Barriss wakes up, in a strange and unfamiliar room. Her head aches, and hurts, and she is hungry. Very hungry. She tries to sit up, and finds that she can't. She flops back on the pillow, suddenly tired again, even though she has just woken up.
The door opens, and a mottled pink Mon Calamari walks in. Barriss recalls seeing her once before, but she can't remember where. Her vision and thoughts are fuzzy, so she shakes her head, trying to clear it.
The Mon Cal smiles at her, still looking somewhat nervous.
"Hello, youngling." He voice is soft and gentle, trying to make her feel better. It works, slightly, and some of the fuzziness clears.
"Where am I?" she finds her voice, unnaturally, is shaky.
"Safe, youngling." The Mon Calamari healer still looks jumpy, but her eyes have softened with compassion. "Rest. Do not worry."
Barriss begins to drift back into the peaceful, welcoming fall of sleep, but suddenly remembers. "Where is Master.. Master Unduli?" she asks, unsure of why she feels uncertainty.
The Healer stiffens, noticeably. "Somewhere close," she answer, evasively.
Panic knaws at the edge of her mind, shutting out all thought. She does not know why. Instinct causes her to be suspicious; she narrows her eyes at the healer, a habit Master K'ol Shum'a always said gave her away. "Where?" she repeats, too groggy to think.
"Somewhere close." Again, the unsatisfactory reply.
"Where?" she presses on, unrelenting.
A pause. She can sense the healer shift, uncomfortable. "I'm afraid.. I can't tell you that."
She feels anger well up inside her. How dare she oppose!
Quashing down the rising tide, she murmurs, evenly, "Why not?"
The healer blinks, awkwardly. "I.. cannot tell you that."
"And why not?" Again, she attempts to keep her voice level.
"I have orders." Right.
"I see."
There was a silence between them, each calculating their own strategy.
"Master Yoda wishes to speak with you," the Healer says, at last. She stands up, and bows respectfully before slipping out the door.
Who is Yoda? She wonders to herself, as a small, green shape edges through the door. He holds a thick, gnarled stick in a clawed hand, and large, wise eyes peer at her. He is wizened, old, but his spirit has yet to diminish.
"Padawan." His voice is gravelly, like the sound of rock from the quarries rubbing together. He sounds serious, demanding respect and attention.
"Yes?" her voice is stronger now, more sure.
"Grave actions, you have committed. Punishment, you will receive. Think of this, you will."
Grave actions? Punishment? She wonders what he is talking about. "What?" she blurts. "Sir," she adds, hurriedly.
"What?" he raises a crooked eyebrow at her. "What, speak of, do you?"
"What I did." She finds her voice again, and waits, patiently.
"Remember, you do not?" he sounds sceptical, disbelieving her.
"No.. sir."
"See, I do." He is quiet for a moment, and then looks up at her. "Help you remember, I will."
She is about to ask 'how', but her mouth shuts, and her mind blanks, fading to black. As her vision sways, she sees his eyes closed, clawed hand pointing at her.
She opens her eyes, blinking. Black met her, an eternal void. Empty. Darkness.
A glowing sphere of light appears, just ahead of her. She reaches her hand for it – and realises she can see through herself. Her body is ghostlike, pale, nonexistent. Insubstantial.
She gasps, reaching out a tentative finger to touch herself. How..?
The ball is coming closer. It is much bigger than she imagined. It blinds her, forcing her to close her eyes.
When she opens them, she is on the other side. Twisting her head around to look behind her, she sees the endless, black void. Ahead of her is a scene.
Two figures.. Both holding a glowing rod… What are those called? Oh, yes. Lightsabers. One is a man, the other a young female who looks strangely familiar…
It's me. She realises this with a start, shocked and confused. How can it be me? I wouldn't fight someone like that…
An overwhelming urge to run washes over her. She tries to turn, to run, but she can't. Her legs are frozen, on whatever space she is in.
Red. Black. Terror. Pain.
She has the man backed up, with no way to escape. His eyes are wide with fear, pupils dilated. They close, and she can sense acceptance radiating from him.
She lowers the lightsaber, ready to kill him. Before she can do so, though, another person whirls into the room, wielding a green lightsaber, blocking the death blow.
Their actions complement, not made for fighting each other. She recognises the other person immediately – Master Unduli.
Her face is pained, almost struggling, but she goes on. Her lightsaber is a storm, creating an impenetrable shield around herself.
Blazing light. Fire. Dark. Sight.
The man is trying to stand, holding a blaster he somehow managed to grab. She is still battling, not noticing him. He brings it down on her.
She crumples, unconscious, onto the ground. Her Master nearly falls beside her. The man catches her, and lowers her gently.
The picture begins to fades, and she sees no more. Once again, she finds herself in the dark, endless space.
No escape. Chance. Live.