200ps: Two Queens of the Chessboard: Part 1 (Padawan Erifia)

The infirmary felt cold, sterile, and without any life in it at all. It made me shrink in on myself. When I did I had forgotten about the broken rib, and I groaned. It caused me to flinch at the pain.

I broke open my lip again. I felt the blood trickle down my cheek. I held the cloth to it again. I was a mess. My eyes were much darker then normal, I had been struck in both of them. My lekkus writhed in pain of their own accord.

Normal little girls grab hair to inflict pain. Twi’lek little girls squeeze lekkus. The result of my lekkus being squeezed I had a massive headache. I didn’t fight back this time. I didn’t want to do kitchen duty again.

It is wrong of me to hate, I know, but I want to shoot her. If I had my gun she would be so far away, and I could make her lekkus hurt like this. I bit down, and then the muscles in my jaw told me I had been hit there too.

Luminara Unduli walked in and Barriss was behind her. Luminara grabbed my shoulder and shoved me down onto the table. Pain shot through my ribs. I didn’t wince, and I didn’t cry, that’s what she wanted me to do.

“Now Barriss, when you have a case of someone getting beaten in hand-to-hand combat, you need to decide whether they asked for it or whether they were being noble.” I closed my eyes. She wasn’t going to heal me.

“In this case, someone who is here weekly, and usually leaves someone else bloodier then her, it makes you wonder if she was ambushed this time.” Luminara held my lekkus, they were all bruised. She speaks, “Look Barriss notice how the most damage was sustained from behind.” She threw my lekkus around and then they struck the table I hissed with pain.

“Let’s look at her face, the two black eyes could be inflicted when she turned to defend herself. Even the cut on the lip, and the bruise on her jaw. Notice it all, it was almost like she couldn’t defend herself. I’m sure you noticed the patient when she came in was favoring her ribs.” Luminara placed her hands on my ribs, at least she was going to heal them, “We need to check for stability.” She pushed down.

Tears streaked from my eyes, and I screamed. I don’t understand. What had I done to her? Luminara leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Maybe you’ll think next time before you send people to my infirmary.”

She turned and left the room. Barriss held my hand, “Erifia…I…” I heard Luminara call, “Come along Barriss.” Barriss looked down and followed out of the room. I rolled onto my side. Tears rolled down my eyes.

Luminara re-entered. Her head was tipped downwards. She walked over to me, and laid her hands on me, I flinched. I was scared she was going to hurt me again. I felt the warmth from her hands as my wounds repaired themselves.

She left her head bent down. I didn’t understand the change of heart. Then I saw a small wooden cane’s end strike the bed near me, “Down here, I am.” I shook in fear, “Master Yoda… I… I…”

“Speak you can’t,” he laughed softly. I didn’t understand. I stopped shaking, I sat up, and climbed down off the bed, and I sat on my knees on the floor. I cast my eyes down from him, “Scared of me, you are? Why?”

“I’m not a good person,” I spoke softly. He hit me in the side of the head with his cane, “Good person you are, Good person Aayla is, Good people who do not like each other, you are.”

“She starts the-“ He hit me on the side of the head with his cane, “Matter not who starts fights, matters only that fights not continue. Today fight you did not, know this I did. Unscathed is Aayla.”

I nodded gently. “Luminara to hurt you, wrong it was, Yes,” He said, “Her job is not to punish. You are a bully to Aayla too, yes…”

I shook my head no quickly, and he hit me in the side of the head with his cane, “Yes, bully Aayla you do. Smarter then her you are, yes. Stronger then you she is. Together good team you could make, yes.”

I didn’t respond, he struck me in the side of the head with his cane, “Speak now.” I opened my mouth, “I don’t think so Master, but your knowledge exceeds my own.” He laughed, “Knowledge yes I have, humbleness, No, have that I do not.” He laughed again, “Joking I am, funny you think?” I nodded. He hit me in the head with the cane again, “Things do not to appease me.” I giggled softly. He spoke again, “Scared not be of me.”

“Yes Master,” I responded. He hit me with the cane upon the side of the head again, “Say not that you will do, do and in your actions, speak it will of your true marks.”

What? Double What?

I reached to hug him and he chuckled softly. I squeezed him gently. He walked by me, and left the room. Would Aayla and I ever make a good team? Could we ever get along long enough to team up?

If you’ll excuse me, I… I…

X’s and O’s,
Erifia

(From the desk of The Author: This is the beginning of the posts leading up to my 200th. They won't quite make it, I don't think, but I know in four days will be my one year anniversary. I want to apologize, time and time again, life has been so busy for me, and college comes before anything else. Also: You guys voted for it, so no complaints when you realize it is a terrible series of posts. *Hideous-Diabolic-Laughter*)