***20 October 2005 –For the last time

The Imperial announcement somehow didn’t surprise Aaricia. The Empire wanted Aaricia, they had her child.. it would only be a matter of time before they would do some sneaky trick like this again.

This time she felt no hesitation. It felt natural to do it, to turn herself in. But not without, for the last time, being a pain in the ass for the Imperials!

“Are you ready?”

“Yup.”

With a grin she looked at the lens of the Holocam. She remembered that time, after the brainwash by the Empire. Squashed between an Imperial flag and a Holocam she had to read a certain text aloud, from a big screen.

This time she would also say a text, but she didn’t have to read it from a screen. And this time she had written it herself.

“Ok time to roll!”

Hopefully they would manage to squeeze it into the evening news on the Holonet tonight. It would mean a big chance that at her execution there would be a revolt, and then in the chaos some people might be able to rescue Mathilda.

A few hours ago Aaricia had met Xanado in Vernant’s house. It was sad that Vernant hadn’t been there at that time. She had eaten some stuff there while talking with the Jedi. About death, about what was happening in the Galaxy.

“Remember this house? It’s home of the man that brainwashed you.”

“Yes I know.”

She didn’t feel any anger towards this doctor. She knew that his heart was with the Rebellion, but his scared ego let him switch sides again and again.

“They have material power, but on one level they have the least power possible.. the power of trust, the power of love.”

He nodded at her. The floor felt warm, Aaricia liked floor heating.

“What will happen after death? Can you tell me? You are a jedi.”

“I’m not gonna tell you in detail Aaricia. But you don’t have to be afraid of it.” He showed her a smile.

Calmness took Aaricia over. With a calm glance she nodded at him, taking an apple from the other table.

She took a last walk through the house. Lyzzie’s bedroom was still there. She stared at the dolls on the terminal, the Holo servant greeted her. She waved to him, then took a droid doll from the terminal. It almost looked the same as one she had had herself when she was a little kid. Gently she put it back on top of the terminal.

In the opposite room there was a small library. Some old looking books were lying on the table. Aaricia hadn’t touched or used books often.. almost everything she had read had been from a screen. Feeling a mixture of curiosity, sadness and calmness she took some of the books to look into. There was a cooking book with a lot of old recipes, a book with the description of different planets and it’s flora and one about droids. There were so many books in this room..

She remembered how she had also been in this room as Imperial cadet. At that moment all these books had triggered a lot of hate in her. Books.. potential danger. Old stuff.. had to be destroyed. Aaricia had the tendency to fight the same upcoming feelings, but decided to just let them be. If she oppressed feelings, whatever they were, she was just like them. Somewhere in a corner of one of the shelves close to the ground Aaricia saw a title that interested her. She kneeled in front of it, taking the small purple colored book from the shelf. How in blaze’s name did Vernant get this book..? And how did he manage to keep this book in his personal library without being caught.. it would definitely mean life imprisonment for him, or death penalty!

Vernant really was one of the most mysterious people that Aaricia had ever met.

She put it into the pocket of her cloak and left the room.

In the diner room there was a lot of food on the table, Aaricia took some of it. In the middle there were some fresh baked chocolate cookies. She tasted one of them, then put ten others in a little plastic bag to take it with her also.

“Aaricia.. hide.. there are people!”

Crap.

She hid behind the sofa in the therapy room, hurting her thumb. Silently cursing she sucked the thumb and blew on it, while listening hard.

Somebody approached the room, a door opened. It was Xanado.

“They are in the other part of the house. Go Aaricia.”

She got up, took him into a hug then tiptoed towards the front door. On her left there were women’s voices, chattering. Quietly she opened the door, leaving the house. For good.