As I awoke, a sense of warmth enveloped my hand, and droplets of moisture fell onto my bedsheet. I groaned softly, and the figure in the sickbay beside me gasped. Slowly, I opened my eyes to the blurred outline of the one person I never expected to see. "Anakin...?" I mumbled drowsily, as lips tenderly pressed against my forehead. "It's me, Nyx. It's me."

My vision cleared just enough to spot Anakin there, tears streaming down his cheeks as he smiled brokenly. "Oh, Nyx," he whispered, embracing me gently to avoid hurting the wound in my chest. "I'm so sorry for how it all ended. I truly didn't want to kill you," he murmured into my hair, his nose brushing against my cheek. I stroked his back. "Shh, Anakin, I understand why you did it. If given free rein, I would have slain you and the Chancellor. I was a raging beast that needed to be stopped. It's protocol; I harbor no anger," I said softly.

Anakin's breath quivered as he spoke, his voice laden with regret. "I should have found another path, a way that didn't lead to the darkness of taking your life. The torment I endured, it consumed me whole." Stepping back, I met his gaze, the depth of his oceanic blue eyes reflecting his inner turmoil. With a gentle touch, I brushed away a tear from his cheek, my heart heavy with understanding. "I sensed it too, Anakin," I whispered, releasing a heavy sigh. "In every moment of existence, your pain echoed through me." My gaze fell to my hands, betraying my own trembling emotions. "It felt like wrenching out my very soul would have been easier than bearing witness to your suffering." Anakin shook his head resolutely. "Do not speak of such despair. As long as I breathe, you will not face destruction."

I softly shook my head, my fingertips caressing his cheek with a gentle touch. "Our survival is intertwined now," I murmured, the gravity of our intertwined fates palpable in the air. Pausing for a moment, I inquired about my mentor. "How is he coping with his grief?" Anakin's nod was solemn, his eyes carrying a hint of sorrow as he held back tears. A wistful smile played on his lips as he shared, "He has withdrawn into the solitude of his chambers, immersing himself in seclusion for days on end."

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his concern even after my harsh words during our last encounter. Shaking my head in disbelief at his unwavering care, I inquired eagerly, "Is he here? Can I speak with him?" Anakin's smile widened as he gracefully stepped aside, revealing Obi-Wan. The weariness etched on his face, his hair unkempt, and clothes stained with dirt. "Oh, Master," I choked out emotionally, and Obi-Wan approached me tenderly touching my cheek. "Nyx, I am deeply sorry for the things I said to you," he whispered, and I shook my head leaning into his touch. "None of them compare to the pain of my own words. You are my family," I declared softly, and he smiled before bending down to kiss my forehead. It was a gesture laden with affection, as close to a real kiss as he could give without breaking the code.

"I've yearned for your presence, my apprentice," he murmured, a wistful smile playing on his lips as our breaths mingled in the air. Our foreheads leaned into each other, a silent understanding passing between us before he gracefully moved to stand beside Anakin. Ahsoka emerged from the shadows, and I extended my hand towards her. She accepted it willingly, her frame delicate in my arms as tears traced down her cheeks. Gently cradling her close, mindful of my injury, I planted a tender kiss on her forehead before drawing back slightly to gaze into her eyes. "How fares your heart, young one?" I inquired softly. Her response was a mixture of a smile and an eye roll. "I'm not that small anymore, Nyx," she retorted playfully. A chuckle escaped me as I pressed my forehead against hers affectionately.

"Indeed, you're growing swiftly beyond measure. Your strength fills me with pride." Her face lit up with emotion, eyes shimmering like distant stars. "Will you be able to rejoin us aboard the warships?" she asked with hope lacing her words.

I let out a weary sigh, casting a glance at Anakin and Obi-Wan before turning to Kix who stood at a respectful distance with bowed head. "If the healer deems me ready for travel, then yes, though I'll require additional days of respite from duty. This wound demands time to heal, much like the scars on my spirit," I explained gently while running my fingers along her montrals tenderly. "But one day, perhaps soon, I shall stand by your side once more and lead our troops against our adversaries."

