Chapter Eight;

The minute the Ghost left hyperspace, Soleil once more rushed toward the cockpit, eager for her first glimpse of Lothal.

It wasn't the most beautiful planet ever: it was predominantly a sparse grassland, the grass so long that Soleil would have bet credits it would reach her knees. Yet there was something rugged and enduring about it, and that captivated her. It was the sort of atmosphere that would surround a survivor. 

She drank in the sights, unable to stop smiling.

But that smile soon disappeared from her face when they learned that Kanan and Ezra were in trouble. Sabine and Zeb made a dash for the Ghost's door and, without thinking, Soleil darted after them.

"What can I do?" Soleil asked, following Sabine.

The other girl hesitated.

"Just stay with Hera, Soleil. You don't have a weapon."

Soleil bit her lip. "Which makes me pretty much useless," she muttered, leaning against the wall and folding her arms.

Sabine had shot her an apologetic glance before dashing for the exit.

Soleil didn't go to the cockpit with Hera – she was too irritated to do so. To watch the fight outside and knowing she could do nothing would only make her feel more useless. She heard blaster fire and yells and before long, felt the Ghost rise beneath her feet and escape the scene below. Soleil pushed herself off the wall and ambled outside, and saw everyone had gathered just outside the cockpit.

Only, it wasn't just Kanan and Ezra they'd brought back on board. There was an old man and a girl, who looked to be about Ezra's age.

Soleil's eyes widened. She recognised the girl, having seen images of her. Leia Organa, princess of Alderaan, daughter of Bail Organa, who was an Imperial Senator.

So she's a Rebel spy, huh? Soleil couldn't help but smirk. She decided she liked Leia already.

The group was gathered around Ezra, who was dressed in a Stormtrooper cadet outfit. Even from here, Soleil could sense the depression hanging over him like a thick, grey cloud.

No wonder. He'd just lost his parents for the second time.

"We heard what happened," Zeb said lowly. "Sorry, kid."

Sabine rested both hands on his shoulders. "Hey, at least now you know," she said gently.

"Yeah." There was no spirit in Ezra's voice. He shrugged off Sabine's hands. "I guess I just need some time."

Feeling like an intruder, Soleil slipped off down the corridor. Despite being welcomed with open arms, she knew that it was going to take some time for her to truly feel like she belonged, especially considering how close everyone else was.

Give it time. You'll be one of them eventually.

Soleil sighed and trudged into the hall of rooms, and then paused. Her brow furrowed. Something was calling out to her – only, this was wordless. It was more like a feeling, something stretching out to her, an invisible cord tied to her and tugging, impatient for her to start moving.

"Oh-kay..." Soleil tried to turn away, but the tugging only grew fiercer.

What is this?

She wasn't going to be satisfied until she understood.

Her steps slower, Soleil prowled in the direction the call was leading her. It didn't take long: in fact, it stopped once she came to a halt outside the door to one of the sleeping quarters on the Ghost.

Hera and Kanan's room.

The something was nudging her on, demanding she open the door. Soleil bit her lip and cast a look over her shoulder before she opened the door, as quietly as possible, and darted inside.

She breathed out once she was alone. Blinking, she gazed around the room. It was considerably more bare than the space she and Sabine shared, and Soleil wondered what on earth had drawn her here. She didn't understand any of it.

She ambled over to the bottom bunk and sat down, releasing her breath in a drawn-out sigh. Something in that silent call tugged at her again, directing her line of sight to a compartment crafted into the bed.

"I must be going out of my mind," she mumbled, and opened the compartment.

There was nothing inside – apart from a blue cube. Soleil grasped the object, and at once everything was at peace. It was as though that cube, whatever it was, had wanted her to take it, and could relax now that she had. A warmth spread throughout her fingers.

Soleil felt like she was stumbling through a maze, in which she had lost all sense of direction.

Why would she feel so compelled to take what looked like such a useless object?

Soleil tried putting it away, but that same silent voice protested. Soleil frowned, glaring at the cube for a moment longer before she stood, the object still clutched in her hand.

Might be worth some investigation, I guess.

Soleil slipped out of the room, closing the door quickly behind her. She kept the cube behind her back and she scuttled toward her room.

"Soleil!"

She jumped a mile at the new voice. Her heart hammered as she looked up and saw it was Zeb who had called her.

