SWRC: Gaining Trust. (Book 1)

Chapter 18 Where Did You Come From?

Neeran leaned against a support beam of the roof and watched four of her five children play among the tall grass that was all over the plains of Lothal with Balto, Jenna and their pups.

Neeran smiled to herself and scratched Stars' head. Star purred contently and rubbed her head on Neerans' hand as Neeran continued to scratch her.
"I'm glad you've never left Star," whispered Neeran, pressing her head against the weasel-cat-rat creature. "I'd probably be a complete wreck if it weren't for you and Zach. And everyone really."

Neeran heard the floorboards creak near the door and saw Ezra walk out of the house. He plonked himself down and watched the others all play amongst the grass.

He seemed to be looking at them longingly but something was holding him back.

"Why don't you go play with them?" asked Neeran, crossing her arms casually.
"I'm scared," whispered Ezra shivering slightly.

Neeran walked over and sat next to him. "Why?"
"I saw some kids playing once when I was a slave," whispered Ezra his eyes tearing slightly. "When the man who sold me came and shouted at them. I didn't hear what was said, but then he pulled out a blaster and-"
Ezra hiccuped and Neeran pulled him close.
"He killed them."

Neeran hugged him tighter but stayed silent for a moment.

"I've seen that happen before, to my childhood friends at my home planet," whispered Neeran. "It nearly happened to Shakkuri back in the Clone Wars."

Ezra nodded and asked, "Where did you come from?"

"Me?" replied Neeran raising an eyebrow and letting Star run down her arm and back into the house.
"I came from a place called Earth."

"Earth?" asked Ezra.

"I didn't expect you to have heard of it," replied Neeran. "It's in another part of this galaxy that's a long way away, and it's a wretched hive of scum, deceit, lies, treachery and villainy."

"But it was your home wasn't it?" asked Ezra.
Neeran scoffed and said,"Home? Everyone there didn't care about anyone. It was fight for the right to live or over you won't see the light of tomorrow."

"But why?"

"The military. They enforced fear into the hearts of everyone," muttered Neeran. "They took me and many others away from the orphanages or from their homes when we were thirteen and trained us in the military for two years. After that, they did something to me that cannot be undone."

"What did they do?" asked Ezra, seemingly forcing himself to ask.
"My tail, claws, ears, eyes, hair, burn like stripes and the tattoos on me are the results of their experiments," replied Neeran. "They altered my DNA back to the way it originally had been and turned me into a crazed killing machine monster."

"Didn't your family care?" asked Ezra.
Neeran didn't replied.
"Neeran?"

Neeran stopped herself from snapping at Ezra and said, "My family was murdered. I barely knew anything about my little brother, three little sisters, mother or father."

Neeran paused for a moment.

"I was only seven years old."

There was an almost malleable silence between them as a few tears escaped Neerans' eyes.

"Neeran," said the invisible voice. "You don't have to say anything more about that incident."

Ezra looked around, still trying to find the mystery voice.

"You should probably introduce yourself, ya know?" said Neeran, still looking like she was talking to herself.

"You," said a male teenager with an adult-like voice. "Sure are a pain, ya know?"
"Hey, that's my line!" replied Neeran, smirking.

Ezra jumped and turned to the voice.

Standing behind him was the shimmering blue apparition of a fifteen looking year old boy.

"Ezra, meet Zach," said Neeran behind him. "My boyfriend."