Dear Jedi

Back to the Beginning

Dakota P.O.V.

As I came around, I knew I was going to be in the Jedi Halls of Healing, and I was. This time they had taken the liberty of restraining me, as I knew they would. I could tell this without opening my eyes, and I didn't open them because I didn't want to know what awaited me. It could be nothing or it could be eight Jedi. I highly expected the latter.

"Dakota, we know you're awake. We just want to talk to you. Please just give us a chance." I heard Obi-Wan say. They had only put restraints around my legs, ankles, and wrists, so I was able to sit up. I sat up and looked around. Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan were in my room of course, along with Mace Windu, Yoda, and a few other Jedi. I looked down and tried to make myself as small as I could, but the restraints inhibited most movement. This was probably the complete opposite reaction than they were expecting considering about half of the Jedi had their hands on or near their lightsabers. Master Che also had a sedative in her hand. They relaxed their grips on their weapons when they saw I had no obvious intention of killing them immediately. Obi-wan moved closer to me and sat on my bed. I wanted to curl up into a ball, but the restraints wouldn't let me. I hung my head and retreated into my mind where I thought of happy thoughts. I faintly heard Obi-wan talking, but I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. I continued thinking about random things like my friends and teachers, and how my brothers were probably home from work now. I wished I knew what time it was. I was jolted back into reality when Obi-Wan gently placed his hand on my knee.

"Dakota are you okay?" He said as he looked at me curiously. I shook my head. "What's wrong?" He asked. I looked down. "Can we take your restraints off for a little bit?" He asked carefully like I would actually say no to the question. I nodded and one of the Jedi pressed a button. The restraints released and I immediately curled into a tight ball with my nails digging into my wrists. Some of the Jedi tensed at the sudden movement, but I just buried my head in my knees. I started quietly sobbing and my body gently shook with my sobs. "I know we've said this many times before, but I want to say it again. We won't hurt you, we are here to help. If you could lower your mental shields we could talk and you would feel better." I shook my head ferociously, and dug my nails tighter into my wrists. I heard someone come closer to me. They gently pulled my arms apart and ran their finger over my wrist. They put something on my wrists and it stung like crazy. I quietly hissed as I drew my arms back to me, and gasped a little bit when I saw the blood running down my arms. When I looked up I saw Ahsoka was the one fixing my wrists. She gently grabbed my wrists again and washed them with some water. Then she wrapped some bandages around my arms. She nodded at me as I tried to hide my face in my knees again. "Masters, could you leave us here to talk for a little bit please?" She addressed them and surprisingly they listened. Everyone but Anakin, Obi-wan, and Ahsoka left. Those three remained and looked at me.

Finally Anakin spoke. "Listen Dakota. We can't talk and understand you unless you lower your mental shields and talk with us. We aren't going to get very far if we can only ask you yes or no questions. Are you willing to do that for us?" He asked in exasperation. I felt all three of them probing my mental shields seeing if I was going to lower them, but I wasn't. I just couldn't. I had...well nothing to lose but I had always had those mental shields, and I wasn't about to lower them so random strangers would know how I felt. The three came closer to me until they were all within a foot of my bed. I started visibly shaking. That's when Ahsoka put her arm around me, and I snapped.

"No, no, no, no!" I shouted as I leapt up from the bed. Anakin jumped up and grabbed me, but I was too strong for him. I force jumped on top of a counter, and from their I jumped up on top of cabinets, which were almost touching the ceiling. There was just enough room for me to kneel. I then looked for somewhere else to go, but there was no where else. I sat down and sobbed more. Obi-wan force leapt up on top of the cabinets with me. "Dakota what is wrong?" I continued sobbing and backed into the far corner of the space. "Will you come back down with me? Please...you really need to be down there." I knew he wanted me back there so they could keep me alive because to them I was valuable. As I continued sobbing, he gently picked me up and jumped back down. As he set me back in the bed, the Jedi he had earlier identified as Master Che walked in. She came over to the bed, and began first, cleaning my wounds, like the previous IV I had ripped out, and other things I had given myself while jumping out of the bed. By the time she was done hooking me up to machines, I had composed myself. By then, the three remaining Jedi were talking together. I was extremely grateful for this because I couldn't take any more questioning from them. Master Che walked over to the cabinet and got something. My heart sank as she walked back with it. A sedative. I knew this would happen but I didn't want it to happen again this way. I turned and looked at her. "Please Master Che! Don't sedate me! I'm fine! Feel free to restrain me or do anything else, but please don't sedate me! Please!" I begged, which I normally didn't do. I held my hand out to stop her. Master Che flew back against the wall and sunk to the ground. Obi-wan and Anakin rushed over to me, and held me down as I struggled against them. Ahsoka rushed over to turn on the restraints. However, by the time she pressed the button I had broken free of Anakin and Obi-wan. I was in shock from what I had just done. I ran over to the door, but it was locked from the outside. I was stuck in here with the Jedi. I pressed my back up against the wall as they carefully approached me. I turned my head back and forth watching them.

"We need you to relax..we know that was an accident. Walk over to the bed, and lie down now." I listened and obeyed. There was no other choice. I was unarmed and there was no way to get out of the room. I laid down and Ahsoka turned on the restraints.This time the restraints also went over my chest and stomach, as well as my wrists, ankles, and legs. Anakin checked the restraints to make sure they were working, looked at me once more, and left with Ahsoka. Another healer came in with a sedative and I sighed and thought over the last few events of my life. Nope, I concluded, definitely not normal events in a teenager's life.
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Ahsoka's P.O.V.

Dakota intrigued me more every time we saw her. She seemed very distant from the real world. A few of the Masters in the council have said that she has some of the strongest mental shields they have ever seen. I felt bad for what has happened to her though. One thing I found most peculiar though, was whenever she made physical contact with anyone, she panicked. I decided to talk to Master Anakin and Obi-wan about it. I caught up with them as we were
leaving the surveillance room, where the others had gone after I asked them to leave. "Masters, why did Dakota panic so much when we tried to touch her? And why didn't she want to be sedated? Oh and why didn't she put up more of a fight? Why are her mental shields so strong? Isn't there a way to get pass them?" I asked my questions rapidly as they came to mind.

"Woah, easy there Snips" Anakin laughed. "We don't know a lot of the things you asked. In fact, the members of the Jedi Council had a lot of the same questions as you. We will have to have patience until we know more answers." Then, Anakin's com link beeped. Anakin listened for a second, then turned to me. "It seems that Dakota is asleep for now. She should be better when she wakes up. Master Yoda would like to try talking to her then. It's imperative she trusts us, and opens her mind so we can understand her and make sure she won't go back to the dark side." Anakin got slightly frustrated as he said the last part.

"Master, could I talk to her alone for a little bit? I can sense she doesn't like having everyone in the room. Maybe if I did that now, we could get further than we did last time. It seems she always ends up in the Halls of Healing."

"Yes it does seem to go like that doesn't it? Very well Snips, I'll let you go alone next time."
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Yay! Next chapter! Thanks for reading!