Chapter Text
“Good, good. I knew you were ready.” You felt a hand clap on your shoulder and turning, you smiled to your master as he watched the rocks levitating around you as you mediated. “Come with me a moment.”
You stood and glanced around at the others in the group, still pouting as they shakily levitated some rocks into the air above them, some even throwing you pointed glances as you walked away.
“I want you to move into this other class- it’s more advanced. But I’m warning you that they train hard, some more than others- you have to be prepared to work. Are you?” He raised an eyebrow at you and you nodded, anxiously looking at the lightsaber strapped to his side.
You anxiously awaited the day you’d have one of those, had thought about its shape, colour, form day in and out. It was all you wanted- to be a real Jedi.
“Yes, master Skywalker.”
“Come then.”
Skywalker turned and began to walk away from the smaller group, calling over his shoulder for them to keep practicing, and headed down towards the raised concrete platform at the bottom of the hill.
Your stomach was twisting in knots at the sight of it, at the few people who were there- all in the more advanced classes of Master Skywalkers training, all at least two maybe three years older than you.
You’d been here for years, slightly in the shadows as you trained alongside the other students. You watched as this group moved up and on without you, despite you showing as much promise as them- but they had been active, showing off their skills, speaking out to Luke about their wants. You had been quieter.
A mistake now that they had all been practicing together for a few months, advancing well ahead of you. At least their departure from the bigger group meant Luke had finally been able to see your talents, feel out your power a little better. But it also meant the other kids in the group did too and so, you became outcasted.
Hopefully here, you’d fit right in.
“Alright, welcome our new member to the more advanced folds.” Luke clapped your shoulder, all of the people standing in front of him turning to look at you. You surveyed them, trying to remember their names- the dark skinned girl with white, braided hair was Voe you were sure and the quarren beside her was Hennix. “I think she’s about to show you all up with her meditation skills.”
Hennix laughed. “Is that so? I levitated all the rocks you gave me yesterday.”
“You also dropped them five minutes later.” Voe nudged his arm, rolling her eyes.
The boy on her left, you were sure was named Tai, chuckled. “Welcome to our small, competitive group.”
“Nice to be here.” You smiled at them shyly, trying your best to be polite, restrained.
Your eyes wandered further left and landed on the last member there, who hadn’t said anything yet- but you knew exactly who he was. You had remembered his name from the moment he arrived at the camp, shortly after you, memorised every inch of those brown eyes and pale skin.
“Come on then. Show me what you got.” Luke clapped his hands and you all sat down in a semi circle, a few rocks placed in front of each of you.
You took a deep breath, allowing the force to flow into you, trying your best to concentrate. The last thing you needed right now was to look like an idiot after Luke trusting you, but the worst thing to do was panic.
Deep breath in. Deep breath out.
You heard a few whispers and after a few moments, opened your eyes to notice the rocks floating around you in perfect circle. The others were just raising theirs, Voe clearly frustrated as she tried to lift hers and struggled.
“You’re ace at that.” Tai noted. “I think that’s what we’ll call you from now on, since we don’t know your name anyway. Ace.”
You smiled. It wasn’t your favourite nickname, but wasn’t it an olive branch in some respects? An offer of friendship? You’d take it any day over being outcasted again. Besides, your real name was nothing exciting. “Alright, sounds good.”
“Still not better than Solo over there.” Voe muttered, eyes darting towards him. “Nobody is.”
You wondered if she was ever reprimanded for that- for such an un-jedi like attitude. But your eyes wandered over to the boy across from you anyway, startled as you realised he was staring right at you. He had two circles of rocks surrounding him and seemed to barely even be concentrating on them as they floated around.
“Nobody is.” He muttered, but you could hear the amusement in his voice. He offered you a small nod. “Welcome, Ace. I’m Ben. Ben solo.”
Gripping the sheets, you pulled yourself back into reality with a gasp. You’d sweat right through your t-shirt and now, you were shivering from the cold draft that was making its way in the window you must’ve left open when you fell asleep.
Another night and you’d woken up from yet another haunting memory. For years, your mind had been still and perfectly blank. It was better that way.
But now, it was as if you’d woken up again and your brain was determined not to let you forget a single moment of your past.
You leaned upwards and slammed the window shut, pulling the paper thin covers around you as tightly as you could manage. The radio beside your bed kept blaring it’s simple, soft music in an attempt to drown out the cries of the city all around you.
Today, clearly, was not going to be a good day.
Perhaps you’d have to get a new job as a physic, you decided, as the train in front of you whizzed by as you missed it by mere moments. If only you hadn’t forgotten your outfit and hadn’t been forced to run back to your apartment for it you might’ve made it.
