Family
A/N: Sorry for my grammars.
Screams in the distance
Cries for help
Pains of losses
Lightsaber's lights dancing and fading in the air
Blaster's bolts tear through the cold night air
And deaths were everywhere, where she can lay her eyes on.
Yet it failed to touch her, failed to take her life, all she can do was run, trying to cut down any men that standing in her way, those men she trained on Kamino, those men she watched with pride and joy when they marched out onto the battlefields everywhere across the galaxy.
Now there was only horror, and confuse cover her mind, she trained them to kill droids, to defend the Republic, to save the galaxy, now she watched as the clone killing everyone in her family, one by one, they fall under the protectors of the Republic, everything around her was all only chaos and pains.
There is nothing she can do now, only watching them die, fell theirs pains through the force, and pray that she would not fall, she must escape, a Jedi Master never run from a fight, never fear their enemy, but now, she doesn't sure she is calm enough to not fell fear anymore.
Fear the scene unfolding before her, fear that her world has fallen, fear that everything was crumbling under her feet, fear the blood that spilled in the hallways, fear for her future.
Her future is uncertain, but what about her fellow Jedi?, who was already dying in their own home, and all she can do was run and kill anyone who stand in her way.
Her home had never fallen for thousands of years since the Old Republic, she has been confident, that the Sith will not attack here, in the heart of the Republic, cover in the comfort that the force gave her, she has been deceived, comfort by her cradle of power in the temple, no force could challenge her family and her, yet again, she has been deceived by her own trust in the Republic, that now, clones are attacking her home, destroying the temple that rested thousands years.
Too late
Too late to change anything now, too late for her to do anything now, hopeless, everyone was death, she can hear the whisper of fear in her mind, of her fellow Jedi's master in the council, everyone was gone, only herself remained.
She failed, she failed Windu, who left her in change of the Temple when he went to confront Darth Sidious, yet she didn't succeed with the task, and now she paid the price, by looking in the crèche, even the future of the order was not left untouched, even the innocents were killed, she felt her blood boiled, she feel anger, she feel sick, and she can feel the force whisper to her powers beyond her imagination, powers that could help her avenge the children, No.
She would not fall, she was the last of the Masters, she would not let the dark side consume her, drive her down the path of once many fallen Jedi had followed, no she must remain calm, must remain strong, thought her tears stripe down her cheeks betrayed her.
For the first time in forever, Shaak Ti let herself exposed her feelings through physical world, there was too much to take in, crying was not the Jedi's ways, but she doesn't care anymore, she was just mortal.
There is no one left, she ran, let her blade dance in the air as she deflect every bolts aiming at her, she was just blur of blue light speeding through the hallway of the burning temple, she was desperate, let her mind drifted while her body reflect on instinct.
She reached the hanger, and her decision was to run on a ship and drifted to a back water planet somewhere in the outer rim, she was a coward, a coward that could only run and left others behind, but what choice do she have, stay and die while the whole Republic are after her? Or leave, and waited for a chance that the Jedi can rise again?.
The hanger was not quiet like it used to be, like any night she could stay out here and watched the stars in the sleepless night in her away from Kamino, she watched the stars dancing in the sky, shining the brightest lights she ever see, not knowing that the star maybe at a war for freedom, such thoughts drifted through her mind, concrete her determination of training the clone to have the upper hand against the Separatist, and finally bring peace to this galaxy, to millions of people, and to her.
Now there is no peace, no clear sky of stars, only two wielders of blue lights dancing in the opening in the hanger, deflecting every bolts coming on their ways, two lights combined into a powerful shield, and protect them as Shaak Ti notice them.
A young Tholothian girl and a human boy, youth written all over their faces, yet with determination, they cut down any opponents coming on them, brave and courage was keeping them alive but not for long, their strength are not unlimited.
And the girl's arm met with a bolt onher shoulder, sending her toward the ground, while the Human fight on, to protect his fallen comrade.
And she didn't see it coming, a bolt heading straight for his head while she busy deflecting the bolts heading for his arm, and it too late now, as he ready to meet his demise, and tall figure standing before him and the bolts, the figure with a blue lightsaber and stripes lekku.
Strength was radiating from the figure before him, with determination and….pains, all of them was radiating pains in the force around him, and with the nod from the figure before him he kneel down and held Katooni in his arms, ready to go on with the plan he had for them, to escape this madness before them and they headed to the ship behind him, ready to leave this massacre behind them, but not every plan is perfect.
Where would he go?
Where she would be safe?
Who will help them now?
The last one was answered in a mere seconds, when the figure shove him toward the ship and cover his back while he prepare the ship, ready to leave, ready to leave his once home behind.
And the figure was coming closer to the ship, and Petro put Katooni down and ignited his lightsaber, and defend himself and the ship while the figure enters the ship, and quickly made the ship's engine came to life, and Petro feel the ground was getting farther and the hatch closed, only the harmless bolt bouncing off the ship now, as she sat down and cradle the fallen padawan in his arms, checking her wound.
She saw the world she once called home faded in the distance, as she put the ship to hyperspace, she would go anywhere, anywhere far away from here, from this madness and now she unknowingly become a part in the two padawans's plan.
She would save many as she can, and now only two of them, was enough, she sighed in relief, so young to be put in this chaos, these Padawans are, but what choice do they have, like her? Stay and die, or leave and live?.
