Coruscant: 30 BBY
Jedi Temple
Lesia Mirri

    Lesia stood in the main hallway of the Temple with her fellow younglings. A few Knights were returning from a trip. Les tilted her head, spying the infants that they carried. "Where did they get those babies?" She asked one of the older younglings.

    "They found them," the youngling replied. "They must be Force sensitive. They'll become Jedi, like us."

    "What about their families? Won't their families miss them?"

    Her companion shrugged. "They probably will, but those babies won't know the difference."

    "Why not?"

    "Because they won't see their families again. Their life is here now." The youngling knit her brows and faced Les. "I thought you already knew this. The same thing happened to all of us, after all."

    "What?" Lesia's blue eyes widened in shock. "No, but...I thought I was born here."

    The youngling shook her head. "None of us were born here. We were all located and brought to the Temple as babies."

    Les stared after her as she walked away. "They took me from my home? I just thought my parents were dead...but they're not?" Her eyes burned as she blinked back tears.

    She looked around the Temple, her sorrow changing to anger. "I don't want to be someone who takes babies from their families. I don't want to be forced to do what they tell me!" Les set her jaw, making her decision. "I won't become a Jedi and they can't make me."

Coruscant: 19 BBY
Jedi Temple
Lesia Mirri

    Les kicked her feet over the arms of the chair. She began picking at her nails absentmindedly. This certainly wasn't the way most Jedi greeted Jedi Masters Yoda and Windu. Then again, Les didn't count herself as a Jedi.

    The door hissed open and Master Windu entered with Master Yoda at his side. "Comfortable?" Windu asked. He looked vaguely annoyed.

    "Not really. The seat is hard and it's not quite wide enough." She straightened, despite herself. "Why was I summoned?"

    "You are twenty one years old and yet you remain unapprenticed," Master Windu began.

    "That's not my fault," Les interrupted. "No Jedi wants to deal with me."

    "You know exactly why no Jedi Master has chosen you yet," Windu growled. "The galaxy is at war, Lesia. It is our duty to restore peace and order, but you prefer to sit here and make life difficult for everyone."

    Les narrowed her eyes, meeting his frustrated stare. "How many years have I told you that I don't want to be a Jedi? How many times have I asked you to expel me? I would have left on my own by now, but you would just send someone after me."

    "Selfish, your thoughts are," Master Yoda replied. "Dangerous are they. Angry and sad have they made you."

    Les crossed her arms. "So I've been told. Get to the point."

    "Spread thin, our forces are. Help they need. Send you to war, we must."

    "What? No, no way." Les began shaking her head.

    "You will be assigned a master, seeing as none will choose you. Ki Adi Mundi will oversee your Jedi training and you will obey him," Master Windu said. "Report to him immediately."

    Les stared after them as they left the room. "They can't do this!" She hissed to herself. "I won't become a Jedi. I want no part in this stupid war!" She dropped back into her seat. If Ki Adi Mundi was in charge of her, then he could come and get her. She wasn't moving until that happened.

Mygeeto: 19 BBY
Republic Camp
Lesia Mirri

    Ki Adi Mundi gave her a long gaze, then took up his stance once more. Les rolled her eyes and raised her lightsaber. Or, it wasn't her's, exactly. It was still the one she'd used from the Temple. She had yet to make her own.

    The Cerean Jedi lunged at her. She brought her lightsaber up and deflected his attack. Les twisted around him. She stifled a bored yawn. Twenty one years of youngling training had made her an expert at dodging and deflecting, that was for certain.

    Master Mundi deactivated his lightsaber and sighed. "I sense you are not really trying."

    "What's the point?"

    "The point is to prepare you. The war front is not like the youngling training room." Les bristled at the statement. "You are fighting droids with blasters that kill, not a combat remote. Every false move you make could get you or your troops killed. You don't have the luxury of thinking about yourself out here."

    "I've never had the luxury of thinking about myself," Les spat. "My entire life has revolved around the people this, the people that, Jedi are guardians and peace keepers..."

    "We are to be selfless. It is our job to maintain peace in the galaxy. We help those who can't help themselves. We..."

    "Steal babies and toddlers from their families?" Les threw her lightsaber at the ground. "Take away the prospect of a future outside the Order? Steal each member's chance of ever experiencing true emotions ever again?" She spun away from him and sat down, ignoring the snow that floated through the air.

    After a moment, Master Mundi sat down next to her. "It is a hard life. Every Jedi wonders if it's truly the life for them. At the end of the day, we must accept that the Force brought us to the Order for a reason."

    "What's the reason?"

    "It's different for everyone. Right now," Les started as he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I think you were brought here to keep me from slipping on ice." Master Mundi smiled.

    Les gave a small chuckle and managed a smile. "That would be a terrible turn of events, I suppose." She sighed and her smile disappeared.

    "Lesia, I may be teaching you the ways of the Jedi, but it is your choice to implement my teachings. They can be beneficial to you in more ways than one. Learning new skills doesn't necessarily make you something you don't wish to be." Master Mundi patted her shoulder and stood.

    Les watched him approach Commander Bacara. They spoke quietly together for a bit. Finally, Les stood and recovered her lightsaber. She swallowed and walked over to her master. Master Mundi glanced at her.

    She held out the lightsaber. "When can I make my own?"

    He smiled. "Very soon."

Mygeeto: 19 BBY
Republic Camp
Lesia Mirri

    Cole flipped her newly crafted lightsaber over in his hands. "It's pretty." His blue eyes met her own. "Like you." He flicked her chin and she flushed.

