Ashes

2: Service

AHSOKA TANO

Ahsoka and Alema were summoned to the detention block at the start of the day. They were to bring refreshments for the meeting in progress with leading members of the Imperial Senate and regional governors from this corner of the galaxy. 

"What a peculiar place for a meeting," Ahsoka muttered to Alema as they walked down the hall in the direction of the prison wing, carrying silver platters with glasses of the finest wine in the palace. She felt badly for whoever was in attendance. The only people that ever went to the detention block were slaves, prisoners, and guards, not anyone of nobility.  

"Yeah, you can say that again," Alema shot back. 

They made sure to keep their heads down as they walked. The halls were strangely empty today. Usually, there were plenty of nobles walking about the palace during this time. This must be some important meeting if they'd emptied the palace for it. 

As soon as they rounded the corner to the detention block, Ahsoka could see the meeting in progress. There were about twenty people in the crowd, all wearing a variation of the grey Imperial uniform that her master always wore. They were all males, which unfortunately didn't surprise her. Her master had his slave girls wear particularly revealing outfits like the dress she had on at the current moment when he had company of this sort visit. She knew that others thought she was beautiful, and a beautiful slave girl was a symbol of wealth. 

That's all she was, anyway. Just a symbol. Nothing more. 

They approached the group, careful not to make eye contact with any of them. As their master droned on about the new Imperial security protocol, she and Alema wandered throughout the crowd, passing out drinks. Most of them accepted the drink with an aggressive or offensive comment about the way she looked or her place as a slave. 

There was one guy in particular that really struck a nerve with Ahsoka. His comment was particularly vulgar, but she took it passively and tried to get back to her work. 

Another man stepped between them, causing Ahsoka to drop her platter. Whatever words the man said to her offender were muffled under the loud clattering sound made as the platter hit the stone floor. 

Her master stopped speaking, and all eyes turned to her. She could feel her face heat up and her her heartbeat increase. This was not going to end well. 

She picked her head up and looked at the man who had bumped into her tray. To her surprise, it was a familiar face. 

Lux?

"Holy kriff," Lux Bonteri breathed. "Is it really you?"

She was stunned. She opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't think enough to form a sentence. Why was Lux Bonteri here? The last time she'd seen him was the battle of Onderon. It was evident from his reaction that he remembered her. Back then, she had been a different person. She was a Jedi, fighting for peace and freedom across the galaxy. Now, she was in chains at the mercy of a system that relished in slavery and oppression. What would he think of her, knowing that she'd failed?

Her master stared her down as she slowly bent down and picked up the tray. "Sorry," she whispered. 

"I was wrong gentlemen. As it happens, it appears I do have a test subject to demonstrate with," he said, motioning for Ahsoka to come closer. As soon as she was within arm's reach, her master ripped the tray from her hands and tossed it across the room. He led her inside the nearest prison room, the crowd of officials following him. 

The room was lit by rows of florescent lights in the ceiling. There was a torture device in the center of the room, complete with straps and some sort of electrocution machine Ahsoka hadn't seen before. From what she could tell, the prisoner was strapped upright to the table and pressed against the electric receptors of the device. 

She winced as her master grabbed her arm and dragged her to the device. 

"You can't do that!" Lux retorted, realizing what her master planned to do to her. "It was my fault she dropped the plate. Isn't this a little much?"

Her master shot Lux a piercing glare. "See, Lord Bonteri, here's where your mentality needs adjusting. This girl is doing her Empire a great service by demonstrating for you the options available with this new correctional technology. I assure you, she wishes nothing more than to serve her master in whatever way possible."

Her eyes met Lux's. His disagreement apparent in his expression, and if she didn't intervene, he was going to let critical information about her past slip. 

"I deserve this, Lord Bonteri." You, of all people, should know that 

Her master talked briefly about how to operate the machine before she felt it slowly lean forward, bringing her closer to the torture device on the other half of the machine. Just before the space closed between her body and the electric surface, she glanced over at Alema. She could tell that Alema wanted to fight back to save her, but Ahsoka pleaded through the force for her to stay out of it. If she stepped a toe out of line, Alema would be next. 

She felt a searing pain in her stomach, and she let out an ear-piercing scream.

I bear it so she doesn't have to, she reminded herself as the electric shots kept coming. Too many people have died because of me. It's only fair that I suffer, too.