Control

[Kana Truden]

The door closed behind her with a hiss. A single footstep echoed through the abandoned hallways before a lone blade snapped to life and extended itself through the smoke and dust that lingered in the air, offering a blue sheen onto any surface that was willing to embrace it. Through her earpiece Kana could hear the soldiers ready themselves above as footstep for footstep continued to echo once more through the hallways in which slaves had once been housed. It took a lot to not let it get to you. The smell of waste and the sense of fear that seemed to linger in the air in a near-palpable miasma. It reminded her of other operations such as this and the issues the task force she had been assigned to were responsible for, and judging by the layout of the rooms scattered along the corridor she could only assume it was a detainment center or somewhere they kept slaves that hadn’t learned to obey yet.

A lone sob called from one of the cells and caused Kana to twitch. Her saber raised, her eyes fixed on the bars that kept her separated from whoever was on the other end. Blade pointed towards the door she approached it to get a look of whoever it was. The sheen from her saber brought light to the malnourished man cowering in the corner of his cell. He was frightened by her and she could understand why. Few realized what message a lightsaber could bring people, and especially when said people had only really known brutal discipline at the hands of another man. He wasn’t afraid of Kana as much as the saber itself, she could feel it on his mind. He was worried she would use it to harm him. The thought caused Kana to give him a sympathetic frown.

The team outside reported that they were in place and Kana reached for her tracker to say the same. Without uttering a word she turned it on. A countdown began for when the chaos. Would start. This was it then, the fireworks were about to begin.

Three.

Two.

One.

A loud yet muffled explosion called from right above Kana’s head. The ground shook as blaster fire began to pour en masse upstairs. The blade in Kana’s hands was raised above her for only a second before she brought it down upon the lock to the man’s cell to force it open. The man gasped in fear but she left him alone, going back and forth to each cell that she could find to cut whoever was locked up out of imprisonment.

“Hang tight.” She called out. “Alliance soldiers will be coming by shortly to take you to safety.”

Here was just hoping that they all spoke galactic basic.

[member="Madeline Roux"]

 

[Madeline Roux]

Her time had come once again. In the twenty years Madeline had spent as a slave she was sold off between different slave owners more times than she would care to admit. Whether it be because her owners grew bored of her and found her useless, or someone offered them a large sum for her, she felt she was consistently getting carted off as soon as she got used to her surroundings.

She had been thrown in a cramped cell, the pungent odor of rust - Madeline was infinitely sure it was blood - filled the small space, making her swallow any bile that attempted to rise up her throat. It had been hours since she had seen someone and she pondered for a moment if they forgot about her. Would it really be all that bad if she had been left behind? She supposed it wouldn’t. It would give her the perfect opportunity to finally escape - to start new and leave the rest behind.

Vibrations pulsating through the ground beneath her pulled her out of her thoughts. With raised eyebrows she shakily stood up, moving closer towards the bars of her cell door. Furrowing her eyebrows Madeline noticed a light that, upon closer inspection looked distinctly like a lightsaber. A hollow gasp left her lips and Madeline tumbled back, knocking over a bucket in the process, though she paid it no mind.

Her plan was to disappear within the shadows and hopefully, whoever was wielding the lightsaber would pass by her cell without notice. Unfortunately luck was not on her side. As soon as the thought had past Madeline's mind, the saber was in front of her, raising up before coming down in quick succession on the lock of her cell.

A blonde woman had come into view and Madeline took a moment to assess her before exposing herself. She seemed good, as though there was a sense of light surrounding her - and that was just it, she WAS good. Madeline always had a way of reading into people and situations and she could see no immediate harm come to her from showing herself to the woman before her.
Taking a step forward, Madeline slowly edged out of the shadows, footsteps careful and light, giving way to just how apprehensive she still was. It was a forced habit, something that she thought might never go away, She had too often put her trust too quickly in someone’s hands only for it to backfire.

“Who - who are you?”

“Why are you here?”

Her voice was raspy, and her words weren’t pronounced correctly, too much force and a higher pitch in places it didn’t need, but Madeline couldn’t tell, and if she could it might have passed right over her, as she was far too focused on the woman and her reasons for being there.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

[member="Madeline Roux"]

The safety of the slaves was the primary objective but in the end they knew that saving everyone would be impossible. Some because of how far gone they were, others because they ended up in the crosshairs of slaver or soldier alike. A few would most likely also die while trying to defend a master they had come to wrap themselves around with illusions of necessary dependency to live their lives. Not that said lives left them any better off in terms of, well, quality. She felt for the dead, she did, but she did not mourn them. In the end Kana had already seen enough death to know that this wasn’t the last she’d see of it. So accustomed had she grown that she merely accepted it as a fact of life. Something unstoppable that happened every day and second.

The last lock was cut asunder. Kana turned around to go meet up with the soldier only to find someone stand in her way. She twitched and almost jumped in surprise while her saber was raised to protect herself. Eyes set on the girl in her path, breathing steadied and the blade was lowered. Enough to obscure her face once more and shroud it in relative darkness.

