The Fall | Star Wars Prequel Trilogy

Chapter Thirty Nine

MORE NIGHTMARES
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The Chancellor exited first, closely followed by the Skywalkers and R2. A group of senate members stood to greet them. A BD unit with green paint beeped loudly as it ran from the crowd towards the Jedi. A smile grew on Alina's face as she crouched down to greet her droid. "Hey buddy" she smiled as the droid climbed up her arm and into her shoulder. BD-19 beeped cheerfully in response, nuzzling its owner. "Coming Master?" Anakin asked.

Alina turned to see Obi-Wan still on the shuttle "Oh no, I'm not brave enough for politics. I have to report to the council" he responded. "Besides, somebody needs to be the poster boy" Alina grinned "Hold on. This whole operation was your idea" Anakin said.  "Let us not forget, Anakin, you rescued me from the buzz droids and you killed Count Dooku and you rescued the chancellor carrying me unconscious on your back" Obi-Wan pointed out.

"All because of your training" Anakin insisted. Sylvie smiled fondly, watching the two of them. "Anakin, let's be fair. Today you were the hero and you deserve your glorious day with the politicians" Obi-Wan said. "All right but you owe me one and not just for saving your skin for the tenth time" Anakin conceded. "Ninth time. That business on Cato Neimoidia doesn't count. I'll see you at the briefing" The door to the shuttle closed as Obi-Wan headed back in.

Anakin and Sylvie joined the senators and the Jedi council as they walked, making polite conversations with the senators. Alina watched them go, she had other places to be.

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Alina brought her speeder to a halt outside a building in one of the lower layers of Coruscant, she'd switched out her Jedi robes for a more simple, ordinary outfit. Her face was covered by a hood. Nobody minded her, the people of the layer were used to shady figures coming and going as they pleased. On the top floor was a small apartment, furnished with nothing but a bed, a table, two chairs, a fridge and a stove.

It was fairly minimal but not much else was needed. She sensed the other person's presence even before she entered. Alina removed her hood and shrugged off the cloak, draping it over one of the chairs.

She knew which floorboards were creaky and loose and which weren't. She was careful to avoid them, not making a single noise. Alina saw his figure in the bedroom, his back to her.  Smirking to herself she crept closer, her hand raised to strike. He turned around at the last second, closing his arm around her waist, and pinning her to the wall. "Okay but I nearly had it that time" Alina said before her face broke out into a smile. Boba released her wrist "Sure you did"

"Yes I did!" She huffed. Boba let out an unconvinced but amused humm, pulling her into a kiss before she could insist further. Alina wrapped her hands around his neck while his hands wrapped around her waist. And there, in his arms, the rest of the world faded away.

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Alina twisted and turned, muttering lightly in her sleep.

Dead bodies, so many dead bodies, they piled around her but she couldn't see any faces. An annoyingly loud and constant hum filled her ears, occasionally interrupted by a deafening crackle. Pain and suffering lingered in the air. She squirmed against the invisible restraints, she screamed but no noise came. She screamed and screamed, the sound of the lightning grew closer and the bodies grew.

Out of the darkness, a man in a black suit emerged, wielding a red lightsaber. She blinked, he was gone. She blinked again and he stood in front of her, his lightsaber pierced her stomach. The hum and crackle disappeared, all she could hear was the sound of his modulated breathing as he cradled her dead body. She closed her eyes and felt the dark abyss swallow her whole.

Alina let out a loud gasp as she awoke, gulping down air. She wiped the tears and sweat off her face, wriggling out of the blanket. She was careful not to wake Boba up as she pulled on a large shirt. She grabbed herself a glass of cold water from the fridge and quickly downed it. She made her way out to the balcony. The night air chilled her bare skin, the thin shirt she wore was hardly effective against the cold. She leaned against the frame of the balcony, her heart thumped against her chest.

She felt arms wrap around her. Alina leaned into the warmth and comfort of his touch, her back pressed against Boba's bare chest as he pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder blade. "Another nightmare cyar'ika?" He asked softly. Alina hummed lightly, nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck. Her heart rate began to slow. She felt safe when he held her, his presence drove away the nightmares threatening to haunt her. Force, she missed him.

She half turned, her hands on his chest as she closed her eyes. "What happened? Was it the night with the tuskens again?" Boba asked after a few moments. Her heart rate had slowed back to normal. "They were dead... I couldn't see their faces but there were so many of them" Her voice turned hoarse as the details of her nightmare floated back. She felt him press a soft kiss on her head. "There was this man..." She continued "He was dressed in all black and he had a red lightsaber... I think he was the one who killed all those people"

"I couldn't move but there was his awful hum and lightning sound. And then he came near me and he stabbed me... I could feel myself falling and then I woke up" Alina finished. Something about the black man was oddly familiar... There was a part of her that expected comfort and warmth but it was only met with something ice cold and it scared the hell out of her.

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I love writing Fettwalker