Chapter Five
The Badlands Gang
It was starting to get dark by the time Al came in from tending to the fields, his children were getting ready for bed, and Tann was finishing cleaning the dishes from supper. "Are the kids ready for bed?" Al asked as he sat down at the table.
"Yeah, they should already be up there." Tann replied as she dried the last plate and put it away.
"That's good, they've had a big day. How's Ahsoka?" Al asked with a smile.
"I don't think she's well, she didn't really eat a lot; I don't know if it's because she's sick or just sad. She misses her family." Tann answered as she sat down next to her husband.
"Maybe a little bit of both. How's her nausea and other symptoms?" Al asked in a calm and quiet tone.
"Slightly better, she hasn't thrown up since the hospital. I gave her one of her pills with dinner, it seemed to help with her pain." Tann answered with a small smile.
"I'm glad her pain is at least a little better." Al said with a sad sigh.
"Is something else wrong?" Tann asked as she placed her hand over Al's.
"I found something in the field when I was plowing, we should expect a visit early tomorrow. Make sure the kids are inside when they come." Al informed before standing to go to bed.
"A spice drop? Out here?" Tann asked in a shocked tone.
"Yeah, I guess the smuggler missed their mark. We need to make sure the kids stay inside, and we can't let them find out about Ahsoka; God only knows what they'd do to her if they found out what she was." Al instructed with a sad expression. Tann sat there for a moment, her stomach was in knots over what she'd just been told.
"The Badlands are coming, coming to our home." Tann quietly said as she laid her head in her hands and started to cry.
"I know honey, but as long as we don't cause them any trouble then they should leave us alone." Al encouraged as he hugged Tann.
"I hope you're right dear, I hope you're right." Tann quietly said as she rested her head on Al's shoulder. Al and Tann went to bed shortly after that, praying that tomorrow would go smoothly and that the gang would just grab their drug bail and go. The night was quiet as everyone slept peacefully for the most part, Tann got up to check on Ahsoka a few times. She noted that Ahsoka was sweaty and moving constantly as she slept, though Tann couldn't figure out if it was from pain, nightmares, or if that was just normal for Ahsoka. Tann watched Ahsoka for about a half hour before deciding to go back to bed to try and get some sleep, though her nerves didn't let her get any good sleep. Then, before she even knew it, the sun was rising and the arrival of the badlands gang drew near.
"Good morning honey, how did you sleep?" Al asked as he rolled over and looked at Tann.
"I didn't." Tann answered in a sad tone.
"Listen dear, I know it's scary that a bunch of gangsters are coming to our property, but it'll be okay. We'll just stay clear of them, cooperate, and hopefully they'll be gone before lunch; maybe even before breakfast." Al encouraged as he hugged Tann.
"I just can't shake the feeling that something's going to happen, I'm scared Al." Tann quietly replied as she hugged Al back. Al held his wife in an attempt to comfort her, but even though he didn't show it, he was just as scared as she was.
"Come on, let's get up and get some breakfast going. We'll let the kids know to stay inside until the gang leaves." Al said with a smile as he got out of bed. Tann nodded before getting out of bed as well, then they both got dressed and went downstairs together to start breakfast.
"Mmm. Mama's making fried thimmer for breakfast, Andy!" Nima cheered as she leapt out of bed.
"Hey, wait for me Nima." Andy replied as he climbed off the top bunk of their bed, then followed her. The two children started running towards the steps, but they stopped as they passed Ahsoka's room.
"Should we see if she wants to come get breakfast?" Nima asked as she looked at Andy.
"Sure, let's see how she's feeling." Andy replied as he quietly opened the door to the room. "Hello? Miss, are you awake?" Andy asked as he peeked inside. Andy quietly gasped at what he saw. Ahsoka was in the middle of changing and was just finishing getting undressed. It wasn't the fact that she was naked that had Andy so shocked though, it was the amount of scars and wounds that covered various parts of her body that he was so shocked by.
"Huh?" Ahsoka asked as she turned her head, seeing Andy and Nima peeking in the door at her. "I'm sorry, it's probably a little nerve wracking to see so many scars and wounds on a person, especially a stranger." Ahsoka quietly said as she pulled her pants on, then grabbed her bra.
"Why do you have so many of them?" Andy asked as he opened the door and stepped into the room, followed by Nima.
"Because I fought in the clone wars. I was in a lot of battles, I fought in the war from almost the time it began to the day it ended. I wasn't always very careful, which is why I have so many scars. Lessons in caution and being more aware, though sometimes it was just bad luck." Ahsoka explained as she finished getting dressed.
"Did you kill a lot of droids?" Nima asked with a smile.
"Yeah, my master and I took down tons of droids together." Ahsoka answered with a smile.
"Did you ever kill a person?" Nima asked in an innocent tone. Ahsoka was silent for a moment, she didn't know how to answer that; she didn't like thinking about the organic beings she had to kill.
"Nima, Andy, breakfast is ready! Is Ahsoka up?!" Tann shouted from downstairs.
"Yeah, we'll be down in a minute mom!" Andy yelled back as he continued waiting for Ahsoka's answer.
