It's been a hot minute...school is absolutely CRAZY, but I think things are (maybe) calming down.
To The-Book-Goblin: Hm, thank for you bringing this to my attention - my writing certainly makes it sound that way, though it was not my intention. To clarify, Motiens are a hyper-emotional, highly-intelligent/hardworking species. Given that, emotion and curiosity are common traits among Motiens. As for Force-sensitivity, I'm not saying that all Motiens are Force-Sensitive, they're just slightly more likely to be (sort of like the Miraluka). Veers, and the Motien Jedi before her, are definitely more Force-sensitive than the average Motien (most I would compare to Chirrut, maybe).
Veers's traits that Motiens don't share/are hers alone, I guess I haven't underlined as much. Two big ones are her recklessness and impatience. But anyways, thank you again for bringing this to my attention - I will definitely keep it in mind going forwards :)
To LukeKaiBlake: Thank you! And if you did draw her (no pressure to if you changed your mind tho) I'd love to see it!
To Austrian: Thank you! Sorry for the long wait!
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.
Images of her war-stricken people plagued Veers. She looked around, horrified. How had the Jedi Order let the situation on Motia get this bad? More importantly, how had Veers herself let it get this bad? She was a Jedi, yes, but she was a princess of Motia and a servant to her people first.
"Veers." Someone whispered her name. The Motien turned her head. Tayo was standing next to her. It was his Force-sensitivity, coupled with their emotional attachment, that allowed them this connection. He had found her. Tayo beckoned her. "Come with me."
The images of her peoples' strife disappeared as Veers focused on Tayo. The Force linked them together, and the scene around her shifted to where Tayo was at the present moment.
Veers recognized the room as her mother's quarters immediately. Her heart pounded with fear as she moved closer towards the bed.
Queen Atla was lying still, her eyes closed. The rise and fall of her chese was faint, and her ira marks were terrifyingly pale, nearly translucent. Veers's throat closed up, and she instinctively reached a hand outward.
She couldn't touch her mother; she wasn't there in corporeal form. Veers tore her eyes away from the woman and turned to Tayo. "How long?" Veers whispered.
"I'm not sure," Tayo replied, his voice heavy. He looked at Veers beseechingly. "Come home. At least to say good-bye." Veers blinked rapidly. She wanted to – more than anything, she wanted to. It pained her to think that it would be the first – and last – time she would ever see her mother.
But even that couldn't happen – the Jedi Council would never allow it. Already, Veers felt like she was betraying the code. She swallowed hard. "I – I have to go." Tayo looked up, alarmed.
"Veers – " he began.
The Motien blinked her eyes opening as she let her concentration dissolve. The images of Tayo and her mother faded, and she was once again alone in her quarters. Veers slumped against the metal wall of her dorm; the corners of her lips turned down despondently.
She felt conflicted. She wasn't sure if she should tell Obi-Wan about her visions her or not.
Veers felt a sudden, potent longing for Rizak. Had he still been her teacher, she would have told him without a second thought. But Veers had no idea how Obi-Wan would react to Veers's fierce longing to return home, a desire that went against the Jedi Code in so many ways.
A loud knocking on the door startled Veers. She stood up hastily, scrambling over to the other side of the room to open the door. She hit the button on the side, and Ahsoka stared back at her.
"Master Obi-Wan sent me to – are you okay?" Ahsoka asked apprehensively. Veers glanced to the side, catching sight of her reflection in the glass windows of the hallway. Although not strictly forbidden, mirrors were uncommon in the rooms of Padawans, as vanity was discouraged. They were typically found only in the shared freshers down the hall.
Given the lack of reflective surface, Veers had had no idea what she currently looked like. As she studied her face in the glass window, she winced. Her ira marks were bright magenta, as dark as they'd ever been with a mix of fear, anxiety, guilt, and indecision. They pulsated conspicuously, starkly obvious against her pale skin. Her hair, falling out of the two buns she kept it piled into, looked tangled and unkempt.
Veers groaned, her hands flying to her hair. She undid the leather bands that kept her locks in place, desperately running her fingers through the knots.
"Am I late for something?" she asked Ahsoka warily. Obi-Wan was somewhat strict about appearances and given that Veers had been in the Temple for an extended period of time, she had no excuse for looking disheveled. Ahsoka shook her head.
"No – I need to clean up as well. I'll catch you up on the way." Veers breathed a silent sigh of relief, grateful for her friend. As the two girls walked down the hall to the refresher, Ahsoka told Veers what had happened.
Anakin and Ahsoka had lost Bane – they'd thought he had died on the ship, but he had been impersonating a trooper and managed to escape when they boarded the Resolute. Anakin had been coerced into opening the holocron for Bane under the threat of Ahsoka's death, and now Bane had the locations of the future members of the Jedi Order.
