Star wars: On The Run Part 2

by Lordhadrian

The story continues as Ahsoka helps her friends escape the war while being hunted by the Jedi and the Sith. Little do they know that Grievous has caught up with them. With the help of some interesting characters, can Ahsoka, Barriss and Assajj overcome their obstacles? On The Run is a sequal to "Dying of the Light"

The next day came quickly, and the group quietly exited the tavern. Ahsoka and Barriss led the group, disguised in their masks. They started packing luggage into their hover vehicle, when a commotion started up near the tavern. people panicking with stressed voices

"What's going on?" Conradin looked over the growing crowd. Ahsoka signalled the others to wait while she jogged over to see what was up. After a few minutes, she talked to a grizzled man, the same one from the Tavern yesterday. She returned moments later.

"There's a shuttle in trouble, up in orbit, people are trapped" "What do you mean, trapped? Lux furled his brow. "They just need someone to repair a power coupling on the wing of a commercial shuttle. It's stuck in orbit"

"People are trapped! We can't get a lifeline to them!" someone shouted from the crowd. Ahsoka looked at the group. Some had misgivings, some were about to suggest helping.

"Funny, I didn't detect a shuttle in orbit..." Vincent pondered. Riddick patted his metal frame "You can't win them all, Vince". Vincent turned to Riddick, puzzled "There's a ship up there already. Surely there is someone on board who can fix a trifle power coupling!" Conradin dismissed it "Somebody will come along, I'm sure". The Doctor pulled out a small device "I could take care of it. Pop in, howd'ya do, and be done". Ahsoka looked back at the concerned crowd. "They may need help. I have an idea. Barriss..." Barriss turned to her, Ahsoka grabbed her arm with a little excitement "This is an opportunity" "For what?"

Ahsoka pulled her close "I think this may be good for you. Let's you and I go up and help" "Help? How?" Barriss was unsure "I...don't know if I am qualified to save people at this time" She frowned. Ahsoka was gentle, but doubled her efforts "It's the perfect time to help you walk the path you need to walk. You've fixed power couplings before. It will be quick and easy. And we can do this together"

She felt some encouragement "Ok" Barriss smiled "We can do it together"

Ahsoka went over to find someone in charge, she found the scruffy man that had been observing them "Captain Oil Fin, at your service" Ahsoka smiled enthousiastically "Perhaps we can be of assistance. There are people stranded up in orbit?" "Yeah, I have a transport, but we need people who are good at, uhhh, this kind of stuff" Fin looked around, trying not to stare at the others.

Ahsoka looked to the others "Get to the Sophonisba, and head for the mining ship. We will join you shortly" Assajj stepped forward "Maybe I should go with you" Ahsoka reassured her "We'll be ok. I need to do this. Go on, we'll catch up" Ventress looked at Ahsoka, both of them looked over at Barriss, who was listening to the mumurs of the crowd. Ventress patted Ahsoka's shoulder, wishing her well. The group headed out. Fin watched them leave, then turned his attention to the two that waited "This way" he walked back behind one of the establishments. Behind the building, he had a small craft waiting. They boarded and took off quickly.

Ventress and the others reached the Sophonisba. She opened the back hatch cargo bay for everyone to climb in "All aboard, boys!". The ship was pretty spacious. There was a small recreational station where everyone put the luggage. "May I plug myserlf into your ship's computer, Ms Ventress?" Vincent inquired "I find it prudent to aquaint myself with your operating procedures and diagnostic information". Ventress grinned "Just don't get involved in any 'carnival distractions'. You have duties to perform!" Vincent would roll his big square eyes if he could "Touche`, Ms Ventress" he dripped sarcasm "Your double entendre would earn you points if this were a scrabble game!"

The Doctor took a quick tour of facilities and rooms, Conradin and Lux sat at the recreational table. Riddick leaned against a wall and watched Ventress walk to the cockpit. She hid a small smile walking past him, sensing he was distracted. "We lift off in five, boys" She opened up communications with Ahsoka "Hey Smiley, how's your situation?"

Ahsoka and Barriss followed Captain Fin out of the shuttlebay of his transport in orbit. Ahsoka chimed in "We're onboard Fin's ship. They're close to the stranded passengers. We'll contact you again when we've finished. Ahsoka out"

Fin's transport was a long cigar shape of a ship, with cargo bays and a greasy looking crew. Ahsoka and Barriss walked dow a long hall towards the bridge. Just short of it, they reached the airlock with a maintenance area nearby.

