P.S. I forgot to mention that the Clones removed the Ahsoka Headpeice when Eris was still teid to the chair! Sorry for the typo! I'll try to keep from doing too many of those! Lol Enjoy!:D
Chapter 4: Weakness and Strength
When I entered the room, it almost seemed like the men didn't even recognize me atfirst; but they soon realized it was me and the feel of the group changed dramatically-becoming much less hostile as they got a good look at me without the make up and Ahsoka costume, my hair finally dry but very wavy from the rain.
Many of them, Rex included, even stand when I enter the room.
In an attempt to avoid the awkward silence creeping in I clear my throat and say, "I know we didn't exactly hit-it-off when we first met but-I'd just like to say that-I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused," I say, looking to Fives apologetically but all he does is stare back at me and stiffen a bit. "But you have to believe that I'm innocent. I realize now that you were telling the truth. I don't know how but for some reason my planet has no idea that all of this exists." I say, my eyes pleading with Rex to believe me.
"I may have an idea about that." Lama Su speaks up, stepping forward to adress us all. "Earth, your home, was one of the many planets beyond the outer-rim that was infected by the blue shadow virus. A virus capable of eliminating all life on a planet in less than a week. Earth, as well as the planets that made up it's system, died and was abandoned by any remaining humans who survived-"
"Humans," Jesse says suddenly, a look of wonder crossing his face. "You mean there's a planet made up of mostly humans?"
"Only Humans." I correct him feeling excited all of a sudden. "We always dreamed of other life forms out there but-it's never been proven. We thought we were alone."
"Once all life on Earth died," Su continues as though he'd never been interrupted. "Evolution had no choice but to start over, therefore resulting in your inability to travel into space."
"I suppose that explains why we've never heard of it," Rex interjects, seeming to be having trouble processing this information. "But that doesn't explain why they've heard of us." He says looking pointedly at me.
"I-don't know what you mean." I say turning my back on Rex but he takes me by the shoulder and turns me around. "I think you do. You knew what a space ship was. You even knew what Clones and Jedi are. And you know who Ahsoka Tano is-How?"
"I-I don't know!" I answer truthfully, wishing I had answers. "We just do! I don't know how, but for some reason we just know. But on Earth, everyone just thinks it's just a story!" I say defensively and then I get a thought. "Is it possible that someone does know that Earth lives? A human, maybe?" I asks Prime Minister Lama Su.
"Perhapse." Is his only reply.
"That's great! Maybe we can find them and-" I begin but Su cuts me off with a dismissive wave of a hand.
"That would not be wise."
"Why not?" I ask, feeling a sense of dread.
"Humans are complex creatures. And they are also very dangerous." Su says and I can't deny this. "There is limitless power in them. In you," Lama points to me and I can't argue with this either, thinking back to what I did to those Clones back in the cooridor.
"In you," Lama points to Rex which makes both of us give a start in suprise. "In all of you. I have seen it and for the longest time, the more I watched the Humans fight one another, and anyone else who challenged them, the more I doubted there would ever be more to a Human than thier violent nature-But I have recently come to the conclusion that not all Humans have succumb to the hatred in their core.
"That is why you must not tell the Jedi about Earth." Minister Lama Su says looking at me and I frown. "But I have to. They won't let me go unless I tell the truth." I argue getting a bad feeling in my gut.
"And if you do," Lama Su says, his tone taking a deadly turn as his black eyes peirce right through me. "The destruction of the Galaxy will be caused-not by this war-but by the discovery of Humans on Earth."
...
I stare out the window, unblinking, with my arms crossed. I hear foot steps stop behind me but he doesn't say anything so I speak first. "I'll never be able to go back home, will I Rex?"
"Eris, If there was anything I could do-" He begins but I cut him off.
"Well there isn't!" I snap, turning around with tears in my eyes. "You have orders. And so do I. I have to keep 'them' from finding out about Earth. Prime Minister Su is right. We may not be as advanced but we are dangerous. We have bombs so powerful that a war on Earth would be disasterous! I can't let that happen. Even if it means I live as a prisoner of the Republic."
To my suprise Rex reaches out and wipes a tear away from my eye with his thumb, leaving his hand on my cheek as I move closer at his touch. "You won't." He says and I give a small laugh. "Well aren't you the optimist?" I say but before he can answer I throw myself aginst his chest and wrap my arms around his neck. At first, Rex tenses but then I feel his arms awkwardly go around me. Then, he gets a feel for the unexpected hug and relaxes.