"I... Yes, I did take some lives during the war. It was never easy to do, but sometimes I had no choice. But the hardest thing wasn't taking lives, it was lacking an ability to save them. I watched a lot of my men, good, brave men, die under my command. I've never forgotten any of them, and I never will." Ahsoka replied in a sad tone. "Enough questions, your mom's going to come looking for you two in a moment, let's head downstairs." Ahsoka said with a smile as she limped towards the door.
"Okay!" Both kids replied as they quickly followed Ahsoka.
"Come on you two, I'm not gonna say it again!" Tann yelled as she plated breakfast.
"I'm sorry ma'am, we were chatting. I hope you don't mind me talking with your children." Ahsoka groaned as she came down the last step.
"Oh not all Ahsoka, do you mind if I ask what you guys talked about?" Tann asked as she walked over to Ahsoka to help her.
"They wanted to know about my scars, they peeked in while I was finishing getting dressed and saw some of them." Ahsoka replied as Tann helped her sit down.
"You two were peeping on our guest?" Al asked with a hint of both shock and anger.
"It's okay, I was finished except for my shirt. I should've made sure the door was shut, children are naturally curious. I'm a stranger to all of you, so they probably just want to try to get to know me a little better." Ahsoka explained with a small smile.
"That's no excuse, we raised you two better than to spy on people. Don't ever do that again, do you both understand?" Al instructed as he stared at his children.
"Yes papa." Both children replied as they hung their heads in shame. "We're sorry Ahsoka, we didn't mean to spy on you. We just wanted to know about all your cool scars and stuff." Andy apologized as he looked at Ahsoka.
"That's okay, but there's nothing cool about them. Each one holds a terrible memory, like the one towards the middle of my back. That was from getting a piece of glass embedded in my back after I was thrown out of a window by a Sith. The one on my stomach was from getting a field surgery to stop some internal bleeding that was caused by my abdomen getting crushed in the door of a sinking gunship. They all have some kind of terrifying and traumatic story behind them, but despite that, I was lucky. I walked away at the end of the war, but a lot of good people didn't." Ahsoka quietly replied with a sad expression. The room was silent as everyone stared at Ahsoka, they felt so bad for her. To have gone through such trauma at such a young age, Al and Tann couldn't even bear to think about such things, especially since they had two young children of their own. "But that's okay, because despite all the horrors of the war, I knew I was fighting for the right reasons. It doesn't help much, but that fact helps ease the pain a little bit." Ahsoka said with a sad smile.
"Oh Ahsoka, you're so brave. It's okay if you need to let it out though, I can tell that you wanna cry. It's okay, we won't judge you." Tann quietly said as she knelt by Ahsoka and hugged her. Ahsoka gently laid her head over Tann's shoulder and hugged her back, then she clutched her a little tighter as she started to cry. It'd been a long time since she'd thought about the war and everything she'd seen and done during it. But even though it had been months since its end, the memories of the battles she fought were still fresh in her mind.
"I was so scared during the war, I tried to act tough and brave for my master. But I lost so many men, I saw and did things that will stay with me for the rest of my life." Ahsoka cried as she clung to Tann.
"Oh sweetie." Tann whispered as she rubbed Ahsoka's back.
"Thank you, I didn't realize how badly I needed a hug. You're all such wonderful people, thank you." Ahsoka thanked with a sniffle as she let go of Tann.
"There, feel better since you got that out?" Tann asked with a sweet smile. Ahsoka lightly nodded in response. "I'm glad, now let's get some food in you, you're looking a little skinny there." Tann teased as she plated some food for Ahsoka.
"You think this is bad, you should've seen me a month ago. Now that was skinny." Ahsoka chuckled, remembering her struggle with her anorexia.
"Well we can't have that, not in this house. We country folk need some meat on our bones, all that field work we do." Tann replied as she set a plate containing some meat and eggs in front of Ahsoka.
"Thank you ma'am, this smells delicious." Ahsoka thanked as she took a bite of her breakfast.
"You're quite welcome dear. Tann replied as she sat down to eat her own meal. Everyone ate in relative silence for about ten minutes, but then Ahsoka perked her head up and tilted it to the side.
"I think there's a speeder coming." Ahsoka informed as she looked at everyone. Tann and Al's faces paled, Ahsoka and the kids were clueless though.
"Tann, stay here with Ahsoka and the kids, I'll deal with 'em." Al instructed before standing and walking towards the front door.
"Deal with who?" Ahsoka asked as she looked at Tann.
"The Badlands gang, one of their spice drops was off target and landed in our field." Tann answered in a sad tone. "I shouldn't have said that, as a Jedi you're probably going to want to confront them." Tann said as she looked down at the table.
"It's true, I don't like drug dealers, and it is my job to deal with people like them. However, doing so at this time would be unwise, actually it would be down right stupid. Not only am I in no condition to fight right now, but more importantly it would put you and your family in danger. The smart thing to do is let them take their spice and go." Ahsoka replied with a stern expression. Tann nodded at Ahsoka, grateful that she took both her family's and her own safety into consideration before doing anything rash.
"Alright, wish me luck." Al said with a smile, then he took a breath to steady his nerves, and walked out the door. Al stood on the porch and watched as a large speeder, as well as six speeder bikes pulled up to the house.
