Broken No more

Chapter 1: Sold like livestock

Clean air.  that's what I miss most.  I remember when I could breathe freely,  without choking on the air in front of me.  It stinks here in the slumps. It's wet and filthy. I can't remember the last time I had a good meal. Probably before I left The Order. Before I walked away from Anakin. Even then all I ever had was nutrition sticks. Living through the war can be hard on anybody, but It was extra hard on me. I'm only 19 and I've fought hundreds of battles. Alongside many powerful Jedi knights, masters, and Padawans. I've suffered so much pain, seen too much death for someone my age. It seems everyone around me has fallen. The Jedi order has fallen. Along with the republic and any hope for true freedom among the galaxy. If only I had stayed then maybe...

"Hey finish those dishes, to grunt,"  The scratchy voice of my boss echoes through the already noisy room.

"Ye-yes, sir,"  I say in the hope he won't get angry,  It's never good when he gets angry.  "Back to the present, forget the past, focus on the future," I mumble to myself, my voice drowns out by the sound of dishes banging together.

I'm back at the pub again. That's the only place I can earn enough money to even get a portion of bread. I know it's not enough to give me the strength I need, but it's enough to subside the pain of hunger. After I've finally finished the dishes I walk toward the door leading to the bar, but the owner beats me to it.

He's a rodian with light turquoise skin and big eyes. He's definitely not the nicest man in the world, but he'll always use poor children for cheap labor. I do the dishes, others cook or clean. Sometimes he'll put you up in the front to serve customers, but that's only if you look old enough, are pretty and curvy, or his customers are completely drunk. I come here about every week. I work in some other stores and pubs like this, but I barely earn enough credits to feed myself. I'm lucky to be able to afford a portion of bread, but I'll survive. At least I hope I'll survive, I haven't starved to death yet. Clearly, otherwise, I wouldn't be in this pub. Or staring at my shoes as my boss starts talking.

" Here are your credits, kid." My boss says slipping the cold metal credits into my hand

" Thank you so much, but don't you want to check my work?" I say briefly glancing up at him.

" You've been coming here long enough. I know you finished the job," He says slightly irritated, that's never good.

" I'm honored that you trust me, but I don't know if I'll be able to come back next week," I say wearyingly.

"Why's that,"  My boss growls.

"I'm leaving Coruscant, I don't belong here. Something is calling me away," I say taking a step back from the man.

"You aren't leaving. I've already made a deal," he says grabbing my shoulder.

"I can't remember any deal. I wish I could reward you for your kindness, but all I can give you is my thanks," I'm struggling now.

"I can't let you leave, "He growls squeezing my shoulder tighter.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go, "I say pulling away from him. 

He grips my shoulder, "You are not leaving, You are too valuable to walk away."

"Valuable, what do you mean?" I push out of his arms.

Someone comes up behind me and grabs me...

"He means that you have been sold. Sold to me to be more precise." I voice behind me states

"No Sir, How could you do this?" I plead

"He gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. I'm sorry kid." my boss responds

"You're coming with me." The faceless man says.

"No. I refuse. You don't own me because he never had any rights to sell me."

"Do I look like I care?" the faceless man asks.

"I can't see you," I say with my signature snippy tone.

He turned me around so I could look at him. Except I didn't get to see his face. I kneed him in the groin. No way is some rodian is going to try to sell me and get away with it. I turned around and stared daggers at him.

"You are going to regret trying to sell me. You're also going to regret hiring me." I growl, my eyes narrowed and teeth bared.

I took a big step and flicked my leg out in a perfect groin kick. Stepping to the side so he didn't fall on me, I quickly send a knee to his face. He flung back holding his face in his hands,  his green blood slides through his fingers. He recovers quickly and pushed me. I used that to my advantage and dropped low, swung my leg out in a sweep kick knocking him on his butt. I intended to strike him with my heel but was picked up off the ground. The buyer must have recovered. He wouldn't be recovered for long.

I tried to elbow him in the ribs and stomp on his feet but he held me tightly off the ground. I swing my head back intending to hit his face but only met his shoulder. He let me go, but quickly grabbed my montrals and flung me around so I could see him.

"Kriff," I curse at the realization.

He was a Zygerrian. An incredibly strong and big Zygerrian. I struggled, kicking him in the knee in the process. He'll be limping for a week. I smiled. Only to be met with a strong slap to the face. He grabbed a numbing agent. I kicked it out of his hand. My boss was up now and he wasn't happy. He grabbed the agent and stuck it in my leg. My legs are going to be numb for a while. That serum was strong, but not strong enough to push up to my torso. The Zygerrian slapped me a couple more times, I didn't even look at him. In my mind, I was silently cursing my boss. I wished him a slow painful death and smiled at him. When I was free I would make him pay. I stopped suddenly remembering the Jedi code. No revenge. I understand why they put that in place. If they hadn't, Jedi wouldn't have fought the war, they'd be too busy seeking revenge on every person to ever cross them.

