Allysha kept a safe distance as she watched the group enter VC headquarters. She was thinking of a way to get Ishara away from her companions. Allysha was convinced there had to be a way to draw her away and would soon discover it.

"Soon Ishara, very soon..." Allysha said to herself as she crept up to the glass doors of the headquarters. She peered inside and saw the three at the front desk. She also noticed it was the other woman who was doing all of the talking.

Allysha hid behind a pillar and closely watched this other woman. She sensed something about her that could pose a problem. Much like the same sensation she felt of the old man. Either way, they needed to be dealt with when the time came.

Just as the group seemed ready to leave, a grim smile came over Allysha's face as she noticed a man smoking a cigarra in the lobby near one of the many plants. "Excellent..." she said as she focused her dark energies on him. Calling upon the Spell of Fire Creation, Allysha caused the cigarra to burst into a large flame which caught the nearby plant on fire. The man who held the cigarra let out a horrid cry as he was badly burnt. The cry itself was exhilarating to Allysha who seemed to feed off of the man's fear.

In the commotion, Allysha briefly caught the eye of the woman who was accompanying Ishara and gave a dark glare towards her as she smiled. Allysha gave a wave with her fingers and vanished into the crowd of spectators to the event.

What the?...


Nat stopped in her tracks as the man shouted out in pain, all three of them stood there for a moment wondering just what the hell has happened...

In a flurry of activity the plant was immediately surrounded by a pair of fire prevention droids, and the flames were extinguished. While another had already started to attend to the mystified looking victim, who was now swearing blind he would quit smoking forever...

Nat frowned...


...Something's not right here...


She glanced over to the others, and from the looks on their faces they too sensed the same thing...

There was that feeling again, this time stronger...

Nat found herself looking around , as if instinctively trying to identify the source...

Her gaze settled on a woman, someone she neither knew or recognised...

As their eyes met, it became clear to Nat, that somehow this woman had been the cause...

The woman in question , after gesturing towards Nat slipped into the crowd of spectators gathering in the lobby , and out of Nat's sight..

"Did any of you see that woman?" She asked the other two, and without waiting for answer Nat followed.

"What woman?" Salazar asked confused, as he looked around , then as he realised Nat had left both Ishara and him behind he called after her "Wait, Natalya!"

Cursing underneath his breath he gestured for Ishara to follow him...











Meanwhile, Nat found herself outside looking around for the woman , but to no avail...

Both puzzled and annoyed, Nat let her arms go limp against her sides in defeat as she realised the futility of her trying to locate one single complete stranger, in the hundreds, if not thousands of beings that were going about their business across the plaza in front of her...

Soon enough, she was joined by both Ishara and Salazar...

"What did you see Nat?" Ishara asked concerned...

Still scanning the faces of the people in front of her Natalya replied quickly...

"A woman, i think she had something to do with what just happened..."

"Have you seen her before?" Salazar asked, his interest piqued...

Nat, sighed heavily, and shook her head..

"No..."

She felt a hand on her shoulder, Salazar...

"Our ride's here...lets leave it for the authorities to deal with for now, you can always give them a description..."

Natalya turned to face the old man with the frown still firmly embedded upon her brow, then turned her attention to the anti-grav limo that had just parked up outside, and its waiting driver...

Reluctantly, Nat accepted defeat, and tore herself away from the crowds outside...

And as she entered the Limo, she did not notice Ishara staring out amongst the people also...

Her attention firmly placed on someone in the crowd....

Her eyes distant.


With a final glance over her shoulder, Ishara quietly joined the others...

Bonadan Trade Hall


Simon Kaine and Seth Vinda were sitting back drink in one's hand where a cigarra was in the other's hand as Azrael Zell squinted at the general outline of action discussed the previous day.

Vinda raised an eyebrow to Kaine and the Supreme Commander exhaled loudly. "Zell, you're bursting with input of your own.."

Before the old man could respond, a woman appeared with his drink. Zell had originally tried to get some minor psychological advantage over the former corporate man by asking for a drink he had tried on some little out of the way planet way back when Palpatine still ruled the galaxy and the aliens knew their place. Mr. Vinda had motioned his secretary over and whispered in her ear before they turned their attention back to the Belgardi/Hilter/terrorist connection.

The old man had been so engrossed in reading over the planning he lost track of time. Now, staring as the woman crossed into the room with a smoking drink. He reached over, lost in the reverie of some ancient experience (or was it revelry?), took hold of the glass and gathered himself for a large gulp.

