Ashara looked around the empty city. It seemed faintly familiar, she could just barely recall playing around some of the buildings, or by one of the fountains.
She was on a speeder, her padawan next to her, manning the blasters attached to the speeder. Anakin and Ahsoka were in a similar speeder, as well as Obi-wan with Rex.
As they drove through, Ahsoka brought up a good point. "Anyone else think it's too quiet? I haven't seen any colonists."
Ashara bit her lip, before speaking. "From what I remember, this place was never this quiet. There were always people wandering around. I got lost a few times."
Ahsoka glanced at her, surprise lighting up her face.
"I hadn't realized you'd been here, Master Ki", Ahsoka said. A frown settled on Ashara's face.
"It's not something I talk about. Besides, I barely remember this place anyway. There was no point in talking about it."
"I'm sure the people are here somewhere", Anakin said. "They're probably just hiding. Let's head for the city center."
Ashara prayed that was the case as well, but she felt in her heart that that wasn't the case, and that something much worse had happened.
They approached the center of the city, but were greeted by biker droids before they could reach. Ashara gritted her teeth.
"I hope you're ready to fight some clankers, Teriko", she said sharply. "We've got a few on our hands."
"I'm ready for anything, Master!" he shouted, preparing to fire at the droids.
The clones and Jedi tightened up, and shot at the droids. Teriko had a good aim, and managed to hit a few down. Ashara drove one handed, pulling out one of her lightsabers, the cyan blade glowing brightly in the sunlight. She hit one of the droids as she passed it, and smirked when she noticed that Anakin did the same thing. Great minds think alike. The droids circled around behind them, and Ashara focused on driving, hearing her padawan shooting at the droids.
"Droids have been destroyed, Master", Teriko grinned. Ashara chuckled.
"Good job, Teriko. You're already proving to be a good in the field."
They made it to city center, and were greeted by a platoon of droids as well as two tanks, and still no sign of any of the colonists. Ashara frowned, before pulling her speeder to stop, hopping off and drawing her lightsabers, heading toward one of the tanks. She knew the others could take care of the droids on their speeders. She hopped on top of the tank, and took out the droid manning it, before cutting through the cannon. She hopped off, using her lightsaber to slow her fall as it cut through the side of the tank. She ran to the other one, repeating the same process, and leaped away from them just as they exploded, tucking and rolling as it the blast sent her forward.
Teriko stared at her with his mouth wide open. She chuckled.
"Close your mouth, Teriko", she said. "You'll catch a bug."
He did as she said, before speaking quickly. "I want to do that!" he exclaimed.
"I'm sure one day you'll be able to, young one", she said.
Obi-Wan started ordering the troops around, and several minutes later, they reported back in. Ashara stood next to Obi-Wan as he gathered the information that the clones had come back with. Cody was the one who revealed exactly who it was they were dealing with.
"His name is Darts D'nar", the clone commander stated. "He left you a message, sir." Cody pulled out a holo-comm, and turned on the message. Ashara's lungs stopped working when she saw the familiar creature. It was a Zygerrian. She stumbled away, her hearing muffled as her mind went back to the cage she was trapped in.
Mean laughter filled her ears, as well as unkind words.
"Togruta filth."
"Stop crying, you weak little skug!" Ashara remembered the feeling of a whip on her back with that one.
"No one will ever want you."
"Ashara", the muffled voice sounded worried. Ashara tried to focus on the voice, but it faded in and out.
"Ashara, look-" she tried to escape the cage in her mind, but there was no way out. She started crying out for someone to come save her. For someone to help her get out.
"Ashara!" the voice sounded urgent this time. Who was it that was speaking? Who was saying her name so frantically?
"Rex, get her out of here", a different voice said. She felt arms pick her up, and she felt like a small child again. She pulled whoever was holding her closer to her, their warmth a comforting feeling. She could hear their heart beating in their chest, and it was like a calming wave crashing over her. The cage slowly started to disappear, and her hearing was starting to come back. She could finally hear the soft murmurings of comforting words from the person who was holding her.
"It's okay, I've got you", they said, gently stroking her lekku. "You're not hurt, you're safe. No one is going to put you in a cage."
Ashara slowly recognized Rex's voice, and she let out a soft relieved breath. Tears flooded to her eyes, and as she opened them, they spilled out. She looked up to see Rex's face looking down at her, his worried hazel eyes catching a spark of relief in them.
"You're okay, Ash", he murmured. "I've got you."
Ashara clutched him tightly, refusing to let go, and he held her close to him, not putting her down. It was at the moment that she realized that the captain was holding her bridal style. She didn't care, she just wanted the comfort he provided for her.
After several moments, she calmed down again, and shifted out of his arms, so that she could stand.
"Are you okay?" Rex asked, cupping her face with one hand. Ashara closed her eyes and nodded.
"I- yeah, I'm okay. It was just a shock, to see one of... them, after so long. I didn't think they affected me anymore, if I'm being honest."
"The zygerrians?" he asked. Ashara flinched at the word.
"Yeah", she mumbled. "I... they're the ones that took me. When I was four."
Rex was quiet, at least his words were. His actions were much louder as he pulled her into a hug. Ashara returned the hug tightly, tears dripping from her eyes again.
"They took my people", she whispered. "They had to."
YOU ARE READING
The Rise of the Valkyrie *ON HIATUS*
Fanfiction**ON HIATUS** Ashara Ki was your standard Jedi Knight. Well, as standard as she could from joining the order later than other younglings. But at least she had her best friend, Anakin Skywalker, with her. She faces many struggles, but Anakin was alwa...