"Oh!" Soleil laughed. The hand gripping the cube had suddenly become sweaty. "Zeb, you startled me."

He stood his head, amused. "Hera's called a meeting. Come on."

Soleil nodded and scampered after him, tucking the cube into her back pocket as she did so.

Kanan, Hera, and Sabine were already gathered around the dejarik table, the man who introduced himself as Ryder Azadi standing to the side. A blue hologram of a certain facility was displayed on the table – Soleil guessed it to be the place their three transports were awaiting them.

Sabine smiled as Soleil kneeled beside her. Soleil returned the gesture and rested her arms of the table. Her eyes caught Kanan's for a moment and suddenly, the cube in her pocket felt like it weighed a tonne. Unable to keep his gaze, she dropped her focus to the image in front of them.

"We did a scan of the landing field, and looking at the Imperial security, I just don't see us living long enough to get near those ships," Sabine sighed, as Ezra and Leia entered the room.

Soleil frowned. Even the still image looked formidable, what with the two AT-AT walkers and gravity locks securing the transports to the ground.

"Two walkers are a big problem," Zeb grumbled.

"Even if we reach the ships," Kanan pointed out, "They're not going anywhere until we can disable those gravity locks."

This is beginning to sound impossible. 

Soleil felt like dead weight. She had no weapon, her experience. She suddenly wished she had at least read up on more strategy books instead of books on planets – that way, she might be more valuable now.

"Those defences are formidable," Leia said. She stalked forward and braced her hands on the table. "Why? Because the Empire doesn't underestimate you. They know how good you are."

Which only makes things harder for them – us – now.

"We might be able to get one out, but we'll never get all three," Kanan said. "It's impossible."

Soleil felt the temperature in the room drop, along with the moral. She slumped forward slightly, racking her brains.

She had to be able to add something to this team, right?

"I know you need those ships, so don't tell me why we can't get them," Leia said, her voice fierce. She seemed to have grown in the past moments, authority ringing from her every word. "Tell me how we will."

"Well, Kanan and I still have our disguises," Ezra said slowly, hefting the helmet in his hands higher. "So we can get onto the platform. But to get close to the ships, we'll need a distraction."

Leia winked. "I can handle that."

"The Ghost can act as air support," Hera input.

Sabine grinned and produced a detonator. "And I can use detonators to blast off the gravity locks." She looked enthused at the prospect.

"Won't work."

Soleil twisted to face Ryder, who had spoken for the first time. She wasn't the only one: the older man held the attention of everyone in the room.

"You can't forcibly remove the locks," he said, folding his arms.

"You know this how?"

"In prison I put those locks together, so I know how to take 'em apart."

Kanan smiled. "Ryder Azadi, does that mean you're getting involved?"

Ryder inclined his head. "Just this once. It's clear I can't stay on Lothal, so I'll help you, if you get me of out here."

Soleil shifted. Everyone in the crew had an assigned job – apart from her. And she was not going to accept that. She might not have had any lessons in fighting yet, but she did not want to be useless. She wanted to help in the fight against the Empire – it was why she had joined the Rebels, after all.

"What do I do?" she inquired. She straightened her back and lifted her chin. "I – I want to help."

She was hyperaware of the numerous sets of eyes on her frame, but she didn't back down. Soleil met every stare evenly, moulding her expression into

"Are you sure, Soleil?" Hera asked gently. "Fighting against the Empire – it isn't as easy as you might think."

"I understand, Hera," she said fiercely. "But I can't sit around and do nothing. I don't want to be deadweight. I won't let myself be. This is my fight, too, even if I've only just joined."

Kanan and Hera exchanged a glance. Out of the corner of her eye, Soleil looked at Sabine. Her friend was grinning.

Whatever silent conversation that passed between Hera and Kanan finished. Kanan looked at Soleil directly in the eye and nodded once. "If you feel so strongly about this, you can join. 

Soleil grinned. She had the urge to clap her hands together but, upon reconsideration, clasped them together in her lap instead. It might not be the most dignified reaction, or the most mature, and her new friends might decide it would be better to leave her on the Ghost after all.

"Thank you," she said instead, looking everyone in the eye. Sabine winked when their eyes locked.

Finally, it was her time to make her first stance against the Empire.