"Our Masters are trying to find which children he is targeting," Ahsoka said seriously. Veers listened intently as she combed out her damp hair, separating the dark brown locks into three sections. As usual, she twisted the two largest sections into buns on the top of her head, and then braided the last, much smaller, section into a skinny tail that hung behind her ear. The simple action of braiding her now clean hair was soothing, and she felt herself relaxing as she did so.
Watching her friend do her hair, Ahsoka self-consciously reached up to touch the back of her head. Veers tracked Ahsoka's motion, and her eyes widened in surprise.
"What happened to your braid?" Veers asked. Though Ahsoka had no hair, she always wore a braid of silka beads to mark her status as a Jedi Padawan. Ahsoka's face clouded.
"Bane took it," she muttered. Veers grimaced sympathetically. The braid was a source of pride for a Padawan. To lose it, especially to an enemy, felt dishonorable.
After washing and putting on a clean uniform, Veers felt much calmer. Her ira marks had paled slightly, reflecting that. Ahsoka changed clothes as well, taking off the long-sleeved shirt she'd been wearing to combat the chill of space and putting back on her usual clothing. Ahsoka appraised Veers.
"You look better," the Togrutan female said, putting emphasis on the word look."Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Veers considered.
"Not yet," she said at last, with a slow exhale. Ahsoka shrugged slowly, not wanting to push her friend. The two Padawans left the dormitory, heading back to the main part of the Temple to meet their instructors.
Obi-Wan and Anakin were waiting for them.
"Veers," Obi-Wan said. "We are off to Rodia." The Motien blinked, a little surprised.
"Yes, Master," she replied obediently, nodding a good-bye at Anakin and Ahsoka and following Obi-Wan through the Temple. She fiddled with the cuff around her wrist absent-mindedly, a nervous habit of hers. The action that did not go unnoticed by Obi-Wan. He eyed his Padawan suspiciously.
"Veers," he said sternly. "You understand the severity of this situation." She nodded. "We will be taking our starfighters to Rodia," he continued. "I need your head in this mission completely, or else you should stay behind." Veers started.
"I'm fine, Master," she said as reassuringly as possible. "I promise." Obi-Wan didn't answer, but he didn't send her away either. The two Jedi reached the hangar. Obi-Wan had clearly called ahead, as some of the Temple workers were prepping their starfighters.
Before heading over to her ship, Veers walked over to the astromech station. Obi-Wan quickly found his droid, R4-P17. He turned the astromech on and she woke up with a whir. Veers looked at the line of droids absently.
As with all Jedi Padawan, Veers had learned to pilot a starfighter early on, but it was never something she had particularly excelled at. Veers wasn't a bad pilot by any means, but she didn't care for it as much as some of her fellow trainees did. As such, she'd never felt the need to rely on a singular astromech droid as many Jedi were apt to do, and usually just borrowed one from the Temple.
She scanned the line of droids – she typically preferred R4 units. However, her search stopped as her gaze fell on a droid she hadn't seen in a while, and a sad smile curved onto her lips.
Rizak, a brilliant pilot, had had an astromech companion: R3-K8, whom Rizak had nicknamed "Bait" given the droid's propensity for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and attracting attention from the enemy.
Rizak had often scolded the droid for getting in the way, but both Veers and R3-K8 knew that Rizak had indeed been fond of the astromech. After all, there had been a more than a few unfortunate incidents that resulted in Rizak having to rebuild it – and yet he included the exact same programming.
"Hey, Bait," Veers murmured, mostly to herself. She placed her hand on the translucent dome of the droid. The astromech had a matte black body with bright green markings, and a clear head that showed the inner mechanics of the dome. Veers disconnected it from the power source and turned the droid on.
R3-K8 came on with a whir, the red light of its sensor flicking on. The droid swiveled its head around and caught sight of Veers. The droid let out an excited beep, rolling over to the Padawan. It paused in front of her, beeping sadly.
"I know," Veers said in response with a sigh, rubbing the droid's dome. "I miss him, too. You feel like helping me?" R3-K8 beeped affirmatively, rolling out ahead of Veers and leading the way over to her starfighter. The Motien laughed.
One of the workers helped get R3-K8 mounted on the ship, and Veers climbed the ladder to lower herself into her seat. The ship closed over her head, and she put her headset on, connecting to the same channel that Obi-Wan had.
"Veers, do you copy?"
"I copy, Master," Veers responded, placing her hands on the controls. "I'm ready."
There was a loud whir as their starfighters began to power up. Veers powered on the thrusters, her eyes narrowed in concentration as ship rose into the air. It had been a while, and she was relieved to see that she hadn't forgetten how to fly. Veers followed Obi-Wan out of the hangar doors. They flew over Coruscant's skyline, high enough above the traffic that they wouldn't disrupt the flow.
Veers was glad that they were flying themselves. Since piloting a ship was not an area of expertise for her, she had to focus on it solely. There was no room left in her thoughts for stewing over Motia or her mother's condition.