Fin took mental notes during Ahsoka's communication, listening intently, but saying nothing until they reached an airlock "We have a suit for one of you, should be just the right size. Do either of you know how to use one of these? It has it's own monitoring controls for the jet power. It's all fueled up, and there's a blow torch set with it"

Ahsoka turned to Barriss "I think this will be a good step for you. Go, suit up and help those people. Then come back and we'll head out" Barriss nodded but hesitated "I haven't done zero gravity operations in a while. I'll have to get used to the suit" Ahsoka rubbed her shoulder in confidence "Take the time you need. I'm here with you. I'll watch from the bridge with Fin. The Force will guide you" Barriss nodded and rubbed Ahsoka's shoulder

She started to suit up, though she became cautious when she had to take off her mask to fit into the suit's helmit. Fin had technicians help suit her up. She looked at Ahsoka, nervous that she'd be recognized. Ahsoka waved it off and smiled. Everything will be fine, she signalled. Soon, Barriss was set, and was led to the airlock. Fin pointed Ahsoka straight ahead to the bridge. He would follow shortly.

Fin rounded a corner and pulled out a communicator. "Captain Fin to General Grievous!" Grievous' blue image popped up, menacing as ever "Report!" The scruffy merc smiled as he wiped sweat off his stubbly face "I have a confirmed sighting of two of the three targets. Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee are on my ship. We tricked them into a fake rescue mission! The trap is set and we will get the third target soon" Grievous rubbed two metallic hands together "Gooood! Very good!" Fin slightly licked his lips "I'll be expecting that reward when I nail them!"

"I am on my way there to give it to you, Captain Fin! Just remember...I want them all dead...and I want evidence!" The monster cyborg laughed. Fin shut down communications and moved on.

Grievous, walked the deck of his ship, and chuckled some more as he bellowed to his droids to launch. Grievous' ship jumps to hyperspace with eagerness.

Meanwhile, on board the Sophonisba, Ventress steers the ship into the upper atmosphere towards the Red Nostromo. "There it is AGAIN!" Vincent broke the silence with alarm from the communications seat in the cockpit. Ventress, having enjoyed the quiet, frowned "What is it, Vince?" The droid looked at the comm panel, then at her "That strange signal I detected last night from the smugglers. I caught it again, very briefly. If I didn't know better, I'd say there was a bad feeling to be had in all this" Ventress looked at him funny "It's your imagination!" Vincent almost curled his communication box with sarcasm "Really, Ms Ventress, You're forgetting I am a bucket that spits ones and zeroes, not a factory for the stuff of dreams and speculations"

Conradin was talking nearby with the Red Nostromo, getting final preparations made with Captain Mal "Ok" he turned to Ventress "The Red Nostromo is all set. As soon as Ahsoka and Barriss are on board, we will make the jump"

"Three minutes until docking procedures" Vincent calculated. Lux sat back in the recreantional area. The Doctor sat with him, eating a strange fruit. He offered to share "What is it?" Lux looked at it. It came from a bunch in a bowl. The dock peeled one for him "They're full of postassium. Here, try it" Lux bit into the soft white fruit, chewed a little, nodded in approval. "Not bad". The Doctor smiled and put his feet up an the table "You know, it's amazing. No matter what planet I go to, in whatever galaxy...somebody's always prepared a bowl of these and has them sitting out"

Barriss floated her way to the shuttle as Ahsoka and Fin watched from the bridge "I still can't get used to these controls!" Barriss grumbled. She fiddled with the air jets to push her foward, and at the right angle to reach the shuttle. Everything felt awkward. "Hang in there, you're doing great!" Ahsoka called out. Fin smiled "You two must make a good team. I knew it the moment you volunteered to do this" She smiled "This was an opportunity to do some good. I think she needed it"

Fin got right behind her "I can't believe how easy it was to get you two up here". They watched as Barriss got close to the wing of the large shuttle and activated the magnetic strip in her boots to help her walk the wing without floating away. Ahsoka watched intently "She can do it! I know she can-AAAUGH!"

Fin waited for just the right moment, and just the right distraction. And then tasered her from behind. "I've made contact with the wing!" Barriss stated with some subdued pride "I am making my way to the coupling"

Ahsoka was in a state of shock. What had just happened? All of her muscles felt burned, stiff, and charley horsed. She was crumpled tom the floor and could hardly move. Captain Fin leaned down to face her, with a slight smile as he waved the taser in front of her "It was all too easy, kid. Now, for the big reveal!"