“I am Master Truden, of the Healer’s Circle.” Kana spoke to the woman before raising her saber again to shield herself. Light was thrown in her face again, but she kept her distance from the girl. Just in case. The mind of slaves were hard to predict after all. “I am here to help free you and your people.”

“Do you know who you are? Who the others are?”

 

[Madeline Roux]

With each move of the saber Madeline twitched, fingers aching with each subtle move. She had never been up close with one before, but she had seen the damage they could cause in the wrong hands. Flashes of lights, skin separating from bone, and the distinct smell of burnt flesh filled her mind, weaving and webbing into the inner crevices of her brain until it was all she could think about. No, she had never been up close with a lightsaber before but she wasn’t quite sure she wanted to be either.

Shifting uncomfortably for a moment, Madeline instead focused on the small vibrations she could feel coming from the walls and floor. It seemed to be getting more intense as the moments passed, and Madeline wondered just how long it would take before the ceiling caved in on them.

Alarmed, she looked back at the blonde, eyes zeroing in on her mouth, lips moving with words falling on deaf ears. It took her a moment, but she was able to figure out what the woman was saying. Her name is Master Kana Truden - a Healer. All her dreams, her wants were standing right in front of her and she couldn’t quite believe it. Her eyes lit up and without realizing it, the words tumbled past her lips.

“A Healer? How can - Where...”

She had so many questions, so many thoughts wanting to come out - but it wasn’t the time nor the place. There was chaos happening above her, that she was certain of and she was worried if they didn’t move soon something bad was going to happen. She didn’t know Master Kaden - wasn’t sure of her, but she didn’t want anything to happen to her either.

“Madeline. My name is Madeline Roux.”

Her name was something she made sure to always keep a hold of - it was her identity, a reminder she was a person. Not just something to be used as people pleased and tossed aside like a broken toy when they were finished with her. Many of her owners tried to force her to forget her name, to forget who she was before she became property, but it was something she clung to tightly.

It was also what landed her in the cell she just got out of.

“Most don’t remember the names they were given, except one. An elderly man - he goes by Max. Have you seen him?”

Madeline knew they shouldn’t be wasting any more time standing around, and it would have been easier if she shook her head no, and didn’t mention a soul, but she couldn’t leave him behind without knowing he was alright, that he had a fighting chance.

As soon as the words escaped her mouth, another explosion went off, rumbling the floor and causing a large crack in the ceiling above them, the concrete chipping and breaking away until a piece fell from the air Madeline rushing forward to push Kana and herself out of the way - the slab just narrowly missing the two of them.

Eyes widened, Madeline stared in horror at what she had just done. She didn’t mean to act so rash and she was worried the woman would react poorly to her helping her - a old habit is hard to break and though the woman said she was a Healer did not mean she would react nicely to a stranger touching her - pushing her even.

[SIZE=10pt][member="Kana Truden"][/SIZE]

 

[Kana Truden]

[member="Madeline Roux"]

Perhaps every now and then the gods were merciful, or perhaps they were merely playing with Madeline at this point. Kana nodded at the girl who seemed quite clearly confused at seeing Kana there. It was understandable, it wasn’t exactly like people just burst into your cells and freed you, or at the very least made an attempt at it. Kana felt the way the girl’s mind began to flood with questions, few of which seemed in any way overtly hostile. The master healer kept herself on her guard nonetheless. Then there was the way she talked. Awkward with a great focus behind each word as if she struggled to get them out by herself. There was something half endearing about it, another that threw Kana off-guard.

“I might have seen Max.” Kana pointed her hand at the cell she had seen the malnourished man in. Her saber lowered and pointed towards the floor as the explosion above tore at the ceiling. Before Kana knew any better she had fallen to the floor with a loud bang, the slave girl’s arm wrapped around her as if she had just hugged her, yet…

Kana sat up from the ground. “Oh.” She let out a quick ‘huh’ and looked over at Madeline for a second. “Uh, thanks.”

The woman stood up and offered Madeline a hand up. Anyone who was kind enough to save the life of a stranger was kind enough to get some help back up.A smile crept on the healer’s lips as she kept her hand extended for the other woman to grab and pull.

“Let me help you back up.” She snickered. “Least I can do.”

“... How long have you been here, Madeline?”

 

[Madeline Roux]

A hand appeared before her, inviting and helpful - a far cry from what she was used to, and it caused Madeline to stare carefully at the hand for a moment. She had expected a worse reaction, something far angrier - after all, if she had done the same to save one of her slavers, her life could quite possibly be on the line. Good intentions or not. Carefully, Madeline slipped her hand into Kana’s awaiting one, lithe calloused fingers gripping her hand as she shakily stood back up. A smile, a true smile that hadn’t graced her face in what felt like years had appeared, mirroring the Healer’s before her.

“T- thank you..”

