Chapter 74: 75. Chapter

-From the perspective of Luminara-

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-I knew! I knew that something was wrong with those bugs! 

Shouted my padawan. 

It is hard to believe, but she was indeed spot on... I guess I will have to be more tolerant towards her antics from now on...

-Barriss, don't get distracted, focus on her, and those blades with extreme caution... think of them like lightsabers. 

-Yes, master, I understand! 

-Then follow my lead, and don't overextend! 

-Yes!

With that our communication came to an end, as we slowly circled the girl, surrounding her on both sides. The guards should be here at any moment, and we will be able to detain her with stun shots relatively safely. 

As if sensing my intention of stalling for time, she jumped at me with an incredibly quick attack. How was this girl so fricking quick! I managed to step out of the way of her right wing and partly block the left one with my saber that was closely following the first swing. I felt a searing pain in my right side as her appendage turned in an unexpected way cutting into my flesh and drawing blood.

I was completely taken aback by her unnatural speed and ferocity... 

The pressure against my blade was huge, this girl was much stronger then she looks like. I was about to be overpowered when the weight pushing against my blade unexpectedly disappeared. The girl jumped back while making a pained expression. I quickly realized something, her left wing was maimed badly from coming into contact with my saber...

For force's sake, what did she expect? Damn... it's not that I wanted to maim a kid... but what could I do in this situation? Fuck... this will be hard to explain to the council... 

I decided to warn her once more. While checking the injury on my side... It was a clean cut, but not that deep luckily... 

-Lily, right... look... just give up already... I promise nobody will hurt you if you cooperate with us... I don't want to cut off any more of your limbs by accident... You are still young, don't throw your life away for bad people who left you behind just like that... and don't force me to do this, please.

I really didn't want to injure her any further, not even speaking of accidentally killing her, but if she jumps at me like that, I can't promise anything...

She seemed conflicted hearing my words once more.

-I... I don't want to fight with you either... Let me leave and I won't trouble you anymore. I promise... 

I couldn't help but sigh at the naivety of this girl.

-I am afraid, it doesn't work like that, you were the ones who came here and attacked us in the first place. Your friends probably killed the senator I was ordered to guard.

I couldn't be sure about that, but maybe I can pull out some information from her.

Just as I expected she said the exact thing I hoped for.

-We didn't kill anyone... they only took her for a ransom. We are bounty hunters.

What? Someone put a bounty on Senator Amidala, that is illegal, she is not a criminal, you can't place a bounty on anyone's head without a proper reason. Did she confuse assassination requests with bounty hunting? At least I know, that they didn't kill her, which is a relief.

-I think you are mistaken here, the person your friends took, is not a criminal, you can't put a bounty on anyone's head... Especially if the person isn't a criminal!

She blinked and leaned her head to the right. 

-You... can't? 

She asked with genuine surprise.

-It seems to me, that your "friends" have taken advantage of you, Lily. Why won't we calm down, I am sure we can come to a reasonable understanding. I can see that you are not a bad girl... 

She looked at me searching my expression for any sign of lying. Then she spoke, hesitantly while slowly folding her wings behind her.

-I don't understand. Wherever I have been, I was always hunted, everyone wanted to capture me for different reasons, like research, entertainment, torture, food. There were only a few people who didn't try to kill me, but you say they were using me in other ways. You also say that is wrong, but isn't that the natural order of things. If I don't provide any value, I must be killed and eaten to at least provide nurishment. I didn't like it either, at first, but I didn't want to die so I had to become useful.

This... what the hell has this girl been through?! To think like that while so young... This galaxy is really fucked up, if kids have to think like that... and even think it to be natural... I mean what she says has some truth to it, but... its not like if you don't provide any use, you have to die right away... 

-Your life has a value in itself, a value that belongs to you, and nobody should be able to claim a right to it. Your life should only belong to you, and you should be able to decide what to do with it and who you spend your limited time with. This is what we call, freedom of choice.

The girl seemed to think for a while, then she answered.

-I have always longed for freedom, yet I found myself lost when I first believed to be free. With time, me and my children made a home for ourselves, a home which was taken from me, along with my family, eventually my freedom turned out to be nothing more but an illusion. You can believe yourself to be free, but you are not free, you just cannot see it, or refuse to accept the truth. But, that won't change the facts. I find freedom to be a very ineffective state of being, a state without reason is meaningless. End even if you find freedom, without the necessary power to keep it you are bound to lose it.

-Children? You have kids?

Shouted Barriss with surprise, as her face blushed sensing my glare.

For some reason, the girl's answer hit a nerve with me, resulting in a sense of frustration, but I managed to contain it effectively. I underestimated her, on multiple levels, because she acted like a clueless kid. Now I ended up in a surprisingly deep philosophical conversation. Her, eyes, were naturally glowing with a golden hue, I thought it to be a racial characteristic, was that not the truth? Could she be, one of them... no it can't be... I can't accept it... 

