when Hondo profits, so do you! And believe me, with what we have to offer, the profit for your rebellion will be great indeed."

They all, except Ezra, shared a look of unbelief.

----

"I don't care what you have to offer," Hera said, her arms crossed. "But I'm not allowing..." she glared at Azmorigan. " That on my ship."

"Oh, I remember now," Azmorigan said. "The feisty one. She hit me with a tray!"

Jax smothered a laugh. Hera was pretty awesome.

"Hera, take it easy," Ezra said in a strained voice.

"Easy?" Hera snapped. "This sack of bantha fodder tried to buy me from that sleemo Calrissian and make me his servant."

"I paid a fair price!" Azmorigan protested. "Technically, I still own you."

Jax resisted the urge to punch the sleemo in the face. He wouldn't talk to Hera that way and get away with all of his limbs.

Azmorigan laughed as Hera glared at him. If looks could kill, he would have been in so many pieces.

"Now, now," Hondo said, stepping between the two. "Don't be blind to this amazing opportunit--" he broke off and looked at Kanan. "Oh, sorry, sorry."

Jax sighed. He couldn't wait for this to be over.

"Actually, I'm interested in what you have to offer," Kanan said.

Jax glanced at the Jedi in surprise. "Really?"

"Oh," Hondo said. He muttered something Jax didn't catch. "I knew that you would see things my way--oh, sorry again." he apologized, realizing his mistake.

Kanan just grumbled.

"Well, I'm not moving my ship until I know exactly what you're offering," Hera said.

"Weapons," Hondo replied. "I am promising you all the weapons you can carry. Unguarded," he added. "And simply yours for the taking."

"Not good enough," Hera said.

"Even if they are," Hondo continued. "Proton bombs? According to our mutual friend Ezra here, you've been trying to acquire them for quite some time."

Ezra laughed nervously. Jax was scared for Ezra later when Hondo and Azmorigan were gone. He was going to be in so much trouble.

"Show us," Hera said sternly.

----

"The planet Wynkahthu," Hondo said, pulling up a holomap of the planet. "As I happened to have passed it on my travels, I detected an Imperial freighter adrift in the atmosphere. Escape pod jettisons, completely abandoned."

Sabine pressed a button on the map, and she zoomed in on the freighter. "Huh," she said. "It must've flown too close. It's stuck in one of those atmospheric storms. It's slowly being pulled in."

"And it's cargo will soon be lost," Azmorigan added. Jax rolled his eyes. "I have the manifest right here," he pulled up another map. "It holds a large supply of proton bombs." the map closed.

"Hmm," Hera said. "So what's in it for you two?"

"Well, there is also some cargo you would not be interested in," Hondo replied with a wave of his hand. "Umm, you know, precious metals, rare artifacts, riches untold, that sort of thing."

"All probably stolen," Ezra supplied. "Huh, Hondo? From the worlds the Empire took over."

"So we'll split the treasure," Zeb said.

Hondo laughed. "Split the treasure," he grabbed Ezra and wrapped an arm around him. He laughed again. "That's a classic! No, no, no, no, no, no, my big purple friend. You get the bombs."

"And you get the treasure," Jax added.

"Yes, tattoo man," Hondo said. "Now, I don't believe we've met."

"I don't either," Jax said stiffly.

"I am Hondo Ohnaka," Hondo said. "I am a pirate!"

"Yeah, I noticed," Jax grumbled. "I'm Jackson Tano. But I go by Jax."

"Tano, eh?" Hondo said, studying Jax. Jax leaned back as Hondo got inches away from his face. "Are you related to Ahsoka Tano?"

"Yes," Jax said. "She was my mother."

"Was?" Hondo gasped. "She is not dead, is she?"

"She is," Jax replied, trying to keep his face from showing any emotion.

"Oh, such a shame," Hondo said with a shake of his head. "Anyway, we must get on with the mission!"

"What do you need us for?" Sabine asked. "Why not use your own crew?"

"Oh, trust me," Hondo said. "That is a long, boring story. No, no, my friends. You are the guys for this job."

"If the Empire couldn't salvage the ship, what hope do we have?" Kanan asked.

"Because we have something in our favor that the Empire does not!" Hondo exclaimed. "For we are desperate!"

Jax groaned. He had a point.

"For once, he's right," Hera said. "The Empire wouldn't abandon this ship without a second thought. But we can't afford to pass up an opportunity like this."

"Well said," Hondo said in a hushed tone. He raised his voice. "Then I think we have a deal! He started to leave the cockpit. "We have a deal!" Azmorigan followed him out.

Hera pulled up the holomap again. "There'll be no way to dock with this ship in the storm. We'll need another way to offload the cargo. AP, do you know the specs for this type of freighter?"

"Of course," AP-5 replied. That droid was so full of himself. "I was serving on a class 4 container transport when Chopper found me."

"Just get to work with Zeb on a plan for this salvage operation," Hera said, turning back to the controls on the ship.

"Whoa," Ezra said as Sabine, Zeb, and AP left the cockpit. "Wait, you're putting Zeb in charge?"

"Sorry, pal," Zeb said, nudging Ezra. "I got this one."

"No, I found this job, it should be my mission," Ezra protested. "I thought you trusted me!"

"Oh, I do," Hera replied, pinning back around in her seat. For a second, Ezra's face lit up. "Just not when Hondo's around." His face fell again.

"Every time we work with him, we come out on top," Ezra pointed out.

"And that's why we're doing this," Hera agreed. "With Zeb in charge."

"Yeah, to keep an eye on me," Ezra said angrily, and then he left the cockpit.

"I know what you're doing," Kanan said to Hera. "Ezra's got to learn for himself that Hondo's not the friend he appears to be."

