Author note: All dialogues in this chapter are spoken in foreign language.


"The reaper"

2 years after the end of the Clone Wars

10:23:18

Numa Bril

Suburban school, Nabat

Life went on as normal after the liberation of Ryloth. I was studying in an underground school with my two best friends, Val and Lubo. It used to be just listening to some useless history and learning how to get around the planet quickly. But things changed when I reached the age of ten.

Instead of the old usual stuff, the teachers were now stressing discipline and the so-called glory of the Hutt race, of how they offered the twi'leks a job in the galaxy. It did feel a little off, but I believed them anyway. My uncle was changing too. He was also drilling my discipline, even though I've been relatively obedient.

Overtime I noticed my female classmates' outfit become more and more revealing, particularly those who hit puberty early. It's not just off now, it's getting creepy.

On a certain day two years later...

I didn't go straight home after school. Instead, I went to find my peer mentor in the school: Hera Syndulla. As soon as I left school I walked to the basement of the Nabat Spaceport, where Hera always hangs out and plays in her pilot outfit.

Surprisingly, she was wearing the same old pilot jumpsuit when I saw her, with an Ace of Spades symbol on her right thigh. She hasn't changed at all, besides getting taller. I wish I could do the same, without having a very hard time.

"You don't look too bright, Numa." Whispered Hera. "Not my problem. Listen, there's something strange going on in my school. I might need your help." I replied. "What kind of strange things?" Asked Hera.

So I told her everything. From the promotion of the Hutt race to the newly introduced dance lessons in school, and even including how my female classmates' outfit are falling out of line(at least I think so)Hera frowned as I spoke, and finally made a response after twitching her lekku several times.

"It's a stage where pretty much every twi'lek girl has to go through. Learning dance moves to present to their masters. I'm Usually Hutts, but sometimes it could be Weequays or even Zygerrians." Sighed Hera. I almost shrieked when I heard her say 'Zygerrians'. They're slavers almost half a galaxy away from Ryloth. What ties do we have with them?

"Oh no...but...why are Zygerrians involved? Doesn't this just happen when we get older? What does all this have to do with them?" I was at the brink of panicking. Ending up in a palace as someone's tool for sexual lust is definitely not something I had in mind. "I know what you're afraid of Numa, and you're right to be afraid. You'll become a slave, unless you have a die hard heart." Replied Hera.

I felt a chill down my spine. I know I don't have to prove to anyone I'm a free soul, but myself, and my nerras, always wanted me to be free. I felt a strong urge of resisting, but with no one on my side, I didn't know what to do or where to start.

I tried to keep my cool, even though I know it was just a matter of time before I have a total meltdown. "Then shit's really hitting the fan. I need your help." I begged, knowing there is no one I can turn to for help.

"I don't know if I'm even capable of helping you. My father is, but he'll never be willing to. Trust me, I would, if I know the how-to." Answered Hera. I was getting desperate, since my only biological family would be happy to see me get a 'job' in the Hutt society.

"Please Hera. You know as well as I do that you and my brothers are the only ones that I can trust, but my brothers are not free." I said anxiously. "All right, all right you little one." Hera sighed in defeat. "I can teach you a few moves…from the ancient Spartans." She continued.

Although I was much troubled by my future, I grinned slightly. The ancient Spartans were the guardians of freedom in my point of view. And despite their ultimate downfall to overwhelming force of the Hutts, they fought hard, and they fought well while they're standing. It's why I always longed to learn a thing or two from them.

"Phew! I sure owe you one this time. I'll be here every two days. Be here." I said. "Sure thing lil'sister. Better go, before your uncle starts questioning you." Replied Hera. I nodded with a smile on my face and headed back to the surface of the city, where my home is located.

I didn't say anything about my talk with Hera, and simply faced my uncle's relentless efforts of training me to be unnecessarily obedient. "Trust no one." That's all I know about what I should do.

I must've gotten careless about keeping my mouth shut about my intentions of getting out of the system, though. Because about a week after I started my training session with Hera, I was called in the middle of a lesson, along with Val and about a dozen of other female schoolmates.

I knew I was done for, even though part of me convinced I can ride the storm and let time do its job. But I knew, deep down, bad things don't just go. They transform into something equally bad, or worse, like when the Republic turned into the Empire. The only way to get rid of bad things, is to do something about it.

Strange mind for a twi'lek, right?

Half a day later...

We were taken to a sports arena in the city of Lessu, with nothing but what we're already carrying in our pockets, even though most of us don't have one. All I had was a trinket of a tooka doll I made during art lesson, which was something I frequently use to remember them.

I stood in the middle of the line of twi'leks, having no idea on what we're waiting . One thing I noticed about the other twi'leks was that they were mostly a little bit older and taller than me, which wasn't a detail that helped much.

Another thing those twi'leks had in common was their appearance and clothing. I never considered myself pretty, but the others sure were. On top of that, there were bounty hunter-like figures standing everywhere, with stern looks painted on their faces. Mercenaries.

