Out of Darkness

[This episode starts in the Phantom.]

Sabine: Hera, shouldn't we be, uh, firing back?

Hera: Stay calm. It's all part of the plan.

Ezra: Is getting blasted out of the sky part of the plan too? Because if it is, then the plan's going great.

Hera: Ezra, you should know better. There isn't a pilot in the Imperial fleet that can outrun me.

Ezra: Yeah. So, uh, how 'bout teaching me some of those high-flyin' moves?

Hera: You? Fly my ship? I don't know, Ezra. You really think you're ready?

Ezra: Not ready. Not ready!

Sabine: Well, we've gotten ourselves into another fine mess.

Hera: I admit it's a little messier than our intel indicated.

Sabine: Yeah. That's been happening a lot lately. Where, may I ask, does this intel come from?

Hera: You may ask.

Ezra: Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt, but could we maybe focus a little more on not dying?!

Hera: Hang on!

Ezra: It's okay. Paint might be a little scratched, but no real damage.

Hera: Oh, there's damage. Steering's off.

Ezra: Not what this says.

Hera: It's what I say, and I know my ship.

Sabine: Hey, I'm all for sticking it to the Empire, but what was in that convoy? You never told us why the mission was so important.

Hera: I've told you before, Fulcrum's intel is on a need-to-know basis.

Sabine: And I told you before, I need to know more.

Kanan: Everyone okay?

Hera: We're fine, but I scraped the Phantom's underbelly.

Kanan: You?

Hera: It was somewhat unavoidable once your plan went South.

Kanan: Ah, there we go. Knew there had to be a way this was my fault.

Hera: And you were right, dear. Zeb, I'll need the Phantom ready to pick up the supplies from Fulcrum. Adjust the steering and run a diagnostic. Chopper and Ezra will help you fix any problems you find.

Zeb: Really? Have you met them?

Ezra: Hey!

Hera: And I'm leaving soon, so get to it.

Kanan: What happened out there?

Hera: Well, we took out the target.

Kanan: Yeah. I got that part.

Hera: Fulcrum was right about the timing and route but underestimated the Imperial defenses.

Kanan: It's getting harder to anticipate the Empire's moves. That's for sure.

Sabine: Yeah, about that. I'd like to know why we're relying on intel from this Fulcrum, whoever he is.

Kanan: It's Hera's job to find missions that create problems for the Empire and profit for us. If she trusts the contact, I trust the contact. No questions asked.

Sabine: At the Imperial Academy they didn't want me to ask questions either. That didn't work for me. That's why I ended up here.

Kanan: And we're glad to have you.

Sabine: You are so frustrating.

Kanan: Yeah, I've heard that before.

Sabine: Fine. I'm done asking questions. I'm telling you: I'm coming on your run to meet Fulcrum.

Hera: You know, you can be pretty frustrating too.

Sabine: Learned from the best.

Zeb: This diagnostic's taking forever. How's it going in there?

Ezra: Hera was right. Steering's definitely out of whack. But I almost got it fixed.

Zeb: There we go. Life support filters need cleansing. Chopper, as soon as Ezra's out of the repair duct, purge 'em.

Ezra: All fixed! Whoa! Hey!

Zeb: Perfect. Steering and life support are back in working order. Nice work. Sorry, kid. I told him to wait till you were out.

Ezra: Not funny.

Zeb: Hold it. We're not done here. The diagnostic's still running.

Ezra: You can run a diagnostic on Chopper when I'm done with him.

Zeb: Come back here, you little monongs! Gotcha.

Hera: I take it you've finished the repairs?

Ezra: Uh, you were right. The steering needed fixing, which I did.

Zeb: And life support filters needed purging, which we also did. Chopper! I'm gonna "dismantalate" that nut bucket!

Ezra:  Leave a few bolts for me.

Hera: Let's go.

Sabine: So what's the deal? Is Fulcrum just another smuggler like Vizago? Why all the secrecy?

Hera: Oh. It's no secret we're fighting against the Empire. We need as many allies as we can get.

Sabine: How do you find a way of answering questions without giving any answers?

Hera: Do you really want me to answer that?

Fulcrum: Phantom, this is Fulcrum. Come in.

Hera: This is Specter-2, Fulcrum.

Sabine: Why don't I talk to him?

Hera: Don't you dare.

Fulcrum: Already at the rendezvous, Specter-2. Supplies are unloaded and ready. Should I wait?

Sabine: Yeah, stick around. Specter-2 and I would love to talk to you.

Fulcrum: Specter-2, what's the problem?

Hera: No problem, Fulcrum. Specter-5 decided to help with the supply run.

Fulcrum: Understood. Fulcrum out.

Hera: You know, an outburst like that is not appreciated.

Sabine: Neither is all this secrecy.

Sabine: So, where's the mystery man?

Hera: I don't know. Maybe Fulcrum didn't like your attitude. I know I didn't. I'll take that one.

Sabine: Look, Hera, I'm sorry for the attitude. It's just things seem to be getting more dangerous every day, and I need to know that you and Kanan can trust me.

Hera: We trust you, Sabine. We just can't tell you everything. It's for the safety of the whole crew. If captured, you can't reveal what you don't know.

Sabine: You think I'd talk?

Hera: I think we think the Imperials can make anyone talk. You've seen what they're capable of.

Sabine: Yeah, I have. That's why I need to know.

Hera: You already know exactly what you need to know and no more. I need you to trust me now.

