DYAD

THIRTEEN

"We'll be right behind you." Ushar says, his accented voice like gravel through his mask. I nod, anxiety pulsing through my veins as if replacing my blood. All of the Knights not already covered pull on their helmets, except for Vicrul who approaches me.

"Be safe, Luella." He mutters, touching his forehead to mine.

"I will." I grin. "But just in case, I have you and your training to keep me safe." He chuckles, pressing a kiss to my cheek before pulling on his helmet.

"That you do." They all pick up their weapons while I wrap the dark grey cloak around me, ducking under the hood and pulling it to hide the lightsaber on my belt. My clothes are a light grey, not white like they were at the Jedi Temple six years ago. As I step off the ramp, two Knights on either side of me, I reach out with the Force to search for the boy. As soon as I close my eyes, a hand finds its way to my shoulder. I crack open my eyes, annoyed until Vic hands me a comlink. "Please keep contact." I nod, taking the device and slipping it into my pocket, watching him walk away with the other Knights. Closing my eyes again, I reach out with the Force.

At first, I only sense people around me and the fading presence of the Knights, but then a pulsing wave crashing towards me. I snap my eyes open and set off quickly towards where I sense the boy.

Weaving through the streets, I avoid two parades and seven curbside performers. As I ignore their shouts and pleas for attention, the boy's Force signature only gets stronger.

"Hey, Lady." A man says, stumbling from an alleyway, alcohol on his breath. "How come you're hiding that pretty face of yours?" He grins, reaching a scarred hand to my hood. I duck under him, ignoring any further comments he makes.

"Are you okay?" Vicrul's voice is laced with anger through the comlink and I smile.

"Yes, I'm fine." I turn another corner and nearly walk into a large Cloddogran, who bares his teeth and growls at me to watch where I'm walking. I mutter an apology, stepping around him. The Force is alive here.

"Who are you?" A small voice says in halting basic. I kneel down so I'm about the same height as the little girl.

"My name is Luella. I'm looking for a boy, can you help me?" He wide eyes dart around the room as she sucks on her cracked teeth. I pull my hood away from my face. "Please, I can help you in return. What's going on here?" I ask, noticing the purple bruise forming on her dirt-stained face. She steps back, shaking her head. "Wait!" I pull the lightsaber off my belt. "I'm a Jedi, see?" Her eyes widen.

"Temiri." She says, grabbing my hand and leading me into an alley, and into a side door which opens to a stable of some kind. "My brother, Luke Skywalker." She makes lightsaber noises and holds an imaginary one in her small hands. I smile a little.

"Luke Skywalker was my Master. Are you trying to tell me that your brother has the Force?" I ask. She frowns at me and I show her by lifting my lightsaber with the Force. It hovers over my palm for a moment and she nods, letting go of my hand, raising her fingers to my face.

"You are real?" I nod.

"Yes, my name is Luella. I was trained by Luke Skywalker." She grins, turning around and cupping her hands to her mouth as if to amplify her voice.

"Temiri!" Her voice rings through the stables. "Temiri!" A young boy peeks out from inside a stable, face as dirty as hers. He has matted black hair and a round, tan face. She says something in a language I don't know, while gesturing for him to come closer.

"Hello, Temiri." I smile gently. "My name is Luella, and I am a Jedi." I show him the way I showed his sister by lifting my lightsaber with the Force. "Your sister tells me you can use the Force?" He nods, stretching out a hand, lifting a stone beside him. "Would you like to come with me? You'll learn how to use it."

"Don't listen to her." I whirl around to see a young woman. She's wearing beige desert clothes, and her hair is pulled back into three buns. I stretch out a hand, keeping the children behind me. "She operates in the darkside, she works with The First Order." Ushar, Trudgen, Vicrul, and Ap'lek step out of the shadows, weapons ready. The woman's eyes narrow.

"I do not work for The First Order." I hiss. She smirks.

"You work for Kylo Ren. I saw you in his quarters that night. He called you his friend, but he sees you as something more." I glare at her.

"I have no idea what you mean, or who you are."

"I'm Rey." She ignites a blue lightsaber, which flickers and pops unsteadily. "Get away from those children." I ignite my own.

"I am a Jedi. I trained under Luke Skywalker for most of my life. You cannot beat me." I glance back to see the Knights surrounding the children. "Take them back to the ship. Make sure they're safe." I tell them.

"Lu-" Vic steps forward.

"Now, Vicrul." I hiss. "Go."

"I'm going to need backup. I'm in the stables under the casino." The woman, Rey says into her comlink.

"Ap'lek, stay with her." Vicrul growls from behind me. A blaster shot stops me from ordering otherwise. Ap'lek steps beside me, gripping his axe. I hold up my lightsaber, though my jaw becomes slack as I see who fired the shot.

"Poe?" His eyes are wide and he lowers his blaster.

"Luella! I thought you were dead!" He steps forward, but Ap'lek growls, hefting his axe in warning. "Why are you with these guys?" He asks, eyes darting from the warrior at my side to me. I don't answer.

"You didn't come back for me." I say dully. "You left me with The First Order. You didn't even come to see if I was alive."

"I thought you were dead, Luella." He protests, shooting a glare at Ap'lek. "Come with me back to the Resistance, you're better thank kidnapping innocent kids." I bare my teeth at his words.

"Poe, you know her?" Rey asks, eyes wide.

"Yes, she and I were close childhood friends." He shakes his head. "Luella, come home. You don't have to live with these brutes." A growl rips itself from my chest and I push in front of Ap'lek.

"Unfortunately for you, Poe. I am one of these brutes now." I thrust my arms out, pushing him against the wall. His head rolls to the side as he falls unconscious.

Rey shouts, rage in her lungs, and leaps toward me with her sparking lightsaber. Ap'lek pushes me away, throwing his axe up to block. She grunts, pushing down on him. Before I can get back up to my feet, she kicks his knees and pushes her saber through his chest.

The world goes white, then red as I stand, anger and pain rolling off me in waves. I point my saber at her.

"You'll pay for that." I tell her, not recognizing my voice, or the rage held inside it.

"Is that what a Jedi would say?" She taunts before cutting through the air. I block her strike, grip unwavering.

"And I assume you fancy yourself some kind of Jedi expert, waving around that faulty lightsaber, don't you?" I hiss back. She grits her teeth.

"Shut up." I spit in her face.

"Make me." At my words, she screams, fury ripping itself from her throat. She swings rapidly, each swing is one I counter, matching her every move before she makes it.

"I beat Kylo Ren. I can beat his whore, too." She sneers. I curl my lip.

"Rey!" Another voice distracts her and I push through her guard as she looks to see the dark-skinned man checking Poe's pulse. She cries out as the saber pierces through her shoulder.

"No!" The man raises a blaster, and before I can block it, a burning pain in my chest causes me to fall to my knees. I gasp, head spinning.

The man who shot me rushes to Rey, helping her up. I press a hand to my chest, tasting metal in my mouth. I cough, and blood splatters on the ground in front of me. I shut my eyes, and when I open them, Rey, Poe, and the other man are gone. I realize that I'm laying on the floor.

All I can see is Ap'lek, his limp body causing tears to stain my eyes.

This is all my fault.