(Sabine's POV)

I turned around to see them. My friends. My crew. 

There were shocked expressions as my brother announced my title. They were almost as shocked as I was when finding out that the position of Countess was mine.

Well, Almost.

We stood in silence for what felt like years, until I worked up the courage to speak. "That was foolish. Attacking the Empire head-on like that? What were you all thinking?"

Zeb shouted back at me, "We were fighting, and we saw the opportunity to-"

I cut him off. "To what! Die?!"

Zeb was about to reply again, when Hera spoke up.

"No, Sabine. To live. To truly live. Not hiding behind closed doors, taking a stand."

"Well, that stand almost got you killed! You would have been dead if we didn't jump in! This Rebellion is going to kill you all!" I replied.

The entire crew stopped dead in their tracks. And so did I. I hadn't meant to say that, I was just worried about them. And.. Angry. Angry they didn't ask me to help them fight. I expected Hera to be angry, to shout back at me. But, she didn't. She just looked disappointed. And that was a thousand times worse. I could take the anger, the lectures and shouting. After all, I had been dealing with quite a lot of that since I came to Krownest.

But I couldn't cope with the feeling that by joining my birth family again....

I had lost the one that truly mattered. The ones who took me in, cared for me. I would do anything to help them... I remembered my sparring match a few days ago with Tristan.

(Flashback)

My brother and I were doing the usual sparring in the morning. But he was pushing me to my limit today. And I was getting a little bit frustrated. And then he said something that made me hate him.

"Why do you care so much about that crew, and this rebellion? We are your family after all, why do you care about them more than us? It's not as if they truly care for you."

I froze, but only for a moment. I shot back a reply as the fighting continued. With every sentence, I struck a blow to his staff. And with every blow, I was closer to winning the match. 

"Because they were there when I needed them most! And I didn't have a purpose until I met them! They showed me how to be something, something bigger than myself!" By this time I was quickly dashing around, dodging my brother's attacks. "People called me a traitor, a fraud! And I believed them, because my family never taught me how to believe in myself! And do you know why I fight, fight for something other than myself?!" I began to quickfire my strikes, never missing.

"Because the wisest woman I have ever known and ever will told me something I'll never forget!" Now with every word I stuck a blow.

"If all you do is fight for you own life, then your life means NOTHING!" With my last word I knocked him to the ground and held my staff over his body. 

"And I have held that to heart, wherever I go! And I inspire others to do what I did!"

I took my staff off of his chest, and stared at him with a frown. I began to walk out, but I turned my head around slightly. 

And in a calm voice I said, "I am not a traitor. I am not a coward. And I may not be a Jedi, or a pilot, or a guardsman. But I know something that you or Mother never taught me, never could."

"I am a rebel."

 (Flashback End)

 I stared at the twilek's face. She was crying softly, silently so as not to be heard. And I no longer cared what people thought of me. I was the Countess. I was supposed to be strong. Never show your weakness. Never show you feel anything. And I knew with all of the people around, I would show weakness and emotions by not being who I was right now. Their strong Countess. But they were wrong, I wasn't strong like they think. I had weaknesses. And I didn't care what people thought. I would not let Hera cry like that. Never. 

I descended the steps. And I threw myself into Hera's arms. I would never let my...

What was she.. More than a pilot. More than my Captain. She was always there for me. 

She wasn't my birth mother.

But she was the one who mattered.

A/N: 

Thanks for being patient while I had writers block! I will write another in a few days! 

Starfall Out.