Warning: This chapter may contain sensitive content that's not comfortable for some readers. I've put a *** to mark where that part begins and ends.

So, what was your life before? (Interlude)

Your origins don't define you

"Ha!" A youngling propelled off the Temple wall towards Aliyah.

His lightsaber in hand.

Aliyah dodged it with ease. The youngling, a little Rhodian, stumbled upon landing on the ground.

From the sidelines, his two classmates charged in. Synchronizing their attacks to knock Aliyah off balance.

But she blocked their attacks with her lightsaber. Then countered with a Force push.

The Rhodian got back to his feet. He saw his classmates, a female Gungan and a male human, get knocked back. That made him more determined.

"Come on, guys! Let's get serious!" He encouraged them.

"Right!" His classmates agreed.

Aliyah smiled as she put her lightsaber away, levelling the playing field a little. She's ready to defend herself against these three young challengers.

The younglings commenced the fight. They were careful to avoid Aliyah's Force pulls and pushes. And at the same time, they launched an endless wave of lightsaber jabs at her blindsides.

From above, Steele watched with interest. The Gungan girl plants a close strike at Aliyah's head.

"Close one!" She praised.

By now, the younglings have found a potential path to victory. They're trying to ruin her concentration since her primary offense right now was the Force.

Though they've discovered a weakness, the younglings were beginning to tire. But they still weren't willing to give up.

With the direction of the Rhodian, they launched one last all-out attack. It was coordinated and well-timed.

But it wasn't enough.

Aliyah disarmed them one by one, and then carefully Force pushed them away. She tightened the rope belt around her waist.

"Not bad, kids." She went up to lend a hand. "Anyone hurt?"

"No…" The Rhodian groaned as Aliyah helped him up. "So, do we pass?"

Aliyah looked at the two other younglings. Then looked up, and saw Steele.

He tapped his wrist to say it's time to go. Aliyah nodded.

"I'll let you guys know later." She waved them goodbye.

Steele waited until she reached his side. Then they began walking away together.

"What's the update?" She asked.

"Some folks at the Senate don't like Dogma's last report," Steele revealed.

"Sigh. Are you kidding me?"

"I wish I was. Anyways, I tried handling the situation but man they're stubborn! Why is it that politicians are always on either end of the spectrum but never in between?"

Aliyah waved her hand. "It's fine, you did enough. Take a rest, I'll handle these stubborn sons of banthas."

"Thanks," Steele looked behind them at the place where Aliyah was fighting the younglings. "By the way, why were you with those kids?"

"Plo says I should start looking for a Padawan. So I am."

Oh no. Steele started sweating. "So are any of them showing potential? Should I tell the boys to start expecting a little one soon?"

"Yes."

"What?!"

"Just kidding."

"That wasn't funny."

Aliyah chuckled. "Well, don't worry. I don't feel emotionally ready to take a kid to war yet. But when I do, I'll make sure to put them with you for initiation."

Steele sighed. "Well, as long as they don't ask me a billion questions."

The ride to the Senate building wasn't long. But Steele wished it was. He never liked that place anyways. Aliyah saw that and decided to not make him go inside.

"Wait for me, I shouldn't be long," she told him once they arrived.

"Where should I wait?"

"Why not tour around the neighbourhood? Enjoy the sights?" She shrugged before disappearing into the building.

Steele turned around. The entire city suddenly seemed bigger. He doesn't come to Coruscant often. But when he does, he never seems to be ready for it.

"Let's see, where to start?"

Several minutes later…

Steele has finished visiting the final store on the block. He left with a bunch of flyers and samples. Just like he did with all the previous stores.

"Please come again!"

"Thanks for shopping here!"

"Would you like to try our deluxe one of a kind—"

"—One taste of this spirit. And your senses will explode!"

Those were all the responses he got during this little trip. Everyone was so eager to please him. To sell him something that doesn't seem particularly useful.

Is this the kind of life these civilians live? The kind of life we're fighting to protect?

He sat down on a bench just across from the Senate building. The surrounding area was filled with young families and kids.

Two kids, a Twi'lek boy and girl, went up to him.

"Mister, are you a clone?" The girl asked.

Steele looked around to see if their parents are nearby. But no adult came up behind them. So he assumed it's fine to start a conversation.

