The Trials and Tribulations of a Wookiee

By Nightelfcrawler

Author's Note: This is my first published Star Wars fic. The story does not mesh with any Extended Universe, but is rather my take on things that occurred after Return of the Jedi. This story focuses on my original character Katarra, and her life, more specifically crafted around the Star Wars Combine. Read and review if you like, but please no nitpicking, flames or grammar corrections.

Chapter Two: Memories of Childhood

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Screams. Flashes of light. Blood. Silence. A man's soft calming voice. Whispers in the dark.

Awareness came slowly through a thick fog. It was quiet here, calm, safe. Slowly, blue eyes opened drowsily. The room was empty, save for a woven wicker chair placed beside the piles of blankets where she lay snugly covered. The room was small and simple, the cloth hanging over the doorway preventing her from seeing beyond it. She could hear the distant rustle of wind in branches, the creaking of the wooden catwalks and bridges spanning the village outside, but nothing more. Slowly she sat up, the blankets falling back freeing her from their protective embrace. However the slight movement had attracted the attention from another source and seconds later the cloth at the entrance was pushed aside revealing a tall graying wookiee. She froze, frightened blue eyes meeting soft warm brown. A heartbeat later, relief flooded through her and she rushed to his warm embrace. "Uncle!"

"Shh, Katai, Little Moon, shh… I am here." The small wookiee cub with snow-white fur buried her face in her uncle's warm coat, gripping him tightly for fear of his vanishing from her sight. She cried into his fur, hot tears dampening his coat as he gently stroked her head. "Cry, my little moon, release the grief within. I understand." The cub did just that, holding tightly to him for support, allowing her emotions to pour out endlessly until at last there was nothing more to release. He gathered her gently into his lap, sitting upon the wicker chair and holding her tightly until red-rimmed blue eyes lifted mournfully up to stare at him. "I know, little one." He rumbled in a deep saddened voice. "I know. They were my family too. No one should have to watch their tribe give their lives so needlessly. No one should watch their family die." He stroked her cheek tenderly as the blue eyes trembled. "You may cry as much as you desire, my little one. Know that you are safe here."

"Where?" She whispered softly. Though she was barely old enough to speak, Katarra was bright and had learned quickly at a young age.

"You are in Rwookrrorro, little moon." He soothed gently. "You are at my home."

"How…?"

"You were brought here." He said softly, claws tugging at a small tangle, smoothing her coat out. "A friend found you and brought you to me. We have buried those who gave their lives." Her eyes lowered, filling with tears once more. "Katarra, little one… I know it is difficult to remember these horrible things, but I need you to tell me what happened." He lightly lifted her chin, but she still averted her startlingly blue eyes. "Please, little one. You are the only one left… Only you can right their names, set their souls free. Sing their songs for us, tell us what happened so they may rest." But the cub remained silent and refused. After a moment, he sighed and embraced her once more. "I understand, little moon. But when you are ready to talk, tell me, ok?" He gently stood, still holding her close as she refused to release him. "Now, let us get you some food."

He took her into the next room where fresh food was ready, and set her before enough to feed an entire army. The small cub idly picked at it without interest at first, but after her stomach gurgled from the enticing scents, she began to finally eat. He watched her for a moment before re-assuring her he would not go far, and stepping outside. True to his word, she could hear his voice rumbling as it spoke to someone else outside. He did not remain long. By the time she had eaten her fill, he came back inside. However, it would not be that day, nor the next that she shared her tale.

Some ghosts were best kept secret.

Nothing particularly changed over the years of Katarra's youth. While she was bright and intelligent, she was a quiet cub who did not seem to grow close to any of her own. It was not that she was an unpleasant young one, but that even the children heard the tales of what had befallen her village, heard what their parents passed on, that she was cursed, unlucky. At first, it seemed to bother the young cub that others avoided her, but as time had gone by she seemed to grow accustomed to it, and even preferred remaining separate from the others. Frodrrl watched his niece closely, spoke to her often. She was open with him, but no matter how much time he spent with her, she still refused to speak of the incident. The moment he mentioned it, she withdrew and spoke no further for the remainder of the day. He soon learned not to pressure her. She would speak of it when she was ready, not before. Days turned into years, and the small white wookiee cub grew older, smarter. Instead of playing with her fellow cubs she buried herself in tinkering with technology, inventing things and amusing herself by taking apart technology only to put it back together. She spent time in the forest hunting, exploring, learning her way. She became self-sufficient and able to move stealthily despite her handicap. She used cloth to hide beneath while waiting for prey, camouflaging herself and able to surprise the creatures she hunted who were used to spotting the other wookiees by their fur to begin with. Though her social life was stunted, she did not let her disability hold her back. Frodrrl was proud of her.