Her innocent question of asking how long she had been there had instantly brought up memories, memories that were terrible, but ones she wouldn’t want to lose.

When Madeline first arrived, she was given any opportunity other slaves were. To prove themselves as competent rule followers - the more they listened and didn’t fight back, the more ‘freedom’ they were allowed; if you could call being crammed in a room with other slaves versus an even smaller cell freedom. Scraps for food that their slavers couldn’t finish - portions barely large enough to provide them enough energy to keep them moving was something they all had to look forward to, Madeline included.

At first, she followed compliantly - learning her way around her new home, studying the behaviors of the slavers and other slaves alike, and kept to herself. It wasn’t until she stumbled across Max that everything had changed. He was an elderly man, skin clinging to bone, cheekbones gaunt and hollowed out and Madeline felt for him. He was shaking, limbs sprawled out across the ground, struggling to lift himself up as the boot of their slave owner slammed into his back, knocking him down once more - a sadistic grin spread across his face as he watched the pain he caused to the man he viewed as having done him wrong. Without thinking Madeline had thrown herself protectively in front of Max, receiving the next blow of his heel to her shoulder - a scream escaping her lips and a burning pain shooting through her arm. She stayed still though, refusing to move even though her owner had tried to remove her from the situation - she couldn’t, wouldn’t allow this.

The next three weeks that followed, Madeline had stayed at his side helping him whenever she could and effectively pissed off their owner as time went on. It was what landed her in the cell Kana had just freed her from.

It just so happened to be the very same man Kana had released, and for that Madeline was thankful. Looking over her shoulder she saw Max, fingers wrapped around the concrete just outside his cell - he seemed to be watching her and Kana, and when their eyes met it was as though they spoke to each other without words. A subtle nod and smile before Max was off, leaving her and Kana behind. Madeline turned her attention back towards Kana, the smile still on her face, though softer this time, sad to have seen her friend go, but knowing he deserved his freedom, much more so than her.

“I have been here a little over a month. I… never seem to stay at one place for too long. Something about being disobedient, I imagine.”

“Do you think…” She paused, rolling her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment before continuing, “Can I come with you?”

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

[member="Madeline Roux"]

The slave was careful to approach, yet in the end she grabbed Kana’s hand and began to explain the situation. A disobedient slave meant a slave with a mind of their own, at least to a degree. It would be someone whose psyche could be fixed with relative ease compared to some of the others. That wasn’t to say it was easy, but the struggle and chance of them not complying wasn’t as great as it was with some of the more ingrained ones, the few souls who had been raised to be a slave.

“That was the idea.” Kana chuckled and turned away from the girl. “We are trying to rescue as many of the people as we can, but I can’t guarantee everyone’s safety.”

A hand raised towards the rocks that had fallen from above to gently lead one of the pieces away from Kana and Madeline.

“We’ve tracked this ring for a while now and only gotten the green light a few days ago. This rescue isn’t as well-organized as we’d hoped but we know what we are doing.”

The rubble cleared ever so slowly. Not quite, but it was at the very least moving. Kana remained facing away from Madeline, yet it would be ever so evident that she spoke.

“I can only hope most of the other slaves are as cooperative as you are.”

 

[Madeline Roux]

[SIZE=10pt]If anyone had bothered to ask, Madeline would not have been the first one to stand up and mention she had thoughts about being rescued. Silly daydreams of heroic entrances, blasts of fire, bodies of her slavers falling to the ground lifeless after intense battles between good and bad, light and dark. These thoughts plagued her mind as she was growing up, eyes trained on doors - waiting for something - anything[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt] to happen. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]It never did.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Madeline began to realize as she grew older that the thought of someone actually caring for slaves was few and far between and was most certainly not on the top of anyone’s list. Though slavery was illegal, they had far more pressing matters to worry about. That was, at least what Madeline thought, until she found herself in the exact situation she used to imagine happening all the time.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Physically, she knew it was impossible to guarantee the safety of every slave, but that didn’t stop her from mentally wishing for it, wanting[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt] it. She would sooner sacrifice herself to help the others get a chance at safety before herself. Yet, she stood there, eyes trained on Kana, and for once she thought, just once that she would be selfish. Put herself in the forefront of her mind, and follow Kana without hesitation.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]A low buzz, a hum of sorts filled the air and danced over her skin, causing the hair of her arms to raise, goosebumps forming as she watched Kana in amazement as she waved her hand and slowly began moving the rubble out of her and Madeline’s way. A laugh bubbled past her lips, due to both the feeling racing over her skin, and the comment Kana had made about letting her go with them having been part of the idea. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Do you feel that?” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Are - Are you causing that?”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]She had only been in the presence of people using the force a few times, but never so close, and she had to admit, if everyone felt this - she could understand how some people could go crazy with it, it was exhilarating. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]After the rubble was cleared Kana had started moving, and if it weren’t for Madeline catching the movement out of the side of her eye she would have missed it, too focused on what she witnessed and how it made her feel. Shuffling her feet, she quickly caught up, coming up along Kana’s right side. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Freedom, was coming and she was all too ready for it. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][member="Kana Truden"][/SIZE]

