Chapter 42: 42. Chapter

In the end, having nothing else to do, Ahsoka decided to follow her master and this rotten slaver queen to the balcony of the throne room. When she stepped out onto the balcony, closely followed by two zygerrian palace guards and one heavily weaponised unidentified type of droid, she found herself in the middle of a conversation. Skyguy was trying hard to charm this shameless woman. Even watching this felt awkward. Yet, it would later become a material that she could freely weaponise against her master. Therefore, she decided to walk closer and listen to the communication more carefully, while rolling her eyes at the most awkward moments.

-Oh, Lars, you are a bold one indeed, and I like that fact. A good slaver needs to have courage, to take the offered opportunities. But, it is not good to be too bold, since usually those are the ones who die first. Are you one of those, Lars Quell?

-I would gladly die if that would let me bask in your glorious presence just a second more.

Seriously, how could he say something like that, especially in a completely serious manner. I feel secondhand embarrassment only from watching this. Wow, the queen actually blushed from that? Am I dreaming? Now she also realized it and turned away hastily. Trying to cover up your rosy cheeks, are you?

-L-Lars... you should not say such stupid things... Even if I do appreciate your words. I need that cold drink. Where did that stupid girl go? I didn't ask to bring the refreshments from a mile away!

A pair of hurried footsteps sounded behind us, as the just-mentioned girl was getting closer. She offered a pair of elegant glasses on a silver plate while lowering her head in a certain style, that was different to the other slaves around the palace. It was more elegant and more professional?

-Forgive me, mistress. I turned in the wrong way, and had to trace back my steps.

-I see, maybe I need to order Eqomu to teach you one more lesson, every week.

I saw with shock, as my friend's expression turned into a momentarily terrified one. Even the notion of seeing her usually nonechalant expression mirror such fear made me worried. Was she... was she beaten so much that she broke and completely gave up hope? While I was immersed in the sea of terrible possibilities that my imagination constantly made up, their conversation continued.

-Mistress, please spare me; It wont happen again.

-That settles it then, since you choose to talk back to me in front of my guest. One more lesson per week from now on.

I never saw Nizzal look as crestfallen as she was now. What tortures this Eqomu must have done to her... I looked at Anakin, as fear began to gnaw at me for my dear friend. She is punished because of our arrival here, so we have to free her!

Anakin's features also turned somewhat softer, as he saw the girl's lost expression. He was most likely angered by her, because both me and Rika were somewhat depressed since she left. Even Obi-Wan seemed to be worried and sad about how things turned out in the end. In retrospect, the jedi council itself seems to regret their actions in condemning the girl. Especially, since the relevation, that they have likely offended an order with a history, that counts thousands of years, and who knows how many members. They were so infuriatingly hypocritical about this whole business, that it somewhat shook my very belief in the order. Since then, a sinful question has begun to haunt me. Were they just as hypocritical in their other dealings? Or was this a rare exemption?

She knew, that the order, was not genuinely wrong. There was much good in the jedi order; she knew this as any jedi knew; but she also understood now, that this good that represented the majority of the order was blinded by prejudice and fear. The way they treated Nizzal as an unknown force user, was a clear show of that fact. On the surface, most of the jedi acted politely and showed no hostility, while in reality they were searching for a reason, any reason to judge her from the beginning.

This made Ahsoka develop some very conflicted feelings about the order in general, and having no one else to turn to, she decided to speak with her master. Only to find out, that her master was increasingly hard to find, or more like, impossible. She didn't even remember, when she last saw him, aside from missions, giving their reports to the council, or eating in the cantina of the temple. Also, those times are not really meant to solve personal trust issues.

She sighed dejectedly, well, if nothing else, I will have to ask Obi'Wan, or even Master Yoda. Yet if she does that, they will ask: why didn't she talk about this with her master, and what could she tell them to that question? She can't lie to them because they will sense it, and figure it out on their own, but if she tells the truth, their reaction will be possibly even worse. In the end, they will reprimand Anakin, possibly even punish him for not supervising his padawan, like at all? She actually had a special love for messing with her master, but this wouldn't be funny anymore, and Anakin would take it as a betrayal... There was also the one percent possibility that the council, would actually decide to choose for her another, more experienced master to teach her. She didn't even want to think about that possibility. Her master was at best annoying, yet he was mostly positively annoying... Is that even a thing? Her long line of thoughts were interrupted as the queen and Anakin finally finished their ridiculous flirt session, finally. She looked up as the queen began to give orders.