"Yes, I am."

"Really?" The girl beamed. She grinned at the boy. "See, brother? I told you we'd meet one here."

"You wanted to meet a clone?" Steele was curious. "Why?"

"She has this really weird question that only a clone can answer." The boy rolled his eyes.

"It's not weird!" The girl insisted. "Mister, I was wondering. Um, how were you made?"

The boy's right. That is a really weird question. But Steele answered it anyway. "In breeding tanks."

"What's a breeding tank?"

"A place where clones like me develop."

"So it's like a place made by your parents?"

Steele internally laughed at the kid's innocence. "No, we don't have parents."

The girl looked sad. "Oh. Then who takes care of you?"

"The Kaminoans."

"Do they make you go to school and do homework? And ground you when you do bad stuff?"

"Haha, kind of." Steele's commlink beeped. Aliyah must've finished her talk. "Sorry, kids. I need to go now."

"To do soldier stuff?" The boy asked.

"More or less."

"Did you always know you wanted to do that kind of stuff?" The girl asked.

That caught Steele off-guard. He strung together a quick, decent answer. "I didn't have a choice. It's what I was born for."

"Lucky," the girl sighed. "I wish I had something I was born for. Then I wouldn't have to go through the work of studying and figuring out what I wanted."

Steele's commlink beeped again. He walked out of the area. Once he got the Senate, he saw Aliyah was already outside waiting for him.

By then, the words from little girl had penetrated into him.

"Well, it was hard, it was nerve-wracking, but I managed to convince them Dogma didn't intentionally break the protocol that said if circumstances occur where he is separated from us or a soldier of 1-year experience, he should prioritize regrouping with the legion."

"What? He broke a protocol?" Steele asked, though sounding a bit distant.

"Back on Alderaan, when Kal and the rescue squad were incapacitated by Zas's grenade? Dogma was left with no viable supervisor, but instead of regrouping with us, he chose to go save Senator Christo. Thus, breaking one of the many protocols listed for him. That's what those damn Senators chose to focus on, not the fact that he saved the life of one of their colleagues! Can you believe it? Dogma's been nothing but great since joining us!"

"Yeah," Steele nodded. "He takes pride in being a soldier."

"Don't we all?"

"'We', general?" Steele raised a brow. "Aren't Jedi supposed to be peacekeepers?"

Aliyah pursed her lips. "That's the image the Council so desperately wants to keep up. But if you ask anyone from here to Tatooine, they'll tell you Jedi are soldiers. Fighting for the Republic."

The question from the little Twi'lek girl was still stuck in Steele's head. The one where she asked if he didn't do anything else other than this job.

He decides not to bring it up until they've reached the Jedi Temple's info room. Minutes pass by, and the pair finally reach there.

They enter the room, with Aliyah walking in front. She was wholly focused on rewriting Dogma's report. But Steele's mind was elsewhere.

He brings up the bothersome question. "General, what do you call someone who's dedicated their entire life to doing just one job?"

"Admirable," Aliyah answered as she continued typing away on her datapad. "Give me a sec, I need to revise Dogma's report right now."

So Steele gave her a second. And a bit more. Then Aliyah asked, "Any more questions?"

"Yes. Is my life admirable?"

Aliyah looked up from the datapad to focus on Steele. He further explained.

"Not just mine. But all of my brothers? I mean—we don't have any other life, but this. From the day we're created to the day we die. It's fight, serve, obey. Nothing else came before that."

Aliyah put down the datapad. She wondered what happened while she was gone to cause him to think that.

Oh well, whatever it was. She needs to remove that self-doubt.

"From the day you were created, it's fight, serve, obey. But after that, it's so much more. Your origins don't define you." Aliyah returned to working on the datapad.

That did put some ease in Steele. But a part of him knows that he'll never know what it's like to be normal. To actually have a choice in his life's purpose. Instead of leaving things to fate.

After all, it was fate that paired him with General Krell initially. But it was also fate that brought in General Korentayer.

Speaking of which…Jedi also don't have a lot of choice in their lives. But at the very least, they had something before they dedicated themselves to this Order…including Aliyah…

"General?"

"Yes?" Aliyah replied without looking up from the datapad.

