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The Mantis carefully landed back on the planet Dathomir. Cal clipped his newly repaired dual-wield lightsaber to his belt and left the ship without a word. He found no opposition as he made his way back to Kujet’s tomb.
The building was still just as ominous, but Cal had renewed purpose. He approached the door to the tomb and knelt to meditate.
Cal felt the cool mist return. He opened his eyes and found himself back in the dark room he’d been in when he had encountered the apparition of Jaro Tapal.
“Master,” Cal stood and approached Master Tapal.
“You were wrong to return here unarmed,” the Jedi master growled to Cal.
“I’m not unarmed.” Cal held up the fixed lightsaber, his breathing cool and even.
“You think that lightsaber proves you a jedi?” Jaro Tapal barked.
Cal shook his head. “No. Facing you. Memories that have haunted me since Bracca. I won’t run from them anymore.”
“Then let us see what manner of death your courage brings,” his master responded, lightsaber raised.
Cal blocked each blow, being careful not to strike back. He knew the vision wouldn’t last, and refused to let anger take over.
Their blades crossed, Jaro Tapal pushing harder and harder toward Cal. “Impressive,” he sneered. “Is power the answer?”
Cal broke loose from the hold. He then silenced his own weapon. “No.” He clipped the saber to his belt and stood still, staring at the illusion of master Tapal.
Jaro yelled out and lunged, bringing his saber down over Cal’s head. He stopped half an inch short of hitting his mark. Cal looked up at his master, tears pricking his eyes. “Master,” he said quietly. “I will never forget. The loss has become a part of me. I will honor your teaching, and your sacrifice.”
The apparition lowered his lightsaber and regarded his former apprentice. He then turned to walk away. “Remember,” he said. “Persistence reveals the path.”
The premonition was over. Cal stood and watched the door to the tomb slide open. He’d done it. He slid through the opening into the chamber beyond. He was met with a dusty cavern. The sound of whispers made the hairs on his neck raise in alarm and he pulled his lightsaber out of pure instinct.
“You chose to return. Brave,” the echoey voice of the Nightsister Merrin echoed around Cal. “But not wise.” Wish a flash of green Magick, she appeared in front of Cal. He stared at her for a moment, his saber still raised in defence. She had removed her hood, revealing a more human form, tattoos snaking around her face. She also looked… hollow.
“Maybe,” Cal responded, holstering his saber. “Merrin, right? I’m, Cal Kestis.” He watched her face carefully as she spoke. “What you were told about the Jedi was not true.”
Slight surprise crossed her countenance. “So you say, Cal,” she said sarcastically, one eyebrow raised. Her accent was thick. “Malicos said many things too.”
“Taron Malicos might have been part of my Order, but what he is now I…” Cal paused, searching for the right words. He desperately wanted to convince Merrin that things just weren’t what they seemed. “I have no idea. All I do know is, having a lightsaber…” he tossed his weapon to Merrin in a show of solidarity. She caught the hilt with ease. “Doesn’t make you a Jedi,” he finished.
“Then what does?” Merrin responded, regarding the weapon in her hand.
“We were peacekeepers. We were betrayed by those we protected. Hunted down by the empire I… I might be one of the last of my kind.” Cal chose his words carefully, not taking his eyes off the Nightsister. He felt no alarm or danger from her, but he still kept his guard up just in case.
Merrin ignited the saber to observe its shining blade. “I was only a child when they attacked,” she said. The light from the weapon flickered on her sad face. “An armored warrior brandishing this descended upon us. He cut down my people. My sisters, til I was left alone with the dead. Then Malicos came and promised me revenge if I shared our secrets with him in return.” Her words were filled with acid.
Cal felt his heart ache, knowing full-well what she had endured. “I know what it’s like to lose everything,” he said with sincerity. “And Malicos was wrong to use that against you. We don’t have to be enemies.”
Merrin gave Cal a look that he hoped wasn’t malice. She was difficult to read. She disengaged the lightsaber and stared down at it for a moment. She then threw it back to Cal. “You will need this,” she said. Without another word, she disappeared.
Cal breathed a sigh of relief. “There she goes again,” he mumbled to BD-1 on his back. BD chirped a small reply.
“I’ll be watching,” Merrin said from somewhere in the room.
Cal looked around awkwardly, wondering if she was going to follow him and how close she was standing right now. “Let’s get outta here.” He began to make his way to where the Zeffo crypt was inside of the tomb, knowing the astrium was waiting.
“Malicos lies ahead, you could turn back,” Merrin said on Cal’s left. He tried not to jump.