Ahsoka's gaze locked onto mine, her eyes reflecting a mix of relief and unspoken understanding as she gently rested her head on my chest, the rhythmic thud of my heart beneath her ear. The miracle of my heart surviving the stabbing remained a perplexing enigma, but in that moment, gratitude surged within me for my flawed yet resilient humanity. Surrounded by the comforting presence of my friends, I found solace in this shared moment of genuine happiness.

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A few days later, I was finally discharged and allowed to accompany Anakin and Mace Windu on their way to the crashed cruiser that had occurred during my time in the realm of the living. We landed with a shuttle outside the wreckage, and I smirked as Anakin's eyes immediately locked onto me.

"Stay by the spacecraft," Mace said, and after a quick assessment, I nodded and settled near Anakin's ship. Anakin approached me, taking my hands. "If you spot anyone here, return to Coruscant. Don't try to rescue us," he said. I scoffed and squeezed his hand. "I choose my own path, thank you very much, and if I survived a stab to the heart, I can endure a blaster shot despite this," I said, poking a finger towards his chest. "You're not my boss, Skywalker."

Anakin huffed and sighed before moving on with Mace, R2, and the other astromechs, leaving me in this desolate, abandoned landscape as I studied the crashed Jedi cruiser. Hearing something nearby, I growled softly and crouched behind the Jedi ship. Soon enough, a speeder bike approached the downed cruiser with a young boy seated beside a slender, pale woman and what seemed like a droid. Shaking my head at the oddities of this galaxy's inhabitants, I recognized the boy resembling Rex and others but much younger.

Transforming into my indoraptor form, I crept forward camouflaged with earthy hues. Then lunging out stealthily, I seized Boba Fett who was heading towards the other hunters. He was about to scream when I snapped my jaws threateningly close around his windpipe. "You make a sound kid, you're done for," I warned him.

"Who... who are you?" he grunted, writhing under my claws. For a brief moment, I felt the urge to sink my teeth into him, regardless of what he was, but I shook my head and let my scales revert back to black, with the red stripe running from my eye standing out like a throbbing sore thumb.

Boba swallowed, his eyes wide open, the honey-colored gleam in them almost too similar to Rex and the other clones I had grown fond of. I roared at him. "You and your friends are not welcome here," I snarled. "Why are you here? This crashed cruiser is none of your concern."

"Because I want Mace Windu dead. What else?" he asked. "Don't you recognize who I am? Do you not know what he did to my father?"

I snarled and displayed my jagged, uneven teeth. "I was on the wrong side of the war, kid. I know no more about these Jedi than they know about themselves." "Y-you're a Sith," he gasped. I hissed, digging my claws into his jacket. "I was one, but that's not something we discuss now. Why not call back your little team before I kill you all?"

"You wouldn't dare," he said, his voice trembling with uncertainty. He wasn't convinced that I wouldn't betray my word and actually harm them. "Not bad, kid. You've learned not to trust creatures like me," I chuckled darkly. I let out a weary sigh and fixed a piercing gaze on him. "You have a choice: either summon your allies back or face the consequences with your own blood." With a nonchalant shrug, I added, "It's as simple as that."

He swallowed hard, the metallic tang of fear lingering on his tongue as he raised his communicator to his lips. "Aurra, we must depart this forsaken planet swiftly. There's a predator lurking here, waiting to consume us," he whispered urgently. Before he could finish, a woman's voice crackled through the device, "Boba, you imbecile, there's no one—" Her words were abruptly silenced by the thunderous impact of my tail striking the ground, sending shockwaves rippling all the way to our cruiser. I winced inwardly, hoping that Anakin and Mace wouldn't be jolted by the disturbance.

"You assured me they wouldn't be harmed!" he bellowed, his voice echoing in the desolate landscape. I couldn't help but chuckle, my amusement evident as my throat moved with the sound. "Did I really say that? Well..." With deliberate steps, I dismounted him, towering over the bewildered figure on the ground. "I am a being of my word. Scuttle away now, young one, before I reconsider."