Now, you were going to be late for work. Given it wasn’t usually such a busy night, it hopefully wouldn’t be such a big deal- but Leclarc always found a reason to be mad at you and you were just handing him this one.
It just really wasn’t going to be your day.
Leclarc was a skeezy, slimy Hutt and unfortunately, your boss. He owned the Outlander club, having bought it off the Baath brothers when they took off due to the Yuuzhan Vong War. You’d wish he would’ve taken off too or been killed in the rebellion, but no such luck. His ties to the multiple gangs within the city made him too powerful.
Stepping over a vine, you kept a tight clutch on the bag on your shoulder, glancing around at the other bystanders around you, also waiting for the next train. You narrowed your eyes at the man to your left eyeing up your things and bared your teeth at him slightly- if he even dared try take It, you’d snap his wrist into pieces.
Coruscant’s underground was certainly no safe place to be, any time of day. It was so far underground all the light down here was artificial and even that barely managed to brighten the sorrowful streets.
You couldn’t remember the last time you saw daylight. Real, blinding daylight that warmed your bones, split your skin open. You missed it. You missed everything that was lacking down here- decent air, the stars, the suns, the moons.
The ground rumbled again- but no train in sight. Given how much machinery was kept in the depths of the under-levels, ready to serve the elite who lived above you all, it was probably just that. You were used to it at this point- your apartment felt like it was constantly vibrating.
Just six hours and you’d be back there again. That’s what would get you through this shift. Just six long hours then you could go home and eat as many jogans as your heart desired and sleep the rest of the awful day away.
Screeching came from your right and finally, there was the next train. You only needed to go two stops and perhaps you could’ve walked, but you’d rather get to work alive than be taken and sold off by some thugs. Not that they could take you, that is. Coruscant’s under levels certainly toughed the strong and consumed the weak, no doubt about it. To live here, you had to do more than just survive- you had to adapt, to make yourself strong.
Luckily for you, your years of training had made you ready for this kind of thing- not that you ever gave any indication you’d had any beyond the basics. You didn’t need anyone asking any kind of questions about yourself or where you’d come from.
You’d made it nearly seven years without questions and hopefully, many more. It wasn’t exactly in your plans to die anytime soon.
Given the way the man, who was now standing down from you on the train, was staring at you however you figured it may be in his plans. Especially given the wicked gleam in his eye.
It was going to be a sprint to work.
“You’re late!” Harley called as you ran through the backdoor, sweating your ass off. You shot her a knowing glare and kept going, straight downstairs to the locker room. There was no time to mouth off to her or chat- if you weren’t upstairs in five minutes, Leclarc was going to serve your head on a silver platter.
Or, if you were really having the worlds worst day, he’d make sure you were advertised with the private rooms tonight. Something you had no want, or will, to do.
You streaked some lipstick across your cheeks to colour them slightly before swiping the dark red over your lips. No time to take care with any of your makeup, just a quick swipe of eyeliner and a quick stick on of lashes that almost touched your eyebrows and you were ready.
Throwing your things in the corner, you grabbed the outfit that was hanging out your bag, the damn thing that made you late, and tugged off your clothes.
Probably your worst outfit- but given this was your shortest, and least busy, shift of the week it would have to do. Just a simple, black underwear set that connected to the lacy suspenders hanging down your thighs which led down to a ridiculous pair of shoes.
Harley grinned at you as you ran back upstairs, stealing some perfume from the desk she was currently perched on and practically drowned yourself in it.
“Busy day?”
“You know it.” You shot her a smile. You liked Harley- she was fair with tips, she never fought you over a customer and she knew exactly how to work Charlie, your shitty manager who was somehow creepier than Leclarc. “Quiet night?”
“Appreciate it, tomorrow is usually so busy we can barely breath- I heard a rumour there’s a VIP client coming in to visit.” Harley hopped off the desk and reached for you, rubbing something off the corner of your mouth. “Charlie said he wanted to talk to us about it tomorrow.”
“Great.” You muttered as she linked her arm into yours and the two of you headed upstairs. A VIP was one of two things, usually.
Either a grimy, handsy politician who didn’t know how to control himself and figured that because you worked a job like this you were ‘below’ him and therefore, had to do whatever he demanded of you.
Or one of Leclarcs even grimier friends, who figured the same except you usually had to give in to their demands, unlike the politicians, or Leclarc would spike your body on the metal bars decorating the back of the joint.
There was only four girls he’d ever ask to deal with a VIP- Harley, Luminara, Rinya and you. The only four he trusted not to completely embarrass the club.
Luminara and Rinya were handed the sleazier of the VIPs, given that they were far more willing to go further with them than either of you would. Harley would bend sometimes and give in- it just depended on how much money they were offering.
