While Vokara and Nizzal were arguing, Skywalker and his band of clones were currently checking over the trandoshan ship, that the two younglings managed to steal. The clones were already in the middle of searching the ship, when Anakin finally got there after he led Kalifa to the council and managed to slip away, successfully escaping the procedure of hearing out the whole report. He walked towards the ship at a comfortable pace. To his surprise, the very moment he reached the ship, two clones rushed towards him. One of them was Rex, his captain. He seemed somewhat haunted at the moment, and that was exactly what surprised him.
“Rex, what happened? You look troubled.” — Anakin questioned half jokingly.
“General, we have found something on the ship... I think you should take a look... We tried to check the security cameras, but they seemed to be out of order for a long time, so we couldn’t exactly figure out what happened but...”
“Come on Rex, if I didn’t know you better, I would think that you are scared...”
Rex sent a genuinely surprised, and also annoyed glance at Anakin, then he immediately looked to the floor, with discomfort. Seeing this, Anakin’s jovial mood almost immediately dispersed, as he realized that he had accidentally hit the nail on the head. It was clearly a serious matter, if it managed to make his old friend act this unusually.
“Sorry about that. Tell me what you found, Rex?”
“I would rather show you instead.”
“Lead the way then.”
“Yes, sir. This way.”
They immediately began to walk up the ramp of the ship. It was not that big of a ship. Maybe it could be classified as a medium-sized general purpose civilian cargo ship, but even that would be a stretch. Also, there were a lot of illegal modifications attached to the hull. Turning it into a formidable opponent in its own class.
“Wait, Rex, shouldn’t we go towards the bridge? I thought that you wanted to show me something. Isn’t that about the data where the ship had stopped before?”
“No, sir, my men are already checking the map. They will soon send it over to the jedi council for further analyses. We are perfectly capable of handling that. What I am about to show is inside the hangar.”
“Okay... at least, give me a hint. Why the sudden mysterious air and all?”
After a few seconds of thoughtful silence, Rex began to speak.
“We... found bodies, back in the hangar...”
“Bodies?”
“Dead bodies... mummified ones, sir...” — Rex added ominously.
“Mummies? Seriously, are you scared of mummies, Rex? I would never have guessed...”
“I am not scared of mummies! Sigh... Anyway, the fact is that these were only created a few hours ago, at least from the state of their clothes. Even their armor’s life support was up and running, perfectly fine until two and a half hours ago. When all of their life signals simultaneously vanished...”
“Well, did you try to move them towards a medical bay? Maybe with the proper equipment, we can find out more about them.” — Anakin suggested thoughtfully. This was clearly an unexpected scenario.
“That’s impossible, sir, because the bodies are so fragile that when we tried to move one, it immediately fell apart into fine black dust. Also, the dust seems to be poisonous. The boys were lucky, since their helmet protected them, from most of it, but we still had to send them to the medical wing for immediate treatment.”
“Now, I will admit that sounds quite eerie.” — Anakin stated with a strained chuckle.
“I could hardly agree more with your assessment, sir.” — Rex stated.
The last door leading directly to the hangar finally opened and the sight of the chaos left behind by the intense battle spread out in front of them.
“Wow, you forgot to mention that there was a battle here, and all of those were trandoshans? I can see a few dozen of dead bodies.” — Anakin exclaimed, quite surprised by the sight in front of him. Only after he started to take a closer look did his eyebrows creased. Some of the bodies seemed to be in unnatural positions and states.
Just as the realisation started to sink in, Rex began his explanation.
“Yes, sir. Some were killed by blaster weapons, but most of them were not that fortunate. We are unable to figure out what exactly killed them. I have never seen anything like this before. Do you have any idea what could cause such injuries?” — Rex stated while pointing at a blackened, charred corpse clawing into the floor, its claws leaving behind blood and burned scratches in the metal plating of the ground. Showing the desperation of the man’s last moments.
Anakin could only shake his head in response. He has never seen something like this. It was revolting, even for a veteran like him. Not even mentioning the powerful smell of burnt flesh filling the hangar. The smell seemed to be seeped into the very walls, not something you could simply ventilate out.
It made his stomach churn.
Rex continued his explanation. Pointing towards particular trandoshans fallen in a roughly circular shape around the middle section of the hangar.
“Those seven lying over there have broken necks. Based on their estimated time of death, they died at the same time while being meters apart from each other. However, these charred ones are the most disturbing. If you ask me, sir. They look like they have been burned from the inside and the outside at the same time and with the same intensity, while leaving their clothes untouched. I can only pity the bastards. They have clearly angered an enemy far outside of their pay grade.” — Rex added with absolute certainty.
“I am not sure what to say, Rex… However, I am going to figure it out.” — Stated Anakin, he had a bad feeling about this.
