Merry Christmas, Everyone!" I say, wearing a simple, red turtleneck and a black skirt, "This is 'Question Corner' and I'm your host, Kale. We've prepped Steela a little early, so you all won't have to wait so long, but be kind. She just came out of a coma," I flash a wink to the audience for a second, before I point to my right and say, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Steela Gerrera. Freedom fighter and renowned hero of Onderon!"

Steela came up the steps and shook my hand. It was a lot more easier to convince her of a coma than Satine; because the last place she remembers is the battle-zone, and those kind of accidents happened all the time. All she needed to know now was that Onderon had been freed from King Rash, and her brother Saw wasn't here because he had to attend some business on Onderon.

"Thank you for coming, Steela." I shake her hand and offer her a chair.

"Thank you." Laying her ankle on her knee, she leaned into the chair. Looking about the room, she added, "I remember hearing about this show, but I never thought I'd actually be invited to come on." She still had on her Rebel's gear, but had chooses to leave the goggles back stage.

I grabbed the deck of questions as I replied, "You're a leader and a hero now, Steela. Everyone's got something they've been dying to ask you. Ready to begin?"

"Yes."

"Okay," I picked up the first card, "'TolkienGirl052' asks you, 'How did it feel to know that the resistance was really starting to make a difference on Onderon? Did you ever have any doubts?'"

"It was amazing feeling. To know that everyone worked together as one unit and was even capable of making the smallest dent in King Rash's rule made it all worth it. I don't recall many doubts. I was confident that if it was done just right, we could make a difference."

"'Weathergirl17248' asks, 'Was it hard starting a defiance, and knowing it might not work out?'"

"Yes." She nodded. Her hair bobbing up and down in the movement, "Even the simplest of things in life can be scary if you've never done it before, and this was beyond all of us. We were just people wanting justice, far from any soldier, but we made a difference despite our odds."

I grabbed another card, "'Ahsokatano191' asks, 'What are your feelings on Onderon being liberated?"

"Actually, I just found that out recently." She laughed.

"This is true," I laughed, "How did it feel, waking up and finding out about Onderon?"

"I'm not going to lie. I went from being in the middle of a battlefield to suddenly waking up in your medbay, so hearing the war was over within a blink of an eye was actually weird."

"You did look a little shocked." I agreed, before reading, "'Jedi-TARDIS-Chick101' asks, 'How did you become so involved with the Rebellion on Onderon?'"

"Oh, that was Saw's idea." Her mouth spread out into a grin, "He was one of the originals in the rebel group, but I wasn't about to let him have all the fun."

I grabbed another card, "'Captainrexbest35' asks you, 'On a scale of one to ten, how awesome was Rex's teachings?"

She mulls over this for a few seconds and then says, "I believe...ten, considering his skills and the Jedi's saved our lives."

"Makes sense." I read, "'Dark Angel' wants to know how good was your relationship with Lux Bonteri?'" Steela blushed at this. Casting her eyes down to the floor as she pushed some fly-away behind her ear, she replied, "I don't know about that."

"Oh, come on." I rolled my eyes and pointed at her with my cards in hand, "You know what we're talking about."

She sucked in a breath and expelled it as her eyes went from the audience to me, "Well...it's not something I should be talking about, especially on TV."

My shoulders slumped, "Yeah, alright. I won't push. Maybe, you'll be able to talk about given some time, of course." I waited a few seconds before I blurted, "How about now?"

"Kale." She gave me a look that made me hold up my hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay. Again, I won't push." I gestured to the red curtain and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome our evening entertainment. 2-2-7!" The curtain raised and the droid walked up to the mic. Wearing a red and green bow tie that light up like a Christmas tree. He wore it proudly as he said, "Thank you, thank you." before changing his voice to imitate that of an old woman's.

"Hi! My name is Gertrude," Said the lady next to a men on a plane. "It's so nice to meet you! I'm flying to New York for my grandson's third birthday. I'm so excited! I remember when he was just a little pumpkin, and now he's already three! It's really hard to believe. He's the most adorable thing you've ever seen! You know what? Hold on, I think I might have a picture on me. Let me take a look in my purse, yes, here it is. Just look at him, isn't he adorable. Do you see his dimple on his left cheek? Simply adorable! I could stare at his picture all day.