But though the fears about her were founded upon superstitions and ghost stories, that day Frodrrl began to question whether there was some unfounded truth behind their fears.

Unfortunately he never go the chance to find out.

The day began as any other did, calm and warm. Kashyyk summers were normally mild, but this one was a hot day, warm enough that some were wishing they could shed faster. Katarra rose and began to assist him with preparing their morning meal. He smiled warmly at her as she peeled the skin from the meat, preparing to roast it. "You are nearing your coming of age ceremony, little moon." Despite how she insisted he not use that nickname, he still enjoyed teasing her with it. She glanced once up at him and flashed a warm smile, before resuming her work. "Do you yet know what you wish to do one you are an adult? Will you stay, or travel?"

She didn't reply immediately, but then she didn't have to. He already had an idea what she planned. She knew she was an outcast here, she would not stay. "I have thought about exploring our world first." Came the soft response. He smiled. "There is much we still do not know about our own planet, I would like to uncover some of it's secrets. Perhaps then I will go and see the stars. I would like to find out what is out there."

"I do not blame you. I would have loved that opportunity in my youth. Things were not so easy then."

"Yes, uncle. You have told me of the life you have lead avoiding slavers." Her lips twitched with amusement. "This is the modern age, we have not had a raid in hundreds of years."

"Yes, I am well aware." He replied chuckling. "Young cubs think they can take on the world. But the universe is not yet friendly to us. I have heard dark rumors from traders as of late… rumors of war." Katarra slid the platter of meat forward and he snagged a cutlet chewing thoughtfully as he traded his prepared greens to her. "You must be careful when you leave our world. Some will not be kind to you."

"Uncle, I am well used to being the outcast." She reminded him not too subtly. "I will handle myself."

"I trust you, little one." He smiled in response. "I trust you."

Just then, there was a loud bang at the door as it was flung open, a breathless wookiee standing there. Frodrrl stared up startled. "What is it, Grozporin?"

"Men have arrived." He said wheezing. "They are armed. Demanding us all to gather in the village center."

"Men?" Frodrrl rose swiftly, Katarra stiffening behind him. "What kind of men?"

"Imperial Soldiers. And Trandoshans." The last word was said with a hiss and snarl to the throat. It was well known that not a single wookiee held love for their neighbors the trandoshans. There was a long bloody history of hatred there.

Frodrrl whirled and pointed to his niece. "Hide. Now."

"No, I wish to fight!" She protested quickly.

"No, you must hide, Katarra!" He insisted firmly. "They are here for no good reason, and if they see you, they will want you! History speaks of slavers that prize cubs with your fur!"

Steely blue eyes returned his gaze, shifting to Grozporin's only to waver as they returned to her uncle's. "I don't wish to be helpless! I stood by once, I will not do so again!"

"You must not!" Frodrrl grabbed her shoulders squeezing firmly. "You must run, flee to the Shadow Forest, they will not pursue you there!"

"But uncle…!"

"Shhh! They come!" Grozporin hissed crouching down. Both the others quickly ducked as heavy footfalls sounded outside their home. They held their breaths hoping the men would pass by, but there was no luck. A sharp rap on the door followed by a demanding voice speaking common. Katarra did not understand common, but it sounded threatening.

Grozporin glanced helplessly at the two, but Frodrrl snarled and shoved at his niece. "Go!" he whispered. "Out the hatch!"

Katarra turned to go, but hesitated at the door to their sleeping rooms, staring back helplessly at her uncle. The men chose that moment to break through the door, guns trained on every one of them. "No!" Frodrrl snarled jumping to his feet and positioning himself between the armored men and his niece. "Katarra, run!"

The men shouted something angrily, guns trained on him as he turned and rushed towards them, claws first, breaking their people's taboo in his moment of rage to defend the only family he had.

Katarra had to watch in horror as their weapons fired into him and he fell lifelessly to the floor, fur smoldering with the stink of burned fibers. "UNCLE!"

