Chapter Seven
Redemption
The gang member pulled into the middle of town and powered down his bike, the town was eerily quiet; and there wasn't a soul in sight. "I've got a bad feeling about this." The gang member quietly said as he slowly took his helmet off.
"Show us your hands! Show us your hands!" A police officer shouted as he leapt out of an alley.
"Release those kids right now you terrorists dog!" One of the local shop owners yelled as he aimed a rifle at the man.
"Don't make us kill you!" A woman shouted as she aimed a blaster at the man.
"Andy! Nima!" Tann screamed as she and Al pushed past the crowd that was surrounding the man.
"Mama! Papa!" Andy and Nima both yelled with joy as they ran to their parents.
"Thank goodness you're both safe." Al quietly said as he hugged his wife and children.
"Daddy, that mean Vader lady still has Ahsoka." Nima quietly said as she stared at Al.
"What? Ahsoka's still there?" Tann asked in a worried tone.
"She collapsed the cave to stop Vader from coming after us, but she buried herself with Vader." Andy quietly said with a sniffle.
"Ahsoka buried herself alive to protect you both? Oh my God, Ahsoka." Tann quietly said as she hugged Andy and Nima harder.
"We have to help her." Al quietly said as he stood up and looked at everyone in the crowd. "Listen up people! We may not have known Ahsoka for very long, but in the few days she's been here she's done more for our small town than all of us have done combined! She stood up to the most brutal gang we've ever seen and sent them running! She put her life on the line to protect my children on more than one occasion, and she'd do the same thing for anyone else here; and through all of it she never asked for anything in return! She was more worried about being a burden on my family than she was about receiving anything for her services to our town! Now she's the one who needs help. Are we just going to stand around and let her wait all day for it, or are we gonna haul our asses up that mountain and dig her out?!" Al shouted as he stared at his fellow townspeople.
"I'll haul ass!" Scoops said as he stepped out of his ice cream parlor.
"I'll haul ass!" Doctor Carlson yelled as he held up a blaster.
"Count me in!" The sheriff said with a grin.
"This is our town, no one takes it from us! Especially not some Sith from another planet!" One of the people in the crowd shouted as she held up a rifle.
"What are we waiting for, let's get up that mountain!" Al yelled as he turned around and hopped on the speeder the gang member had brought his kids back on.
"You heard the man, let's go!" The sheriff yelled as he hopped in his police car, followed by as many other people that could pack into it. As everyone started the short trip up the mountain, Ahsoka and Vader were doing the only thing they could do in their current predicament.
"B-Barriss. Are you alive?" Ahsoka asked with a wheezy breath.
"Barriss...has been dead...for months." Vader replied through her own wheezing.
"I don't believe that. I know that...my friend is...still in there...somewhere." Ahsoka replied with a light cough.
"You're an...optimistic fool if...you think that. I killed...Barriss Offee...a long time ago." Vader wheezed before breaking into a fit of coughs.
"No, you only...buried her under...hate and anger. B-Barriss, I'm begging you...l-let the h-hate go." Ahsoka quietly said before coughing a little herself.
"Sh-she loved you...Ahsoka, she loved you and...you betrayed her." Vader quietly said as she stared at the unstable rocks above her.
"I never betrayed her, she...she was my best friend. I'm s-sorry that...I didn't love her like...she loved me. I know...what it's like to...feel rejected or...replaced." Ahsoka quietly said as she stared up at the rocks above her. Vader slowly turned her head to look at Ahsoka. "During the war I...met this boy named...Lux Bonteri, I had a crush on him almost...right away. I thought that...he liked me too, but then...a woman named...Steela Gerrera...came into the picture. She...captured his heart, and it...broke mine. But I knew...that he and I could...never have been. Despite the heartbreak...I felt, I felt...worse when I...wasn't able to...save Steela's life. I may have...loved Lux, but I...loved him enough to...let him go. All I wanted...was for him to...be happy. Even if...the code hadn't forbade it...I would have...let him go. I would've let him go...because I...loved him. I just...wanted him...to be happy." Ahsoka quietly said as her head gently sunk to the ground. Vader stared at Ahsoka for a moment, conflicted in her feelings. She was angry and sad that Ahsoka had rejected her, but after hearing about what Ahsoka had gone through with Lux, she felt guilty for more reasons than she thought possible.
"I'm sorry...Ahsoka. I should have...let you go. Bubbles was...right about me, I didn't...love you, I...lusted for you. You...deserve to be...happy with...Merida. I promise...to get...you out of here. You will not...die here...today." Vader quietly said as she closed her eyes. Ahsoka slowly opened her eyes at the sound of shifting rock.
"Barriss?" Ahsoka quietly asked as she stared at Vader.
"It's okay Ahsoka, everything's going to be alright." Vader quietly said with a smile. Then before Ahsoka even knew what was happening, she felt a huge amount of force slam into the front of her body, she was pushed back several feet, rolling and tumbling across the rocky ground before coming to a painful stop. Ahsoka held a hand over her eyes to shield them from a bright light. "Live, Ahsoka! Survive for both of us!" Vader yelled before she was silenced by the sound of collapsing rock.
