[TOR] Vifi Sunfell - War and Pieces

[Vifi Sunfell]

[Horizontal wipe from last scene of Vifi Sunfell - Pernam Minor]

She sat silently in a darkened, spartan room, her eyes closed.

Vifi whispered audibly, "I've never been that close to death before, grandfather. I could taste the dark side, like it was blood in my mouth - alerting my mind and body to danger, compelling me to rise up, throw away my restraint and lash out. I resigned my fate to the Force and used the calm to seek the greatest opportunity when it presented itself to me.

She paused. "I feel vindicated in my choice."

"That vindication is not unwarranted, Vee," responded a faint, but resolute voice in her head.

"What else could I have done?" She stressed her doubt, "I feel vindicated. But why should my life rest in the hands of luck or in the hands of the dark side? What am I missing?"

She slowly opened her eyes to see a man dighted in ceremonial armor, translucent and luminous, yet shedding no light on his surroundings.

"Preparation and experience," said the figure. "The strength of the light side is in preparation, learning and nurturing where as the dark side brutally culls all it sees as unfit. Contrary to the dark side's dogma, the care the Jedi place is not a deficiency in the system. It produces formidable warriors."

He added, "As for today, you were outclassed. In battle, it will happen to every warrior in single combat. You did anticipate well enough to survive."

"I only survived because I changed my plans at the last moment - because the original strategy needed to be scuttled."

"A learning experience," noted the figure. "And any learning experience you can walk away from is a good one."

"I walked away, but," said Vifi before she stopped. A sudden rush of anguish flooded her consciousness from a tiny corner of her mind."

"I feel it too, Vee," confirmed the figure. "Something terrible."

A door opened behind Vifi, flooding the room with ruddy light. A woman asked, "Captain Sunfell?"

[Vifi Sunfell]

She turned around and a sharp pain in her right shoulder made her wince. Immediately she looked back to her grandfather. Gone.

"What!" snapped Vifi. "What - what is it?!"

The woman, a military medic, seemed a bit surprised by the reaction. "I was told that you were ready for the cybernetic replacement surgery. I was just coming to tell you that -"

Vifi interrupted, "Who told you that?"

"Master Veir, of course. He said -"

Again, the medic was not allowed to finish, "Master Veir lies. I'm not having a blasted cybernetic replacement."

The light emanating from the doorway vanished for a moment as a huge figure moved behind the medic. "I'm sorry Conta," said the figure. "Allow me to talk to her."

"Yes, Master Veir," replied Conta, as the vacated the doorway.

Master Vier was a massive Houk, nearly two and a half meters tall with a build that would make a Gammorean appear frail. His wide, toadlike face seemed to be in a perpetual frown that served to hide his otherwise friendly nature. He grumbled, "Vifi, we should talk about this."

She continued to stare in the far corner of the room, sparing her neck and shoulder from the pain. "No, we don't need to talk about this Zk'Tasha. I'm not getting my arm replaced with a machine. You know this, so stop going behind my back."

The Houk tried to calm her fears, "It's a procedure that's been done millions of times before. The risks are almost non-existent. We need talented fighters like you against the Sith."

"You didn't see your father cleaning out a liter of foul pus every blasted night or crying himself to sleep."

"The chances of that happening are minuscule, Vifi. Your father wasn't even a Jedi, you're better equipped to handle any problems that might occur."

Vifi fumed, "Don't belittle his struggle. Don't you dare."

Master Veir apologized, "I - you're right. I'm sorry for what I said."

The two remained silent for a minute before the Houk started again, "Meditate on what would be best for you and the Order, Vifi. We can talk again at seventeen-hundred after I consider my words here as well."

[Vifi Sunfell]

Hours passed. Not much had changed in her mind. Although she could understand why the Order would want her in prime condition as soon as possible, she couldn't let go of the thoughts of her father and his pain. Meditation wasn't fruitful - more and more it felt as if she needed to make the decision she was comfortable with in order resume her normal Jedi routines.

A young, handsome Duros rapped on her door. "Captain Sunfell? Major General Leras is requesting the presence of all commissioned officers, immediately."

Vifi rose, with some difficulty. Her right arm was heavily dressed and in an unmoveable brace making it a chore to balance as she stood.

"Do you need assistance, Captain?" asked the soldier.

"I'll be fine."