Obi-Wan and Veers carefully maneuvered their ships into the hyperspace transport rings. "Bait, lock us in," Veers said, glancing on both sides to make sure she had enough space. R3-K8 beeped affirmatively, taking control of the hyperspace ring and joining it to Veers ship.
"Prepare to jump to hyperspace," Obi-Wan ordered his Padawan, flying out slightly in front of her.
"I'm ready," Veers replied, switching on the controls. Obi-Wan didn't respond verbally, but his ship disappeared ahead of her. Once Obi-Wan had jumped to hyperspace, Veers prepped her ship. She could hear the whir of the starfighter as it stored power to prepare for lightspeed.
After a moment, the ship picked up speed rapidly, leaving Coruscant far behind. Veers turned her radar on, scanning the screen to make sure she didn't stray off-course. It didn't take her long to reach Rodia, and she exited hyperspace.
Obi-Wan had detached from his transport ring, and Veers flicked the control to do the same. The two Jedi left the rings floating behind them as they descended through the atmosphere and landed on the planet's surface.
Veers hopped out of her starfighter, following Obi-Wan through the crowd. He seemed to know where he was going, and she made sure to stick closely to her instructor.
After winding through the city for a few moments, Obi-Wan paused in front of a house. He knocked on the door, leaning against it impatiently. After a moment, the door slid open a crack. A Rodian woman peered out, her gaze hostile. It was Mahtee Dunn, the mother of Wee Dunn.
"If you're looking for my son, Jedi," the woman spat. "He's not here."
"Where is he?" Obi-Wan demanded urgently, leaning forward. The door was already sliding shut once more. Veers leaned closer, hearing the crying of a child. She exchanged a glance with Obi-Wan, and it was clear her teacher had heard the same thing. "Open the door!"
When the woman didn't comply, Obi-Wan took a step back, using the Force to slide the door open. He walked into the house, looking around. Veers hung back, and her ira marks pulsed in shock as she realized that the Rodian was pointing a blaster at Obi-Wan.
"Master!" she cried out. Obi-Wan saw the blaster at the same time she did and paused.
"You'll never get him!" the Rodian cried, her voice shaking. Veers noticed with a start that her eyes seemed distant, like she was dazed. Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed, and he waved a hand through the air.
"Where is the bounty hunter?" he demanded. Mahtee blinked slowly, her eyes clearing. The blaster fell to her side as she touched her head.
"Bounty hunter?" she repeated, confusion coloring her voice. "He…was a Jedi." Obi-Wan frowned in disapproval, pulling the blaster towards him with the Force.
"Jedi do not carry blasters." Mahtee gazeed off into the distance, her error becoming clear to her.
"What have I done?" the woman whispered, distraught. Veers took a step forward into the house. As the sound of a child crying reached her ears, she glanced to the side.
Bane was standing there, dressed in a Jedi cloak. He had the child in his arms. As Veers made eye-contact with him, he smirked and pressed a button on his gauntlet. Small jets turned on the bottom of his boots, making him hover in the air.
Without thinking, Veers charged at him.
"Veers!" Obi-Wan shouted as Bane took off, using the blasters on his shoes to fly through the air. "Veers!"
As usual, she ignored him. She leapt after Bane, wrapping her hands around one of his ankles. The fire coming from the bottom of his boots singed her wrists through her sleeves, and she grimaced.
Bane snarled at her in irritation, struggling to shake her loose. The added weight of a nearly full grown Motien significantly slowed his ascent. Still, the bounty hunter made it to the nearby rooftop, kicking Veers to the ground as he landed and raced for his ship.
Veers landed in a crouch and sprang up in a single movement. She ran at the starfighter, leaping onto the top of the ship. Her fingers caught fruitlessly at the edge of the cockpit's glass cover, but she was too late to stop it from closing.
Bane piloted his starfighter into the air, and Veers hung on stubbornly, her ira marks showing her indignation. There was a familiar whistle – Bane was entering hyperspace, a daring feat considering how low to ground they were.
"Veers, let go!" Obi-Wan's order came from below her.
Veers grit her teeth stubbornly, disobeying. She struggled to get a better grip on the starfighter as she fumbled for her lightsaber, wondering faintly if she could destroy the hyperdrive.
"Veers!"
Whipping her head around, Veers glared down at the ground resentfully. She loosened her grip, twisting through the air to land on the ground in a neat crouch. No sooner than had she stood up did the starfighter jump into hyperspace, disappearing within seconds.
Obi-Wan stepped up to his Padawan. Her ira marks were high in color, indicating her mood. Obi-Wan felt just as frustrated as she, but he was also disappointed in her actions. As usual, she had leapt headfirst into her plan without a moment's thought. But this recklessness felt different to Obi-Wan – less poorly-thought out and more destructive.
