A Blessing and a Curse

Chapter 28

"Did you find it yet?"

"Not quite yet."

I sighed. This was taking to long. It's been almost an hour since discovering the ancient writings and Sabine was still trying to find the beginning. My thoughts dragged to another. Wondering how the rest of the crew was. I missed Zeb but mostly Kanan and Hera.

   Hera was like an anchor keeping me steady on my feet. I felt secure when her soothing presence was near, like a mother. Like the mother I used to have.

   Kanan.

   Kanan.

   I feel so safe when I'm close to him. He not only protects his family but also strangers. He is like a rock and an inspiration to everyone around him. Bold. Brave. Caring. Many things that could be described about him.

   Like a father.

   That very thought made me ache inside with how much missed them. Whether it was a playful ruffle of my hair from Zeb. A gentle finger caressing my hair from Hera. Or a pat on the back from Kanan for doing a good job.

   I'd even give for a good shock from the bucket of bolts, telling me to 'woman up.' I figured he had gotten that phrase from Hera in the little time I've known the robot who loves messing with everyone. Except for Hera or Sabine.

   I smiled a little at the thought of chasing the small robot back into its little hideout in the cockpit.

   "What are you smiling about?"

   I snapped out of my thoughts to see Sabine with a raised eyebrow, a look of confusion on her features.

   "Just some good memories," I replied.

   "Well, it's time to stop daydreaming on the job. I've found the beginning," she said, jabbing a thumb, pointing behind her. I stood up straight from leaning on the wall and followed the artist a little ways until stopping.

   She began to skim the pictures and symbols before sounding out a word, "S-Sh-Shili."

"What?" I asked, interested.

"Shili," she repeated. Then explained, "It says that this plant was the first to ever flourish with life and its bond with Togruta clans."

I looked at her confused and tried to decipher the story on the walls.

"Okay. So it was a planet full of aliens?" I said, not completely understanding.

"I think it means that the planet and the civilization helped one another like...like mutualism," she explained, almost amazed.

I scrunched my nose in confusion. Mutualism? I've never heard that term before.

Seeing my confusion, Sabine began to explain, "Mutualism is when both organisms benefit or help each other."

"Like a tick bird and a rhino?" I asked. Sabine nodded, "Yeah, it's sort of like this."

She gestured to the picture with small figures holding hands and standing all around a planet.

She continued, "They were all at peace until a greedy and power-hungry..." She paused and tried to sound out the next word.

"...D-Datho-Dathomirian man came. He called himself the Puppet Master. He spread a dangerous toxin that turned Togrutas into blood-thirsty beasts that destroyed, killed and changed the clan into a dark era. Soon, the remaining Togrutas quickly escaped their home after realizing that the planet was dead and there was no returning back home."