Chapter VII: A Terribly Dark, Hopeless Past
Tahiri smiled down at the girl as they walked through the streets of Coruscant, the bustling city seeming to bewilder and awe the young girl as they made their way through the crowds.
"Would you like to look in the stores?" She asked the small girl, who looked up at her in surprise. "A store?" She asked curiously.
Tahiri laughed. "Come on, I'll show you." She said, leading the little girl by the hand toward a children's store.
When the Jedi healer had first laid eyes on the small girl, she had immediately made plans to distract the child from the war that had been going on around her for most of her life. She had been unsure of whether or not the warrior men would even allow her to take Neitra, but she had luckily asked Yixta about it, not Drinn.
Neitra's eyes visibly widened at the large selection of toys, clothes and other objects. Looking up at the Jedi, her mouth in the form of a little 'o'.
Tahiri laughed. "Pick something out." She said, releasing the girl's hand, who looked up at her in surprise. "Come on. I'll get you something. Then we can go down to the lake."
The little girl slowly made her way through the store, searching for anything that might interest her.
Tahiri's expectations were made right as she observed the child. Due to Neitra's simple living, made even more simple due to the fact that war had been ravaging the galaxy for several years, therefore making it hard for the child to find anything that would be deemed worthy of her simple expectations.
"Take your time." The blonde-haired Jedi smiled down at the silver-eyed girl who was still in utter awe at the selection before her.
Two Hours Later
Neitra grinned up at the female Jedi, playing with the small object in her hands. She had chosen it because of the bright colours. Unknown to the young Mandalorian girl, it was for pets, a fact that Tahiri hadn't wanted to tell the excited child. Who knew? She might get a pet sometime in the future.
Looking up at the Jedi, Neitra smiled again. Tahiri had told the small girl to address her by her first name, not by any title or anything else a young child might think of.
Neitra splashed her bare feet in the water again, awed at the waves and feel of cold water against her feet.
"How did you come to be with Boba Fett, Neitra?" Tahiri asked, looking down at the girl.
Neitra smiled up at her. "He's my buir." She responded confidently, causing Tahiri to jerk in surprise. "You're Boba Fett's daughter?" She asked.
Neitra nodded.
Tahiri wasn't sure what to say... she was at a complete loss for words. The notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett, a father?!
Neitra played with the colourful ball-like object again, silent until Tahiri looked down at her again. "Who is Yixta to you?" She asked carefully.
Neitra shrugged. "I don't know." She answered honestly. "I might call him uncle." She answered, looking up at the Jedi woman. "What's he to you?" She asked.
The small girl didn't notice the shock of surprise that fell over the Jedi healer's demeanour as she scrambled for an answer. "I'm not sure..." She answered honestly. "I think we could be friends."
There was silence until Neitra looked up at the Jedi again, innocence on her face. "Did he scare you?" She asked.
Tahiri's heart fell. So Neitra had witnessed last night's events. "When, Neitra?" She asked, hoping that her assumptions may be wrong.
Neitra looked down at the ground. "Yesterday. When his eyes glew and he got mad at you." She answered, looking up with those haunting silver eyes. "And Drinn had to hold him down so you could run away." Tears filled the small girl's eyes now.
"Oh, Neitra." Tahiri smiled down at the small girl. "Yixta didn't mean it. It was a mistake." She answered, hoping to comfort the young girl as she wrapped an arm around the small shoulders.
"Yixta told Drinn that he was tortured." The girl looked up at Tahiri. "What's tortured mean?" She asked, innocence and child-like curiosity in her voice.
Tahiri shut her eyes. "Torture means someone hurts you very much. A bad man." She answered, trying to explain it mildly to the small girl.
Neitra stared down at the ground again. "He said that they use needles on him." She said, pausing to shudder before continuing. "He says that Yunin test him."
Fear filled Tahiri at that word. Yunin?! Her voice screamed, causing her to come on high alert and scan the surrounding area. Yunin took Yixta?
The girl was still talking. "Yunin cut into Yixta." She said, looking up at the Jedi healer. "He says he create a monster."
Tahiri's subconsciously listened, but her eyes were fixed. She remembered every minute she had spent with Yunin.
"He turn Yixta into a monster." Neitra's voice spoke almost hauntingly, the small girl oblivious to how her words were affecting the Jedi woman.
