The silent treatment had gone on for quite a while, when Nizzal apparently had enough of it and burst out with an angry voice.

“Ahsoka... why are you doing this to me? I have already told you that I am thirteen years old in body... Since I was hibernated that didn’t change... I am still thirteen years old!” — Ahsoka turned towards Nizzal with an angry expression that soon turned into surprise and confusion. The reaction apparently scared the other girl. — “Why are you looking at me like that, suddenly?” — Nizzal questioned with a burst of suspicion. — “You are scaring me... stop there, stOP!” — She screamed, turning around and trying to flee seeing that the previously pouting togruta unexpectedly jumped at her with a furious look burning in her eyes.

Ahsoka jumped at the smaller twi’lek like an enraged animal, pushing her to the ground thanks to her larger physique. — “Thirteen years old in body!” — Ahsoka shouted at the stupefied girl. — “When would you plan to tell me about that detail!?”

The small twi’lek’s expression quickly paled under her friend’s accusation, realizing her foolish mistake. She was so surprised that she didn’t even try to defend herself.

Seeing the shock in the girl’s expression was enough for Ahsoka to ascertain that, for once, she was on the right track to figure out her annoying friend’s secrets. Ahsoka smirked with an evil glint in her eyes, showing some of those predatory canines as she ruthlessly took advantage of the state of her friend.

She decisively grabbed Nizzal’s wrists and pulled her now physically much weaker arms, all thanks to the difference in their age behind her back. Holding them in a quite painful body lock, while binding her arms tightly with a shawl that was lying around. Of course, she knew that Nizzal would be able to escape from that bind with time. Alas, she wasn’t planning to give her that time.

“Let me go!” — The captured girl demanded. As she suddenly realized what sort of situation she was in, and started to squirm and kick furiously. It was of little use to her, since Ahsoka was quite comfortably sitting on her back just finishing the delicate process of tying her friend’s arms. The young twi’lek quickly realized that she was not going to be able to push the bigger girl off her back, and with a terrifying fluidity, turned to new methods of coercion. She began in a sad, heart-wrenching, shaky voice that gave pause to the older girl. — “Why are you doing this to me… I didn’t even say anything rude...”

Ahsoka openly rolled her eyes, seeing the sharp change in her friend’s behavior. She would never admit it to her, the fact of how effective the girl’s act was. Two years ago, she would gullibly suck it up, no… perhaps even just a year ago, but not now. Still, she had to force herself not to jump up and try to comfort her, as her act was clearly laced with powerful coercion reinforced by the force itself.

Perhaps… she would have been fooled by it even now, only if the girl didn’t use it in such a panicked way. It was impossible to miss the sharp differences between her mood swings, but that only made Ahsoka angrier, and the fact that the girl was going into great lengths to cover up her mistake more obvious.

Ahsoka, with a grunt, pulled up the squirming child from the floor, and threw her into a nearby chair, immediately starting to tie her legs together with a few more pieces of cloth. She was not going to let the girl run off this time, not before she throughly interrogated her. She wasn’t intending to ask questions nicely while hoping to get the truth out either, not after suffering through two years of uncertainty. She was going to get her answers one way or another. Still… seeing the fearful look in Nizzal’s eyes, she couldn’t help but remembered that her master’s master often scolded her for lack of tact.

Witnessing the sight of the terrified, squirming twi’lek tied to the chair in front of her. She couldn’t help but agree with him for once.

“If I said something offensive, I am sorry, please forgive me, and don’t look at me with that blank expression...” — The girl pleaded. This time it felt more genuine than before, but Ahsoka couldn’t care less about that. She was now on a mission to get the truth. She internally strengthened her resolve.

‘I had enough of this cat-and-mouse game... She would not get away from me, not until I got my answers. I was worried about her life for two years, for nothing. I am not going through that again...’ — Ahsoka reminded herself, then once again focused on the twi’lek.

She leaned closer to her friend, subtly gliding her force presence to sense Nizzal’s. There were turbulent emotions swirling around her, but it was clear to Ahsoka that the other girl was more frustrated than confused. She knew why she did what she did, no matter how much she pretended otherwise. — ‘Good.’ — Ahsoka thought with aggravation. — ‘I was also confused and frustrated in these last two years. She should get a taste of it, even if it wasn’t her choice...’