First her distraction at the Temple, now this. He shook his head.
"Veers," Obi-Wan scolded her, his tone severe. "How many times have I told you – "
"I had him!" she snapped, rounding on her instructor. Her ira marks flared, first with her anger and then her embarrassment as her reaction caught up to her. The impudent words had left her mouth before she'd fully processed them.
Obi-Wan fell silent, staring at his Padawan in disbelief. Veers liked to push back at times, but she was never blatantly disrespectful. She shied away from his shocked gaze, ducking her head in shame. "I – sorry, Master," she mumbled, her bravado gone. Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Let's go."
Veers leaned against her starfighter, twisting the cuff around her wrist absent-mindedly. She felt ashamed of her outburst at Obi-Wan and knew full-well that it had been uncalled for and disrespectful. Her ira marks flickered with guilt at the memory.
Obi-Wan had sent Veers back to the starfighters to wait for him. He returned to speak with Wee Dunn's mother to try and gain any information she might have about Cad Bane. Veers knew it was fruitless – not only was Bane too careful, but Mahtee Dunn was too distraught to be of any help.
Veers cringed again, recalling Obi-Wan's anger towards her.
"Go wait at the fighters," Obi-Wan ordered his Padawan. "I'll be there shortly."
"What are you going to do?" Veers asked quietly, her gaze focused on the ground.
"I'm going to speak with Mahtee Dunn," he replied. "She may know something." As they walked closer to the house, Veers could hear the broken sobs coming from inside the hut. She winced sympathetically, her ira marks flaring in reaction to the raw emotion flowing off the woman.
"I can help you," she offered, eager to appease her error. "Calm her down – "
"No, Veers," Obi-Wan replied curtly. "Do as I say."
Next to Veers, R4-P17 let out a series of beeps. Veers turned around, recognizing that the droid was attempting to get her attention. Once she'd turned, the droid played a transmission. A hologram of Anakin and Ahsoka appeared in front of Veers.
"Master, we've – Veers?" Anakin's voice was colored in surprise when he realized Obi-Wan wasn't the one answering his call. He assessed Veers, taking in her despondent face, and assumed the worst. "Is Obi-Wan alright?" Anakin asked urgently.
"Oh – yes," Veers responded quickly. "He's questioning Mahtee Dunn." Veers looked away, unable to meet the other Jedi's eye. "I, uh. I lost Bane. And the child." Ahsoka looked at her friend sympathetically.
"We'll find the children," Anakin reassured the younger Jedi. "Ahsoka and I have Bane. We're rendezvousing with Master Windu onboard the cruiser." Veers nodded.
"I'll let Master Kenobi know," she replied. Anakin dipped his head in gratitude, and the hologram vanished. Behind her, Veers could hear footsteps approaching. She turned around to see Obi-Wan heading towards her.
"Master Skywalker and Ahsoka caught Bane," she told Obi-Wan. The Jedi Master let out a sigh of relief.
"Good," he replied. "Let's go." Veers climbed into her starfighter, switching the engine back on. R3-K8 turned around, beeping at Veers in a worried manner. The Padawan ducked her head.
"I'm fine," she muttered, embarrassed. She let out a deep sigh. "Let's just get out of here."
Veers piloted her starfighter off of the landing platform, following Obi-Wan back through the atmosphere and into deep space. The two Jedi picked up their hyperspace rings and plotted the course for Master Windu's cruiser. "Bait, plot an intercept," Veers requested her droid co-pilot.
The astromech beeped affirmatively, plugging the coordinates of Master Windu's cruiser into the starfighter's system. The droid's mechanics ran the numbers and then spat out an intercept range through hyperspace. Veers plugged it in to her navigation system.
"Ready, Master," Veers said.
"Good." Obi-Wan's starfighter made the jump to hyperspace, and Veers followed closely behind. It only took a few moments for them to reach the cruiser, and the two fighters exited hyperspace. Obi-Wan had called ahead to tell Master Windu they were on their way, so the hangar doors opened for them as the two Jedi flew closer.
Anakin and Ahsoka had beaten them there. When Veers and Obi-Wan stepped out of their starfighters, the two other Jedi were shepherding a handcuffed Bane out of the hangar. Master Windu stood aside, watching Bane coldly.
"Kenobi," the elder Master greeted Obi-Wan as he and Veers walked up. "Bane took Wee Dun?" Veers hung her head, expecting Obi-Wan to inform Master Windu of her behavior. To her surprise, Obi-Wan left the details out.
"Most unfortunately so," Obi-Wan agreed. He nodded after Bane. "Has he said anything?" Veers blinked in surprise, her ira marks flickering. She let out a silent breath, her shoulders relaxing ever-so-slightly.
"Not yet," Master Windu replied. "That's our job." Obi-Wan nodded, and Master Windu walked away, Obi-Wan and Veers following. As soon as the elder Jedi was out of earshot, Veers turned towards her instructor.
