Beyond - Legends -Valor's War- RE: the World Builder Society's War! challenge

This was written for the World Builder Society's War! Challenge: write a short piece in any format from the POV of a person at least middle-aged, and has seen their world in its "glory days," and can now compare it to its current, war-ravaged state. Show in as much detail as you'd like the effects your character has seen on his or her homeworld from war.


Wikken stared out at the orange, parched, ground of her home planet Valor. Valor had not always been this way. Once it had been green, and lush, and beautiful. Not derelict, and orange, and thirsty.

But the Shi?Wen people withstood their planet?s harsh ways, not having anywhere else to go.

Once upon a time the Shi?Wen had been a peaceful people. They had no weapons, no military, and no knowledge of any kind of war. But the Clone Wars changed all that. Now the Shi?Wen have a very terrible knowledge of war filled with death, terror, grief, and famine. The Shi?Wen learned how to fight, how to build weapons, and how to hate. When the Clone Wars ended, the grief did not. The Shi?Wen mourned the ones they had lost and the lifestyle they would never see again.

Once upon a time they did not have to forage for food. In the spring they sowed, summer and fall they reaped, and in winter they managed. There had always been plenty. Now there is never enough. Hunting parties go out in the early morning and gather what they can. But it is never enough.

Once upon a time, they had only warred against the Metal Things who invaded their planet. Now they fight amongst themselves, fighting over food. Killing over food.

Wikken knew no different. She had heard of the green Valor, but had never seen it. She would never know her planet as only the Old Ones remember it. That time has passed away forever.

It is not that the Shi?Wen people are primitive. They have knowledge of machines, and technology. The Clone Wars and the machinery it had brought had assured that. The Shi?Wen certainly had the means to leave the planet if they wanted to. But they did not want to. They feared what lay beyond.

Something had happened during the Clone Wars. Rescue ships had come. Five rescue ships, led by a Jedi and his apprentice. There had only been room for some 200 beings, but 300 had been crammed aboard. 300 sad, pitiful, crying children. The hope and future of the Shi?Wen people. Parents had led their children on board, wishing for them to be away form the horror that had befallen Valor. Wishing for their children to live a better life then they could ever hope for on the new bleak Valor. But something had happened.

The Jedi?the dark-skinned man, and his white-haired apprentice?returned just days later, but with no more rescue ships. They said no more rescue ships could be spared. They also said that the children had not made it. Something about a black hole. The white-haired apprentice had been crying. The hope and future of Valor had not made it to safety.

Wikken had been brought up hearing the story of the rescue ships and the Jedi and the black hole. So when she discovered she was different, she despaired. She could do things none of the others could. She was very good at finding things. Things she had lost, or even food. She could also lift things without touching them. But she only did this when she was alone?she did not want her parents to know. And some things she could even go through?metal things. If she tried to touch anything that was metal, her hands did not feel it. Her hands did not touch it. They went through it.

Her parents did not think she was Jedi, they just thought she was different. Special. Or maybe they were just in denial.

And then the ship came. The man named Solo came. He told her she could be a Jedi, and asked her if she would go with him so she could learn to better use her powers. He told her he could teach her how not to go through metal.

But she was scared. She did not know if she wanted to go. She did not want to leave her family behind, and

 

Healer_Leona: Thanks so very much, Leona!