 

[Kana Truden]

[member="Madeline Roux"]

“Yes.” Kana grunted mid-levitation. The last boulder was moved out of the way to allow her and Madeline to pass with relative ease. The tension in Kana’s body eased up and she could breathe easy again. One step through the rubble and she was free. From up above one could hear the sound of blasters still. Slavers were, if anything, persistent and hard to root out for a reason. Finding them was never the hard part, it was springing to action in a way that allowed you to free as many as you could. Kana so far had only helped two which meant that the greater portion of the slaves were not contained within these cells. Her theory that this was a containment center of sorts — no matter how circular that term would be around slaves — would seem to be correct.

Kana headed towards the door on the far end of the corridor that the cells had been placed along and tried to open it with no success. Eyes glanced at Madeline and then tried to look for Max. Had he come through here? The firefight was still going on the outside. Kana holstered her saber and proceeded to kneel down by the door. It was an old design, she had helped strangers with this when she had lived outside the Order. As a locksmith of sorts, of course. Nothing illegal.

“When we get out there, you might cover your eyes.” Kana said and turned back around to look at Madeline, the locksmith’s hands coming to a temporary standstill as she tried to assess the girl behind her. “I have seen enough dead friends in the field to know what it can do to a person’s psyche.”

Focus shifted back to the door. “Not that I can tell you what to do. No one can. That’s all that should matter once this is all over.”

 

[Madeline Roux]

[SIZE=10pt]The sounds of battle raged on above them, Madeline’s only knowledge of it being from the seemingly constant vibrations resounding through the walls and floor. It wasn’t until the moment Kana had mentioned the possibility of covering her eyes when they reached the chaos did the thought of seeing the people she had been surrounded with, became close to, injured or even killed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]It was foolish, to have not thought of it before - to think of all the casualties that could come from missions like these. Madeline imagined the amount of death Kana had seen had been high in number - possibly close to the hundreds though she couldn’t be sure. Being a healer certainly opened up doors to the idea of losing someone, as much as anyone wanted to save everyone it was physically impossible. On top of that, doing rescue missions like these surely increased the number tenfold. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Madeline wondered how seeing so many of her friends dead affected Kana’s psyche. She seemed strong enough, at least on the outside in Madeline’s opinion, though she hadn’t seen much of her outside of the rescue mission yet, so that could certainly change. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“There is another exit, a narrow hallway just to the right of the first cells. If we can’t get through here we could go -” [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]stopping abruptly, she watched in awe as Kana, after a few moments expertly picked the lock, the door unhinging and swinging open slowly.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“This way...we can go this way.”[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt] A chuckle followed soon after, as Madeline shook her head, grinning at Kana. Fingers trembled against the metal framing, nails tapping lightly - giving way to just how nervous she was, though she tried to keep it under control. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Nodding her head, she straightened her shoulders. Glancing to her right, she saw a small piece of plywood and picked it up, testing the weight in her hands for a moment. Eyes shifting to Kana she gave a nervous smile.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Just in case.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px][member="Kana Truden"][/SIZE]

 

[Kana Truden]

[member="Madeline Roux"]

Kana smiled back at the slave at her joke. She was nervous, a coping mechanism perhaps. It wasn’t all that hard to understand. Healers were after all summarized as ‘doctors’ at their very basic level. Kana had seen more than her fair share of people figeting in her presence, even when all she had to do was grant them a quick survey of their systems, so to speak. Common colds weren’t something she bothered herself with, but amongst farmer communities there were rarely anything but.

Her shoulders lifted in a chuckle as Madeline grabbed a piece of plywood for a shield. Wouldn’t do much in case of blaster fire, but it would still be more efficient than nothing at all. As the door opened wide they were exposed to a staircase. The sound of blaster fire seemed to grow a bit louder, but not by a lot. It seemed to be shifting to somewhere right above them and Kana would turn back around towards the slave.

“Just remember, okay?” She took a deep breath and placed her hand on Madeline’s shoulder. “Nothing of what you see will in any way be your fault. People will always die around you, around me, around everyone. It’s a part of life just as much as living itself is.”

Kana took a deep breath and stared at the ground for a second. “And this next part might be a bit freaky. Remain calm, please.”

Eyes closed, hand remained on shoulder.

A telepathic message spread itself across Madeline’s mind. This is a better way to make sure the blasters do not drown out my voice when we talk upstairs.