Tossing his head back quickly he nearly gasped at the potency of the drink. As soon as he swallowed, it took a few minutes for his voice to return.

Glaring at Vinda he spat out, "You're a damned bastard, Vinda."

Then he broke out into a grin, "But damn me, you left me speechless. Not a feat many can do."

"I can attest to that," Kaine interjected.

The old man threw a thumb Vinda's way, "Now I know why you like coming all the way the fuck out here.."

"You're alright, Vinda. You're alright."

The woman left and Zell turned back to the notes, "It seems to me that you have all the how-to's down....ships, logistical support ...but I don't see a defined goal."

"You mean other than a punitive strike?" Kaine remarked, taking a sip of his own drink.

"Punitive? That sounds like a word the dumb-fuck Coalition might use that literally means 'half-assed'. It means, we don't have the balls to go all the way so we are going to simply spit at you from way the fuck over here."

"So what are you getting at Moff Zell?" Vinda politely asked.

"I am saying that you could look at these plans and notes and say, 'Well shit! We've got the men and materials, let's attack tomorrow!'.. and you'll do it ... but so what?

You cripple, once again, their funds. But they will simply find another route for their funds again. Then what? Another meeting like this one to say, 'shit, we gotta do something?' ??"

"You favor a different approach?" Kaine asked quietly.

Zell took another swig. "SHOW them you fucking mean business. SHOW them that these terrorist attacks aren't going to be tolerated. We make fucking great speeches on holonet but what the fuck have we done?"

He leaned forward. "I say we fucking level the damn corporation to dust. Level their whole damn planet... raze to the fucking ground! Today, Belgardi.. tomorrow... dust.

THAT sends a fucking message to all those terrorist fucks! Let them stop and suddenly think about the collateral damage that their moves make. Put the fear back into the cowards who strike at us in hiding!"

Kaine turned to Vinda and shrugged. "He does have a point."

And as Zell turned from the plans to the view outside, Kaine asked of the Commonwealth man, "What do you hope to accomplish in this?"

Bonadan Trade Hall


Simon Kaine and Seth Vinda were sitting back drink in one's hand where a cigarra was in the other's hand as Azrael Zell squinted at the general outline of action discussed the previous day.

Vinda raised an eyebrow to Kaine and the Supreme Commander exhaled loudly. "Zell, you're bursting with input of your own.."

Before the old man could respond, a woman appeared with his drink. Zell had originally tried to get some minor psychological advantage over the former corporate man by asking for a drink he had tried on some little out of the way planet way back when Palpatine still ruled the galaxy and the aliens knew their place. Mr. Vinda had motioned his secretary over and whispered in her ear before they turned their attention back to the Belgardi/Hilter/terrorist connection.

The old man had been so engrossed in reading over the planning he lost track of time. Now, staring as the woman crossed into the room with a smoking drink. He reached over, lost in the reverie of some ancient experience (or was it revelry?), took hold of the glass and gathered himself for a large gulp.

Tossing his head back quickly he nearly gasped at the potency of the drink. As soon as he swallowed, it took a few minutes for his voice to return.

Glaring at Vinda he spat out, "You're a damned bastard, Vinda."

Then he broke out into a grin, "But damn me, you left me speechless. Not a feat many can do."

"I can attest to that," Kaine interjected.

The old man threw a thumb Vinda's way, "Now I know why you like coming all the way the fuck out here.."

"You're alright, Vinda. You're alright."

The woman left and Zell turned back to the notes, "It seems to me that you have all the how-to's down....ships, logistical support ...but I don't see a defined goal."

"You mean other than a punitive strike?" Kaine remarked, taking a sip of his own drink.

"Punitive? That sounds like a word the dumb-fuck Coalition might use that literally means 'half-assed'. It means, we don't have the balls to go all the way so we are going to simply spit at you from way the fuck over here."

"So what are you getting at Moff Zell?" Vinda politely asked.

"I am saying that you could look at these plans and notes and say, 'Well shit! We've got the men and materials, let's attack tomorrow!'.. and you'll do it ... but so what?

You cripple, once again, their funds. But they will simply find another route for their funds again. Then what? Another meeting like this one to say, 'shit, we gotta do something?' ??"

"You favor a different approach?" Kaine asked quietly.

Zell took another swig. "SHOW them you fucking mean business. SHOW them that these terrorist attacks aren't going to be tolerated. We make fucking great speeches on holonet but what the fuck have we done?"

