Al hugged onto her sister Cassi as the Zygerian slave ship flew into the atmosphere. Al was shaking. Cassi held her grip a little firmer around her sister. "It's okay," the teal skinned Twi'lek said softly. "Everything is going to be okay."
Al buried her face in Cassi's side and tried her hardest not to cry. The cage the girls were in rattled as the ship emerged from hyperspace. The guards walked by their cage and whipped the bars, sending crackles of electricity through the bars. "Quiet!" he snarled. "Unless you want your back full of whiplashes."
Cassi nodded and Al whimpered. The guard walked away and kept monitoring the slaves. The ship landed on Zygeria, a hidden slave empire. Cassi pulled Al into the darkness and pulled out a necklace. "Take this," she said, putting it around her younger sister's neck and tucking it into her small ripped dress. "In case we get separated, you can think of me."
"What do you mean?" asked Al.
Cassi didn't respond and threw her arms around her three-year-old sister. "Don't you worry. Everything will be alright." She let go and smiled. "May the force be with us."
Al nodded, knowing what the phrase meant. "What if we are separated?"
"It will be fine," said Cassi, stroking her sister's lekkus. "Even if we are, we will be together in spirit. Trust me. Do you?"
Al nodded. "Yes Cassi."
Cassi smiled. "Good."
A blinding light filled the dimly lit room. Zygerians opened cages and pulled out slaves they chose to sell that day on the market. Cassi pushed Al behind her. The wails of mothers who's children were being taken from them filled the air. Al pressed her hands over her ears firmly, to drown out the sound. A guard walked over to their cage and opened it, firmly grabbing Cassi's arm. The young girl flinched, but went with him. Al made to follow, but the guard shoved her down. "We don't take weaklings," he spat, shoving Cassi foreword. "Move slut."
Al felt tears spring into her eyes.
"Remember the necklace," said Cassi, as the guard pulled her away. "I love you little sister!"
"Cassi!" Al yelled, shaking the bars of the cage. "Come back! Cassi!" But it was too late. Her sister was gone. As the dim light returned, Al curled up in a corner and cried softly, so the guards wouldn't see her. Her stomach rumbled, and the small child fell into a deep, sad sleep.
~
Al woke up even more hungry then she was before. She half expected Cassi to be there, but then remembered her sister was gone. She looked at the necklace she had given her. It was a piece of wood carved into a half moon with a small diamond hanging from the top. It glimmered in the light. The guard looked at it skeptically. "What'chu got there?"
"Nothing," said Al, tucking it back into her dress.
The guard opened the cage and reached back to Al. "Give it to me."
"No!" said Al, retreating to the back of the cage. "It's mine."
"Now there child," said the Zygerrian. "I won't hurt you."
Al held out her hands in front of her face, to shield from any attempted whipping. There was a yelp and Al looked up to see the guard crash into cages, sprawled on the ground. When the others went to help him up, he pointed at Al with a shaky finger. "Witch! She's a witch!"
"Oh shut up," said his fellow guard. "You're delusional. She's just a kid. And a Twi'lek."
The first guard shook his head. "She almost killed me!"
"You're being dramatic," said a third guard. He walked over to Al's cage and slashed at her then closed the door. "No more, you hear me?"
But Al was too frightened to respond.
"Stupid Twi," the guard said shaking his head and walking away.
Al looked down at her hands, shocked at what she just did. How had she done that?
"The Force is strong with you little one," said a voice from the cage next to her. "Where did you get that necklace?"
"My sister," said Al quietly. "It was Alina's."
"Alina?"
"Alina Syndulla," said Al. "Our neighbor."
"Kyber crystals are rare," said the woman. "Only the Jedi know of the crystal caves."
"I'm not a Jedi," said Al. "I don't ever want to be."
"I'm afraid you won't have much of a choice my child," said the woman. "These things are chosen for us. Sometimes we have no control over our future."
Al didn't know what the old woman was talking about, but she just nodded and retreated into darkness, huddling in a corner. She wished Cassi was here with her. The ship lurched to a halt and the cargo hold door opened, shedding a bright light into the room.
"What are you holding here?" asked a voice.
"Slaves," said a Zygerrian. "What are clones doing here?"
"This is a Republic outpost," said the voice. "You are all under arrest for slave trading. Crush, Bly, get these cages open and the people out."
"Yes sir!" said two identical voices. Two men in white armor began to open cages, freeing the slaves inside. Al huddled in the back as one bent down to get her out of the small cage.
"It's alright little one," he said in a kind voice. He took off his helmet and smiled kindly at Al. "I won't hurt you." He outstretched his hand to help her out.
Al slowly crawled over and took his hand. He had yellow paint on his armor and helmet. "I'm Bly," he said. "What's your name?"
"Al," said the toddler softly. "Have you seen my sister?"
Bly shook his head. "No, I haven't."
Al looked down.
"I'm sorry kid," said Bly. He patted her head reassuringly.
"General Windu!" the other voice called. "That's all the slaves sir!"
"Very well," said their general. "Let's get these slaves on a transport and get them to Coruscant."
Al stuck with Bly like glue, him being the only person she knew on this ship. The other clone, Crush, snorted at Al. "Formed a friendship have we now?"
"Buzz off Crush," said Bly.
Al tilted her head at Crush. He was different from Bly. Instead of yellow paint, Crush had a dull orange, almost tan color. Why did they have different colors? Did they work for different people?
"Alright boys, break it up," said a third, this one with maroon paint. "Come on, the general wants this done quickly."
"Don't be so pushy Pons," said Crush. "Leave Bly with his little friend. Let them have some bonding time."
