Only Love can Save them

Chapter 11

Barriss shuddered on the Ghost. Ahsoka was captured by the Empire. But that wasn't what had chilled her to the bone. Cody. She knew it was Cody. 

"Barriss, are you okay?" Ezra asked, coming over to her. 

"Yeah," she said. "We need to go to Garel."

"Got it. G-G, tell Hera we need to go to Garel," Ezra said, patting the astromech's dome as it trilled happily and Chopper spat a series of insults. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you freeze up back there?"

Barriss glanced down as Ash walked into the room. "Mama," she said and Barriss picked her up and tapped her nose as the baby Togruta giggled. 

"What happened?" Ezra asked again as Barriss stroked Ash's montrals. 

"I used to care... deeply for someone. We were more than friends. Kind of like Kanan and Hera and-" Barriss grinned. "-you and Sabine."

"I do not like Sabine!" Ezra protested. Ash made a noise that sounded like "Yeah, right."

"Sure," Barriss said, still smiling. "But, even though it was against the Jedi Code, I was still with him. And then, at the end of the war, the clones turned on us. Many of them were retired, with the orders to kill the Jedi still in their heads, but a certain few decided to join the Empire as stormtroopers. He was one of them." She took a shaky breath. Ash clung to her as if she could sense her sadness. "And then, it was him. He was a mindless robot serving the Empire."

Tears were rolling down her face as Ash hugged her tightly. Then the Mirialan realized something. Ash could sense her emotions. 

"Can you get Kanan for a moment?" Barriss asked, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Tell him to bring the holocron."

Ezra nodded and walked off. Several minutes later, he and Kanan returned, the blue holocron in Kanan's hands. "You wanted this?" Kanan asked.

"Yes," Barriss replied, holding out her hand as Kanan placed it in her small green palm. She turned it outwards as it unlocked. 

"Shiny," Ash said as Barriss set her down on the bench next to her. 

"Yes, shiny," Barriss said. 

There was a small midi-chlorian inside the holocron that Barriss needed to get. She could open Sith and Jedi holocrons, due to her being a grey Jedi, and this one was no exception. She found it quickly.

"Is that... a midi-chlorian test?" Kanan asked. Barriss nodded. She gently held Ash's arm and pricked the skin. It calculated it for a moment, before the number popped up. "How much is it?" Kanan asked.

"13,000." Barriss looked in surprise. "This is a thousand over mine. She's powerful in the Force."

"She needs a teacher," Ezra said. 

Both Kanan and Ezra looked at her. Barriss looked down and shook her head. "I don't deserved that title," she said. "Not after what I've done. It's best to let Ahsoka train Ash."

"But Ash needs a teacher now," Ezra protested. 

"No!" Barriss snapped harshly. She set Ash down. "I need to be alone," she whispered softly and walked away.

As soon as she was in the relative safety in Ahsoka's quarters on the Ghost, Barriss sat down, folding her knees under her in a meditating position. She tried to let go of her emotions like Master Luminara had taught her to. But, instead of helping, the thoughts of her former master only gave her more pain. 

---Flashback---

Sidious's thoughts invaded Barriss's mind once again. The Sith Lord had controlled her. She didn't want to frame Ahsoka, kill clones, or bomb the Jedi Temple, but Sidious had made her. She had been able to fight it long enough to confess to Anakin Skywalker, but Sidious had controlled her actions and her words that claimed the Jedi as traitors and servants of the dark side.

Well done, young Jedi. Sidious's cackling voice echoed through her mind. My plan is working as I have foreseen. You betrayed the Order and expelled Ahsoka Tano. You will be a hero when the Empire rises. But the Republic will not see it that way.

Guilt filled Barriss and she desperately tried to fight, but it was useless. She was not powerful enough. And now, to make sure you never tell, Jedi. growled Sidious.

An invisible hand grasped around her throat and she gasped for air as she was lifted off the ground. She clawed desperately at her neck when Sidious dropped her to the ground of her secure room in the clone barracks so she couldn't escape.

"Get out of my head!" she screamed, in pain.

Sidious left, surprisingly, as footsteps echoed down the hall. Cody was there, holding his blasters at the ready. When he saw her, she could sense his anger and annoyance. Sidious was blocking her from saying anything. But Barriss fought back and managed to say something.

"Cody, please," she said desperately and he turned her. 

"Why should I?" he asked coldly. "My brother is in pain right now because of what you did."

Say nothing more or he dies. growled Sidious in her mind. 

Please mouthed Barriss to Cody and she felt his cold emotions soften for a moment. She felt his mental shields drop as he hurried to her and wrapped her in his arms. Barriss relaxed and let her tears fall.

----End of flashback----

Cody had always been there for her, Barriss realized. And now he was gone.