Ahn Leras was an older human man who was notable among the Republic military for his constantly loud, hoarse voice. His manner of speech seemed ill-suited for his appearance - short and wiry with a clean-shaven face and bright white mop of hair.

The Major General had a strong but unremarkable career pulling out exactly no amazing victories and no humiliating defeats. His performance at Pernam Minor was probably his finest achievement to date - repeatedly denying the Sith from gaining a foothold in any major city.

So it was with some great surprise when he announced to the auditorium of commissioned officers that the Republic would be pulling out from Pernam Minor, effective immediately.

"Brigadier General Drlar Jir will be coordinating the first wave of drawbacks," growled Leras, gesturing to a Devaronian woman in the front row.

The room murmured, creating a din uncharacteristic of the meetings headed by the Major General.

Leras coughed. "People, settle down! There has been a treaty signed on Coruscant within the last few hours and part of that treaty is the immediate withdrawal of Republic forces from certain theatres. This is not optional. This will be conducted in a timely and efficient manner and it will begin immediately."

[Vifi Sunfell]

Vifi shuffled back to her quarters with a slight limp. Along with the damage to her arm and shoulder, the attack also skimmed into the right side of torso. That particular wound was superficial but nonetheless extremely painful.

Lieutenant Taanzer approached her in the cramped, gray hallway keeping two steps behind her to allow others to pass. Sans his gear, Taanzer was a young man with a dark complexion and reddish-mahogany hair.

"This is ridiculous," growled Taanzer. "We hold all the high numbers here Captain. The Sith have no chance of taking Pernam Minor. How can we just leave?"

Vifi continued to limp forward down the narrow hall and replied without looking, "A treaty is a treaty, Lieutenant. It really doesn't matter what we think."

"I heard from Deo that they attacked Coruscant during the negotiations! How can you just take that? I feel like we're running away. I don't like it!"

"War is not about you or me. It's never about one person, one battalion, or one city. At this point, it's not even about one planet. If we don't work as a unit, then -"

"What about loyalty to the cause and your brothers?" interrupted Taanzer.

Vifi grimaced as her body rippled with pain from shouting him down, "If we don't work as a unit, then we will fail! You take orders, whether you like them or not! If you don't like it, then you shut your maw and move on, Lieutenant!"

"With all due respect Captain," replied the Lieutenant,"you're the most sullen, awful, heartless bitch I've ever had the misfortune to serve with."

Without acknowledging the remark, she hobbled into her quarters and closed the door behind her.

[Vifi Sunfell]

Vifi sat on the floor of her quarters with her eyes closed. She was trying to meditate, but the frequency with which she furrowed her brow divulged that this was a troubled moment.

She spoke clearly, depositing her words in the midst of the silence. "I can tell you want to enter, Master Veir. Come in."

After a few awkward moments, the door opened. Tiny fragments of light bolted into the room in the few places where the Houk's large frame did not blot it out.

"A great many events have happened in the past few hours," mumbled the Jedi Master.

"They have."

He continued, "have you given any further thought to having a cybernetic replacement for your arm, Vifi?"

"I didn't need any further thought," she replied. "My position on this was unwavering. Now that we're no longer at war, it makes the decision that much easier."

"There will be other wars."

"That's funny, coming from a Jedi. I'm not a mercenary. My family has obligations to the Republic. I'm not a Mandy."

Master Veir inhaled deeply and sighed. "Command is not pleased with the low regard that Lieutenant Taanzer and your squad hold you. I expected better myself - you still lack the empathy that all great Jedi possess."

"I'm resigning my commission in the Republic Army."

"That's a poor choice to deal with this problem, Vifi."

After a pause, Vifi continued, "that's not the reason why I'm leaving. The major operations in this theatre are finished. My saber-arm is in shambles. And I need a haven to learn while I recover."

The Houk leaned against the wall. "Oh? And where is this haven?"

"Tython," said Vifi. "It was once the center of Jedi learning - and it's been rediscovered. I hear a great many Jedi have been migrating there since Master Shan rediscovered it. I think it will only become more important now that the treaty has been signed."

"Hmm," murmured Veir. "I suppose this is worthy of consideration. I thought you were about to tell me of a yearning to wander the galaxy aimlessly and 'learn about yourself.' This is better. There, you can grow and contribute and heal - all at once."