Zule

A day later, Jaden was still affected by the previous day's events, but he occupied his mind by working tirelessly. He went through the scavenged equipment, dismantling and crafting them into essential items. Even with every heating unit he made or medical robot, he fixed, the underlying problem remained unsolved.

Jaden needed to figure out how to get everyone out of their current location to somewhere safe. He was using a hex driver to dismantle a battle droid to get its processor. "We need to figure out where to take the civilians before we think about rejoining the war effort," he said.

Aubrie, Scout, and Lieutenant Lock were sitting on pieces of rubble near him, discussing their next moves.

"Cobalt Station would be the best choice," Aubrie commented.

Lock shook his head. "That's a military outpost. It won't have the facilities to care for them. Plus, it's at constant risk of attack. They'd be in danger there."

"It's our furthest base from the conflict. They should be safe there until the conflict is resolved," Aubrie countered.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but it's looking like when the conflict's resolved, we'll all be six feet under," Lieutenant Lock stated.

"We can't leave them here. If the enemy comes back, they all die," Aubrie said a little heatedly.

Before Lock could reply, they were interrupted by Scout. "What about Monsoon Mesa?" she asked.

"What's that?" Jaden asked, looking up from his work.

"It's not much of a base, but it could work," Lock mumbled to himself.

"It's a Jabiimi Loyalist base, not a Republic one. It's about a day away from Cobalt Station," Aubrie explained to Jaden.

"They'd do much better with their own people than being around us," Jaden commented.

"It still doesn't tell us how we are going to transport them there in the first place," Lock said. "The ground is muddy and treacherous to traverse through, and some of the Jabiimi don't even have legs to begin with."

Jaden felt his chest tighten at his words but did not say anything and continued to work on the battle droid. Aubrie and Scout both sensed the pain that came off Jaden in waves but did not comment on it.

"We will have to find a way to traverse the terrain. For now, start looking for any vehicles in good enough condition to be repaired," Jaden said, issuing Lock his orders.

"Yes, General," Lock said before standing up, putting his helmet back on, and heading over to the other clones.

As Jaden worked, his mind raced with thoughts of how to make it there safely but he just as quickly discarded ideas as he came up with them. They needed transport, but the city was a ruin so anything they found would likely be too damaged to use. Their long-range communication equipment was practically nonexistent so they couldn't call for help.

Aubrie approached him, sensing his inner turmoil. "We'll figure it out, Master."

Jaden nodded, though the tension in his shoulders didn't ease. "I just wish I could do more. Seeing them like this... it's hard."

Aubrie placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "You're doing everything you can. We all are."

Jaden sighed, his hands momentarily pausing their work. "Monsoon Mesa sounds like our best option, just need a way to get there.

Scout chimed in, "I'll help look for vehicles. There's got to be something we can use."

Jaden gave her a grateful nod. "Thank you, Scout. Every bit helps."

Jaden continued his work, removing the processor and adding it into a refrigeration unit that he'd altered with parts from a compactor and dehydrator. They needed food, and this was the best way to feed everyone. There were plenty of rodents around the city; one put into this machine would make five protein bars. 'It'll have to do...' Jaden thought to himself.

Aubrie, who had left for a moment, came back with some rations and a canteen, imploring him to eat and drink. Jaden, not taking his eyes off his work, shook his head. "Distribute it among the civilians," he said.

Aubrie frowned. "You can't live off the Force forever."

"I'm not hungry," Jaden replied, his voice flat.

Aubrie felt concern well up inside her but pushed it down before anyone could sense it. She placed the food and canteen on the floor next to him before sitting closely beside him, watching him work. The silence between them was heavy, filled with unspoken worries. Jaden's hands moved with precision, his mind entirely focused on the task at hand. Aubrie watched him, her concern deepening. She worried about the toll it was taking on him. "You need to take care of yourself too," she said softly. Jaden didn't respond. Aubrie sighed, knowing he wouldn't listen. She stayed by his side, hoping he would eat soon.

A while later, the lights flickered before turning on, and the hum of the machine sounded out. Jaden wiped the sweat off his forehead. Despite seeing the machine come to life, there was no smile on his face. Aubrie, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder, was woken up when Jaden moved to lift the machine. He needed to take it to the main room; it would be easier to dispense food from there.

"You did it?" Aubrie asked.

Jaden nodded. With Aubrie on his tail, he moved into the next room.

Walking through the dozens of people, Jaden was met with a scene of despair. The room was filled with the sound of crying and moaning, the air thick with the smell of sweat, blood, and desperation. People huddled together, their faces etched with fear and pain. Many had vacant, hollow eyes, staring into the distance as if something had stolen their souls.

Jaden saw children with limbs missing and bandaged stumps where arms and legs should have been. Their faces were gaunt, their lips cracked with thick bags around their eyes. He saw a mother cradling her child, rocking back and forth, whispering comforting words that did little to soothe the child's sobs. Nearby, an elderly man sat alone, his eyes closed, his face contorted in silent agony as he clutched at an indentation on his side.