"You said that origins don't define who you are."

"That's right."

"So, what was your life before?"

Aliyah froze. She dropped the datapad. It clattered loudly against the floor. A choked whimper escaped from her throat, causing her to cover her mouth.

Tears streamed down her face.

Steele was at a complete loss.

His general—who's been through life-or-death situations by the hundreds—who always handled tough calls with ease—is crying.

A Jedi.

Crying.

The first thing Steele did, was lock the door. He didn't want anyone else coming in at this time. The next thing he did, was rush up to his general and wrap his arms around her.

Protocols be damned.

"Hey, it's ok. It's ok." His voice shaking as he spoke. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that. I'm so sorry."

Aliyah didn't say anything. She wrapped her arms tightly around him. Her cries became muffled against his shoulder.

For a while, they just stood there. Holding each other. While Aliyah cried and Steele apologized.

"I'm sorry…"

The skies of Coruscant dimmed, marking the beginning of the evening. It was still bright when Steele accompanied Aliyah from the Senate to the Temple info room.

That's how much time had passed.

Steele was now standing silently against the wall of a private den near the Temple hangar. Aliyah was sitting at a table in front of him.

"Steele…"

He went up to her. "Do you, uh…want to talk now?"

He had no idea what he was doing. Usually, she's the one comforting him. Now the tables have turned.

Aliyah nodded. "But first. I'm sorry for making a scene back there. I probably made you very uncomfortable and it wasn't my intention. I just…I guess I let my emotions get the better of me."

That's rare for Jedi. Should I be concerned? Steele thought as he took a seat across from her. "It's fine. You should do that more often."

"Only away from the sight of the Council," Aliyah rubbed her eyes. "Anyways, thanks for being so understanding thus far."

"I learned from the best."

***Sensitive content begins***

That brightened Aliyah's expression a tiny bit. "You asked me what my life was before becoming a Jedi." She took a deep breath. "I used to be part of a powerful crime group. They're not as well-known as say, the Hutts or Black Sun, but they're just as dangerous, if not more. They'd commit crimes using infants and young children. Basically luring in victims under a false sense of security. Because no one would suspect a criminal if they had kids with them."

"...How old were you…?" Steele asked.

"Young enough to be accepted into the Jedi. Old enough to remember the things I've witnessed. Things ranging from torture, trafficking, and sometimes, murder." Aliyah's voice was barely above a whisper.

"You weren't involved in any of that, were you…?"

"No. I was put out in specific places for kind adults to find me or for kids my age to play with me. Eventually, one or more group members would come out and act as my guardian and one way or another, take those people in as victims. The victims were always placed in this special room for a few days. During those days, the entire place would echo with muffled screams and cries. Then it'd stop. Those victims were never seen again. And I was taken outside to repeat the process. For a while, I…I thought that's how everybody lived."

Steele lost his voice. He was absolutely horrified.

Aliyah clenched her jaw before continuing. "But the worst part is when they take me to other kid victims, I think they wanted me to make them stop crying. Those kids were nice, I actually liked some of them. They didn't deserve to suffer. And it dawned on me that the things this group does, were wrong. Everytime the kids were taken away, I'd get awful nightmares about them going through abominable situations. That was the first sign of me being Force-sensitive. And then came the unexplained levitation and moving of keycards, blindfolds, ropes, basically anything that's linked to victims suffering. I didn't want to feel guilty for doing nothing, but I still couldn't save them."

Swallowing hard, Steele spoke. "How did you end up leaving that group?"

"I was put out again to lure in nice people. This time, the 'nice people' was a Jedi Master. He noticed I was Force-sensitive and wanted to take me. But the members I was with thought they could make a huge profit off of him. So they took him back, he sensed something was wrong, there was a fight, and he won. Then he called the authorities and they discovered the rest of the child accomplices. Unfortunately, the head of the group managed to escape and has not been caught to this day. But the children were freed along with the victims who weren't taken away yet. And I was brought here to start a new life as a Jedi."

"Which leads to where you are now," Steele finished.