"That's for sure," Jax grumbled.

Hera jumped. "Jax!" she said. "I, uh, I forgot you were there."

Jax shrugged. "It's fine. I didn't mean to interrupt that moment of yours."

A small blush appeared on Hera's cheeks. "Don't mention it." she cleared her throat. "Uh--how does Hondo know Ahsoka? Don't answer if you don't feel like it."

"He tried to sell her as a slave," Jax replied. "She was with a group of younglings who had just gotten their kyber crystals, and Hondo raided their ship. Then they were captured by the Separatists. They escaped, in the end, but Mom still hates Hondo. Well, hated ."

"Figures," Hera said.

----

Jax looked at the ammo that Zeb, Ezra, and Chopper had gotten from the transport. He whistled. "Not bad."

"Yeah, but it took a lot to get them," Ezra said.

"We're going to hyperspace!" Hera shouted through the comm.

Jax leaned against the wall. "That was eventful. Guess that's what you get when you work with pirates."

"Hondo's not so bad," Ezra said with a shrug. "And we got what we needed."

"Guess so," Jax said. "Anyway, I'm going to meditate. You coming?"

"Let's use the Holocron," Ezra said. "Maybe something is there for us."

"Sounds cool," Jax said. "Where is the Holocron?"

"Uh--" Ezra paused. "We might have to break into Kanan's room."

"Which he's in," Jax deadpanned.

"Let's just ask him!" Ezra said. He grabbed Jax's arm and practically dragged him through the Ghost and into Kanan's living space, where he and Hera were intently talking.

"Hera!" Ezra exclaimed. "I--I didn't expect you to be here."

"What do you need, Ezra?" Hera asked.

"The Holocron," Ezra replied. "Jax wants to use it."

Jax smacked the back of his friend's head. "It was your idea, you son of a--"

"Language!" Hera interrupted.

"I was going to say bantha!" Jax protested.

Kanan rolled his eyes. He used the Force to pull the Holocron into his hand and then tossed it to Jax. "Give it back when you're done."

"Sure thing, Master Jedi," Jax said tauntingly.

"Just get out," Kanan grunted.

Jax shoved Ezra out of the room. "I told you we shouldn't have done that! What if they were kissing or something?"

Ezra rolled his eyes. "Do you know how many times I've walked in on Kanan and Hera?"

"Don't need to know," Jax replied boredly. He walked back to the cargo area of the Ghost. He tossed the Holocron to Ezra. "Open it."

Ezra tossed it back to him. "You do it."

"Fine," Jax said. He hadn't used the Force in ages. He tried to feel it flow around him, but he wasn't very good at him. After forcing all of his concentration into opening the Holocron, he saw blue in his head and he opened his eyes.

"Wait, what's that?" Ezra asked.

Jax looked at the image. "That's Coruscant," he said slowly. "The Jedi Temple. It's on fire!"

"Kanan told me about this," Ezra said. "The Empire burned the Temple and turned it into a palace."

"Why are we seeing this?" Jax asked. "There has to be a reason."

"You're right," Ezra said. "I wonder why." Ezra paused. "Maybe we need to go to Coruscant!"

"I seriously doubt that," Jax said, throwing Ezra an exasperated look. "And that's practically a death sentence."

Ezra shrugged. "That's all I could come up with. Here, change it."

"How?" Jax asked.

"Just think about it changing," Ezra said.

So that's what Jax did. He closed his eyes and tried to change the image, and he heard a voice.

"Rex, is the video going?" A voice asked. It sounded like Anakin Skywalker.

"Yessir," Rex replied.

"Snips, do I look good?" Anakin asked, tossing his hair.

"As ugly as always, Master, " Ahsoka said.

"Mom!" Jax exclaimed, opening his eyes. "I didn't know she was on this!"

"Neither did I!" Ezra agreed.

Jax looked at his mother. She looked to be about his age with two lightsabers clipped to her waist.

Rex looked the same as he did in the holoimage he had of his parents on Mandalore, but he had the same helmet he had now on his head.

Anakin ignited his lightsaber. "Alright, for all the younglings that watch this, Padawan Tano here is going to attack me. A few moments later, so is Captain Rex. I'm going to show you how to take on multiple enemies at once. This is a good tactic for when you are in battle." he went into a defensive stance. "Come at me, Ahsoka ."

Ahsoka ignited her lightsabers, using the same reverse grip she always had and jumped at Anakin. Her signature move. After she had jumped back, Rex had started firing at him.

"Make sure that when you deflect the shots you keep an eye on the other person!" Anakin shouted. "You have to be aware of all of your surroundings. Ahsoka and Rex have many advantages!" He was talking as he was still fending the two off.

"Ahsoka is small, so she can be harder to attack!" Anakin yelled.

"You're also huge, Skyguy! " Ahsoka shouted, putting a kick into Anakin's gut.

It didn't even faze the man. " And Rex has blasters, so he doesn't have to get close! "

Anakin spun around and dodged one of Ahsoka's hits, and the girl stumbled, and then Anakin put his saber to her neck.

"One down," Anakin said. Ahsoka laid there as Anakin ran to Rex, ducking under the blaster bolts coming at him. He got to the clone and then Rex put his hands in the air.

"You win," Rex said.

"And that's how it's done, " Anakin said, putting his lightsaber back on his belt. "Now, this takes a lot of practice, so don't expect to get it right quick."

Jax closed the Holocron and put it in his hand. "That was cool."

"Yeah," Ezra agreed. "Let's go show Kanan!"

"Do you not remember what happened less than five minutes ago?" Jax shouted, exasperated.

"It'll be fine, you wimp!" Ezra called as he jogged away.

"Who are you calling a wimp?"