Lysira sat there, eyes closed, feeling every movement, action, and thought that went on in the Ebon Hawk. Suddenly she felt someone approaching. Immediately she knew who it was.
"Why did you try to save her?" Atton asked. She breathed in and out slowly and calmly, knowing this question was bound to arise sometime.
"I loved her." She said simply. She felt anger rise in him. "Loved her? She manipulated you!"
He had to look closely to see her nod. "I know," She whispered. "But she was aways there. Always. And the thing is, her goals she achieved through me weren't evil. Not truly."
He scowled at the back of her head. "Besides," She started, eyes still closed. "Her goals and your goals weren't that different." She opened her eyes and turned to face him; still sitting. "Your objective is to protect me. Her goal was to protect me at all costs. Even the death of the Galaxy." He almost said that he would let the galaxy die too, for her; but stopped. Would he?
"She hated The Force. She absolutely hated it. And if I'm not mistaken, Atton, you hate it as well."
She stared into his soul more and more with every word she spoke. She stood up and prepared herself to leave. "I don't believe there isn't hope for one such as you. But I won't stand by while there are chores to be done. We're almost to Dantooine. There, I will drop off you, Visas, Mical, Mira, and Bao-Dur." She stopped at the door and turned back to look at him. "You know what has to be done, don't you?"
He looked at her solemnly, knowing she knew he didn't like the task she was giving him. "Good. Gather the others. I need to debrief them on what has to be done." She turned to leave again.
His face returned to a scowl. "He already knows, doesn't he?"
She didn't even look at him. "Of course." And with that she was gone.
+*.*.*+
"I've called you five here to tell you what I need you to do for me." Lysira said. "With all of the remaining members of the old Jedi Council deceased, there's no choice but to rebuild a new one. And I want you five to be the ones to initiate this quest. I must go elsewhere for the time being, and when I return, I expect The Order to be rebuilt."
No one said anything.
"I don't approve of what she did to you, General." Bao-dur said, suddenly. All eyes were focused on Lysira.
Lysira's cold determination didn't steer once from her face. "I don't need your approval, Tech. I only need your cooperation."
Bao-Dur said nothing in response. He knew full well that right now she was on auto-pilot, something she did often in the war. There would be no stopping whatever she wanted to be done.
Lysira looked back at the rest of the crew. "You have your mission's. I have mine." Her eyes fanned the people surrounding the debriefing room before landing on Atton. "You all have approximately four hours until we reach Dantooine. There I will drop you all off and leave to go conquer my own mission."
"What about Mandalore?" Mira asked. Her shining emerald eyes held curiosity and peace, something that had become common after her Force Sensitivity had been indulged. It was a large improvement from when Lysira first met her.
"Mandalore has agreed to create an army while in wait until I return."
Atton raised a hand as if to physically stop the conversation. "Wait a minute. An army? What the hell are you expecting to find out there?"
Lysira frowned at him. "It is of no concern to you."
Atton looked at her incredulously, anger and fury mixed in with the brew of emotions. He glared at her. "Oh? But I'm sure you've already told goody-goody, haven't you." He accused, pointedly jabbing a hand in the direction of Mical.
Lysira closed her eyes and shook her head in what appeared to be disappointment.
At the same time she did this, Mical spoke up for himself. "Atton, surely you don't think that."
Atton turned to glare at him. "Damn right I do. I know there's been someth-"
"Hate to interrupt your seething, but where exactly are you going?" Mira interjected, seemingly ignoring Atton or Mical.
Lysira looked at her crew of five with a burning passion none of them had ever seen before. Face set in determination, destiny set in motion, she answered:
"It does not matter where I go. It is not the destination that matters. It is the journey."