Disclaimer: I do not own SW. (Surprise!)


My name is Faith and I survived Empire Day. The war had been on for three frightful, exhausting years, and it ended rather explosively. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine declared himself emperor. He had always appeared to be a great leader, but there was something fishy about him, something even someone as woefully average as me could feel. I suppose we pathetic beings are more gullible than we thought.

The Jedi Order turned on the republic and attempted to take over. Fortunately, our clone army managed to get things under control and neutralize them. That's what they tell us, at least, which is a load of bantha crap. I could be labeled a traitor for even saying these things – so much for freedom of speech – but this new Empire can kiss my scrawny white rear end for all I care.

What I'm trying to say is that there is no way that could be true. If the Jedi really had been trying to take over, they would have done it years ago. Why now? I'd say they'd have been at a disadvantage now that the war had them scattered in every corner of the galaxy. I know for certain that Lani would never have taken part in such a thing. She was always the righteous one.

Then there's the fact that I was there. I could see the smoke billowing from the temple. Convenient, isn't it, that they never left the place? I watched the clone troopers literally turn on them and shoot them down. Watched them shoot her down. I got caught in the crossfire.

I want to cling to a feeble hope that Lani somehow survived, but even she is not immortal. The dreadful image won't stop flashing in my eyes. It hasn't given me respite since that day. Lani, sprawled on the hot, sooty, bloodstained concrete, her graceful body charred and broken, her pale, slender limbs dislocated, her elegant face marred by slashes and bruises, weeping thin lines of blood…the bleeding sun searing my face…I wish she had been born as ordinary as me.

I left Coruscant shortly afterward. I never liked the place, and it did not get any more pleasant after the war. Security was tighter, for one thing, and there was this…feeling hanging in the air. It was a desolation that smothered everything like some vile dark shroud. Coruscant just wasn't home anymore.

I packed my bags and got my butt to Alderaan. I found a rather nice place in the outskirts of Aldera. It's a medium-sized flat with a nice colour scheme on the walls and a huge window, giving one a full view of the nature outside. Yes, nature! It's quite a refreshing sight after an entire lifetime (twenty-nine years, to be exact) of dusty, grimy spires and far too much metal for my taste. The buildings here are smooth white, you can see the sun and you can see plenty of green outside.

There is a down side. This place is quite expensive. Fortunately, I have a considerable stash of money to get me through life – lot of good it will do me now – until I find another job. Unfortunately, it was through a mutually beneficial agreement that I decided to share this apartment with a complete stranger. For some odd reason, probably Empire-related, this rather neutral planet has attracted quite a few immigrants. Here at the capital, places to stay are scarce and, as I mentioned, pricey, so it was a smart choice. I think.

All I know about my future flatmate is that he's an attractive human male some five years my senior, coming from Coruscant as well, from the same district, in fact. We were on the same transport en route to Alderaan. He looked as tired, alone and stressed out as I felt, so I started a tentative, polite conversation, which led to our little agreement. He had some business to take care of, so he's only arriving here sometime today.

oOo

"Come in…This is as much your house as it is mine. Whoever left here seem to have left some furniture behind – looks like someone was in a hurry – but we'll still have to go shopping." I hoped he was better at decorating than I was. As if in response, he smirked, but that expression did not belong on his face. His…Who was he, again?

"I'm sorry, I…I forgot your name." And what a wonderful beginning that was. He offered another small smile that just did not look right. And he paused; why did he pause?

"Garen Muln," There was a hollowness in his eyes, but it quickly faded.

"Pleased to meet you, Faith." I could feel my face heating up. Yes, a wonderful start. He had remembered my name, but I could hear a tinge of irony in the word Faith. This time, he had not bothered to force a smile. I felt the indignation burning in my cheeks – what had I done to deserve his sarcasm?

I swallowed my humiliation and disappeared into the kitchen to make some caf. We sat down to discuss the fine print, but that eventually led to that horrible form of conversation we call small talk. The silence was too oppressive and I had to say something, so, typical of me, I blurted out the most tactless thing that could have slipped from my mouth.

"So, why are you here?"

"I don't know. I never did like existential questions."

Again with that sickly grin, but this time it was almost genuine. Either he was getting better at this or he was dropping the façade. Nevertheless, I giggled like an idiot and the ice was broken.

I almost saw some life flood back into his pale, drawn face. If I didn't know better, I'd say he looked a lot like General Kenobi without the beard. A profound sadness filled me as I realized that the man had died with all the others. Had he died fighting, like Lani? Did someone cry for him as I cried for Lani?

I suppressed a shiver and pushed the thoughts away. The pain only came when there was a thought to dredge it up.

"Smartass. I worked at a government research lab before…well, before. Interesting job, and well paid. I'm not trying to be political, but there's no way in hell I'm working for them. It's just..." I wanted to throw myself onto him and cry my eyes out. His eyes were mirrors.

"I know," Do you know death? Do you know the emptiness? Do the battered corpses of your loved ones haunt you? He looked dead again. His eyes were sunken pits of nothing. It was irrational, but I felt responsible. But he couldn't hear my thoughts. Only Lani could do that.

The silence strangled us both. There was a gloom that hung in the air, and the brilliant fake smile I flashed did nothing to dispel it.

"I'm a wanted criminal."

I hoped he was not being serious.