“I can’t. Lives are at stake,” Cal replied, half-running. He could see the fallen Jedi in the distance, knowing he would have to face him.
“Who’s lives?” Merrin asked. Her voice had genuine concern.
“Innocents. Force-sensitive children who will be hunted down and murdered,” Cal said bitterly. He approached a drop-off. Large stone steps appeared for him so that he could cross over to where Malicos stood. They were surrounded by green magicks. Cal decided not to point out Merrin’s help, for fear she would pull back.
Taron Malicos turned to face Cal. “Cal Kestis!” He said with surprise.
“Malicos,” Cal replied flatly.
“Welcome home. Here to begin your training?” he asked. Cal stared, not responding. “What in these ruins tempts you so much to risk death?” Malicos continued.
Out of the corner of his eye, Cal saw whisps of green Magick. He was comforted knowing Merrin was nearby, though what kind of help she was willing to provide was still unknown. “I could as you the same thing,” Cal directed back at Taron Malicos.
“There is power there,” the elder Jedi responded, hands outstretched. “Beyond Jedi understanding. Power I control. I would offer you the same thing.”
Cal began to pace in front of him. “Don’t you understand?” he asked. “I’m not interested in power. I want to restore the order.”
“Restore the Jedi Order? Oh you poor fool. It’s over!” Malicos almost yelled. “It’s over! The Jedi fell long before the purge. Stifled by tradition, deafened by our past glories. Blinded by endless war.”
“Maybe,” Cal interrupted with vigor. “But it’s never over, Malicos. We stand here now, the chance to learn. To rebuild from our mistakes.”
“Jedi learn,” Malicos sneered. “There’s no future for them, how can you not see that? It’s time for something new. You and me,” he gestured between them and began walking closer to Cal, setting off alarms in Cal’s head. “We could build something different. Something better.”
Cal shook his head slightly. “No,” he replied simply. He watched as realization took hold of Malicos. Cal wasn’t changing his mind.
“Then Dathomir will be your GRAVE,” Malicos growled, grabbing both of his lightsabers from his belt.
This is what Cal was waiting for. He drew his own saber and ignited both sides. He then pulled them apart, ready.
Malicos made the first move. He lunged, aiming for Cal’s left side. Cal blocked, then twisted and made his own blow. Malicos returned the block.
They sparred for sometime, neither of them gaining any ground over the other. Cal kept his focus sharp, his breathing steady. The force was with him, he knew. He also felt Merrin’s presence, in which he found solace.
Malicos was growing more and more irked at Cal’s refusal to back down. He tried in vain to send Cal tumbling over the edge of their stone fighting ring. Cal could feel the darkside radiating off of him and made sure to keep his own mind clear.
“You won’t defeat me!” Malicose bellowed. Cal was beginning to get the upper-hand. Malicos threw one saber aside and reached out his hand toward Cal, grabbing him with the force.
Cal felt his feet lift off the ground. He tried to counterattack but couldn't get a good hold on himself as Malicos manipulated his body so that he was parallel with the ground.
I was wrong to think you could stand with me,” Malicos thundered. He slammed Cal onto his back, BD-1 barely getting out of the way in time. His hand still holding Cal to the cold stone ground, he then dislodged a large boulder from the side of the tomb and hung it frighteningly over Cal.
Cal couldn’t move. Fear started to envelope his mentality as he helplessly watched the large rock get ready to smash him. He closed his eyes.
The rock exploded in a gleam of green light and smoke. Cal opened his eyes, searching the room. “You have no right to Dathomir,” Merrin shouted from atop a pillar. “No right to our magick.” she began tossing green balls of magicks at Malicos, who blocked them with ease using his lightsaber. He tossed one saber at the pillar, sending it crashing down. Merrin managed to jump off in time, landing on her feet near Cal.
“Get up, Cal Kestis, you are not dead yet,” Merrin demanded. Cal was inclined to listen, and he scrambled to his feet, blocking another blow from Malicos.
Merrin disappeared once more. Cal didn’t have time to wonder where she went, Malicos was full of new rage and vigor, and was lashing out in quick intervals. Fatigue was setting in, and Cal asked BD-1 for a quick stimshot.
The Nightsister reappeared periodically to help, pushing Malicos back. “Very good, Jedi!” she said. Cal grinned at her before she disappeared again.
Rocks began flying at Cal. He sliced each one except for the last, which hit Cal hard on the shoulder. He stumbled back in pain, his saber still raised, though his courage was diminishing. Malicos prepared to deliver a final blow. From the corner of his eye, Cal saw Merrin reappear, a terrifying look on her face as she directed her fury at the elder Jedi. She held her hand out and wrenched the lightsabers from Malicos. He was then trapped in her magicks, the floor beginning to swallow him.