"Yes, but my struggles didn't end after leaving the crime group. Life as a youngling was strange. I was afraid of making friends, thinking they'd meet the same fate as all my other 'friends' from before. A lot of Masters were afraid that the horrors I've seen would pave a pathway to the Dark Side. But I didn't understand any of that Force shenanigans. I didn't care. I just wanted someone to teach me what's right from wrong. That's when Plo Koon came in." Aliyah smiled fondly. "I owe him so much."

"He taught you how life worked?"

"And more," Aliyah added. "Once I became his Padawan, I made a goal to myself to always help out those who are suffering in silence. Just like the victims whose lives I indirectly ruined. But then the war started. And I was forced to accept the reality that I can't save everyone. At first, I assumed it was because I couldn't think like a military soldier…like Wolffe, whose tactics and skills saved countless lives, even earning immediate respect from Plo. It made me admire him but also envy him."

"You were jealous of Wolffe?" Steele was incredulous.

"For a time, yes. He had the power to save those around him and I wanted that. But eventually, I realized the only reason I wanted that is because I didn't want to feel guilty, not because I wanted to save lives. It was that moment, where I forced myself to stop being selfish, and start being more altruistic. I took notes of battle strategies and results, I improved my camaraderie with the rest of the battalion, I strived to pass my trials. Which got my knighted and brought me to you. Seeing the abominable situation you and your men were going through…I wasn't going to do nothing anymore. Not when I finally have the power to save lives, and for the proper reasons too."

It all came full circle to Steele.

***Sensitive content end***

For a couple of minutes, he didn't know what to say. "Well…sigh, well."

"That bad, huh?"

"Extremely."

After a moment, Aliyah asked. "Are you disillusioned with me?"

"I'm amazed." Steele answered almost immediately. "You went through all that and survived, better yet, you never gave it a chance to takeover your life. You amaze me."

When Aliyah didn't respond, Steele added. "Just a few hours ago, you told me 'your origins don't define you'. You can't just make up something and apply that to everyone but yourself. It's not fair."

Aliyah looked down at the table for some time. Then she looked up and smiled. "I'm really glad to have met you."

No. I'm the one who's glad to have met you.

That evening, Steele boarded the destroyer to Kamino with a strange feeling. He couldn't quite place it.

It wasn't until they entered lightspeed that he realized what this feeling was. He chuckled painfully at it.

"I give up. I give up."

So, what was your life before?: End

Review responses~

KarajeJinsta: Thank you! Writing Dogma is a joy, I love giving characters like him a redemption! It's kind of a thing of mine. I take villains or morally grey characters and flesh them out more! Well, with the exception of Krell, whose actions I gave some reason to, but not a lot. But anyways! I'm glad you're liking my treatment of Dogma so far! I have much more for him in later arcs! :)

Starpottergeek: Thank you! Makes my day! :)

Akira-Hayama: Dogma's development is definitely going to be one of the things I'll be focusing on later in this story. I like how you noticed Padme's compassion! I agree, it's a sweet moment. She's always been one of my favourite characters. It's sad the films weren't able to do her much justice though. And no, the 'As long as you can give me' wasn't a LOTR reference. Just a surprising coincidence. :)

Rebiele: I'm glad you liked my trial for Dogma and the last one-shot featuring him! And yeah, when that moment comes, it'll be sad. I can't reveal much on how I'll handle it. Sorry. :)

ZmbMadragon: Wow, thank you for giving my story a chance! I'm glad you got more interested the more you read! And I'm glad you like my development of Steele and Aliyah's relationship. I personally never liked those tropes you mentioned much, so I try to avoid them as best as I can! Thanks for reading this far! :)

Femke-the-lotus: 'Go Dogma' indeed! He's better than those who can't let go of grudges. It's not easy to be the bigger person, but hey, he did it. And he'll be going further as my story progresses. Steele still remembers the nickname, but there's no time for jokes during battle, lol. Thanks for understanding if I need a hiatus. It means a lot to me! :)

Rudy: Thank you! Thank you! I'm doing my best! I hope you keep reading! :)

General Harpoon: Oh wow! Sorry for ruining your sleep! But still, I'm flattered you binge-read my story all the through! I hope you stick with me! :)

A/N. Thank you all for the reviews, favs, and follows so far! Next chapter is the final chapter in Interlude. It's an important one since I'll be including a very important note at the end of it. So I hope you all read it!

See you all next time! :)

- MiraLake