Oh my, and you should hear him on the phone! He is just the cutest, he says to me in the cutest voice "Hi, Grandma!" It just gets me all teary eyed."

After what seemed like two hours for the poor man sitting next to her, Gertrude seemed to realize that perhaps she was talking a bit too much. "You know, I feel terrible! Here I am just talking and talking without letting you get in a word edgewise!

Tell me..what do you think about my Grandson!"

The audience laughed as 2-2-7 yelled, "Merry Christmas!" and the curtain fell afterwards.

Steela, laughing herself, said, "I like that droid."

"Thank you." I chuckled, before picking up the deck of cards again. I then read when everyone quieted down, "Here's our next question. 'Emerald the Warrior Princess' asks what was your first impression of Ahsoka Tano?'"

"I didn't know what to think of her at the beginning." She gave a brief nod, "Though, I think we both could admit we had a little competition going on there for a while, but we settled our differences in the end."

"I'm glad." I smiled, "Speaking of Ahsoka. 'Ahsokatano191' asks, 'How did you feel about her being around Lux? Were you worried Lux had a thing for her?"

She pursed her lips and slightly shook her head, "I meant it when I said I wouldn't talk about that subject." Shrugging in reply, I went onto another card. "Can't blame me for trying. 'Jedi-TARDIS-Chick101' wants to know, 'Do you prefer Onderon to be a neutral system or apart of the Republic?'"

She said, "It would be the Republic. They helped us out when it really counted."

"Last one. From 'Dark Star'. 'What was the political situation on Oderon? Not just taken over by Separatist, but economy wise with the city and rebels?'"

"Well, it was a far cry from luxurious. Before King Rash and the Separatists, there was freedom among our people. We had plenty of resources as well, but then that changed. Imprisoned by our government, we became a poor nation. It's one of the reasons why Rash needed to go down."

I placed the last card down and stood. Picking up a small, teddy bear with a red bow on it's head, I handed it to her and said, "This is for you, from 'Captainrexbest35'. A gift for Christmas. A little holiday we celebrate on Earth."

Placing it on her lap, Steela looked at the gift and said, "Wow. Thank you, this is really kind."

"Well, she also has a giant, candy cane for you, but my back suffered from carrying the last one, so we have it waiting back stage for you."

"That's really nice of her. Thank you, 'Captainrexbest35'." She thanked as she stood up to join me.

"Thank you for coming on the show, Steela, we-" I was inches from shaking her hand when a smoke bomb rolled across the floor, not taking long for the gas to cake the whole room in a thick, gray cloud. "Get down! Everybody, get down!" Ashley's voice yelled through the fog.

I coughed, "Steela? Are you there?" I reached out my hand, but couldn't feel her anywhere; nor did she answer in response to my call. This isn't good. When the fog finally lifted, I scanned the room. No one looked hurt, but Steela was nowhere to be soon. The crowd cried out at the sudden change and the disappearance to our gust.

Pressing the center button on the microphone in my ear, I said, "Greg, what was that?"

"Someone's boarded our ship. We weren't given much time to warn you."

"Well, the sets been breached and Steela's not here anymore." I gestured for Amanda to pull the curtain on 2-2-7 again and she did so without question. The droid looked a little startled at the change in his schedule and stumbled to find a joke in his thought-center. "Get your men to the loading docks. That's where they'd be heading."

"Alright."

I ran off the stage just as 2-2-7 began to greet the audience.

Meanwhile

Steela's brows furrowed as she growled, "Saw, what are you doing?" He had her by the wrist and getting away seemed pretty impossible. Hand-eye coördination was her area of ability, yes, but her brother had brute strength; because of this he managed to drag her down the grey corridor without an issue.

"We have to get away from them." Saw answered, curtly, "I have a ship standing by to get you out of here."

