SithLore

Displaced by the war and thrown into a prison camp for her troubles, Ranah Jansen did what it took to stay alive for both herself, her brother and sister. Their parents had died during an Imperial raid. It felt so long ago, she could not even remember the name of the planet they had settled on. That had been at least a few years by her reckoning, their settlement was under Imperial Control or was it Sith Control? It was so hard to keep track. They had separated her from her brother and sister that too felt like another life ago. It had also been one of the worst days of her life. She wanted to die, she felt so alone. It was some time before she’d snap out of it and decided she wanted to see them again, and to do that she had to fight. She had to survive, She never knew what became of them, but she herself survived. All over some bread and meal rations, in reality it was all an excuse to get rid of her. They had said she looked like trouble even though she was not a troublemaker. The Prison camp had made her hard when she had to be, she did not like it nor did it bring her any pleasure to her. She was kind and generous. Sometimes it got her into even more trouble. She had been a teenager then, her twin sister as well but her brother was younger, maybe eight or nine standard years at the most. Ranah’s brother was five when their parents died in that explosion. There were no winners in warfare just varying degrees of loss.

Some time had passed and the camp was liberated and her along with it. The Galactic Alliance had liberated many worlds. It was no surprise that shortly after she enlisted in the army of the Galactic Alliance. Did her basic training and her reflexes and senses helped her graduate near the top of her class. Not bad for a young woman in her 20s. She had risen up to the rank of Sargent through her performances in alot of operations. She was a ground trooper who had been given command of a squadron, and she threw herself into that role, in time her squadron became her family. She still thought of her brother and sister, nobody would ever replace them in her heart but this sense of belonging dulled the pain. She had on many occasions displayed a clairvoyance for knowing when to back off or to advance.On more than one occasion she would display a sense of cognitive awareness. She had named her squadron “Blackstar”

Having returned from a mission, Ranah found herself sitting on a bunk, her helmet laying beside her. Blaster Rifle right beside her helmet. She had fatigue in her mind and body. She somehow was able to remain sharp. The mission was a surveillance mission of a possible Imperial depot they had been spotted and came under heavy fire, yet somehow she got them all back alive and with the information they were after. One of the squadmates entered the tent.

“Sarge, Captain wants to see you” the man who was called Lucky Six told her.

Ranah nodded “Thank you Corporal” she said as she rose from her cot. She exited the tent and made her way to the largest tent in the field which was the Company Commander’s tent. The guards outside gave her a nod and she made her way inside.

“Captain” she said as she stood at attention

The Captain who was sitting behind a desk was going over records, he looked up and saw Ranah.

“At ease Sargent” he said

She stood at ease, and waited for the Captain to tell her the purpose of her being in the tent.

“Going over your service record, and I have to say it’s quite impressive, Commendations, medals, first in your class, you are just the kind of soldier I need” He said as he put the file down and looked up at her.

“I am forming a special team for a very important mission and also classified” He would not say more about the mission it was one of those missions, the Captain felt she was more than qualified otherwise he’d be talking to someone else.

Ranah thought about it for a moment thats how long it took for her to make her decision. “Count me in Sir” she said.

The Captain grabbed a small box from his desk and stood up walking up to her. “You are hereby promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, congratulations Lt.” He opened the small box and placed the Lieutenant bars on her shoulder pads of her uniform.

“Come with me” With that he walked out and she followed they walked through the make shift base until they arrived a large sized tent. The Captain entered followed by Ranah. Once she was inside they secured the flaps closed.

They both took seats at a table. Joining three other men all bearing the Lieutenant bars on their uniforms. She was the only woman, but humans all. The Captain hit a few buttons on the display and a holographic image of a planet came up and there the Captain explained the nature of their mission.

“This is Kafane, a Hutt controlled world” The Captain began he tapped another button and the display changed.

“This is one of their top spice labs, but we believe it is just a front for a chemical weapons lab” The image zoomed into what looked like a floorplan of the facility.

“Our Objective is to gather information, but if we are cleared we will infiltrate the facility” he paused “Our objectives are two fold. First we will be planting heavy ordinance in these four spots” The Captain pointed to four areas on the map. “Objective number two, is to obtain a file that contains the schematics of a chemical weapon that they codenamed Apocalypse, this weapon if unleashed could kill planets of its people, animal life and even vegetation”

“Lieutenants Callison and Rikers you will be deploying the ordinance, Once you deploy the ordinance you are to keep our exit intact. Lieutenant Fleetweather will assist after his task is complete which is to knock down their communications, by taking out their tower” he pointed to a tower “It is their primary and backup comms once complete join Rickers and Callison in keeping our exit clear. Lieutenant Jansen and myself will be going for the file.”

