The Legend of the Jedi Queen

57. Masquerade

Nellith was half-dragged down a maze of corridors to where there was a sanisteam tub and other items to clean and beautify. Tiki pulled off Nellith's handcuffs. Nellith rubbed her wrists as Tiki started filling the sanisteam tub.

Her gaze was maternal when she turned to Nellith, who was still shaking somewhat.

"If you'd like, I can turn my back while you get your bath," Tiki said. "If you can get your own clothes off, that is."

Nellith nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She didn't owe any of her words to these people.

Tiki nodded, and turned her back, sitting in front of the only door out. Nellith stripped her clothes and got into the sanisteam. The water was surprisingly warm, and she could feel it restoring some life to her. She started scrubbing at her body, and letting the heat soak back in. She scrubbed her blonde hair, and eventually got out of the sanisteam.

After drying herself off, Nellith got dressed into the change of clothes, all of which were baggies now due to her weight loss.

"Nothing we can do to make that up," Tiki said mournfully as she turned around and started adjusting Nellith's clothes to hide their bagginess somewhat. "Let's just get your face looking somewhat suitable."

Tiki then guided Nellith towards the vanity chair, and sat her down in it.

"We're going to brush your hair out, but keep it down to help obscure any symptoms of what happened," Tiki said. "And it'll hide this."

Before Nellith could ask, she pulled back a flap of the high collar on Nellith's jacket, and stuck a blue chip of some sort there as it embedded itself in her neck.

"Ow! What the hells is that?" Nellith shrieked as she reached for it. It was greeted with a strong electric shock that left her shaking.

"Can't have you taking that out," Tiki muttered. "It's an inhibitor chip. Keep you in line."

Nellith raised a thick, defined eyebrow. "You seriously think you're the good guys in all this?"

"Your father and mother have colluded with far too many on the dark side," Tiki said as she started brushing out Nellith's hair. "And they are too strong to take any chances. Their positioning you as a leader is also problematic."

"For you or for me?" Nellith asked dryly. "Are you worried about my parents wanting power? Is that seriously what this is about?"

"No being is immune to power," Tiki said.

"Dad's temptation was a long time ago, and he took it well," Nellith said, her voice swelling with pride. "All Mum ever wanted was a family. She'll kill all of you for this."

"That's not very light side of her, is it?" Tiki crooned.

"She can be very forgiving, but not when it comes to me," Nellith said.

"Never mind that, you are going to tell the galaxy that you are safe and went with us of your own free will," Tiki said. "They don't understand matters of the Force."

Nellith raised her eyebrows again. "Is that what Kiernan told you?"

"He's right about more than you give him credit for, child," Tiki said as she continued to brush out Nellith's thick blond hair. "We are the few blessed with wielding the Force. It is something those without it could never understand."

Nellith thought to how she had grown up in a way she knew was fundamentally different. But she didn't think that had as much to do with the Force. That felt as natural as breathing to her. It was keeping her family apart because of politics that had passed long before her birth that had made her childhood strange.

Tiki then swiveled Nellith around.

"We need to make up that face," Tiki said. "Can't have you looking gaunt."

Nellith held still as Tiki smeared gels and swirled powders about on her face, especially under her eyes.

Within a few moments, Nellith was permitted to glance at herself in the mirror. She didn't look so gaunt, the clothes and the hair helping obscure what the makeup didn't. But she knew her parents would notice the dark look in her hazel eyes, and all the little ways her face betrayed her recent history.

As she looked at her face in the mirror, she discovered resolve. She wasn't going to let these bastards get away with it.

Not this time, Nellith thought, a sly grin curling up her face, reminiscent of Han Solo.

"It'll have to do," Tiki sighed. "Best get you away. Jedi aren't supposed to be vain, anyway."

Nellith couldn't resist rolling her eyes at this statement.

"Your parents have spoiled you for far too long," Tiki said when she caught that eye roll. "Come on."

With that, she took Nellith into the next room, where a holo-recorder was.

Kiernan stood in the room, Tiki standing slightly away from her so she wouldn't be seen by the device.

"We are pre-recording this to get any impulses you might have out of the way," Kiernan said.

"What makes you think for one parsec that this will work?" Nellith demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

Kiernan's features hardened. "Don't question me."

Nellith blinked, and assumed an innocent expression. Confused, but pleasantly so by this turn of events, Kiernan softened a bit himself.

"You will repeat the lines I say," Kiernan said. "I am Princess Nellith Solo of the First Order, and I am transmitting from a secure location."

"I am Nellith Solo," Nellith said. "I am transmitting from a secure location."

"Good," Tiki murmured. Kiernan looked a little irritated at Nellith's edits.

"I am with the Jedi who have split from Kylo Ren and Rey's dark faction," Kiernan continued.

"I am with the Jedi who have split with Ben Solo and Rey Qel-Droma," Nellith said.

Kiernan's features hardened more, but he did nothing.

"I have come of my own free will," he said.

"I have come of my—" Nellith noticed a red light and symbols in the camera. She realized immediately now was her chance. "No! I am being held against my will and I don't know where I am—"

"Turn it off!" Kiernan hissed as he pressed a button on his remote.

From the chip in Nellith's neck, electrical energy surged forwards, and she went to her feet, screaming in pain. By some miracle of the Force, the camera didn't turn off until Kaydel Ko Connix had seen the transmission of Nellith's torture live.