Alright so there are going to be a few timeline discrepancies. When I was first figuring out Aliette's background I tried to find exact dates for Komari's Fall and Dooku's leaving the order, but I couldn't. I just went on the Wiki to double check that my calculations weren't too off and somehow, since I first started this story, a more exact timeline was posted. I don't know why it's only just now there but there it is.
So I'm going to be moving up the year of the mission to Baltizaar so it happens in 32 BBY instead of 33. It's not a huge change but I felt like I should give some heads up.
I should also say that I decided to throw a timeskip out here. I didn't think anything important would happen during the whole Padme debacle even if Aliette was a part so I skipped it. Viola.
I've got a few pictures of Aliette on my deviantart, also lore55.
Reviews;
ScarletFishcake: Thank you so much, I should have the next chapter done a lot sooner than this one. I'm really glad that you found it! I was looking for a story like this one for a week before I gave up and wrote my own. There have only been two Pantoran Jedi that I can think of, Toro Irana, and Tatsu. Toro was a Padawan that served during the Clone Wars, and was actual in a fight with Maul and Savage. Tatsu was a member of the New Jedi Order. For some reason a lot of fanfics don't address that Jedi Healers even exist, it's crazy! So I decided to fix that.
artistgirl16: She won't, she won't. Not for a while, at least.
SupremeGeneralJoker: It's not quite like she imagined, sadly.
Siren: Thank you! It drives me nuts that people ignore all the things that the Force and Jedi can do outside of beating people up with their magic glow sticks.
Guest from January 16th: I like how you go for the throat first thing, god damn.
JaDe In NighT: They'll do their best.
amerdism: Thanks! I don't have much of a schedule for any chapters, it's more like I write it when I feel like it a throw it out when I'm done. Usually as a desperate attempt to get praise, whoops! I've been vaguely describing her through out the story, mostly in the first chapter, but just for reference she's a Pantoran, and there for blue. Her hair is a light purple, she has no yellow markings. She's very short, significantly shorter than the clones. Her clothes are a sort of grey shirt with three quart bell sleeves and a shirt of the same shade. All in all she looks very plain for the time being. I'll add more later on, actually in the story, It just don't like vomiting up a whole long description at once.
As for her personality that's just how I'm writing her. Her development will come as it does. You've actually asked about her being held back at a good time, a good bit comes out in this chapter.
Guest from February 9th: Will do!
Lilly Talons: I'm really glad you enjoyed this! I do try pretty hard to make it nice and original. The squad is going to have quite the change with this Commander.
Owlfur: That's really flattering to hear, thank you so much for saying that! If I may ask, who's the other favorite vying for your attention? This chapter should prove to be even more enlightening.
The Center of a pirate was not unlike Aliette's had once been.
Their Centers were held, almost exclusively, for their own self-interest. There was a distinct lack of Loyalty or Care, in its place was Malcontent, Avarice, and Covetousness. They were less Parsimonious than she had once been, if the party she was in attendance of was any indication. Voracious and Licentious were the first words that came to mind. Amongst them were also Drunk, Exuberant, and Devious.
Mostly Drunk.
Hondo, Leader of them all, had a proclivity of taking people hostage, it seemed to her.
That was why they had made their way to the outpost in the first place, to capture the ever elusive Count Dooku. Capture was, perhaps, the wrong word. Obtain seemed more appropriate, seeing as he had already been caught, by the very pirates that they were now celebrating with.
Her Master and Skywalker were trading drinks with their hosts, putting more down than they should. Aliette herself was content with something weaker than theirs. More fruit, less fermentation.
The Padawan twirled the drink around, watching the soft pink twist with its lighter shades. It was pretty, and horrible for her liver. It tasted fine though, much better than some things she had had. Alcohol in general was not wide spread at the Temple, and Aliette rarely left it, never mind sought out getting drunk. She had had enough of that on Pantora.
Her people lived in constant permafrost. Ethanol was in abundance for them, she had been drinking it for as long as she could remember on that planet. It was easier to keep than water, which was normally frozen over entirely.
Her Master and Skywalker were having a harder time, she realized on her third fruity drink.
They had accepted the strong stuff. Something thin and green, they traded it with those around them like conmen with a stone. Aliette wanted to ask if they were sure they should drink that much, but Obi-Wan was her Master, it wasn't her place to question him.
Master Skywalker, on the other hand…
It was hard for her to think of him that way. She could still remember when he'd arrived at the temple, older than anyone else would have been allowed to come to them. She had pushing the boundaries when she was brought about at six, Master Skywalker's age was completely unheard of.
He wasn't even a full year older than Aliette, and he had only been training for a fraction of her time.
It irked the girl that he had been chosen as a Padawan right off the bat, barely making it through the basics. Now she was under his Master and he himself was a Knight.
She should have been grateful to be a Padawan at all. She had given up on the prospect entirely, then the Council had summoned her and once again, rules were bent. This time for her.
She couldn't understand why, nor could she comprehend why she was being brought alone on this mission. It was possible, she supposed, that her Master hadn't been told everything, or that the Council was unaware she was on this trip with them.
The latter was far less likely.