 

[Madeline Roux]

[SIZE=10pt]She was glad the healer had smiled at her joke, and with the way her shoulders lifted, she could assume she had chuckled as well. Madeline had always found joking to be a way to keep herself calm in the face of nerves - well, joking and fidgeting. Her fingers were almost constantly moving, either tapping against her skin or playing with the fabrics of her clothing. It was something she barely noticed now, though whenever she first meets people they were quick to point it out.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]When Kana’s hand touched her shoulder, she was surprised at just how [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]gentle[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt] the touch was. Brown eyes shifted down to her hand before focusing back up to Kana, eyes shifting between her eyes and mouth, a smile pulling at her lips after the kind words were spoken in reassurance. Nodding her head, Madeline took in a deep breath, a breath that was quickly expelled in the next moment when Kana told her to remain calm. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]What in the world was she planning on doing that she had to ask her to stay calm?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Despite the thoughts starting to swirl to the front of her mind in worry, she forced them back into the deeper recesses of her mind, focusing instead on her breathing. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]In and out, deep and slow - when suddenly there was a voice in her head, a voice that she very much didn’t think was her usual thinking voice. Eyes snapping up quickly, she watched Kana’s face carefully. Her lips weren’t moving and yet - she could hear her. Something she hadn’t been able to once do in her life. A gasp left her lips once she made the connection that Kana was somehow speaking in her mind.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]I… I can hear you. I can’t hear anyone. How… how is this possible? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Pausing, she shook her head, remembering the situation she was in, the situation they [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]both[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt] were in. She shouldn’t be wasting time asking stupid questions, questions that, while somewhat worrying, weren’t as important in this moment. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]She felt stupid for a moment, wondering if Kana would even be able to hear her back. For all she knew this only worked as a one way thing, and that not knowing bothered her more than she cared to admit. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Still, she carried on.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Does this work both ways? Can you hear me as well? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][member="Kana Truden"][/SIZE]

 

[Kana Truden]

[member="Madeline Roux"]

It was the same with everyone who was first exposed to telepathy. The slight flinch as an unfamiliar voice influenced your mind. It usually made Kana chuckle with a visible twitch of her own and this was no different. The girl jumped to work thinking of things, but Kana wouldn’t really be able to pick up on what it was she thought about as much as that she was intrigued by what was going on. She picked up the emotions of her thoughts left behind, but not so much the actual thoughts. By now she was probably wondering if Kana could hear her as well.

Kana shook her head.

It’s a one-way street until you figure out how to do this on your own.

Above the sound of blasters seemed to creep closer and Kana couldn’t help but frown.

Keep your plank close. We’re going in.

Careful feet shuffled up the stairs and towards the door. It opened and lead straight into a wide open space. Smoke from blasters and other weaponry filled its tight corners as bolts of all kinds swept across the room from side to side. Red on blue, blue on green, like a vibrant waltz of plasma and burning death. A sight all too familiar to the healer, but perhaps not to the slave that was following in her wake. Tables had been turned to their sides to offer makeshift cover for the slavers as the trained soldiers proceeded to encroach upon their positions, and at the very center stood an improvised stage that had once been used to sell people like cattle.

It was another tragically common sight around that galaxy.

No sooner than Kana had stepped into the room was there bolts aimed at her. Her hand raised to catch it, yet what seemed to have been supposed to be a hit quickly found itself redirect at the man who had fired it. Saber out she flicked it on.

The terror in the thugs eyes grew apparent.

They had not counted on a jedi being here.

 

[Madeline Roux]

[SIZE=10pt]Somewhere deep in Madeline’s mind she knew Kana wouldn’t be able to hear her back, but it was still disheartening when she was told so. It made her feel as though something were physically wrong with her, though logically - she knew that wasn’t the case. It was something learned over time - something that Madeline felt determined to learn. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Nodding her head, she adjusted the grip she had on her wooden plank, raising it up in a defensive position as the two crept up the stairs. Once through the door Madeline was surprised at such disarray that the site was in. Her eyes travelled first to the stage - a stage she was too familiar with. In her lifetime she had been showcased on stages just like this one and given away to the highest buyer that the events had all blurred together into a haze. She was scheduled for this very stage the following day. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Glancing at Kana, she said a quiet thanks in her mind though she knew Kana wouldn’t hear it, the Healer had done more than she was aware to help the girl and Madeline was forever thankful. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]The next thing to catch her eyes were the bodies. Some crouched behind tables preparing for their next shot, others sprawled haphazardly across the ground, lying in a pool of their own blood. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]So much blood. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Madeline had never been the type to get woozy when seeing blood, but she had never seen it in such extensive amounts. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Kana’s warning came to mind then, but Madeline couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene. It was grotesque and left her feeling dirtier than she already was, but she couldn't do it. Without her ears, her sight and touch was what she relied on most - and something told her she would need both if she intended to make it out as a free person.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Feeling the vibrations of the lightsaber in the air, she couldn't help but grin - the faces of the thugs and slavers were fearful, and rightfully so. Jedi, while light, were still a force to be reckoned with. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]While Madeline was focused on any frontal and side attacks, she was not prepared for anyone coming up behind her. A breath, while let out slowly, still swept across the back of her neck - her hair dancing lightly against her skin from the movement. Eyes wide, Madeline quickly turned around and swung her plank, wood making contact with the man’s nose, mumbled profanities slipping past his lips, empty words falling on deaf ears. A flash of silver and quick movements were next, the man wielding a blade at her caused her to drop the plank as she ducked.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Fast but not fast enough, the blade cut across Madeline’s shoulder - a cry of pain escaping her lips. Her leg flew out, foot landing squarely in the man's crotch, enough of a distraction so she could scramble for her plank and stand back up. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Eyes shifted around wildly searching for Kana, landing on her moments later a relieved smiled crossed her lips. Though she had just met her, she had saved her. Saved her from a fate far worse than Madeline had ever experienced. There was talks around the compound that the day Madeline had been scheduled for the stage was the day the sex slavers were visiting this specific compound, looking for any particular slave that filled their desires. The thought, whenever it crossed her mind, made her sick - stomach bile climbing up her throat but never quite making it all the way to the top.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Kana was busy with a group of thugs who had their egos turned up a bit to high to face a Jedi, that she didn't see a man approaching from the side. It was a cheap trick, one that Madeline had just fallen prey to - attack while distracted, but the man didn't expect a slave girl to be on a first name basis with the Jedi, nor did he expect her to give him away.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Kana! On your left!”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][member="Kana Truden"][/SIZE]