Anakin walked closer to one of the horridly deformed bodies. From the moment he stepped into the room, it became clear to him that the dark side influence was strong here. There was an unnaturally cold air engulfing this particular room. The aura of fear and death was palpable in the air, capable of spooking such an experienced soldier as Rex.
As he stepped closer to the corpse, Rex called out.
“General, don’t go any closer to that body. If it crumbles to dust, you won’t even have an equipped helmet to protect yourself. I would rather not send you to the medical wings as well.”
“It’s alright Rex. I won’t go any further.” — He answered.
He stopped about one and a half meters from the particular body and looked at it inquisitively.
The sight in front of him was definitely not an enviable way to die. Still, based on the little he heard from Kalifa, they clearly had it coming for them.
Anakin closed his eyes and reached out with the force, trying to search for an answer to what happened here. It was not really his cup of tea, to use the force for investigation. However, the trail in this case was so strong and recent that he couldn’t possibly mess it up.
He focused his mind on the chaotic force memories swirling in the room, while also attempting to silence any other lingering thoughts.
After a while, he began to hear weak voices whispering into his mind. Then the voices gradually turned into screams and battle shouts. He opened his eyes, and there it was, the battle spreading out in front of him in a visual manifestation of the force.
He saw two groups of people, one of them were pirates? Nizzal was among them an interesting discovery. For the first time, Anakin regretted his rash decision to not wait to the end of Kalifa’s explanation. The girl would surely mention something about these pirates.
It was still not late to listen to it later. He reminded himself, while refocusing on the flow of events.
The battle began in favor of the pirates. However, the trandoshans were clearly about to overwhelm them by their sheer numerical advantage and higher mobility. The pirates were being picked off, one by one. Until the point that the battle practically degraded into a small scale melee scuffle.
Normally, Anakin would write this battle off as a lost one. Alas, he knew that was not the case here. Since Nizzal was alive, and the trandoshans were not. Therefore, he waited curiously.
Just as he expected, there it was.
Something happened, a change in the air.
Then, half of the remaining lizards began to choke out of nowhere. Were they poisoned? Then, the sound of simultaneously snapping bones echoed through the air. The sound sent shivers down Anakin’s spine. Bodies fell to the ground, unmoving... then came the lightning. First, it was blue. Then red lightning arcing through the hall, coloring everything red. The memory was distorted under the sheer power of the dark side techniques, turning into a muddled mess of elongated screams.
Darkness and silence followed as the vision ended, but Anakin saw a pair of golden eyes watching from the silence. He knew those eyes. They belonged to that girl... Was she really watching him, or was this just his imagination? Perhaps an illusion built into the technique to instill fear and paranoia.
The last echoes of the memory ended there. Anakin felt unexplainably drained after experiencing the vision. He stumbled a bit as a powerful pain ran over the surface of his skull...
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Sensing this battle so potent in the dark side was clearly uncomfortable for those who were not used to its exposure...
Anakin grimaced as another wave of pain ran through his body. He stumbled one more time, reorienting himself. In his confusion, he stepped closer and closer to the mummified body. When his mind cleared, and he finally opened his eyes, his line of sight stuck to the screaming face of the dead lizard before him... There was a pull on his mind, as the darkness in those hollow eyes seemed to draw him in...
“…ome to me...”
There was a whisper in his mind. Was this his imagination acting up again?
“Come to ME!”
A sudden screaming voice filled out his mind, as he saw the dead lizard’s mouth move, stretching impossibly wide in a preternatural scream. Its hollow eyes suddenly filled up with a bloodthirsty hunger.
Suddenly, a solid hand grasped his shoulder, and the scream dispersed.
“General, are you alright?” — Rex's worried voice sounded calling over his shoulder.
“What?! Where is the?” — Anakin whirled around, confused and genuinely terrified for once.
He looked at his friend, taking in Rex's worried expression. He turned back to the body once again. The dead lizard was there, unmoving, dead and frozen as he had seen it for the first time. However, he was a lot closer to it than he originally expected. He was almost touching it at this point.
Rex spoke up behind him, in a rarely heard lecturing tone.
“You should take more care of yourself, General. You were just about to stumble face first on top of that dead body. It would crumble to dust and you would die from the poisonous substance in a minute. I just got the laboratory analysis of the poison. The bodies have an unknown, yet potent, paralyzing poison in them, and we don’t have a serum against it. It only takes a few breaths without an air filter, and your heart will stop beating for good.”
Anakin’s eyes widened as the realization of what could have happened hit him. Suddenly, he felt a reinvigorated growing anger towards a certain gray twi’lek... Was this an attempt to kill him? He wondered, or a mere side-effect of the technique she used.