-Guards, led Lars Quell to a first class guest room. Order the slaves to bring him food and drink whenever he wants. In the evening hours, I hope to see you in the garden, we will discuss the price of your slave in the company of excellent food and wine prepared by my palace chef.

-There is no need. I wish to gift this one to you, my queen.

-I appreciate your offer, Lars Quell. Although, I have to deny it, I have long learned that the things without a price are the ones we usually pay the most.

-Nizzy!

-Yes, mistress?

-I leave this... wild togruta in your care for now. Take her to Eqomu for a reevaluation. Also, teach her some basic manners. Her hateful looks, although amusing, they will get bothersome later, we have to stifle them early on. Otherwise it would hinder her potential as a proper slave.

-I understand, mistress.

-Emma will take your shift today, so you will have the time to play with the new addition.

-I understand, mistress. I won't disappoint you.

-I would expect nothing less. Now, get out of my sight. I need to prepare myself for this dinner.

Nizzal bowed hastily, then grabbed my arm and began to drag me back to the throne room, then through the richly decorated corridors, only to enter a just as beautiful room that had a small balcony of its own and many different plants and flowers placed on almost every flat surface except to a dining table and a corner with a highclass computer and a few bunch of different electronic gadgets.

I didn't know what we were doing in such a room. And I was kind of shocked that she just dragged me here, suddenly without any words or explanation. I looked at her face questioningly; she is, panicking? Did she drag me here without any plan or further thoughts?
Clearly... Just your typical Nizzal I guess. Well, I will help you out a bit.

-So... who's room is this?

-Mine...

-What? Are you, joking?

-No...

-Okay... It looks cool.

-Thanks! I like it too. ~ She gave me a happy grin.

I swear, that it's not that I am jealous or something; but she has a ten times bigger room than mine in the order, with a damn balcony while she is a slave... okay... I am a bit jealous...

Then we continued with the awkward silence...

-So... you and Skywalker... what are you planning to do here?

I raised one of my eyebrows at that... Was she trying to figure out our mission? That would be the bluntest spying attempt, like ever. This question also frustrated me to no end for some reason. I felt as though something that was suppressed from the shock of seeing her finally snapped. As I began to speak while my emotions were slowly leaking into my words.

-... Is this the first thing you ask me after all this time? YOU STUPID TWI'LEK!

She winced at that.

-Do you know how long I waited to find you? I was worried for you. I just wanted to know that you are at least alive and maybe healthy, but you just disappeared like you never even existed. Now, I find you as the servant of a slaver queen living in a luxury mansion while growing flowers? Only to be questioned: why am I here? WHY ARE YOU HERE! IDIOT! You didn't even give me a hug after two entire years!

I sensed as two small hands hesitatingly offered me a shy hug while looking at the floor in shame. I basically jumped at her and gave her a real tight hug. While I was hugging her, I accidentally found a cylinder-shaped object hidden inside her robes. Is that a lightsaber. How could she as a slave have a lightsaber? I stepped away from her, while I took out that object from her clothes, somewhat surprising her.

-I was right... you actually have a lightsaber on you.

I activated it, and it was the same silver color with the dark gray shadows dancing around its edge.

-Nizzy... are you working for the queen? For a slaver?

-Well, of course... I am one of her slave servants... and a handmaiden at that...

-Oh, really... And how many of the other slaves have their own lightsabers? Just don't say that each of the slaves has one, because what I saw in the city on the way to the palace doesn't make that statement believable.

I waited for an answer, yet the only thing I got was her worried expression as she bit into her lower lip.

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-Sigh... I am waiting for a detailed explanation girl... don't just stand there like that! Oh, and don't try to stretch the time; I have learned a few new tricks since I last saw you. The result of our duel would be quite different now, especially, since I got your only weapon. ~ I looked at her face; she was giving me a doubtful expression? But, more importantly, why was she so damn small!? She didn't change at all in these two years. I am bigger with a whole head than her... She was always smaller than me, but she was younger, too. I think even Rika is bigger than her now... I turned her lightsaber off on a whim and added the following as a snide remark with the intention of ruffling her feathers.

-On second thought, probably not. I would feel like I am bullying a helpless little kid.

Now that's got to her! I can see. She is giving me that stare.

