KEYnote: Accidentally published the chapters out of order, so Worlds Between will be reposted later tonight. On the brightside two chapters two day :D
WARNING: Major content warning. It was in the TV show but holy bantha shit, human trafficking, animal trafficking/hunting, and all that surrounds it is truly evil.
AN: We are about ½ to ¾ of the way through this story.
Chapter 17 - Queen of Slaves
If Rex had any doubts that Luke Skywalker was his father's son or General Kenobi's Padawan, they were dashed against unforgiving meteors after hearing this plan.
Unlike his father, however, Luke didn't posture, and unlike Kenobi, he didn't act casual. He simply walked down the street, in his stolen armour directly to the front gate. His walk was steady, he was so self-assured, that it wasn't until they reached the gates were they stopped and questioned because no one had doubted their presence.
Who else could be so calm and not belong. Rex was glad to let him take the lead, falling into step with R2-D2.
"What do we have here?" A reddish hued male asked them, dressed in clothes lined with gold thread. He wasn't a guard but an official of some kind, a group of twi'lek slaves trailing behind him. "You wear Zygerrian armour, but you are not one of us. Who are you?"
Rex had worried about this, and he couldn't help but tense, but Luke's voice was even as he said, "I've come for an audience with your Queen."
"Then you have an invitation? We can't allow just anyone to speak with Her Majesty."
"No, invitation but I do bring news," Luke said, sounding so sincere even Rex trusted him, "News the Queen will be eager to hear."
"I doubt that," the male said, crossing his arms, "You are nothing more than a brigand."
Luke smirked at him, "You offer insult to the man who bears news of Bruno Denturri?"
The male stepped forward as if he meant to strike Rex's General, but two guards ran up, blasters raised at the male and a small flying droid flew before him. It said in a mechanical monotone. "This man is to be escorted before the Queen, by order of the Queen."
The male bared his teeth, "You never gave a name, off-worlder."
"As you never gave yours, but I am Luke Organa."
Organa? Rex wondered. Why would he use Senator Bail Organa's surname? Not that it mattered, few people would draw that connection this far in the outer rim.
"And him?"
"My slave."
Rex might have minded playing slave, stripped of his armour and weapons, if they hadn't been here to free every last slave. He had fought years against droids, if he died today it would be at the hands of living beings, trying to do something that no one could doubt the morality of.
The male Zygerria narrowed his eyes at him, and Rex dropped his gaze to the ground.
"I am the Atai Molec."
Rex was glad he had broken eye-contact so the surprise in his gaze could not be read. Only they could have the luck of running into the kriffing Prime Minister at the front gates.
They followed Molec into the palace, and Rex looked around, taking stock of every hall, door, and exit as Luke kept his gaze forward, utterly unafraid and seemingly unaffected by the riches and barbary around them.
Queen Miraj Scintel was something to behold on her gilded throne. Exoctic birds flocked around her.
She gave Luke an appraising look. As Molec introduced him coldly as, "Luke Organa."
One of the birds that stood on the back Miraj's throne, it let out a pretty song of the Queen asking one of her slaves for refreshments. The white and green convor bird flew to Luke's shoulder, nuzzling his cheek.
"Hello Morai," Luke greeted the bird.
"Morai?" the Queen asked.
"It's her name, right?" Luke asked.
Rex nearly palmed his forehead, his General was going to do some weird wizard crap or something that was going to blow their cover to bits.
Instead, and rather shockingly, the Queen laughed, her laugh deep and sultry.
"A beast tamer then, that little convor has yet to abide anyone touching it. And yes, the children call it Morai. How did you know this?"
Luke waved a hand, "An old wise tale told by old hermits of white and green birds in the forgotten lands, your Majesty."
She smiled, "Yes, I suppose we were all children once. So tell me, handsome, what news do you bring of Denturri and why have you not introduced yourself to me before?"
Rex had to fight not to make a repulsed expression. It wasn't that the Queen wasn't beautiful, she was, but Rex couldn't get over what she was, a slaver.
Luke was doubtless of the same mind, but he bowed, the strange convor staying perched on his shoulder, "News I'm sure you will be pleased to hear, and of our paths not crossing? Surely your beauty is too much for any man to seek out and hope to capture. Denturri failed to warn me of your radiance."
