The boys placed the bag next to their bows and untied the knot holding the sandwiches, ready to take a bite, when their hands suddenly opened, dropping the food onto the wet grass. The boys' eyes, which had been enjoying the forest, still unfamiliar to them after the technological world of Coruscant, now suddenly focused on one thing, and their mouths opened, struggling to hold back a scream of horror. Their eyes looked at the green grass and suddenly stumbled upon a red spot, sharply contrasting against the dark green background.
At first, the younglings thought it was the carcass of an animal that had died of old age, its skin beginning to decay, but soon, looking more closely, they noticed the outlines of a fragile figure resembling a human. Thin arms, skinny legs, a pale, grey face with closed eyes, once white and blue, but now unrecognisable due to the dust and pine needles stuck to them.
Togruta! It became clear to both hunters, and only then did they finally realise that they were looking at the dead body of an unknown young woman who had somehow ended up here. At first, the boys stood silently, overcoming the initial shock. Then, coming to his senses before his friend, the one who was human spoke:
"Do you think she's dead?
"I don't know, we need to check," said the Nutoalan doubtfully. "Let me go and take a look, because I know you, you'll look where you shouldn't. If you let me.
"He who hurts, speaks of his pain, Zatt," his friend rebuked him instantly. "I won't pretend anymore that I don't know how you spy on Katuni when she's bathing.
"Shut your mouth, you lecherous beast," Zutt flushed red to the tips of his green appendages. "And remember for the future, Petro, if you sleep on your side because you're ashamed to turn on your back, that doesn't mean that others are incapable of controlling their instincts, even in their sleep.
"Just you wait, Zutt," threatened Petro, who had been caught red-handed. "When we get back, I'll tell Magister Shaak Ti that you're swearing!
"Oh, really?!" Zatt did not remain silent. "Then I'll tell her that you broke Master Wind's cane after he scolded you for making noise after lights out.
Petro quickly stepped aside, wisely deciding to end the argument. After all, the younglings lived like brothers and sisters and, despite their frequent quarrels, loved each other purely and selflessly. Especially now, it was definitely not the time to settle scores; there were more important things to do. Zatt knelt down in front of the togruta and, carefully turning her head towards him, almost cried out again in shock.
"Petro!" he called to his friend in an alarmed voice. "Petro, come here quickly! I know who she is! I recognise her! It's Asoka Tano!"
Petro hadn't gone far and returned immediately to scold his friend for talking too much:
"What are you talking about? I've never heard such nonsense in my life! That's Tano? I'd sooner believe that bows are the ancestors of Wookiees. Tano was always brave and strong, even when she was sick or wounded. And this one is completely powerless.
However, crouching down next to Zatt and looking more closely at the lifeless face of the girl lying there, he was forced to admit that his friend might be right. The features of the Togrut, although now haggard and frozen, retained the outlines of something familiar and once close to him; at least the pattern on her face matched.
So it was really Asoka. Padawan Tano. Their older friend and former comrade, who had left the Order six months ago, perhaps without even knowing that it no longer existed. But what a sight she was. Dirty, in ragged clothes, thin to the point of impossibility.
A sharp wave of sympathy touched Petro's soul, and wanting to make her more comfortable, the boy lifted the Togrut's head and laid it on his knee. As he did so, the edge of her tunic, once burgundy but now faded and dirty, rose, revealing something that made the boys unable to contain their emotions. They simply turned away and bent over, shaken by retching spasms. Both of them.
The tunic concealed a large pool of blood, some of which had seeped into the ground, and in the middle of it was a bluish, cold object that they didn't even want to touch. Afraid of another explosion inside himself, Petro felt his way down to the hem of the tunic and whispered hoarsely to Zattu:
"Let's run to the camp and bring someone older here. It doesn't matter who: Shaak, Meisa, Yoda — just hurry! She may still be helped!