"Yo farm boy, I think you've got something that belongs to us." A man in a leather outfit and a pair of goggles said as he got off of his speeder.
"It's in the field, I'll take you to it." Al replied as he stared at the man. He was about six feet tall with a muscular build, he had black hair with red streaks in it done up in a spiked fashion. The man and four of his goons hopped off their speeders and followed Al into the field. "There it is." Al said as he gestured to several large metal crates. One of the crates had broken open due to the entry thrusters not activating, its contents, a reddish orange powder, were spilt all over the area.
"Thought you said you didn't touch it." The man said as he glared at Al.
"I didn't, it was like that when I found it; one of the entry thrusters was probably damaged." Al replied in a calm tone.
"I see, well nonetheless, someone's going to pay for that kriff up; and you're the only one here. Why don't we go inside and have a chat." The man instructed as he pulled a blaster out of his coat pocket. Al looked at blaster and didn't know what to do, if he refused he'd be killed, but if he cooperated he would be putting his family in danger. "Now, geezer." The man snapped as he pointed his blaster at Al's head. Al decided it would be best to cooperate, his family was smart, they'd stay out of sight when they saw them coming towards the house.
"Very well." Al replied as he started walking back to the house. He lead the man through the door and into the kitchen, grateful to see that no one was in it.
"So, here's the deal farmer. That drop is worth a lot of credits, and it was damaged on your land, therefore, you owe me for the damaged shipment." The man said as he stared at Al.
"Fine, how much?" Al asked, not wanting to give the man a reason to act out.
"Fifty." The man replied as he twirled his blaster around.
"Fifty thousand credits?! I don't have that kind of money!" Al shouted in shock as he stared at the man.
"Well that's too bad, because that's what you owe me; and if you don't pay with credits, then you'll pay with something else." The man said as he looked towards the front door. A very large and brutish looking man walked in. "Al, meet the collector. He's a special member of my gang, who does exactly what you'd think, he collects people's debts. How he gets what people owe us, I don't care to ask. Sometimes he brings back credits, sometimes he brings property, and other times..." The man paused before snapping his fingers. "He brings fresh meat." The man said with a grin. The collector grinned before walking towards the steps.
"Hey, you can't go up there!" Al shouted as he stood up and ran towards the man.
"I go where I want." The collector replied before pushing Al, his large size gave him incredible strength, which sent Al crashing to the floor like a rag doll.
"You see Al, I'm not as naive as you think I am. I know that you're not alone here, I know that you have a wife and two children. Now unless you can find the credits to pay your debt, then we'll take them as payment. They'll sell good on the black market, especially the kids." The man said with a grin as he stared at Al.
"Over my dead body." Al replied as he glared at the man.
"My thoughts exactly." The man said as he aimed his blaster at Al. He was about to pull the trigger when he heard a loud thud, like something large and heavy had just fallen. Then there were repeated loud sounds as his large gang member came tumbling down the steps, landing in a heap at the bottom of the them.
"You're not laying a finger on this family, you thug!" Ahsoka yelled as she limped down the steps, then slowly walked into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry, but who the kriff do you think you are?! Do you have any idea who I am?! I run this town, you little bitch!" The man shouted as he pointed his blaster at Ahsoka.
"Not anymore you don't, you're going to take what you can salvage of your spice drop and leave in peace." Ahsoka said as she waved her hand in front of the man.
"I'm going to take what I can salvage and leave in peace." The man repeated as he put his blaster away, then stood up.
"You're also going to scrape up your goon before you go." Ahsoka ordered as she waved her hand at the man again.
"I'm also going to scrape up my goon before I go." The man repeated as he grabbed his gang member and started dragging him out the door. The door closed a moment later, and Ahsoka collapsed the second it did.
"Ahsoka." Al quietly said as he rushed to her side.
"Are you okay?" Ahsoka asked as she tried to sit up.
"Yes, thanks to you. Is my family okay?" Al asked in a worried tone as he slowly helped Ahsoka sit up.
"Yeah, that punk never even laid eyes on them." Ahsoka replied as she placed a hand on her aching stomach.
"Thank you Ahsoka, God only knows what would've happened if you hadn't been here." Al thanked as he hugged Ahsoka.
"Al!" Tann yelled as she ran down the steps, followed by their children.
"Thanks goodness you're all safe. Thank you Ahsoka, my family and I owe you our lives." Al thanked as he hugged his family. Ahsoka smiled at the touching scene, the she felt a hint of sorrow as she thought about Padmé and Anakin.
"Come here Ahsoka." Tann said with a smile as she held her arm out to Ahsoka. Ahsoka smiled as she limped over to everyone, then she was gently pulled into their family hug. While Ahsoka embraced with Al and his family, the Badlands gang was about to leave when someone called the main leader.
"Did you get the spice?" A low voice asked through the com.
"No my lord, it was destroyed on impact, the thrusters failed to engage." The leader replied in a nervous tone.
"Then collect the debt some other way, you idiot! That farmer has two children and a wife, they'll fetch a good price on the black market." The voice instructed in an angry tone.