-Anyway, you can't just go around and kidnap people whenever you like, not around here! If what you said is true, then you should know how it feels to be a victim!

Her face blushed bright red, and she looked down to the ground, she was ashamed, to a ridiculous degree... Just like that... I can't understand this kid... did she seriously never think of that? 

After half a minute of awkward silence she finally spoke again.

-I understand, we have wronged you, a life for another... it is a fair exchange. I will remain here with you, in place of the one my friends took away. This should resolve our differences.

-Wait... you don't get it... the woman you took was the ex queen of Naboo... she is a very important political figure. Its not the same!

-That is not a problem, I also held the title of queen of the zerg once. It is the most ideal outcome, very efficient. 

With that she sat down on the ground the bugs began to crawl back into her clothes and she completely dropped her guard against us.

-...

I was out of words... the kid's logic was beyond me... I need help with this, and soon... And how am I supposed to believe that she was a queen of a race I didn't even know existed until now... 

-Master!? 

I heard the worried and confused voice of my padawan. She clearly didn't understand what was going on, nor why I had become so silent out of nowhere.

-I am alright, don't worry. 

I answered and turned off my lightsaber sensing that Lily had indeed lost any will to fight with us. She didn't really seem to want to fight in the first place.

I reached down at my robes, with my right hand sensing a warm wetness slowly drenching my black cloths. 

It wasn't a deep injury, but it was quite painful and I felt a bit lightheaded to be honest.

The girl sitting on the ground looked at me, and said while reaching out her arm towards me which held a bug in it. 

-Take it, you have been poisoned... it's effect is more often then not deadly without quick treatment, this bug holds the antidote it will inject it into your bloodstream since I wish no such harm upon you... please let me right this mistake. 

Four Senate guards rushed into the garden right at that moment surrounding us with guns pointing towards Lily, but none of them shot or got too close to her. They didn't know the exact situation yet.

-Is everything alright, master jedi? 

Asked one of the guards.

-Yes, thank you for your help, please lower your weapons, I don't think she holds any more ill intention.

-As you wish master.

The man, who was probably the ranking officer turned towards his people and gave out the order.

-You heard the lady, lower your guns boys, but stay on guard. They may still come back for her. 

The men pointed towards Lily, then turned back to me. While I marveled at the little yet important differences between clones and normal humans who chose the career of proficient soldier. Most clones will always follow orders word to word, while these men will freely add or remove certain parameters to their orders based on their experiences. In other words they could easily read between the lines, recognizing the hidden meanings, while most clones especially the fresh squad members were incapable of doing such things. All because of their extreme conditioning to follow orders, at times their obedience was scary and troubling. I couldn't help but imagine what they could do, if they were ordered to commit some heinous acts... I wasn't the only one either to think like that, but we were probably only imagining things.

The presence of these men was refreshing in a way, but it wasn't really that unusual. In truth not even one fourth of all the armies currently belonging to the Republic originated from the ranks of clone troopers. However, compared to most regular soldiers, the clones were superior and easier to sacrifice. They didn't have homes, families waiting for their return. Therefore, the most dangerous fronts were primarily reserved for clone troopers and jedi, it was rare for us to meet with regular soldiers in those places.

I mean, there were always a few maniacs who willingly volunteered for such things.

Anyway, the reason for this was simple, one can't expect the Kaminoans to fill the whole galaxy with soldiers, even if they train two million units yearly, such a small number would never be enough to defend half of the territory belonging to the republic, not against the seemingly endless droid armies. But I shouldn't wander off topic, right now. 

-What is the situation?

I asked while taking the strange bug from the hand of Lily. I could sense that she was becoming genuinely worried for me... The poison was starting to kick in too, I was feeling my limbs growing heavier by the minutes. The only reason I didn't fall over was me trying to suppress the effects of the poison through the force. This poison was extremely effective on me though, and I figured that there was no reason to doubt her words anymore. If I didn't take the bug with the potential antidote, as things stand, I would be dead in about ten minutes... 

Therefore I walked up to Lily and took the bug from her hand. At first I didn't know what to do with it, my trouble was solved as I felt a bite on my finger. I looked at the girl, and she nodded at me, signaling that there was nothing to worry about.

While all this was happening, the soldiers were watching our interplay with a strange fascination. Especially the bug that was currently biting my finger while I was acting like it was the most natural thing in the world. When I turned back to them with a raised eyebrow the earlier man coughed lightly and began to speak.

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-The senator has been kidnapped... there was an explosion, everything happened in the span of a few minutes. It was timed far too well, someone must have infiltrated the place, they knew exactly where we would be, and which room would the senator use. I have no idea, how they did it... We couldn't find any breach in the security system either... which is puzzling. 

