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“No, Cere!” Cal barely had time to react when Cere was thrown over the edge after she had charged at the masked adversary.
The menacing dark figure turned his attention back on him. “You would be wise to surrender.”
Cal’s mind raced as he stuttered a half-witted response. “Yeah, probably.” Cal knew he had to run, but where? Before he could raise his ignited saber, the man, Darth Vader, force-pulled him closer and had him in his grasp by the throat.
His vision began to blur as he struggled to get free. He reached out with the force at the first object he could see. Was it an air duct? Either way, he pulled with all his might. Vader easily stopped the moving duct, and threw Cal toward the door. Cal slid on the cold metal, BD-1 holding on for dear life.
Pain shot through Cal’s arm as he landed hard on his elbow. He ducked just as the huge machinery flew at him. The door began to close from above, and Vader stopped it without any hesitation. Pieces of the floor started flying at Cal as he scrambled to his feet. One made contact with his shoulder, spinning him around and almost sending him over the edge.
“We gotta run!” he panted to BD-1. His mind was clouded with fear and guilt. Cere was just tossed aside like nothing and Cal wasn’t able to help. He ran as pieces of the platform started to come apart. This man… no… monster, was terrifyingly strong with the force.
Stromtroopers stood in his way, shooting him at will. It seemed Vader didn’t care to spare any of his own men as he tried to stop Cal from making it back to the elevator.
Panting, Cal reached the controls. “Let’s get out of here,” he yelled as he fumbled with the switches. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of the towering sithlord. His heart nearly stopped. The lift wasn’t moving, and Vader was getting closer. His slow stride was almost a mockery as he closed in on his prey.
The door finally closed. Cal stumbled back as the red lightsaber was thrust between the doors. He feared the worst, that Vader would get him, that this would all be over. Thankfully as the lift was raised higher and higher, the saber disappeared.
Cal collapsed, his heart racing in this throat. Tears pricked at his eyes. He knew he wasn’t in the clear yet, and he knew he would continue to be hunted until the day he died. He thought of Cere. She was just… gone. BD-1 gave a small coo of reassurance.
The lift finally reached the destination. He departed the elevator, half-running to the airlock to get back to the Mantis. “I think we lost him,” he breathed to BD-1. BD whistled back enthusiastically. Knowing he wasn’t alone made it easier to keep going.
Lights flickered in the damaged hallway. For a moment Cal felt like he’d never make it out. Screams of alarms rang around him. His chest ached, begging him to stop and rest. Sirens rang all around him altering others in the vicinity of the breech.
“Kid, do you read me?” the fuzzed voice of Greez greeted Cal’s ears from his comm. “They’re not responding!” Greez added in a frightened tone, most likely to Merrin.
“They will, I am certain of it,” Merrin’s soft calculated voice responded. Cal almost cried with relief.
“Greez, I’m here!” Cal shouted as he sprinted down the long corridor. “Heading toward the surface. Be ready. I have the holocron… but Cere…” he lost the words for a moment. “She didn’t make it.”
Before Greez could respond, the door in front of Cal opened and a familiar silhouette appeared, red saber ignited. Cal raised his own blade to block the incoming attack. He fell backward once more, landing hard on his wrist. Vader raised his saber to deliver a deadly blow, but Cal raised his again to block, holding back with all his might. He was losing his grip and his footing as horror washed over him. He was going to die.
Vader suddenly pulled back. BD-1 had shorted out some piece of the machinery keeping this man on his feet. Cal pushed his saber into the ribs of his opponent, but was thrust backward, losing grip on his weapon. He tried to pull it back to him, but Vader was much stronger with the force and managed to keep it out of his reach.
“Surrender the holocron.”
“I’ll never give it to you!” Cal shouted, adrenaline pumping through his veins.
“We shall see,” Vader replied. Cal’s saber began to turn on him. A sudden jolt, and it was thrust into Cal’s ribs.
“AUUUGH” Cal screamed. The white-hot feeling of the blade blinded him with pain. He feebly grabbed at the hilt to keep it from going in further. He felt for the switch and shut the saber off. Dark spots exploded in front of his eyes and he groaned, unable to stand.
Out of nowhere flew the stolen blade of Trilla. Vader deflected the flying saber with ease. Cere jumped from behind and caught it. She then crossed blades with her enemy. “I won’t let you take those children,” she growled. They sparred, sparks flying as the sabers collided.
