From The Ashes

Chapter 3

Gianna's POV (as usual)

The day after the night of my painful dreams—memories— I dug something out from the space under my bed. Something I hadn't seen in five years.

Heavier than most would have thought, what was in the pouch I took out was both elegant and deadly. Beautiful and lethal.

I released my lightsaber from its long-term sanctuary, and felt its familiar weight in my hand. Just one button...

I pushed it.

I didn't have my helmet on. I wanted to see it myself. The orange blade came to life, its dull humming in contrast to the brightness of the blade comforting to me.

I swayed it in front of me, making the humming stronger, more defined. Smiling, I twirled it with my fingers, remembering my past.

I looked in the mirror, and saw my face. The fullish lips, the tan skin, the long brown hair. It was complemented by the orange glow, making my blue eyes shine.

It was a totally different face from the one usually holding that saber.

My front door opened loudly, making me jump a click high. Remi stumbled in and saw my lightsaber. I froze, terrified. Then I came to my senses, shut it off quickly, and started toward him.

He backed up, hand outstretched to keep me away. Kel Dors couldn't really look completely and absolutely petrified, but he managed to. Remi turned around and ran out.

"No, wait! Remi STOP!" I called, running after him. "I swear, I'm not going to hurt you!" I sprinted through the swamp, hot on his tail.

He stopped abruptly. Turned to face me. "Why should I trust that statement? I've known you for how long? Five years? You never told me you're a—"

"DON'T SAY IT!"

"Jedi!"

"Shhhh! Not here! I swear I'll explain everything, just don't say that out loud here," I insisted.

He hesitated, and walked back to me slowly and cautiously. "Al...Alright."

I sighed in relief.

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"Spill," he told me once we went inside.

I sat cross-legged on my bed. "I am, or was at least, a Jedi Padawan and served in the clone wars alongside my troops and my master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I survived the Emperor's Purge and came here for refuge after regaining my Mandalorian culture that was taken from me when I was a youngling. That's when I met you," I paused for a breath.

"Is Sel even your real name?" He asked accusingly. I couldn't blame him for his tone. It was a lot to take in, especially when you thought you knew the person.

"No. I'm sorry, I have to keep my identity guarded from the Empire. If you will continue to call me Sel in public, I will tell you my real name," I bargained.

"I swear."

"Good, thank you. My name is Gianna Seleese." There was a name I hadn't heard in forever.

He nodded. "Now that I think about it, I recognize the name. It was on a list of bounties a few years back, do you remember? You refused to take the job, even ripped the paper."

I nodded. I did remember. We'd been looking at a list of bounties, and I'd seen my own name there among the Most Wanted. Guess they'd never found my body(yes that was sarcasm.).

I remember feeling a bit dizzy, taking the list down, and tearing it into shreds.

"Someone you know on there?" Remi had asked.

"You could say that," I'd replied calmly.

"I can see why," Remi said, chuckling slightly. "Have you always had your helmet?"

"No. It was sent to me by my parents when I turned 10, a few months before the Purge. I was a Padawan at that time. Never wore it, never saw a reason to. But I always kept it in my ship, for sentimental reasons."

"Okay, but if you have parents, why didn't you go back and live with them after the Purge instead of coming here?" He asked.

"I tried to, I really did. Went back to Mandalore and found out they'd died in a fire." I paused and took a shaky breath. "There was nothing for me there, just the reminder that they were gone hanging over my head. The rest of my armour is a mix of theirs. I found it in a box filled with their belongings." I looked at my helmet, and ran a thumb over the designs. "Ironic. They died in a fire, and I ran to escape that fact. But I wear a reminder of it everyday on my helmet."

He reached to me somewhat hesitantly and patted my shoulder. I knew he wasn't too experienced when it came to comforting, and was, in fact, quite awkward, but hey it's the thought that counts.

I drew in a shaky breath and plastered a fake smile on my face. "Doesn't matter. It's not like I knew them well."

Remi looked confused and inhaled, about to say something, but thought better of it and stayed silent.

That's when the door exploded. I was thrown back and hit a wall. Remi fell to the floor. I saw my lightsaber roll back under my bed and I quickly used the Force to pull my helmet back to me. I shoved it on my head, concealing my face as two lines of the Empire's new troopers filed into my home.

"Gianna Seleese," the commander said coldly. I wanted to cry: that voice belonged to a clone. "You are under arrest for treason against your Emperor."
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Well, I'm not dead! I'm so so sorry it took me almost a MONTH to update! I've been so busy. 😭 I promise I'll update more often. Marching band season is over now so I have more free time. I also got quarantined so I have no wifi.