Struggling to regain his footing, he staggered backward towards his waiting speeder. As he fled, his ragtag group of hunters followed suit, disappearing into the horizon at breakneck speed. Letting out a weary sigh, I turned my gaze towards the stranded cruiser slowly sinking into the sand. Anakin and Mace were undoubtedly facing perilous circumstances.

My quills trembled with a mixture of concern and frustration as I contemplated their predicament. Despite the urge to rush to their aid, a sense of self-preservation prevailed. "Stay here," I muttered to myself sternly, acknowledging that this was currently the safest refuge available. Should Boba and his band of miscreants return, they would meet their demise here under the protective shadow cast by Anakin's father's ship.

Shaking off the clinging sand that stubbornly clung to my form, I settled down under the looming silhouette of Anakin's vessel, awaiting what fate had in store for us next.

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In the midst of the swirling desert sands, R2-D2's abrupt exit from the planet seized my focus. My eyes rose to trace his erratic path, a symphony of urgent chirps and whistles filling the air. "R2, R2! Easy now, buddy. What's the trouble?" I murmured gently, reaching out a reassuring hand towards him. His frantic beeps conveyed distress over Anakin and Mace trapped beneath a colossal pile of debris.

Without hesitation, I plunged my hand into the gritty soil, searching for any hint of their whereabouts. With a resolute grunt, I stood up and nudged R2 towards Anakin's ship. "Return home swiftly and alert the Council without delay. Ask for backup. I will move heaven and earth to rescue Anakin and Mace," I commanded firmly as R2 beeped in agreement before scuttling off on his mission.As I dashed towards the cruiser, every sinew in my body prayed fervently that both Jedi emerged unscathed from this hidden peril lurking beneath the shifting sands.

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When I stumbled upon the two Jedi trapped under a massive slab of debris, my initial confusion gave way to determination. Despite their seemingly minor injuries, I knew they needed assistance. "Nyx?" Anakin's voice held a mix of surprise and relief as he called out to me, his eyes bright with hope. "What are you doing here? I told you to head back at the first sign of trouble." I couldn't help but scoff at his concern. "I may have failed obedience class, but that doesn't mean I'll leave you behind. Let's get you both out from under there," I declared before leaping down onto the broken platform beside them, causing the entire ship to groan in protest.

"It's safer if you remain above ground; we've been attempting to move the rubble using the Force," Mace advised, his face contorted in pain as the debris pressed further into him. Ignoring his suggestion, I let out a thoughtful hum, tapping my lethal claw against the plasteel floor before swiftly flicking my tail towards the shrapnel, nudging it aside.

"Easy there!" Anakin's alarmed voice rang out as he reacted to my abrupt actions. With a hiss of warning, I commanded him to stay still as I worked on clearing their path to freedom.

Closing my eyes, I delved into the depths of my being where the Force resided. Slowly, I heard creaking and shifting as muscles tensed and breaths were held. The piece of scrap I was attempting to lift was burdened by other debris that had piled on top of it. "This... *grunt* will require patience," I grunted, my tail lashing to maintain balance as I concentrated on using my Force powers to move the heavy slab. With a thud, I finally managed to relocate it before opening my eyes, my legs trembling.

Anakin and Mace emerged from their hiding spots, Anakin placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder as I stood there with bowed head. Suddenly, the ship began to tremble violently, jerking my head up in alarm. Looking down at Anakin with urgency, he exclaimed, "We need to evacuate this vessel immediately!" We all nodded in agreement before frantically attempting to escape the shaking and unsteady ship.

Struggling to maintain our footing amidst the chaos, Anakin nearly stumbled when I slid into him and Mace almost tripped over his own feet. "Sorry!" I barked out before regaining my balance and propelling myself forward. "Follow me!" With a leap into the sunlight, Anakin and Windu closely behind me, we landed with thuds on solid ground as the ship continued its descent into the sand.

Quickly making our way to the fighters or fighter R2 unit that hadn't returned yet, determination set in. "I'll pilot as a wolf," I declared without hesitation, shape-shifting effortlessly before taking flight. Anakin and Mace shared another fighter as we soared away from the crumbling cruiser just as it split in two behind us.