I shoved Mara and Leia as hard as a six-year-old could, which only managed to move them a few feet, which was enough, as a blaster bolt shot past my face.

I was glad he missed, but I wasn't going down without a proper fight. I had no weapons, but I could use my fists, feet, teeth, and head (all of which had come in hand on the occasion where one of Zorba's guests tried to fondle me).

Both Mara and Leia were better off than I was, though, because they had lightsabers. Their blades were ignited and in defense positions. Mara pulled me back to stand behind them.

The armored figure stepped from the shadows and it was the dreaded bounty hunter Boba Fett.

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Boba Fett was born on the rainy planet of Kamino. He was a genetically engineered clone of his father Jango Fett. Jango Fett was the subject cloned to create the clone army back in the time of the Clone Wars, and wanted nothing in return, except an unaltered clone for himself to raise as a son- Boba.

Days before the Clone Wars, Jango Fett was hired to assassinate the Naboo senator Padmé Amidala (mother to Luke and Leia, soon to be wife of Anakin Skywalker). Jango used a second bounty hunter, Zam Wissel, for the actual killing, but she failed and paid with her life.

Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi tracked Jango Fett to Kamino, and then to Geonosis...long story short, eventual battle ensues with Jedi, clones, droids (considered the first battle of the Clone Wars), and Jango is decapitated by Mace Windu in full view of Boba. Boba, traumatized, swears revenge on Mace Windu (he never succeeded).

He adopted the Mandalorean Armor and became one of the most talented and feared bounty hunters in the galaxy.

Years passed, and Fett was hired to pick up Han Solo for Jabba the Hutt for a pretty penny.

When Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, their friend Lando Calrissian, R2-D2, and C-3PO all worked together (3PO was in the dark, because he's not a good actor) to save Han. Their initial plans went slightly awry, but they finally saved Han, but Boba ended up in the Sarlacc pit; however, Boba escaped. Twice.

He resumed his role as bounty hunter feared across the galaxy.

In his free time, he enjoyed hunting down members of the Skywalker and Solo clans for kicks, but he never made a deadly move on them, unless there was a price on their heads.

I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and knew I would be added to his hit-list the second I turned eighteen.

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Leia shoved me toward a doorway, and I ran. I could see them fighting with Fett, and I could see they were almost evenly matched, two against one. Boba possessed impeccable combat skills.

Leia's comlink had been discarded and was no more than ten feet from the doorway where I was crouched. I ran forward and snatched it, and crawled back to the doorway.

I didn't know what I was doing. I pushed the red button on the side and screamed. Apparently, though, that was enough. Two minutes later, a transport of Senate Officers arrived and helped chase Fett away.

One officer pulled me from the doorway and looked me over for fresh flesh wounds. I was fine, as were the adult women. After they were interviewed and questioned, we were released to go about our business.

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The Fett Fiasco made us late for the appointment to see the specialist.

The doctor that examined my ears had a permanent frown etched into his face. I smiled nervously. He frowned back. I frowned. He frowned in return. After he was satisfied, he shooed me over to a corner where there were some toys and other children. He pointed to the corner, so I went to the corner exactly. I fiddled with a few blocks, but I faced the wall while the adults talked.

I never asked Mara or Leia about that conversation. I never questioned the decision for me to get the implants. I just wanted to be a jedi, and Luke promised me that the implants would help me. I had no reason to doubt him. Now, as an adult, I know I could have done without them, unless there are guests.

Within the two years of being unable to hear, my speech had deteriorated, and for the days up until the procedure, Luke and C-3PO showed me some signs to use for things like milk, bathroom, bed, water, etc., so I could express my needs. Even after I received the implants, Luke had me learn sign language, in case something happened and my implants failed. I liked sign better (before I lost him, my father had me learning Huttese along with Basic). I was different, and I embraced those eccentricities, because they made me fun and exciting (I still believe that, though even some in my own family call it crazy).

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The in between days were rough. When Luke and 3PO weren't teaching me sign, I was allowed to do as I pleased. Which I used to try and interact with Leia's children and Ben, but it was already degrading without them giggling.

Afraid of being hit or worse, I just left them alone.

Ben, was nice. He always patted my arm and let me play with him. They wouldn't bother me when I was with Ben.

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The night before the procedure, I hardly slept. I just couldn't.

When dawn broke, Luke came in, roused me, and then took me to the med center. He knew I was tired, and I knew I radiated fear. Luke placed his hand on my forehead and stooped to my eye level.

Are you alright?

I'm just tired. What are they going to do to me?

Luke tried to explain it again, so I would understand, but it was hard for us: him to explain and me to understand.

But you'll be asleep, so you won't feel a thing.

That's not why I'm afraid. I don't want to hear how badly my speech has gotten. Besides, not all change is good.

I think you'll like this change.

We walked through the white doors together. This was an inpatient procedure since I was so young. I knew Luke probably wouldn't be there when I woke up.

After a few minutes, an emdee droid came and grabbed me. The way it was holding my arm, I was once again afraid.

The droid rolled quickly through the halls, but I managed to keep pace. The droid had yellow lettering on its chassis that said QWERTY. I guessed that was its name.

The droid increased its pace, and I had to jog to keep up with it. Closer to the operating rooms, I was handed off to a more humanoid emdee. He took my hand and dragged me to another hallway of rooms. I didn't question him. He showed me the room I would be in, and let me look around a little. Then, he dragged me to a prep room, where I stripped and put on the approved gown. The droid folded the clothes I had arrived in and set them inside a locked cabinet. He handed me the key, which I knew I would give to Luke when he came in, since I didn't have pockets in the gown.