He pressed a button, opening a channel to General Grievous. Ahsoka grimaced as the cyborg laughed "Ahsoka Tano! Seeing you bowed before me is such a delight. You've made me a very, VERY happy man today..."

"Grievous! I should have smelled your foul stench in all this!"

Grievous waved her off as he looked to Fin "Barriss Offe is out on the decoy. We've divided them up" Grievous smiled under his mask "Good. Where is Assajj Ventress?" Fin turned to Ahsoka, waiting for an answer. Ahsoka grimaced in pain, still paralyzed by the shock "Go suck on some rotten eggs, bantha breath!" Fin leaned down at her and squeezed her neck "Charming to the last. You should know this is a fully armed Sepratist transport. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of your friend Ventress, I will have the crew do some target practice with the other friend out there"

The ship's weapons warmed up with a hum as targeting screens focused on the shuttle. Ahsoka's jaw dropped in horror "what have I done?" she whispered

Barriss worked diligently, concentrating on the open wound in the ship, oblivious. Perchance, she glanced through a nearby window, spotting the passengers inb their seats. Something didn't feel right. She took a closer look. The passengers were mannequins. "What's going on here?" Barriss turned away and slowly walked to the other end of the wing "Ahsoka, I think something may be wrong...Ahsoka? Come in!"

Back on the Sophonisba, Vincent lit up again "That signal's back!" he opened up a link to it. Ventress and Conradin heard the make and bandwidth of the signal. Vincent had a panic in its voice "That's a Sepratist signal beeming to the transport!" Ventress sneered "Grievous! EVERYBODY STRAP YOURSELVES IN!" She punched the engines and steered away from the Red Nostromo. Lux and the Doctor got thrown around a bit as the engines kicked into high gear. The ship roared towards the smugglers, but it was very far away.

After a few tense seconds, Fin was losing patience. He closed in on Ahsoka's face with the taser "I grow tired of asking this, so it will be the last time. WHERE is Asajj Ventress?" Ahsoka panicked for one long second, then broke, though not without some deception. "She's at her ship, parked in the forest of Charybdis...the forest" She closes her eyes, trying to think fast while they considered this.

"There. You see, Lord Grievous, she CAN be reasonable." Fin turned to one of the crew "Continue with the operation, you may fire when ready"

Ahsoka's heart stopped "WHAT?" Fin smirked at her "You're far too trusting. You cooperated so well, and the reward for the three of you was 'dead or alive'. But Jedi are dangerous creatures...he looked out at the shuttle as Barriss tried to contact the ship. Fin looked back at Ahsoka, who was starting to regain some strength in her muscles. "Let's assume, for argument's sake, you resisted"

The smuggler ship's laser batteries open fired. Barriss turned to see red beams erupt through the hull on the other side of the shuttle. She had enough time to gasp.

Ahsoka watched the monitors. The decoy shuttle was vaporized, pieces flying everywhere. A flash of explosive fireworks turned the spot into dust and darkness

Ahsoka's scream echoed through the bridge and the halls of the ship for several long seconds.

"Son of a Bitch!" Ventress spotted the explosion out her front windows. Everyone in the cockpit, Riddick, Conradin, Vincent and Ventress were frozen in shock for several seconds, almost failing to see Grievous' ship jump out of hyperspace nearby.

"Sepratist ship at point three-five!" Vincent reported "I'm getting new signals...vulture fighter squadrons!"

"It's a TRAP!" Conradin jumped from his seat and opened his commlink "Mal! Make the jump to hyperspace! If they connect you to us, the Red Nostromo will be vaporized! JUMP NOW!". Their contact with the mining ship ends as the Red Nostromo makes like a bat out of hell. With a glance, Ventress knew he was going to go man the guns. Conradin rushed out and saw Lux. His eyes shot towards a ladder going up and down through the ship, and Lux joined him without a word. One went up the ladder, one went down, and prepared for an ugly dogfight. As the vultures started to swarm them, Lux and Conradin open fired. Their shots were wild and panicked at first, but soon started picking targets at blasting them as they flew by.

Grievous contacted Ventress' ship to gloat "Being here instead of on the planet makes this easier for us all. Don't be scared, Ventress, the Orange one's next. You should thank me for ridding the galaxy of another treacherous Jedi!". Ventress bit back her emotions "I'll fucking kill you, Grievous, and your little bitchslap Fin!" The ship started to get hit, and shook with each blast by the vulture swarm that was all around them. Grievous laughed "Good luck with that!"

