The Rebel Faction

Jensen stood gazing upon Amalia, after Zeta spoke his words there seemed at least stillness an uneasy stillness within Jensen that seemed he could not shake. Zeta words spoken however softly seemed to speak in volumes to his soul. And however cryptic those words seemed to be on the outside, for some reason to Jensen somehow knew exactly what the Sith Lord meant.

After a few moments Jensen looked up at Gash, who now stood before him.

And surprisingly Zeta was gone…

Jensen looked around the area slowly, Zeta was no where to be found. Kenshin and Han were off in the distance…

He looked downward and there lying before him was Amalia’s saber. Jensen picked it up and looked at it again. He then looked back down at Amalia…

"I think this belongs to you." He said as he gave the esteemed saber back to her.

Sleeping

That had been the keyword between Jensen’s and Zeta’s conversation, and for some reason every time Zeta uttered that word it burned him.

And the uneasiness grew within him along with an ill feeling.

"Come on Amalia, wake up." Jensen said quietly in a panic stricken voice.

As the hours passed Jensen became that much more worried. He was engulfed in deep thought on just what to do in his particular situation, and he waited. She was obviously not moving and wasn’t going to anytime soon or so it seemed he thought, he paced back in forth. Worry had crept onto his face….maybe she was lost. He then sat again, and looked back down at her.

He began to see what he couldn't believe at first.

Eye movement, he looked down as the Jedi master began to stir.

"Hello, Master Azalin…" he said quietly and smiling a little and obviously relieved she seemed okay.

"Welcome back, you gave me quite a scare there."

"Careful, you might be a little sore…"

And he offered to help the jedi master back on to her feet.

It took Amalia's eyes a moment to focus on their surroundings, hazy vision doing its best to try and escape the woman's focus.

Once Amalia's vision cleared up, her brown eyes slowly moved to look at Jensen.

She recognized the look of relief that settled into his smile, yet she could not comprehend his expression; she could not understand why the expression was there.

How odd, he felt relief and all she could feel was bitterness.

Was she supposed to feel relief? Was she supposed to be happy to find herself alive once more?

Amalia tried not to dwell on the matter as her gaze fell to look onto Jensen's outstretched hand. Her gaze broke away very quickly, settling on his face instead.

Her face twisted into a look of repulsion, a clear-cut and obvious reaction to her own feelings of bitterness.

Jensen was no one familiar to Amalia, yet the man that kneeled beside Jensen was.

Kenshin Katarn.

A different expression crossed Amalia's face as she set her sights on Kenshin, a look of indifference crossing her face.

There, in his own eyes, the same look she had seen to cross Jensen's face, relief.

Again the expression made no sense to her, she desperately tried to make common sense of what she was seeing, but couldn't.

Both men were seemingly willing to help her rise to her feet again.

However, the bitterness that she felt was too heavy on her mind and spirit; she was not willing to allow them to help her.

Yet still, through the bitterness, the woman held courage, the courage and willingness to stand on her own two feet, on her own, without help.

Stubborn perhaps? Yes, maybe so.

Yet it was still her determination, Amalia's way of fighting the darkness that besieged her.

She did not try to stand on her own two feet but one time, but several times, each time falling back onto the log again.

...And each time her face would fall into a deep lapse of concentration, anger creeping into her once gentle features.

Both men appealed to help her to her feet, fully aware of her signs of struggle.

"No! I don't want your help!"

Giving it another effort, the Jedi reached out with the force, grabbing the nearest, longest and thickest stick she could find, she force pulled the item to her shaking hands.

Using the stick as a means for support, she stood, though a bit wobbly.

Do or do not, there is no try.

A simple phrase, one well remembered even with the traces of the darkside running through her veins.

Amalia's face settled into quiet composure as she looked at both men, her voice quiet.

"Why are you here?..."

Jensen stood as he watched Amalia attempt to stand, traces of anger on each attempt she tried. He wasn't quite sure of what to make of the situation. Anger was not a trait a Jedi Master held within, or any Jedi for that matter.

He gave a quick glance to his right over at Kenshin - Jensen was obviously confused.

"Why are you here?..."

Kenshin spoke first, then after that Jensen paused for a few more moments. Still yet confused a bit with her uncharacteristic demeanor, Jensen quietly sighed then spoke.

"My name is Jensen Bettencourt, I was on my way to Kahn's home when I saw you unconscious, not knowing who you were or what the situation was I decided to investigate. I apparently walked into a trap and was held captive by a Sith Lord.

Soon after Kenshin came to help with the situation as I was being outnumbered, the Sith Lord's apprentice appeared, than another came, a Dark Jedi I believe.

It was through our conversation I figured out who you were.

The Sith was doing something strange, he acted as if he needed me alive. It didn't make sense why he would kill a Jedi Master and not a Padawan. So I assumed you must be alive in some way. It was almost as if we were bait, as if he was waiting for someone.

Soon after he left, I don't know why."

Jensen paused for a short while.

"I decided to stay I was worried about you…"

Jensen looked over at Kenshin.

"Kenshin stayed as well, that's why we are here."

She's alive...

A jolt ran through Leia as the realization dawned. For no apparent reason, she looked to the sky as if searching for answers.

Alive... but on whose side now?