Both of them were, all things considered. Obi Wan Kenobi was fifteen years her senior, he had been at the temple the day she had been brought in. Of course, that was well over a decade passed, and it wasn't a very big deal.
"You want something stronger there, girly?" Quizzed the bar tender, leaning closer to the blue girl. She looked from her drink to him, noting the slight confusion in the lines of his face. Was he unused to people who didn't go out of their way to intoxicate themselves? She had been taking mild drinks all night, after all.
Her braid bounced against her collar bone when she shook her head.
"No, thank you Sir," she denied, drawing her legs up closer to her, up onto the stool. She was small, making it all the easier.
"Sir?" the keeper laughed at her and shook his head. "Varg. Varg Droy," he introduced.
Aliette dipper herself to him politely, careful not to topple over her drink.
"Aliette Ansa. Charmed," she wasn't trying to be witty or flirtatious but apparently she came off as such, for Varg laughed again. Perhaps he was merely good humored. It may well have been a mix of both. Another pirate dropped into the seat beside her, separating Aliette from her Master.
They looked at each other over his shoulder. Aliette sent a wave of Ease towards him. She didn't feel threatened by the pair, neither of them seemed to mean her harm and if worse came to worse she could Defend, and her Master wouldn't let anything happen.
Or at least she hoped so.
"You can't hog the only pretty girl in the whole place, Varg," the new comer scolded. Aliette's brows pulled together in bewilderment.
"You have a very pretty wait staff," she objected. Or so she thought. She enjoyed the look of their skeletal features and the different alterations between the shades of their skin. The Healer was curious if it was a genetic marking pattern or a chosen one, given that so few bore it. The second in command of the pirates, Gwarm, sported much warmer colors than many of his fellows.
"Yeah, real pretty," Varg agreed, eying one of the females purposefully. The new Weequay glowered at him. Defense shifted in his Center.
"Eyes of the sister," he snapped at his fellow.
Varg held up his hands. "Take it easy Khorta," he whined, "I'm not doing anything to her."
"You better not," 'Khorta' warned, "She ate her last husband."
Aliette turned to follow the woman with her eyes as she slipped through the crowds, a tray balanced perfectly on one hand. The other hung low by her hips, next to a blaster in an unlocked holster.
"Keic did not," Varg objected, "She killed him but I doubt she ate him. She's vegan."
A vegan pirate. Who would have thought? Aliette turned back to the conversation, finishing off her glass and setting it down. Without asking, Varg refilled it.
"She doesn't eat people," Varg reiterated. He leaned across the counter to grin at Aliette. "Do you?"
It took a minute for the meaning to click. When it did the young woman looked up at him, her head cocked ever so slightly.
The words fell out without a thought, "I'm more interested in if you do."
She stunned the both of them for a good half minute before Khorta slapped her hard on the back, roaring with buzzed up laughter. Aliette moved with it to lessen the impact, spilling some of her cocktail of the edge of the glass.
"I like this Jedi!" he declared aloud. The Pantoran had surprised herself with that one. She was a medic, any flirting she did was with death, not the living. She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing now. Apparently it was good fun though, for Varg broke out of his stupor with a silly smile.
"I had no idea Jedi could be so dirty minded," he confessed. His hands moved without him needing to look, fixing something strong for Khorta. It was dark purple, and bubbling slightly. Aliette was very interested in how that had happened.
"I'm not a Jedi yet," she smiled in what she hoped was a good mockup of the one she had seen on the streets. She was having fun with these pirates, no matter that she didn't have as much confidence as she acted then. She couldn't find any Malice in their intentions, and so felt little Fear. They may have been thieves, but there was a time where she was too.
"Yeah? That's what that fancy braid is for, ain't it?" Khorta asked, taking the liberty of pushing her hair away from her face and ear, showing off the Padawan symbol she bore to himself and the bar keep.
Aliette lifted her chin, a sliver of Pride curving her mouth.
"It is. Master Kenobi is training me in the ways of the Jedi," she informed them, a bit more like her usual self. The sudden bout of Flirt and Confidence seemed to be edging away. Perhaps she wasn't as immune to alcohol as she had first thought. It had been years since she'd had so much.
"Sounds like a lot of work," it was hard to tell if Varg was curious or if he pitied her for it. "You're not allowed to have sex right?"
She had no idea why, but that was one of the most common questions people asked about Jedi, aside from a million queries about the Force. Aliette did not often venture out into the world beyond the Temple, but when she did it was interesting to see how people reacted to the Jedi at a whole. Some felt protected by them. Others thought of them as kidnappers and hypocrites.
"We are forbidden attachment and passion," she said simply. It was the best answer she could come up with. There was no order for them to be celibate, besides heavy implication. It was one of the most bent rules in their entire Order. Aliette didn't know a member of Age that hadn't tried at least once, herself included.
"That's not a no," Khorta pointed out.
Aliette shook her head. "No, it's not. It's not a yes either."
They seemed to understand her denial, for the both of them shrugged. Casual banter went on and Aliette found herself fond of the pair of pirates. They seemed nice enough, and neither of them was pushing her for anything, besides obvious hints.
