A Speck of Dust Lost In the Wind

My body had registered the harsh slap before my mind ever thought too did. My neck had snapped to the side and it sent me to the floor. I crawled to the corner as a form to escape. I had disappointed what the outside assumed to be my pimp but they weren't wrong. I cradled my quickly bruising cheek as I failed to notice the blood from my nose trickling down my chin onto the expensive outfit I was wearing. It was a long sleeved dark purple corset top with a short black skirt that made them look together like a dress as well as my knee high combat boots. It made my curves be shown off as well as my breast but at the same time brought out my gray-blue eyes and freckles… But on the other side it made my red hair look dark but it made people curious and he knew it, "S-Stop! Pl-Please I didn't mean too!" I begged as I pushed myself further into the wall.

He was known to others as Salem and I was known as Phoenix... Or well I used too but he had made sure she had died. His eyes only narrowed, "You didn't mean too. Well isn't that reason enough to explain where the three hundred credits went?" His voice dripped venomous sarcasm, "I pay a lot to keep you alive and you would do damn well to remember that. I pay for everything you have and I own you... You made a pathetic medic and an even more pathetic whore."

I felt tears burn and blur my vision... But I knew better he didn't like or approve of any weakness. It only made these moments worse. I couldn't help but cry out as I was yanked up. I began to hit and kick wherever I could and when I was dropped onto the cold rough hard floor; I took off outside of the house ignoring his yells. I just ran and ran through the streets bumping into people and knocking a few down.

The looks were anything of anger to pity. A few of them were the reasons I had grown to hate my life but a few of them were the ones who only spent money to give me a break. They were the ones who at one point gave me hope of a life that may be better spent somewhere safe but no one ever came for me… Not my family… Not my friends. No one because he was right how could anyone ever love or care for someone who was as worthless as I was? Who couldn't do anything right, no matter how easy or simple it was?

It was than it dawned on me. I had nowhere to go. I had left my home of three years with quite literally just the clothes on my back. I was going to have to go back and that promised a beating for even thinking of leaving him. Tears filled my eyes at the thought. I had nothing. Everything that I owned was his. He had simply loaned it too me. He loved to remind me of that daily.

I raced through the streets too distracted by my mind to pay attention to what or who was around me. I let out a yelp as I ran into what had to be a wall and landed flat on my ass. I looked up fear filling me as I looked upon the blue armor of a republic solider. I frantically got to my feet. There were a few of them behind him looking at me in a strange way I couldn't quite place. The wall.. Er.. Man I had run into had a strange haircut. What was mostly bald but had what looked like electricity in different places, "I-I am sorry! So sor-sorry!"

He moved to touch my shoulder and I moved away from him, "Hey.." It was a tone a tone you would use on a small child or wounded animal, "Miss you don't have to be scared of us.. We don't want to hurt you."

'Lies.. Everyone wants something from a street whore…' I thought to myself as I stared at him my chest rising and falling in a panicked way, "I-I a-am sorr-sorry oka-okay?"

He looked me over, "Alright.. My name is Kix.. These are my brothers.. Fives, Echo and my Captain Rex. I am a medic. Can I help you with that?"

He was gesturing to my nose and I finally raised a hand to it noticing the blood that was still dripping from it, "No! No you don't have too I am fine.. I promise."

He gave his brothers a look, "Ma'am you need to have that looked at. Come back with us and we can get you help."

I looked at my bloody hand and then at the men in front of me, "No. I have to be home soon.."

He frowned, "Did someone do that? We cant help you if you wont tell us what is going on."

I stared at them and frowned weighing my options. If I get cleaned up and bring in a few extra hundred credits before I go home maybe he wouldn't have such a reason to beat me as harshly as he did at this moment but on the flipside if I was too late I may end up being in more trouble than at this moment.. Credits and slight safety or home on time and beaten almost to death if I knew him. I slowly brought myself to nod, "Ok-Okay.." I allowed myself to take his offered hand and move beside the group towards a building.

Kix's P.O.V.

I gave Rex a look knowing we were all thinking the same thing. This woman was not just hurt by some accident. Some one had hurt her or done this terrible thing to her. From a quick glance I had reason to believe that her nose was most likely broken, which may mean a crack in her cheekbones. She had multiple bruises and several open minor cuts. I was most worried about her bloody nose. I almost let out a sigh of relief when she took my offered hand and immediately moved with her too base. I would take the consquences later. This was a medic's job.

I looked her over again, "Can you please tell me your name Miss? I do mean your real one." I cut her off when her eyes flickered with conflict and she began to lie.

She stared at me and dropped her head, "Phoenix.." Her voice was soft but defeated. I unlocked the medical bay as soon as we approached the outside door to it. I moved her to sit her on one of my medical tables, "Now are you going to tell me where you got these marks and injuries?" I ignored my brothers looks at me. They were not my concern right now.

She looked anywhere but at me, "I-I fell down some stairs earlier.. I just didn't see them.. Ask anyone around here I am famous for my clumsiness."

I frowned not liking her lying to me, "I bet they could also tell me another way you got those injuries wouldn't they?"

Rex gave a slight cough and spoke up, "Kix that is out of line. She is here as a victim and doesn't need to feel interrogated."

I shot him a glare and looked back at her as I grabbed my supplies as I moved her chin up beginning to clean up the blood, "You will need to stay tonight so I can make sure there are no internal injuries."

She immediately shook her head, "No that wont be nessecary. I think I would know if I was internally bleeding. I have to be home soon anyone. I have people who worry."

I only shook my head, "No as a medic of the republic I can not release a civilian knowing that they could be injured and have them die. Sorry but I will not be responsible for an innocent life being yanked short and if you wish you can call your home from one of our comlinks."

She looked into my eyes for a minute and slowly nodded before dropping her head again, "Yes sir."

I turned to face my brothers, "I will be a few hours if you wish to go. I will alert you when I know the full report of her injuries unless you wish to stay and help me get this mess of a medical bay cleaned up."

Echo shrugged of course,"I can stay and help." I didn't take a genious to see that his curiousity was peaked. It was something he had picked up from Fives.

Fives shook his head, "No thank you. I can go grab dinner for us."

Rex nodded, "We will be back momentarily."

I turned back to my patient and reach forward wiping or dabbing the blood away from her nose and frowned, "We might as well settle in for a long night."