White Walls

White Walls

Darkness. Not just a darkness like someone has forgotten to switch on the lights. Or the darkness of space. It`s a gentle, a warm darkness. It feels like home. So soft. Warm. Draped around her thoughts and her being like a thick and heavy blanket. It felt like a place where she was welcomed and loved. Peaceful. Quiet. Here.. she was alone with her thoughts. Alone with herself.

Ma`Khina enjoyed this place. It was calm there. There weren`t the permanent sounds of machines around her. No astromech that surrounded her like an always worried nanny. No broken machine parts. No worries..

Only her and the darkness

A darkness totally different to what she normally saw. There weren`t any whispers. No creepy shadows which were trying to pull her slender frame into their arms. Arms of fear and anger. Since the day she had killed those two Siths those arms and whispers were following her. Tried to wrap around her heart and mind. To poison her with darkness. No matter how much she meditated or tried to ignore it. The darkness became stronger. That was why she had to do what she has done. That was why she broke through the barricade around Corellia. She had to assure herself that she was still doing the right things. That she still had control over her own mind.

So this darkness.. did it mean she was dead? The Twi`lek felt save here. She wanted to stay. For an eternity. No more worries anymore. No fear.

``Are you still trying to hide, my young Padawan?``

A deep manly voice spoke. Gentle and friendly from far away. There was no face to the voice. But somehow, she knew that voice. It felt familiar. Warmed her heart and her soul. Someone she had known very well for the longest time of her life yet. Someone who had been closer to her than anyone else.

``You need to wake up, Ma`Khina. This is not the end yet!``

Slowly the blue skinned Twi`lek opened her eyes. Light. It burned and her eyelids moved down automatically again. She gave herself a short moment. A deep breath was taken. Slowly her lungs filled with fresh air. She was still alive. A good feeling. The fact that she could breathe without feeling any pain made her clear, that no ribs were harmed. Good.

After the first burning in her eyes vanished she carefully opened her eyes again. Step by step. Blinking several times to give her eyes the chance to adjust to the light.

White walls

They were the first thing Ma`Khina could identify. White walls. Why white? Her room, her ship.. the walls there were grey. Which must mean that this wasn`t her room. Confused she slowly inhaled another deep breath. Feeling her heart beating and pumping her cerulean blood through her veins while she stared at that wall.

What has happened? Why was she laying in the bed of a stranger? And..

``T7?`` Her voice was raspy and nothing more than a weak whisper. Just speaking out that little name has been painful. She tried to swallow, to wet her throat and her voice, but there were no saliva in her mouth. Thirsty. But no matter how hushed she whispered his name.. he should be able to hear it. He was an astromech. Programmed to her voice and he would never leave her alone when she wasn`t feeling well.

The past year Ma`Khina had a heavy form of the Balmorran flu. Her fever had been very high and she hadn`t been able to leave her bed for six days. T7 had done anything to make her feel better. He had given her medicine. Fed her with soup. And when the fever was still climbing he had contacted a doctor and brought her to him. T7 was often a feisty little dustbin towards Ma`Khina and loved to argue with her about the most silliest things but..he was her friend. Her best friend and since the day Master Jemrin died, he had become much more for her. A protector.

 So.. where was he now?

Slowly remembering what has happened, the cruelest thoughts suddenly filled her mind. Thoughts about T7-O1`s destroyed body. Panic made her heart beating faster and she finally found the strength to move. Soft white sheets covered her body and rustled as she carefully turned onto her back. Her left arm and shoulder hurt heavily and she clenched her teeth to bare it. A short glance showed her that her arm was bandaged. Same with her right hand. Did she have any more injuries? She couldn`t tell it right now. The main worry was her best friend now.

The sound of an opening door caught her attention and she looked into the direction, finding two men stepping into her room. Corellian. So, she made it to Corellia. That was reassuring. One of the men was wearing a uniform and the insignias of a Major. The other one was obviously a doctor. ``Captain, we`re so glad you finally woke up. You caused us a lot of worries the last days. A few times it looked really bad and-`` the doctor tried to explain to her but she interrupted him. ``Where is my astromech? There was a T7-O1 unit on my ship! Where is he?`` The two men changed a worried look before the Major stepped forward. ``Captain..`` ``No! I don`t..agh..`` while speaking Ma`Khina tried to sit up, causing even more pain in her body. Bandages were covering her abdomen as well, but she didn`t care. Instead she tried to stand up and to get out of the bed, not noticing that she was pulling on an infusion which was connected with her right arm. The doctor instantly jumped forward to push her gently back into her bed, but she resisted him. ``Take your hands off of me, doc! I wanna know what happened to my friend and to my ship!`` Her breath grew heavy and short and she clenched her teeth. Pain and anger were a bad mix. Her heart pumped adrenaline through her veins and gave her the power to sit up like this against them, although her entire body was in pain.

The Major sighed weakly and gave the doctor a short nod. A sign he understood very well and he let go of Ma`Khina and stepped back a little. ``You`re ship is almost completely destroyed. The cockpit does almost not exist anymore. You are lucky that you survived, young Twi`lek. We haven`t been able to repair your ship but our minister offers you a new one`` he explained in a serious voice, looking straight into her eyes. That was an answer, but not what she wanted to hear. ``And T7?`` she looked straight into the Major`s eyes, already having a very bad feeling about his next words.

``We couldn`t find him in the chaos.``

Ma`Khina remained silence for a moment. Her ship destroyed. T7-O1 missing. Was this mission really worth all that? For a long felt moment she just stared down onto her hands. Then, suddenly she bunked off the infusion out of her right arm and rose up on her feet. Her knees were shaky. Her head dizzy. She wavered and the doctor jumped forward to steady her, but the Major gave him another sign. He froze. Taking a deep breath she looked straight at the Major. ``My freight?`` ``We could retrieve the most of it. The people of Corellia are grateful and deep in your debt, Captain.`` She gave a short nod and turned her gaze to the doctor. ``Doctor, my clothes please.`` ``Ma`am, with all due respect, I still think that you should lay down. Your injuries have almost cost your life. An astromech isn`t worth-`` ``You are right! An astromech isn`t worth it to risk my life..`` she slowly stepped forward towards him. ``But my friend is it! And I will get him out of the ruins of my ship and repair him and nobody and nothing will stop me!`` She turned and looked at the Major. ``I appreciate the offer of your minister, Major. But I will repair my ship. We both.. have a past together.``