Still, as cold sweat was now properly covering his skin. Anakin decided that this place was too dangerous for anyone of them to linger around.
“Troopers, leave this cursed ship. Just bring the navigation computer’s data drive with you, then we will destroy the rest of the ship as fast as possible. This place is contaminated by the dark side. It is too dangerous to stay here any longer,” — He declared with a rough tone. — “ and I have something important to report to the council... I also have a few questions of my own... for a certain someone... I hope her answers will prove to be satisfactory, for her sake.” — He said ominously before storming out of the ship.
“Yes sir, right away, sir.” — The clones shouted behind him.
~oOo~
After things relatively calmed down, Nizzal’s head became very dizzy, and she was forced to once again lie down on the couch.
Seeing her terrible state, Vokara started to feel guilty for her own childish actions. The fact that Obi-Wan saw and heard part of it didn’t help either... Shame was burning her leks.
All of this was because of this troublesome girl. She just had to be so infuriating. Half of the healing community already treats her like a damn witch and now she calls her a hag, of all things!
“Ugh....” — Nizzal moaned in discomfort.
“You shouldn’t have been jumping around like that. Now look at you. You look worse than the time they brought you here. People will start questioning my qualities as a healer. Can’t you do something with your yellow eyes at least? It’s getting on my nerves...”
Nizzal groaned again. — “So, I should have let you beat my butt instead. Is that what you are saying? Are you a pervert? A paedophile even!”
Vokara bristled at that. — “Now you are going overboard, are you calling every parent who disciplines their children in the same manner a paedophile as well? But fine! I will give you a dose of painkillers so your mind will be a bit fuzzy. Just stop moaning all the time…”
“I am not moaning… Wait, I don’t need painkillers and my head is already fuzzy... ouch...” — While she was complaining, Vokara had already injected some painkillers into one of her arms.
“Yes, you do. Anyway, it’s too late now. It is not the time to act like a tough girl. You are in a safe place here.”
“As if... Regarding my eyes, they will turn back to normal in a day or two... maybe three…” — She yawned…
“Is that so? Why so late?”
“... Because, … because I absorbed too much dark side energies, … by unleashing a mass life steal spell... My force presence is therefore unbalanced, … until it balances itself out naturally...”
“... Mass life steal?”
“Yeah, … I used it to kill a bunch of lizards who were actively kidnapping children to hunt them down for sport...” — She yawned again. — “They wanted to hunt me down too, … but they lacked the ability to do so.”
“I am keen to see what the council has to say about this...” — Vokara spoke to no one in particular. Watching lazily as the girl was slipping into dreamworld.
Then the door opened once again as Obi-Wan and Ahsoka walked into the room with a loud bravado. Jolting up the already sleeping Nizzal. Rika was also tagging along, this time looking at the serene and silent scene. As if the chaos happening a few minutes ago was but a mere illusion.
Ahsoka stared warily at the head healer, while glancing at Nizzal occasionally. Seeing how the gray twi’lek was staying unusually calm compared to the previous situation, she couldn’t help but fear for her friend.
She glared at Vokara, and asked. — “Did you?”
“Now, now, Ahsoka, don’t look at me like that. I only gave her a mild sedative and some painkillers to calm her down.”
The girl on the bad moaned in fresh betrayal. — “I thought… that you would only give me painkillers...” — Nizzal complained. — “You lied!”
“Did I? Oh well, maybe I forgot to mention it...” — The woman said smugly.
“You... are the worst...” — Were the girl’s last words before her body slowly turned numb as she lost consciousness, her breathing becoming relaxed once again.
Ahsoka sat down next to her on the couch as she watched her friend sleep, clearly relieved to see her again. Rika was also standing nearby, seemingly not knowing what to do, as her long-lost friend had just fallen asleep in front of her from the drugs that Vokara had given her.
“What is wrong with her skin? Can you tell me, Master Vokara?” — Asked Ahsoka, after making up her courage.
She was not sure what to think about the previous scenario she experienced today. It felt like a scene from a fever dream. She was seeing the calm and collected head healer in an entirely new light. Ahsoka was not sure what to think about her now… but one thing she knew for sure. She was never going to come to her, if not absolutely necessary.
Vokara answered to her question with the same warm smile she reserved for children. Ahsoka glanced at Nizzal and added mentally. Children she liked.
“Extreme exposure to the dark side can change your body physically. It is rare to see such a level of degradation, though. She believes that it will disappear in a few days, but I am not so sure about it, as you obviously saw her eyes are yellow too.”
Vokara’s eyes suddenly snapped towards Obi-Wan, who was standing in a corner watching the exchange consciously.
“What is it, Obi-Wan? You seem awfully quiet.”
The man jolted out of his thoughts, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment and discomfort.