That was so lame, Rex thought closing his eyes to not roll them, where had he learned to flirt, from a spice smuggler?
But the slave queen lapped it up, chuckling, "A tamer of hearts and beasts, I see, but did Denturri," she bared her razor teeth, "also fail to warn you of my intense hatred of him?"
All weapons pointed at him, but Luke only smirked, "Your name was the last he spoke, your Majesty."
She stood, "What are you talking about?"
"I killed him," Luke gestured to Rex, "and took his slave."
She laughed coming down the steps, "Did you indeed? Hmm… perhaps I am in your debt then."
Rex didn't like the look in her golden cat eyes, on the word debt, Rex could have sworn she was estimating a price for Luke.
Not good.
Rex stiffened as the Queen undid the tie at his chest, the cloak falling to the floor around him. He stood very still as the Queen walked around him, putting a hand to his chest, trailing her long nails along his neck.
Rex kept his gaze down, his face passive, but inside he was reeling, as memories sucked him back.
The sterile lab rooms of his childhood, being examined by cloners who looked at him with only a scientific interest. Worse than these slavers, worse than the creature touching him now. He was an animal to Miraj Scintel.
He and his brothers had been less than that to the Kaminoins. They had been numbers, weapons, organic material that if failed would be recycled.
That's what some of their creators had called it, recycling. Not death, not murder, not even a true loss.
Recycled genetic material, bought and sold to the Republic.
He had never let himself think about that before Luke had started asking pointed questions about their loyalties, about their choices. And even then Rex had been able to shove it aside, because the Jedi hadn't bought them, the Jedi had fought and died beside them, for the good of the innocents in the galaxy.
Until Pong Krell had aimed to kill them with their own ingrained, damnable loyalty.
A hand grabbed his face by his jaw roughly, fear kept Rex still as he looked into blue eyes.
"You will be present," Luke ordered him in a harsh tone.
Rex bowed his head, "Yes, Master Organa." Relief seeping through him even as Luke released him abruptly.
"Not an intelligent one then?" Miraj asked.
"He's the labour, I'm the pilot, I do not need him to be intelligent, nor do I wish him to be," Luke said dismissively. Offering her his arm, he deliberately did not look at Rex as they turned their backs on him.
Rex let out a silent sigh of relief. Stooping, he picked up his cloak, wrapping himself in it as he followed his General. He was startled to realize he had just had a panic attack. But not about the Queen touching him but of his life on Kamino. How foolish? There was nothing on Kamino to be afraid of. He had never looked at his life on Kamino as something to be afraid of before.
But something about seeing the slaves cowed to obedience had struck a nerve. Rex and his brothers were loyal, it was a, if not the defining quality about them all, but in truth, the Republic hadn't earned their loyalty, they had bought it.
Bought them.
And the Kimanoins had not needed whips and torture to keep them in line, they had been engineered that way, conditioned to obey. That the Jedi had been worthy of loyalty had been a stroke of luck.
Rex looked at Luke's back, Luke, who had been more than luck for him and his brothers. And Rex was grateful that Luke had shook him out of the rising emotions that had threatened to drown him and did without jeopardizing the mission. He'd seen some of his brothers panic before, rarely, but it happened. Usually due to an abnormal injury that hit the nerves in a way impossible to ignore.
But Rex couldn't think of anyone who had frozen like he had, trapped in claustrophobic memories of their youth.
The convor on Luke's shoulder had turned to stare at him with green eyes.
Rex narrowed his gaze on the little bird, Morai.
He blinked at it. Morai? The bird Ahsoka brought back with her to Coruscant when we arrived to 'rescue' her from the Trandoshan hunters? How did it find itself here?
The bird chirped at him, and some of Rex's tension eased away.
Until one of the palace slaves, a twi'lek with yellow skin, attacked Miraj with a serving knife.
Luke caught the slave's wrist, effectively stopping the assassination attempt.
A shame really, but they needed Marij alive.
The young woman jerked back from him and ran to the balcony.
"She will need to be processed," Marij sighed.
"No," the girl screamed, "Never again!"
She turned, as if she meant to throw herself off the ledge.
But Luke caught her wrist, yanking her back down to safety. "Your life is not yours to end, slave," he snarled.
