Only Love can Save them

Chapter 7

As Barriss walked out of the ship and onto the ash-covered grass of Shili, she could see the effect it was having on Ahsoka. The Togruta sank to her knees as tears rolled down her cheeks as the Ghost crew followed. Hera gasped as the smell of rotting corpses danced on the wind and Sabine simply nodded. 

"It's what the Empire does," the Mandalorian said. "They destroy worlds." Her voice was on the verge of tears. 

"I'm so sorry," Barriss said to Ahsoka as she stood.

"This is all my fault!" she wailed, the tears rolling harder and harder. "I never should have used an old base from the war! This is why the found it. They slaughtered my people because of me." Ahsoka stood, gently tracing her hand over the grass. "I never meant for this to happen. I wanted to save them from their suffering. And now they're dead."

There was nothing Barriss could say to soothe her friend that she would accept. Ahsoka disappeared into one of the brightly-colored buildings, the tears clear on her face. 

"Look around," Hera said. "I'll stay with the ship, as well as Chopper, Barriss, Ezra follow Ahsoka. Sabine, Kanan, Zeb, look if there are any survivors."

They nodded Ahsoka with the Force. "So what's Ahsoka like?" Ezra asked Barriss as they walked into the town. 

"The war changed us all. We've all grown and she's not the same as she was during the Clone Wars, that's for sure," Barriss said.

"How can answer that without actually giving an answer?" Ezra asked. 

"Not responding," she muttered as she sensed her friend close by. A scream echoed across the sky bright blue sky. "TIEs! Get down!" she said frantically. 

They shielded themselves from the fighters quickly and heard a soft cry from inside a white and green building. Barriss walked inside, Ezra carefully behind her. She ignited her saber, giving a burst of light. There was another cry, this one more fearful. 

"Shhh," Barriss said, gently radiating calm in the Force. It was a Togruta youngling with pale skin, markings that had a small diamond in the middle, with two lines on her cheeks. Her lekkus were short with pale blue stripes. "It's okay," the Mirialan whispered.

"Mama?" asked the Togruta, reaching her arms out. 

"No, mama's not here," Barriss said softly. 

"Mama," the baby said firmer. She embraced Barriss and the Jedi held the youngling, confused, but gentle.

"What's your name, little one?" Barriss asked, mimicking her words with her hands. She didn't understand Togruti, but hoped the baby would understand what she was trying to say. 

"Ash," the baby said. Her words were muddled, but Barriss could make it out.

"Ash, we're gonna get you out of here," Ezra reassured. "Come on, Barriss. We need to go. Stormtroopers are coming."

"Ash, be quiet. For mama?" Barriss asked. She had come to the realization that Ash had accepted the Mirialan as her mother, something Barriss didn't think she deserved after what she had done. She shook away the past as the young Togruta nodded. 

The stormtroopers were getting closer and their footsteps were getting much louder. "LR-4019, HL-3247 check out this building. Report back to the commander when you are finished," ordered a trooper. 

Barriss gently calmed Ash, scooping her up in one arm and pulling her blaster off her belt. The two stormtroopers walked inside, their blasters drawn. Ezra fired first, a ball of crackling gold energy shooting from his lightsaber hilt, striking a trooper. Barriss shot her own slim blaster, the blue light landing dead center. 

"Come on!" Ezra said quickly. 

"Wait," Barriss said, holding up a green hand. "I sense someone from... my past. Ezra, go after Ahsoka and tell her we need to get out of here as fast as possible."

"What about you and Ash?"

"I have the youngling. Hurry!"

Ezra turned and looked at her. "Why?" he asked. "Who's here?"

His words faded in the back of her mind as she saw him. Hazel eyes, the scar on the side of his face. Her blue eyes locked with his, and she reached out to place her hand on his. But he was gone. 

A/N: Alright, hope you liked the chapter. Comment what you think is going to happen next! 

-EmeraldMoon