Across the stars
Well I'm back with another update of across the stars! This is going to be a special chapter with Lux's point of view. So I'll get on with it and I disclaim, everything belong to Mr. Lucas and the CW.
Chapter 6 Busted!
Lux's dream was a mass of colours and swirls he could not comprehend. He enjoyed the peacefulness of sleep; in this dimension he was able to escape the vortex of anxiety that was his life. Here, he could avoid all responsibilities and be carefree. Most importantly he would not have to suffer the inevitable rejection of his unrequited feelings that Ahsoka would no doubt bestow upon him. At least in this place his dignity and heart would remain intact.
Without warning Lux was jettisoned out of his oblivion by an immense pain that radiated from his shoulder. Lux! He heard an all too familiar voice echo through his mind and he awoke sweating with his heart thrashing against his ribcage. He sat straight up in bed and checked his shoulder, expecting to see a blaster shot wound there.
Nothing.
He should feel relieved but his heart sank lower knowing that it was not him who was about to receive this fateful shot. No, the reality was much more terrifying. It was Ahsoka's life on the line and he needed to find her.
He swung his legs out of bed and let his bare feet touch the cold tile floor. He shivered slightly, it was so kind of Padme to allow him to live with her, and she was truly the closest thing to family that he had left. He tried to stay quiet the last couple of days and Padme was just starting to get over being angry with him about sneaking onto the mission with Ahsoka. So he stayed in the apartment and had no contact with the outside world just to gain back her trust.
Now he had to break that trust and defy Padme yet again.
He stood up and stretched; his shirt rode up and exposed his stomach to the cold air. He was going through another grow spurt again. He hated growing taller, it meant he was going to clumsy and awkward until he got used to the additional height. Clumsiness was not something he could afford to be around Ahsoka; he already acted like an idiot far too many times. Tripping over his own two feet would be the icing on the cake.
He glanced over at his window expectantly. It faced the city, and he could just make out the Jedi Temple in the distance. She's not there. A voice inside him whispered. He could not explain it but he knew the voice was right. Ahsoka wasn't at the Temple, but the question was, where is she?
Well he wasn't going to find her just standing there having a mental war with himself. He slid out of his sleeping wear and pulled on some darker civilian clothes, not wanting to stand out. Once dressed, Lux gave himself a once over in the mirror; the couple of days' rest had done wonders on his appearance. He didn't look so haggard anymore; his dark hair was still messy and had grown a little since the last time he checked. He ran a hand through it and landed on his cheek, he could still feel the ghost of Ahsoka's lips on it as if they a permanent sensation there.
Lux's face instinctively reddens at the thought. He remembered when her first met Ahsoka. He looked into her big blue eyes and knew he was hooked. To him she was the most beautiful thing in the universe but something untouchable and pure because of her Jedi oath. As he got to know her, he realized how feisty she was. Her temper was quick and deadly; it should have deterred him but instead made him even more intrigued.
It made him love her even more…That's right he loved Ahsoka. He didn't care she was a Jedi, he loved her and that was final. He knew she loved him back but could never admit it.
Lux shook his head to clear his thoughts; no time to reminisce he had to find Ahsoka. He was about to walk out of his bedroom when a thought crossed his mind, he made his way over to his desk and opened a drawer. It was empty except for one object. A blaster. He pulled it out and strapped it to the waistband of his pants. His father had taught him how to shoot a blaster when he was very young. His mother-the ever diplomat-insisted it was too barbaric and that Lux should only be exposed to peaceful activities. His father was a military genius and had one of the best shots in the Separatist army. A trait he passed on to Lux. Now they were both taken from him and he still vowed revenge on Dooku for being the one who had taken them.
All this had to wait though, for now he had to find Ahsoka.
He snuck out of his room, and into Padme's darken den. He gave a quick glance over to the door that led to Padme's sleeping quarters and felt another wave of guilt wave over him. He was breaking her rules again, even after she so graciously allowed him into her home…But this was for Ahsoka he had no time to feel guilty.
He swiftly navigated through the darken apartment without bumping into any furniture. Once he was safety on the other side; he typed in the correct passcode to the front door and exited without looking back.
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Lux was able to get through the building's security with ease. He jogged to the speeder lot and found Padme's quickly. He jumped into the driver's seat and logged on; he could override any speeder's database like the back of his hand. If the war hadn't have started or he hadn't have been orphaned he would have been off to university on an early double scholarship in political science and technical engineering next spring.
Once he got the engine started, he froze. Where was he going? He just went gallivanting off to rescue Ahsoka when he had no idea where she was and no way of finding out!
His impetuous nature was really starting to kick him now.
