Ren's casual demeanor covered a quavering heart. She was here to attend the Jedi Academy...an honor bestowed on her by the orphanage's founder. She carried with her the hopes of all those with whom she'd grown up. They had sent her off in grand style and the Matron had secretly gifted her with a mysterious but formidible suit befitting, she had said, on training to become Jedi. Ren had not questioned the Matron about where she had obtained such a thing but had accepted it graciously bowing her thanks to her mentor and to the woman who had been as close to a mother as was possible throughout all the lonely years in here in orphanage.

The Matron had early taken an interest in Ren as her devotion to the cause of the 'underdog' grew with her years. Always a champion of those preyed on by the larger, older, stronger children, Ren had taken many knocks over the years, particularly when younger. But as time had gone on, she had thrown her formidible diplomatic skills and equally overpowering and rather dangerous physical abilities to the protection of the vulnerable ones. Ren was almost universally admired by the orphans and practically revered by the youngest children. Always ready with a smile and a willingness to spend time playing with the kids, Ren was the defacto leader of the 'school'. It seemed she always had at least two hanging from her hands or riding on her back, her laughter as joyous as theirs.

The Matron had called her to her office one day and told her that she had sponsored Ren's admittance to the Academy. Ren was hard-pressed to keep her surprise from showing on her face. Still, as the Matron explained what would happen to her, in curious detail she later thought, Ren's heart had thrilled at the challenge and honor of what was happening to her.

Now sitting aboard the ship, she pulled the photograph from her pack and looked fondly at the children in it. She smiled to herself and pushed her silver-black hair behind on ear.

"I will do them proud", she thought to herself, "so that more of them might come in time."

Glancing up, she caught the looks one or two of the other cadets were giving her. Her face reddened slightly and she tucked the photograph away. As she did so, the transport lurched forward to her future.