"Rex?" I ask, turning my head so that my cheek rests against his armour. "Eris?"
"You won't let them hurt me, will you?" I whisper, ashamed at my fear and even more so at the tears running down my cheeks and onto his breast plate. "No, I won't. I promise."
"Sir," Jesse says appearing behind us and I move back from the Captain, not wanting to make him look bad out of respect for his professional status. "The Jedi have arrived. It's time to go."
I feel myself shiver. My only consolation is Rex's promise and his hand resting gently on my shoulder, which seems to go unnoticed my Jesse. But will it be enough when I'm forced to face Anakin Skywalker?
...
When Mace Windu arrives, he wastes no time in having two Clones roughly take Eris by the arms. "Obiwan and Skywalker will be here shortly. Until then, put her somewhere where she won't escape." Windu says, glaring at Eris who gives him a look of defiance, holding her head high and Rex can't help but feel protective of her-although careful to sheild his thoughts from the prying Jedi's mind.
Captain Rex no longer believes that Eris is linked to Ahsoka's dissappearace but he can't say so. She told him not to make things worse by defending her. It would only fuel their belief that she is a Witch and has him under a spell. When Rex tries to follow the Clones Windu stops him, commanding him to give him the details on the ordeal. So Rex can only watch they take her to an interrogation room.
Eris looks over her shoulder once, her amazing dark brown eyes meeting his golden ones before she dissappears around the corner and out of his sight.
...
I'd been sitting in that room by myself for what felt like an hour when the Jedi came back, flanked by the same two Clones from before. "You will see General Skywalker, now."
"Seeing as I don't have a choice in the matter I suppose you're right." I reply stoically and the jedi gives me a dirty look. "Get this Witch to the interrogation room. The sooner we find Padawan Tano the sooner we can find a suitable prison for you." The Jedi snarls and I allow them to drag me into the room and, once inside, spin my around and yank my arms back.
I glance up to see an empty room with a chair with a desk in it but before I can further inspect the room I'm suddenly lurched forward and thrown to the floor.
"She's all yours." The Jedi says and I become aware that there is another man in the room. I turn over and get up to see a dark shadow in the farthest corner of the room and I recognize him imediately. "Anakin, are you sure you can handle this?" The Jedi asks from the door and I can clearly see the mad glint in Skywalkers eye as he steps toward me. "I can handle it." He growls dangerously and the door closes and locks the door. "Where's Captain Rex?" I ask the man, backing up against the door as Skywalker advances on me.
"He won't help you. The only way to help yourself is to tell me where my Padawan is." Skywalker says and I wince at the dark energy kreeping towards me. "I'm sorry but I don't know where-" I begin but suddenly Skywalker throws out an arm and I feel my throat close as I begin to rise off the floor, gasping as I clutch at the invisible hands around my neck.
"Don't lie to me!" The Jedi roars, his voice taking a demonic tone, his eyes becoming feverish as he slams me against the wall, squeezing my throat tighter. "Not-Lying!-" I gasp and just as I feel I'm about to pass out, the force holding me suddenly lets go and I drop to the floor, chest heaving as I desperately fill my lungs with much needed air.
"Fine," Skywalker growls crossing over and taking me by the hair with his mechanical hand, making me cry out in pain. "If you won't tell me willingly then I'll make you tell me!"
...
Captain Rex walked down the hall when he spotted Mace Windu and two Clone Cadets in the hall. "Sir," Rex says formal walking up and the Jedi and Clones stop. "Captain Rex, good, I need you to go with Anakin for the interrogation." Windu says and Rex gives a start. "You gave her to General Skywalker?" Rex asks incredulously. "Hm, yes, I know it's dangerous but I know if anyone can find Padawan Tano it's Skywalker." Windu says confidently but Rex can't stop the alarm from creeping into his viens.
"But, Sir, Skywalker is-very protective of his Padawan. What if things get out of hand?" Rex asks. "That's why you're here." Windu says starting to walk away and one of the Clones tell Captain Rex where the prisoner is.
Rex hurries down the hall at a brisk walk and opens a door leading into another cooridor.
That's when he hears the screaming.
And before he knows it, Captain Rex is running to the room the Clone gave him only to find it empty. Rex grabs a passing Clone Cadet by the shoulders, slamming him into the wall in his panic. "Where did they take the prisoner?" Rex barks, giving the Cadet a shake when he hesitates to respond. "Down there-the room at the end of the hall-Sir?" The Clone stutters as Rex takes off again. The screaming starts again and this time Rex can make out words.