"What are you talking about?" Feeling annoyed, she finally twisted her wrist around and ripped her hand away from his grasps. Taking a few steps back for when he tried to reach for her again, she asked "Who's, 'them'?"

"All of them." He spat, "Everyone that works for 'Question Corner'. They brought you back, but they're just going to kill you, again. Like what they did with Duchess Satine." His attempts to explain didn't go very far; because she stared up at him with a dumbfounded look. So, taking in a breath, he came up to place both hands on either side of her shoulders, "Don't worry, it'll all make sense soon." he assured her as he tried to manage a grin.

In an instant, Steela pushed her brother's hands away. "You're not making any sense. Brought me back? Brought me back from what?"

"From death. You died, Steela." He emphasized the sick word, "On Onderon, just before it was liberated. They had the ability to bring you back, but now they're just going to kill you, again. But don't worry, I'm not going to let them touch you."

"Saw," She chuckled, "I was in a coma."

"You died!" He insisted. When he heard voices getting closer, he collared her wrist and pulled her further down the lanky and conveniently, vacant hallway.

Pulling back harder, now, and more desperately, Steela grunted. "Saw! Saw, somethings wrong with you!" Digging her heels into the metal floor and leaning backwards, she grunted, "I never died!"

"Yes, you did!" Discouraged by her lack of coöperation, he spun around and, with hardly any effect, threw his sister over his shoulder.

Her first instinct was to beat her fists against his back, "Put me down. Now!"

As this all went on, Greg, his men, and I had just reared around the corner and upon seeing coral going on, I yelled, "Saw, wait!" Even with Steela flung helpless over his shoulder, he grabbed a grenade clipped to his belt and threw it in our direction.

"Saw, no!" Steel screamed when she saw it happen.

Greg shouted, "Get back!" and grabbed me by the elbow to yank me behind the corner. I draped my arms over my eyes as we waited for an explosion to go off, but when several seconds passed and nothing happened, I mentally groaned. Why he decided to trick us instead of kill us was kind of beyond me; considering, we weren't his favorite people at the moment.

Before I knew it, Greg had already gotten up and was running after the two renowned rebels. "Greg! Wait!" I reached out for the the cuff of his pants, but he'd already passed me and I missed. I looked back at his men and said, "Keep your weapons set on stun. We need to get Steela back within 15 minutes." I glanced down at the watch on my wrist I'd set earlier and corrected myself, "Make that 14."

Still hanging over her brother's shoulder like a rag doll, Steela finally snapped. She'd been patient long enough, she'd told him to put her down at least half a dozen times and he refused to listen. So, grabbing a big piece of skin from Saw's backside, she dug her nails into the flesh without mercy. Feeling the sting, he cried out in pain and dropped her in the process. He rubbed his hand against the raw spot afterwards. "I'm trying to help you!"

"I'm sorry, but you're being erratic." A thought came to her and she touched his forehead with the back of her hand only to have him slap it away. "I don't have a fever, Steel." He snapped, "Just get on the ship." He gestured to the last hallway they had to make, "I promise, I'll explain everything."

"What? That I died? Yeah, I don't think so."

"Put your hands up!" The two turned their heads to see Greg standing not ten feet away from them; his target being Saw Gerrera. Knitting his brows together, Saw raised his own blaster and stepped in front of Steela.

Greg shook his head, "Saw, don't do it." but before he knew it, his aim was on Steela as she ran to get in front of her brother. She raised her hands and said, "Both of you, stop this. This can be settled without bloodshed."

"She's right." I intervened, as Greg's men formed a circle around the two. "Put it down. All of you." I ordered, sternly.

"Kale, I don't think that would-"

"Now." I pushed. reluctantly, Greg muttered, "Do as she says, men." and the clattering sound of half a dozen guns dropping came afterwards.

"Saw?" Steela pursed her lips, looking down at her brother blaster. Looking at her and then us, he too dropped his weapon into the pile with the rest. "Okay," Saw snarled, "So talk."

"I don't know if Saw's told you, yet, " I admitted, "but you did die."

"Excuse me?" Raising her brow, Steela folded her arms.