Miraj seemed to purr with satisfaction, draping herself over Luke's arm, "Oh, you do prove yourself to be ever so useful, Luke Organa."
Luke turned to the queen with a quiet smile, he stroked her cheek, "You have no idea how useful I can be."
Rex hadn't pegged Luke for a good actor, but as they watched the slave girl get pulled away, screaming as she went, Rex knew his General would remember her.
Luke had, after all, memorized and done his best to get to know thousands of clones with near identical faces and voices.
Wait, Rex wanted to console the crying woman, wait just a bit longer, and we will save you.
It was a promise he wouldn't have been comfortable making, not even silently, if he had been with anyone but General Skywalker.
The convo, Morai, sang a pretty song, then flew off in the direction of the sun. Rex tried to track the creature, but in the brief moment it took him to blink the spots from his eyes, the bird had vanished from view.
Luke was growing more furious by the second, as Miraj led them to her private viewing section, he was finally at peace with the plan he had devised.
The Queen held her hands out with great drama, her golden bangles clicking together.
Luke had grown up on Tatooine, slavery was nothing new to him even if his Uncle Owen had kept him away from the auctions. But he had never imagined anything like this. Somehow, the gilded exterior of the cruelty was worse than the Hutts' open debauchery. Though he was sure the exterior didn't make much of a difference to the slaves.
Luke glanced at Rex, who gave the slightest of nods in turn.
His men were in position around the stadium. They hadn't brought in too many men, after all, impersonating guards was one thing, but get enough clones together and someone is going to wisen up to seeing a single face in multiples even if they were wearing helmets.
Luke had wanted to ask if Rex was okay. Luke had felt the despair come over Rex, how still he had gone, when Miraj examined him.
"Let the auction begin!" Miraj announced.
Luke stepped to her side, "I have a proposition for you, Queen of Slaves?"
She turned to him flirtatiously, "Oh, and what is that?"
He grabbed her by the throat, his hand large enough that he probably could have snapped her neck without the Force's help.
Luke had never been this big of man in his own life.
He squeezed down, "Surrender, and I won't kill you."
The guards had their weapons trailed on them, and his image of choking her was shown on every screen, screams echoing around the plaza.
Luke opened himself up to the Force, and nearly gasped when he felt the ebb and flow of the Force respond to his anger.
He thought the Dark Side would make him clumsy, but it didn't.
It made him stronger.
"What do you want?" Miraj snarled at him, voice strained as she fought for breath.
"Want? Slaves, of course, why else would I come to this pathetic planet? And when I met you, well, I thought to myself, why buy what I can simply take?"
Her eyes went wide, "You're going to free the slaves."
He smiled at her, his power building like a maelstrom inside of him. He knew he should be feeding his emotions back to the Force, trying to release his anger and be at peace, but he needed this power. They were badly outnumbered, and honestly, he didn't know if he could do what he had set out to do with a clear head.
So he ignored Obi-Wan and Yoda's warnings, he gave into his anger, his rage at the evilness about him.
Miraj must have seen the change in his face because she began to struggle, "We will kill-"
He tightened his fist, and she mouthed at the air, trying to force breath into her lungs, her hands weakling clawing at his wrist.
A lot of good that would do her, the hand wasn't real. "You misunderstand me, Queen of Slaves, I mean to enslave you all."
A large boom went off and a plume of smoke rose in the distance, his troops destroying the ships to prevent these slavers from escaping.
He eased off her throat, and she gasped in a breath, her second breath was a command, "Fi-re."
Luke snapped the guards' neck with sickening ease.
He threw Miraj at Rex who pinned her to the ground, a stolen weapon in his hand, he pressed the barrel to the back of her head as she struggled on the ground.
Luke felt that his smile was awful as looked down at the defeated queen, power wreathing him like a warm wind, "Slavery, you told me, is the natural order of things. The weak deserve nothing more than to kneel before the strong, bound to service."
Rex jabbed the blaster into the side of her head, "And I think it is time you learn just how weak you are."
His father's voice echoed in his mind: Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear... now release your anger.
More guards came, and Luke killed them, too.
And the Zygerria he killed weren't droids, their every death he felt flutter into the Force, the life essence dissolving away.
He hated it. He had killed people before, but he had done so with blasters, ships, and lightsabers, he…
He remembered the release of life that had come from his blowing up the Death Star.