A sharp pain hit her chest and a strange numbing sensation filled her, but she refused to be balked and rushed at them, her mind a haze of anger and hatred. A second blast hit her in the same place and suddenly her legs buckled beneath her and the floor met her face unexpectedly. The last thing she remembered was looking up at the men, and thinking their white armor looked sinister covered in her uncle's blood.

A sharp blow to her temple jolted her awake. Instinct took over and she lunged wildly for whatever had struck her, only to find herself restrained by something cold and heavy. Cruel laughter rang in her ears before her eyes could focus, and another heavy blow struck her from behind. Her vision blurred as her head sagged forward, ears ringing. The voices retreated, still laughing as her ears began to clear.

"Are you ok?" Came a soft frightened voice at her side. Blinking blood back from her eyes she lifted her head slowly, feeling as if it weighed two times as much. The features of the wookiee next to her came into focus, a female younger than herself, and frightened. "They woke us up the same way… but they hit you hard. You're bleeding."

Katarra blinked her fuzzy vision, trying to push thoughts through her head. "Where…where are we?"

"On a ship." Another voice answered somewhere behind her. She tried to turn her head, only to find she was somehow unable to maneuver it to get a glance behind her. Something was restraining her. "They've chained you up, just like the rest of us." The male voice continued, sounding rather irritated. If what he'd just said was true, Katarra knew why. "We're slaves now."

"Slaves!?" Katarra snarled, fury rising to her skin again, but it only lasted a moment before fading quickly. She felt extreme exhaustion set in, pulling at her like a heavy mantle.

"The stasis collars keep us docile. It's a waste of time to get mad." Growled the male, irreparably. "These ground-crawlers will pay for this… I will tear their hearts out!"

"Oh don't get your claws in a pinch." Snarled another male from across the way. "It wont' do us any good until we're sold. Then you can try to escape. We're not going anywhere while in hyperspace, unless any of you know how to fly a ship and overpower those pea-shooters of theirs."

"What are we going to do?" A female's fearful voice quavered. "What do they want with us?"

"I heard that the Empire took over… everyone is running now, afraid of what will happen. There is a war going on."

"They'll sell us on the black market. Probably have to work as slaves in mines… I heard they cart us off to places like Kessel."

"Where's that?"

"Not sure…"

"Will you all shut up, you'll get us in trouble!"

"Let them come, I'll tear their throats out!"

"You'll get us all killed!"

Katarra listened to the growls that sounded off all around her from her fellows and those who had been here longer than they, in one of the first few villages taken. She learned that theirs had been the last on the line and the ship was in hyperspace now, far from her home world headed to some unknown location. Her heart ached heavily for more than one reason. It had happened again: tragedy had befallen others because of her. She had been a prize to capture, as her uncle had warned and now he had paid for that with his life. She had seen him fall, there was no way he could have survived such a hit. He had not been stunned as she had been. Now he was gone to join her other family, she was alone. No one would come to save her this time… She closed her eyes and resolved herself to sit there calmly. The others had tried to escape with their strength and had not managed it, she would do no better. As the male had said, her best shot was to wait for the right chance to escape, and try she would. She would not allow anyone to cage her like a beast. But she had learned there were times for being smart and times for biding your time.

This was one of those times.

The trip was not uneventful. Their captors would come in and torment them now and them to keep them from dropping dead from grief. This usually involved pain on their behalf, and Katarra was not exempt even as she tried to behave and keep her head down. Overall it was the longest trip of her life. When finally they felt the engines shift out of hyperspace, everyone was on edge. No one knew where they were, or what would happen next.

They soon found out.

Not long after landing at whatever designated port they had come to, the doors were opened and their jailors emerged. They were not the white armored figures of the Imperial forces, but humans and trandoshans fully armed with their own weapons. One by one each wookiee was unchained and cuffed, then prodded forward with shock sticks close at hand. Katarra watched glumly as a few of her brethren tried to rebel, tried to run, and were shocked and beaten for their trouble. None were killed here, they were all to be sold, and killing one of their stock would lose the slavers money. It wasn't long before the men moved to Katarra's row and glared down at her. The human snapped something, grabbing her collar and snapping the leader chain onto the ring in front, pulling her to her feet roughly. Katarra bit back her pride and forced herself to remain calm, to not fight back. A rough jab in the back started her forward, stumbling a little to avoid falling as she was led out of the hold and up the hallway towards bright light streaming from an open doorway. She squinted suddenly as she stepped into the bright sunlight, unused to such intensity. She was roughly shoved again as she hesitated and hastened to walk in order to avoid another painful jab. As she walked she peered around discreetly.

