Chapter 10 - Robots and Beetles Don't Mix

Colorful beetles began to fly around Echo’s room. Ash had to do the last thing Echo had asked her too. She had to communicate with Xiang and Kiro.
Xiang! Kiro!
WHAT? They both replied.
Don’t come for us! It’s Echo last wish! She told me to tell you that she loved you Xiang and that she thought Kiro was cool.
No, we’re coming for you. There isn’t anything you can say to stop us! Kiro replied.
How about if I tell you that your already too late?
What are you talking about? Xiang asked.
Echo’s being torn apart by bugs right now and my turn is next.
Well, then we just need to hurry!! Xiang almost screamed
NO! DON’T! Ash yelled, but the cut the connection.
“Blasted boyfriends!!” Ash said out loud.
In Echo’s cell it was quickly filling up with insects and Echo was screaming and crying. The bugs were literally tearing sections of her skin off her body. The sight immediately made Ash sick to her stomach and she began to choke on her tears. Occasionally she saw a bug fly against a wall on the opposite wall, but then 5 more took its place.
Then, the bugs tore off a huge piece of skin off Echo’s leg. Echo screamed. She couldn’t move and was strapped in tightly. She was trying to pull free but couldn’t.
“STOP!! PLEASE!!” Echo yelled over the gargle of the insects.
Ash was balling now. Her old self came back now.
We’re gonna die. That’s the answer to all this and there’s nothing we can do to change that!! There has to be something…
Ash was forced to watch and listen to her sisters screaming and torture. Even if she closed her eyes the image filled her head. The bugs had completely covered Echo now, from top to bottom. Only a few places were open on her face. Echo screamed harder. Ash couldn’t bare it anymore. She wished something else would occupy her mind.
Her wish came true.
A door opened in the middle of the floor and a black orb came hovering over to her.
Not good!!
The droid hovered slowly over to her. A 4 inch long needle popped out of one of the droids sides and started to come closer and closer. As it got closer and closer Ash felt her face turn from disgusted to terrified. Ash started to get worried.
Ash started to pull out of her restraints, but they were to strong, and she was too freaked out to concentrate on the Force and unlock them.
The droid finally just came in and jammed the needle into Ash’s right arm. She screamed. It seemed like the needle went straight through her arm. As the droid held it in longer, it didn’t hurt as much, but still killed.
Echo lost it.
“STOP! NOW!” Echo yelled, spitting insects out of her mouth and trying to break free of her restraints. She heard Echo starting to cry. Ash was crying now too.
The droid held its place in front of her and sprayed a bright green gas into her face. She coughed as it flew done her throat. As soon as it made contact with her skin, something swept over her. She felt burst of adrenaline run through her, making her more awake then ever. But what followed was not nice.
Pain…a lot of it. She cringed as the pain flowed down her body like little knives cutting incisions everywhere the gas went. Ash tried to turn her attention to her sister. She wished she hadn’t. Even though she was covered in insects, you could see the places where they had torn her flesh off, oozing blood. Ash gave her a sad look. Ash knew everything wasn’t going to okay now.
Then droid back away from Ash, yanking the needle out of her right arm. She yelped. The gas was making everything hurt 10 xs more than it should. Then, the droid took out a small handle. It looked like a handle to a vibroblade, but Ash knew it wasn’t.
The droid moved forward and placed the end of the handle to Ash’s left arm.
“No…NO!!” she screamed. She knew what was coming next.
The droids pushed a button and an small lightsaber blade came out of the handle and into Ash’s left arm.
Ash let out a bone-cracking scream, something that even made her own ears hurt. She had sustained lightsaber cuts before, but this was unlike no other because of the gas. This time she was forced to stay awake and feel the pain. Plus, it was 10 xs more painful than usually. The droid moved the blade up and down until finally…her left arm was gone. It fell to the floor and twitched. She wanted to say ‘EWW!!’ but she was so shocked and in pain that nothing came out of her mouth. The only thing that did was tears from her eyes.
She couldn’t get away from the pain no matter how hard she tried. She was in too much pain to use a poison-go-away technique and there was no way she could even if she tried.