I hate Jedi, Tahiri. That dark, guttural voice whispered in her mind. I killed them all, but spared you. I have special plans for you.
"Yixta become evil and killed people." Neitra's voice was beginning to tremble. "Yunin make Yixta hate those that he loved or will love." The small girl's voice faded away again.
You will always be afraid, Tahiri. The dark voice whispered, and she remembered the arm wrapping around her shoulders. But do not worry. Those that you love will all disappear. Yunin's had said. For everyone you love, I will take from you. Just like Anakin.
Tahiri trembled as the memories and fear assaulted her. She had loved Anakin and Yunin had taken him from her. He would take Yixta too.
"Yunin makes Yixta kill the ones he loves." Neitra was still talking. "He makes Yixta believe that they will betray him. Makes him believe that he has to kill them before they kill him."
Tahiri's trembling increased. Fear will tell you when you should stay away from someone. Yunin's voice whispered in her ear. Because I will know who you love.
Tahiri jumped to her feet, leaning against a rock for support as the fear assaulted her, nearly strangling her.
"Tahiri!" Neitra was on her feet, fear in her eyes. "What's wrong, Tahiri?" She asked, tears streaming down her face.
Looking at the girl, Tahiri felt panic assault her. What about Neitra? Her mind screamed at her. He'll take Neitra too!
Delirious and lost, Tahiri looked around in fear and oblivious subconscious. "Neitra. We have to get back." The Jedi said, trying to walk.
A noise behind them alerted them of the arrival of Yixta. The large Mandalorian appeared from the trees, stumbling with unknown emotion.
Tahiri could read it in the force though. Yixta was scared, ashamed and angry.
"Neitra!" Yixta shouted, reaching the girl. He grabbed her by the shoulders, nearly shaking her. "What did you tell her, Neitra?" He shouted.
Neitra was afraid now. Two of the people she trusted most were acting strangely. "I didn't tell her anything, Yixta!" She stammered.
"Let go of her, Yixta!" Tahiri shouted, but her voice was cracking with fear. Yunin told Yixta to take Neitra! Her mind cried.
"Neitra! Tell me what you told her, now!" Yixta's eyes were slightly luminous, wild, as he tried to calm himself down. To gain control over his body. "Please, Neitra." Tears began to stream down his face. "What did you tell her?"
Neitra was crying freely now, and Yixta was quickly losing control. "Take her. Now." Yixta ordered, forcing himself to let go of the girl. "Before I go off the edge."
Tahiri looked at him. "What're you doing?"
Yixta's POV
Yixta was losing control rapidly. And he was beginning to tremble. He had to force himself to release Neitra, or he would k... hurt her.
"Get her away from me!" Yixta shouted through his tears, looking pleadingly at the Jedi healer. "Take her, quickly!"
Tahiri reacted, grabbing the girl and pulling her from the tall Mandalorian's grasp.
"Get her away." Yixta ordered, body trembling as his inner war began. "Now!"
Tahiri picked up the girl and began to run, but tripped over some unhidden obstacle. Alerted to this vulnerable position, Yixta began to head after her.
He pulled up to a stop when a familiar Jedi appeared before him, purple lightsaber ignited. "Yixta. Stop." The girl, Jaina Solo, he remembered, ordered. "You need to calm down."
Yixta was quickly losing control, and this girl, in this threatening position, was increasing the rate by tenfold.
Jaina turned and picked up Neitra, Tahiri standing to her feet also as they faced him.
Yixta attacked, jumping for the blonde healer and ducking under the purple lightsaber. It was clear he would reach Tahiri before Jaina would have time to react, but then someone slammed into his side, throwing him to the ground where he was straddled, arms pinned to the ground.
Yixta looked up at his attacker, who turned out to be none other than Boba Fett. The wounded leader was weakened and feverish, but he was still surrounded by an air that demanded respect and authority. "Stand down, Yixta." He ordered.
The blonde Mandalorian began to turn his head, but his leader's gloved hand grasped his chin, turning it away from the group he had nearly attacked.
"Don't look at them." Boba ordered. "You have to calm down."
Yixta was breathing hard, tears streaming down his face. He was nearly hyperventilating. "I'm sorry, Fett." He whispered. "I tried so hard." He drew a shuddering breath. "I tried really... hard." He whispered, falling unconscious.
