Hello! So, this chapter is a bit long, I wrote it during along car ride. The past weekend was very bus. Anyway, I hope you like it!
I nearly fell over when she asked. What had they done to her? She had to remember me! What happened to the year I'd spent training her? Our bond was still there, but she continued to stare blankly at me.
"Come on, Kasari. You remember me. Dunan, your master. I taught you the ways of the Jedi for almost a year. Don't you dare forget!" Tears almost rose to my eyes. She squinted at me and asked yet another painful question. "What is Jedi?"
I could have sworn that I felt a literal stab of pain in my chest. I know that I should have been cutting the restraints and getting her out, but I was so wrapped up in the emotions for the moment, and trying to make plans to return her memories. I turned to the wall so I could think with little distraction.
Maybe her memory loss would be a good thing… On the bright side, I could make myself a better master to her. Even if she didn't get her memories back, I would still train her.
My intense, personal thoughts were interrupted by high pitch laughing. I looked back to her and I saw that she was attempting against her restraints to double over in laughter. I stood there, taking too long to process what happened. "I'm sorry, Master!" She said trying to say words between giggles. "I just….can't...believe you fell for...that!"
I took a step towards her, and glared at her. "That was not funny!" My panic still pulsed through my veins. "Your face was priceless!" Her laughter was finally dying face gave the smallest contortion of pain. "If you hadn't been held here for the past week and I wasn't worried about your physical health, I'd box your ears right now." She offered a cheeky smile, then winced. Laughing had done a number on her, but I could understand why she made the 'joke' and laughed. She'd been in here for a week, darkness everywhere. She needed the light of laughter, some form of happiness, even if it hurt her physically.
I undid her restraints, and she fell limply, and landed heavily in my arms. "It's okay." I said, soothingly. "I've got you. You'll be alright." She let out a cry of pain. I cringed as the feeling slip into our bond.
"Can you walk?" I asked. She nodded. I released her, and she took a few wobbly steps on her own. Her hand clapped over her mouth. "I feel sick." She muttered. Sensing what was coming next, I quickly held her shoulder with one hand and pulled a handful of her hair away from her face. She spewed the contents of her stomach out onto the floor. Fortunately for me, I was behind her.
She grimaced. "Sorry…" She murmured. I shook my head. "It's okay, better this ship than our ship. Besides, I've seen this a lot." I pulled her arm over my shoulders. She tried to keep herself up on her own, but ended up leaning on me for support.
After walking a couple feet, we realized that this wouldn't work. This was an awkward position and it would take too long to make it a speedy getaway. She was barely even holding onto consciousness.
I took her arm from my shoulders. "Sorry about this, but it looks like I'll just carry you." With weak fingers, she grabbed onto my shirt sleeve. Just walking took a lot out of her. "The J-jedi, you...have to… help him." She coughed, hard.
I nodded. "It's okay. They've most likely gotten him out by now." She tilted her head again. Her eyes asked me who "they" were. "I'll explain it later." I said dismissively. She gagged, about to throw up again. I moved to her side to dodge the vomit, a talent that I learned in the hospital.
When she was done, she climbed over my shoulder so that her front half hung lifelessly against my back. Major discomfort flowed through the bond. I didn't rise. "Kasari, stand up for a second." I ordered. She followed my instructions with some difficulty. "Forgive me for this." I said as I waved a hand before her face, forcing her mind into a peaceful blankness. She flopped back into position, no longer awake. "You'll thank me later." I said even though she was unable to hear me.
.
.
.
I carried her, focusing on anyone around us. Despite the stormtroopers' terrible aim, statistically speaking, if we ran into a bunch of them, there was a good chance my padawan could get shot. I could sense Ezra and an unfamiliar feeling, probably Kanan. There was conflict. The darkness. Light, clashing against it.