Suddenly that same overwhelming feeling that told him about Ahsoka before was coming back and something inside of him knew she was still on Corusant. Was it the Force that was speaking to him? That didn't make sense. He wasn't a Jedi or even Force sensitive. He was just regular old Lux, nothing special or mystical about him at all…Then what could it be?
He didn't have time to ponder it. He knew Ahsoka was still on the planet, it might not have known Corusant very well but he knew Ahsoka. He knew she wanted to destroy the Death Watch just as much as he did (possibly even more). She was also crazy and brave enough to try and take them down all by herself. She would take all the information she knew and would investigate alone…
Then it hit him…She was in the Underworld.
The Underworld of Corusant was notorious throughout the galaxy. It was the galaxy's centre for the Black Market; where also every, pirate, gang, and mob kept their headquarters. There was no doubt that the Death Watch would also have some sort of contact there.
He turned to the navigator on the speeder, "Take me to the Underworld." The auto-pilot took control and he was off.
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The wind whipped through his dark brown curls and hit his face, the buildings around him blurred into one as they blew passed him. Luckily the traffic wasn't so bad at night ad it was during rush hours, so he was able to sail through the air with little effort.
He finally landed in a speeder lot that was centered in the middle of a neighbourhood of shady looking clubs and bars.
This is no doubt the Underworld…He thought.
He scanned his eyes down the rows of bars, clubs, and scruffy-looking houses with slight disgust at the uncleanliness. Strange, he thought as he noticed that there was not one sound echoing through the vicinity. The Underworld was supposed to be full of sounds: people yelling at one another, police-droid sirens, and obnoxious pulsating music coming from clubs. But now it was as silent as a ghost town. Lux had to wonder, what could have scared off some of the most deadly scum-bags in the galaxy?
Abruptly, sounding like a clap of thunder as it boomed through the streets, was the sound of a blaster being shot.
There, Lux instinctively knew what this sound meant and that Ahsoka was no doubt at the scene.
Without knowing why, Lux rushed to where the source of the sound came from, it was a lonely, grubby pub with the door knocked off its hinges. He entered it tentively, testing the waters to see if it was a trap. The place was a mess: tables flipped over, stools broken, and shattered glass blanketed the floor. The lights flickered on and off sending sparks raining down on his head. Lux noticed that there were three undeniably dead men scattered in random places around the bar; he was careful not to step on them as he passed.
Ahsoka couldn't have done this…could she? Lux had watched Ahsoka kill people before-if Death Watch members counted as people-without blinking; but it was always in self defense. Jedi were trained to be lethal to protect the innocent; it was their duty. Lux was certain that if Ahsoka did kill these men; she must have had an uncanny reason for her actions.
Unmistakably the stench of melting flesh invaded his nose. It radiated from the back room and flowed right into his nasal passage way, forever damaging his sense of smell. Fighting against all his inherent warnings, he followed the smell into the said room. The sight he saw made his heart stop all together.
Lying on the floor like a broken rag doll was Ahsoka.
Her limbs seemed as if they were tangled together in a knot. There was smoke rising from her shoulder. Standing above her was a red haired woman dressed in the Death watch's armour with a still sizzling blaster in her hand.
"Ahsoka!" He shouted as the lady spun around.
"Bonteri?" She growled, aimed the blaster at him, and fired.
Lux ducked just in time to avoid getting hit; he pulled his emergency blaster from his back pocket, shot back. Unfortunately she was too fast for him and dodged his attacks without a scratch.
Bo-Katan hissed in angry, "This isn't worth my time."
She then swiftly pressed a button on her wrist cuff that released a cloud of smoke. She made her escape completely unseen.
I can't see a thing, Lux thought as he continued to shoot blindly into the haze. As it cleared Bo-Katan was gone but Ahsoka still lay crumpled on the floor.
"Ahsoka!" He gasped again and knelt down next to her.
He placed a hand on her unharmed shoulder and rolled her over on her back. Her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly opened. It alarmed him that she had neither of her lightsabers near her. She wasn't moving at all.
Ice cold terror went through him and tears welled up in his eyes, "'Soka, you can't be…"
Suddenly Ahsoka opened her big blue eyes and coughed, "…Lux?"
Relief instantly spread through him, "Ahsoka! You're alive!"
"…got me…in…the shoulder."
Lux turned his gaze to her wound. There was a burnt laser hole where the blaster had hit.
"You need help!" Lux stated urgently as he scooped her up into his arms.
"Can't go…to temple…you'll…be…arrested…" Ahsoka breathed raggedly.
"I don't care about me right now! It's the quickest way to help you!"
The young togruta shook her head which took most of her strength, "Lux…no…won't let you throw…life away…for me!" With that last breath she passed out again.
