Chapter 1

The stars shone in the thousands, wrapping around the bridge of the Arquitens-class light cruiser. A gorgeous sight that would catch even the most experienced space travelers gazing at it from time to time. The bridge was bustling with activity, with personnel of the Grand Army of the Republic going about their jobs.

In the center of them stood a girl clad in red and black Mandalorian armor, hints of silver highlighting the darker features. Her hair was black with red tips, and it fell just below her shoulders, straight as a pin. A box hung from her lower back along with two Wester 35 blasters, one on her right and left leg. She also wore a small red cloak, which hung down to her elbows. There were small tears, with patches over the largest ones, having seen many years of use on the road.

She stood out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the workers on the bridge, all with new uniforms that shone with the stars. It seemed not to matter as none of them seemed to pay her much mind. So she was left to her own devices, gazing up at the stars which reflected themselves in her pure, silver eyes.

"You seem happy." A voice spoke up from the rear of the room. The girl turned to see a tall older man clad in tan robes and a brown cloak. The hilt of a bladeless sword swung from his hip as he walked to join the girl.

"Why wouldn't I be? I'm finally going home, it's been such a long time," she said, smiling wistfully, as the man stopped to stand beside her. "I only wish the slip didn't have to be so picky about when it appeared."

"This is the way it seems to be. I mean, we still don't know how you showed up on my ship all those years ago." He chuckled, clasping his hands, which were covered by the sleeves of his cloak, in front of him.

The two stood there smiling, silently recollecting memories of the past. The good, the bad, the ugly. It had been a bloody war but it was finally coming to an end.

"You sure you don't need me to help with Grievous?" she asked, her face taking on a look of concern for her friend.

"Ruby, you and I both know the war is almost over. I can handle the master clanker." He said with a confidence that could only be backed up by experience. "Besides, if you don't make it through the slip now, you may not go home for many more years."

"I know Obi, I'm just concerned. I feel like I'm leaving you all to fend for yourselves." Ruby said, crossing her arms in thought, eyebrows coming together in a wrinkle. The man simply smiled, before pulling a long, thin box from his sleeve. He held it out toward the armored girl.

"What's this?"

"A going-away present. We couldn't let you leave without something to remember us by." He said, gently placing the box in her open hand. She smirked, giving him a sideways look before opening the box.

Inside was a crimson ornate cylinder that had a steel loop on one end and a red button with a rose engraved on its face. Halfway up the cylinder from the loop. Its ornate design was a white inlay of vines over the crimson steel with black leaves and golden flowers. It was the weapon of the Jedi.

A lightsaber.

"But I never joined the order, you know I could never understand the code. Let alone support it." Ruby said in confusion looking at the Jedi Master in front of her.

"That may be so, but you are still one of the most gifted people I know in the force. Even if you aren't the strongest, besides the Kyber crystal in that saber was found by you. It only seems fitting that we fulfilled its purpose." He responded, leaving no room for argument.

Ruby just stared at the saber, it was true the Kyber Crystal in the saber, she could feel it. It was calling for her, even after she gave it up with her decision not to join the order. Pulling the saber out of the box, she let it rest in her hands, its weight not feeling at all unfamiliar. The saber was made for her.

She stepped back a little before igniting the blade. The familiar hum of a saber filled her ears and the sight of a pure silver-white blade stood tall in front of her. A color she didn't think could come from her crystal.

"The color is unique, we think when you found the Kyber crystal your Aura blended with it. Leading to a change in the crystals' nature, the blade burns calmer than any other I've seen." The Jedi Master said, smiling at the sight.

Ruby smirked before extinguishing the blade, it was a perfect gift.

"Thank you Master Obi-Wan. I will cherish this gift for as long as I live." Ruby said bowing toward the Master. Smiling, he bowed in response.

"General, we are coming up on the slip ETA till closure one hour." An officer said from one of the terminals.

"That's your cue, young one, it's time you saw your home again." Obi-Wan said. The girl ran up to him latching on to him in a hug.

"I will never forget you, or the rest of my friends that I've made." Ruby said her face was buried in the Jedi's chest.

"I didn't think you would, now go we can't have you miss your chance."

With that, the two parted, the girl leaving toward the hangar and the man staying standing on the bridge. Their goodbye was short, but it held all the feelings in the galaxy.

POV Ruby

I sat in my starfighter, flicking a couple of switches here and there. I had already left the hangar on the cruiser, which had already turned and left for its mission. They were only dropping me off after all.

In front of me was a slight line, barely visible in the vacuum of space. It was the slip back to my home solar system. I was finally going home after all these years, I couldn't wait to see the others. The only thing was I didn't know what happened after the war with Salem.

I knew she was dead because I had brought her with me. It turned out, being off the planet caused her curse to break. Soon after arriving in the middle of that ship a bolt from a blaster brought her to her end. I don't even think it was aimed at her, I mean the ship was about to blow up. The droids also don't care who they kill.

I was sure the world thought me dead, so this was going to make for an interesting reunion, to say the least. Gods, how was that going to work?

Shaking my head I pushed all of those problems to the back burner. Right now it was time to get home.

Grabbing my helmet from its resting place beside my seat. I put it on before typing in my final adjustments to the Navi computer.

"R5, lock our course it time for you to see my home." I told my astromech. I had tried to name him other than his unit type but nothing had stuck. He responded with some beeps, before I started the engines and shot into the slip.

It was time to go home.