Ahsoka slowly crouched down to her tied friend’s eye level and demanded with little fanfare.

“So, tell me about this story... of you being a thirteen-year-old in body...” — She slowly raised her right hand and pushed her pointing finger right into the middle of the girl’s chest. A victorious smirk coming to her face as she added. — “What about your soul?”

The effectiveness of her action was beyond obvious. Nizzal’s face turned ashen the moment she heard her question. She tried to cover it up, but Ahsoka was watching her closely and it was impossible to hide her genuine surprise and fear.

“Wh-what are you... talking about..?” — The twi’lek stuttered with a strained fake smile, that even a jedi youngling could see through easily.

“Now, now, now... Nizzy, don’t even try to act ignorant... it won’t work on me, not anymore... So I will ask one more time before I decide to tie a double knot on your leks.”

‘Heh, that’s it.’ — Ahsoka thought, seeing that Nizzal’s eyes were about to pop out from the very thought.

“Yo-you wouldn’t dare to do something like that...” — The girl stammered.

“Try me.” — Ahsoka said, while putting her right hand loosely on her hip.

“I am thirteen years old.” — The girl said with stubborn determination.

“Sigh... Nizzal... stop acting like a weasel. You disappoint me.” — Ahsoka shook her head.

“W-what?!” — The other girl stammered.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka walked behind her chair. Nizzal continued mumbling stubbornly that she was really thirteen years old... Yeah, sure... Ahsoka thought about it for a moment. It was so obvious. This would answer every abnormality around her friend. Those incredibly deep eyes, her strange demeanor, her supportive nature. Not even mentioning her extensive knowledge of the force, one that could rival Masters of the Jedi Order. Wow... what if she was mentally like fifty years old? That would be incredible and kind of awkward...

Ahsoka looked at her friend as she was trying to tell her how wrong she was...

‘Yes, that could be true...’ — Ahsoka grudgingly acknowledged the possibility. — ‘If she won’t talk even after I tied a knot on her leks, I will actually believe her.’

Ahsoka was preparing to pull through with her threat. She couldn’t help but chuckle when she saw how the girl cutely attempted to pull away her leks as she tried to grab them. It’s a pity that she couldn’t move them half as fast as she could move her arms.

She grabbed both of them easily after the initial surprise wore off. — ‘But wow… the feeling of those soft leks wriggling around was quite disturbing, actually. They were constantly moving around as if I had caught a pair of snakes or earth worms. You would expect them to be cold to the touch and somewhat wet like snakeskin, but it was not.’

‘They felt warm, and somewhat elastic, but it wasn’t slimy at all. Also, you could perfectly feel her quickening heart rate through them. I felt myself blush a little from the thought.’

Was this really right? Ahsoka hesitated.

‘I would never have threatened her to do this if I knew how disturbingly personal this would feel, but now, how could I back down?’ — Kalifa had many times told Ahsoka the story, of how she easily bested the girl who managed to escape under the nose of five jedi, and a small squad of clones. All that because she managed to grab her by her lek.

‘I didn’t give it much thought back then. I know that it’s kind of hypocritical since I also have leks. Yet mine was quite different, and it was not possible to move it around just like that. It was more stable, even solid at places, since it has an internal bone structure, which twi’leks lekku clearly lacks.’

Ahsoka raised a surprised eyebrow, noticing how Nizzal’s leks snaked around her wrists, attempting to squeeze her arms. It was getting on her nerves, so she squeezed back slightly, which elicited a high-pitched yelp from the sweating twi’lek who immediately stopped her misbehavior, loosening up her leks.

“I GIVE UP!” — The girl shouted, frustrated tears appearing at the edge of her wide pink eyes. — “Ju-j-just let me go, and I will tell you my age!” — Her pale cheeks were red from embarrassment.

Ahsoka was woken from her thoughts by Nizzal’s sudden shout. She grinned victoriously behind her, not letting go of her leks just yet.

“So, spit it out then. I am waiting?”