"Master?" she asked quietly. Obi-Wan glanced at his Padawan expectantly. "Does this mean you aren't going to tell the Council?" She spoke timidly, concerned that Master Windu would overhear, but she was too curious and wary of his answer to not ask. Obi-Wan paused, and Veers stopped as well.
"No," he said finally. Veers's shoulders slumped, and Obi-Wan continued. "Not yet." He turned around, continuing back down the hallway. She walked after him, and Obi-Wan spoke, "You cannot dwell on your mistakes, young one," he told her. "Focus on the task at hand. We will speak later."
"Yes, Master," Veers mumbled.
When the two Jedi caught up to Master Windu, Anakin and Ahsoka were departing from the cell and heading back the way they'd come from, towards the hangar. As they passed each other, Ahsoka shot her fellow Padawan a look. Her forehead creased in concern at Veers's unhappy expression and bright ira marks.
'Everything okay?' Ahsoka mouthed at her friend. Veers shrugged, and Ahsoka smiled sympathetically at her friend.
"Veers." The Motien snapped her head back to face her instructor. Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest. "Master Windu and I will be interrogating Bane. You are not to speak to him, do you understand?" Veers nodded hastily, once again fiddling with the cuff on her wrist. Recognizing his Padawan's nervous habit, Obi-Wan's face softened slightly.
"This is not a punishment," he clarified. "I need you to observe him. Use your senses – be astute. Don't be distracted by asking him questions. Master Windu and I will handle that."
Veers nodded again and followed Obi-Wan and Master Windu towards the interrogation room. The laser screen door turned off, and the three Jedi walked into the cell. The door reactivated behing them with a hiss.
As she'd been instructed, Veers stood silently by the door, observing. The two Jedi Masters walked farther into the cell, pacing around Bane in an intimidating manner. Veers focused her eyes on the bounty hunter.
It was a struggle to focus on Bane and not remember her mistake. Still, she honed her senses into the Force and –
"Veers! Are you back?"
Veers blinked, grimacing as she broke the connection with Tayo. Even as the connection broke, she could sense his frustration with her for a beat longer. It was getting stronger, and she didn't know why.
But she did know she couldn't use the Force, not without getting distracted by her friend. Which was frustrating - she felt blind without the Force. Frustrated, Veers glared at the ground, baring her sharp teeth at an unseen enemy.
"We know you have taken at least two children," Obi-Wan said to Bane. His tone was ominous, threatening, and Veers looked back up. "Where are they?"
"Beyond your reach," Bane growled in response. Master Windu had been circling the table, and he came to a stop at Bane's side. The bounty hunter kept his gaze forward, feigning indifference.
"Who are you working for?" The Jedi Master demanded. Bane's voice was cold.
"I work alone."
Veers arched an eyebrow. The statement was uncharacteristic of a bounty hunter, a clear lie. All bounty hunters cared about was money; it was unlikely that Bane had decided to steal Jedi children for the fun of it.
Obi-Wan frowned, straightening up. Bane didn't move, keeping his fingers laced coolly together in front of him. His movements were still, and his body language betrayed no emotion.
"It's only a matter of time before we locate the holocron," Obi-Wan reminded Bane. "Make it easier on yourself." Bane scoffed, the sound short and mocking.
"What are you going to do, Jedi? Torture me?" He seemed almost amused by this prospect.
Veers frowned. She sensed something beneath his carefully constructed mask. Motiens were more sensitive to the emotions of others, and she channeled her concentration. To her relief and surprise, no vision of Tayo appeared. Veers quickly realized it was because she wasn't tapping into the Force. She was using her natural Motien ability.
Bane's emotion became clear to Veers, and her ira marks flickered in response to her surprise.
"He's afraid," Veers murmured, almost reflexively. Obi-Wan and Windu's eyes snapped to her, and she lowered her head in embarrassment, remembering Obi-Wan's order.
"Afraid of whom?" Windu asked the Padawan. She looked up in surprise. She'd expected to be chastised for her interruption. Obi-Wan gave his Padawan a reassuring nod, and she blinked, re-focusing. There was a beat, and then she shook her head in confusion.
"Not of us." Windu and Obi-Wan exchanged a look, putting the pieces together.
"Hm," Windu said, not turning to look at Bane. "It seems that the fear of whoever you work for outweighs your fear of us."
Veers watched Bane closely. Sure enough, his physical façade dropped at Windu's words. The bounty hunter's face went slack with surprise, and his shoulders tensed up briefly. His body language confirmed Windu's assumption.
"This conversation is over," Bane hissed lowly, turning away. He leaned back in his chair, casting his face into the shadows of the room. Veers watched him closely, the darkness not quite enough to obscure the sudden tension in his posture.