The Captain looked around the table “The Galactic Alliance Military will disavow our mission if we fail and or captured so we will be on our own. If we are successful it all but assures you a place in our Special Forces Elite squads” He paused a second time to gauge the reactions of the people at the table. Finally he asked “Any Questions” When there were none, they were dismissed to get some rest as they would disembark in the morning. Ranah would requisiton her gear and then she would go get some rest.

Three days Later
Location: Kafane

The Mercenaries held the GA Special Force Unit in a single makeshift cell, they could escape but the amount of the mercenaries made it impossible. They did not know what they wanted or what they had in store for the GA unit, but every couple of days they would come out, take one from the cell and bring him inside, they did this a few more times, every few days a new member of the unit would go. Until Callison, the Captain and Ranah were the only ones remaining. The mercenaries came back but they took Ranah, she offered no resistance. They escorted her into the building like the others. In days past they tried to learn the fates of their comrades but to no avail.

They brought her into a darkened room and cuffed her at the wrists, and then raised her off the floor a couple of feet. They left her to hang. Ranah had no idea how much time passed before someone returned and when someone did they brought a pair of mercenaries. The lead person was a Zabrack. The pair of guards took their positions as the Zabrack circled Ranah as if appraising her until he stopped and was directly in front of her.

Ranah betrayed nothing in what she was feeling. There was no fear in her eyes, no pleading, not even defiance. She could not explain where the hidden reserves of strength came from. She had not been fed since their captivity, only given the bare mininum for water.

"I will order your release if you would only answer my questions" he began.
Ranah did not respond which the Zabrack took as her agreement

"How many lights are shining in your cell? He asked

It was not a question she expected it was a pointless question no doubt a test or a trap. She moved her head upwards there was throughout the cell three lights and they were all on.

"Three" her reply barely above a whisper as he voice was hoarse no doubt from dehydration

The Zabrack nodded "Very good" it was a test he looked to one of the guards "Make sure she gets some rations"

What Ranah did not know was that she was being monitored one of the walls no doubt was actually a one way window, but she was too weak to care for such things.

She hung there for a few more days she did get the rations but they were stale, the water was at least drinkable. She was visited again and again and each time only asked a single question. Nothing of importance or strategic value in fact none of them were about the Alliance at all.

A week had gone by when things changed. When the Zabrack came to the lonely cell he came alone.

"How many lights are on? tell me the right answer and I will see that you are released"

Ranah looked again and again three lights were on and she gave her answer the same as before.

"Wrong, they are four" with that he left, this went on for a couple more weeks, she recognized the tactic he was trying to break her. She would not break, her resolve seemed endless, even when they tried to beat out the information, though they never asked for anything which through her pain recognized as a tactic.

Her estimation was if they beat her to a pulp then they could offer to stop if she told them what they wanted to know. When she said nothing they continued beating her. When that stopped working they submerged her almost fully in ice cold water. Her threshold had far exceeded that of her team mates and even her CO, from time to time she could hear the screams of her squadmates.

Ranah one day had been dragged before the zabrak she no longer had the power to walk on her own, she had been near death, malnurished, injuries, she was sure she had a fever as well. As they dragged her before her inquisitor she had noticed the bodies of her squad layed in the room. When the zabrak saw her notice he spoke her unasked questions.

" You prove to be much stronger than your squad, honestly I do not know you have withstood so much punishment and neglect, your team broke easily they each provided useful information and of course I did keep my promise and freed them, only not the kind of freedom they were hoping for I'd imagine"

They sat Ranah down she leaned forward her hands resting on the desk to give her something to steady herself and when she leaned in she spat in the face of her inquisitor. The guards roughly pushed her back into her seat.

The Zabrack laughed "Still fighting" he paused " Good, good"

As he went through her file, she reached inward. She so wanted to give up, to give in to be released one way or another. She was going to die. That was inevitable but she had hoped that before she did that she could have seen her brother and sister one last time. To apologize for not being there when they needed her. If she was hydrated she would have shed a tear.

The Zabrack was into his questions when another person one she never seen enter and whispered something to the Zabrack. Just then the building shook with sounds of explosions

"Keep an eye on her" he ordered the pair watching her as he with the other man who entered left the room. Another explosion shook the building.

So many voices Ranah could not make heads or tails of it. She dug in deeper than when she expended energy to spit in the face of her captor. Before she could act the door was kicked open, and three men came in, they looked familiar to her but she was not sure why. The newcomers took out the guards before she lost consciousness she heard one of the newcomers tell her that they were GA.