What he did now, jumping into the plaza to brutally cut down every fool that would try to fight back, this was so much more intimate. He didn't use his lightsaber, though R2 was carrying it, he didn't want this recorded and for the symbol of a non-red bladed saber to be used to intimate the very people he was trying to rescue. Not that his snapping spines and tossing people into walls was any less terrifying.
His hatred for the Zygerria and the slavers who had come to this auction of life turned to self-hatred.
How could he be enjoying this?
Was it really justified?
They were evil.
Just like the Empire.
Luke was lucky the Zygerria had taken to running by the time he came to that conclusion. As he dragged himself back from the darker side of the Force.
Only your hatred can destroy me.
"No," Luke said out loud, as he signalled to R2, who tossed him his lightsaber just as the steadfast droid had on Tatooine.
And as he ran through the slave quarters, slicing through any Zygerria who raised a weapon, and throwing anyone who surrendered into a cell.
He also killed more than Zygerria. Two Hutts died under the green swipe of his lightsaber, as did several finely dressed sneering self-proclaimed lords. They would never return home.
Luke was glad of it.
Luke lost track of time, and by the time he met back up with Rex he wasn't sure what he had done, how many he had killed or spared.
Didn't know if the battles he waged against the Zygerria was a tenth as difficult as the war going on with himself.
Is the Dark Side stronger?
No, quicker, easier, more seductive.
But how am I to know the good side from the bad? He had asked.
Yoda's answer had been certain, You will know. When you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defence, never for attack.
Yet Yoda had sent him to face Vader and the Emperor with the intention to kill them.
Luke felt utterly lost now. He hadn't fallen, but he had been using both the Dark and Light this day, he had attacked, he had killed with the Force.
And the Force didn't feel displeased with him, the Force felt as if it wanted another go.
He wondered what Leia would have made of that.
Luke looked up to the sky, and smiled when he saw the Star Destroyers enter orbit.
And then he laughed at his own thoughts, Oh, how times have changed.
He laughed harder, literally.
The laughter was part hysterical and part relief, Obi-Wan had finally caught up to them.
Cody's first reaction to being told Luke Skywalker's plan when he landed was: That's insane.
His second reaction: How can we help?
So they had taken the city, and the 'processing centre.'
General Skywalker, given the unexpected extra manpower of an entire Corps, had them do a complete sweep through of that facility checking for any lifeform before dropping it in the crater it had been suspended above.
They had all the Zygerria citizens huddled in large ray shield pens, separated between men, women, and children. Among the men and women had been shoved the buyers who had travelled from around the galaxy to participate in this cruelty.
They looked shell shocked and terrified. The people who had been actual slaves looked more defeated than afraid. Of course, the slavers had known their own crimes and were faced with the unimaginable fate of experiencing it themselves, while the slaves had already faced it.
"What are you going to do with us?" Miraj, the once queen asked Luke as he tried communicating to all the slaves they needed to separate themselves by where they wanted to return to, whether that be their home worlds, or somewhere they thought they could make a life for themselves.
Luke turned to her with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "Oh, I can tell you, once you tell me where the slave chip devices are being kept."
Miraj snarled at him, "We don't use slave chips, fool, what good is blowing up our own merchandise. That's what the training centre, that you just blew up, was for. We aren't barbarians like the Hutts."
Cody shook his head, "You're still a filthy slaver."
The Zygerria glowered at him with golden eyes, "Aren't you enslaving us?"
Luke grinned, "Nope."
She blinked at him, as did the actual slaves standing in loose lines in the grounds outside the city, "What?"
"You had the right of it in the beginning," he said cheerfully, "We came here to free the slaves."
"But- You!" she exclaimed, before screaming, "You killed my people! Jedi scum!"
Luke raised a finger, "I didn't kill all of your people, just the ones who didn't surrender. Also, technically, not a Jedi, we're the Rebel Alliance. And we did this because if we had asked nicely you would have killed all these kind people, and I think they've been through enough, don't you?"
Miraj screamed, the ray barrier the only thing keeping her from charging the General, "I will hunt you! Do you hear me!? I. Will. Hunt. You!"
Cody watched as Luke's words swept through the crowd.