“I am actually twenty-five...” — The girl said with a sorrowful voice.

Ahsoka wasn’t amused. Based on the girl’s exotic knowledge and skills, that seems to be highly unlikely. The fact that she shared it so easily was suspicious, too. Like come on, she didn’t even do anything yet. What was more curious, however, was that she sensed a weird vibration through her leks since she was still holding onto them. What was the reason for that? She wondered.

“I asked your real age, not some random number!” — Ahsoka shouted back.

“I just said I am twenty-five!” — The girl sputtered, surprised to be caught red-handed so easily.

What was truly curious was that the strange quivering was there again... What if… Could it be? Ahsoka felt her cat like grin widening with a new idea blossoming in her mind.

“Nizzy, tell me your name, then mine.” — Ahsoka asked, the grin never disappearing from her face.

On the other hand, Nizzal looked genuinely confused.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Why?” — She asked, blinking heavily.

“Just do it.” — Ahsoka demanded, slightly squeezing the girl’s leks to urge her through.

“S-stop that! Y-y-you are crazy, but so be it! My name is Nizzal Grey... And you are Ahsoka Tano... Happy now?”

‘There were no vibrations at all.’ — Ahsoka noted. — ‘She might really start to think that I am getting crazy... Still, I have to prove my hypothesis first.’

“Now tell me that you are a sith; then tell me that you are not a sith.” — Ahsoka commanded with a straight face.

“Ah-Ahsoka, are you alright? You shouldn’t get overly excited, just relax a bit... then we can talk this through…”

“Tell me, now!” — Ahsoka demanded with another squeeze.

“Ah-h! Okay... okay! Damn, what is wrong with you?” — She sighed heavily, then said. — “I am a sith...”

There was that same vibration.

“I am not a sith...” — She said with an eye-roll.

There wasn’t any vibration. — ‘This can’t be a simple coincidence.’ — Ahsoka thought, but she still wanted to confirm it.

“Repeat it two times and also add that you are a Jedi and a member of the Grey Order...”

Nizzal looked at Ahsoka over her shoulder with a worried expression… The togruta girl avoided any eye-contact with the confused twi’lek. — ‘She thinks that I lost it...’ — Ahsoka figured. Still, it was worth to sacrifice some of her dignity to get her hands on an effective lie detector.

~oOo~

‘The results were speaking on their own every time she told an obvious lie, her leks twitched slightly. It was a vibration, a very weak one that could not be noticed by simply looking at the leks. This would answer the reason why twi’leks were so overly defensive and angry when someone touched their leks. It was basically a biological lie detector attached to their heads... I mean, there are other races with leks, like nautolans, and not even one of them are half as mystical about their lekku like the twi’leks. Many of them are using it in daily activities, constantly picking up things with it left and right. It is a rare sight to see a twi’lek do those things.’

At this point, Ahsoka was certain that she have won. It seemed that her friend wasn’t quite as touchy about her leks as most twi’leks, it could be because she didn’t know about how her leks could be used against her. It could also be that she was completely wrong, and this was solely a unique quirk of her friend that she never noticed.

“Now tell me one more time, your age.” — Ahsoka asked.

“Twenty...” — The girl began but was cut off immediately.

“Stop lying, you fool!” — Ahsoka scolded her.

“What, I didn’t…” — She started again, but was cut off.

“I can sense your lies from a mile away!” — Ahsoka boasted, victoriously.

“Okay...” — Nizzal blinked, uncertainty mirrored in her eyes. — “I am just over three hundred years old, happy now?”

“You are lying again.” — Ahsoka said with a bored voice.

“How do you know!?” — Nizzal demanded, fear once again leaking into her voice. She was utterly confused, beginning to sweat.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. — “I said I can sense when you lie, not that I needed that to tell it this time. Like come on, you being three hundred years old doesn’t make sense!” — She explained.

The other girl blinked, then asked back. — “How so?”

Ahsoka sighed, then started to explain. — “ I mean… What did you say, how old were you when your mother... you know...”

“Five or six. I am not sure...” — The girl answered softly.

“That was not a lie.” — Ahsoka frowned at that. — “How could you be actually six years old, nine years ago? When saying that you are thirteen years old now is clearly a lie.”