"Heh...That's how we roll on this ship" Fin turned to take care of Ahsoka, but she was on top of him like a rabid animal. With a bloodcurdling shriek, she bit into him with fangs that few would notice from the normally smiling Togruta. She bit deep into his face. He screamed in pain as blood flowed over his face. He zapped her with the taser again, knocking her off of him. Ahsoka was frenzied at this point, charging him. Fin tasered her again from a distance. To his suprise, she refused to fall. After taking three difficult steps towards him, her body finally gave out from the strain of the taser on her body's muscles. For almost a split second, Fin feared for his life. "You see? Dangerous" He wiped the blood off his face with a frown. Out of frustration, he sealed his victory over her with a kick in the gut. He grabbed her by the collar and carried her out of the bridge.

In the dark of space, as battle raged nearby, a lone voice meekly tried to raise attention. "Hello?" Barriss called out "Is anyone there?"

Vincent picked up the signal at first, then Ventress heard the voice over fuzzy static "Barriss!" Ventress had to keep concentrating on flying and dodging Grievous' ship and the fighters. Vincent was two steps ahead of her "I've located her, Ms Ventress". Scanners showed a lone piece of the ships wing, flying off into space. Barriss was still standing on it with her magnetic boots. Barriss stood, holding the blowtorch and spinning further away from the smugglers. Barriss didn't blink "Well, looks like the power couplings are now the least of my problems!"

Ventress pushed full power to the engines to head towards her "We're coming to get you, Barriss!" Ventress did not turn to face the others in the cockpit, but quickly wiped her eyes before anyone could notice.

Fin walked over to the airlock and dumped Ahsoka's electrically burnt body into it, closing the door. Ahsoka couldn't move. Her communicator sparked to life "Ahsoka!" Barriss called out "Ahsoka, are you ok?" It hurt for Ahsoka to move her wrist closer "Barriss! You're alive! I saw Fin blast you...I failed...I should have known this was a trap How could I have missed it?"

"I'm still here! Ahsoka, are you ok?" Ahsoka looked around, and knew what was about to happen "I need you to get back with Ventress...and get out of here."

Barriss struggled with the controls of her suit "Come on, come on, COME ON, boots! Release!" She deactivated the magnets on her boots, flying free from the shuttle debris. Next, she tried to stop spinning and stabilize herself with the air jets "Come onnn, come on!"

Ventress listened in as they flew around a maelstrom of droids "Vincent!" She harpied "Do you have a fix on Ahsoka!?" Vincent scanned the smuggler's ship "Oh dear" he muttered "She's been shoved into an airlock" Ventress gritted her teeth.

Barriss also gasped, hearing Vincent on the commlink "Ahsoka?"

Ahsoka closed her eyes for a moment "It's ok, Barriss. Get back with Ventress. Get out of here..."

Barriss stabilized herself in view of the distant smuggler ship. "Activate jets! FULL POWER!" A small screen appeared on Barriss' helmit, making beeping noises and doing a quick countdown to blast off. She could hear the jets warm up. Barriss faced the smuggler shipfloating into a launch position "Guys, I have a plan..."

Ventress blasted towards the smuggler ship, Grievous and his fighters were in hot pursuit "I'm reading you, Barriss! We'll meet you at the rendezvous point!" Ventress got out of her seat and looked over at Riddick. He knew they were about to pull a crazy-assed stunt. He jumped to the pilot seat "Get going!" he replied. She rushed out of the cockpit and marched down the hall to a group of lockers. She opened one and grabbed a couple restraining belts and a grapple gun. She looked over at the Doctor, who waited to see what was up "Come with me, trenchcoat! I've got a plan!" He nodded, knowing they were in desperate straits as the ship continued to be rocked by laserblasts

Conradin and Lux coontinued to fire off at the swarm. It felt like two more would replace every one they shot down "This is nuts! Our shields won't last in this hailstorm!" Conradin grimaced. Lux peered up from his position "You think maybe you could be a little less optimistic?" Conradin looked up at him and shouted back "You trying to tell me we might actually WIN this? Where's the fun in THAT!?"