And she could hear sobs and comforts from behind her, let the sight of the blue streaks of hyperspace behind her, she turned around, and saw the Tholothian crying in the Human's chest, screaming about the horror they been through, and worry for their futures with one simple question.
''What are we going to do now?''
What are they going to do now?, so simple yet so complicated, the answer to this question is,where would they stay?, who would hide 3 Jedi wanted by the Republic?.
Where would they go?.
Home….
A voice whispered in her mind, as Shaak Ti looking around to see who answer to her hard question, but found none, her home has been destroyed, has been violated, the Temple was not home anymore, but where would she called her home now?, another hard question.
But this time the answer came.
Shili
Her home, her true home, maybe they would be accepted, but she was just like a baby who just know how to walk, she has been a Jedi so long, that she couldn't remember how her home look like, only blurred visions of her childhood before being taken to the Temple, whispers like a lullaby help her drifted to sleep, of orange landscapes surround her, of laughter, of joy, something she desperately needed right now.
And now in her eyes, she can see two homeless children of the force, whose future in blinded by the fog of betrayal by the own Republic they sworn to protect, they must experience being haunted, by day and night, in dreams or in real life, both mentally and physically.
And something kicked in her belly, she worried for these children she doesn't even know their names, but she care for them, feeling attached, worry for their futures, what would they do now? So young and so naïve, they can die before they can even see the end of their days.
And she would not let that happen, not now, not ever, and she entered the coordinate for Shili, and hope for a brighter future ahead.
Let the blue streaks of hyperspace behind her, their eyes are all now focused on the red and orange planet ahead, let the memories of her visions flow through her again, she's home now, but what about them?, Katooni and Petro?, will they accept this?, to go into hiding in her home, not theirs, but no one would guild them, no one would help them in this time of darkness for the Jedi, they have no choice but to followed her, the last Master of the order, and their savor.
And maybe, someday, they would this call this place their home, as Katooni held on tight to Petro hand, and drifted off to her uncertain thoughts.
Shaak Ti was afraid, for the first time in her life, fear truly written across her face, when she let her bare feet touch the ground, to feel the warm earth below her after so many hours of drifting in space, let her eyes feel with wonders and her robe flew softly with the wind, like she remembered from her Akul hunt and in those visions of the past, but fear was still in her, as she knows why.
Is she even a Togruta anymore?
As they left the ship behind them, after some walking and observing, she can sense the awe coming from the Padawan behind them, as they never been here before, watching everything and take in anything into their young minds, mind so simple, not complicated like her right now.
And they reached the village after following upriver to a small village, where 2 man stand before them, refusing to let them in, her fear was confirmed, and now is raging across her mind, as she watched a tall Togruta man, older than her with clear scars of time written in his face, an Elder of this village has came to greet her, an outsider.
Shaak Ti expected rejection, but only wanted a place to stay, to rest until she can stand on her own, but instead a warm hand put on her shoulder, and the man smile, pointing to her lightsaber hanging on her robe, and let the words in her language flow right through her lekku.
''Welcome home, Master Jedi…''
She was home, truly, now, and they accepted her as one of their own, a warrior of the light, of justice and freedom, now fallen and desperate, looking for a shelter, a new family.
Shaak Ti never has to look far, as she watching the two Padawan spar in the open field in front their little cottage, let the hiss of their lightsabers clashing again each other, she once sworn never to take another Padawan, after her last died, she doubt at herself, and now look at her, training not one but two Padawan, for the future of the new Jedi Order.
And watching them comfort each other when they sad, when they are felt separated from this world full of Togruta, Shaak Ti was always there, to tell them everything is alright, as long as they stick together, as long that they still believe in the force, as long as they believe in her.
Shaak Ti, in her whole life time, fallen in love in her Padawan's time, but not a real love, just a silly young crush with a fellow padawan, in time, she learn how to tamed herself, tamed her feelings, and now she's not sure she can hide it anymore, she had fallen in love with both of them, care for them like a mother should, like every mother with their children.
Even if they are not her children, and Shaak Ti was not their mother, they still see her that way, they made a family, their own family beside the previous one, the one that got wipe away in one single night, they would stay strong for each others, in time of need, they will rise again.
She trained them to be warriors, to let them inherited everything she know, but she realized that time was not kind to her, she was not young anymore, she is old, a Jedi of yesterday, but now, those two will take her path as the Jedi of tomorrow.
Maybe Shaak Ti never see what tomorrow will looks like, but she glad that she help them see it, to guild them in the dark time, saving them from the dark side.
As she laid there, like she laid in her time here, to sleep, to meditate, to think about the future, now she lying here, coughing and week, and Katooni taking her hand, tears fill the young Tholothian's eyes, while Petro put a hand on the girl's shoulder, comfort her like he always be and will be.
She can fell Katooni's grip on her tighter, like she wanted to keep her here, not to let her soul drifted and become one with the force, she is selfish, not to let her Master and also a Mother she never had leaving her behind, but she is selfish for her love ones, she never wanted to see them die, Shaak Ti has said her reassuring words and tell them to not failed her, to not fall.
Shaak Ti already said her last teachings long ago, now it's up to them now, the future is on their hands now, and Shaak Ti had completed her final task, now she can rest, truly, to be one with the force, but will always be watching them from the Havens above.
She took her last breath, and let go, leaving a crying Katooni in arms of Petro.
She didn't die in a warrior's way, like her people, she was a warrior, but she die being a mother raising warriors.
Raising new hopes, raising new beginnings.
