Endangered, Part 1

"Endangered, Part 1" is a story that focuses on the Spectres. It was published as the lead story of Star Wars Adventures (2017) 7 on March 7, 2018.
==Plot summary==
===Saving a bird===
On the VCX-100 light freighter the Ghost, Garazeb Orrelios was still gripping with the fact that he and the other members of Phoenix Cell were going to fight there way past TIE fighters and stormtroopers to rescue an argora. Jedi Padawan, Ezra Bridger made fun of Zeb for not wanted to take on the mission, but Zeb defended himself saying he would not have a problem if they were saving something more important but a bird was not that important. Hera Syndulla told him that the argora was the sacred bird of the planet Xendek and the only one is born each generation. The argora are also central to the Xendekian religion because the bird brought the people rain and crops. It was seen as good fortune for the people until the arrival of the Galactic Empire. The Empire stole the argora for Emperor Palpatine's personal zoo of rare species. The zoo also contained dozens of endangered species from other planets. The argora is the only one of it's kind in the galaxy and without it, the Xendek have lost all hope. Ezra reported that once the zoo on Coruscant, there will be no bringing it back. But in front of them was a cargo ship that was transporting the bird. That was they're only chance to recover the argora before it reaches the zoo. Zeb was still not convinced as even though the argora is the only one of it's kind there is also not a lot of his species left either. But he was interrupted by an Imperial officer over the comms who told them to identify themselves, leave the sector, or be fired on. TIE fighters started to converge on their location as Hera ordered everyone to their positions.
The Ghost maneuvered around the TIE fighters, destroying many of them. Hera told the crew to hold on as she got distance between her and the TIE fighters. A smaller ship, the Phantom ejected out of the Ghost, carrying Ezra, Kanan Jarrus, Zeb, and Sabine Wren as they drifted pass the distracted TIE fighters. The group looked on, amazed at Hera's piloting skills and holding off the TIE fighters by herself. But Kanan noted that she was not by herself. The droids C1-10P "Chopper" and AP-5 were helping Hera take down the enemy starfighters. They kept the TIE fighters distracted as the Phantom latched on to the cargo ship.
===Infiltration===
Inside the cargo ship, Doctor Hazlekk worryingly asked Captain Zarda why they have not destroyed the Ghost yet. The captain told him he needed to remain patient because the doctor failed to understand deepspace battle strategy. But doctor pointed out that the only ships being destroyed were their ships, reminding Zarda that while he was responsible for the doctor's safety, the doctor was responsible for the safe delivery of the Emperor's creatures. Captain Zarda told him everything was under control but was interrupted by an alarm that bellowed throughout the ship. Hazlekk questioned what it was and Zarda told him it was a hull breach.
Kanan Jarrus used his lightsaber to so slice the door so he and his team could get out. Zeb agreed as Ezra checked the schematics of the ship that a "source" sent them. Zeb asked Ezra who the source was but Ezra was able to locate the bird and they were about to go off when Sabine stopped them. She warned them that this will not be easy. Ezra asked why it would but stormtroopers showed up ready to stop them. Ezra ignited his green lightsaber and the stormtroopers opened fire. Kanan ordered for Zeb and Sabine to take over as he and Ezra deflected the blaster fire. More stormtroopers appeared behind them as Zeb and Sabine returned the fire. Kanan proclaimed that they were surrounded but Sabine ordered everyone into a room for cover before the stormtroopers came back. Before the door to the room closed Kanan and Sabine rolled concussion grenades to the stormtroopers.
===Hondo causes mayhem===
After a few minutes, the team left the room and continued on their way to the argora. But when they turned the corner the Weequay pirate, Hondo Ohnaka was there with the argora trapped in a glass cage. Hondo greeted them and Kanan realized that the pirate was the source who had tipped them off. Sabine went to go take the bird from Hondo so they could return it to the planet but Hondo refused to. He told them that because the bird was the only one of it's kind in the universe, he could make a big profit off of it. As Hondo prepared to leave, the Jedi Knight, Kanan Jarrus tried to reason with him. Hondo told him he was not worried about the stormtroopers but of something else. Ezra asked what he did. Hondo told them that he opened up all the crates when looking for the argora as a large Acklay appeared…
==Appearances==
==Continuity==
*Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition places the events of "Endangered, Part 1" & "Endangered, Part 2" between the events of Star Wars Rebels: Steps Into Shadow and "The Wynkahthu Job." However, the Phantom is destroyed and the Last Chance is acquired by Hondo in Steps Into Shadow, yet both vessels appear in "Endangered, Part 1." Additionally, Garazeb Orrelios states at the beginning of "The Wynkahthu Job" that the last time the Spectres had seen Hondo was when he abandoned them on "that doomed Imperial station" referring to the events of "Steps Into Shadow."
**Star Wars: Timelines later changed the placement to before "Steps Into Shadow".
*Sabine is wielding two RK-3 blasters instead of her WESTAR-35 blaster pistols. Furthermore in "Endangered, Part 2," she is seen wielding both of her WESTAR-35 instead of the RK-3.
==Notes and references==
Category:Star Wars Adventures (2017) lead stories