The Force pulled me to the battle. I don't know why, but for a moment, I tried to fight it. I couldn't risk myself and Kasari. Not when I'd done so much to get her back. But wasn't that what the Ghost crew would feel? I pressed my lips together and followed where the Force led me. I couldn't let them fight a battle like this alone, even if it meant putting my padawan at risk. Deep down, something told me that they would do the same for me. I apologised to Kasari again, I really hated to place her in harm's way.
There are times when I do things without thinking. They were often stupid things that I felt like an idiot for doing later, but this was purely the Force leading me. I hid her away, not very well, but out of sight of troopers and the inquisitor. Assuming that I'd come out of this fight alive, I'd be able to grab the girl at a moment's notice.
Ezra was out of sight. A man, who must have been his master, was fighting the Inquisitor. Swallowing my fear of leaving Kasari behind, I ran to join the fight. I appeared in the nick of time. A moment where Kanan was recoiling and the Inquisitor was about to strike. His red blade collided with my lightsaber. Sparks flew.
"So, you're Kanan. Nice to meet you." I said, angling my head so I could partially face the other Jedi. I recognized his face, but I'd have to take a little bit to remember the name. He must have changed his original name after Order 66.
The Inquisitor jumped back. "Pity, I assumed you'd died. Must kill you again?" I raised my lightsaber and narrowed my eyes. "I'm full of surprises." He raised his blade to eye level and it began to spin. "You're going to wish I killed you the first time!" Kanan lunged at him before I could. Two against one, we had the advantage. For the first time, I noticed that he carried two lightsabers, one of them, Ezra's. A lump formed in my stomach. Not a good sign.
"You mind explaining who you are?" Kanan said between dodging spinning red blades and slashing at the inquisitor. "Not that I'm not glad you're here." He added after dodging a blow.
"My name is Dunan. Kasari's master." I said as I pushed my lightsaber against the Inquisitor's blade, cutting off the spinning. I could sense his recognition. "I came with your crew." I continued. "Nice job with Ezra, by the way." I had no bond with Kanan, but I could sense pain. Where was Ezra? Worry added to the lump in my stomach. I kicked against the Inquisitor. I couldn't think about Ezra at the moment, distractions were unhelpful.
The Inquisitor's lightsaber grazed my arm. Pain blossomed up to my shoulder. I uttered a inaudible hiss. Kanan wasn't doing much better. On the bright side, neither was our enemy. He was formidable, but taking on two Jedi was really cutting him down to size. I could sense it, Kanan probably sensed it, this battle was nearing the end.
We pushed him to the edge of a platform. I held back from saying, "Well, isn't this familiar." I got the feeling that that phrase was something the Inquisitor would say. I'd never let myself sink to his level. At the same time, Kanan and I destroyed his saber. I thrust my lightsaber into the middle of the hilt. Kanan halved the circular portion with his and Ezra's lightsaber. His broken saber fell, the two pieces still hissing and moving as if they were alive. A reactor shaft exploded when his weapon(s) made contact with it, sending a chain reaction up through the whole ship and causing us to rock violently.
The inquisitor fell back, dangling from the platform by his fingertips. I didn't let my hatred win out. Although, I wanted to cause him all the pain he'd inflicted upon Kasari tenfold. I summoned all my willpower in order to retract the blade. Kanan did the same. We both refused to be put on the same level as him. "You've no idea what you've unleashed here today." He said as he dangled there. "There are things far more frightening than death." With that, he plummeted into a fiery cloud of the explosion.
I drew a breath and sank to my knees. "Are you alright?" Kanan asked. I nodded. "And you?" I asked. He shrugged. I saw with the eye of a doctor, he wasn't in as bad condition as Kasari, but he wasn't in ideal shape. "And Ezra?" I questioned. Kanan's face contorted in pain, not just physical pain. He was about to say something.
"Kanan?" A voice said from behind us interrupted. We both turned. Kanan's relief was tangible. I let out a relieved breath as well. "I thought I lost you." Kanan said, rushing to Ezra. "I know the feeling." Ezra returned. "Let's go home." I smiled.