 

[Kana Truden]

[member="Madeline Roux"]

Saber moving up to let her grab it by both hands, Kana would proceed to deflect the bolts coming at her back at those that fired at her. A deep sensation of apprehensive terror began to spread around the room for those who could feel it. The thugs knew their predicament now. The soldiers pushed forth and gained more and more ground on them, and now there was a Jedi thrown into the mix.

Just out of earshot she could hear the struggle that ensued between Madeline and her assailant. A cry of pain echoed in Kana’s mind accompanied by the swipe of a knife through flesh. Kana turned around to look at Madeline only to see her foot firmly embed itself within the weak spot of all men. The healer couldn’t help but grin. It was a tactic that always worked for her when she had been in the field or needed to get out of a tight spot much like Maddie was. Attention shifted back around to the thugs at hand. As much as she wanted to look after the slave girl following her around she also had a mission to complete.

“Kana! On your left!”

Kana looked to her left in surprise. A man came at her, knife above his head looking to stab her in the neck. Yet thanks to Madeline there would be no such thing. The saber’s blade swept up to cut both of his hands off. The man shrieked as the smell of burnt flesh flashed across Kana’s mind, bringing back memories in which she had felt it before. She shook it off and pushed the man into the wall, teeth exposed in a grin back at Madeline.

“Good looking out!” She praised the slave, it felt called for.

Turning her attention back to the slavers she wouldn’t see the shadow creep out of the corner from behind Maddie. A frail hand patted against the girl’s shoulder with a gentle tug.

Max.

“We should go.” He motioned for a nearby backdoor. “Maddie, we need to go.”

 

[Madeline Roux]

[SIZE=10pt]Fear; a primal instinct most notably felt when faced with something perceived as dangerous or threatening. It was something Madeline had dealt with a lot growing up, something she still felt now. Most found fear as a weakness, something to be squashed under their boots like a beetle. But what is strength without weakness? How can one be strong and have no faults of their own? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]It was impossible, Madeline thought - for someone to not have a weakness, even if it was something as natural as fear. To her, fear was something to embrace - it kept her grounded. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]So when the feeling bubbled up in her chest at the gentle touch - so foreign in a rough environment, she jumped slightly though welcomed the feeling. Heart racing, her fingers slipped and she dropped her only defense system once again, the wood clattering to the ground - the sound drowned out by all the blaster fire and screams. Quickly turning, her eyes scanned over her perceived threat, shoulders relaxing noticeably when she recognized who was calling for her attention. The fear bubbling up in her chest was quickly overtaken by other emotions. Emotions of trust, relief at seeing him alive and well, and love. Maddie and Max had been through so much together. From the time she helped him, they had stuck by each other’s sides. She had grown a fondness for the elderly man, something akin to what she imagined she would feel for a grandfather. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Madeline felt stuck. On one hand - she wanted to run, escape with Max, the other wanted so badly to pursue her dreams. Dreams she knew she could achieve with Kana’s help. Her movements were hesitant as the thoughts raged back and forth in her mind, but eventually she knew what she had to do, what her heart wanted to do. A familiar warmth surrounded Max in the form of Maddie’s hug. Her arms wrapped tightly around his center, head burying into his chest. She didn’t want to let him go, let the familiarity go, but she knew he would be better off without being dragged along with her and Kana. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]After a moment, she pulled back, holding him at arm’s length and tears in her eyes as she smiled up at him.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Go on without me Max. Kana - the woman who saved us, she is a Healer. She can teach me, help me.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]A sad smile graced Max’s face then, he knew her dreams of wanting to become a Healer, wanting to do good, and who was he to stop her? While he knew the dangers that would come from venturing out into the galaxy, he felt she would be safe learning under Kana. Nodding, he shifted his hand and squeezed her arm gently. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“I understand. May we meet again one day Madeline. Take care of yourself.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Madeline couldn’t help the tears from escaping her eyes then, a sad smile taking place on her lips. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“I will Max. You be safe. Until we meet again.” With that she watched him turn, heading quickly towards the back door, turning back only to give her a nod in reassurance before he disappeared from sight.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Wiping the tears from her eyes she turned back to the fight at hand, ignoring her protection of a plank of wood, instead running for a shard of bent metal hanging off a low hanging beam. Madeline ripped it from its loose position before running to Kana’s side, helping her against the men who had ganged up on her. Where Kana ducked, Maddie swung and vice versa. The two worked together as if they had been a team for years and not a Jedi and slave who just met. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]A slaver came up from her right then, and as if it was muscle memory her arms swung out, the jagged metal following her movements - metal slicing fabric then flesh. The man choked out a scream, blood pouring from his abdomen from the wound Madeline just administered. Watching in horror, she couldn’t move. A different form of fear overtook her then. A fear of possibly taking a man’s life, however horrible he may have been. Her eyes were stuck on him, watching as he fell forward, hands pressed to the wound as he tried desperately to stop the bleeding. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Madeline didn’t know what to do. Her hands shaking, she took a few steps back, tripping over her own feet. She bumped into Kana, mumbling out an apology though still - her eyes were trained on the man. Not knowing at that point who she was apologizing to Kana or the slaver in front of her, the word kept tumbling past her lips. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Sorry…”[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]“Sorry…”[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]“Sorry…” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][member="Kana Truden"][/SIZE]