To Veers's surprise, the Jedi Masters obeyed Bane. She followed them out of the small cell, glancing behind her curiously. Bane was certainly on edge now, but he still wasn't willing to talk.
Who was he working for?
Approaching footsteps made Veers break away from her thoughts. She turned back around. Anakin and Ahsoka were walking through the door opposite Veers and the Jedi Masters.
"Skywalker," Master Windu greeted the Jedi Knight. "I hope you have some good news." Anakin grimaced in response.
"We tore the ship apart," he said with a regretful shake of his head. Now Veers understood why they'd returned to the hangar - they'd been searching Bane's ship. "No sign of the holocron – or the kids." Windu frowned. It was surprising that Bane had managed to leave the children somewhere without being noticed within the short amount of time.
"Did you check the ships navigation records?" Windu asked, glancing at Ahsoka. The Padawan straightened up.
"They were wiped clean before he landed on Naboo," she replied. In other words, they were at a dead end. Anakin turned towards the cell, looking at their prisoner appraisingly.
"We'll just have to use the Force to make him talk," Anakin said. Veers frowned.
"He wasn't exactly in a…conversational mood," she murmured. "He's not just scared, he's proud. That's not exactly an easy combination to break." Ahsoka rubbed her chin thoughtfully, considering Veers's words.
"Maybe if we all concentrated on his mind together?" She ventured. Obi-Wan frowned, turning away slightly as he considered this. It could work, but…
"Using the Force to compel a strong mind to cooperate is…risky." Master Windu nodded in agreement.
"There is a danger that his mind would be destroyed in the process." Anakin shrugged. Despite this warning, his eyes were bright and unbothered. If anything, he looked enthused at the prospect of getting information, no matter the cost.
"Well," he pointed out. "Do we have another choice?"
Master Windu and Obi-Wan exchanged a glance. The elder Jedi Master nodded slightly, agreeing to the plan, and Obi-Wan sighed. The three Jedi walked back into the cell, the two Padawans trailing after their Masters quietly.
Ahsoka and Veers stood in the back of the cell. Neither of them were experienced enough to significantly contribute to the interrogation, but like before they were meant to observe.
Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Windu fanned out in a line in front of Bane. He eyed them suspiciously, and Anakin put his hand out.
"You will take us to the holocron," the Jedi Knight commanded the bounty hunter. As she studied him, Veers felt the rush of glee surge through Bane, and the man smiled mockingly.
"Jedi mind tricks don't work on me," he growled. Obi-Wan put his hand up as well, and he and Anakin spoke together.
"You will take us to the holocron." Veers blinked in surprise, a feeling of unease growing in her. Despite not being on the receiving end, she could feel the strength of the Force. Could Bane really resist?
The bounty hunter hesitated, swaying for a moment. Then, leaning back, "Forget it!"
"You will take us to the holocron." Now Master Windu added his persuasion to the mix. Bane began to hyperventilate, his anxiety becoming clear. He whipped his head back and forth as though trying to shake them from his mind physically.
"No," he gasped.
"And you will take us now!" Master Windu's voice echoed through the Force. Bane went still, his pupiless red eyes glazing over.
"I will take you…" Bane began to repeat absent-mindedly. Then his expression cleared. "No!" He shouted. "Get out of my head!"
The Duros began to scream wordlessly, thrashing back and forth in his chair. Veers flinched back, and she and Ahsoka exchanged a look of wide-eyed horror. The bounty hunter wailed again, and the three Jedi simultaneously dropped their hands and concentration.
The connection broke, and Bane slumped forward, panting. Anakin looked from the other Jedi back to Bane. Despite the toll it had taken on Bane, the Jedi were entirely unbothered.
"Perhaps we should try again."
"No!" Bane put his hand up. His chest was heaving as he spoke reluctantly. "I've had enough of that. I'll take you to the holocron…you'll get your children back."
"The Chancellor wants a report on our progress," Master Windu told Obi-Wan and Anakin. Veers and Ahsoka walked a respectful distance behind the elder Jedi. One of the first things a Padawan learned was to instinctively gauge situations they were meant to stay out of. This conversation, even in a public place such as the ship, was one of those.
Still, that didn't stop the two teenagers from overhearing it. Ahsoka and Veers exchanged a glance. In a wordless agreement of mild rebellion and curiosity, the two girls picked up their pace by half a step in order to stay in earshot.
"Tell him this is not Republic business," Obi-Wan replied. "It's an internal Jedi affair."
"I'm sorry to disagree," Anakin said. The three Jedi came to a halt, and Ahsoka and Veers stopped a few meters behind them. "But as long as the Jedi are acting as a military, we should report to the Chancellor. Even on internal manners." Obi-Wan smiled slightly, looking amused. He put his hand on his former Padawan's shoulder.
"Well then. I guess you just volunteered to go. Give the Chancellor my regards." Anakin rolled his eyes.