"Yes my lord." The man replied before hanging up.
"But boss, I thought you said we were just gonna cut our losses and leave?" One of the other members asked as he stared at the man.
"That was before lord Vader called, now we take the kids and the wife." The man replied before walking towards the house.
"What about the old man?" The gang member asked as he stared at the other man.
"He's of no use to us, kill him." The man answered before drawing his blaster and walking back towards the house. Ahsoka was still enjoying the family hug when she sensed danger.
"They're coming back." Ahsoka warned as she let go of everyone and stared at the door.
"What?! Why?!" Tann asked as she grabbed her children and pulled them close.
"I don't know, but I get the feeling that these goons aren't the ones in charge, they're following orders from someone." Ahsoka explained as she listened closely to what was going on outside. "Get upstairs, they're surrounding the house." Ahsoka ordered before looking back at everyone.
"What about you?" Al asked as he started pushing his family towards the steps.
"Don't worry about me, I've dealt with far worse than some thugs on speeders, and with far worse injuries. Now go." Ahsoka instructed before taking a fighting stance. Al nodded before rushing upstairs with his family. Ahsoka waited and listened, her opponents were drawing closer, then she heard the back door creak open.
"Cover the exits, they're probably upstairs still." The leader instructed as he walked deeper into the house. Ahsoka pressed her back to the wall next to the stairs, waiting to ambush the man as he entered the room. She was just about to strike when the front door opened.
"Hey!" A man shouted as he pointed a blaster at Ahsoka, Ahsoka turned just as the man fired, but thankfully his aim was as bad as his manners. Ahsoka held her hand out and ripped the blaster from his with the force. "What the?! There's a Jedi in here!" The man shouted as he backed away from Ahsoka. Ahsoka force pushed him out the door, he hit the ground hard enough that he was knocked unconscious.
"There she is, kill her!" One of the other members shouted as he fired his blaster at Ahsoka, his shot got much closer to Ahsoka, but it still missed.
"Kill the Jedi!" Another member yelled as he started shooting at Ahsoka, followed by three other members. Ahsoka ducked behind what little cover she could find, but then the rest of the gang burst through the front door, leaving her exposed and with nowhere to go.
"Fire!" The leader ordered as he started shooting at Ahsoka, followed by the rest of his gang. Ahsoka was hit six times in various parts of her body, she was practically defenseless against such a large number of attackers. Ahsoka collapsed to the ground in pain, not even able to lift her head up. Everyone quickly converged on her location.
"Holly shit boss, we did it. We took down a Jedi." One of the members said as she stared down at Ahsoka.
"She's still alive, call the big guy and see if she wants her dead or alive." The leader ordered as he slammed his foot down on Ahsoka's head, making her cry out in pain.
"Right away boss." Another member replied as she grabbed her com and pressed a button. "My lord, we got the Jedi, she's still alive; shall we bring her to you?" The woman asked in a calm tone.
"You fools! Kill her, kill her before she transforms!" Vader ordered in a firm tone.
"Transforms?" The woman asked in a confused tone. Then she heard Ahsoka groan, followed by the sound of something scratching on wood.
"Sounds like she's waking up, it was nice knowing all of you, but it seems like I'm going to need new recruits." Vader replied before hanging up.
"What is she gonna do, she can't even stand; let alone..." One of the gang members started to say, until Ahsoka let out a loud hiss and jumped on her, quickly slashing her neck open with her sharp claws. Then she charged at another member and slammed him to the floor, she bit a chunk of his neck out and moved onto the next member.
"Someone shoot her! Shoot her now!" The leader ordered as he started backing away towards the door. The entire gang started shooting at Ahsoka, and despite hitting her several times, she hardly flinched. She continued tearing through gang members like they were mere sheets of paper.
"Bad men bully nice family, bad men die!" Ahsoka shouted before hissing and leaping on another gang member, plunging her sharp claws straight through his throat and out the back of his neck.
"Run away! She a monster, a monster!" One of the only four remaining gang members screamed as she ran for the door, but Ahsoka grabbed her in a force choke and squeezed until the woman's windpipe was crushed.
"No! No! Please, I... AAAAH!" The third member screamed as Ahsoka charged at him, bowling him to the ground and slashing his throat with her claws.
"Kriff this, I'm turning myself into the cops! You're on your own boss!" The second to last member shouted as she threw down her weapon and ran away.
"You hurt family, you deal drugs and hurt lots of families. Ahsoka hate drug dealers, Ahsoka make you pay." Ahsoka quietly said as she walked on all fours towards the leader. He was in a complete panic, he kept backing away until he tripped off the porch step and fell down it, landing hard on his back. Ahsoka hissed before leaping at him, but she was caught off guard as he reached into his pocket and pulled a package of spice out of it. He smacked Ahsoka in the head with the drug package, causing it to explode and send an orange dust flying everywhere. Ahsoka gasped as the spice entered her lungs. Then she fell to the ground, gasping and choking on the powerful drug. The man scrambled to his feet and ran to the closest speeder he could find, then he sped away. Ahsoka laid in the dirt, gasping and convulsing as the drug was further absorbed into her system. Several minutes passed, and eventually Al and his family decided that the silence was a good sign.