She was halfway through a light laugh of her own when the edge of her vision started fading.
By the time that laugh ended, it was gone entirely.
Of all the people she could have woken up in a room with, Aliette wished for any other than the one sitting serenely in the corner. Kriff, she would have much rather found herself in bed with Varg or Khorta.
Her head was pounding, the world swam in front of her vision. Aliette took a breath, drawing in the Force and letting it out, the throbbing going along with it. If she didn't know his Signature so well it would have been another minute before she recognized Dooku.
"Aliette," his voice was low and smooth. Even imprisoned he looked perfectly regal. When they had come to see him earlier she had stayed outside the door, uncomfortable so near the Sith Lord.
'Master Dooku' was no longer the appropriate title for him.
"Count," was sufficient, she figured. The young woman pushed herself up, slowly. She wasn't hurting, but she did feel sick. Her hands were bound in front of her, bright blue energy holding them together. That same energy snaked around her middle and trailed off to Skywalker.
It wouldn't be too much disrespect if she decided to simply call him Anakin. But he was a Master, so that wouldn't be appropriate. Anakin Skywalker was a strong man, and more connection to the Force than anyone else. He also had a habit of coming into the Healers Hall at least once a month. Master Che dealt with his recklessness most of the time.
Hot Headed.
He always had been. Even now he was incredibly reckless.
Seeing him now was strange. After her encounter with Ventress it hurt, too. More so than it would have if she had just found her old teacher like this. If she hadn't confronted the assassin it would have merely been betrayal to the order. Betrayal to Komari was something different entirely.
"I see you've finally managed to find a Master," he said the last word as if it were covered in dirt.
Aliette folded her hands in her lap. Her breathing was carefully measured.
There is no Emotion. There is only Peace.
"I expected you to have one before now. Those fools on the Council must truly be desperate if they are letting you into a war."
There is no Passion. There is Serenity.
"Not to Skywalker, I hope."
Aliette couldn't tell if he was trying to have a conversation or to hurt her. Either one, even both, were entirely possible. The Healer leaned over to touch the hands of both of the Masters that lay before her, still prone on the ground. A pulse of Force through them began to rouse the pair.
"Master Kenobi is my teacher," she answered then, sitting away from the pair. Her hands returned to her lap, gripped tight together.
Anakin groaned quietly for Obi Wan as he began to stir.
Dooku neither smiled no frowned. He was wholly neutral when he said, "Yes. Komari never did return to train you."
Aliette glued her tongue to her teeth before the treacherous thought of 'neither did you' slipped out.
It had been a promise, made right before the Council declared Komari unfit for Knighthood.
"When I become a Jedi, you'll be my Padawan, right Ansa?" Komari's grin, always sharp and dangerous, was parallel to a sweet smile of the little girl in front of her.
Lavender hair bounced around in a short bob as its owner nodded her joy. She would be a Padawan soon, and Komari would turn her into a Knight. They could go on all sorts of adventures together, helping people. Aliette was a good Healer and Komari was a masterful Warrior. They would be the perfect match.
That hadn't happened. Instead, Komari had been banned from taking the trials at all, by bother her Master and the Council itself. She had been devastated. Not a month after she took up that horrible mission that had ended her life.
Aliette had never been asked to serve under another Master.
They were all busy, either with another Padawan or missions during their desperate fight to keep the Separatist Movement from gaining ground. No one wanted to drag along a Healer that barely passed her Lightsaber training. Let alone one that had been picked out of the ice by a violent Padawan and her turn-coat Master.
By the time the rumors the flowing about Komari and Dooku began to fade she was already passed the age in which she could become a Padawan.
Aliette had resigned herself to be a Healer for the rest of her existence.
"What happened?"
Gold eyes flickered over to Skywalker. He was sitting up, slowly. Her Master was trying to shake his head free of the drink.
"I guess that pirate crew is stronger than we thought," he estimated, pushing himself to his knees. Aliette frowned. They had been poisoned and drunk. An unfortunate event for them all, but none of that remained.
The same would be said for her fondness of Varg and Khorta.
"I only took a sip," Anakin tried defend. Aliette's frown deepened. That was a lie. He'd knocked back one drink after the other, all the while chatting with his neighbors.
"Obviously we were poisoned," Kenobi concluded. To that, the girl would agree. When they returned to Coruscant she would ask Master Che about poisons. They hadn't dealt with those very much while she was studying there.
"Why would they risk losing the ransom?" Skywalker demanded. He was angry, very much so. Aliette didn't particularly blame him.
"It's a business tactic," she hazarded quietly. It was enough to draw attention to herself. "Why have one hostage if you can have four? They'll make more money this way."
"A very shrewd observation, Padawan Ansa" Dooku was mocking her. He had to be. The man had no kind words left for her, no help that would be given willingly. Those days were long passed.
"Oh, great," sarcasm was strong in Skywalker, "it's you." He spit the words out. He hadn't been in the Order long enough to have known Dooku before he left. All he had to know about him was that he was cruel, and an enemy.
Aliette wished she could say the same.
The young Pantoran looked between the three humans and closed her eyes.
This was going to be a long day.