The Storms of Taul

The Freemakers cross paths again with Hondo and wind up trapped on Taul with M-OC.…

Aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer, the Rebel Alliance spy Major Bren Derlin is outrunning stormtroopers on Level 8 as klaxons ring in the background. Bren manages to knock out the Imperial pursuers with an exhaust cover and runs out of the room only to be cornered by more stormtroopers. The lead stormtrooper tells him that he won't be harmed if he surrenders, but Delin does not trust them. Derlin barricades himself inside another chamber.

The stormtroopers force their way inside with a battering ram, but Derlin escapes by opening the airlock. The stormtroopers seal the airlock and believe that Derlin has been sucked out into space. He hides in a cargo container and then escapes aboard an escape pod. After fleeing the Star Destroyer, Derlin contacts Admiral Gial Ackbar to inform him that he got the intelligence on the Imperial fleet movements but needs an extraction. He tells Ackbar that he is heading to a junk field off the planet Taul. Ackbar sends the Freemakers to extract Derlin.

Meanwhile, Rowan Freemaker is assembling the Arrowhead under the guidance of the Mon Calamari starship builder Quarrie. Quarrie tells him that they still need a proton suspension housing to hold the kyber crystal in place. When Rowan asks where they could get one Quarrie replies that the only ship big enough to house one is the , which was favored by scoundrels and pirates during the time of the Old Republic. Rowan gets excited and proposes that they speak with Maz Kanata.

Despite Quarrie's warnings, Rowan accidentally burns through the chains holding several heavy objects with his MIG welder. This causes a cascading effect which results in the B1-series battle droid Roger crashing into a generator. With Roger damaged, Rwan apologizes to Roger and leads him to a recharge chamber aboard the StarScavenger while Quarrie cleans up the mess.

At Home Ones hangar bay, Zander Freemaker tells Kordi Freemaker that he is confident they can easily extract Derlin. Rowan leads Roger into his recharge chamber. After learning that Zander and Kordi have been assigned to extract Major Derlin, Rowan decides to come for the ride. While traveling on the StarScavenger through hyperspace, Rowan proposes that they visit Takodana so that he can talk to Maz Kanata. Kordi doesn't want them to get sidetracked. Rowan manages to convince Zander, who decides to travel there after realizing that Takodana is on the way to the junk field.

During the journey, Kordi tells Major Derlin that she and her crew are on their way to pick him up. She tells him that they can't pick him up in Imperial space but will contact him as soon as they reach the junk field. Derlin recuperates inside the Empire's comfortable escape pods.

At the Imperial Palace on Coruscant, Emperor Palpatine contacts M-OC by hologram and demands an update on his hunt to capture Rowan and recover the Kyber Saber. M-OC tells Palpatine that he is monitoring multiple channels of communications while simultaneously preparing in depth profiles of his targets. Palpatine is pleased and tells Darth Vader he should learn from M-OC. He tells M-OC to keep up the good work. In private, the Emperor tells Vader that M-OC has no sense of sarcasm.

The StarScavenger lands smoothly outside Maz Kanata's castle on Takodana. Rowan compliments Zander for the nice landing. The Freemakers enter Maz Kanata's castle and are greeted in the cantina by Maz, who remarks that she told them not to return until they were old enough. Rowan replies that he is old enough to start growing a mustache. Maz studies Rowan with her goggles and opines that he is not. When she asks what they want, Rowan tells her that he is asking for a part from an old ship called a Corellian Defender. Maz replies that it is a rare ship and says she can help.

Before Kordi can tell the Freemakers to leave, the pirate Hondo Ohnaka overhears their conversation and offers to help them find a Corellian Defender. However, the Freemakers still distrust him due to their previous encounter stealing Varactyl eggs. Hondo manages to convince Zander of his helpfulness by pointing out that the Corellian Defender has four landing struts, twin , and a retractable moon roof. Rowan is convinced even though Zander points out that the moon roof only appears on the Corellian Defender S model. Maz warns the Freemakers to be wary of truths coming from the mouths of those they cannot trust. Hondo claims he has no idea.

In exchange for this services, Hondo asks the Freemakers to provide him with transportation offworld. Hondo is soon confronted by the angry bounty hunter Awan Zek, who confronts Hondo for cheating him in a game of sabacc. Hondo protests his innocence but drops his cards, proving his guilt. The Freemakers and Hondo hide from Zek and his Rodian companions behind a table. Rowan uses the Force to hurl the table at the bounty hunters. Hondo is impressed by the boy's Force powers and follows them out of the castle.

When the bounty hunters follow them, Rowan uses the Force to slam the door shut. The Freemakers and Hondo flee on the StarScavenger. Awan Zek fumes at his Rodian colleagues for letting Hondo get away. The orange Rodian tells Zek that the Empire has placed a bounty on Rowan. Aswan contacts an Imperial Star Destroyer and informs them that Rowan Freemaker is heading to Taul. Aswan's message is picked up by M-OC, who travels to Taul in the Tracker I.

On the StarScavenger, Hondo asks Rowan about being a Jedi and tells him to reach for the stars. Hondo says that he is indebted to the Freemakers because they saved him. Rowan wants to go to Taul to find the Corellian Defender, but Kordi doesn't trust Hondo. Rowan says that Taul lies before the junk field. He claims they will have plenty of time because of Zander's flying skills. Zander decides to head to Taul first, and Hondo thanks Rowan for his persuasion skills.