“What is this!” Malicos snarled.
Merrin held her hand out firm. “It’s like you said, Malicos,” she spat. “Dathomir will be your grave!” The ground swallowed Malicos. He snarled and gnashed until he was no more, the ground solidifying.
Cal stepped toward Merrin, his hand over his pained shoulder. “Let him lie in the dark with his secrets til death takes him,” she breathed with regret.
“Why’d you help me?” Cal asked cautiously.
“To rid Dathomir of that parasite,” Merrin replied simply. She turned to Cal. “What are you really doing here, Cal Kestis?”
Cal balked at her sudden boldness. He tried to summarize as best he could. “The ones who built this tomb, the Zeffo, they created an object called the Astrium. It opens a vault on a distant planet. Inside is a list of force-sensitive children across the galaxy, but the Empire is looking for it too.”
Merrin looked genuinely confused. “What empire?” she asked.
Cal raised his eyebrows. “THE Empire,” he said earnestly. “The one bent on exterminating Force-sensitives so that no one can stand against it?” He tried not to sound mocking, but to him the Empire had been a harsh shadow over his entire life since the moment The Purge took place. It was baffling to meet somebody that had never even heard of them.
“Then it will come for Dathomir before long, as the war did,” Merrin said bitterly. “I will help you find this Astrium.”
Cal nodded, a smile playing on his lips. “Thank you for helping me with Malicos, I thought I was a goner for a minute.”
Merrin nodded. “Yes, you would have died.”
Cal almost laughed at her frank response. “Right…” he said, his smile still prevalent.
“I am glad you didn’t,” Merrin added hurriedly. She seemed a bit flushed suddenly. “It’s nice to have an ally.”
“Yeah, I like the sound of that,” Cal said sincerely.
“You’re welcome, Cal,” Merrin responded softly.
Cal felt his own cheeks flush. He looked past Merrin down the rest of the corridor to where he assumed the Astrium was being kept. He began to make his way. “This place…” he said to himself. “It’s…”
“Horrifying,” Merrin finished for him from behind.
Cal looked back briefly. He hadn’t considered that even though Merrin lived on Dathomir, maybe she actually didn’t like it.
Cal approached the end of the crypt. The mechanism at the end opened to him, and the astrium appeared. It was also apparent that he wouldn’t be able to reach it due to a large crevice in the floor.
Large stone steps raised up before him, letting him cross. He couldn’t help but smile, knowing Merrin was helping him again. He crossed the newly forged bridge to his prize, plucking it from its hiding place.
“We finally found it,” Cal breathed in disbelief. “Beepboo woo,” BD-1 responded in amazement. He hopped off of Cal’s back.
Merrin was standing behind him. Cal jogged back over to her, holding out the Astrium. “It is real,” she said in awe.
“Yeah,” Cal said excitedly. “Merrin this could be the key to the next generation of Jedi.” He placed the Astrium in her hands, his hands being cupped by her soft fingers. A surge of grief flowed from the Nightsister into Cal’s subconscious. He softened, and left the Astrium in her grasp.
She looked close to tears. “I’m happy for you, and your Jedi,” she said finally. She handed the Astrium back to Cal. “But nothing can bring back my people.”
Though they were no longer touching, Cal could still feel the echoes of Merrin’s pain. He held the Astrium, watching as she turned away. He lowered his head thoughtfully. “After the purge, I was alone for a... long time.”
Merrin stopped in her tracks, her back still to him, but she was listening. Cal continued, “In hiding.... I was… I was scared that they’d find out who I was or… what I was.”
Merrin turned her head slightly. “What changed?” she asked.
Cal walked closer to her. “A very good friend of mine told me to go out and find my place in the galaxy,” he replied with a slight chuckle.
“And you listened,” Merrin said, still facing away.
Cal shrugged. “Well, no, but… life has this funny way of forcing you on the path forward anyway. Now here I am, where I least expected.” He looked up at Merrin, hoping he was at least helping. She turned to him, her lips in a thin line.
“A path forward,” she said with a thoughtful nod. She seemed to be thinking, her eyes searching the room, then searching Cal’s face. He felt himself blush again. She hurried back over to him. “I will join you,” she said finally.
Cal wasn’t expecting that answer, but he was also delighted. “You will?” he asked, dumbfounded.