"Alright, wait here honey, I'll go and see if Ahsoka's okay." Al instructed as he crept out of the room he and his family were hiding in. Al shut the door behind him and snuck to the top of steps, listening closely for any voices or sounds of conflict. When he heard nothing he slowly started descending the stairs, but when he was about halfway down he could hear something odd. A gurgling or choking noise, but that was the only sound he heard. "Ahsoka? Is that you?" Al asked as he slowly moved the rest of the way down the steps, then he cautiously moved towards the sound. Al peeked around the corner and was horrified by what he saw. Ahsoka was violently thrashing and seizing. "Ahsoka!" Al shouted as he rushed to her side. Al dropped to his knees next to her and looked her over, despite her orange skin, Al was able to see the spice coating her face. "Oh my God! Tann! Tann get down here, hurry!" Al shouted as he grabbed Ahsoka's hand and squeezed it. There were some fast moving shoes on the steps, and a moment later Tann and the kids were in the room.
"Ahsoka! Oh my God, Al what happened?!" Tann asked as she rushed to Ahsoka's side.
"I think she was drugged, there's spice all over her face." Al answered as he squeezed Ahsoka's hand.
"We need to get her to the clinic, hurry!" Tann instructed as she jumped to her feet and rushed out the front door. Al picked Ahsoka up and carried her outside.
"What's wrong with her now, papa?" Nima asked as she and Andy stared at Ahsoka.
"Those bad men gave her drugs, we have to take her to the clinic." Al answered as he set Ahsoka in the speeder. Andy and Nima quickly got in the back with Ahsoka, then Tann started driving. Ahsoka's breathing was weak and rapid, and she was still violently seizing.
"How's she doing?" Tann asked as she continued driving. Al looked back at Ahsoka just as she threw her head over the side of speeder and vomited.
"Not well, drive faster." Al instructed as he continued watching Ahsoka. Tann pushed the pedal down as far as it would go, and less than five minutes later the clinic came into view.
"Hurry, get her inside." Tann instructed as she parked the speeder in front of the entrance. Al jumped out of the speeder and grabbed Ahsoka, then he rushed her inside. "I need a doctor right now!" Al shouted as he burst through the doors.
"Al?! What's going on, did something else happen to her?" Doctor Carlson asked as he ran over to Al.
"The Badland gang attacked my home, she fought them off, but one of them smashed an entire packet of spice in her face. She started seizing and vomiting, she needs help." Al explained as he handed Ahsoka to Doctor Carlson.
"Wendy, bring me a dose of narcan, now!" Doctor Carlson ordered as he laid Ahsoka on the floor. A moment later a young woman in an old nurses's uniform ran over to him with a small tube of what looked like nasal spray. The doctor took the tube and removed the cap, then he put the tip in Ahsoka's right nostril and squeezed the bottle, then he did the same thing to her left nostril. Ahsoka stopped seizing a moment later, then after a few seconds she let out a gasp. "It worked, she should be okay." Doctor Carlson said with a smile as he gently rubbed Ahsoka's sternum a little bit.
"Thank you so much." Al thanked as he gently picked Ahsoka up.
"Ahsoka feel icky, body hurt." Ahsoka quietly said as she cuddled against Al.
"Here, take a spare one home just in case. How did this happen anyways?" Doctor Carlson asked with a sad expression.
"They came to my house, Carl, the badlands were in my home. She fought off six of them at once, and she killed nearly every one of them. But then one of them must've thrown or smashed a thing of spice in her face and ran off, because when I came downstairs I found her convulsing on the ground, and she was covered in a reddish orange powder." Al explained in a sad tone.
"You're kidding. You poor woman, you must be so strong if you were able to survive all of that." Doctor Carlson quietly said as he gently placed his hand over Ahsoka's forehead. "Get her home, make sure she rests and doesn't strain herself for at least a day or two." Doctor Carlson instructed as he removed his hand from Ahsoka's head.
"Of course, thanks old friend. I owe you one." Al thanked as he picked Ahsoka up.
"You don't owe me anything, if you owe anyone anything it's her. To take on the badlands gang is something our entire town is afraid to do, yet this one woman went toe to toe with multiple members of the gang and sent them running. You keep her safe and healthy, she may be our only hope." Doctor Carlson replied with a sad smile.
"I'll make sure she's well cared for, thanks again Carl." Al thanked before carrying Ahsoka back outside to the speeder.
"How is she?" Tann asked as Al set Ahsoka in the back seat.
"Alive, but she needs rest. Let's get home." Al answered as he sat down in the front passenger seat. Tann nodded before driving back home, then Al picked Ahsoka up and carried her inside.
"Is she okay now daddy?" Nima asked as she watched Al carry Ahsoka inside.
"Yes baby, she's just tired and has some boo boos. She'll be okay though." Al answered as he carried Ahsoka upstairs and laid her in the guest bed.
"Ahsoka tummy hurt." Ahsoka quietly said as she wrapped her arms around her stomach.
"Don't worry, it'll be okay Ahsoka. Just get some rest." Al whispered as he pulled a blanket over Ahsoka.