He leaned forward. "I say we fucking level the damn corporation to dust. Level their whole damn planet... raze to the fucking ground! Today, Belgardi.. tomorrow... dust.

THAT sends a fucking message to all those terrorist fucks! Let them stop and suddenly think about the collateral damage that their moves make. Put the fear back into the cowards who strike at us in hiding!"

Kaine turned to Vinda and shrugged. "He does have a point."

And as Zell turned from the plans to the view outside, Kaine asked of the Commonwealth man, "What do you hope to accomplish in this?"

Theed, Naboo


Traveling from Bonadan to Naboo without any side stops is one of the most taxing and unbearably long journeys a person can make in the known universe.
<o></o>

Not only had Leia made this very trip alone in her relatively small personal ship, but she had also gone to considerable lengths to avoid Imperial space as often as possible. Even for a Jedi Master accustomed to a lifetime of tedious space travel, the trip was hell.
<o></o>

Leia was extremely travel weary when she finally arrived in Theed around mid morning. The last thing she had wanted to hear was that she had arrived on planet only hours before the official closure of the Jedi Order was announced, but that was exactly what she had gotten.
<o></o>

Leia knew exactly why she had felt such a strong need to return to Naboo, although she would never openly admit it. Part of her had accepted the end of the Order, but another part still clung to the small hope that she could still somehow summon enough strength of leadership to change the fate of the Order. Leia was guilty… she had left the Order to fight her own battles at the cost of the well being of the Order. She blamed herself for not being more selfless, it was simply her nature. She should have come back earlier, she could have fixed things… but she hadn’t. She had been negligent. She had abandoned her Jedi.


By mid afternoon the Jedi Masters were in hot debate, and by mid evening The Jedi Order had officially closed its’ doors. Leia quickly discovered that her long absences had not gone unnoticed, and she had quickly become an easy and popular scapegoat for the problems of the Jedi.
<o></o>

Suddenly finding years of hard work rendered meaningless and her relationship with Vodo on frigid terms at best, Leia retreated deep within herself and ultimately found refuge in a bottle of cheap liquor.
<o></o>

She would return to Bonadan defeated. When it came to fighting the Empire, she was always defeated.


Someone would have to take up the flag of the Jedi and help them adjust to their new role in the universe, but Leia no longer believed she was the best person for the job.
<o></o>

Fortunately for Leia, there was another who would not let her wallow ridiculously in self pity for very long. Leia would soon come back to her senses, one way or another...



<o>***</o>

<o></o>

Docking Bay 6920

Main Intersystem Spaceport

Theed, Naboo
<o></o>


Aftermath. Aboard Leia’s ship…


Leia was sprawled out flat on her back in bed, still dressed in the clothes she had worn for the day and reeking strongly of dirty tapcafe. She was in the unconscious state of the heavily intoxicated, snoring lightly as drool ran down one cheek. A herd of bantha could probably have stormed the ship, and Leia never would have stirred.
<o></o>

In the morning she wouldn’t remember how she had managed to get back to her ship, nor recall the shadowy figure that had followed her. Only one thing was certain: she’d have one hell of a hangover, and all there was to look forward to was a hellish journey home.

Theed, Naboo

In all her years as a force wielder, Bella never conjured the scenario of giving Jedi Master Leia Organa a good thrashing. There was always a first for everything, always. It didn't matter if the two had been estranged for.. well, who knew how long now, Bella couldn't recall. Above all else, it certainly didn't matter even if they were the best of friends. A well deserved throttle, was a well deserved throttle. Well, maybe it wasn't a good kick in the behind that Leia needed, but a reality check. Yes, that was it.

.. and who better to give such to her than a long lost friend, who wasn't really lost at all.

Leia Organa was going to receive one heck of a rude awakening.



A little bit of force manipulation went a long way. Granted, it wasn't very 'Jedi like', but that was a title that no longer referred to Bella. Bella was just Bella. Bella said and did as she wanted. Today and for the rest of her life.

With a knack for persuasion, security crew became putty in Bella's hands. Under most normal circumstances, the brown eyed female would not have stooped so low, but drastic times called for drastic measures.

Wouldn't you know, sneaking onto Leia's ship would be the easiest part.

It was Leia who would prove to be a most fruitful challenge for Bella.

She would not give up on Leia, nor would she go down without a fight. Kicking and screaming. Bella would do whatever it took to get Leia on the straight and narrow again. Whatever it took.