Ventress and the Doctor went into the cargo bay. "Stay here" She held him at the entrance "I'm going to position myself to grab the others. I just need you to open the hatch and close it after I grab the girls" She headed down to a support beam. The Doctor went with her down into the cargo bay and gently grabbed one of the restraining belts "They both mean a lot to you, don't they?" he asked. Both of them buckled themselves to the ship, facing the back hatch. She prepped her grapple gun quietly "Yes. You don't have to endanger yourself" He looked at her and smiled "Oh, well...it's just the vacuum of space. I haven't known you for very long...but I can see in your eyes this is worth the risk. And that's good enough for me"

Some optional action music: watch?v=2C4lFUpI_4U

Back on the Smuggler's ship, Ahsoka saw a yellow light flashing up above. The airlock was about to be activated. "Barriss, don't die for me. I'M the one who failed you..." Barriss frowned "what are you talking about?" "I know what I did to you...I know what happened with you and Master Unduli, and how you were abandoned...it's all my fault you fell...Please, don't die for me" "How...?" Barriss felt horrified that not only did Ahsoka know, she carried the guilt. Ahsoka just stared at the airlock door "You talk in your sleep, remember? I know what really happened...Forgive me" Barriss listened as her jets roared to life. She felt the Beast within clawing to get out, but suddenly and finally realized what it meant to rage against the dying of the light. In an instant, she let go of the past "Would you just shut up! This is a rescue mission!" Her jets fired off, and she soared towards the Smuggler's ship

"Don't give up on Hope, Ahsoka!" She pleaded. Ahsoka took a few deep breaths and steadied herself "I have less than 20 seconds. What is hope against the vacuum of space?"

Barriss looked forward, keeping her suit on course "You want to know what hope is? Hope...is the thing with feathers, that perches on the soul. It sings the tune without the words...and never stops at all..."

Ahsoka looked at her commlink and smiled "Since when did YOU become so poetic?"

Barriss stopped biting her lip. She couldn't hold back anymore "I learned from you"

Riddick was closing in behind Barriss now, and behind him, a swarm of vultures that tried to keep up. Riddick followed Barriss' fiery exhaust trail as she flew like a burning phoenix towards destiny.

Fin watched from the bridge as Barriss was spotted heading at them "Fire all forward batteries! BURN her out of the sky!"

Barriss gasped a little as lasers started launching from the ship in front of her "You have got to be kidding!" She swerved to dodge several blasts. Instinctively, she grabbed for her light saber, the one given to her by Ahsoka. Without hesitation, her training kicked in. With perfect control, and a blade of bright blue flame in the dark of space, she flew into the heart of the assault in a straight line and deflected a multitude of shots.

"You go, girl!" Riddick raised an eyebrow, impressed. Many of the shots that would have hit the Sophonisba were also deflected as Barriss waved her weapon around like a dancing baton.

A red light flashed in Barriss' peripheral vision. She was almost out of fuel. It burned too fast and she was out of time. It was going to be close "Come onnnn, COME ONNNNN!" She focused on the airlock while deflecting large laser shots

Time was up. Ahsoka closed her eyes "Whatever happens, Barriss...just remember..." She leaned in to say one more thing. The doors opened. Ahsoka was sucked out into space. Barriss heard the last words. In a last gesture of defiance, she threw her lightsaber like a javelin towards the bridge of the ship front windows. The saber shattered through the defenses. Captain Fin and his crew were shocked, then horrified as the glass barrier exploded, the vacuum now sucked at everything and everyone, and the strain on the ship became enourmous

Barriss focused all her energy and fuel on Ahsoka when the doors opened. But it was not enough. The fuel was gone, she floated past the head of the ship near the airlock. In a state of shock, she could see Ahsoka fly out in a gust, curled in a fetal position. Barriss' momentum came to a dreadful halt, 8 feet from her friend.

Every fiber of Ahsoka's body tried to pull her apart. Her insides churned to escape. Ahsoka turned with extreme chilled pain and looked at Barriss one more time. It was silent in space, but she could see Barriss screaming in tears trying to reach her, mouthing her name in the confines of her space suit. The strain on her eyes was too much. Ahsoka closed them as blood squeezed out of the veins, moisture spilt from her mouth rapidly, drying up her lips in the cold of space.

And sweetest hope—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—

"Full stop, Mr Riddick!" Vincent calculated. Riddick hit the afterburners to stop the ship on a nemoidian dime.

Ventress held her grapple gun close "Do it!" The doctor aimed his device at the back hatch, opening it to a cacophony of wind and cold. The vacuum lifted the two of them off their feet, but the belts held them in place uncomfortably. She spotted Ahsoka and Barriss, but she only had time for one shot. The vultures zoned in.

The pressure and strain on Fin's bridge became too much. The hole in the windows ripped wider, and everything started to tear apart. Behind Barriss, the entire bridge exploded in a grand Deus Ex Machina of fire and light. The shock wave surged her forward to Ahsoka. Barriss grabbed her, and held on. Ventress found her one shot, and nailed it as Barriss held out a free arm to the grappling claw. Ventress pulled them in as the winds whipped around them. the Doctor signalled the hatch to close, shouting over the chaos for Riddick to floor it. Riddick punched the acceleration on the engines, full tilt.

