Ben hated being restrained.
His memories of the twisted torture device his cousin Jacen had thrown him into was still too vivid in his mind for him to ever feel comfortable if he couldn't move freely, whatever the reason. Even too tight clothing occasionally gave him something akin to a panic attack. The memories of the torture he had been put through on Coruscant after being captured, although the pain had been more conventionally generated, only exacerbated his fear of immobility.
The net result was to make the situation he was in now even more terrifying.
He had taken Vestara out from meal at a well-regarded restaurant, serving food from a little-known Outer Rim world called Nova Romuluium, which specialised in turning apparently inedible species, such as the Clawmouse, into a gastronomical phenomenon.
He and Vestara had greatly enjoyed their meal. The food had been every bit as good as advertised, and the service had left nothing to be desired.
The next thing he could remember was waking up on a hard durasteel slab, his hands cuffed behind his back and his legs secured in a peculiar device, consisting of a bar fitted with two U shaped hoops, one of which was looped round each of his ankles, with the open end secured by the bar, preventing him from removing his feet from the device, which also held them slightly off the ground. Next to him so close that their shoulders were practically pressing together, Vestara was secured in an identical fashion. They had both been stripped virtually naked, and were chained together at the neck.
She was just as terrified as he was. Looking at her, Ben could see that her eyes were far larger than normal, and she was gazing at him, clearly hoping that he had some way out.
He didn't. And he couldn't even talk to her. The words just wouldn't come out.
Judging from the environment they were imprisoned in, with hundreds of rows of similar shelving, visible through a forcefield on the opposite side of the space they were in, Anakin suspect that they were aboard a massive freighter, bound for an unknown location.
After a few minutes, a pair of humans, wearing black uniforms, walked down a virtually invisible gantry until they were standing outside the twos' confinement.
"Greetings." One of them said. "I believe it's Ben and Vestara, isn't it? Don't worry about answering; we've already removed your vocal chords. Government policy, you understand. In fact, you should feel very lucky, as were taking you from that dreadfully primitive world you call home, transporting you into the heart of the most cultured society known to man. The fact you'll be in that society as slaves shouldn't worry you. That you will be given a chance to contribute to our great culture should make you feel extremely proud. Also, we've implanted chips into your brains to prevent any of those abilities some remarkably normal looking species seem to come with that often prove most disruptive to our social order."
In response, Ben could only mouth "you kriffing bastard." at the man, who responded with a sarcastic smile. "I'm sure." He replied, before thumbing a remote, sending a spasm of agonising pain jolting through the boy's body. "Mind your manners."
Then one of them pressed a button on the outside the cage, deactivating the forcefield securing it.
The man crawled in, before quickly unfastening the wrist restraints on both the prisoners, before giving them each a small bowl, accompanied by a wooden eating utensil. "Once a day," he said, once he was back out of the cell with the door once again secured. "When the light flashes, hold your bowl up to the nozzle, it will dispense your food."
And then they walked off, laughing, leaving the two teenagers trapped and helpless. After placing his small bowl and the accompanying utensil between his legs, Ben just wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders and just held her, feeling her body shudder with silent sobs, the twin to those he was keeping in by force of will alone. After a few minutes he began to stroke her hair, trying to transmit whatever silent reassurance he could through the simple action.
They were in transit for two weeks, the days seeming to blend together in the mind crushing fashion of days spent totally helpless, unable to do anything. Finally, they felt the vessel entering the atmosphere of a planet, before touching down.
Gradually, the slavers moved through the ship, unloading each cage in turn, and leading groups of all species, mostly teenagers, out of their cages and down the ramps, then out of the ship.
When they finally reached Ben and Vestara, and were dragged out of their cage, after being freed from the leg restraints, before having their hands cuffed behind their backs, and being read out into the open air.
Outside the ship, there was a semi-circular arena, populated by dozens of beings of all species, each of whom had a small numbered card similar shaped to a table tennis bat.
From a platform above them, a male voice began speaking.
"And here we have lot number 829, a lovely mated pair of human teenagers. Just for the information, folks, the one with the bulbous protrusions on its chest is the female. Both are combat trained, and may well have skills suitable for maintenance purposes. Humans usually mate for life, may seek other partners on the death or permanent separation of their mate. Breeding wise, they don't have a particular pedigree, although the male may be descended from a war hero. Both of these are unlikely to be suitable for bodyguards, as they were brought up in a society without slaves, and were free until they were captured, but would make ideal gladiators. However they would also be excellent domestics. I start the bidding at 1500 credits."
The next few minutes were a confused rush for Ben, as voices shouted bids and counter-bids, with much waving of bidding cards, until they were finally bought by a Hutt. "Sold for 3300 credits to Boggar the Hutt." The auctioneer said.
They were led down the side of the stage, and held by a large Gammorean using a lead attached their neck collars, until a brutish looking human collected them.
When we got to the Hutt's landspeeder, they were pushed into a small compartment at the rear of the vehicle, their hand still fastened behind their backs, before the vehicle drove off a few seconds later.
A/N Anyone considering this story to be an M rating, don't worry. Most of the inspiration came from a 10-12 years childrens series titled the Roman Mysteries, including the full nudity of slaves during an auction, which was a legal requirement under Roman law. Again, Please post reviews. There be cookies.