 

[Kana Truden]

[member="Madeline Roux"]

There was a sense of conflict in the young slave. Kana felt it plain and simple as it raced across Madeline’s mind. She sought cover from the fire aimed at her to afford herself a quick look at the girl only to see the man she had freed from his cell before. By the looks of it they were saying goodbyes. It hurt Kana almost, she had given the same goodbye to her friends like that as well but that was almost twenty years ago at this point. Come to think of it she too had been the same age as Madeline was. She had agreed with the hopes that she would be brought into a new world, and while that was true, she had also just barely been spared a fate worse than death as the Vong twisted what she had called her home.

It was likely that Madeline would see Max again. Something told her it would be alright in the end as it had for Kana. Had it not? Her focus went back to the thugs. The slave came to join her in the fight, and she did admirably well at that. There was an odd synergy behind the work, yet as Madeline struck her first opponent down an instant wave of guilt would wash over her. Kana looked for a second, but couldn’t afford any more than that.

The man clutched at his wound as he fell down on his knees, but fate wasn’t done with Madeline yet. A man, one of the slavers had witnessed it, a loud primal scream cancelled out the noise in the room at witnessing the death of his brother. A single stray shot, one that missed Madeline and Kana both by a sheer luck passed them by, but the sound of a bolt hitting the wall never echoed through the hallway.

A gasp did though.

Max did.

His back curved, his hands spread before him in a close claw grip of pain. He remained rigid even as his balance caused him to fall over. His back hit the floor with a loud thud and Kana looked over to see what had happened.

He had been hit.

“Chit.” She whispered under her breath.

Anger getting the better of her she dug in deep and threw the remaining tables and slavers towards the wall in a blast that was as devastating as it was powerful. She let Madeline rush on over to her friend, if she had so desired. Kana had to make sure the slavers didn’t get up first. She’d be there in a moment.

 

[Madeline Roux]

[SIZE=10pt]The shaking of her hands stopped soon after, though her eyes couldn’t move off of the man as she watched as his life slowly left him. It was weird, and not at all what Madeline expected. People had died around her before, but never at her hand, nor so close that she could see the dullness of their eyes as they faded from consciousness. Most people she had tried haphazardly to heal passed in their sleep if they had passed, due to such strong blood loss that there was only so much Madeline could do without proper training.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]She had just started turning, ignorant to the man’s yells until she saw him. It was too late by then, the shot had been fired and it was a miracle it had missed both her and Kana. A shudder slipped past her lips - a strong reminder that she didn’t get hit by that bullet, that she wasn’t attacked by the slaver she had just taken the life from. She was alive. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]But in that moment her heart stuttered to a stop. Her eyes had followed Kana’s and saw a sight she wished she could have permanently erased from memory. Madeline’s body broke out into a cold sweat, a numbing feeling crawling up her fingers through her arms, a tell-tale sign for her that she was about to cry as she watched the man she had just parted ways from laying on the floor as a result from the bullet that was meant for her. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“MAX!”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]His name left her in a painful cry - voice cracking towards the end. All Madeline could think of was that it should have been her, not him. Her feet had hit the ground running fast, dodging onlookers and the fallen bodies of others until she was at Max’s side. Finding a hole in the fabric of her shirt, she ripped off the lower half, exposing her midriff but no longer caring as she pressed the fabric down firmly on his wound. His blood stained through, painting her fingers in the crimson liquid, causing her to panic slightly and press harder. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“It’s okay Max. Y-you’ll be okay. You’ve got to be okay.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Madeline wasn’t sure if it was only a few minutes, but it felt like hours as she sat there huddled over Max with tears staining her cheeks. At one point, he had raised his hand - frail fingers moving to rest over her stained red ones on his wound, before weakly wrapping his fingers under her hand. This brought a smile, though barely there, to her face. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Gently being pushed to the side, Madeline looked up, bleary eyes meeting Kana’s and the girl nodded in understanding. Kana was there to help - and all she could do was watch and offer assistance when needed. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][member="Kana Truden"][/SIZE]