"Now what do we have here?" asked Pons, smiling down at Al. "Who's this?"
"Al," said Bly. "She's looking for her sister."
"Nobody has mentioned an Al," said Pons. "But we'll keep our ears open."
Al shuffled behind Bly, embarrassed but grateful. Crush chuckled and followed Pons away.
"Don't mind them," said Bly kindly. "Come on, let's get you on that transport."
"Commander Bly!" said the general. "Come here a moment. And bring your companion."
Bly nodded and took Al's tiny hand in his own, leading the girl to Windu. "Don't be scared. General Windu is commanding, but not mean."
"Hello child," said Windu. "The force is strong with you."
Al said nothing and stuck to Bly's side. "What does that mean?"
"It means you have the potential to do great things," said Windu. "The potential to be a Jedi."
"I don't wanna be a Jedi," said Al. "I want my sister."
"Finding your sister is out of our hands," said Windu. "I'm sorry. How about this? You can come to Coruscant on my ship, and if you like it there, you can stay. We'll keep our eyes out for your sister. What's her name?"
"Cassi," said Al. "Cassi Galleia."
"We'll look hard," said Windu. "Bly, take her to Master Secura's ship and see what you can do with her there. Tell her to return to Coruscant immediately with the child."
Bly nodded. When Windu left, he took Al's hand and lead her to the gunship. He helped her up and then climbed in himself.
"Who's she?" asked a clone, nodding at Al, who had again shuffled behind Bly.
"A Jedi youngling," said Bly. "I'm taking her to Coruscant on General Secura's ship."
The clones said nothing after that.
The remainder of the flight, Al clung to Bly as the ship rocked back and forth. When it finally landed on the Revolution Al and Bly followed the many clones out. They were met with a blue Twi'lek who looked to be in her late twenties.
"Commander Bly!" she said. "Who is this?"
"Al Galleia," said Bly for the second time. "She's going to Coruscant by order of General Windu."
The Twi'lek nodded. "I see. The force is strong with her, so I understand his reason. Would you like to come with me to the bridge?"
"What's that?" asked Al.
"I'll show you," said the woman.
Al followed her down the halls.
"I'm Aayla," she said. "Aayla Secura. You've already met my clone commander?"
Al nodded. "Yes ma'am."
"Please," said Aayla. "Call me Aayla."
"Yes Aayla," said Al.
Aayla opened a door to a room with lots of strange people in it, all talking at once, mingling around and doing strange things. "This is the bridge. It's where everything works and gets done on the ship."
Al looked in awe at everything. "It's awesome."
"You haven't seen the best part," said Aayla. "Have you been in hyperspace?"
Al shrugged. She was getting more comfortable with the settings around her. "I don't know."
"Well," said Aayla. "It's not until you see it up close that you truly master the beauty of this galaxy." She turned to a man in a grey suit. "Admiral, make the jump."
"Yes general," said the admiral. "Prepare to jump!"
"Jumping to hyperspace in 5...4...3...2...1...and the jump has been made."
It was like a thousand diamonds exploded all around them, surrounding the ship and teleporting them into a whole new world. When the diamonds stopped, a soft blue glow filled the once dark sky and everything was covered in a hazy blue light. Al stared in awe at the scene. "It's beautiful."
"It really is," said Aayla.
"General Secura," said the admiral after a little while. "We're approaching Coruscant."
Aayla smiled down at Al. "Good. Come on little one, we need to get you on a gunship."
Al didn't want to leave the scene. She turned to Bly. "What's a Coruscant?"
"A planet," said Bly. "The Republic capital. You'll be safe from slave traders there."
"Slave traders?" said Aayla.
"We found her on a Zygerian transport," said Bly. "She and her sister were separated."
"Oh," said Aayla, not knowing what to say. "I'm sorry."
Al hugged Aayla around the middle. "Thank you."
"For what?" asked the Jedi Knight, a little taken aback.
"Showing me space," said Al. "It was pretty."
Aayla smiled down at her. "I'm glad you liked it."
Al followed Bly down to the gunships. She gave Aayla one last wave before the doors closed behind her. Aayla raised her hand slowly and waved back.
"Is everything alright General?"
Aayla nodded. "I just hope she gets a teacher as kind and loving as she is."
<*>
Al was sort of used to the rocking gunship now. She was still unfamiliar with the clones. It was strange how they all looked and sounded exactly like Bly. She stuck with the familiar one and left the others wondering why. When the ship landed, Al and Bly climbed off and met up with a little green man and two others. One man had long brown hair and wore a long brown cloak and the one next to him had a short braid and tan robes. He looked to be around 25.
"We have a ship ready Master," said the older one. "We will leave for Naboo immediately if that is your wish."
"Go, you must," said the little green man. "Protect the queen and her people, our top priority is."
"Yes Master Yoda," said the older one. He and the younger person walked past them. "Ah, Commander Bly. How are the clone testing's going?"
"Better," said Bly. "Though I'm not sure what the Republic will decide."
The younger person smiled down at Al. "Hello there."
Al smiled back. He seemed nice.
"Come Obi-Wan," said the older man. "We need to leave soon."
Obi-Wan nodded and followed the older person to the ship they were leaving on. Al and Bly approached the little green man.
"Strong with the force this one is," said Yoda. "Train her, we will. Thank you, I do."
Bly nodded and walked back to the gun ship with a farewell pat on Al's head. His little friend watched him go sadly.
"See him again, you will," said Yoda. "Return to Kamino, he will."
Al examined him more. "You look funny."
Yoda chuckled. "Come, my child. Lots to learn, you have."