The Fallen Order

Chapter 7: Traitor

"You filthy traitor."
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While the council got settled into the tightly enclosed dome of a house I sat with my mother.

My finger tracing patterns in the sand, something I used to do when I wanted to make sure I didn't cry.

Occasionally I looked up at the bleak stone grave. No words were written, just a blank rectangular stone. 

I looked around, making sure nobody would hear me.

"A lot has happened since I last saw you, mom. I'm..... I was fighting in a war. At least you're not alive to have to worry about me. I remember how you felt when I started pod racing. I can only imagine what kind of fit you would throw wondering if I am alright in battle," I chuckle but it feels forced," Anyway I am a Jedi knight and I have a padawan. She is sort of a nuisance but we got used to each other," I smiled," But the biggest that happened was I got married," I whispered the confession," Padme who I'm sure you would have loved is amazing. I wish I could see her right now. I'm worried about her being so close to that Sith Lord who turned out to be my mentor. It's been a very hectic three years."

A gentle breeze brushed against my cheek. The gentle and warm sensation stirred the memories of how my mother used to stroke my cheek after she tucked me into bed.

Her loving eyes and her warm smile would be the last thing I saw every night and the first thing I saw in the morning.

"I love..... I love."

A tear trickled down my cheek and a smile tugged on my lips.

"I love you too mom." I whispered my hand resting on her gravestone.

From the corner of my eye, I watched as Ashoka and Obi-wan appeared from the arch-shaped door and walked toward me.

Obi-wan's face was slightly twisted in sadness at the sight of my damp cheek.

I quickly pulled my sleeve over my hand and wiped away the rest of the tears that wanted to come down.

" Are you all settled in?" I asked.

I pushed myself up and swiped away the sand particles that got stuck to my pants.

" Yeah except there isn't any food in this joint. Just these little packets of foam or whatever." Ashoka sighed, her stomach grumbled.

Even mine was quietly growling at me.

I looked at the packets Ashoka was holding up and my shoulders dropped. I recognize those packets anywhere. I had to eat them for years. 

" That is the food." I sighed.

I took one of them from her hand and twisted it between my fingers.

"Excuse me." Ashoka said.

"Let me show you."

I led them all to the kitchen and heated up a pan of water. Once the water was at the right temperature I dropped the bland disk into the water and within a few seconds, the disk changed to a poof of bread.

" We have to eat that." Ahsoka groaned.

" If I could do it for years then you can do it for a few nights." I smirked and handed her the bread.

She held it dismissively in her hand for a few seconds then slowly took a careful bite. As she chewed her face scrunched at the bland taste. She forced herself to swallow then handed the bread back to me.

" I'm full." She said.

We passed around the bread each taking a rationed bite and each of us had the same expression.

I was the last to take a bite. The all too familiar bland taste of the bread filled me with dread.

" We still need supplies." Obi-wan said.

" We can go into town tomorrow. I know somebody who can get us the supplies we need at a reasonable price. If he still lives here."

" Rest up we all must."

Yoda slipped out of his chair, his cain echoed as he walked to his bed and tucked himself in.

We all retreated to our beds for the evening.

" Please force keep Padme safe." I whispered as sleep took me under.

The sun rays stung my eyes as I rubbed the sleep that crusted up in the corners of them.

I slipped my robe on and shuffled to the kitchen and gulped down a glass of water.

One by one the council woke and joined me at the table.

" We should get going we don't want to be there when the crowds get to the market." Obi-wan said.

" I'm going to go alone. If there are too many of us then we will draw attention. Which I'm sure we can all agree is the last thing we need." I said.

They looked between each other then back at me.

" Good point Skywalker has. Go alone he should." Yoda said and that was that.

Propping my hood up I got onto a speeder we kept in the ship and sped of to the town.

I hid the speeder in a place I knew it would be safe and with my hood still up- which also won't really draw attention- I walked through the early masses of people.

The air filled with all the different languages of the space captains.

I sighed with relief at the sight of Watto. Still, with his stand in the last place, I saw him.

The fat Toydarian held up by his little wings shook his balled-up fist and yelled at a man who was running off into the distance.

"- And don't even think about coming back!" He yelled.

As I stepped up to his counter he stopped and looked up at me.

" What do you-" He stopped when he saw my smirking face," Ani it's good to see you again."

" I need some help." I whispered only loud enough for him to hear.

" For you Ani anything."

I passed him a list of the items we needed and gave him the address of my residence.

Even though he can be a deadbeat sometimes my mother and I helped Watto a lot of years ago- mainly because he owned us but still- so I know he will help us.

Plus I gave him some coins.

I headed back to the house and we all waited for Watto to arrive with our things.

At the agreed-upon time, I felt his presence approaching.

I ran out to meet him.

His wings buzzed as they flapped.

But I didn't see any supplies.

" Where are the things I asked for?" I asked.

He flew back and forth, pulling at his long fingers.

" Master!" Ashoka yelled from inside.

I turned around and watched as slavers shoved the unconscious council into a cart.

" You filthy traitor!" I screamed at Watto.

" I'm sorry Ani. But you know business is business." He shrugged. 

As I reached for my saber a sharp pain spread through my neck.

I suddenly felt very dizzy and my feet collapsed under me. I was out cold the second I hit the ground.