Before Bella could deal with Leia, there were a few things she needed to attend to first. Patiently waiting and bidding her time, Bella let her awareness stretch out, seeking the Jedi within her ship. No way was she going to embark upon Leia's ship while she was up and about. Finding the coast to be clear, Leia in an unconscious state, Bella made her move.

Quickly climbing aboard Leia's ship, Bella went about her mental check list. Out cold or not, there was no telling just when Leia would wake up. Bella wanted the ship to be up and out into space before Leia had the chance to give her a good piece of her mind.

There would be enough of an ear full if and when she decided to tell Leia that it had been of her doing to shatter the liquor bottle. Leia had already been slightly inebriated to really want to muster up the effort to do something about Bella's protest. Unfortunately, Bella would have to mention it. The drinking had to go. Leia feeling sorry for herself had to go.

Leia had a great deal to look forward to and although it might seem to Leia like she had every reason under the sun to feel down and out; it just wasn't true. Bella would make her see, one way or another.

Practically sprinting for the master control's of the ship, the blue hooded figure activated the controls that would set the ship ready for takeoff. Once the ship was set safely in the air, Bella blew out a nervous breath. She still had to set tup the coordinates and make the jump into hyperspace.

A trip to Bonadan didn't sound so bad. Yeah, she had Leia covered there, what good of a friend would she have really been to Leia if she didn't bother to know when and where her friend needed to be.

Thirty minutes later, after the jump had been made, Bella made her way back for Leia's bed chambers. She found her long time friend sprawled out wide across her bed, drool seeping down one side of her cheek. It surprised Bella to find Leia snoring. She'd come upon Leia many a time before and had never recognized her to be snoring. She couldn't remember, maybe she had been away longer than she thought.

Shaking her head, and feeling none too pleased with herself for what she was about to do, Bella removed the full yet rather large canteen of water that was laced about her neck. Releasing the top, she moved forward to Leia's bedside. Centering the bottle so that it loomed just a few inches shy of her comrade's face, Bella winced only for a moment as the water began to drench Leia's face.

Well, a friend had to do what a friend had to do.

"Rise and shine cupcake! Rise and shine!" Bella cried out, recognizing what she thought was some sort of movement from Leia.

She pulled back the large hood of her oversized tunic and waited as she stepped back to give Leia some breathing room.

It’s raining!


Alarm coursed through Leia as her body automatically reacted to being doused with cold water, and she was rudely jolted back into a state of consciousness. Sputtering, she turned onto her side to avoid taking any more water to the face and then opened her eyes to see the blurry image of a cabin wall.


It can’t be raining, I’m in bed. My bed. On my ship…

<o></o>
Leia groggily lifted her head to further survey her surroundings, and she jumped again when she noticed the blurry bluish figure standing near the foot of the bed. Her hand reflexively shot for her lightsaber, which was usually stored in a small alcove within easy reach of her bed. It wasn’t there… Bella had expected the saber to be a problem, and she had moved it to a more secure location prior to rousing her friend. Leia’s hand clumsily grabbed empty space and for a moment she lay still, confused and disoriented.
<o></o>

A horrible throbbing headache began to settle deep into Leia’s head. She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position in bed, hoping to clear her senses as she tried to identify the unwelcome intruder in her cabin. The figure made no move to attack or restrain her, and it dimly occurred to Leia that she was not in any immediate danger, other than possibly being attacked by flying water again. If the intruder had meant any harm, she most surely would be suffering it already.

<o></o>
“Wh… who… are you?” Leia stuttered, wiping water from her eyes and squinting to force them into focus. The previous night’s events were slowly coming back to her in pieces, which explained the headache, and the queasy feeling developing in her stomach…
<o></o>

Leia’s vision finally cleared enough for her to get a good look at the intruder’s face. Dark brown hair, familiar features; slightly different from what she remembered, but still easily recognizeable. How could she ever forget? Leia’s heart leapt into her throat.
<o></o>

“Amalia!?” Unaware of the name change, Leia blurted out the name by which she had always known this woman by.

<o></o>
Leia was suddenly flooded with emotion, she had never expected to see her dearest friend again after receiving the news that Amalia had turned towards the Dark Side. She had in fact greatly feared that one day she might have to face Amalia as an enemy…


There was little time for Leia's foggy mind to fully process the reappearance of her old friend, as she suddenly realized that what had leapt into her throat had not in fact been her heart. She pitched forward and vomited the remainder of last night’s dinner onto the floor with little dignity.