"Now, wait a minute –" he said, reaching out to grab Obi-Wan's arm as the older man pulled away.
"I agree," Master Windu said, turning to follow Obi-Wan. "Report back here when you're finished." Veers murmured a good-bye to Ahsoka, quickening her pace to catch up with Obi-Wan. Anakin watched the three go in concern.
"This could be a trap, Master," he said, his brow furrowed in concern. "You sure you don't need us to go?" Master Windu looked back, amusement clear on his face.
"Of course it's a trap, Skywalker," Windu replied, unconcerned. Obi-Wan turned back to look at his former Padawan.
"I will contact you when we find the children," he reassured Anakin. Ahsoka frowned.
"What if they don't find those kids?" she asked. Her gaze was focused on Veers's departing form. Even from the distance, Ahsoka could clearly make out the bright color of the ira marks on her friend's fingers. It was clear that Veers was still bothered about something – likely the same something that she hadn't wanted to talk about earlier.
The other Padawan had just seemed so distracted. Ahsoka didn't want her friend getting hurt – or worse.
"They will, Snips," Anakin replied reassuringly. He looked at his Padawan carefully. "What's really bothering you?" Ahsoka started slightly, looking at her instructor. Sometimes she forgot how well Anakin knew her.
"Veers has been…off, lately," Ahsoka replied guiltily, feeling like she was betraying her friend. Anakin frowned. Veers's behavior hadn't escaped his notice either.
"Veers will be fine," he replied. "Obi-Wan won't let anything happen to her." Ahsoka mulled this over. It was true…but what if Obi-Wan wasn't there? Veers had the reckless tendency to run off on her own.
"Come on," Anakin said, turning around. "Have faith, little one. We still have a job to do." Ahsoka nodded, casting one last look at her friend. Veers disappeared into the ship, vanishing from Ahsoka's view.
"Yes, Master."
Veers sat down in the bridge of the chip, in between Cody and Bane. Obi-Wan and Master Windu were in the pilot and co-pilot's seat, respectively. Bane was behind them, fittingly in the navigator's seat.
"The coordinates," Master Windu demanded, looking back at Bane. The bounty hunter blinked.
"The coordinates…" he repeated slowly. "Yes. Six-seven-three-one-one-seven cross seven-R-B-seven-one." Obi-Wan frowned, picturing a map of the galaxy in his head.
"That will take us into the far Outer Rim," he said suspiciously. "Neutral space." Bane shrugged.
"Do you want your holocron and your kids or not?"
Master Windu and Obi-Wan exchanged a glance, and then Master Windu nodded. Obi-Wan plugged in the coordinates, and Windu prepped the engine. The ship jumped to hyperspace, leaving the cruiser far behind.
Veers looked at Bane carefully, her eyebrows pressed together in concern. His cold, indifferent exterior was back in place, but she could sense something else too. He felt defeated, that much was for sure. But he also seemed triumphant about something.
It was a trap; the Jedi had gleaned that much. Perhaps he was just triumphant thinking that they didn't know it was a trap. Veers sighed inaudibly, leaning back into her seat. Even through hyperspace, the trip would be longer than usual, given how far away it was. She let her eyes close and began to focus on her breathing - not exactly meditating, but trying to clear her thoughts as much as she could.
"We're approaching," Obi-Wan warned Windu, snapping Veers out of her thoughts. The elder Jedi nodded, deactivating the hyperdrive.
The ship came out of hyperspace just before an asteroid field. Obi-Wan carefully maneuvered the ship through the floating rocks. Among the asteroids was a space station, one of Bane's hideouts.
Obi-Wan pulled up next to the station, carefully docking the ship to it. The three Jedi got up, and Cody pulled Bane to his feet. Windu took the bounty hunter by the arm, leading him forward. Veers and Obi-Wan followed behind, and when they got to the door Obi-Wan glanced back.
"We'll be fine, Cody," he said. "Stay here and watch the ship."
"Yes, sir," the commander replied. "I'll keep the ship running."
The door slid shut behind them, separating the three Jedi and the bounty hunter from the ship. Veers fought back a shudder. Something about this station was giving her a feeling of unease.
It was quiet – eerily so. The only sound as Bane led them deeper into the station was the hum of the life support system. And there was a strangely empty feeling about it, but Veers couldn't quite put her finger on why…
Before she could mull over this for much longer, Obi-Wan spoke. "I don't sense the children anywhere," he commented, frowning as the doors to a lift closed behind them.
"Neither do I," Windu agreed, and Veers nodded slowly. That was why it felt empty.
Obi-Wan's scowl deepened, stalking up to Bane as the lift came to a halt.
"Where are you keeping the children?" he demanded. Bane turned away, scowling.
