On the planet Lothal, the Spectres distribute crates of food to the citizens of Tarkintown, a poor city whose people have all been displaced by the Imperial occupation. Garazeb Orrelios greets Mindiz, one of the youngest people in the town who had been on her own after the Empire had arrested her parents. Orrelios passes her a jogan fruit, but as she begins to eat it, she complains of a headache before suddenly falling to the ground. Worried, the Spectres move her to a series of cots, where multiple other citizens are unconscious. When it's discovered they have been poisoned, Hera Syndulla analyzes the toxin and explains that there is a synthetic antidote. Dejected, the crew realizes the cure can only be found in Capital City, which is under Imperial control. Orrelios feels responsible for the situation, and despite Kanan Jarrus's attempts to reassure him, he walks away deep in thought. Some time later, Syndulla runs to inform Jarrus that both Orrelios and the Phantom are gone. Panicked, Jarrus explains that Orrelios must feel that the poisoning is his fault, knowing the Lasat will do anything he can to rectify his mistake.
Meanwhile, Orrelios walks with determination through Capital City in search of the antidote. Noticing a medical facility, he decides it might house the antidote, and he sneaks up on a stormtrooper standing guard. Orrelios easily knocks out the trooper and steals the nearby Imperial transport, maneuvering it around the sudden blasts from a walker that corners him. The walker misses multiple times, damaging the surrounding Imperial buildings. Orrelios feels confident about his escape until he is cornered by a TIE fighter, but the fighter accidentally shoots the walker down, allowing the Lasat the chance to use his transport's guns against the fighter in the air.
Orrelios enters the medical facility, bo-rifle in hand, and begins to fight Agent Alexsandr Kallus, who is flanked by stormtroopers, for a bottle of green antidote medicine. Kallus taunts Orrelios as they fight, saying he had poisoned the stolen food to teach the rebels a lesson about stealing from the Empire. Orrelios begins to take the upper hand in the fight, but Kallus electrocutes him with his bo-rifle, and the Lasat is defenseless. Kallus proudly says that his enemy is alone, with no one to save him, and asks for his last words. At that moment, the crew of the Ghost appear with their weapons drawn to defend Orrelios, whom Jarrus states will never be alone. A blaster fight ensues against the rebels and the stormtroopers, and Syndulla speaks to Chopper on her comlink, who pilots the Ghost on his own simultaneously during the fight, shooting down Imperial walkers. Jarrus supports Orrelios as they leave the facility, and Syndulla pilots the Phantom toward the Ghost. Ezra Bridger jokingly tells Orrelios that he saved his life, to which the Lasat replies exasperatedly.
The rebels escape aboard the Ghost and head back to Tarkintown, where they begin to distribute the retrieved antidote to the poisoned Lothalites. Jarrus scolds Orrelios for leaving on his own, to which Orrelios explains that he had felt it was his responsibility, unable to simply stand by while Mindiz died. After being given the cure, the young girl regains consciousness, and Orrelios, overjoyed and apologetic, explains that he will always be here to protect her. As the crew board the Ghost once more, Jarrus recommends that they scan the food the next time they deliver it to Tarkintown, and Syndulla agrees. Orrelios says goodbye to Mindiz, and when the girl expresses her fear at being alone again, he assures her that she is never alone. He jokingly tells Jarrus that he is already learning, and the Jedi replies that he will be the judge of that, believing they may come head-to-head with Kallus again in the future.
- Star Wars Rebels Volume 1: Resistance
- Star Wars Rebels TPB