=A Month Later=

The aftermath of that operation had seen Ranah in a GA hospital for a month, she had received a few injuries but the severe dehydration was of the doctor’s concerns, even during her physical recovery she had been de-briefed by GA brass. The mission had been a significant failure. Whether it was due to poor intel or such a small strike team they never did rule but any fault was removed from the young Lieutenant. She had been de-briefed as she had to relive the op over and over, in the process of it she had formed a detachment from it. What she had gone through should have mentally damaged her but truth be told she had suffered worse trauma even before she had joined the ranks of the Galactic Alliance.

After the physical healing was done she had began with the aftermath of the op. She had never been a POW, nor had she ever been tortured. She had a high threshold for pain but try as the criminal scum tried they did not break her. She had recounted to the doctors and psych evaluators about the feeling in her gut that had never failed her, that feeling that fueled her resolve and hope that little whisper in her mind to tell her to keep holding on, the doctors listened they would not interrupt her, but the doctors had been trained to handle instances like hers and a protocol in place for what Ranah was describing. Their course of action was clear.

At the end of that month, she was healed as much as she could be, but still not cleared to return to active duty, not yet. The psych doctors had seen to that. They would need one more evaluation for her but one that nobody in the hospital could administer. The doctors had placed a call to the Jedi Order or as they were known as today the Jedi Coalition. Only a Jedi could administer this evaluation, to give insight on her condition and to confirm or disprove the theory the psych evaluators had since they began working with her.

Ranah would be outside the hospital, she did not know what planet she was on, her hair in a single ponytail, wearing the outfit patients often wore. She was sitting in a chair just gazing outward to the horizon. The world that she was on was beautiful, nobody had come to visit her. She had been removed from Blackstar Squadron upon her elevation to Lieutenant, so those who knew did not visit and those who did not know also did not visit. She was not hurt by this. Gave her time to think, to evaluate herself, to think of her next move. Would she remain in the GA and take her next assignment which she had no idea what that would be, or would she resign and go to search for her brother and sister. The galaxy offered no answers and so she would remain , fully cooperate with the hospital staff.

The YT 2000 Talon had just exited hyperspace on the edge of the system and Aliclair was handling to ship from here on in while Ben sat in his study overlooking quite an extensive file. The Jedi Coalition had been asked to take a look at one of their field operatives, a 2nd Lieutenant that had been recovered from a botched operation in Hutt Space; of course the details of the operation and the location and even the members of her team that were involved had been heavily redacted. Just coming on the information that the mission was in Hutt Space had been pulled through some strings only the Jedi could have managed. The objective was clear this time though, the only surviving member of that mission was sitting around waiting for the green light to resume her service to the Alliance and it was going to either take another year or more of the brains to pick and plug at her… or a moment evaluated by a Jedi.

Happily the Jedi Coalition agreed to the meeting and had gone in search of the nearest Knight or Master available. Naturally the thin members of the Jedi were scattered abroad and finding one on short notice anywhere in the Alliance was a monumental task.

But destiny sometimes had a funny way to present itself. Just returning from a mission of their own on the edge of the Randon System, Jedi Master Ben Kenobi and Padawan Apprentice Aliclair Austjor had been not only the nearest Jedi but also the most readily available. Ben, with a soft spot for the Alliance Military, would never turn down such a request. His own prior service to the Alliance back in the days of the Rebellion and even then after that the New Republic recalled in that moment and the love he held for the fighting men and women of freedom and justice would always dwell in his heart.

They had altered their course and while the journey had taken the better part of the week to achieve… they’d arrived without incident. Now Ben and Aliclair were mere hours from landing and the Master was busy at work familiarizing himself with their subject. One LT Jansen, Ranah of the Alliance Special Operations Group (SOG). She had no formal unit but her service prior to this latest event had her tagged as a Sergeant in the Alliance’s 3rd Vanguard Combat Teams, Blackstar Squad. Of which her records were exemplary and she was highly decorated and her commendations of valor were highly detailed. She was impressive to say the least. He understood then why the Alliance wanted to retain her if they could.

For the moment Ben was very thankful that they had come out of hyperspace early and still had plenty of time before setting down for the interview. He needed some time to meditate on this and see what the Force had to say about young Ranah. To see where she sat within its depths. Of course it would be necessary to make a more personal moment of contact to truly sense this but for the moment this would do fine in getting Ben familiar with Miss Jansen’s state of mind.