The StarScavenger approaches Taul, a green planet. Upon entering Taul's atmosphere, the StarScavenger is hit by acid rain. Kordi activates the deflector shields. She and Zander chide Hondo for not telling them sooner, but Hondo reassures them that the rain will clear up. They manage to land in a clearing. When Rowan is almost struck by lightning, Hondo adds "When the rain stops the lightning starts.". Kordi asks if there is anything else he forgot to mention. Hondo says that's pretty much it. The Freemakers discover they have to stay away from metal, acid puddles, and falling objects.

Hondo also tells them to avoid staying out on the open. While running, Kordi is contacted by Major Derlin, who tells her he is enjoying the Imperial emergency rations. Kordi claims they are facing space acid and interstellar lightning but reassures him they are on their way. Derlin tells them to take their time because he is not out of the junk field yet. Derlin is also snacking on a crisp-dried cake. Kordi tells him they are on their way while Derlin hurts his tooth.

The Freemakers evade acid rain, lightning, and falling debris as they head towards a wrecked Corellian Defender. Hondo tells them he kept his promise. When Kordi asks how he knew where the ship was, Hondo replies that Taul is a good place to make a ship disappear. Zander points out that the Corellian Defender is half sunk in acid and says salvaging it will not be fun. Rowan uses the Force to lift the Corellian Defender out of the acid pit. However, the ship is too badly corroded and Rowan is forced to let go.

Kordi resorts to Plan B and brings the Mini Scavenger to reach the Corellian Defender. Zander pilots the craft while Rowan climbs down a chain into the Corellian Defender. Kordi, who is watching, tells Rowan to hurry up because a storm is approaching. Rowan manages to find the proton suspension housing under the ship's power core, but the ship's structure collapses into the acid pool. Rowan manages to recover the suspension housing and is evacuated by the Mini Scavenger. Rowan is jubilant, and Zander tells Kordi that they still have enough time to rendezvous with Major Derlin.

Returning to the site of the StarScavenger, the Freemakers discover that Hondo has absconded with their ship. The Freemakers search for Hondo but can't find him. Kordi proposes taking the Mini Scavenger to rendezvous with Major Derlin and then returning to the Home One to get a new ship. However, the Freemakers are ambushed by M-OC, who destroys the Mini Scavenger. M-OC orders Rowan to surrender himself and muses that the others can be left behind. The Freemakers back away, and M-OC is crushed by a rock. The Freemakers run, but M-OC cuts himself out with his double-bladed spinning lightsabers.

Back aboard the StarScavenger, Roger is refreshed from his full night power charge only to discover that Hondo has taken over the ship. When Roger asks what he is doing here and where are the Freemakers, Hondo claims they have gone on a blue milk run. Roger realizes that Hondo is lying because Kordi is allergic to blue milk and can't eat his blue milk pancakes. Hondo boasts that he has bested hundreds of battle droids during the Clone Wars, but Roger kicks him in the knee. Hondo attacks Roger, and the two fight.

Meanwhile on Taul, M-OC tells Rowan that he has no ship and that his only option is to surrender. Rowan's lightsaber is outmatched by M-OC's blades. M-OC startles the Freemakers with his flamethrowers. M-OC approaches Rowan while Kordi is contacted by Major Derlin, who tells her he is exiting the junk field. Kordi tells him that they are on their way. Derlin tells her his life-support system is shutting down. While Rowan fights M-OC, Derlin asks what is going on. Kordi claims they are having problems with their forward propulsion.

Back on the StarScavenger, Hondo manages to detach Roger's head, but the droid shoves Hondo inside a sealed box. Roger compliments himself for using his head. He returns to the bridge and realizes the Freemakers are on Taul. The Fremakers run as acid rain begins pouring down again. When the rain has no effect on M-OC, they continue running. M-OC is crushed by a rock but regenerates and continues the pursuit. The Freemakers cross a pool of acid and cut the bridge. M-OC follows with his rocket boosters, but Rowan hurls his lightsaber at M-OC like a boomerang.

The lightsaber strikes M-OC, and the droid sinks into the acid pool. However, M-OC climbs out of the pool due to his spider legs. M-OC says the acid slows him down but that he will survive. Zander says they can't keep running for the rest of their lives. Kordi says maybe they can because the acid rain is coming. Rowan has an idea and uses the Force to hurl a metal pole near M-OC. M-OC thinks he is lucky but then lightning strikes the metal pole, causing M-OC's circuits to overload.

Kordi contacts Major Derlin, who tells he has made it out of the junk field but is freezing. He tells her that several TIE fighters are using his ship as target practice. Derlin tells the Freemakers to get here as fast as they can. Kordi apologizes, but Rowan takes responsibility for getting them sidetracked. At that point, Roger arrives with the StarScavenger, and Rowan tells Derlin they will be right there.

Major Derlin is freezing when the StarScavenger arrives and blasts the marauding TIE fighters. They rescue Derlin and bring his pod aboard the StarScavenger. Kordi contacts Admiral Ackbar and tells him their mission was a success. Derlin praises Roger for his blue-milk pancakes while Ackbar thanks the Freemakers.

Before returning to the Home One, Rowan convinces the others to make a special trip to Takodana. At Maz Kanata's castle, Roger delivers Hondo in a box to Awan Zek and leaves. Zek and his associates find Hondo inside. Hondo tries to humor Zek with a game of sabacc, but his offer is ignored.