“Wh-what?” — The girl looked around with growing confusion, but I could see the fresh layers of sweat appearing on her forehead. She was getting closer to the truth, whatever it was.

“The only plausible answer is that something changed in the time you left Ryloth in the company of your new master.”

Ahsoka saw Nizzal’s expression change from a worried one to a shocked one.

Then the tied up girl began to speak with a voice that lacked every bit of the childishness Ahsoka had grown used to over their acquaintance. It was a voice that lacked even the slightest hint of emotion. It took her so off guard that she had to blink a few times and look around the room to see if there wasn’t someone else speaking... Alas; the room remained empty, aside from them.

“I don’t know how you manage to so clearly differentiate my lies from the truth. Yet I am warning you now that you have ventured over thin ice. You are asking for secrets that are reserved to be shared with only the masters of my order.”

‘It seems that question is off the chart.’ — Ahsoka noted silently.

“Jeez... I knew that certain women treat their age as some sort of secret, but you have taken that to a new level! Also, I didn’t know that you were a master of your order. Hmm, but I guess, since you are older than what you look like, I should have expected this.”

‘I sensed as her robotic tone began to shatter, as she tried to answer my question with the same seriousness... but she failed... Also, she just realized that she had given away another piece of information, accidentally... She was trying so hard to scare me by changing her voice... It kind of worked for a few seconds, but not for long. Hah, she realized it too, and began to speak normally again.’

“I-I was not speaking about that...”

“So then, how old are you?”

“I...” — She sigh... — “I don’t actually know... okay?”

‘That wasn’t a lie... but how could she forget her own damned age?’ — Wondered Ahsoka.

“Then tell me roughly, you must know at least that much? Aye?”

“Promise that you will let me go if I tell you... and that you will not laugh...“ — The twi’lek girl asked shily.

“Fine.” — Ahsoka said, shrugging her shoulders. — “But, only if you promise to not run away, and speak with me properly.”

“I, I promise...”

“Good, then, let’s hear it.”

‘Why would I laugh at her, anyway?’ — Ahsoka questioned silently.

“Well… ugh… I am… Slightly over four thousand years... I guess…” — She blushed.

‘It was not a lie, at least based on the lekku lie detectors... but h-how? Is that really her mental age? But-but... but she was so childish, and... just how...’

“Could you repeat that?”

“I am over four thousand years old.”

“It can’t be... how? But, you act so stupidly and all that...”

“Hey! I am also influenced by a growing child’s hormones, habits and attention spam, which I have already managed to stretch to an incredible degree... When you are a kid, it is not just your mind, but your body too... I can’t help it...” — She explained with a crimson blush stretching all over her face.

“Interesting… Most of that answer is true, but the last bit is a lie... You... you are purposefully hiding behind the mask of a child to act spoiled and annoy people? Is that so?”

“No! That’s not true!” — The girl protested vehemently.

“That’s a lie.” — The togruta stated, an evil smirk stretching across her face.

“I am not lying!”

“Another lie.” — She teased her with a smug expression.

“No!” — ‘She actually seemed to be on the verge of tears...’ — Ahsoka realized. — ‘It must feel humiliating to be faced with such uncomfortable truths. I should be more careful about this. Well, that or she is a hell of an actress. I am starting to lean towards the latter.’

“I have already told you my secret.” — She sniffed. — “It is time to let me go... you promised...” — The girl pouted, while trying to shake off her binds.

‘She was really about to start crying now... That would make me feel uncomfortable, especially after what she just revealed... Imagine a four thousand year old being crying with a cute pout on her face. I forcibly shook my head to get the image out of it. I also realized that I treated her as my little sister, until now... Damn, I must have looked ridiculous in her eyes...’

“Okay, okay, don’t cry, I will let you go... soon...”

“... Okay...”

‘This is getting laughable. How am I even supposed to treat her differently if she acts like a child, if I would tell this to anyone, they would think that I was dropped on my head... multiple times... in a row... Also did she just describe to me what it feels to be a child? It was not that long ago that I would forget... Sigh... Okay... I am still a kid, so what?‘

‘The real problem is that this knowledge has no practical use right now... I am not even sure if I really believe it myself...’