-Why are you so damn small anyway, shorty? You didn't even grow a millimeter over two years. Are you a dwarf? I have nothing against dwarfs, of course, but not growing at your age isn't normal. So what will it be. Oh Short One?

Oh-ho, she was fuming. Her eyes even flickered with a yellow hue for a second. It's good, that I practiced so much with Anakin... at least if Master Yoda asks, what is Anakin's specialty in his teaching. I could say proudly, that I am a master of snide remarks and well versed in any type of sarcasm. Maybe she needs one last small push.

-So what is it shorty?

-Stop calling me like that! I am not short, its normal for my age!

-You know, you told me that two years ago, and I agreed, but now, this excuse is getting kind of ridiculous.

She turned beet red from that.

-NO, ITS NOT! Nothing really changed...

I raised one of my brows to that... This joke was getting out of hand...

-Shorty... I hate to be the one to say this, but, you are delusional.

-NO! Let me finish it! It didn't change for me specifically, because...

-Oh, for the love of the force, please just don't say that you are a vampire...

-What? No, why would you even suggest...

I raised another brow next to the already raised one.

-... Well, I guess I can see your point, kind of... but no... It's because I was frozen in carbonite until two weeks ago... when the queen bought me, and I was freed from hibernation... Ironically, when I finally awoke in this room, I was already collared and shackled, so I didn't had much of a choice really... I changed a smaller prison for a bigger one... At least I am conscious here, but I think that exact fact is not always positive.

Ahsoka was shaken by this new information... So she didn't have a chance to leave me a massage at all... and that would also explain why there was not even a picture made of her this whole time. People may lay low for a while, but they never disappear completely, not if they are alive, and that thought was somewhat troubling.

-So, why are you acting like a scared little girl, and not getting away from here you almost escaped from the jedi order!? Than you actually managed to escape from a highly secured prisoner transporter ship, that was guarded by five jedi. How did you even manage to do that in the first place? And now, you have a lightsaber, on you and didn't even try to get away. Why?

The pouting girl proceeded to pull on the strangely shining collar placed around her neck.

-Is that supposed to be an explanation? Hold still; I will cut it off for you.

I reactivated her lightsaber, but to my surprise, she actually jumped away from me.

-Don't you dare to do that, you will cut off my head accidentally.

-What? How rude. I am a Jedi Padawan, and three years older than you. That means I have three more years of experience. Now stop backing away!

-Stop, it's not that I don't trust, you... but you can't cut this collar off!

-Oh, so you have already tried?

-Well... no, but...

-Then move your ass over here!

-You can't cut it, its made from beskar! So put down that damn blade already.

-Oh... and how do you know it's really made from beskar?

-I don't know for sure, but it looks like beskar; it's weight seems to be correct and even if you managed to cut it off, somehow, where would I go? I am on a completely unfamiliar planet. Where almost any twi'lek is considered to be a slave immediately, I would stick out from the crowd way too much. I at least need some feasible plans first. So chill out!

-Well, you may have a point there... But that doesn't explain why you have your lightsaber?

-Sigh... I am the secret guard of the queen... I need to have a weapon to protect her...

-... What? You are protecting that woman? Are you crazy?

-It's not... sigh... I am forced to do so! Can't you see?

-What I see, is that you are living a comfortable life in a palace while you very comfortably ignore the injustice, the cruelty of these slavers objectifying life left and right, while you are growing flowers and playing videogames!

-What am I supposed to do? Teach them of their uncivilised evil ways? Ahsoka, these zygerrians were slavers thousands of years ago, and they will be slavers thousands of years from now. It is in their instincts. You may manage to swing a few to your goal, but it won't change only if you force them, and at the moment the enforcement falters they will go back to their original ways.

-How would you know that so sure? Even if you had visions from the force, those visions could change. They only show a likely possibility, not a certainty.

-Believe me, I know it. I have seen it happen... In the past.

-How would you see something like that? Were you frozen in carbonite other times, too? Is that how you go on a weekend in your order?

-No... don't mind that...

-Another secret than?

-Yes...

-How old are you? Tell me, or I won't talk to you ever again.

-... Don't act like child, please...

I ignored her completely, over the next twenty minutes. While she tried to weaken my resolve with different types of questions and distractions. She even offered me a slice of cake. She is looking down on me, or what? I am not that goofy child from two years ago!

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