    Les shook her head and took the saber back. "You always say things like that." It was true. Cole had flirted with her since he'd arrived on Mygeeto, only a week and a half earlier.

    "You like it," he snickered. "Admit it."

    "Are you sure the Kaminoans didn't mess with your head?" She asked. "No other clone would dare talk to me like that."

    Cole flinched, but quickly masked the expression with a smirk. "I couldn't tell you. Maybe the other clones aren't as brave as I am."

    "More like...ridiculous." Les brushed her lips against his. "Get back to work, Soldier."

    "Yes, Sir, Commander." He saluted her and walked away as she laughed.

    Les paused, spying her master approaching. She hurriedly attempted to hide her blush. "There you are. We have a Council meeting to attend," Master Mundi said, reaching her. He knit his brows. "Are you all right?"

    "I'm fine."

    "Are you sure? Your face is..." he trailed off, an understanding look in his eye. "Have you been speaking with that clone again?"

    Les crossed her arms. "Cole, and yes, a little."

    Master Mundi sighed. "Lesia, I've warned you many times. You must be mindful of your feelings."

    "You always say that, Master. I can't help it. It's not like anything will come of it." Les rolled her eyes, grateful that her master didn't know the full extent of their relationship. "Besides, you're the one who told me that it's my choice to implement the Jedi's teachings."

    "Yes, but something like this could get you expelled from the Order."

    "Master, I would've gotten myself expelled years ago if I'd had the opportunity. Even now that I do...I wouldn't put you through that. I saw what it did to Master Skywalker."

    Master Mundi watched her, confliction in his gaze. He simply nodded after a moment and put an arm around her shoulders. "Come. Let's not keep the Council waiting."

Mygeeto: 19 BBY
Location N/A
Lesia Mirri

    Les grabbed Cole's hand and pulled him towards a few supply crates. They ducked out of sight. "You'll stay by me as long as you can, right?"

    Cole nodded as she removed his helmet. "I always do." He kissed her, then wrapped his arms around her and hooked his chin atop her head. "Just don't get lost in the snow." Lesia smiled at the familiar words. She hugged him for a moment longer, then stood and returned his helmet.

    Several minutes past before the droids were on top of them. Blaster fire erupted in hues of blue and red. Lesia's lightsaber was nothing more than a flash of light as she sliced through the droids. On the catwalk above, she could occasionally see her master. The fighting carried on for what seemed like hours.

    Suddenly, the droids turned and started running. "Push them back!" Les ordered. They charged after the droids, blasters firing. She froze as pain stabbed through her chest. She deactivated her lightsaber. "Master..." Les whispered. Her gaze flickered to the catwalk above her. She lifted a hand to her chest. A thousand deaths hit her all at once. Their spirits disappeared from the Force, leaving cold empty voids behind.

    Clicking blasters drew her from her thoughts. The clones had surrounded her and were taking aim. Somewhere during the battle, Cole had lost his helmet. His blue eyes were hard and unyielding. Lesia vaulted over them and took off running. She leaped again just as they opened fire.

    She screamed in pain, the blast bolts making contact with her ankles. Les hit the ground, tainting the snow with her blood. She crawled towards the edge of the catwalk and stared down. She would never survive that fall, unless...

    "But I've never tried it before," Les whispered to herself. She looked back and saw the clones incoming. There was no time to debate. They blasted at her again. She whipped her lightsaber up and deflected the shots. Les scrambled closer to the edge.

    Cole raised his blaster and fired. She flared a palm towards the blast, squeezing her eyes shut. There was a muffled thud and she cracked her eyes open. Horror washed over her. Cole's blue eyes were now vacant, with a gaping hole burned through his forehead. Les stared at his vacant gaze, then threw herself over the edge of the catwalk.

    She plummeted, wind jerking her lekku up painfully. The ground came into sight. Les stretched a hand down. She called on the Force and began to push against the ground, slowing her descent. She still hit the ground with a hard thump.

    Les gasped for breath, her vision unfocused. She panted again, before darkness claimed her. When she opened her eyes, she was surrounded by a few furry faces. One of the Lurmen helped her sit up. Les caught sight of her bandaged ankles.

    "You will recover with time. You should be able to walk, but your ankles will be much weaker than before," one of the Lurmen explained. "We'll do what we can to help you."

    "Thank you," Les whispered. A few tears managed to slip down her cheeks. She laid back down and closed her eyes.

Nur: 18 BBY
Fortress Inquisitorius
Lesia Mirri

    Her throat was raw from screaming and salty tears stung her cheeks. The memories were persistent, as was the torture. Les gasped for breath as the panels of her table opened up for a moment. An Inquisitor stood before her.

    "Interesting," the Mirialan woman said. "Lord Vader thought you would turn by now. It seems you are stronger than he thought." She trailed a cold finger against Lesia's cheek. "But not much."

    Les turned her face away. "I...will not succumb...to this."

    "You say that now. Eventually, you will fall. Your anger and pain are a source of strength. You need only embrace them. Stop fighting them and your torture will end."

    "No, it won't."

    "Well, your physical torture will," the woman chuckled. She snapped a finger and the panels closed once more.

    Les clenched her jaw, determined not to scream. Her determination faltered within five seconds. She screamed as electricity ripped through her veins. The pain subsided briefly and she let her head fall limp against her chest.

    Hopelessness pricked at her mind. More tears dripped down her cheeks. Les suppressed a sob. Where are you? She cried in her mind. Her head snapped back as electricity coursed through her once more.