 

[Kana Truden]

[member="Madeline Roux"]

The Jedi Master gave the tables another push to throw the remaining slavers off their feet in order to let the soldiers sweep in for their respective arrests. The sound of blasters died out and was replaced only by the sound of shuffling boots followed by a heavy silence as the chaos was allowed a moment to rest. Gunsmoke intertwined with dust and Kana slowly approached Madeline and her friend. He was old, and frail. There wasn’t much that the healer could really do for him at this point, the blood was already starting to pool and his energy was draining fast. He had a few minutes at most left in this stage.

A heavy sigh burst through her nose as she knelt down, her knees dipping into the warm crimson liquids that had spread beneath him. Careful hands leaned in under his shoulders to lift him up against her thighs to see Madeline with greater clarity. She could do that much for him. One hand swept down his back to cover the wound. Max would let in a sharp inhale of pain, but before either of the two slaves knew any better the room would start to glow. Kana would start to glow, her arm lighting up in a subtle red shine as her own teeth gritted.

She was taking his pain away for herself, letting his last few moments be one with relative ease at the cost of her own comfort. Her lower back, the very same spot in which he had been shot began to burn like a fire. Her teeth gritted with more and more pressure behind each breath she took. It was as if the blaster had hit her and not Max, and she felt every single nerve in her back struggle to keep the sensation back.

This was the remnants of her bout with the darkside, the ever present reminder of her own mistake. The red glow and the physical pain. She was stealing pain for herself, yet the wounds would slowly mend. It was exhausting, but she owed Madeline this, the man’s death being something that the healer had caused in the first place

“You- need- to- speak- fast.” The blonde healer would stutter through the pain.

“He is fading away.”

 

[Madeline Roux]

[SIZE=10pt]Madeline knew Max was too far gone, the amount of blood was only a strong reminder of that but she couldn’t, wouldn’t believe it. The air around her shifted as she grew cold, a sharp contrast from the warm crimson liquid coating her hands. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Watching Max carefully, she watched as slowly his pain began shifting, disappearing. Her eyebrows furrowed, scanning over his form as it visibly relaxed. She was thankful he was no longer in pain though she didn’t understand how or why. It wasn’t until her eyes glanced up curiously at Kana did she figure it out. The blonde was in obvious discomfort. Her teeth were clenched together, eyes squinting shut when the pain would flare, and there was a soft red glow coming from Kana’s arm causing Madeline to let out a quiet gasp in surprise. Eyes widening she looked on at the woman in front of her in awe. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Madeline didn’t know that Kana was thinking of this as an ever present reminder of her past, taking the pain from the man when she didn’t have to. To her, Kana had done so much in an incredibly short amount of time for her that she was sure it would take the rest of her life just to show her how thankful she was. She paid close attention to what Kana said - another reminder Max was dying and she nodded her head, attention turning back to the frail man before her. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“I’ll miss you Max… I’ll never forget you.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]A soft smile appeared then on Max’s face followed by a subtle nod, frail fingers tightening around hers. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“You’ll be okay Maddie. Don’t give up just because I won’t be there.” Shifting his shoulders he turned slightly, a deep cough that brought up blood - dripping along his chin but he didn’t bother wiping it away, focusing instead on Kana. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Thank you, for your help.” “D-don’t let her give up.” With a final squeeze of Madeline’s hand he was gone, the life slipping from him as he fell into unconsciousness his body going slack. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]A sob slipped past Madeline’s lips, her hand raising to quickly wipe away the tears. A smear of Max’s blood was left behind, though she paid it no mind as she slowly pressed a light kiss to Max’s forehead. Shakily standing, she waited for Kana to do so as well before wrapping the woman in a hug. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“I know you didn’t have to take his pain away from him but… thank you. It… it means a lot.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]It would take a long time for her to come to terms with the fact that Max was no longer with them, one of her only friends she had made in fear of something like this happening, but she was thankful his last moments were semi - peaceful. That thought brought a small amount of peace to her as she took a deep breath, nodding her head before looking up to Kana. She was afraid, but excited for what the future would hold, and she promised herself in that moment to keep her promise to Max. She wouldn’t give up, even if she really wanted to.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“What now?” [/SIZE]

[member="Kana Truden"]​