The Rebel Faction

The croud was roaring, as if it was a gladiator arena, wanting to see death in all it's discusting glory, the sound only bringing sadness and regret.

She heard the Vong Warrior cry the all-too familiar cry glorifying their god, and her brown eyes snapped open to view a familiar scene, seeing what much have been hundreds on legs, if one was to call them that. For all Raven knew,they could've been some odd biological device holding the croud up on their feet.

Her first mission as a Jedi Padawan, which seemed ages ago, was now replaying, the warrior's weapon raised to strike the final blow. Her death, for all those fleeing Nklon.

She heard the Tw'lek yell, and Raven wanted to scream, to warn him back, to get out with the others while he still could, but couldn't...

Raven jerked awake, shakily gulping down air that would calm down her own racing heart, using a sleave from her white-cotton nightgown to wipe her sweat-covered brow.

One could dismiss such a dream, but she already used that excuse, for she had already seen it several times, hoping for the impossible to happen, but it never did.

It took several minutes before she shakily rose from her bed and pulled on a uniform, a decision she then came to.

And with such a decision, she would need help, for that was the very reason why she approached a now familiar office door, knowing that the user of the office would already be up.

Something had to be done about them, or, the nightmare would never stop.

The typical pause was waited out before she was allowed admitance, and smiled briefly at the memory of when she told him about patiene in the middle of her first simulations run, then her smile faded back into a frown.

She crossed the room, and noted his uniform, which should've had some level of dissarray, but apparently everything was neat and tiddy.

Raven, as if to prove a point, had ran a finger through the medals on his uniform, the reflecting light a slight reminder of a snake-like weapon.

"As long as you spend in here, you still have time to be neat and tiddy. I'm not one who cares if those decorations are rusting, so what's the point in tiddying up just before you let me in the office, hmm?" she asked, a bitter tone creeping into her voice, as she suddenly stepped away from the desk, plopping onto a couch which could be more appropriate in a squadron debriefing room, sighing sadly.

Ah, yes, Military Bearing, Raven thought, seeing his smug grin fade after making a witty reply.

And yet, he presented the old and familiar question, and she straitened herself a bit on the old battered couch.

" Something of which you know very little of, and that I can no longer ignore." Raven replied, refering to the the dreams that she imagined that he was tiring of hearing her complain of, but wisely kept quiet about it.

Something about those dreams had nagged her, and if something was to be done, then she'd have to clue him in as to the content, and a bit more of what they were.

"Ever been to Nklon?" she paused hesistantly, then continued,

" I was there, on my first mission as a padawan. The assignment seemed simple, being accompanied my master. There was a minning facillity at the time, with a descent sized group of people working and living there. We had recieved word that the Vong had invaded, and that eventhough several had fought back, some had died already, and they needed help getting out. Simple was just the opposite of what ended up occuring.

The minners were relatively easy to find. They came towards our ship imediately upon landing, thought they told us that there were more behind them, along with the ong, whom didn't like the idea of anybody going anywhere, except to die for the glory of their god.

My master and myself had somehow gotten separated, and I found myself amungst the largest area of their camp, challenged by one of their warriors. I knew very well that if I didn't except, my fate was the same of that of the fleeing minners, so I accepted.

I did fairly well, though he got a lot more blows in that I had managed to get in. Eventually, he had managed to cause some real dammage, after disarming of my own lightsaber.

If it weren't for one minner, a Tw'lek, it would've been the end for me, and I was willing to accept the fact I was to die, a sacrifice so that others could flee to safety. Not exactly my finnest hour. I was cocky, and inexperienced, and the warrior took advantage of it.

The Tw'lek didn't agree with my opinion, rushing in and slicing the warrior until he died, telling me to run.

I didn't get too far before I lost the last of my strength, calapsing on the ground a good distance away.

In my lightsaber, I had placed an explosive, controlled by a remote detonator which I had always kept in a pocket in my robes.

My earlier position, I had realized, had become his, and I saw the warriors gathered around him, drawn by the fight I had begun a few minutes ago. I knew that he was outnumbered, that they were probably not in the greatest of moods. The Tw'lek was as good as dead, and he accepted it.

My lightsaber was lying next to him, and I wasn't about to go back and get it. If I did, we were both gone for.

So, I made a choice that I regretted, by pulling the detonator out of my pocket, and pressed the button, falling unconscious as the explosive made a nasty work of a good section of Vong.

I was found by the minners, and awoke to find a very unhappy mine facilitator.

It was explained that I had made his sacrifice, which was originally my own, to be an act of honor, and that I mourned his lost just as much as he did, and that seemed enough to satify him.

My master, much to my surprise, was already at the academy, and quickly explained that the one who had accompanied my was a mere clone. Both she and the council agreed that I did fairly well on my own, despite the losses of the minors, and the rest is history, so to say."

It seemed strange, somehow, to be sharing such a tale, and instantly feel a bit better, but not by very much.

He didn't have to mention her rank in the squadron, but, considering that what she revealed, it happened way before she was assigned. The only way he could've been insulting was if he refered to her as a Jedi, including the accent that the warrior had used, including the insulting tone.

And it now comes for the reason for her being in his office in the first place.

"It's like I said before I told of my experiences with them. It's something I can no longer ignore. A few things remain to haunt me. The tone of the vong warriors voice as he slurred out my religion as an insult, the regret of pressing a button, and even the implied indication made by the mine facilitator, that I should've just stayed there and made a stand, eventhough I would've been killed or painfully made into one of their own. It's no picnic." Raven told him, her dark eyes flickering from regret to to anger, and back down to reget.

Risk. It wasn't like she hadn't dealt with it before, and would be willing to deal with again. But, for what? For vengence? Peace of mind? Those two questions ran about in her mind, making her frown. They did deal with a major blow from one group, but another, based a single person not able to sleep well?

From a cursory glance, it seemed selfish, even foolish to even think of returning to such a place.

Since joining becoming a Shadow Jedi, she felt more independence from restrictions, but perhaps she maybe she went a little overboard? Maybe she was growing crazy, or becoming somthing even more darker?

But something in those dreams told her that there was more, and it had to be faced and dealt with.

" I know that I can't lie to you. Part of this is to settle some doubts, and perhaps a bit of vengence as well. I'd admit that. I'm human as anybody else. There was something in those dreams that told me that there was more back there than I had seen before in my first mission there. I'm not sure what it is. I know it's asking alot by returning, but I'd rather have someone I'd trust to not abandon me out there. " Raven sighed, lowering her gaze.

"Am I going crazy? Be honest. I won't promise that I won't be upset if you believe that I am, but I'm just wondering."