Cal felt the world closing in. Cere was alive! His momentary joy outshone his pain but only for a moment. Cere was pushed back toward him. She rose, anger painted on her face.
“Such hatred,” Vader taunted. “You would have made an excellent inquisitor.” He slowly walked toward the pair.
“She’s stronger than that,” Cal gasped. He looked up at Cere, knowing what was going to happen next. Her eyes were ablaze with anger and she began to pull her hands together, dropping Vader to his knees.
“No! NO!” Cal yelled as he got to his feet. She was calling upon the darkside. Pieces of the hallway began to come apart, and cracks appeared in some of the windows that faced the waters.
“Yes,” Vader crooned, still on his knees. “Strong with the dark side. I can feel it inside of her.”
“Cere…” Cal begged. “Cere listen to me! You still have a choice!
Cere’s hands weakened, realization dawning. She dropped her menacing pose and looked back at Cal, panting. It was almost too late, but as Vader went for a deadly strike, she managed to instead put a forcefield around her and Cal.
Cal anxiously looked for a way out. The integrity of the underwater passageway was already compromised from Cere’s act of aggression. He had to do something fast before her shield over them broke from fatigue. He grabbed Cere and with all his might, force-pushed at the nearest cracked window.
Water flooded the chamber. Vader relinquished his weapon in order to keep the water from him. In that moment, Cal gained his bearings and began to swim out of the now flooded chamber, a now unconscious Cere in tow. Cal didn’t look back. He carefully placed his breather into Cere’s mouth as he swam. His injury made every movement agony. He felt relief, like they had finally gotten away.
No, it wasn’t over. Something snagged around Cal’s neck, pulling him back down. In a panic, he looked back. Vader had one hand holding back the waters, another manipulating jagged wires from the wreckage, wrapping them around Cal’s free wrist, as well as both ankles. Cal struggled, and let Cere go, grabbing at his bound arm. Another wiresnatched his left wrist and held it firm.
Cal was running out of air. He knew it would be easy for Vader to keep him where he was until he drowned. It seemed that pushing the waters back kept him from forcing Cal back to his vicinity, so all he did was wait.
Above the waters, the Mantis waited. It was only a matter of time before tie-fighters were sent after them.
Merrin stood at the open door, looking down at where Cal should have emerged. “Something wrong,” she shouted to Greez. “I need to go down there!”
Greez looked back from his seat and nodded. Merrin took the signal and dove into the waters, using her magick to propel her toward the underwater buildings.
Cere jolted out of her daze, realizing she was underwater, but breathing. She spun around and realized that Cal was trapped. His arms were now bound to their sides, and he gave a desperate look to Cere. She then followed his gaze down to where Vader was, reaching out and manipulating the bindings on Cal. Cere swam to Cal to let him use the breather, but Vader snaked another thick wire across Cal’s mouth, preventing him from getting any air. BD-1 was still holding on to Cal’s back, and Cere noticed the small droid doing what he could to free Cal as well.
Cere looked back at Vader and tried to force-push more water at him. The exertion that it took Vader to push it back made him lose focus on the wires. Cere swam to Cal and grabbed at the wires, trying to loosen them. Cal gave her a distressed look, his eyes glazing over from lack of air. Though Vader was now out of the picture, the wires would not give. I can’t lose another padawan , Cere thought as she desperately pulled and tugged at the thick bindings. Her hands began to sting from the frayed bits of metal coming off the wires, and Cere helplessly watched as Cal closed his eyes. His head slumped backward, small bubbles escaping between the gag around his mouth and his lips.
A flash of green came from above. Merrin, a look of anger and determination etched on her face, cut through the bindings that tethered Cal to the flooded building. Without wasting time, she used her magick to help her and Cere rocket up toward the surface, Cal’s unconscious body in tow.
Their heads broke the surface, Cere struggling to keep Cal’s head above water. The Mantis was hovering above. “Greez!” Merrin shouted in her comm. “Lower the ramp to the water, we have to get Cal on board.”
The ramp extended toward the waves. Cere scrambled up first, then turned and gently lifted Cal from the waters with the force. She and Merrin hurried on to the ship and the three soaked bodies hit the floor. Greez retracted the ramp and began their ascent from the planet Nur.