"Barriss!" Ahsoka screamed as she reached for Barriss, watching helplessly as her friend was once again buried under the rubble. Ahsoka focused and tried to find either Barriss's or Vader's force signature, but they had both vanished. "Barriss." Ahsoka quietly said as she stared at collapsed cave that had become her friend's tomb.
"Ahsoka!" Al yelled from behind her as he climbed up the ledge of the cliff, then rushed to her side.
"She's gone. She's dead." Ahsoka quietly cried as she hugged Al. Al gently wrapped his arms around Ahsoka and held her close. "She was so strong, she beat Vader in the end. I'm so proud of you Barriss." Ahsoka quietly said with a sniffle as she hugged Al a little harder.
"I'm so sorry Ahsoka." Al whispered as he gently rubbed her back. "Come on, you need to see Doctor Carlson." Al quietly said as he carefully picked Ahsoka up. Ahsoka hung her head over Al's shoulder as he carried her, lifting it slightly in surprise when she saw what looked like a faint blue version of Barriss.
"I'll always be here for you, goodbye Ahsoka." Barriss's force ghost said with a smile before vanishing.
"Goodbye Barriss." Ahsoka quietly said as she closed her eyes and hung her head fully over Al's shoulder.
"Let me see her." Doctor Carlson said as he held his arms out. Al gently handed Ahsoka to him. "You poor woman, you're covered in wounds." Doctor Carlson quietly said as he looked at all of the dried blood, scrapes, cuts, and bruises that were covering Ahsoka. "We need to get her to the clinic, if this is what the outside looks like then there's no telling what..." Doctor Carlson started to say, until Ahsoka started violently coughing before she spat a large amount of blood out.
"Ouch." Ahsoka quietly groaned as she instinctively clung to Doctor Carlson. Al and Doctor Carlson stared at each other with concerned expressions.
"Come on, we need to hurry." Doctor Carlson instructed as he hopped in the sheriff's car.
"Hurry up sheriff!" Al yelled as he gently laid Ahsoka in the back, then sat down next to her.
"Step on it Carl, let's get this woman the help she needs! It's the least we owe her." The sheriff yelled as Doctor Carlson started driving. The ride felt like it lasted an eternity as Al sat in the back with Ahsoka, he'd laid her down with her head on his lap, keeping it tilted to the side so she wouldn't choke on her blood if the bleeding got worse.
"M-ma ma. I wanna... I wanna... g-go home." Ahsoka quietly said before her head rolled to the side and she stopped moving.
"Step on it, she's fading fast!" Al instructed as he gently patted Ahsoka's cheek. "Ahsoka! Ahsoka stay awake! I know you're tired but you have to keep your eyes open. Come on Ahsoka, show me those pretty blue eyes!" Al yelled as he patted Ahsoka's cheek a little harder.
"Bubbles. Bubbles." Ahsoka quietly said as she shook her head a little bit.
"Bubbles? What is she talking about bubbles for? She must be delirious from the blood loss." Doctor Carlson said as he pulled up to the clinic.
"Not bubbles like you blow out of a wand, her padawan's name is Bubbles. She wants her padawan." Al explained as he gently placed his hand on Ahsoka's forehead.
"I wish we could get in touch with the republic, but we still need to get our communications up and running. Even our cross planet coms are down, never mind long range coms." Doctor Carlson replied as he stopped outside the clinic.
"Hurry, there's no time to waste!" Al said as he whipped the door open and ran into the clinic, followed by Doctor Carlson.
"Doctor Carlson?" The woman behind the front desk said as she stood up in surprise.
"Call the O.R, tell them we have critical patient with internal bleeding and other severe injuries!" Doctor Carlson ordered as he ran past the woman, followed by Al.
"Yes doctor." The woman replied before grabbing a phone from her desk and pushing some buttons.
"I thought coms were still down?" Al asked as he ran alongside Doctor Carlson.
"They are, but the clinic has its own internal communications system, it only allows us to make calls to other parts of the clinic though since the com towers are down." Doctor Carlson explained as he lead Al into the E.R. "I'm sorry Al, but no one passed the doors." Doctor Carlson said as he held his arms out.
"I trust you and your team to take care of her." Al replied as he handed Ahsoka to Doctor Carlson.
"We'll do our best for her. Wish us luck old friend." Doctor Carlson replied before rushing Ahsoka through the E.R doors.
"Good luck Carl, and may the force be with you Ahsoka." Al quietly said as he sat in one of the many chairs in the waiting area. Ten minutes went by before Al's family showed up at the clinic to see how things were going.
"Al." Tann quietly said as she and their children walked over to Al.
"Tann." Al quietly replied as he stood up to hug his family.
"Where's Ahsoka?" Nima asked as she hugged Al's leg.
"She's with the doctors, they're taking good care of her." Al replied as he hugged Nima and Andy a little tighter.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Andy asked in a sad tone as he looked up at Al.
"I don't know son, but she's strong, so have faith in her." Al replied with a sad smile.
"I wanna go to the church, daddy." Nima quietly said with a sniffle.
