Child of Balance

New Tricks

Ania wiped a bead of sweat from her brow and pulled the plasma blade out of the grate. She was nearly three fourths of the way through with cutting it loose. Kein was keeping an eye on the Mandalorian guards.

"Hey, genius," Cyana hissed. Ania switched the blade off and returned it to her boot. She scooted towards the red transparent wall that separated them.

"What?"

"The new guards will notice you're gone," Cyana pointed out. "Did you think of that?"

"Yes, I did. I've been trying to come up with something for that." Ania leaned back against the wall, letting her senses speed through the ship. Ro, where are you? There was still no reply.

"What happened to your wolf friend? I thought she'd be coming to help us as soon as she knew there was trouble," Cyana scoffed.

"I don't know. I can't find her presence anywhere." Ania closed her eyes for a moment. Wait, she's hidden! She's in between, where no one can find her! She blinked her eyes open and glanced towards Cyana. "I know where she is. I'm going to finish this grate and then I'll get her."

Cyana gave her a skeptical look, but inclined her head. "You'd better cut faster," Kein growled. "Their comms just went off."

Ania drew a blade out and switched it on. She drove it into the grate, all the way up to the hilt, and started cutting again. The doorway behind the Mandalorians hissed open. Several stormtroopers entered and the Mandos left.

Ania silently slipped her fingers through the small cracks in the grate and caught it as it came loose. She replaced the plasma blade and quietly slipped the grate out. "Now go find your friend," Cyana urged.

"I won't find her out there." Ania sat down and crossed her legs.

"We don't have time for your stupid mediation!" Kein hissed. "We have to get out of here!" Ania ignored him and closed her eyes. She connected to the Force, letting it pull her back into the World Between Worlds.

The starry chamber was shadowed by a cloud of dread. Ania opened her eyes and stood. The Son and Daughter were already waiting before her. "Where's Ro? I need her."

"She is safe and waiting here," Daughter replied. "You, however, are in terrible danger."

"Yeah, I know. We're trying to escape. That's why I need Ro."

"No, you don't know the magnitude of trouble you've drawn yourself into!" The Son seethed. "You should have left the murals alone! He will never stop looking for you, now that your mind has been opened to them."

"You told me not to worry about the visions!" Ania retorted.

"Enough. Ania was meant to see the murals. Nothing could have changed that." The Daughter fixed her green gaze on Ania. "To survive this, you must trust your enemies."

"Trust my enemies? You mean trust Kein and Cyana?" She scoffed.

"You must! If you don't, you will not survive."

Ania shook her head angrily. "Stop wasting my time. Where is Ro?"

"I'm here," Ro's voice called out. She appeared in the distance. "I'm sorry you couldn't reach me. I had to come here to remain undiscovered."

"It's fine. I need your help now. We have a plan to escape, but it won't work. The guards will notice I'm missing," Ania explained. "Is there anything you can do?"