Merrin knew they would be caught if she didn’t cloak them again. She dashed to the front with Greez and quickly chanted her ritual, begging Mother and Sisters to help them escape. Greez pushed them to hyperspace, and then slumped back in his seat with relief.
The still-bound Cal lay on the wet floor of the Mantis, BD-1 at his side. She droid gave a quiet beep, looking up at Cere.
Cere gingerly pulled Cal’s lightsaber from his belt and used it to cut the rough bindings. Angry red lines shone across Cal’s mouth, as well as around his neck and wrists. Small cuts began to bleed, mixing with the water droplets on his body and dripping to the floor. He was barely breathing and wouldn’t wake. Cere was afraid to move him again, and instead began carefully removing his poncho, gloves, and belt. The wound in his side was deep, and she needed to get him stabilized before he went into shock. Greez and Merrin appeared at her side, helping her remove Cal’s outer clothing layers until he was only dressed in slacks and a white under-tunic.
“Cere, I’m so glad to see you,” Greez breathed, kneeling by Cal’s head. “Is… is Cal going to make it?” He grimaced noticing the large hole in Cal’s ribs.
Cere gave him a soft look. “If we act quickly, he should be. Do you have any bacta patches on board? We also need to get him dry and warm.”
“Yes, yes over here,” Greez rushed to a small cabinet in the kitchen area, Merrin following. He produced a medkit and handed to Merrin, who gave it to Cere. Greez then went to the rear of the ship to fetch a thick blanket.
“I am not sure what a bacta patch is,” Merrin admitted in a small voice, kneeling once again. Her eyes fell over Cal’s limp body. Her anger still simmered. She was ready for revenge on the one that had harmed the young Jedi.
“I will teach you,” Cere responded kindly while she fished through the kit. “There are some who can heal by using the force, but I’m not one of those individuals.” She gave Merrin a knowing look. “Dwelling isn’t going to help Cal,” she said quietly. “I can feel your anger coming off of you in waves.”
“I, too, regret that I lack the healing skill. Our Mother could, but only with the help of the dead. I.. want to be of more help.” Merrin took the patch when Cere handed it to her. Cere then turned Cal on his side and carefully lifted his tunic so that Merrin could apply the patch.
“Bacta contains almost force-like properties on its own. It can heal even nerves and skin in very little time. We can’t seek out a healer, the wound looks too suspicious. I believe this should do the trick, as well as rest.”
Merrin pulled the tunic back down. “His breathing is shallow,” she said. “We need to watch over him.” BD-1, not knowing what to do, perched himself on Merrin’s shoulder, peering down at Cal. She made no effort to remove him.
“Agreed,” Cere replied. Greez had reappeared with the blanket. Cere called on the force once more and lifted Cal to the couch. She and Greez then dried Cal’s bright red hair before wrapping the blanket around his cold body.
Merrin began to gather Cal’s belongings. As she lifted the bundle of clothing, the holocron clattered across the floor. Cere barely glanced at it before picking it up and placing it on the circular table near the couch.
---
Hours later, Merrin and Cere moved Cal to the bunk in the rear of the ship. They were orbiting an uncolonized moon while they figured out what to do next. Greez made some personal calls, as did Cere, looking for a place that was safe enough to dock and resupply.
Cal’s breathing was more relaxed, and more color had returned to his face. As Merrin took next watch over Cal, she applied healing salve to the red marks that had been left by the bindings. BD-1 had stationed himself at Cal’s feet, refusing to move.
“Cal, thank you for saving me,” Merrin said quietly. She knew he couldn’t hear her, but she needed to get the feeling off her chest. She had been so alone for so many years. The nightbrothers weren’t much company, and they really only spent time with each other hunting and also protecting their home.
“I don’t know what I would have done if… if you had been lost,” she continued. A deep feeling in her stomach, one she hadn’t felt since the slaughter of her sisters, began to inch up her chest and into her throat. She let out a choked sob. “I was so afraid.” She felt a sense of comfort wash over her when Cal seemed to relax. Merrin finished applying the salve and pulled the thick blanket back over him.
“Greez has dinner ready,” Cere said from the doorway. Merrin jumped. “I’ll take next watch.” Cere added.
Merrin nodded. “Thank you, Cere.”