"The children are safe," he muttered, avoiding the question. Veers frowned. Something was definitely wrong. "But first…" he jutted his chin behind them. "Your precious holocron." Veers followed his gaze. The cube was across the room, glowing in the darkness. The bounty hunter started forwards. "Let me get it for you," he offered. Windu caught his shoulder, tugging him back.
"No more of your tricks," the Jedi Master growled. He stepped off of the lift, and immediately there was a loud beeping noise. An alarm began to blare, and blasters descended from the ceiling, locking onto the three Jedi. Windu grit his teeth. "Blast!"
"You certainly stepped in it this time," Obi-Wan said. His tone was rather jovial considered their predicament. Master Windu flipped backwards, landing on a ledge behind him. His purple lightsaber flashed through the air as he began to deflect the blaster fire.
Veers unsheathed her weapons, the blue and green glow shining across her face as she sliced them through the air.
The Motien leapt backwards as a beam cut through the ground in front of her. It wasn't just blaster fire, there were lasers cutting the station apart. This was a self-destruct measure, a failsafe protection.
"So long, Jedi." Bane's sing-song sneer came from across the room. Veers whipped her head around. The bounty hunter had managed to get to an escape pod.
Veers started towards their enemy, but a laser cut across her path, making her leap back in order to avoid being sliced apart. By the time she had maneuvered her way around it, Bane was in the escape pod.
Once again, she was too late.
Gritting her teeth, Veers side-stepped another laser. She kept her movements small but purposeful, trying to avoid using the Force. She was afraid that if she accessed it, she would see Motia again and become distracted. If she became distracted here and now, the consequences could be grave, even deadly.
"I've got the holocron!" Obi-Wan called. Veers looked up briefly, seeing her instructor darting through the lasers to reach the closing door – their only exit. Veers narrowed her eyes.
The Motien whirled around, instinctively dodging the laser behind her. She leapt through the sweeping beams, her footsteps swift and light. As she flipped forwards with too much precision, Tayo's face swam before her vision.
A shock of pain brought Veers back to the present moment, and she rolled forwards, sliding under the closing door. She gripped her bicep in an instinctive reaction to the pain, and her hand came away soaked with magenta blood.
Grimacing, Veers sprinted down the hallway after Obi-Wan. She could hear Master Windu behind her, the man's longer legs bringing him closer to her with every step. By the time the two of them reached the ship, he had caught up with her.
"Anytime, Cody!" Obi-Wan yelled to the commander sitting in the pilot's seat.
The clone didn't respond verbally, but the ship's engine powered up with a hum. Cody detached them from the station, piloting the ship away just in time.
The resounding explosion rocked the starship, making Veers slide across the ground. She crashed into the wall, grunting slightly as the movement jostled her bad arm. She braced her back against the wall, holding onto her wound again as she planted her feet.
Cody regained control of the ship, and Veers relaxed slightly. She straightened up again, and Obi-Wan turned to look at his Padawan in concern.
He could see the blood staining her shirt, the viscous liquid bright against Veer's hand. His Padawan looked up at him, her expression almost guilty.
"It's not that bad," she said quickly.
"There should be a medical droid aboard," Obi-Wan replied. "Go get it checked out." Veers nodded, disappearing from the bridge. Master Windu looked after the Padawan curiously, before glancing at the other Jedi Master.
"Is your Padawan alright?" he asked. Obi-Wan knew that the other Master didn't mean physically. Veers had been acting erratically; even those who didn't know her well were noticing.
"You know how Veers can be," Obi-Wan replied, skirting around the question. He didn't want to give Master Windu a reason to think the Council should have a problem with Veers, not until he'd spoken to her. "She'll be fine."
Down the hallway, Veers had powered on the medical droid. It had cleaned her wound quickly and was now suturing it together. It wasn't worse than the cut she'd received from Ventress's lightsaber. The Padawan glanced down at the old injury, now a shiny pink scar across the palm of her hand. It had healed quickly; this one would as well.
The wound was largely superficial, but it shouldn't have happened. Unease rose in Veers. Her thoughts whirled around in her head, panic clouding her mind.
She couldn't use the Force without seeing Motia, without seeing Tayo begging her to come home. If she returned, maybe the visions would stop.
But how could she return? The Council would never allow it. They would think she was too attached, and attachment was unfit for a Jedi.
But if she couldn't return, then the visions would continue. And if the visions continued, she couldn't use the Force, not without becoming a liability on the battlefield. If she couldn't use the Force, how could she be a Jedi?
Even as all these questions arose, Veers knew the one that she really needed to answer, the question that would answer everything.
How long could she go before telling Obi-Wan she needed to return home?
alright righty-dighty...
here it is. i hope i'm not laying some of this stuff on too thick...
anyways, yeah. here is the conclusion to the holocron arc. i hope it's not too bad! i kinda sped through the editing cuz i was excited to FINALLY post something, but yeah!
please let me know what you think in a review! i love to hear all your feedback!