"Ahsoka want mama." Ahsoka quietly said with a sniffle, then she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Al looked at Ahsoka with a sad expression, then he quietly left the room and went downstairs.
"Is she doing okay?" Tann asked in a sad tone.
"I don't know, she's talking weird. She's not using full sentences, and she keeps referring to herself in the third person. I don't know if it's a side effect of the spice or the antidote, or if it's something else." Al answered as he sat down at the table with his family.
"We'll just have to have faith in her, she's very strong, I believe that she'll be okay." Tann encouraged with a smile.
"I hope you're right honey, because not only does our town need her, but more importantly she's a good person. She doesn't deserve to suffer for our problems. I hope she gets better, poor Ahsoka." Al replied with a sad expression.
"She'll be okay Al, she has the scars to prove that she can take a hit. Now come on, let's get some lunch going so that she'll have something to eat when she wakes up." Tann suggested with a smile.
"Good idea, we should make her something nice. Togrutas are carnivorous, right? She would probably appreciate some meat." Al suggested with a smile.
"I'll fire up the grill, you run down to the freezer and grab those gamorrean pork slices. I'm sure she'll enjoy those." Tann instructed as she walked towards the back door to start the grill. Al smiled before walking down the steps to the basement and opening a large white cooler. Then he pulled six vacuum sealed pork slices from it and brought them upstairs. "Thanks Al." Tann thanked as she took the packages of meat and set them on a tray built into the grill.
"Any time dear. Hey, have you seen the kids anywhere?" Al asked as he looked around a little bit.
"They were just here. Nima?! Andy?! Where are you two?!" Tann yelled as she walked back into the house, unaware that her children were upstairs.
"Shhh, quiet Nima, she's sleeping." Andy whispered as he peeked at Ahsoka through the slightly cracked door.
"Papa said that it's rude to spy on people." Nima quietly said as she fidgeted nervously.
"I know, but look at her. She looks so cool, and her markings are so pretty." Andy replied with a smile.
"You love her!" Nima teased with a smile.
"No I don't, girls are icky!" Andy replied as he looked back at Nima.
"Andy loves Ahsoka, Andy loves Ahsoka!" Nima chanted with joy.
"Shut up, I do not!" Andy yelled before lightly shoving Nima.
"Ow! You pushed me! I'm telling mommy!" Nima cried as she turned to leave, but then the door to Ahsoka's room flew open. Both children gasped, startled by the door suddenly flying open.
"H-hi." Andy quietly said in a nervous tone. Ahsoka was sitting like a dog, with her butt hovering slightly above the floor, and her hands laid palm down in front of her.
"Why kids fight? You be nice to sister, no push." Ahsoka instructed as she stared at Andy.
"I'm sorry, I won't do it again." Andy apologized with a hint of fear in his voice.
"Why Andy scared? Ahsoka not hurt you, Ahsoka like kids. Ahsoka take good care of kids." Ahsoka said with a smile before limping on all fours out her room. "Oooh, Ahsoka knee hurt, make walking hard." Ahsoka quietly said as she stopped halfway to the stairs.
"Andy, Nima, you'd better not be bothering Ahsoka!" Al yelled from downstairs, then there were some heavy boots on the steps.
"We're gonna get in trouble." Nima quietly said as Al reached the top of the stairs.
"What did we tell you two? Leave Ahsoka alone, she needs to rest." Al scolded as he stared at his children, then he looked at Ahsoka. "I'm sorry if they disturbed you at all, I'll make sure they leave you alone to rest." Al apologized as he stared at Ahsoka.
"Ahsoka not mind, smell yummy things, so Ahsoka get up. Ahsoka go downstairs with nice family now." Ahsoka replied with a smile before slowly limping towards the steps.
"Daddy, why is she acting like that?" Nima asked with a confused expression.
"I'm not sure." Al answered as he watched Ahsoka try and go down the first step.
"Mmm. Ahsoka in lots of pain, hard to go down steps." Ahsoka quietly said as she slowly moved onto the first step, then tried to go down the next one. Al had no clue what was going on with Ahsoka, but he decided to offer her some help before she hurt herself any further.
"Do you want some help?" Al asked as he walked over to Ahsoka.
"Yes, nice man help Ahsoka. Ahsoka grateful for help." Ahsoka answered as she held her arms up.
'She wants to be carried?' Al thought to himself before gently picking Ahsoka up. Al carried Ahsoka downstairs, then when he reached the bottom he was shocked by what Ahsoka did. Ahsoka nuzzled her cheek against his, then she gently nipped his nose, which startled him and caused him to set her down rather quickly. "Why'd you bite me?" Al asked as he gently rubbed his nose.
"Ahsoka give nip, way of saying thank you." Ahsoka answered as she slowly turned and walked towards the scent of the food.
"Kids, stay away from her for a while. Something's wrong with her, I don't know if she's dangerous or not." Al instructed as he followed Ahsoka, who was wandering outside.
"Oh you're up, how are you feeling?" Tann asked with a smile as she flipped one of the steaks.
"Ahsoka in some pain, but nice man carry Ahsoka downstairs because she smell yummy scent." Ahsoka answered with a smile.
