Transitory Permanence

Valos' new companions were an odd assortment, but they were definitely not what he was expecting. They were inquisitive and polite, yet guarded. Characteristics that he valued. Hopefully, this wasn't all a ruse. He did not sense any ill intentions, but he kept his guard up. And if worse came to worse... well, best not dwell on that.
 
"The Force will as the Force wills." Valos thought as he finished his tea.
 
The next few days were a whirlwind of activity. The camp that Valos had called home for years was packed up in less than an hour. He had accompanied them to their ship and after much discussion, Valos had agreed to leave Tarla's ship planetside. He could always return one day to claim it or return it to Tarla should she reappear. One event that had even surprised Valos' was the discovery of a secret compartment in the very ship that he had escaped in. It had been in his possession for years and he had never even known it was there. Granted, machinery and mechanical creations were not his forte, but even so... the sting to Valos' pride was present.
 
So too the Dark side - Valos breathed in deeply, letting his anger and wounded pride melt away. It was a constant struggle to keep the Dark side in check. He had spent years of his youth being tortured and beaten by his people, all for the sake that he had been born male, but not only that, being born male AND being the strongest force user his clan had seen in generations. His training was grueling, he learned the secrets of the Sisters and the stubborn tenacity of the Brothers. This balance of power and patience was the key to his survival. With it, he had been able to maintain a balance. He learned many secrets, and with that, the patience to control the power they provided.
 
And then the Empire came. He had barely escaped Dathomir. He had learned of the slaughter of his people and the imprisonment of the survivors months later. For the first several years, Valos moved from place to place, planet to station to planet. All to keep ahead of the Empire. He knew that the Empire had begun to search for beings such as himself, individuals capable of communing with the Force, and that forced him to maintain a low profile. He had adopted the guise of being a traveling healer and seeker. Traveling from one star system to the next, offering medical help to the far flung communities of the Outer Rim in exchange for lodging, until he was finally captured in the Dantooine system.
 
Valos snapped out of his reverie. He had been aboard his companion's ship for the better part of a week. Another surprise for Valos were that his companions were united in their hatred of the Empire and were all engaged in activities to fight it. Valos smiled to himself as he walked toward the communal area. He would have to ask his companions more about this "Rebellion". But for now...
 
"Time for tea."