Despite being stabilised by Jaden their injuries were horrific. Charred flesh from the blaster and plasma burns, limbs crushed beyond recognition. There were those who had lost their sight, their eyes covered with makeshift bandages, and others who were deaf, unable to hear the cries around them. Some could not walk, dragging themselves across the cold floor, leaving trails of filth.

Jaden looked ahead as he moved through the room, carrying the machine. He had healed many of these people, but he couldn't restore their limbs or erase their scars. He couldn't bring back their eyesight or hearing. His healing had stabilized their conditions, stopped the bleeding, and closed the wounds, but the damage was permanent. They were now crippled, their bodies broken and scarred.

He finally put the machine down next to a detachment of clones. These soldiers, too, bore the marks of battle. Their armour was damaged, and though their wounds were healed, they would never be the same. Some had lost arms or legs, replaced by rudimentary prosthetics. Others had severe burns, their skin a patchwork of scar tissue. A few had lost their hearing, communicating through gestures and expressions.

'You failed them all.'

Jaden ignored the voice echoing in his head. "We'll distribute the food now," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him.

Aubrie nodded and began helping him set up the machine. Jaden turned to the clone. "Start hunting any animals you can find, doesn't matter how big or small they are," he commanded the clones. They nodded getting up and heading outside.

Jaden activated the machine, its hum filling the room. Just as he began to distribute the food, a commotion arose. An adult woman with one eye and one arm missing approached Jaden and Aubrie, tears streaming from her remaining eye.

"Why do you watch?" she asked, her speech slightly slurred. "Why won't you help?" she fell to her knees, sobbing. "What did we do?" she cried, her voice breaking.

"Please, the children!" she begged, her plea echoed by others. The room filled with the desperate cries of people crawling towards Jaden and Aubrie. "Please! We served, we stayed loyal, please!" they begged, grabbing at the hems of their robes and pressing their foreheads to the ground.

The clones moved in, pushing Jaden and Aubrie back. "Get back!" they warned the civilians. Jaden stood with a blank expression, his fists clenched so hard they nearly bled. Aubrie couldn't stop the tears flowing from her eyes, overwhelmed by the mix of anger, pain, and desperation from the civilians. Jaden took her hand, and they left the main room, taking a breath outside.

After a moment, Aubrie asked, "Why?"

"I grew up on Coruscant..." Jaden said, catching her attention. "I grew up on Coruscant, and I'd never seen a Jedi before. Some people even thought they were a myth to scare criminals," he continued.

Aubrie looked at him in confusion.

"We must look like gods to them. They saw me regrow a person's arm, so they must wonder why I've abandoned the rest of them," Jaden said in a low tone.

"But you haven't! You tried!" Aubrie said incredulously.

"They don't know that," Jaden replied.

"Surely they'd understand, we aren't gods! We—" but before she could finish, Jaden interrupted her.

"Explaining won't help. It's like trying to describe sounds to someone born deaf," Jaden said, rubbing his eyes.

Aubrie's breathing started to increase. She had to sit down, her head in her hands. She felt dizzy, her vision blurring as her chest tightened. The sounds around her grew muffled, replaced by the pounding of her heart. She struggled to catch her breath, each inhale shallow and rapid. Her hands trembled, fingers digging into her scalp as she tried to ground herself. Jaden crouched down next to Aubrie and hugged her, using the Force to soothe her mind. Aubrie subconsciously latched onto him, both physically and through the Force, as she struggled to deal with the situation. She felt his presence envelop her, a calming wave against the storm inside her. "Be calm, focus on my presence," Jaden whispered, his tone gentle but firm. Aubrie clung to him, her breaths slowly evening out as she concentrated on his words. The panic began to recede, replaced by a fragile sense of calm. She took deep breaths, feeling Jaden's steady heartbeat against her own.

Though Aubrie's act of subconsciously latching onto him with the Force had unintended consequences. Jaden's grip tightened as he was flooded with Aubrie's emotions, which in turn provided some backlash to Aubrie.

She recoiled in shock, her eyes wide. "I'm sorry, Master! I didn't mean to!" she cried out.

Jaden looked at her in confusion. Something was different; he could feel Aubrie much more intensely. It was as if they were joined together. "What did you do? Why can I feel you so clearly?" he asked.

"It's a Force bond, Master... it's common between masters and their apprentices," she explained in a low tone. "When you reached out to comfort me, I reached back... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," she stated.

Jaden patted her shoulder. "It was a mistake. Your apology isn't needed."

"We can deal with this later. I need to go and fix Zule's arm," Jaden said, standing up and offering Aubrie a reassuring nod. Aubrie watched him go, still feeling the growing connection from the bond.

Jaden moved through the makeshift shelter, scanning the faces of the people around him. He finally found Zule sitting alone, staring at the remnants of her broken prosthetic arm. He approached her slowly, aware of the emotional storm she was likely enduring.

