The Rebel Faction

Aleister continued to climb the staircase, getting a sense of the history of the ruined temple watchtower, as the angry shards of stone occasionally slipped off the Icy peaks that were beginning to form on the sides of the ruined area. Every now and again, Aleister would catch note of shiny colored objects, but at this point they were too embedded into the snow for him to worry about them. Perhaps if he found some in any of the caves, he might take a few as a souvenir.

He had a feeling they might be useful someday.

He also was beginning to get the sneaking suspicion that many of the things about this planet that he cared to know, especially the whereabouts of his new Master, would lie within the center of the planet, where things may live.


However it would seem interesting that for the moment, he must climb up, to find his way back down.

He could start to see the top of the staircase now, just in the upper distance. He trudged on.

Feeling his way through the blinding snow and gale force winds, even he was having trouble negotiating the mountain, he slipped into the small temple area, solely out of self preservation. Or, perhaps not.

Perhaps indeed this was the course that the Force had designed for him fromt he beginning. The inside of the temple was adorned with many of the crystals he had seen, sticking out of the walls, and Aleister put some in his coat and the bag that he carried. He had a sense that they would be useful when he met others like him, even though he wasn't sure what they would be used for.

As he moved deeper into the slightly dilapidated temple, he felt the tremors from deep inside the mountain, thumping harder, which intrigued him.

Aleister sighed.

These parlor tricks were draining on such an ice world, but, perhaps, just perhaps they would ultimately teach him a lesson.

In fact, they already had. Don't stand around when the caves are collapsing.

He half chuckled to himself as he folded his wings around his body to keep life normal, and he squeezed into the dark and narrow path that lead down into the mountain.

Just like going home again... he thought to himself, remembering that it had only been a short week or two earlier, he'd lost track of time, so he wasn't sure, that he'd left the underbelly of Coruscant, flying up through an area much like this, though the top level of THAT particular world, was much more civilized than this icy hell.

Something in him, remembered of going home, shed a small tear, at the passing of his parents, something that he still had yet to fully grieve for, before he had thrust himself onto this journey that seemingly would change his life.... But was it for the good, or bad.... Han wouldn't tell him much of the reason he fell to what he called the Dark Side, said it wasn't important, and that if he had the life to do over again, he would never have allowed it to happen.

Aleister pondered that, as if to wonder, if we truly were in control of our own destiny, as Han seemed to think, or whether it was the will of the Force that this thing should happen, which would put Han into a place where he could guide Aleister to this very moment.

He snapped out of his contemplative thought, being only a 16 year old street urchin, who was shunned by everyone he met, aside from Han, and the people on Yavin, and Dolash.

Perhaps, He thought, Perhaps life can get better from here after all.

Aleister moved inward to the path, hoping to spot some torches he could light to make the journey easier.

Aleister reached down and tugged at some of the smaller crystals, and pulled them out and into his bag. He reached his hand out and touched the larger crystal, before looking down the hole that its light projected itself into.

Han made a suggestion, and perhaps not such a bad one. He had Han's lightsaber on his belt, why not use it as a torchlight?

He pulled it out, and turned it on for the moment, before he would decide if he would head deeper into the tunnel, using the light from the saber to get a better view.

The burnt out torch near the end did indeed catch his eye. Being sure to keep his balance, he used the Lightsaber as a torch to guide him, working his way, in awe of the crystalline structures around him, down the staircase, toward the torch area, in the hopes that perhaps, this was what was next. He proceeded therein with caution, enjoying the experience.