Several hours later...


Wrapped in a blanket, Leia was curled up in a chair in the ship's common room. She had been ill most of the morning, and looked tired and miserable. Bella was seated across from her in the small space, patiently keeping silent watch over her friend as Leia suffered the punishment for her previous night's behavior.


They hadn't spoken much, Leia hadn't exactly been in the mood and hadn't even bothered to ask why it felt like the ship was in flight yet. She simply stared at Bella for the longest time, taking comfort in Bella's presence and well being without concerning herself with what her old friend's business here actually was, good or bad. Leia was coming out of her dazed stupor now however, and after some time she finally broke the silence, her voice hoarse.


"You came back... what are you doing with my ship?"

Composed eyes of soft brown watched and observed within utter silence, if only because their owner had nothing good to say, so nothing was said at all.

A carriage of lack of emotion did not mean there was no emotion to be had. Bella was mad. Stark raving mad. Mad because she cared and because she had been gone way too long.

"We're heading to Bonadan, unless of course, I am to err. My judgment, you see.. it's a little off lately."

Previously sitting in a pose which suggested relaxation, suddenly turned into coldness as Bella sat up and forward within her comfortably cushioned seat, her eyes narrowing at Leia. Her voice was even despite the fact that she was personally on edge.

".. but then again, so is yours."

Bella's brow softened, but she still looked anything but relaxed.

"I followed you into the tapcafe yesterday, I was worried about you. I guess from what I seen yesterday, I've got good reason to be, now don't I?"

It was enough to be worried about Leia simply because Bella cared for Leia. As Master and Apprentice the two had created a strong link with one another, but it had grown even stronger when they became friends.

"I wish we'd be seeing one another now under better circumstance, Leia. It's been an awful long time since I've seen you last. I got a little worried about the idea of not being able to remember you, I've been gone so long. I thought that my absence would somehow leave me to not know when you were down and out, happy or sad, glad or mad... any deep personal feeling at all."

Bella shook her head astonished, in some small way, yesterday had washed away those inner fears. Bella still knew her friend, and even though the two had been apart for quite some time, some things still hadn't changed. Something to be glad for.

"I have to say, that what took place yesterday, well, it left me mighty unsatisfied. I'd go so far as to say that it even left me angry. Though I think I made my point pretty clear on that yesterday, and I'm real sorry for the mess."

Bella flashed a light grin, expressing in truth, that she was really anything but sorry. The woman finally leaned back into her seat again, her eyes just a touch darker than they should have been.

"You and I, we're going to become traveling buddies again. It'll be just like the old days. Like two peas in a pod. I sure hope you've missed me, Leia.. we're going to be spending a great deal of time together."

Bella would make it so that Leia never wanted to see or pick up another bottle ever again.

"Says who?" Leia snapped, glaring angrily at Bella. "You just bust your way onto my ship and declare things are going to be like old times? Where have you been?”
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->

Leia's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she began to count off points on one hand.


"The <st1><st1></st1><st1>Republic</st1> </st1>fell, the Empire took over the universe, the Jedi Order fell, I think Vodo has turned towards the dark side, and I am so inept at politics now that my fiancee had to save me from a verbal lashing from Simon Kaine..."


Leia found she had run out of fingers to count on, so she took a breath and jerked her thumb hard into her sternum.


"This is what I am now, Amalia... things have changed. I don't know who you are anymore, and you don't know me."


Leia uncurled herself and rose unsteadily from her chair. After a few unsure moments in which she nearly stumbled and fell right into Bella's lap, Leia finally gained sober control of her balance and began to meander around the room as if she were distractedly looking for something.

<o></o>
Leia and Amalia had so much history together that a full set of holo novels would not have been enough to document everything. For years they had shared the bond of mentor and student, and the even stronger bond of friendship.


The key word being had, of course. Amalia had left everything in her life behind to turn towards the dark side. At first Leia had felt betrayed and abandoned, but eventually the pain had dulled to the grudging acceptance of failure and she had moved on.


A bag that had been pushed out of the way against a nearby wall caught Leia’s attention, and she knelt next to it to sort through the contents. She carefully extracted a shiny cylinder, and turned to face Bella. Pointing the end of the object at Bella, Leia’s grip on it visibly shifted and the purple blade of a lightsaber crackled to life. The severe expression on Leia’s face alone was enough to prove that it had been wise to prevent her from getting her hands on deadly weapons earlier. With the blade occupying the space between them, Leia looked straight into Bella’s eyes for the first time in years.