"How are you doing?" he asked gently, sitting near her and examining the connection port on her stump. It had taken some damage, but nothing he couldn't fix in a few minutes.

"Leave me alone..." she said in a low voice, her gaze never leaving the broken arm.

"Your prosthetic is broken. I'm trying to fix it," Jaden stated, but Zule shrugged him off.

"I don't want it," she said firmly.

Jaden moved from beside her and sat in front of her, sensing the swirling emotions within her—anger, loss, hopelessness. Her mind was darker than the other Padawans, something that would be concerning to a Jedi, but Jaden didn't care about that.

"What's wrong, Padawan Xiss?" he asked. She didn't answer, continuing to look at the broken prosthetic on the ground.

"Zule?" Jaden said again, and she looked up, her furious green eyes meeting his blue ones.

"I am angry," she growled. "I hate this planet. I hate the people. I hate the Separatists. I hate how weak I am!" She shouted, lashing out with the Force and pushing Jaden back.

"Be calm, Zule. I understand your frustration," Jaden said, trying to emulate what a master might say.

"Calm?" Zule said, clenching her fists. "The only reason I came here was to get vengeance for my master, to kill the one who cut off my arm, only to find she is gone! Every day, I feel myself slipping closer and closer to the dark side, and I am powerless to stop it. We are doomed to die, and you expect me to stay calm." Her body shook with rage.

"You're scared," Jaden commented.

"What are you going to tell me? To push it down? To not feel it?" Zule hissed. "There is no emotion, only peace!"

Jaden shook his head. "Our emotions make up a large part of us. To deny them is to deny ourselves."

His words shocked Zule, and her angry expression disappeared for a moment.

Jaden stood up, putting his hand on Zule's shoulder. "Just as they are fundamental traits in living beings, so is having hope. Feel angry, feel sad, feel fear, but don't forget to feel hope that it may change."

He then began to fix her connection port. For a while, Zule did not say anything and just continued to sit there, slightly dumbfounded.

Eventually, she said, "Those are not very Jedi opinions."

"I'm not much of a Jedi," he commented back. "I believe that you can only truly fall to the dark side if you lose hope. As long as you keep a hold of it, you'll be fine," Jaden tried to assure her.

"Hope..." Zule said in a low voice.

Zule remained silent the entire time Jaden worked on fixing her connection port. After he was done and moved back, she looked at him. "Master, I still want revenge... but I want to help everyone as well. Can you make me a new arm?" she asked.

Jaden let a small smile grace his features. "I'll see what I can do," he said.

He grabbed her old arm and headed into the scrap room. Looking at the prosthetic, he ran dozens of calculations through his head. He made adjustments, substituted parts, and broke down some equipment, and Super Battle Droids arm. After an entire night, he came up with a beautiful-looking prosthetic.

When he brought it to Zule, she was shocked. It looked like a high-end model you could buy from an auction on Coruscant.

"It's incredible..." she breathed out as she looked at it.

Jaden moved next to her and began the process of attaching it. "It has reversible and double-jointed fingers, reinforced armour, a high-pressure piston release mechanism to increase your strength in that arm, a hidden blaster from a Super Battle Droid, a rappel dart, and even a fusion cutter," Jaden listed.

A few uncomfortable minutes later, Zule felt the connection flare to life and started moving the arm. It felt a lot more fluid than her old one. She walked close to a pillow before reaching back and punching it, her hand going through the wall.

"Amazing..." she breathed out.

They were both snapped out of their musings as Scout interrupted them as she ran into the room, her excitement palpable. "Master, we found something! You need to come and see," she said, grabbing his arm.

"What is it?" Jaden asked as he joined her outside.

"Just come and see," Scout replied, leading him through the ruined city. Their feet splashed against the rainy ground as they hurried along.

Eventually, they joined the squad that had been sent out to look for vehicles, with Lieutenant Lock in the lead. In front of them was a miracle. From what Jaden could see, it was a functional AT-TE.

Jaden's eyes widened in disbelief and hope. "Is it operational?" he asked, moving closer to inspect the large walker.

Lieutenant Lock nodded. "We're still checking the systems, but it looks like it's in working condition. We got lucky."

"Seems we haven't run out of luck just yet," Jaden said, running his hand along the AT-TE's hull.

Scout's excitement was infectious. "We need to start preparing it for transport immediately."

Jaden nodded, his mind already racing with plans. "Get everyone ready. We're moving out as soon as possible."

Lieutenant Lock nodded in acknowledgment but before he carried out his orders, he informed Jaden of one more thing. "General, we've also discovered a message being sent from High Command," Lock stated.

"What does it say?" Jaden asked.

"I'm not sure, sir. The communication equipment is fried. We will have to wait until we arrive at Monsoon Mesa to access it," Lock replied.

"Then we shouldn't keep them waiting," Jaden stated, turning to organize their departure.

(AN: these last few chapters have been a little slow but I am trying to develop their characters some more so things will seem more meaningful down the line. Jaden and Aubrie now have a master-apprentice bond, I wonder how that'll end. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter.)

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