“Sorry about that. I am simply shocked by how powerful the dark side feels around such a small child. It feels even more powerful than the one around Ventress... Maybe we are making a mistake here. She is unpredictable and also too powerful in the dark side to walk around freely, just like that.”
He sighed and continued.
“We didn’t know enough about her sect. We didn’t see anyone else from her sect, to be more precise. The only reason why she is allowed to move around is the fact that a true sith would never bother to learn pure light side techniques as force heals... She showed exceptional skills in the light side, and also in the dark side. I don’t know what we should do anymore... Aside from that, Anakin told me something that is very disturbing... I am afraid that the council is about to imprison her, at least until we have a wider perspective on this matter. Either way, thank you, Vokara. Your cooperation means a lot.”
Vokara crossed her arms over her chest, sighing with acceptance. She was evidently not surprised by the current turn of events.
“Well, you practically ordered me through my communication link to make her fall asleep as gently as possible. It had been done... She was confused, drained, and had a serious concussion. She wouldn’t be able to run away anyway... Still better this way than to unnecessarily rile her up. I kind of already did that, anyway…”
She looked aside in a moment of embarrassment, quickly gathered herself, and continued her report.
“I also confirmed your suspicions. She practically acknowledged that she was the one who killed those trandoshans through a technique called mass life steal... It was all in self-defence, though. I don’t believe that the girl poses a genuine threat to us. She is a brat, yes, but I think she means well. Alas, I am not a member of the council. I would imagine they would disagree.”
At that point, Ahsoka invited herself into the conversation.
“Nizzal is not someone who would hurt anyone without a proper reason... You don’t know her as much as I do. She never even wanted to be in this war, not even in this order. The council was the one who first threw her into this whole scenario, and they still hesitate to trust her! If you are so against her being here, just let her leave and do whatever she wants, or stop doubting her without any reason. What is wrong with you?!”
Ahsoka shouted suddenly. Rika was also nodding to her words from the side, demonstrating her support.
Obi-Wan sighed and attempted to explain the situation to the younger padawan.
“Ahsoka, you have to understand, we are in the middle of a war, and she is an unknown risk factor. We can’t even prove the existence of this so-called Grey Order, and even if it is true, the fact that they are using the dark side already gives us reason to capture and stop them. Nothing good had ever come from the dark side. What if we destroy the sith, only for them to take their place later... We can’t trust anyone who dabbles in the dark side of the force. In time, you will understand what I am saying.”
“Then why did you pretend to trust her? You acted as if she was your padawan?” — Shouted Rika with clear confusion and betrayal mirrored in her eyes.
“Rika, this whole thing, the mission, and everything else was a part of the council’s test. Of course, there were unexpected happenings, but the force always acts in mysterious ways. We have found evidence that the girl was truly powerful in the force, and we have realized that she was not afraid to use that power for killing, or butchering others with it. Someone like her simply can’t be allowed to roam without supervision.” — Stated Obi-Wan.
Ahsoka shouted at that with righteous anger.
“Aren’t that the exact thing each of us has been doing since this war began?!”
“No, a Jedi only kills in self-defence. We never kill when there is an alternative way.” — Said Obi-Wan.
“Well, maybe there wasn’t an alternative way for her to survive, either? You didn’t even bother to ask her. You have already decided to condemn her!” — Answered Ahsoka.
“No, it was not mine, but the council’s conclusive decision to do so.” — Obi-Wan deflected, feeling slightly flustrated for walking head first into such a contradiction.
“The council, which you are a member of,” — Accused Ahsoka. — “by the way, what was your statement in this argument? Were you against condemning her for defending herself?”
There was an uncomfortable silence stretching out in the room after that particular question.
In the end, Obi-Wan started to speak.
“Ahsoka, you have to see reason. We can’t take risks like this. The whole galaxy’s fate is being questioned right now. She will have a fair trial, and will be judged accordingly by the Jedi High Council.”
“But!”
”There is nothing else I will say in this matter.” — Obi-Wan finished the argument. Then turned towards the healer.
“Master Vokara. I ask you to treat her injuries, then she will be immediately taken to one of the solitary prison rooms. I will personally watch over the transportation with the help of four temple guards.“
In the end, he turned back to Ahsoka and Rika with a sigh.
“You girls should go back to your room and meditate over your actions. Your personal feelings are clearly clouding your judgments.”
Ahsoka couldn’t believe what Obi-Wan was saying. She was so enraged by the man’s actions that she run out of the room, pulling Rika along while struggling to hold back her tears.
It was a well-known fact among the jedi, that nobody ever got off easily after being judged by the Jedi High Council. They were going to punish her friend for simply defending herself while preaching that it was everyone’s right to do so.
It seems that right were only legitimised until that person didn’t harness the dark side for said defence.