Ryli pushed her short black hair out of her eyes, gazing at the sky. The stars seemed to twinkle and she sighed happily from her perch in the tree. Someday, someday I'll do nothing but fly a ship up there.

"Ryli!" a voice called from far away. She ignored it. "Ryli!"

The stars called to her, she felt. There was something more out there, something she was supposed to do. Her life would never be planet bound again soon.

"Ryli!" her twin stared up through the branches at her.

"Go away, Imina," she said.

"What happened today?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You're never in the tree unless something happens."

"I'm always in the tree."

Imina started to climb herself. Ryli sighed.

"Ry, there's blood on your clothes..."

"I'm fine, 'Mina." She was the strong one. Her delicate sister with the long hair and the smile that had every boy in the settlement crushing on her couldn't deal with today, not after everything else. "I got the shuttle passes."

Nima's face lit up. "So we're out of here?"

"Yup, we're gone. Shuttle leaves tomorrow."

"Oh Ry..." Her face fell, "What'd you do to get them?"

"Whatever it takes, 'Mina," Ryli said, her voice not allowing further discussion.

"Ryli, you don't always have to protect me. I've got to be able to protect myself someday."

"I'll always be with you, so you're fine." She looked over at her sister, her eyes soft. "Don't worry."

"I do worry though. You're all I have, Ry. Don't go too far, okay?"

Ryli's eyes froze and knew she couldn't keep the coldness from her voice. "There's no such thing as too far to get out of here, 'Mina."

They sat silently on the branch together.

"So where are we heading?" said Imina excitedly.

"Coruscant, actually," grinned Ryli as Imina squealed.

A female voice bellowed their names from far away. They both flinched involuntarily.

"One more night," murmured Ryli.

"Let's spend it in the tree! To say goodbye!"

Ryli smiled at her sister and reached over, tucking a strand of Imina's hair behind her ear.

"We can't do that."

Imina sighed and scooted over to lay her head on Ryli's shoulder, "Happy Birthday, Ry."

"Happy Birthday, 'Mina."

The blood lay heavy on Ryli's shirt and pants, but she looked at the stars and dreamed of a different life.