It was by the skin of their teeth. the explosion from the bridge engilfed the rest of the length of the smuggler ship, just behind the Sophinisba as it raced away. Vulture fighters, thinking they were able to unleash a killing blow, instead were caught up in the obliteration of the ship. Most droid fighters were vaporized trying to follow Riddick as he turned away from the big ship. One final explosion engulfed the smuggler ship completely, as Sophonisba soared away past chunks of debris.

Conradin and Lux shouted with excitement. They picked off a few more vultures "Well, Fuck me...we cleared them!" Conradin grinned in disbelief. He and Lux gave each other an ok signal.

"GORRAM JEDI!" Grievous cursed, punching a computer terminal when he realized they would escape after all.

"Prepping for light speed" Vincent had a bit of relief in his voice as Riddick put the ship into final position for the jump.

The Doctor unbuckled himself quickly and ran over to Ventress, who clutched Barriss and Ahsoka like a Mother to her kids after a storm "You alright?" he asked "I won't be better until she is!" Ventress ripped the belt off while he picked up and carried Barriss. She picked up and carried Ahsoka. "To the med unit! ALLONS-Y!" They rushed to get the two stabilized.

Barriss and Ahsoka were placed on the two medical beds in the tiny med unit of the Sophonisba. Ventress slapped an oxygen mask of Tano, while the Doctor gave Barriss a few shots to bring her out of shock and numb the pain from her injuries. Both were covered in warm blankets. Barriss looked over at Ahsoka. Their beds were inches apart, and she could see Ahsoka weakly open her bloodshot eyes. Blood leaked from them like tears, but Ahsoka reached over with one hand and just enough strength to hold Barriss'. "You're stronger than you think" she whispered. Barriss smiled. The Force had become strong in her again. She leaned over and buried her wet eyes into Ahsoka's shoulder, unleashing love instead of vengeance in an embrace.

Ventress wrapped Ahsoka's head in gauze and bandages, applying an ointment to her exposed skin. The pain was there, but Ahsoka felt the stronger sense of the Force, and not just from Barriss. Ventress, who had kept a short distance, glowing immensely in the Force without acknowledging it. Ahsoka raised her other hand and pulled Assajj to them. Ventress was not one to show too much emotion, In fact she almost never showed it. But being pulled into a hug by Ahsoka broke her resolve. She felt incredibly embarrassed at the uncontrollable tears pouring from her face. She buried her face away from anyone who could see the mighty Assajj Ventress fall in a different way. The Doctor was there, however, leaning against the door and smiling. He knew. This was a new path for Ventress, and that seeing all three of them safe allowed her the luxury of that rare feeling of Joy.

The guys all peeked in to check on them. Even Vincent hovered behind them. Lux leaned over to the Doctor "How are they? Is Ahsoka ok?" The Doctor smiled optimistically with a hushed voice "We pulled her out of a tight spot, or rather Ventress did. It'll be a few days to recover...but she is well" Everyone looked on with relief. The Doctor finally ushered everyone out to give the three of them some space "Come on boys, it's time for tea" he shut the door.

That evening, Barriss and Ahsoka slept in the med unit. Ventress leaned in a chair against the wall as the ship hummed through hyperspace to it's destination. All was quiet except for a few noises from machines monitoring the patients. Ahsoka suddenly had a spasm. She started to cry, and clawed at the air. It was a nightmare of the void, of cold space, and dead friends. Barriss woke up and looked over. She got out of her bed in a graceful flurry as Ahsoka's breathing became panicked "Shhhh, it's ok. I'm here" She held Ahsoka close, using her calm voice to help the girl back to sleep. Even asleep, Ahsoka could hear her, a soothing reassurance in the subconcious. Ahsoka calmed down again, and fell back to rest without waking up. Barriss kissed her forehead. "I've heard Hope in the chillest land, And on the strangest Sea. Yet, never, in Extremity. Hope asked a crumb...of Me" she whispered. Barriss, looked down and smiled at the peace on Ahsoka's face. "Whatever happens, Ahsoka...just remember..." She whispered one more thing in Ahsoka's ear. She rested next to her, sharing the pillow, and slept.

Ventress peeked one eye open, pretending to sleep. She looked for a second and closed her eye. They were going to be ok.