"...Please!...No!..I don't know where she is!...Rex!...Please, Help!..."
Every muscle in Rex's body pulses as he sprints to the hall and bursts through the door. There he finds Eris, writhing on a metal platform, her wrists pinned by metal restraints at her sides and more restaints on her ankles. Eris doesn't see him atfirst, being blinded with pain as Skywalker stands over her, assaulting her mind with his as he yells out, "Where is she?"
A second of conflict takes over Rex, wanting to help Eris but at the same time not wanting to go against his General. But it only takes Eris once to scream out his name and Rex charges at Anakin, twisting the General's arm behind his back and slamming him into the wall. "General Skywlker, stop, Sir!"
Slowly, Rex felt Skywalker calm down, the tension being released and he looked over his shoulder to see Eris collapse on the metal platform. Fearing the worst, Rex rushes over to her, leaving Skywalker to recover from his moment of lunacy. Rex can see Eris's chest heaving and her body shaking as she weakly opens her eyes, and for a brief moment meets his, before falling unconsious.
...
I wake up in a hospital bed and don't even bother to sit up atfirst. Just waking up hurts my head. It feels like I have three migranes hitting me at the same time. The pain is intense from the interrogation and I wish the lights weren't so bright. "Hey are you alright?" A Clone asks and I turn my head to see a Clone with short-cropped hair and a six pointed star tattoo on his upper cheek bone on the left side.
"Um, no, actually I'm not." I reply and slowly sit up, holding my forehead. "Anything I can do to help?" The Clone offers and I look at him through squinted eyes. "Why would you wan't to help me? I'm the bad guy remember?" I say feeling a little self-pitious at the moment.
"You don't seem too bad to me," The Clone says, proping his head up in his hand as he lounges on his side to look at me but I continue to stare ahead, hugging my knees closer to my chest. "Besides, Rex seemed pretty worried when he brought you in." The Clone adds and my head snaps up immediately.
"Rex?" I ask turning to look at the Clone who smiles back smuggly. "Where is he?" I ask, remembering how he'd come to my defense and I begin to worry that he got into trouble for helping me. "Talking with the Jedi. About you probably. He asked me to watch out for you."
I relax a bit but become afraid thinking about the Jedi. I sniff loudly as tears sting my eyes. "This can't be happening." I choke out weakly, my throat still hurting from being force-choked, as I bury my head in my arms to hide the warm tears trickling down my cheeks. "Oh no," The Clone says. "Don't do that! I can't stand it when a lady cries."
"What am I gonna do?" I sob softly, not lifting my head. "They'll never believe me no matter what I say! I'll never get out of here and I'll never see my family again!" I sniff repeately growing angry. "Just look at me!" I cry wiping my eyes on the thin hospital blanket. "I'm a mess!" I moan hoplessly and the Clone gives a chuckle. "Prettiest mess I've ever seen!" He says and I can't help but give a shaky laugh, a real smile breaking across my face for the first time in a while.
"Are you always this charming or am I just lucky?" I ask.
"Luck's got nothin' to do with it," The Clone says. "Although I was hoping to be lucky enough to catch your name."
"It's Eris. And you're-?" I prompt, grateful for the distraction. "Name's One-shot." The Clone says and I smile. "Why do they call you One-Shot?" I ask, drying the remaining tears from my eyes. "Oh a few reasons," He says grinning wickedly. "Mainly coz I'ma damn good shot," He says, using his hands like a fake blaster, aiming them at a poster of a Twi'lek dancer hanging on the wall. "But also coz I've gotta pretty goood aim with women as well." One-Shot says winking at me and I giggle in response, covering my mouth with a hand.
"So why are you in here anyways?" I ask and One-shot tells me how he'd been injured during an attack on a Planet called Teth. "It only took one-shot and I ended up here-It's kinda embarrassing but that's how I got the nickname." One-shot laughs, his tan cheeks blushing slightly, something I was begining to think was impossible for Clones. "But they say I should be outta here by t'morrow and then I'll be back out in the action!"
I sigh, feeling a weight leave my shoulders as I follow One-shot's lead and lay down on the hospital bed. I turn on my side as I rest my head on the crook of my arm and One-shot follows suit, proping himself up on one elbow. "Thank you." I say so softly my voice comes out as a whisper and before I know it I'm falling asleep, comforted by the Clone watching over me while I sleep.
...
Please R&R! Thanks!
~THE SCRIBE! :D