“Make sure you tell him what you said when he’s conscious,” Cere continued, a slight smirk on her face. “He needs to hear it.”
Merrin felt her face flush. “We shall see,” was all she said as she pushed past Cere to the kitchen area.
---
“Greez, would you watch over Cal? I need to check with some contacts to see if any word has gotten out about our endeavors on Nur,” Cere said from the rear of the ship. “I changed the bacta patch, and his color is back to normal. He should wake soon.”
Greez grabbed his small holoprojector that he had been using to keep tabs on the Imperial controlled HoloNet. “Sure thing,” he grumbled. He made himself comfortable on a small folding chair near Cal’s sickbed and began watching the news once more.
A slight moan from Cal snapped Greez’s attention away from the news. He stood over Cal and watched as he stirred, BD-1 on his back looking down as well. “Hey,” Greez whispered. “Hey. Hey kid…” He watched Cal’s eyes flutter. “Cal. Cal!”
Cal set up with a jolt, grabbing Greez by the arm. “Cere,” he croaked.
Greez nodded. “She’s alright. She’s alright,” he replied softly. BD-1 jumped down from Greez’s shoulder on to Cal’s lap. “Boooooooop! Booooop!” he chirped gleefully.
Cal regarded his droid companion with fondness. “Heh, you too,” he said with a smile. The pain in his side was still present, though greatly reduced. He looked down at his wrists, regarding the marks.
“You did it,” Greez said.
Cal looked up at him, relief filling his heart. “We did it?” he whispered. He tried to sit up. “We did-” he was cut off by a sharp stab of pain. “Where are they?” he asked, referring to Merrin and Cere.
“Well they’re out there,” Greez gestured toward the front of the ship. Cal jumped up and ran. “Hey wait a minute!” Greez called.
The sound of footsteps made Merrin look up. Cal was stumbling toward her. She jumped up from her seat and immediately enveloped him in a hug. Grateful, Cal hugged back, though he also grimaced in pain.
Merrin stepped back and hung her head for a moment. “Sorry,” she said slyly. She swallowed hard.
Cal regarded her for a moment. “That was you in the water, wasn’t it? With Cere.”
Merrin smiled and nodded slightly. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she said. “This one wouldn’t leave your side.” She gestured to Greez, who gave a sheepish grin. It was true, he had volunteered the most time to watch over Cal.
Cal turned to Cere. “Hey,” he said, sitting next to her.
“Hey,” she responded with a smile. “Glad to have you back.”
“So now what?” Greez asked.
Cere turned to him. “Well, captain. This is the end of my charter. Your contract has been fulfilled.” She gave Greez a warm smile. “Thank you Greez.”
“Well, if it’s all the same to you, I was thinkin’ that maybe I would stick around here and take you where ever you gotta go.” Greez sat on the couch, looking at Cere and Cal. “Besides uh… the kid kinda looks up to me.”
“What about that?” Merrin asked, motioning to the holocron. It had been on the table the entire time that Cal had been out. Cere avoided the object completely.
The four of them looked at each other for a moment. Cere spoke first. “We use it to rebuild the Jedi order.”
Cal reached for the holocron and focused his mind on the force, opening the object. A holomap with small marks filled the space. He looked from one spot to the next as the stars and planets spun around him. Flashes of his vision he’d had in the tomb on Bogano kept bothering his senses.
“The next generation of Jedi,” Merrin breathed. Cal looked at her, remembering what she had said. Her doubt in their plan had made Cal rethink what they were doing. These kids, they would be under his protection, and he knew he couldn’t do it. Hiding from the empire, from the inquisitorus, would be impossible.
“The lives of every child on that list will be forever changed,” Cere said in awe.
Cal looked down at her, his mind made up. “Not by us,” he said, shaking his head slightly. He thought of the images of the children in the imperial jail, and the child strapped into interrogation chair. He turned and looked at Cere. She gave him a knowing nod and handed him his lightsaber. “Their destiny should be trusted to the force.” He glanced at Merrin, who also nodded.
Cal brought his lightsaber below the floating holocron and ignited it. With one smooth gesture, he brought his blade up and sliced it in two. The map disappeared and the pieces fell to the table, the four of them watching silently.
Cal took a deep breath and then looked up at Cere. “So,” he said with a smirk. “Where to now?”