‘I let go of her leks, then I walked in front of her.’

“So let’s speak like civilized people. First of all, tell me why you are working for the queen, in detail.”

“You said that you would let me go.”

“And you said that you will tell me your age, then proceeded to lie to me multiple times. You see, I am learning from the best, therefore, I lied.”

“You! Then I will lie too...”

“But you can’t.” — ‘I smiled cheekily.’

“How, how are you able to tell me if I lie in the first place?” — She cried out.

“Well, your lekku quivers every time you lie... So I only had to grab it to determine... it... I am not really sure if it is a trait for every twi’lek or if it is specific to you... I found out about it by pure accident.”

‘Heh, that made her drop her jaw. She really had no idea about this, just as I thought.’

“No way... how... such a thing? I had no idea...”

“Yeah, that was kind of obvious... Since you weren’t raised among twi’leks, that could be a reason why you didn’t know about it.”

“You are right... Master wouldn’t know about such a thing... and there was no other twi’lek master in my memories...”

“Okay, so now that we have figured it out... you have the time to answer my other questions... And don’t try to lie, you know that I can figure it out.” — With that said, I offered her my open palm. She glared at me, realizing what I meant, then reluctantly placed the tip of her right lekku into my hand.

“I already told you, this collar is made from beskar, and it is directly connected to the life of the queen, through the immune supporting nano machines inside her body. If her life signals disappeared for more than three minutes. It would automatically inject poison into my body... Slowly killing poisons. In fact, that would make me suffer for hours before I eventually die...”

‘Hearing that answer was infuriating... This, this fucking bitch... how could she do this to her, or anybody...’

“I am going to kill this bitch...”

“Didn’t you listen at all? You are going to kill me too! Let me go!”

That was the moment when the door suddenly opened and a mirialan boy about their age walked into the room.

“I heard some shouting, so I thought I would come in and... oh!”

There was an awkward silence hanging in the air as the boy looked over at the two girls. One tied to a chair while the other standing over her with a haughty expression. He tried his best to take in the whole picture.

‘I was currently standing in front of Nizzal. One of my hands was placed on my hip while the other gently grasping her lekku. She was tied up helplessly sitting in an armchair in front of me, and her obviously manipulative streak of tears hadn’t even dried up yet. The boy seemed to realize something as his face visibly lighted up, then he began to talk.’

“Ah! Now I see! I saw a few of the lords and the older slaves doing this kind of thing in the bedrooms at night. Therefore, once I decided to watch them for a while in secret to figure out its purpose. It seemed to be some ritualistic mating game that sometimes preceded the action of interc-...”

“EQOMU, SHUT YOUR MOUTH IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU!” — Nizzal screamed, her face redder than red.

“This is that Eqomu guy who tortured you!?” — Ahsoka shouted, taken aback.

“Torture? Me? Tsc! Don’t be ridiculous, my etiquette classes are far from torture, I assure you. Oh, by the way, I assume that you are the new girl who needs some directions. Ahsoka, if I am right.”

“Yeah...”

“Good. Since my schedule is full with the newly arriving slaves, and seeing that you are already in a... tight relationship...”

“EQOMU!” — Shouted Nizzal, threateningly.

“... You will join Nizzy’s classes on every Monday and Friday morning until I decide that your skills are appropriate. Now, I will leave you to your own devices. Good bye.”

“Don’t leave me! Help me you stupid mirialan!”

“Oh, no. I think that I will leave this fiery togruta in your care. You seem to have gained most of her attention, anyway. Bye.”

‘The door closed behind the leaving mirialan boy, and with that, another wave of awkward silence filled the room. Both of us were utterly embarrassed. I could feel as my montrals were getting hotter. The skin on my face was probably blue now from the major blush I suffered from that sudden conversation. Nizzal wasn’t any better. She looked even worse... Her face was turning pink from the burning embarrassment.‘

“...”

“...”

“... So...” — Cough... — “Let’s continue with the questions...” — Ahsoka said at last.

“... kay...” — She agreed silently.