Luke came in to make sure I was ready. I handed him the key, and he promised that he would make sure that whoever was here when I woke up had the key.

After he left, the emdee helped me to get atop the gurney and situate myself. After I was all ready, he put a needle in my arm. He started wheeling me back to the operating room, and I began to drift to sleep.

As I had been promised, I felt nothing.

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I slowly opened my eyes. Han Solo was sitting in the room with me, his head against his hand, asleep.

I sat up and stretched, hearing the rustle of the sheets.

I reached over and tapped Han's leg.

He shot awake, stretched, and then looked at me.

"How are you feeling, kid?"

My eyes grew large. His voice! I heard his voice! The sound was coming from the top of my head, but I didn't care. I could hear him.

"Hurt...," my voice wasn't horrible, and my speech was still mostly understandable.

"You said some pretty wacky things."

I smiled. Father once told me I muttered in my sleep. I reached up to touch my hair, and I realized my hair had been shaved. Not all of it, but I now had a mangy red mo-hawk.

"Be careful around those stitches- you could rip 'em."

"I understand," I returned as sharp pains arose in the middle of my forehead. I grabbed it and winced.

Han knew something was wrong.

"Are you okay?"

"No," I started to cry as the pain grew steadily worse.

"Doctor?!" Han called out the doorway.

Han had political pull, being married to Leia and a war Hero.

"What is it?"

"Asenath is in pain."

"She may be experiencing a sensory headache or reacting the medicine."

"FIND OUT!"

"Yes, General Solo."

The doctor, same one from my pre-surgery physical, didn't smile and cursed me under his breath with calming reassurances that he was twenty years from retirement. It wasn't my fault, and I felt tears that were brimming before start to overflow.

When the doctor returned, he had me lay on my stomach and pulled my gown open, revealing the scars and healing bruises to Han. He looked at them in horror, and then he turned from me. I wept harder, hot tears of humiliation mingled with the physical pain I was feeling. He saw what Zorba did to me. He could see how weak I was, how fragile. This revelation only made me cry even harder.

Being on my chest seemed to relieve some of the pain, because it had something to do with blood flow and the magnets and wiring, I was glad I was okay, even though I was too aware of the scars.

"Keep her on her stomach, Solo," the doctor warned.

"I will," he promised.

"Should pass completely in a couple of hours."

I heard the doctor walk through the maze. I didn't want him here. I didn't want Han there anymore, either. I wanted to hide my shame.

"What happened to you?" Han finally asked after long minutes of silence, aside from my sniffling and trying to calm down.

"Zorba," I managed to choke through the shuddering breaths.

"I'm going to talk to Luke about this."

"Please don't! He doesn't need to know!"

"Luke doesn't need to know what?" Luke asked from the doorway.

Oops...

Han jumped right in and opened up the back of my gown.

"Look at her back! That is cruelty. Those scars, cuts, and bruises! I never laid a hand on Jaina, Jacen, or...Ana...Anakin, but If I had...this wouldn't have happened. This is wrong."

"I agree, but we can't do anything about it. The main thing is to heal the fresh wounds. They will scar, but they aren't putting Asenath in danger. Let her rest now, Han."

Luke understood. He didn't freak. He was calm. I was appreciative. Han was still protesting when Luke shoved him out the door. I waited a few seconds before I asked a question.

"Who is Anakin?"

"Anakin was my father's name, and Leia and Han named their youngest son after him."

"Why haven't I met him?"

"He's dead, Asenath. He died just before Ben was born."

I was quickly subdued as Luke came in and sat in the chair that Han had vacated. I stared at his knee, my eyes losing focus. I felt numb and empty.

Luke could tell.

"Don't feel this way. Recovery is like this. We will all be with you to help you. Ben wanted to come see you tonight, but I told him no."

"Ben is nice. The others...well, I try to ignore them as much as they ignore me. Don't tell Hand and Leia, though."

"If that is what you want. You know them pretending you don't exist is just as cruel as the marks from Zorba's gimer stick. Mental scars are harder to heal. It hurts your heart. Not your skin."

I didn't say anything. Luke was my idol, and anything he said to me was purer than all the precious stones and metals on Naboo.

I was dry, and my eyes were unfocused with exhaustion.

"Lesson number one: be in better control of your emotions. I know part of this whole ordeal is from being very tired and the medicines, but try anyway.

"Visiting hours are almost over, so I need to go home. Will you be alright? Someone can stay if you need it."

"Please...unless it's too much trouble, and then I will stick it out."

"C-3PO can stay here. Leia won't mind. Besides, he keeps asking about you."

I smiled. I liked 3PO.

Luke left and about twenty minutes later, C-3PO came through my room's door.

"Hello, Miss Asenath."

"Hello, C-3PO."

He sat down in the chair and slowly went into hibernation mode. I giggled when he let out a snore. His sensors shot back to life and he looked around in alarm. I laughed so hard it tugged on the stitches. The droid decided there had been enough tomfoolery for one night, and he shut off the lights. I instantly froze, as the only lights remaining were that of his yellow eyes. I whimpered. He knew what I was thinking: horrible things happen in the dark.

"Are you scared, Miss Asenath?"

I admitted that I was.

C-3PO went to the nurse's station. I could just hear him talking to the nurse. He returned with a night light, and plugged it into the wall. A soft light filled the room. It was soothing. He sat back down, and I curled up in my hospital bed and went to sleep.