Sabine: And that's supposed to make me feel better? Hera, you know what happened when I was a cadet at the Imperial Academy on Mandalore. I trusted the Empire, followed its orders blindly, and it was a nightmare. I want to believe we're doing good, making a difference. But sometimes it seems like the harder we fight, the harder things get out there. I feel like we can't take down the Empire on our own. That's why I need to know this isn't all for nothing. I need to know that I am not walking into another nightmare here.

Hera: What you need is faith. Faith that there is a long-term plan that's bigger than you or me, bigger than Lothal, bigger than the entire Outer Rim. Have faith in that and in us. We--Kanan--He knows what he's doing.

Sabine: Hera. Look.

Hera: There were more crates, but someone's dragged them away.

Sabine: Maybe he's still here.

Hera: Who?

Sabine: Fulcrum?

Hera: No.

Sabine: Well, who else knows about this place?

Hera: Not sure. This base was abandoned years ago, after the Clone Wars. Besides, why drag them? Why not use the anti-grav?

Sabine: Whoa. Sunrise comes along fast in these parts.

Hera: Let's see what else comes along.

Sabine: Whoever did this must have been pretty eager to get what was inside.

Hera: Too eager to just flip the latch and open them? Who would-- we're not dealing with a who. More like a what.

Sabine: That's comforting. You don't happen to know why this base was abandoned?

Hera: I'm starting to have my suspicions. Sabine, run! Whatever those creatures are, they can't take the sun.

Sabine: Good, but do you see the size of that asteroid? That's going to block out the sun for a long time.

Hera: How long?

Sabine:  I don't know. Long enough for us to become lunch.

Hera: Luckily we weren't planning on staying. All right. Let's get to work.

Sabine: Last one.

Hera: Good. Let's go. No, no, no, no, no! We had nearly a full tank when we landed. Now we're out of fuel?

Ezra: Hera's not here to save you now. Whoa!

Zeb: That's it!

Hera: Specter-2 to Specter-4. Come in. Specter-2 to Specter-4. Come in!

Zeb: Go ahead, Specter-2.

Hera: You did run a full diagnostic on the Phantom, correct?

Zeb: Of course.

Hera: And you checked the results?

Zeb: Um, Specter-2, there might be a small problem with the fuel line.

Hera: Small problem? Uh, guys, we have a situation.

Zeb: This is your fault, you and Chopper!

Ezra: You were the one running the diagnostic. You should have checked.

Zeb: I'll check you into the wall.

Ezra: We have to tell Kanan. But don't tell him it's our fault.

Zeb: Okay.

Ezra: Kanan.

Zeb: Kanan.

Kanan: Hera and Sabine are in danger.

Ezra: Wow. How could you tell? Could you sense it?

Kanan: No. I could hear you two yelling outside the door. We're on our way. Ghost out.

Sabine: No way they get here before that asteroid blocks the sun and - I guess we could hole up in the Phantom?

Hera: Judging by the torn-up shuttle in there, locking ourselves in the Phantom won't protect us. Could get grim.

Sabine: Well, I'll take grim right now. Thought I recognized these markings. Allow me to introduce you to one of my oldest and most explosive friends: rhydonium.

Hera: It's good to have friends.So what's your plan?

Sabine: Since we don't know how many of those creatures are in there, we can set up groups of canisters and create explosions that take them out a wave at a time.

Hera: How will you get the creatures close enough to the rhydonium to be effective?

Sabine: We're gonna need bait.

Hera: Where do we get that?

Sabine: We don't get it. We are it.

Hera: Wave one. Move.

Sabine: Wow. A lot of 'em.

Hera: Steady now. Follow the plan. Fall back! Wave two. Wait for 'em. Now!

Sabine: It worked. We just might survive this.

Hera: Wait. You doubted your own plan?

Sabine: Never.

Hera: Good, 'cause I sure did.

Sabine: Hey!

Hera: Come on. They're closing in. Wave three. Wave four. Incoming!

Sabine: Oh. Did I mention there are a lot of 'em?

Hera: Sounds familiar. Light it up. Coming in from both sides.

Sabine: What about wave five?

Hera: We didn't have a plan for wave five.

Sabine: Afraid of that. The Phantom?

Hera: Not inside. Go up top.

Sabine: They just keep coming!

Hera: Tell me something I don't know.

Sabine: We're going to die.

Hera: That's no secret.

Sabine: The light's not hurting them.

Hera: Then we better move.

Ezra: Sabine! I got your back. These guys aren't so tough. Whoa! Whoa! Oh! Karabast!

Sabine: Kid, come on!

Zeb: Nice moves out there, champ. Chopper! Close her up! No hitchhikers! Kanan, we're all aboard.

Kanan: Something's wrong. She's not responding.

Hera: Rerouting auxiliary power to the hull.

Kanan: Didn't know the Ghost could do that.

Hera: There's a lot you don't know about my ship. Chopper, reroute coolant to the engine.

Ezra: Thanks for saving me back there.

Sabine: Don't read too much into it, kid.

Hera: Engaging magnetic lock.

Zeb: Look, Hera, I'm sorry about not checking the diagnostic.

Ezra: We're all sorry. Right, Chopper? Anyway, we'll fix the Phantom.

Zeb: Don't even worry about it.

Hera: Now, why would I worry?

Sabine: Mmm. Maybe because the last time they "fixed" it,  we nearly wound up as lunch?

Hera: Oh, right. That's why. Sabine, I know you have questions, questions I can't answer right now. But know that I trust you. I just trusted you with my life down there.

Sabine: I know. I know you do.

Hera: Good. We are making a difference, Sabine. And I promise: we won't always be fighting this battle alone. Do you think you can trust me?

Sabine: I think I can try.

[End Episode: Out of Darkness]