"Really? Well that was nice of him." Tann replied in a slightly confused tone, Ahsoka's behavior was as confusing to her as it was alarming.
"Very nice. Ahsoka so grateful that she give nip." Ahsoka replied as she sat down and stared up at Tann.
"Al!" Tann shouted towards the door.
"Tann?! Tann!" Al shouted before rushing to her. "Tann, are you alright?! She didn't try and do anything to you, did she?" Al asked as he stared at Ahsoka, who just cocked her head at him in confusion.
"No, of course not. Why would you even ask that?" Tann asked with a surprised expression.
"Because she bit me after I carried her downstairs." Al answered as he looked at Tan, then back at Ahsoka.
"Ahsoka no bite you, Ahsoka give nip. Togruta way of saying thank you." Ahsoka replied with a smile.
"I think we should call the clinic and at least ask about this odd behavior. I'm worried about her." Tann suggested as she knelt in front of Ahsoka.
"Worry?" Ahsoka asked as she cocked her head at Tann.
"Yes, you're not acting like yourself. I'm worried that you hurt your head." Tann replied as she gently went to pat Ahsoka's head.
"N-no touch head please, Ahsoka head sensitive and intimate spot on body. Make Ahsoka uncomfortable when touched there." Ahsoka informed as she slowly pulled her head back.
"You go call the clinic, I'll keep an eye on her." Al instructed as he sat down by Ahsoka.
"No call doctor, Ahsoka not understand why Ahsoka get like this, but Merida and friends say not to worry. Ahsoka get like this when hurt bad, or go through many bad things. Merida say Ahsoka instinct make Ahsoka like this." Ahsoka explained with a sad expression.
"Wait, Merida? You don't mean Doctor Merida Minsu, do you?" Al asked with some surprise as he stared at Ahsoka.
"Yes! Ahsoka love Merida, Merida Ahsoka's girlfriend!" Ahsoka answered with enthusiasm.
"Al, who are you talking about? How do you know about that woman?" Tann asked with some surprise as she stared at Al.
"Before the Badlands cut off our contact with outside civilization, I saw a documentary that she and her sister did several years ago. They're experts in togruta culture and history. If Ahsoka knows them and they say that her behavior isn't concerning, then she should be okay." Al explained with a straight face.
"Well I'm not taking any chances, I'm calling the clinic just to be safe." Tann replied before walking over to a small table with a light blue orb on it. She pushed a few buttons and waited until a young woman answered.
"Healthy souls clinic, how may I help you?" The woman asked in a kind tone.
"Yes, hi, we brought a young togruta in just a couple of hours ago and she's acting very odd right now. Not more than an hour ago she was walking on two legs and talking relatively normal, but now she's walking on all fours and speaking in broken sentences. My husband and I are a little concerned about her, we're wondering if we should bring her in or if there's any record of such a thing happening to an injured togruta?" Tann explained and asked in a calm tone.
"I'm not sure to be honest, let me get Doctor Carlson real quick, please hold." The woman replied, then some casual music started playing.
"Oo, Ahsoka like jazz song." Ahsoka said with a smile as she lightly swayed her head to the beat.
"Doctor Carlson here, how may I assist you today?" Doctor Carlson asked in a calm tone as he picked up the phone. Ahsoka pouted a little once the relaxing music had cut out.
"Hi Doctor Carlson, it's Tann Usho, my husband and I brought a young togruta in earlier." Tann reminded in a calm tone.
"Oh yes, how is she doing?" Doctor Carlson asked in a pleasant tone.
"She's acting very strangely right now. She's speaking in broken sentences, and she's also walking around on all fours; I was just curious if that was something I needed to be concerned about or not?" Tann explained and asked with a little worry in her voice.
"I'm honestly not too sure, what you're describing sounds like symptoms of severe psychological trauma. There's a very recent study on this topic by two renowned experts in togrutas, according to the little bit of information they've published, a togruta can regress into a primitive state when suffering from severe psychological trauma. Granted, this study is less than six months old, and it's only ever been witnessed in one subject. The togruta had suffered a severely traumatic capture during the war and didn't have time to deal with the trauma before suffering further trauma. The subject's mind locked itself down and focused solely on survival instincts. It's possible that she could be suffering from something similar, in which case there's little you need to do, she'll heal on her own according to the source. That being said, it was noted that the subject was very sensitive in its cranial region, it refused to let anyone outside of a very small group of individuals touch its head or lekku. So just be careful of that, otherwise just keep doing what you've been doing, hopefully she'll come out of it soon. If you have anymore questions or concerns just call, if I'm not here then someone on the next shift will answer. Have a good day misses Usho." Doctor Carlson explained in a calm and professional tone.
"Okay, thank you Doctor Carlson. We'll take good care of her, have a good day." Tan replied before hanging up. "Well that's a relief, she should be okay. It's not the first time this has been seen in a traumatized togruta." Tann informed with a smile as she looked at Al.
"She's not dangerous or anything?" Al asked with some concern as he looked at Ahsoka.
"Only if we touch her head without permission, otherwise she should be pretty docile, almost child like." Tann answered as she walked over to Ahsoka.
"That's a relief." Al replied as he looked at Ahsoka.
