Traitors To The Heart

Chapter 4: Master and Padawan

Nova wanted to go home, but the problem was she didn't have a home to go to. If she became a deserter there would be nowhere in the galaxy for her to turn to. No one in the galaxy would ever open their home to her. She learned that the hard way as a kid, but especially now that most every world would see her as old enough to take care of herself?

There was nothing she could do except what was required of her. After that daunting realization occurred to Nova, her entire outlook on the situation changed. It was in her nature to always look on the bright side of things, but now her ability to do so was diminished.

All Nova could see was how she would lose in this fight against the Jedi. Before yesterday the worst fight she's gotten into was on the street when some skughole tried taking her daily meiloorun. Now she was expected to fight a Jedi knight and win? Nova could only see this going one way: her inevitable demise.

Even though it sounded stupid, all the things Nova wanted that she never got was flashing through her head. She always wanted a best friend to talk to, even though she didn't always have anything of interest to say. She wanted a job to appreciate and one that she would enjoy working toward. She wanted to meet someone who she could possibly love more than a friend. She's only fifteen, and it's all about to be over. And finally, she always wanted to know where she came from, even though it was on the back burner since she was living on the streets.

It used to embarrass her thinking about it all, wondering if it would ever come true. Now as she was standing on this gunship waiting to be dropped of on the surface of Christophsis, she wasn't embarrassed about it at all. Nova wanted what she wanted, and within the circumstances she is, suppressing it all made her even sadder.

Nova was fresh out of hope for escape. Two assassin droids were assigned to never leave her side. She would've found it insulting if she didn't feel guilty about planning an escape. But there was no more planning, no more hoping for her. Nova hasn't exactly come to terms with her demise, but she couldn't exactly stop it so why worry?

A sudden stinging sensation washed over Nova as she practically ripped her sleeve off to look at her arm. She rolled up her sleeve delicately despite the urge, she hated what was there. Before Nova left, Count Dooku had one final task she must complete. He branded her with the mark of the Separatist Alliance on her wrist. The intricate markings were permanently etched into her skin, and it burnt like hell even after the deed was done.

Her careless attitude vanished when the gunship hit the ground. The heavy, hard-hitting emotions racked through her entire body, sending shivers down her spine. Nova's sensitive skin was crawling with goose bumps. She was quite literally shaking in her boots. It didn't help when the doors opened.

All the droids were systematically dropped, she was last. Nova didn't willingly march into battle and start shooting though. She held the light saber she was given and stared down at it. Eventually the two droids behind her jabbed her with the the tip of their blasters. Nova took one step off the platform. She jumped when the ship took off.

"You're target is estimated to be 6 klicks west from here, ma'am." Nova allowed herself to get sidetracked when she heard something she liked. Nobody had ever called her ma'am before. It gave her a sense of responsibility and a rush of strength, but it vanished when she realized nobody has called her that still since the droids aren't even alive. The. What she had to do popped back in her mind and she was deflated once more.

"Come on, then." She whispered out of defeat. Nova started the trudge west, blaster fire and screams from robotic and human voices alike filled the air. Every time she heard either one, Nova felt like she was gonna throw up. She tried not to look at the battle; the bloodshed.