I hung my head low. I've been betrayed by my boss, the only friendly face I've seen since going into hiding. The man taking me away is a Zygerrian, a slaver. I already know where he's taking me, to his homeworld. I just hope when we get there, his people won't recognize me from when I saved my people from his kingdom's clutches. I just hope when I'm sold off, I am sold to anyone other than the empire.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

It smells bad here. Like sweat, blood, and ash. I can taste the sweet tint of blood in the air. I hear ragged breathing next to me and the c***k of a whip a couple of rows down. I also hear the whimper of a young child and the scream of the person being whipped. I know I shouldn't but I look up anyway, glancing at the whipping slaver.

He's whipping an orange Twi'lek. Every time the whip cracked down the Twi'lek would yelp in pain and the whimper would sound again. I looked for the sound of the whimper only to be met with the glare of a Zygerrian. He held a small Twi'lek by her lekku. The screams continued to ring out in the background. The little girl looking in that direction and wincing at every c***k of the whip and whimpering at every scream.

At the next c***k of the whip, a thump sounded and the man screamed louder than ever. The girl yelped and struggled out of the grip of the wolfman. Once free she ran to the Twi' lek and draped herself across him.

"Stupid girl," the slaver commented.

Then he raised his whip and tried to strike the girl. I closed my eyes and reached out slightly throughout the force, manipulating the whip and causing it to miss the girl and hit the slaver in the eye. He said a long string of curses and tried again only for it to miss, due to his eye. He wouldn't miss next time. I had to do something.

"Hey, dogman! Your aim's terrible," I yell directing the threat away from the two twi'lek.

The slave next to me looked up from his work and quietly cursed me and told me to shut up. I smirked at him and stood up to yell.

"Didn't you hear me?! Your aim is T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E, terrible," I say egging on. I won't think about what will happen to me, I just need to get them to stop whipping them.

"What'd you say Togrunta trash," the slaver threatens.

"I said, dogman. Your aim is terrible. You couldn't hit the side of a bantha," I yell standing with my hands on my hips.

"That's it, Togruta scrum," The Zygerrian growls stalking over to me.

I silently smiled, relieved that I redirected his anger from that child to me. He stalked over and cracked his whip.

"You'll regret your words, Togruta trash," He growls

After the thirtieth whipping, I passed out.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

When I woke up I was in a different place. I was in a cage-like an animal and there were rows of cages next to mine. The cages were small, only a yard square. I had to hunch over to keep from hitting my head on the top of the cage.  My back felt as if it was caught on fire.  My flesh stings and My body is sticky with blood.  Everything was silent. The only sound was the slight shift of someone in their seat or the footsteps of the slave guards. It smelled earthy like we were underground. It also smelled of sweat and blood; Then I heard the roar of a crowd.

We were below the stadium where they held the slave auctions. Then I felt the tightness around my throat. I pulled up my hands and felt around my neck. Only to find a collar around my neck with rings attached to it, probably for leashes. I grunted and silently cursed all of the Zygerrian race. How dare they treat me like an animal. Well, at least they didn't recognize me.

I heard footsteps come up behind me.

"It's time Togruta trash." a gruff voice rings out.

I scoffed as he unlocked the cage. I wouldn't strike yet, not with all these other Zygerrians around here. I'll wait until I was out in the open.

He grabbed me by the collar and dragged me out of the cage. Then shoved me into walking toward the door leading to the stairway to the arena. I silently made a plan in my head, smirking at my guard.

"What are you smiling at? You're about to be sold," He scolds.

He looked at my body than my face.  It didn't feel the same, it was uncomfortable and tense.  Not like when... No, He hates me now.  I'm the reason she's dead. 

"Maybe I'll get a bonus with the amount you'll win me," He says with a sly grin.

"Ugh. I hate Zygerrians." I quietly scowled

We move up the staircase and are about to reach the top. My slaver grabs my collar again. As he throws me into the wall and smacks my head against the wall. The Zygerrian stalks toward me with a sly grin. Kriff.

"Your mine Togruta," He grunts.

He grabbed me but I struggled under his grip.

"Let go of me you filthy slaver. I want nothing to do with this. I am not yours to sell. Don't touch me. I have powerful friends, they'll come for me you'll see. Then you'll be the one dragged into an arena like this. And it won't be an auction, but an execution." I spit, struggling against the Zygerrian.

I threw my head back and hit him in the nose. It was broken for sure. He let go of me but only to kick me to the ground and pin me.

"We'll see Togrunta filth," He snarls stepping away from me.

I scrambled up and he grabbed my collar again

"No, Don't Touch me! Don't... Stop..."  I struggle as he and his buddies clipped me to leashes and dragged me out of the arena. I was met with a bright light and a sense of a familiar presence that I haven't felt in a while.

"Lux?" I whispered to myself only to scold myself for it. Why would Lux be here?