"Eat yum yums now?" Ahsoka asked with a smile.
"Yes, the meat's all done. Come and sit down Ahsoka, just be careful with all of your injuries." Tann replied as she pulled a chair out for Ahsoka. Ahsoka smiled before limping over to the chair and slowly climbing onto it.
"Is she okay mama?" Nima asked as she looked at Ahsoka, then at Tann.
"Yes sweetie, she's just hurt right now, so her instincts are keeping her safe by making her behave in this strange manner." Tann answered as she looked at Ahsoka, who sniffed one of her pork slices.
"Oo, smell yummy." Ahsoka said as she picked one of her pork slices up, then bit it and tore a large chunk from it.
"Well, she's certainly not dull to be around in this state, that's for sure." Al chuckled as he watched Ahsoka take another large bite from her pork slice.
"Mommy, why is she eating like that?" Nima asked as she stared at Ahsoka.
"Probably because that's how she would eat in the wild, her species is a predatory one. Her ancestors probably ate in that same fashion." Tann answered as she cut a piece from her pork slice with her fork and knife.
"Do modern togrutas still eat that way though?" Al asked as he watched Ahsoka eat.
"No, at least not that I'm aware of. Though I think Ahsoka here is the exception. She's a little more than your average togruta. Isn't that right Ahsoka?" Tann replied and asked as she smiled at Ahsoka.
"Yes. Ahsoka weird, not always fit in; Ahsoka not mind though, friends and family love Ahsoka the way she is. Merida really love Ahsoka, always have fun with Ahsoka, make her feel happy in bed." Ahsoka answered as she finished her pork slice, then picked up another one.
"Let's try to avoid that kind of talk at the table." Tann said with a slight chuckle.
"Sorry, Ahsoka used to being very open about things. Especially since Mira no bully Ahsoka no more. Mira mean to Ahsoka, used to call Ahsoka fat and not let Ahsoka tell anyone about her." Ahsoka replied as she finished her second pork slice.
"That wasn't nice of her, why would she do that?" Tann asked with a sad expression.
"Because Ahsoka sick, friends and family help cure Ahsoka sickness. Ahsoka not realize in beginning, but Mira never real, she figment of Ahsoka imagination. Ahsoka had weight problem." Ahsoka explained as she tore into a third slice of pork.
"Really? You don't seem the type to have a weight problem, you're actually quite thin." Al replied with some surprise.
"Yes, Ahsoka see that now; but Ahsoka used to think she fat. Ahsoka weight problem was being too skinny, friends say Ahsoka had sickness with name that Ahsoka can't pronounce. Ahsoka saw herself as very fat, but everyone else said Ahsoka very skinny. Friends tell truth, Mira lie. Ahsoka shocked when see how she really look, very, very skinny; see all of Ahsoka's bones because she so skinny." Ahsoka explained as she finished her third pork slice. "Ahsoka full, thank you for yummies. Nice woman very good cook, remind Ahsoka of friend Mako's cooking. Mako good cook, make many yummy things; maybe new friends meet Ahsoka old friends someday." Ahsoka said with a smile before licking her hands.
"Oh, here. Use this." Tann instructed as she handed Ahsoka a napkin.
"Th-thank you." Ahsoka thanked as she took the napkin and cleaned herself up a little.
"You're welcome." Tann replied with a smile. Ahsoka smiled back before lightly yawning.
"Ahsoka sleepy now." Ahsoka quietly said as she gently pawed at her eyes.
"Come on, let's get you to bed." Al said with a smile before walking over to Ahsoka and gently picking her up.
"Thank you for taking care of Ahsoka, you all very nice to Ahsoka. Make her feel safe and loved, remind Ahsoka of home." Ahsoka quietly said before closing her eyes. Al smiled and held her close as he carried her upstairs to the bedroom she'd been using, then he tucked her in and crept out of the room.
"Is she all tucked in for the night?" Tann asked as Al walked back into the kitchen.
"Yes, now I think it's time to tuck two other children in." Al said with a grin as he looked at Nima and Andy.
"Awe!" Both children whined as they stared at their parents.
"No whining, you both have school tomorrow. So brush your teeth and get to bed, mama and I will be up to say goodnight in a few minutes." Al replied as he stared at them both.
"Okay." Both children said in disappointed tones, then they slowly left the dining room to get ready for bed.
"I suppose we should get to bed soon as well, it's been a long day." Tann said with a smile.
"That's an understatement, I hope those punks learned their lesson and don't ever come back. Thank goodness Ahsoka was here, that would've been really bad if she hadn't been." Al replied with a sad expression.
"I don't even wanna think about what those animals would've done to our children if Ahsoka hadn't been here. We owe her for so many things, let's make sure we do everything we can to get her back to her family." Tann quietly said as she walked over to Al and hugged him.
"We will dear, but for now she's safe with us. At least she's not still wandering the canyon, she probably wouldn't have made it if I hadn't happened to find her on my way home. I'm no Jedi, but maybe it was the force that brought our family and her together." Al replied with a smile before giving Tann a kiss on her forehead. "Now let's get to bed, no telling what tomorrow will bring." Al suggested as he lead Tann to their room for the night.