Cin Vhetin - Restart - A Bad Batch Fanfiction

- P R O L O G U E -

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cin vhetin [SEEN-fett-EEN]

Mando'a

fresh start, clean slate - lit. white field, virgin snow

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Shortly after the 501. stormed the Jedi Temple.
Coruscant.
Galactic Center of the fallen Republic, now reorganized as the Galactic Empire.

Like a ninja she ran through the crowded streets of the first level of Coruscant.

She stayed close to the tall buildings on the sides of the street, directly under the neon screens and bright lights that kept the attention away from the running woman.

Beings of different species made it almost impossible to get forward, their attention was directed at the news, that were streaming on many of the screens which hang on the building's walls and in various shop windows.

The woman kept her face hidden under the darkness of her chestnut brown hood, clinging to a small bundle in her arms.

Keeping it save was her only objective besides getting away savely.

No one looked at her and she was grateful for that, but she knew this was all because of the terrifying voice that started speaking in the news.
This voice caught everyone, even when the words were not understood.
It had been a voice of peace and hope for years and now it had all turned upside down to terror and despair.

Fear rose inside her chest when she heard that voice. The strong feeling felt to her like a hungry, untamed animal that was going to rip her heart and chest apart.
Memories from minutes earlier clouded her vision.

His golden eyes.

The screams.

The blaster fire.

The woman could hear her own pulse singing in her ears while she continued running, trying to force the memories out of her thoughts.

"The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated!"

Tears started forming in her eyes as she thought of her now burned down home.
She didn't continue to listen to Palpatine's speech, well aware that he was responsible for all that chaos and death and suffering. For all that happened. The war.

All the people she knew.
All the lives that were now lost.
The soulcrushing pain was becoming unbearable with the seconds that passed. With each life that perished.

Every light that disappeared into the eternity of the Force felt like a stabwound to her body.
Yet she knew that all her friends, brothers and sisters would now find peace.

But had this had to happen this way?

Was this what the Force wanted?

She pressed the small bundle even closer to her chest.

'She is the only thing that counts', the woman tried to reassure herself.
The baby had its eyes closed, unaware of the tragedy and death it was surrounded by.
Grey, small curls cupped its face, while it slept peacefully in its mothers arms.
The woman's sight became blurry.
Lovingly she tugged her baby in the small grey blanket, hiding it under the save, warm cover.

She had to keep running.

Suddenly she came to a halt.
Even though the people around her were talking and celebrating loudly, she could hear the rhythmic tone of marching soldiers.

"Move, civilians."

The monster named fear began chewing on her heart, stretching its claws to her throat, making it difficult for her to breathe.

This rough, deep voice.
Million copies of it existed in the Galaxy.
Each one unique and yet the same.

"Ner k'arta" the woman whispered as more tears began to roll down her cheeks while she remembered her soldier.
Memories of the planet Felucia found their way into her thoughts, that just kept feeding the fire of pain that tormented her soul.

She pressed herself to an entrance of an older looking building.
And then she saw them.

Instead of the red colour that the Coruscant Guard had worn, these soldiers had white armors, making them inseparable, but not less intimidating.
Full of fear she searched for the familiar sign of the Republic Senate, but it was no where to be found on these soldiers.

What would she do when they saw her?

She was stained.
She was now a traitor to everyone in the Galaxy.

Would she even get help?

Where was Commander Fox?

She hoped that not all the clones were her enemy, but the storm she had encountered at the Jedi temple told her otherwise.

Had Captain Rex been part of it?
She didn't know and her mind had blocked the traumatic memories for her mind's safety.
Yet she felt the consequences of them.
They ate her alive.

She trembled as she watched the soldiers passing by.
She had been here to search for someone.
To announce a fateful decision.
And now it all had become a death trap.

Was this the Force punishing her for what she had done?
For what she planned on doing?

"All clear. Keep going to the temple. No one shall escape."

All of a sudden the woman fell backwards, because the door she had been leaning on had been opened.

The hard crash to the floor never came as a pair of strong, warm arms caught her.
She held her baby close.
There were whispered bits of spoken words, but she didn't understand anything.
She closed her eyes, while the arms brought her inside the building.
Her mind painted the image of laying in his arms.

Save.

Secure.

Far away from terror.

'Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum.'

I will know you forever.

Despite not knowing what would happen next, the woman began to softly cry.

Letting it all out to a stranger from whom she didn't even know if they were friend or foe.