That's when it hit me: everyone who hit puberty early was called during their classes. Hera and Val were right, the authorities are indeed looking for people to enslave. There's no way out of this then. I tilted my head to the left and tried to get a view on the front of the line. And when I did, I saw a twi'lek standing in the middle of the arena, more like dancing. Her outfit was equally exposing to what the rest of the twi'leks were wearing.

I was forced to wear like this though, by Nilim and the rest of my relatives. I didn't want to think about them. It'll only make my situation go from bad to worse. I was cut off when one of the mercenaries shouted. "Hey! Get back in the line!"

I was almost scared to death by his fiery tone. I stood where I was, without peeking out of the queue. I couldn't find Val anywhere. Chances are she was already assigned to her new 'master', and that's going to be a long five years for her. In five years time, I promised myself, I'll rescue her and every other friend of mine who have become slaves. No matter what the odds.

After a few minutes I concluded that the arena was too heavily guarded for me to slip out. Until there's a spot where there're less mercs, I'll have to go through with the procedure, but on my terms. From what I overheard I have around two days to look for an opportunity to get out of all of this. Fortunately I'll be staying on Ryloth soil until I was picked by a slaver. So I didn't have to worry about transport.

But if I am going to run, I'll have to do it quick. Exporting procedures are never solid, as uncle Cham accounted during a parents day in my school when I was 8 years old. And things could really go from bad to worse.

Before I knew it, there were only fifteen people left before it was my turn. The security at the front of the line was as heavy as the back, so there was no other way, besides going through and looking for an opportunity later on.

I waited in fear until I was the first in the line. I strolled out to the centre of the arena, paying attention to every detail I can find to make my escape more likely to succeed. But I didn't give a damn to the broadcaster on the viewing platform, or anyone else on it. Their lewd eyes creeped me out.

Despite how much I hate to remember the words the grown-ups said to me about the exporting, I still remember what they asked me to do in the middle of the arena. Basically I had to perform every last dance move stored in my lekku, and think of nothing else.

It was the worst fifteen minutes of my life.

By the time I was done my head was consumed of fear and anger instead a full load of lies. A merc led me to a group of twi'leks and I sat down beside them. One of them looked at me and asked. "How old are you?"

"Twelve. You?" I said.

"Holy...you're just twelve? You deserve better." She replied. I looked at my rugged sneakers and sighed in defeat. "Maybe. But most people don't think so. In their point of view we're just...things." I was too sad to look anywhere else. In just a day I went from a typical student to a going-to-be slave, and I could do nothing to prevent that from happening.

If even Hera says it's my destiny, why will it ever change?

I hate myself, and the high rollers on Ryloth. I always thought and asked people close to me "why didn't somebody do something about slavery?". I always hated power and inequality, but some people just had to use it against Ryloth.

I know I'll be dead by the time I can wait it out, but I'm too hopeless to do anything.

That same night the group I was brought to gathered in a crude sleeping area in a spaceship. Its size as big as a Republic transport. Hera would've already started a riot if she was here. I thought. Not just because she was a spaceship fanatic, but also she despises slavery as much as I do. The only thing is I don't have her cunning personality.

We were blindfolded when we were brought here. And I only knew I was brought to a spaceship when I walked up a very long ramp with the other twi'leks. As I was forced down by the mercs beside me I heard my people scream out in pain. But before I could figure out what was causing so much pain to the other twi'leks, I felt a painful burn on my neck. My muscles were practically on fire and I had no idea what was all that about. "Ow! Hey!" I shrieked. But as I yelled, I felt another scorch hammer down my back.

It was an electrostaff, one that's even more painful than the whip owned by my family. Mostly used against me.

I felt something forcing its way into my neck wound. I could tell it was some kind of chip, probably capable of tracking or self-destruct. Either way it was up to no good. "Run, and you go boom." A droid-like voice snickered. So it was for self-destruct. Now I've got one more bloody problem to solve.

My blindfold was finally pulled off by a mercenary, revealing the true face of where I was held. The room was dark and dank, with the mercenaries' electrostaff as the only illumination. In front of me was a series of bunk beds with only a steel plank. It was obviously meant for us.

Surprising I was picked out of the group, along with five other twi'lek girls. We were taken into a narrow corridor leading to six isolated rooms. I was glad to have a room for myself, as I really needed some time and private space to think about my life.

I lied down on the bed made out of rugged cloth inside the room. The room reeked with body sweat, but it was the least of my concerns at this point. I was completely worn out, and ashamed of myself, of not taking my future seriously when I could.

An hour has passed since I entered this room, and it was so quiet I could hear it if anyone happened to pass by my room. The only noise I could hear was a low hum coming from inside the walls. I noticed the ground seems to shake every once a while, but I didn't pay much attention to that.

I realised the ship I was taken to was well on its way to another distant planet. And right when I thought things couldn't get any worse, the door hissed open, and a shadowy figure marched to me. I gasped in horror, but before I could scream for help, I was pressed down on my bed by the figure.

I found out what the figure was trying to do when I felt his leathery skin on mine. Some weequay intended to use me to satisfy their physical needs. That's when I felt my inner thigh burn in pain. It was also when I hated high rollers even more. While I was abused by that weequay mercenary, the thoughts I used to think flashed in front of me. Why didn't somebody do something about slavery?

Then I realised, I was somebody.