-I see, thank you for your report. 

-What's with that thing over there? I've never seen a race like that, I mean it's human enough, but still, it seemed to give you quite the trouble. 

Asked the officer.

-We managed to come to a mostly diplomatic understanding. I will have to speak with her in more detail. For now, take her back to the house, and lock her in a room with guards, Barriss you will remain here and accompany her while I go after the others, do not let her escape. Be wary if she decides to change her mind, however unlikely that may sound after her abrupt capitulation. 

-But master, you are injured, you should rest...

-Its nothing serious, just a surface scratch. I need to go after the senator.

A fifth senate guard rushed over to us from the house, while the others were still partrolling the garden and watching over Lily. 

I looked at him and stated clearly.

-Report soldier.

-Bad news master jedi... the drones were shot down, and we lost track of the kidnappers... We have already asked for reinforcement to find their tracks. I assure you, that we will find them without a doubt. 

I sighed, knowing that the most ideal chance to capture them had slipped away... My eyes wandered to the strange girl while sensing the poison's effects weaken and gradually disappear, she indeed gave me the antidote... 

Now that I had no other place to go, as the senator's trail was lost, I didn't know what to do with her. In the end, I decided with a sigh, seeing the soldiers comical struggle as they were trying to figure out how to get close to her. Those huge blades with lethal poison were very demoralizing factors for them.

-Let's bring her to the temple. 

I stated at last. Then turned to her and added.

-If I understand, you decided to offer your life in exchange for the one your friends kidnapped, right? 

-Yes. 

-Okay, then come with me, I have decided to believe in your words for now, but don't get any funny ideas. If I see you trying to escape or harm anyone, this cooperation will cease to be. Now stand up, we are going home. 

-I understand.

She said, and stood up, ready to follow me. 

Now that was smoother than I thought, Obi-Wan will spit blood after I tell him that I swapped the ex-queen and current senator of Naboo for a self titled hypothesized zerg ex-queen, currently bounty hunter and kidnapper. 

-Urgh... 

-Master? 

-Not now, Barriss... please... 

-...

I think, master Windu will actually die from stroke after hearing this... He was the one who recommended us to this job, in place of Obi'Wan who was supposed to be on secluded meditation.

My expression darkened considerably. 

-Barriss, I have a mission for you. 

-Yes? 

-It is a super secret mission. 

Her eyes glinted with excitement. 

-Yes, yes?! 

-Sneak into the room of the senator, and bring me a glass of wine. 

-Whaaat? 

-Silence! This is a sort of trial, after what you pulled off today... 

-But, that's too easy...

-The catch is, no one can see you doing that. Understood?

Her eyes, glinted with a flare of new excitement recognizing the challenge.

-Now, you understand. You have thirty minutes to succeed, starting from now. 

-Okay, but I expect you to take me out for a stroll in the entertainment sector later. In incognito! 

-What? I said it was your trial... 

-Don't make me laugh master, I am not seven anymore... 

-Bah... okay its fair I guess, you little leech... But if you fail, you will act as the most ideal and perfect dream padawan for a whole week!

The shock on her face was nothing less than adorable.

-That's blackmailing! 

She shouted.

I smirked at that.

-Well even the best teacher can learn from the apprentice at times. 

-Whaa?! 

-Are you sure that you have the free time to argue with me, Barriss? Well I guess you still have about twenty eight minutes... 

-...

Oh, the way she scurried away... it was a cure for the soul. 

-You are weird. 

Stated a voice behind me, it almost caused me to jump out of my skin. 

-... Oh... you there, don't scare me like that... 

Shiiiit! I completely forgot about her, I guess this was the side effect of that damn poison... or maybe the blood loss? Best to go for the infirmary... Uh, when did that bug leave my finger?

-You are bleeding. 

I felt her hand touch my side over the injury, if just for a second I sensed a spike of pain which immediately disappeared as I moved away from her.

-Ouch, don't touch it, it is still painful... I will have to go to the infirmary... 

-No need. 

She answered.

-Well, I thought so too, at first, but it seems I underestimated the damage... I find myself underestimating many things nowadays... how funny.

She leaned her head to the side once again, was that a habit of hers? No matter...

-Oh, and... about this trial I gave Barriss... Would it be possible to not mention it to anyone? I think, I could drop a few especially good words about you in front of the jedi council, if you agree with this little harmless request of mine? Hmm?

-...

-I might even take you along for the ride, in the city with Barriss I mean, if... cough, when we go... I mean you were very cooperative and all that... so they won't punish you too much... I wouldn't at least... 

- Luminara Unduli, you would fit in nicely with the pirates I know.

-... I-... I probably don't want to know... 

-...

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