***21 October 2005 –Eternity

It was great that, together with the help of the local Rebel cell, Aaricia had managed to put the propaganda announcement even on the Holonet Primetime.. right in the evening news! Now, the last days, she needed a lot of time on herself. She had to let go of a lot of things, including her own life. Tomorrow she would turn herself in to the Empire to save her daughters life.

She felt like going to her families grave, to say some last few words to the people that she had loved very much but had been killed by the Empire.. in front of her eyes, for her years ago.

As she kneeled in front of the grave it didn’t feel like years ago anymore. It felt like yesterday. She pinked away a tear.

“Can you hear me?”

Some dust got launched into the air by a warm breeze.

“I.. somehow I have the feeling that you do can hear me.”

She sighed.

“I’m sorry for everything that has happened. They have done it again. If I don’t turn myself in this time they’ll execute Mathilda. Mum, dad, Lolita, Jason.. this time I’m gonna do it. I’ll join you. Can you please help me.. help me get Mathilda out of their hands safely.. help her get out of Mos Entha? She’ll be the last Silverstar left, together with Scaeme. I know that the Empire is up to exterminating the whole Silverstar family. I want them to stay alive.”

Another breeze lifted some of her hairs. It felt comfortable, as if some invisible person was comforting her.

“You’re still alive somehow.. aren’t you? It’s as if you are standing right next to me, listening to me. It was what Xanado said also: that we will live on after the death of our physical bodies. The Empire is killing the people that resist, and their families.. but..” She showed a grin. “Maybe they cannot kill people at all! Maybe it’s just an illusion that keeps us in fear!”

She sighed, then took a little box with five flowers out of her pocket. Four she took out of it, the fifth she let inside. Gently she put the flowers into the ground.

“I’ve always loved you and I’ll keep doing this until eternity. Nobody can change this, even a whole Empire!”

“The Force be with you.. always.”

Aaricia gave the four flowers one last glance, then turned her back to the grave of her family. It was time to let go.

She turned around the corner of the ruins, one hand in the left pocket of her cloak. With her sweating fingers she felt the little box in which was the fifth flower. The realization of her fate felt like a hammer that smashed her head. Sighing she leaned against the wall. Tears formed in her eyes.

Calmly she let them come, their salty taste penetrating the corners of her mouth. Through the watery curtain she stared below, at the many buildings.

Goodbye buildings, goodbye salty taste in my mouth, goodbye body.

Goodbye Aaricia.

Crying uncontrollably she fell on her knees.

The older Aaricia had become, the less she had the feeling that she understood this galaxy. Right now she didn’t understand a thing of it. Why was there war, why were people so violent? In the core the Empire and the rebels wanted the same.. everybody had turned insane. How had it become like this? How had the Old Republic fallen apart, how in blaze’s name could it have happened?

Flashbacks of violence came back in her mind.. which made her body sweat and shudder. This war had made her insane.. one of the so many people..

Every soldier fighting in a war would become a victim of it..

Sniffing she dragged herself up. Above her there was circling a black bird.