Her heart sunk at what she saw.

It was a city, but not just ANY city… it was the largest city that she had ever seen, ever imagined, ever thought possible. Not a single natural thing was visible aside from the sun shining down. There were many shuttle transports on the wide landing pad with the others that had been unloaded first already filing into individual lines being sorted according to where they were going. So this was just a stop… Her heart thudded hard against her ribs as she realized she had no idea where she was, nor where she was going. As her steps took her out of the enormous cargo ship onto the landing pad, she nervously glanced at the human that was sorting the line. He barely glanced up as she was brought to a halt before him. One glance had him marking his data pad quickly, speaking something without looking up again. She was pushed sharply and she started walking again. However instead of heading towards any of the individual lines to the shuttles, she found herself being directed towards the base of a tall tower directly in front of her. With a brief glance over her shoulder that earned her a smack to the head, she caught the gaze of one of those whom she had shared the bench with shooting her a hopeful gaze, before she was hustled through the door and into a narrow room. She had to duck a few times as she was led through hallways and doors, eventually being shoved into a tiny room with the slavers as the doors shut. Her stomach leapt to her throat as the small room MOVED, and it took her a moment of hyperventilation to realize this must be a repulsorlift of some kind. She had never been in one, but she knew how they worked. She swallowed nervously, realizing whatever was to happen, it appeared she might be staying here on this world. The thought did not bring joy to her heart. Such a world devoid of nature could be nothing short of misery.

The repulsor lift doors opened to a busy transport hallway. She was prodded sharply towards another repulsorlift, and they began a long series of transfers from lift to lift. Katarra began to wonder if at any point this would end, would her torment come to a stop? What would her destination be, a shadowed mine full of putrid fumes?

Therefore, it was to her surprise when they stepped off yet another lift to find herself in a very different place. It was a fine room lined with polished white marble, soft velvet draperies and a polished wood podium where a smartly dressed woman stood studying a data pad. As they stepped off the lift she looked up and spoke in a calm voice, her eyes studying the white wookiee with distaste briefly before returning to the men. A conversation ensued which Katarra pointedly ignored in favor of studying her surroundings. The room gave her no indication where she was, but from it's fine trimmings she assumed it was a place belonging to someone of wealth. What she knew of humans tended to pin them as preferring to flaunt fancy imported products, showing off their wealth with greed. To her eyes, this place reeked of it.

Her eyes slipped sharply to the woman as she moved from behind the podium and approached her. Cold dark eyes stared at her as if she were a piece of furniture. Katarra felt her hackles rising as the woman circled her, only to speak to the men. Something was exchanged, and the men bowed then turned for the lift. Surprised, Katarra glanced to the woman who was holding the controls for the collar now, and eyed her disdainfully. She pointed to the door and spoke sharply, walking to the door opposite the lift and opened it. When Katarra didn't immediately follow, a sharp stinging pain of electricity slammed into her neck. She snarled, but quickly moved to follow, knowing well what that meant. She glared sharply at the human woman, only to receive another sharp shock and sharp words. The woman glared at her haughtily, and gestured for her to walk. Katarra did so, feeling exposed and vulnerable as she strode down the corridor like a displayed animal. The corridor was just as ornate as the entry room had been, lined with plush carpeting that absorbed her footfalls, decorated with intricate paintings, vases and sculptures. It was quiet in here, too quiet. Once they reached the end of the corridor however, things changed. The path took a twist opening up into a very large mezzanine level. Here there was a clear glass lift connecting all the levels, five in total, a cascading waterfall spilling from the glass atrium on the upper level down to a wide pool on the bottom, filled with glowing crystals of soft hues. Briefly dazzled by the scene, Katarra hesitated in her step. This earned her another sharp jolt provoking a small whimper as she proceeded to move swiftly to the lift. The woman took her to the lowest level and marched her through a pair of double doors. She was then forced to stand as the woman went to the desk and proceeded to have a conversation with someone on the opposite end of the transmission. A few moments later the door opened behind her and a polished silver droid shuffled in.

