Ahsoka, Daughter of the Light (Book 4): Hidden

Chapter 20: A Tale of a Cruel Empire

LYDA RAN

Lyda walked into Rex's house, and noticed how disorderly everything was. It was clear he didn't have much credits.

It was a simple house with only one large room, serving as both the bedroom and kitchen. There were miscellaneous items everywhere, and it was clear that Rex hadn't exactly gotten everything in order yet.

"It ain't much, but it's honest work," Rex said.

"I could tell," Lyda said.

"Took me a month just to save enough credits to buy this place," Rex said. "Though, thankfully my jetpack and gear sells high on the black market. I found a job as a janitor at the market. I wouldn't have made it though if it weren't for..."

He trailed off there.

"What is it?" Lyda asked.

Rex sat on his bed.

"The Alkas were some of the nicest people I ever met," Rex said. "Until the Empire came..."

"Wait," Lyda said, "I-I'm looking for Christi Alka, she's the child I came here looking for. Are you talking about her family?"

"Unfortunately, yes," he said. "The Alkas were both kind enough to lend me a place to stay for a while, and I made good friends with them. Christi really seemed to like me, too. They were even so kind as to lend me enough credits to buy this place, and I did, a week ago. But then, the day after that..."

He sighed, and Lyda sat down next to him.

"Christi's parents were... openly against the Empire," he continued. "The day after I bought this place, well... they both got caught in a fight at a bar. When the clones showed up, they captured and detained both of them, and I was there, watching the whole thing. I would have done something, but I knew, among my own brothers, I would suffer much worse a fate than the Alkas. Besides, Christi's mom told me not to do anything to save them, anyways. And it was horrifying. My own brothers, doing such vile things..."

He put his hand on his head and started crying.

"And I was built to be one of them," Rex yelled, "built to be a slave to an Empire that cares nothing for it's people!"

He took a deep brath and calmed down a little.

"At least the Empire's starting to decommission the clones," Rex said. "Then, I guess, it might be a little easier to watch the pain."

"Rex..." Lyda said, put her hand on his chest.

They both looked at each other, and the space between them gradually decreased.

Lyda could sense how tense Rex was. 

But before either of them could make a move, Rex pulled away.

"If you want to see the child, she's at the local orphanage," Rex said. "Her parents are... well, I don't know where they are now, if they're even alive."

Lyda nodded her head.