Luke shrugged, completely unconcerned. "I've made worse enemies."
That got a few laughs from the troops.
They passed water and some food rations in for the Zygerria children, but the adults were left to wait out the afternoon. The children seemed terrified, doubtless many had lost parents today, but as the remaining parents tried to comfort them, they didn't react like children Cody had seen in other warzones.
The thing about raising your children in luxury while exposing them to the violence of slavery, was that it seemed to dull the compassion in them. Not that they didn't grieve, but the violence around them this day wasn't wholly novel. And while General Skywalker and their troops had killed people, no one was being tortured.
Despite the tantrums, the Zygerria adults were displaying.
It took hours to get the freed-slaves separated onto transports that could take them back to their homes and destinations. When it had sunk in that they were truly being freed, there were many tears and much rejoicing. Blessings were thrown toward the Jedi, the Rebels, and the clones.
It warmed Cody's heart.
This is what they were meant for, this was their duty in this life. To serve these people, to help make the galaxy a better, brighter place.
Cody watched Skywalker stop before a group of twi'lek slaves. He bowed to one female as if he were apologizing to her, she let out a sob and hugged him, kissing his cheek, before grabbing her friend's hand running onto the transport waiting for them.
Cody felt good about this in a way he hadn't quite throughout the civil war. "General Skywalker," he greeted.
"Commander Cody," Luke greeted back just as warmly, Rex at his side, "Where are Obi-Wan and Ahsoka?"
"Mandalore," Cody replied. "An old friend of the General's needed help."
Luke blinked at him with Anakin's face. Cody watched some hope die in his expression, "Oh. I thought he would be here."
Cody put a hand on his shoulder, "He will be. We've been searching the galaxy for you."
Luke nodded, but his gaze had gone distant.
"Are you alright, Sir?" Cody asked, lowering his hand.
Rex was shaking his head, telling him not to speak, but the words were already out, and Luke seemed to retreat further into himself.
"Yes, I'm alright."
Cody crossed her arms, "I don't need the Force to help know you're lying, Skywalker."
The time traveller's blue eyes sharpened on him, but Luke wasn't speaking to him, "Rex, I need to do something."
Rex narrowed his eyes on his General, "What, exactly?"
Luke turned to the only clone on-world who wasn't wearing armour, "Do you trust me?"
Rex still looked suspicious, but he nodded.
"I have to go, and I'm taking R2 with me."
"Luke," Rex warned.
"Trust me."
"With my life," Rex answered.
Luke smiled, "May the Force be with you."
"Don't die," Rex returned.
Cody shook his head, "No, wait, where are you going?"
Rex touched his shoulder, "Let him go."
Cody glared at his brother, but let Skywalker go.
Obi-Wan was probably going to kill him, but he wasn't really sure how he was supposed to stop a Jedi anyway.
Cody looked at Rex, and there was something different about him, more than the lack of armour. "Are you alright?"
Rex was quiet for a long moment, before he asked, "Cody were we slaves?"
"No," Cody replied at once, his mind spinning over the question.
They had been sold, hadn't they?
"No," Cody said more firmly, "We left. Slaves can't just leave."
Rex was silent for a long time, and Cody fought with his conditioning and reason.
Maybe they had been.
"We aren't now," Cody said, finally. "We aren't now."
Rex looked at him, "Without the Kimanoins, we wouldn't exist. Nor without this war, nor without the Sith. But I-"
"I know, and I spoke with Wolffe. They are going to Kaminoin to stop the cloning, well, stop armies being produced anyway."
Rex stared at him, "What?"
"Wolffe was promoted to High General Wolffe Koon, he was given a seat on the Jedi High Council and everything. Apparently it was General Windu's idea. He asked the clone officers what they wanted to happen to Kaminoin, and our brothers voted to shut the larger facilities down."
Rex looked shaken, "What?"
Cody holstered his blaster, "We are all free, Rex, those of us in the Rebellion, those of us who remained in the Republic. The Jedi made our brothers into a Jedi Service Corps, the Defence Corps. We are citizens."
Rex was speechless and seemed about ready to cry.
Cody pulled him into a hug, "The galaxy is changing, brother, for the better."
Rex held him tight, and if he cried, Cody would never tell.
AN: If you're enjoying my story please take a moment to drop a review?