Zatt did not argue and, jumping up, shot through the forest like a green arrow, blending in with the greenery. When the nautolan disappeared from view, Petro turned his attention back to Asoka, and the boy no longer had any doubt that it was her.
"I hope Zutt gets there in time, there's so much blood, it's scary," he thought with anxiety and sympathy. Togruta was alive, but barely. Her chest barely rose with each breath, and her hands were almost cold. Wanting to express his compassion in some way, Petro raised his hand and, as gently as he could, ran it over Asoka's damp forehead.
"Don't be afraid, help will be here soon, just hang in there a little longer, okay?" the boy urged, trying his best to overcome his inner tremors. "You've always been strong. I remember how you saved us from the pirates. All by yourself. All six of us.
His voice, so quiet and slightly agitated, penetrated Asoka's consciousness, and the touch on her forehead made her stir and groan softly. Was she really dead and now in another world of the Force? If so, then it was, alas, very similar to this one. The same rain, forest, cold, pain, and unrelenting sense of despair. So unlike her before, and yet so familiar in the last six months due to its constant presence.
Through the dull veil of weakness, Asoka saw the silhouette of a boy holding her on his knees. Not recognising Petro, Tano decided that it was an angel, the very one from the moons of Jeh, whom her former teacher had once spoken of. He had come to save her, unaware that she did not want to be saved, wanting only death. Togruta wanted to tell him this and order the angel to go where he was needed, but she only had enough strength to utter a faint moan, and her consciousness drifted away again.
"Here, drink this, you'll feel better right away," said Petro, unaware of Asoka's thoughts, opening his canteen, a gift from General Skywalker. He carefully brought the spout to Tano's lips, spilling a few drops on them. She almost unconsciously licked them with her tongue. Then he heard the sound of branches being pushed aside and the footsteps of the Masters Windu and Shaak Ti making their way through the forest, with Zutt confidently leading the way.
"Petro, tell me, what nonsense is this Zutt talking about? He said you found Tano's Padawan, barely alive. I didn't believe him, but he insisted so much that I decided to check it out.
"Well, here we are," said Zutt instead of him. "And you didn't believe me. Here they are."
Shaak Ti stepped forward, and one glance at her former colleague was enough for her to assess the situation.
"We found her here," Petro explained to the elders.
"There's a child there too. And he's dead," Zutt added, lifting the tunic of the woman lying on the ground without looking. Shaak Ti paled involuntarily and covered her mouth with her hand. She had seen worse, but this was no ordinary sight. Pulling herself together, the senior togruta looked at everyone with her and said:
"Now, you two," she said, pointing to Petro and Zatt, "run back to camp and tell Katuni and Ganodi to boil some water and prepare a bed.
The boys froze for a second, regretting that they would miss the most interesting part, but immediately gathered themselves and went where they were told. After all, they both knew firsthand what such punishment meant. Meanwhile, Shaak Ti continued, turning to her companion:
"Turn away while I go and see what has happened to poor Asoka. Poor girl," she sighed, unable to help herself. "I knew we shouldn't have let her leave the Order. But there's no point talking about that now. We have more important things to do," Shaak said, cutting herself off and getting down to business. First, she lifted Asoka's head and pulled back her eyelid to check her pupils' reaction. She didn't like what she saw, or anything else she saw during the examination. Togruta was well versed in healing and knew that if she didn't help Tano, she would die. When she was done, she wrapped up what had recently been a child and the placenta, extracted from the body using the Force, in a piece of cloth and then called Mace.
"How is she?" asked the man, turning around.
"Bad. She's lost a lot of blood and is severely dehydrated. I bandaged her as best I could, but the bleeding hasn't stopped yet. Help me," said Shaak, lifting Asoka and positioning her so that Mace could pick her up and carry her carefully back to camp. To where help and loyal friends were waiting. Although, perhaps not all of them were eager to see the former Padawan of Thano again. And there were some she herself was not eager to see anytime soon.
***
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