Time… in time the Force would reveal everything that Ben needed to see if he would only observe a little bit of patience…

Aliclair and her Master Kenobi had wrapped up a mission. But before she could exhale a huge inhale, Ben's communication had pinged another matter. She let out the exhale, but of exhaustion. She'd known the life of a Jedi to-be would be testy, tedious and hard. Harder than anything she'd endured thus far. Once her Master told her to man the ship, she gave a nod and inputted the coordinates given. She briefed herself through her pilot visors on what they were doing. She read, and boy did she read. Her heart clenched in sympathy. She thanked whatever Higher being could be involved and for watching over this female.

Aliclair landed the ship within its designated docking station and exited, and her eyes immediately faced the hospital. She didn't speak as she walked alongside her Master Ben toward the hospital. Blinking her gray-blue eyes, she couldn't help but to sense a difference. Aliclair would've figured as the series of events unveiled and executed before Ranah would've altered how she felt, but that wasn't the case. "If I may, Master Ben, do we get summoned here to sense how well someone's mental state is?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, looking up at the taller male. "And what would be the outcome? Where would she go?" she furthered, as not being able to help but to ask. As someone who was almost recycled into the GA Rangers, she wanted all sorts of those within the Alliance to live the life they wanted.

Ranah had moved from the terrace to the pond she had been gazing at, she always felt at peace when surrounded by beauty and transquility. Maybe it was because all she knew was war. Whether being a victim of it or fighting in it. The realization that she could have died had rocked her to the core. She could have died and her twin sister and younger brother would never know. She had to stay alive for their sake but it was not all that kept her motivated something else something she could not explain, it went beyond the instinct of survival. She explained all this to the analyzers during their sessions. Maybe right now she should’nt try to understand it. There were no winners in War.

She brushed her red hair from her eyes as she took a seat on the sand looking out , she let nature fill her senses. The sounds of the wildlife, the water, the smell of salt water. The coarseness of the beach sand between her fingers. Whatever she would do next she would make sure it would be near places like this. Maybe after she found her family. The longer she sat here the more grateful she was nobody visited her it gave her time for contemplation.

The doctors were worried about her mental health. She was not crazy , nor did she feel like she was suppressing anything. Doesn’t mean she wasn’t she has led a life filled with violence and destruction. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She repeated this a couple of times. It was a good relaxing technique. She wrapped her arms around her knees and just sat there and took in the scenery. She was also grateful that none of the other patients were here just now. She did not know how long it would last but she would make sure to treasure and enjoy every moment she could.

They touched down on the deck at the hospital and Ben noted that the landing was a bit rough, a point he would convey to his Apprentice though more teasing her than anything. His ship had been through many rough landings in the past and the gentle touch down with a bump Aliclair had managed was very pedestrian in comparison. Ben just enjoyed a little razing every once in a while. They exited the ship together and were immediately greeted by the Deck Chief who logged their vessel’s arrival with the time, reason of visit and their names. He was polite enough but very diligent in his work, Ben could appreciate that, most young officers out this far tended to be more lax and carefree which often led to missing details or accidents.

Ben and Aliclair moved into the hospital and up to the supervisor on duty. She was a Twi’lek, green and smiling broad, very cheerful really. Ben bowed in greeting. “We’re here on behalf of the Jedi Coalition to review one of your patients.” Recalling the name from the transmitted file he delivered it, “Lt Ranah Jansen. Alliance SOG.”

“Yes Master Jedi, we’ve been expecting you.” She led them to a terminal where Ranah’s current location was brought up. Ben thanked the supervisor yet turned down an offer of escort and both he and Aliclair were permitted into the hospital proper.

Ben had no intention of disturbing Ranah. He approached the pond but stopped in the lee of a tree within the shade. From there he was not about to be a creeper and sit there and watch her but he did take a seat in the sand and lean against the tree, closing his eyes and patiently waiting for Ranah to conclude with her relaxing moment. During this time he reached his senses outward, not in an intrusive way but just to grace the very surface of Ranah’s thoughts and he could feel that she was pleased to be there in a moment of quiet and solitude. It reinforced Ben’s intent not to disturb her.

He looked to Aliclair, “We should wait until Miss Jansen is ready. There is much we can learn simply from being patient.” Ben knew being patient did not seem to be Aliclair’s strong suit but it was good to put her into a situation like this where she was forced to observe patience…

Aliclair's nerves became more and more spiked as they approached. It wasn't a shot of any other emotion but eagerness. She wanted to meet this female, wanted to talk.. counsel and protect. She would radiate unsettleness, something Ben would need to ground her from time to time, until they reached the Pond. Suddenly, her troubled emotions melted away. This moment of tranquility... She looked toward her Master Ben as he walked past her to sit on the ground and meditate.