Lux looked down at her sadly, "Sorry, Ahsoka but I won't let you die for me."
So with that he pulled her tighter to his chest, grabbed her lightsabers, placed them on his belt, and carried her out of the pub.
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Lux climbed up the granite steps of the Jedi Temple with Ahsoka in his arms. He couldn't help but feel intimidated by the marble statues of famous Jedi staring at him accusingly. They seemed almost alive as they were sculpted in various action poses. If they could speak, they would no doubt say: "How dare you walk up our steps so arrogantly with a fallen member of our clan in your arms, you disgusting non-Force sensitive child!"
Jedi feel like dirt underneath their shoe. He could only think of two exceptions to that: Ahsoka and Obi-wan Kenobi. He glanced down at her again, she still out cold, and her breath was coming out laboured.
He finally reached the main doors and glanced up at them in all their artistic beauty. Should I knock? Not too sure what to do in this occasion.
Sure he broke into the Jedi Temple before, but that was when he had nothing to lose. Now he had Ahsoka in his arms and she needed his help.
He was about to just at the door to open but instead it just slowly creaked opened a jar and a head popped out to him.
"Who are you? How dare you approach the Jedi Temple?" The voice asked indignantly; the head turned out to be a mirialan girl, who seemed to be only a few years older than him.
Inwardly Lux rolled his eyes; Jedi could be so annoying, "My name is Lux Bonteri, if you don't mind I have more pressing matters to attend to…"
Her eyes narrowed, "You arrogant little…" She trailed off when she spotted Ahsoka in his arms.
"Ahsoka! Oh Force, what happened to her?" She gasped as she pressed her fingers to Ahsoka's pulse point on her neck.
Then she saw the blaster wound, "Oh no! We must get her to the infirmary." She replied and held the door wider for him.
"I told you." Lux mumbled as he passed.
The girl scoffed and then stated, "I'm Barris Offee by the way, and perhaps Ahsoka mentioned me?"
"Nope." Lux replied not bothering to pay anymore attention to the girl.
The Great Hall was more majestic at night then it was in the morning. The shadows from the columns loomed over him like a physical pressure on his back. They were contradicted by the moonlight that shone through the large stain glass windows. The contrast distorted the images that depicted scenes from heroic Jedi endeavors.
The young Jedi girl-Barris-reached out to take Ahsoka from him, "Here, you should leave now. I will bring Ahsoka to the infirmary."
Lux knew that this was the most logical option but his heart refused to leave her, "No!" His snapped pulling away from her.
Shock spread across Barris' face, "You cannot any farther in the Temple; it's forbidden! You will be arrested and thrown into Republic prison!"
"I don't care what happens to me! I. WILL. NOT. LEAVE. HER!"
Barris' mouth fell open, "You can't possibly…"
She never got to finish her sentence because an ear splitting siren broke any thoughts. A mechanical voice bleated, "INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!"
Suddenly a much sterner voice spoke above all the rest, "Padawan Offee step away."
"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!"
Both teenagers turned to see who the speaker was. It was a middle aged, olive skinned toned human man. His head was shaven clean, he wore beige Jedi robes. But the most intimidating thing about him was his tough eyes, which said that he took no nonsense. Lux recognized him from the holonet as Jedi Master Mace Windu.
He activated his infamous purple lightsaber and aimed it at Lux. It seemed that Barris had enough sense to step away from Lux and backed into the shadows.
It took everything Lux had not to show outward panic.
Within seconds he was surrounded by clone troopers; who formed a circle around him with blasters at the ready.
Windu advanced with his steely gaze and his lightsaber was still raised, "This is your first and last warning. Release Padawan Tano immediately or suffer the consequences. Breaking and entering into the Jedi Temple is a heavy offense. You will be trialed and convicted in Republic Court."
All rational thought left Lux. His mind told him to let Ahsoka go and bolt but his heart denied once again. He pulled Ahsoka closer to his chest and felt his heart hammer against his ribcage like a xylophone.
"No." He said simply.
Windu's eyes narrowed in anger, "Arrest him then." He ordered to the clones.
In an instant Lux heard a blaster shot came from behind him and felt a paralyzing pain spread from his spine to the rest of his body. He had been hot by a shun blaster! All of his muscles and nerves shun down quickly. He fell to the floor with a thump; he couldn't move to stand back up. He could only watch as Ahsoka was torn from his grip.
No...He wanted to shout but his lips couldn't form the word. His wrist were pulled behind his back and bound in binders. He could barely register the clone beside him reading his rites.
All he could think of was; I'm so sorry Ahsoka; I failed you.
Surprising no? What's going happen to Lux? What about Ahsoka? What is their connection? Will Lux end up in prison? Find out next time on Across the Stars.
Peace out!