"Greetings." The droid immediately said, addressing her. Katarra blinked, but stood straighter. Someone to talk to, droid or not, was better than nothing. "I am here to assist you with any questions you have on your new duty. Please refrain from asking questions at the moment. I will explain what you are to do here." Katarra frowned, not liking this development, but remained silent. She hated those shocks. "You are to be a personal attendant to Miss Jade Snow, heiress to the Snow fortune. I am to instruct you in your duties and explain the rules to you. The first rule you must remember is the Snow family does not like hearing your primitive tongue." At that, Katarra almost barred her teeth, but a sharp glance told her the woman was still watching. "You are to only speak it when inquiring assistance from myself or any computer programmed as a translator. You are to remain silent otherwise. You may not make eye contact with your human masters or fellow slaves. Any attempt at escape or ill will towards your masters will be met with severe punishments. Your first attempt will serve as a warning, subsequent attempts will be more severe. You are to serve as bodyguard, attendant and escort to Miss Snow at all times. This is an honorable duty, and if you provide well you will be rewarded with privileges. The Snow Family is very wealthy and reputable, and rewards their slaves when they behave as expected. You are being given a very distinguished opportunity, for one of your kind. Not many have the chance to serve the nobles. You would do wise to respect that." Katarra frowned and glanced at the human then back to the droid. The way it spoke, she didn't trust asking it anything revealing. It might have been programmed to report anything rebellious. She couldn't risk that. So, she remained silent. "If you have no questions, I will escort you to the slave quarters where you will be given garments and cleaned before being brought to your mistress." Katarra averted her eyes, and made no comment, to which the droid turned to the human and supposedly told her the wookiee was being co-operative.

So then began her life as a slave. She was led down the lift to lower levels that extended beneath the ornate waterfall. There she was scrubbed down none too gently by some more druids, shampooed with foul smelling chemicals and combed harshly to shed any loose fur. It left her feeling violated and raw, though her fur was as clean and bright as the moon. She then had to endure the humility of being forced to put on a long white robe of some frail silk. Clothing was not something wookiees enjoyed. Some wore belts, vests or other tools, but it was unnatural to chafe the fur by wearing clothing. This robe was at least not uncomfortable, but for one used to wearing nothing at all, it was uncomfortable.

Once she had been bathed she was fed a simple diet of some kind of gruel that tasted like boiled bark beetles. It was horrible, but it did ease the knowing at her gut. She had not eaten in days now, and was feeling weak. Perhaps that was their plan, to weaken her in order to keep her more docile. It could backfire, as wookiees hungry often had foul tempers. But then, these humans seemed not to care about her culture. The ornate palace-like apartments of her new owners lost it's appeal the more and more of it she saw. It was all the same, foreign and too fancy for her tastes. Nothing natural grew here, not even a fragrant flower or budding tree. Nothing to remind her of home. She was caged in more ways than one.

Her mistress turned out to be no more than a child. She was an attractive child, for a human, but Katarra knew upon first meeting that her treatment would be no less severe than the servant's had been. She was treated as a beast, less than them. Those who saw her glanced once in her direction before ignoring her completely. She was nothing more than background noise.

Her first attempt at escape earned her a week without food locked in a small room where she couldn't stand upright.

Her second attempt earned her the same room with a sonic pulse pounding her head with painful high-pitched frequencies, and the same week-long treatment.

Her third attempt earned her a savage beating, and a month of that treatment.

Each time she made the attempt, she learned the weaknesses of their system: there was none.

The Snow Family was indeed rich and powerful. They had the best defense systems, the best surveillance, and the best hired help. Each attempt she tried a different method of escape, but no matter what she did, the thing that stopped her each time was the control collar around her neck. Any time she got too far away from its home signal, it sent a dehabilitating shock that knocked her out cold until they retrieved her. There was no getting around it, no attempt at sabotage worked, she was essentially stuck.

And so… Katarra waited. She waited, watched and learned. She stopped her escape attempts, and she pretended to be broken, to be a dutiful slave, obeying every order, treating her masters with respect, and it was soon that they forgot her initial rebellious attitude, soon that they gave her freedoms, soon that they treated her as a trusted servant.

It was this that aided her to finally break free.