Nervously, I stole a glance at my watch to see it counting down from eleven, "Steela, if I may speak with you alone for a moment?" I pointed to the metal door leading to a crewmen's quarters. I didn't think they'd mind the invasion of privacy considering the circumstances. Before Steela could weigh out her options, Saw stuck out arm out to block her, "Not on your life."

"Saw," She shoved his arm down and walked towards me. "I'll talk with you." When we entered the quarters, I said in haste, "Oh, and, Greg, don't mess with Saw."

Steela added onto the statement, "Same goes for you, Saw."

"Well?" She said once we were inside and had the light on, "What is it?"

"Listen," I began, "I know it's hard to believe, but you did in fact die."

"Okay, I've had just about enough of that word." Steela pushed herself up on the countertop with her hands, "If I died then how am I here, huh?"

"We've found out a way to bring you back."

"Then what's the issue?" She asked, "If I died and you saved me, then there shouldn't be an issue."

"It's not that simple, Steela..." I got up on the countertop with her and braced my elbows on my knees. Gnawing at my lip I felt her watching me, waiting for me to rationalize this situation.

The problem was I hardly understood it myself. If there was any way to keep her alive, I would have found it. Same with Satine. There weren't enough good guys in this world and, yet, a lot of them were disappearing from this universe. "We didn't bring you back through any medical equipment, we didn't give you anything like the jaws of life. You were dead, but we got you back through this man. Mr. Filoni. He can change your fates, but only for a certain amount of time. He-uh has to make the timeline right again, though." Her sea-blue eyes casted down at this, staring at the floor beneath her as she let it all sink in.

I further added, "If we let you live then many things could change to the timeline and not all good. People could disappear, even event on Onderon might shift. I mean, if you weren't there to save King Rash..." My shoulders slumped, "I'm sorry, Steela. If there was a way to save you, I would do it."

Half-heartedly, I looked up from my hands to find her's were clenched as tight as steel and her eyes still fixated with floor.

"So, I did die. I didn't think that would happen." She finally broke contact with the floor and looked at me. "I always knew there was that chance, but you hope that you'd be the one to make it out alive." Having the smallest hint of mist glazing over her eyes, she asked, "How did it happen?"

"You were saving King Dendup when your brother shot down a droid gunship and it crashed in your position. I'm afraid it's pledged him ever since." I placed a hand on her shoulder, "We don't have much time, but if you want to say goodbye to him..." She nodded and carefully brought herself down from the countertop. I followed her out the door. When it swooshed open, Saw watched as his sister stepped out with a worried expression.

As the silence engulfed us, I lightly nudged Greg and his men to follow me down the hallway. I said over my shoulder, "Steela, take as much time as you need." It was a risky thing to say with my clock ticking away, but I wasn't about to rush her. If we had to suffer a couple of consequences for letting her have a few more seconds with her brother, then so be it.

"Steela, you're not going with them are you?" Saw touched his sister's forearm, "Look. We're almost there. We can leave, do all the things you've always talked about doing before the war."

"Saw." She whispered as she shut her eyes, but this didn't stop him. He'd always looked out for her, even to the point of letting her interest overlap his. He didn't want her in the war from the beginning, but he knew out much it meant to her and let her come anyway.

"What about Naboo? You've always wanted to see Naboo. I can take you there. Or what about Saleucami?" Saw didn't have a chance to finish before Steela wrapped her arms about his waist and buried her face in his chest.

"I have to go." She whispered into his shirt, "We all knew the risks when we began this war...I can't back out and risk Onderon's liberation just because I'm afraid of something as simple as death."

"No. I won't let you." He hugged her back, "I told Mom that I'd protect you."

"It's too late, Saw." She fisted the back of his shirt in her hands, hoping that maybe if she held him tighter things would be different.

Bile building up in his throat, he asked, "D-did she tell you how you died?"

"Yes, but I don't blame you." She lifted her head and gave a lopsided smile, "Your my big brother, Saw. You've always looked out for me. The Separatist killed me, not you." she

At this, he choked and hugged her harder. Saw expected many things to go wrong when he went to retrieve her, but he never imagined she would stay by her own free will. Steela looked at me down the hallway and gave me a brave nod. I hesistated, but brought my finger up to my mic. "Mr. Filoni. She's excepted."

