Concord Dawn - 22 years ago

Mary was unsettled. She had long struggled with insomnia, but something about tonight was different. Her two little boys were tucked into bed, her husband was half-asleep in the den reliving his Death Watch glory days, and still Mary felt restless. There was nothing for it. She took out her little crystal, a rare connection to her old life, and sought guidance.

Outside, the winds picked up. Mary wasn't imagining things. Whatever her half-dead instincts had picked up, they were pushing her to grab her boys and run.

She crept over to john and shook him awake.

"John. I need you to grab our boys and take them offworld," she whispered urgently.

"Wha?" he mumbled.

Mary gathered her strength and spoke clearly. "Just for tonight, take them off world. Keep them safe." She looked him deep in the eye. "Please, John."

He understood. He started gathering his things while Mary went to wake her boys. Winds buffeted their little group as they made their way to the Baby Impala, John's ship. Mary took the time to kiss each of her boys goodbye- John on the mouth, Dean on the cheek, and little Sammy on the forehead.

The winds picked up into a strong gale. On the horizon, Mary could see identical men in identical armor marching toward their little homestead. She hadn't run far enough from her past.

"You need to go now," Mary said.

John looked back at her. "Without you?"

Mary slipped her crystal into the only other heirloom from her past.

"Without me. Keep them safe, John. And keep them free," she said.

"I will," he vowed. He walked back up the ramp and raised it behind him.

Mary felt the thrum of the impulse engines lighting when the troopers of the newly-named Empire found her. Praying her boys could make it without her, she lit her saber.