I ran ahead to pick up Kasari as we left the cavernas chamber. She was still out cold and as far as I knew, she'd be that way for quite awhile. I slung her over my shoulder with no difficulty.
After feeling a power surge in the ship, we started to run. My padawan's head bounced against my back, it was a good thing that I knocked her out, otherwise she'd probably be gagging and feeling intense discomfort the whole tie. We finally made it to the hangar. We had to find a mode of transportation or we were done for! "The Inquisitor's TIE!" Kanan said, pointing to the only different TIE fighter, the only one remaining in place. "Well, we know he won't be using it." Ezra pointed out. Both Kanan and I looked at him, he made an excellent point, but just the way he said it caused us to give him worried looks. "You know, Kid, you worry me sometimes." Kanan said, as we ran into the TIE anyway.
It was a tight fit, but we piled in since there was no other choice. We were off. "Everyone's in one piece, right?" I asked as I shifted Kasari into my arms.
"Yeah." Kanan and Ezra said at the same time. I figured at some point I would still do a basic assessment on everyone. I could see that Kanan had quite a few burns, fighting the Inquisitor hadn't done either of us any favors, it was worst on him because he just got out of an interrogation chamber. "I can heal that." I said pointing to a lightsaber burn on Kanan's arm. "I'm a doctor." I added. Ezra looked at me questioningly. "Weird it never came up in the Ghost, right?" I said.
We got a call from Hera. They were okay, and they knew that we were okay. It wasn't over yet, though. If we didn't find a way to leave soon, we'd go nowhere or simply be shot down. "I just want to say, it was really great getting to know all of you!" Ezra yelled as we got shot at. The small TIE rocked. I brace myself against a wall to keep from falling. Suddenly, a fleet of ships came out of hyperspace. "Who are they?" Ezra asked. "I don't know," Kanan responded, "but I think they're on our side!"
Hera came in on the comm again, telling us to attach to the ship. We could see a multicolored TIE. The rest of the crew's, of course. Kanan did as Hera said. Once we were attached, they made a jump to hyperspace. We climbed out. I felt major relief to be out of the TIE, I normally don't like small spaces. I saw Kanan and Hera embracing each other. I sensed something between them, something a Jedi should not feel. I wasn't against the attachments that Kanan formed. Times were changing.
A transmission from Bail Organa came in. I recognized him, when I was young, after the purge, I could remember meeting him on that ship where I became Obi-wan's apprentice. He saw me, after talking about a greater rebellion, I offered a small wave, as I couldn't do much because I was holding Kasari. Even though I could tell that he recognized me as well, he remained business like. His hologram disappeared as a figure spoke while coming down a ladder.
She was a togruta, probably in her early thirties. She wore twin lightsabers on her hips. Another face that I recognized. She'd been a Jedi prodigy, she's come in to help teach classes in the temple. After talking to the crew, she saw me in the back.
"Wait, didn't I teach in your class once, when you were a youngling?" She said moving towards me. I smiled, surprised that she remembered me. "Lightsaber basics." I responded. We all admired her, being an apprentice at age fourteen. She would occasionally come in and she was basically a big sisterly figure to all. We all missed her when she left. "It's good to see you again, Ahsoka." If felt weird not to address her as Padawan Tano, as used to be her official title.
I was about to say more, but she stopped me when she noticed Kasari. "You took on a padawan?" I nodded.
"Speaking of which," I said. "She needs medical attention. When we get back to the Ghost, I'll just get medical supplies from my ship." Ahsoka nodded. We'd have to wait to get there. I couldn't help but think that Ahsoka had matured so much. It didn't make much of a difference to me, though. She always seemed mature to my eyes.
We got to the Ghost and as soon as we got on, I rushed to my room to tend to my padawan.
Yay! We got Kasari back! Don't think it ends here! Kasari still needs to heal, make her lightsaber, grow up, be rivals with Ezra, struggle with the dark side, and eventually become a Jedi. Anywho, please review! I need the reviews, I crave them! May the Force be with you!
Special thanks to Kayla103849 and DevilSPR for commenting!
