Author's Notes: The following tale takes place during your five year carbonite sleep. It doesn't necessarily fit the AU of some of my other works, as it was inspired by the material from the Onslaught expansion.

Kira Carsen tossed and turned in her sleep.

The sleeping bag she bundled herself into was comfortable enough. The campsite they had set up on this desolate, all but abandoned Sith world – hoping to meet their contact – certainly wasn't the worst place she had ever lived. Their supplies, such as they were, were holding out after three weeks. It wasn't as if she were still living on the streets of Nar Shaddaa. Or if she were still a child on Korriban, coping with the horrors of Sith training.

Honestly, Kira thought she'd exorcised these nightmares long ago.

But they were coming back now. And she knew why. That was the subject of tonight's nightmare.

The past three years had been terrible. Zakuul had invaded. The Order broken up. The surviving Jedi had gone into hiding. The Republic had rolled over. Even their crew was mostly gone. They'd had to abandon the ship; it was too well known and a vessel that screamed 'Jedi' would almost certainly get the Eternal Fleet on their tail. Rusk had been recalled by the Republic military. They'd been separated from Doc on Begeren; Kira had wanted to go back for him, but she'd eventually been convinced that they were all better off letting their medic find his own path.

Blast it. She actually missed Doc. How crazy was that?

Teeseven …

Teeseven had never given up hope. The astromech droid – arguably her second-best friend in the galaxy – knew there was only one thing that could get the galaxy moving again. Indeed, there was only one person who could jump-start that process. When the droid had left, it had been devastating. It was like her final link to the best time of her life was being taken away from her. She'd hugged the little droid and told him may the force be with him.

Those had also been her last words to him.

She had her own mission. She knew that. If they failed, then the Eternal Empire and even the Sith would seem like nothing in comparison. The Emperor could always just wait until everyone who could stop him was dead, and then start over. So she persevered; it's what he would have done.

And thus, the nightmares continued.

Sometimes, she was back on Nar Shaddaa, hiding from the gangs, trying to survive. Sometimes, she was back on Korriban, hoping the Servants weren't on their way to drag her off to meet her 'father'.

Sometimes, she was trying to save him. Trying to fight her way through armies of Skytroopers and Zakuulan Knights. Knowing that if she could only reach him, the galaxy would be right again.

Her galaxy would be right again.

But each time, she would come up short. Sometimes, they would kill her quickly, all her training and power counting for nothing. Other times, she'd make it almost to his prison before she was finally overwhelmed.

This time was much worse.

Kira had actually reached him. She'd fought her way to his prison and revived him, only for him to turn and look upon her with those black eyes she knew so well.

"No…. no, not him…." She murmured, tossing and turning wildly, still asleep, and yet all too aware.

And she knew it wouldn't end.

If they failed, it would never end.

Then she felt strong arms wrap around her, pulling her into and embrace against a massive chest.

It was comforting. It was something to hold onto. And for the briefest of moments, she fooled herself into thinking that it was him.

But no. He was tall and strong, but nothing like this. The arms were too large, the chest too massive.

And somewhere deep in her slumber, she felt the familiar ping of the dark side. And the part of her mind that was aware knew precisely who it was.

A year ago, she would have shoved him away. Two years ago, she'd have killed him for the presumption.

Right now, as Kira fell from one nightmare to another, she couldn't find the strength.

The arms pulled her closer, and their owner leaned in and whispered.

"I miss him, too."

Kira exhaled.

Slowly but surely, the nightmares started to eb away.

She finally tucked her head into the huge neck, clutching to him.

The galaxy wasn't right.

Her galaxy wasn't right.

But for now, she could sleep soundly.

And someday, when they had completed their mission, they would find him.

END