"Okay baby, let's go." Al quietly replied as he picked Nima up, then carried her out the doors.
"Go on Andy, I'll wait for the doctors in case they have anything to tell us. You go with your father and sister." Tann said with a smile as she patted Andy's head.
"Okay mama." Andy replied before following Al and Nima. Al lead his children into a small wooden building that had a large symbol of the Jedi Order carved into the front of it. When they walked inside there were a few other people sitting on long wooden benches, all of whom had their heads bowed in silent prayer.
"Okay kids, let's take a seat and pray to the force." Al whispered as he found a seat next to a few other people. Andy and Nima slowly sat down next to him, then they prayed for Ahsoka.
'Um, force, please save Ahsoka. She's a nice lady who protects people, and she's funny, and pretty; and please just keep her safe. Thank you force.' Nima silently prayed as she clasped her hands together and bowed her head.
'Please force, please help Ahsoka. She got hurt because of us, because we went with those bad people. Please don't let her die, and please let her family find her soon. She's scared and lonely here, she wants her family.' Andy prayed in the same fashion as his sister. While Al and his children prayed for Ahsoka, she was fighting like hell to survive.
"Her b.p's rising." One of the nurses informed as she looked at the monitor.
"Hand me a coagulant, stat." The head surgeon instructed as he held his hand out. One of the other doctors handed him a syringe with some clear liquid in it. The surgeon injected the liquid into Ahsoka's wound and set the syringe aside.
"B.p's still rising." Another nurse said as he looked at the monitor.
"Suction." The surgeon said as he held his hand out. The nurse handed him a tube which he held over Ahsoka's open chest. The clear tube turned florissant green as Ahsoka's blood was sucked through it. "Clamp." The surgeon instructed as he held his hand out again.
"Clamp." The nurse said as she handed the surgeon a pair of what looked like small metal tongs. The surgeon cinched a ruptured vein near Ahsoka's left lung.
"Suture." The surgeon said as he held his hand out again. One of the nurses set a needle and thread in his hand, then he started stitching the vein.
"Vitals are stable." One of the nurses said as he watched the monitor.
"Suture complete." The surgeon informed as he tied off the stitch and set the needle and remaining thread aside.
"Vitals are still normal." The nurse informed as he looked down at Ahsoka.
"Saline." The surgeon instructed as he held his hand out again. One of the other doctors placed a large syringe in his hand that was also filled with a clear liquid. The surgeon pushed the plunger of the syringe down and covered Ahsoka's wound in the disinfectant. "Good work everyone, I think she's going to be okay. Let's stitch her up and get her to a room to rest." The surgeon instructed as he started sewing Ahsoka's chest up. After what felt like a life time Ahsoka was brought out of the operating room.
"Ahsoka." Tann quietly said as she rushed to Ahsoka's side.
"She's a very strong woman, I expect her to make a full recovery." The surgeon informed with a smile.
"Thank you, thank you so much." Tann quietly thanked as she placed her hand over Ahsoka's.
"We're bringing her to room one if you'd like to join her." The surgeon informed as he and his team wheeled Ahsoka towards her room.
"I'll be there soon, I have to give everyone else the good news first." Tann replied before running out of the clinic towards the church. Everyone was still sitting in silent prayer when their attention was drawn by the loud bang of the doors whipping open. "She's alive! They say she'll likely make a full recovery!" Tann yelled with joy as she stared at everyone. The entire church broke out in cheers and chants at the good news.
"Come on kids, let's go see Ahsoka!" Al said with a smile as he picked both of his children up and ran with them and Tann back to the clinic. As they ran to the clinic none of them noticed the two transparent figures on the roof of the church.
"You're in good hands now, Ahsoka. You don't need an old spirit like me to watch over you anymore." Maul's ghost said with a smile as he stared at Tann and her family.
"Does that mean a younger spirit should take over?" Barriss asked with a smile as she appeared next to Maul.
"Only when we need to, my guardian angel in training. Only when we need to." Maul answered before he and Barriss vanished.
"Ahsoka!" Nima yelled with excitement as she rushed into Ahsoka's room with her family.
"I'm afraid that it'll be a while before she wakes up, but she's stable. We'll keep an eye on her, but as I told misses Usho, she's expected to make a full recovery." The surgeon said with a smile as he looked down at Ahsoka.
"Thank you so much, you saved her life." Al thanked as he held his hand out to the surgeon.
"It was team effort mister Usho. We did our part, the rest is up to her now; she's strong though, she'll be awake in no time. If you have any questions or something seems off just yell or push the red button on her bed, we'll come right away. Otherwise we just let her rest now, goodnight everyone." The doctor said before leaving the room.
"I'll stay with her tonight, why don't you get the kids home to bed." Al suggested as he looked at Tann.
"Fat chance of that. She's family now, and we don't leave family; isn't that right kids?" Tann replied and asked with a smile.
"Yeah!" Andy and Nima both yelled with smiles.
"Alright, but sleeping in a chair's probably gonna suck." Al chuckled as he sat down next to Ahsoka's bed. The rest of his family sat down and waited for Ahsoka to awaken, it was going to be a long wait though.