"Look familiar to you? It should, I've carried it with me ever since you sent it back."
<o></o>

Leia’s grip on the hilt of the saber loosened, and the blade disappeared.
<o></o>

“I don’t care if you’re unsatisfied, you’re the one who left us… you left me. It was probably my fault, but you never said anything you just left. All I’ve had the entire time to remind me is this!”
<o></o>

Leia dejectedly threw the saber, and it hit the floor with the loud clang of metal hitting metal and slid to rest under a nearby chair.


“And you didn’t just leave, you turned towards the dark side! Can’t you imagine how it feels to have to wake up every day wondering if your Padawans might be in danger of being hurt by the return of their own Master? Can you imagine being left in the dark, afraid of the day you’ll be faced with the choice of death or striking down someone you knew as a dearest friend?”
<o></o>

Leia gestured wildly around her, as if to indicate her life.
<o></o>

“I’ll admit it, I ran. I ran to Capricia. So what if it was my duty to act as a Jedi, so what if it was a promise I had made to a friend - it ended up being a convenient place to run. Apparently being ruthlessly tortured by the Yuzzhan Vong was easier for me to deal with than facing you!”

Everything that Bella had been wanting to hear came tumbling out of Leia's mouth. For years she had struggled with the woman who stood before her, trying to get her to share her emotions, to not keep them bottled up inside. Now that the auburn haired beauty had what she wanted, nothing out of the result made her feel any better. Except.. maybe, just maybe, she finally knew how to break down the barriers and find Leia.

No show of emotion scattered across Bella's features, she didn't even move. Her gaze didn't even flinch as Leia strewed her lightsaber across the room. In Bella's mind, the outburst was therapeutic for Leia.

Dark almond shaped brown eyes filled with resolve, knowing that there was plenty to be concealed behind the determination.

"What do you want me to say, Leia? I'm sorry?? Or maybe you want an answer for why I abandoned you and everything else I'd ever known ..."

She scoffed at the idea.

"That's not what you're going to get from me. I did what I had to, to protect you, the order, even my own family. I did what I thought was best, and it was up to you and everyone else to have enough faith in me to know that I would return, that I would come back."

Bella's eyes wavered away from Leia to land toward the vicinity of where the lightsaber fell. A moment's peace of silence before Bella curtly retracted her gaze where it had previously been. Eyes ablaze with wild disgust, Bella's jaw clenched tightly as she shook her head briefly. She spoke, her voice bellowing with passion.

"That saber means just as much to me as the woman who created it for me does, and don't you DARE claim to think any differently, Leia! That instrument is my life! It's a part of everything I stood for, still stand for! A gift given to me by my master, whom I promised responsibility and duty to!"

She silently wondered what was so hard for Leia to understand when it came to desiring to leave her saber behind.

It took Bella only but a moment to center herself, but she had to cast her eyes away from Leia while she focused, bringing her stare back up when she found herself collected again. The speed in which Bella drew from one emotion to the next was easy and all too familiar for her, but not for her friend.

"I didn't want to tarnish the weapon's value, Leia. I was naive and foolish in my thoughts back then, but I know differently now. I should have taken it with me, but I'm glad I didn't. You had to know I'd come back for it, Leia, and I guess that's what I wanted you to realize. I wanted you to hang on to hope. No matter what happened to me, I wanted you to hang on to the idea that I would come back."

Reaching out with her left hand, eyes still fixated upon Leia, Bella called her lightsaber to her hand. The feel of the weapon within her grasp was not only how she remembered it to be, but better.

"I cannot change what went wrong, Leia. I cannot go back and undo the mistakes I made. It's in the past, we're not. We're still here. I came back, and here is where I am right now. It's the past that helped me to get here, every action I took that preceded before this moment. If I had done something the least bit differently, who knows where I would be now. Maybe I wouldn't be here with you now. Maybe I wouldn't be sitting here trying to stop you from making, what I currently feel, is a big mistake. Maybe you'd be left here sitting by yourself right about now, drowning away your sorrows and regrets in another bottle. I don't know, and I don't care. I don't care about what ifs, or the maybes, I care about what is. Right here, right now."

Bella stood up from her seat only to clip her saber to her utility belt that was hidden behind her lightblue oversized tunic.

"We're going to stick together because that's what friends do, Leia. Through thick and thin, through good and bad times. If you've got a problem with me sticking around, well, that's just too bad, because I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."