They were done for.
The droid took the blade and backed away from her, preparing for another attack.
Ash looked towards Echo and saw her go limp. Echo sent out one last Force message that was so strong it hit Ash like a bantha.
Echo, out.
No…NO!! Don’t give up Echo!! You can’t!!
Echo didn’t hear her. Ash wished she could be knocked out, but there was no such chance.
Then the droid came up to her at full speed and jammed the lightsaber through her stomach. Her eyes went wide and the breath left her lungs. She felt the darkness fighting to take over, but it lost by a long shot. She was forced to endure all the pain and misery. She couldn’t scream because it felt like her throat was closing up and she could break free of the restraints because she was almost paralyzed.
The droid pulled the blade out slowly, and as he did Ash finally found the strength to scream as loud as she possibly could.
The bugs finally ate through Echo’s restraints and she fell to the floor. She didn’t move. She looked like one big bug now, and Ash looked like Darth Maul after being cut down by Kenobi.
Then, somewhere outside, Ash heard blaster shots. Blaze fell to the ground in the room as a bolt hit her in the chest from an unknown source. Xiang and Kiro ran into Blazes room and Ash could almost see their knees buckle. Kiro ran into Ash’s room, using the Force to crumple the droid in front of her. He unhooked Ash from the wall and sat down with her lying in his lap. There was still smoke coming from the whole in her stomach. It hurt so much…she wished she could just cut her stomach out, but that would hurt even more. When he saw he half arm, his eyes went wide, but he didn’t say anything about it. Her cringed and half closed his eyes; half looked away. He looked back and Ash saw the tears falling. He stroked his hand across her cheek.
“How are you even awake?” he asked.
“Gas…very painful gas…that makes me…stay awake...and feel 10x more…pain than…normal,” Ash gasped.
“I’m sorry,” Kiro said, with tears falling down his face and hitting hers. “I was too late.”
“I’m not dead, so you’re not late,” she said and tried to smile. It was too much so she abandoned that task.
She saw Xiang in Blazes room looking around. When he looked through the window and saw Echo he freaked out and tried to go into the room.
“Don’t!” she gasped. She knew he didn’t hear her, but Echo must had said something because he closed the door again.
“What is it?” Kiro asked.
“Echo…she’s not feeling…so hot,” Ash said.
Xiang burst into her room.
“Kiro, I need your help. Quick!” he said.
“Go,” Ash whispered. “Echo’s life…depends on it.”
Kiro gently propped her up against the wall and went to help Xiang. It made her stomach burn so bad that she slid back down to the floor. She couldn’t stand her stomach being bended even the tiniest bit.
Ash just waited there, her insides burning and wishing she were dead. But there was nothing she could do about it. No matter how hard she tried, she barely could even close her eyes.
For the first time, she actually looked around at her surroundings. Lying next to her was her use-to-be left arm.
It’s a good thing I’m right handed, she thought.
Looking at her arm made her a little queasy and it made her stump of a left arm feel even worse. She grimaced in the pain.
It’s a good thing I can’t talk very well, or I’d be saying some pretty nasty stuff right now, she thought.
Kiro finally came back into her room. He had Ash’s lightsabers in his hands. He didn’t look too happy.
“Where did you…get those?” she asked.
“Blaze was carrying them around on her back. I’m surprised you didn’t see them. She must have really liked them.”
“Well, they…are awesome,” Ash said..
Ash could tell Kiro wanted to smile, but he didn’t.
“Can you walk at all?” he asked looking at her wounds. He didn’t look too happy about them, but Ash wasn’t either.
“What do you…think…genius? I can barely…move anything!” she said.
“Sorry, we just have to get out of here now. Echo…we don’t know if Echo can last much longer. She’s already out and doesn’t look too good.”
“Don’t remind me,” Ash said silently. “I just need you to…pretty much…carry me.”
“Why would I refuse?” he said, with tears in his eyes. “Also…what happened to your stomach?”
He began to slowly lift her up into his arms.
“Lightsaber…evil robot…you catch my drift.”

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