Saw's voice dropped into a hushed tone, "I've missed you."

Taking in a breath, she loosened her grip on him and raised her head. She could already feel herself slipping away. "I'll be watching out for you, Saw." she smiled, "Always."

Saw watched as Steela's hair drew near transparent, and frantically reached into his pocket. Pulling out a gold medal, he handed it to her. "Here." Looking down at the piece, she read the courage and bravery and tried to hand it back, "I don't deserve this."

He wrapped her fingers around the medal, "Yes, you do." She wrapped her arms around him one last time and clutched him for dear life as tears drained down her cheeks and fell on his shirt. His lip shaking, Saw watched as his little sister's body faded into particles and her body heat dissolve like dust in the wind. It was then that he found his cheeks were damp and he reached out to touch the spot on his shirt where she'd cried. It was dry, as though she was never there. But the medal wasn't here anymore and he'd like to think that she would still have that with her wherever she was.

My eyes downcast, I came up not five feet away from Saw. If he decided to yell at me or hit me then I saw no true wrong in that, but he did neither. Drawing his hood over his head he turned and left.

"I know it won't change anything," I said before he left, "but I won't be bringing anybody back ever again."

"Don't do that..." His back was turned to me when he said, "You gave me a chance to say goodbye properly. I needed that."

Slowly making my way back to the stage, I rubbed a tear away with my sleeve. This job isn't always as fun as people like to believe. When Greg offered to walk with me, I turned it down. Making awkward conversation wasn't my idea of dealing with this. The reasons why we couldn't just put Steela back into the timeline instead of chase her was because of unnatural reasons. If she hadn't known about her death then Mr. Filoni could of put her back without an issue, but given the matters that she did it changed the whole situation. If she felt any sort of anxiety or anger then the result could of been catastrophic. She had to not know at all or come willing. I hugged my arms and thought about how Steela sacrificed herself twice for Onderon.

When I got back to the stage the curtain was still up, and 2-2-7 stood in front of the microphone. He told a chain of jokes to the audience, but they didn't look very happy and who could blame them. As far as they were concerned someone managed to board our ship and kidnap Steela Gerrera. Amanda closed the curtain when I walked up the steps, my face sunken.

"Um...hello, everyone." I began, "I'm sorry for the unexpected turnabout, but Steela's gone back. The incident which happened earlier this evening has been dealt with." When Arnold gave me the five minutes sign, I nodded. "Okay, before we go I'd like to say there's a certain reviewer, I won't say who, but she has had a birthday pass recently. Please, give her your own special shout out in your review. I think it would mean a lot to her. We're also going on a little bit of a Christmas break for a while, but you should know how next guest is Lux Bonteri."

I'd like to wish a Merry Christmas to:Grace, Dark Angel and Dark Star, Jhinx1, Emerald the Warrior Princess, Rogue 2k8, Sithlord8665, AngelAxexinf, Dark Brother 16, jediclonecowgirl, Comrade, TripleThreat123, weathergirl17248, Dovahkiin154, Dogma23, Rexsgirl123, purplewillowtrees, NobelMeta, Kickincupcakebutts6, glabierules, Ahsokatano191, JediChick101, Hazardous By Instinct, Celtice and Dukakis 2016, AaylaKit, Bookreaderninja, Yaya The Elf, AaylaKitofNiflheim, Dogmatup23, Spikala, Shadowclanwarrior, Snip1212, Captainrexbest35, Rex133668, monsterhuntergod-Ratholas Mkl, Gamergirl052, Nat13cat, AaylaKit, Avalonyx, AL0LT0, just another fanfic author, Angel's anthem, Anakin Ahsoka, Azalea, Rose, Tessika 14, Queen, Thearistacats, Skywalker02, Onryo, KitFisto'sGirl, Alex Tsukino, lady gaga, lefty blondy, Ahsoka33, and TCTrent45!"