You weren’t in the same boat. You respected their grind and needed the money, desperately, but sleeping with any of these clients wasn’t worth it.
Look, but don’t touch. That was the main rule.
“Ladies.” Charlie appeared out from behind you as the two of you stood, surveying the room for potential customers- not that there were many. Like Harley said, quiet night.
“Hi Charlie.” Harley shot him a wide grin, gently holding onto one of her lek and pushed it back over her shoulder to join the other. “Looking good, as always.”
Charlie may be human, just like you, but he really was just disgusting. The sneer he gave the two of you made your stomach flip.
His eyes trailed up your outfit. “You don’t look very put together. Tomorrow, I expect better. The best.”
Keeping your expression completely neutral, you just nodded and avoided spitting all of the horrible words circling your mind currently at him. “Whatever you say Charlie.”
“I’m serious. Leclarc will be here tomorrow as well- don’t embarrass me.” He pushed past you, slamming into your shoulder as he went and disappeared into the crowds behind you.
Harley rolled her eyes. “Ignore him.”
“I always do.”
It really didn’t matter what species they came from- Hutt, Togruta, Zabrak, plain old human- you knew one thing for absolutely certainty: men were the fucking worst.
The few circled around your podium threw more creds onto the steel platform beneath you. You sunk down to a squat, stuffing a few of them into your bra before offering a smile, rolling onto your stomach.
They cheered and a few hands reached out, desperate to touch you, but you slithered away. It didn’t matter how often you moved away from them, how much they called you a bitch for doing so, they didn’t quite got the message not to to touch you.
They never did.
You curled upwards, dragging your hands across the piles of money before dipping your hips low to the floor and throwing the money upwards, letting out a completely fake giggle as it rained down around you.
Shouts erupted from the corner of the room, where a group of them were playing sabaac and you were momentarily distracted as you glanced over. Someone from the left yanked your hair towards them.
“Take something off. Isn’t that what we pay you for? You’re nobody. Nothing!” He hissed. A mistake, on his behalf to get so close to you.
You spun on your ass and kicked his chest with your clear platform, watching as he stumbled backwards into a table of drinks. The rest of the guys laughed as he started to shout, struggling with security as they began to escort him out.
Charlie was watching from the corner and shot you an unimpressed glance before heading off again.
But you didn’t care- no client was going to treat you like that.
Whether you were a nobody or not.
It did occur to you sometimes this job was ridiculous. Especially in the late hours of the night as you climbed the stairs to your apartment, feet aching as the pair of heels dangled from your hands.
But what else were you supposed to do? It was hardly like the underground had many career options. Join a gang, you’ll probably die. Try make it on your own, again death or worse, sold to some creep.
Unlocking the door, you threw everything down to the floor without so much as a second glance and headed inside, flopping down on the bed with a groan.
You’d given up everything to make it here, to hide yourself well enough nobody would ever look twice at you. Being a dancer may seem to contradict that, but people didn’t see you as you anymore- you were just an object, something they wanted to own, to buy time with. They didn’t give a shit about the person you were underneath the whole facade and that was just fine by you.
The job meant only the lowest of the low interacted with you and those kind of people didn’t care about you.
They didn’t care to sense out the powers you repressed day and night, shoving them deep down inside you until they were completely stifled and lifeless.
They didn’t care you were there for as little time as possible, desperately trying to save to make it back to Raysho. To make it back to your parents, if they were still there.
You hoped they were- not a night went by when you didn’t see their faces, ingrained into every dream you ever had, your mothers voice singing out to you, your fathers laugh rumbling around your brain.
From the rumours you’d heard about the war between the First Order and the resistance heating up, you’d need to get home quickly when you eventually did go. Especially if the First Order were to win and given the size of them compared to the resistance, you suspected they would. Some small part of you knew it was wrong not to join said resistance, to show your solidarity with them.
But like you said- you’d worked for nearly seven years to keep yourself hidden well enough just for the chance to go home again. To wrap your arms around your parents and finally feel as if you were at peace.
That wasn’t going to be jeopardised by anyone, especially not the foolish voice in your mind screaming at you to do something, anything. You had been blessed with powers other hadn’t. You would be disappointing your master so by not helping and in doing so, disappointing everyone else at that camp who hadn’t escaped the fateful night you managed to somehow live.
You tried to silence it. Reminded yourself of what was important, what you were really working towards.
Every shitty client, every harsh word spit your way, all of the fighting and running- it wouldn’t matter as soon as you were home again. It was all that was keeping your spirit alive and you’d be killed in a rebellion in seconds. It would all be a complete waste.
The voice screamed on anyway.