Everything Broken: A Star Wars Story

Chapter Six: Questioning Morals

(A/N: the image above is a representative of the events in chapter four, commonly referred to as 'the incident')

Ashoka was sitting in the medbay, looking freshly cleaned and sipping on a cup of caf. She had a needle in her arm, connected to a monitor of fluid. Her orangey skin was covered in a slimy sheen, most likely bacta spray. Anakin was sitting at her side, not talking to her, but resting his hand on her arm. She looked malnourished, but alive.

"Hey." Kidara spoke softly, not to startle her friend. She didn't say anything more, but a thousand questions ran through her head.

"Kidara," Ashoka smiled, setting her cup of caf down to turn towards her. "You're okay." The familiar spark behind Ashoka's eyes returned, as if she had been scared for a long time.

"I'm okay? Ashoka I'm glad you're okay." Kidara smiled, warmly. "We were so worried."

"I know, its just... you shut yourself off in the force, I was afraid something had happened to you." Ashoka said, tucking her knees under her chin as she sat. "Like Quinlan."

Kidara mentally slapped herself. Idiot.

"I'm so sorry, Ashoka. I didn't mean to worry you." Kidara ran her hands through her hair, still a tangled mess from sparring with Bes. "I didn't want to distract you."

"Its okay." Ashoka spoke. Kidara hated herself for being so selfish, for forgetting the hurt she had endured when Quinlan cut himself off from her. She hated herself for thinking about Quinlan.

Not now. Ashoka is the one hurting right now.

Ashoka told Kidara what had happened, with rounded eyes as she hugged her knees. The horrors of the place she had been trapped in, the death. Kidara wanted to be angry, wanted so terribly to hate the council for not doing anything about it, for dismissing Anakin's worries of Ashoka being missing as attachments, but she remained silent, releasing her anxieties into the force. She listened to Ashoka, the gleam of fear returning to her eyes as she relived the nightmare she had endured. Kidara didn't speak, she only listened as Ashoka told of the horrors she had endeavored.

"But now I'm here. And I'm safe." Ashoka said, leaning back a bit as if relived she had finished speaking. "I'm... Okay."

A medical droid rolled over to the three of them, and unclipped Ashoka from what Kidara was assuming was a bacta-infused nutrient drip. It then turned to Anakin, who had barely moved since Kidara had entered the room.

"Her nutrient levels are now sufficient. She can return to the temple, but I strongly suggest she gets a sufficient amount of rest." It spoke.

"Of course," Anakin smiled at Ashoka, who smiled back between the two of them. "Shall we, Snips?"

"You go ahead, Master, I'll catch up in a minute." As Anakin left the room, Ashoka stood up, stretched, and pulled Kidara into a tight hug. "Please don't scare me like that again."

Kidara hugged her back, resting her head on Ashoka's shoulder. "I promise, Ashoka. But the same goes to you."

They stayed like that for a moment, before Ashoka untangled herself from Kidaras arms and looked at the ground, holding her arm with her hand.

"Kidara?" She asked, meeting her eyes again. "Come back with me to my quarters. I don't want to sleep alone."

"Of course." Kidara placed her hand on Ashoka's shoulder. Kidara knew what it felt like to go to sleep knowing someone could kill you at any moment. It was important Ashoka felt safe. And if Kidara made her feel safe, well, she'd help her.