Ali began to understand. She watched Ranah sitting in peace, and decided to join Ben. She sat infront of him, with one hand within the palm and her thumbs forming an 'O'. She didn't need the Force to tell her that this was a area of peace and where troubled minds came to seek to clear it. She nodded toward her Master before shutting her eyes as well. She had to learn to live and let go, but never forget. To be at peace where there wasn't. This was the Jedi way, to establish balance when the scale is tipped.

Ranah did not know how much time passed, she just sat there and gazed her mind at peace. As she sat there so many paths laid before her, none of them being any more clear than the other. She could continue her military service once cleared or she could resign her commission and begin the long search for her missing siblings, or maybe yet there was another path that laid before her that she knew nothing about. With an air of Finally she took in a deep breath and slowly let It out. The longer she was here the more she did not want to leave, It was here when she rose to her feet, and adjusted her hair into a single ponytail.

She slowly turned around to see two other people, a man and a young woman. Ranah recognized that they were not staff or even fellow patients. No Alliance uniforms so not soldiers, which brought Ranah to one conclusion. They were of the Jedi Collation. She was not surprised that if Jedi were here that they would be drawn to this place, even she could see that. This grove, this oasis was a place of beauty and tranquility, in one word it was harmony. She smiled at the pair and bowed her head and greeted them.

“ Beautiful isn’t it? she asked gesturing to all that was around them. Then continuing “in my line of work I don’t come across this very often”

then realizing she was starting to babble a bit it had been awhile since she came into contact with anyone other than medical staff. Then she realized she had not introduced herself.

“Forgive me for my lack of manners, I’m Ranah” she carried herself as one who could defend herself, she was not helpless, she was the product of a life of war and military training, it was a part of her but not something she embraced or embodied. If she could not defend herself then she had no place in the military. Deep down she was happy to see someone who was not a doctor or a psycho analyzer.

For once he was taken a bit off guard, so deep in his meditation was he that the woman that had approached he did not sense and when her words arrived he lacked standing to have felt her arrival. He blinked away the situation and smiled back in her direction. "Beautiful indeed. Sometimes I suppose we all need to take a moment and relax." Setting his staff into the ground to assist his posture he lifted himself up from the sands.

He took just a moment to brush himself off and straighten his robes and cloak to look a bit more presentable and once he was satisfied he returned to the lady before him and he bowed respectfully in greeting. "Well met Miss Jansen. I am Ben Kenobi and this is my Apprentice," He motioned with an outstretched hand, "Aliclair Austjor."

"We've come to meet with you, if that is alright?"

His request was genuine and if Ranah decided she did not want this meeting then the Jedi would simply be on their way. This was her choice and her choice alone. It was not something the Alliance could command the Jedi Coalition to do and it was not something that the Jedi Coalition would force on anyone. It just was not the way things worked.

Aliclair took an extra moment before standing alongside Kenobi. This place... it spilled peace. She wanted to dwell in it longer, but as a Padawan, she had to distribute peace. Not vast in it. She wore her combat attire, so she couldn't rest her hands within sleeves, but she could put them behind her back.

The feminine dipped her head toward Ranah as Ben introduced her, but stayed silent for the most part. Or, at least, until spoken to.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both” her tone was cordial and genuinely intrigued.

She took the man’s hand and shook it, she had a firm grip as any soldier would have. She gave a nod of acknowledgment to Aliclair. She was pleased to have company, especially those who could appreciate the beauty that laid out before them all. That in itself went along way for Ranah. Her expression however changed a bit when it was revealed that they had come to meet with her. She had not gotten any visitors and two Jedi show up who are here for her. The galaxy was a funny place indeed. One thing she did not feel was that she was being intruded upon.

“Me?” she began her surprised reaction was obvious. She had never met a Jedi before and now two stood before her. “I Have never met a Jedi before, let alone two” giving a nod towards Aliclair before resuming speaking “Yes It would be nice to have some company outside of the doctors and the staff, they mean well but I have not spoken to another soul outside of this hospital since I arrived, Would here be alright?” She asked indicating the Oasis they found themselves in.

When it was established and they all were sitting Ranah then asked “ What can I do for you?” Her tone remained cordial but now genuinely curious and excited to be conversing with such distinguished individuals. She heard tales of the Jedi, the feats they performed, the sanctity for life they held, their unrivaled skills in diplomacy, to her the Jedi were not just warriors they represented to her the best the galaxy had to offer. She sat and listened. Not knowing or having a slight inkling that her life could forever be altered from this encounter.