Merrin nodded, her eyes still full of woe. She sighed. “I’ve spent years waiting for a chance to avenge my sisters. I’m
finished
waiting. I wish to fight by your side.” She held her hands up like she’d made up her own mind as well as Cal’s. “Nightsisters and Jedi do not travel together but… survivors, we adapt.”
Cal nodded, smiling slightly. “Yeah, yeah I guess we do,” he said. “What do you think, beedee?” He looked down upon his droid fondly.
BD-1 chirped with excitement, looking between Cal and Merrin.
“I agree,” Cal said softly, looking back up at Merrin. He held out his hand to her, and she took it enthusiastically. “My crew, they might take a little bit of convincing though,” he added as an afterthought.
Merrin raised one eyebrow, a sideways smile curling up her lips. “Then we’ll convince them,” she said firmly.
BD-1 happily jumped back on to Cal’s back. Cal felt like a huge weight had been lifted from him. Merrin accompanied Cal back to the Mantis, though she remained hidden. Cal didn’t pry, but he did wonder if she felt ashamed for abandoning her home, and the Nightbrothers. Though he also knew they would get along just fine without her.
“This woman you travel with, who is she?” Merrin asked, still invisible.
“Cere? Wait, how do you know about her?” Cal asked, squeezing through a crevice to get out of the tomb.
“I have seen your companions. Malicos wanted me to attack them, but they posed no threat,” Merrin replied.
Cal almost laughed. He recalled Cere telling him that Greez thought somebody was outside their ship while they were on Dathomir before. Now he knows, it was Merrin. “Cere, well she used to be a Jedi. It’s a long story,” Cal answered.
Merrin appeared for a moment, thoughtful. “I would like to learn it,” she said. She disappeared again. Cal felt like she was almost teasing him. He brushed the thought aside. “I’ll meet you at your ship,” Merrin added.
Cal traversed the Dathomirian landscape, alone with his thoughts. His shoulder still ached from being struck by the rock, but otherwise he felt great. Maybe it was that he finally had the Astrium, or maybe it was that he had a new ally to help in the fight to rebuild the Jedi Order. Either way, he was almost skipping when he got back to the ship.
Merrin reappeared and followed Cal up the ramp. Inside, Cere and Greez were waiting, Cere seated at the couch and Greez fixing something in the kitchenette.
Cal held out the Astrium to Cere. “You found it,” she breathed excitedly as she stood.
“Whoa, whoa, who’s this?” Greez asked, alarm in his voice. BD-1 chirped back at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I’ll be joining you,” Merrin said plainly
“Cere, Greez, this is Merrin,” Cal said enthusiastically.
“She’s a witch, isn’t she?” Greez gasped.
“A Nightsister,” Merrin corrected him, wagging a finger. “Your fear is unnecessary.”
“I couldn’t have gotten the Astrium without her. We fought Malicos together,” Cal continued. “I trust her.”
Merrin gave Cal a sideways smile. He happy returned it.
“And we trust you,” Cere said. She turned to Merrin. “You… will have to earn it.”
Greez stalked off, mumbling to himself. Cere followed him to the bridge. “Welcome aboard,” she said over her shoulder.
Cal looked to Merrin. “They like you,” he chuckled. Merrin made her way to the couch while Cal went to the bridge to guide their next course. They needed to get back to Bogano so that Cal could use the Astrium to gain access to the Holocron, their goal.
Once they were underway, Cal went back to the living area where Merrin was. He sat next to her, removing his belt, poncho, and vest. He needed to rest before their next destination, and they had a good few hours to do so. He began to rub is injured shoulder again.
Merrin was looking at Cal, not saying a word. He didn’t quite find it unnerving, but he did wish she would say something since they were alone together. What actually made things awkward was BD-1 standing on the table, looking at both of them, beeping every once in a while.
“Cal, I… thank you,” Merrin finally spoke. Cal could hear the weariness in her voice. “Thank you for allowing me to come. I’ve never left Dathomir before, and I will admit that I am frightened.”
Cal smiled warmly at her. “There’s nothing out there to fear,” he said. “Besides you have us. You have… me.” He swallowed stiffly.
Without warning, Merrin leaned her head on Cal’s uninjured shoulder and sighed. Cal was not used to physical contact like this. He had been alone for so long, and even then, in the Jedi Order he had spent most of his time around clones and his master. Physical touch wasn’t exactly frowned upon, but it didn’t really happen for him either.
Merrin didn’t move away from him. Cal lifted his arm and put it around her squared shoulders. She relaxed into him, and he felt a warmth crawling from his belly to his throat. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Merrin, but he did know that they were both lost beings who had finally found somebody to lean on, and for that he was grateful. He heard a sigh escape Merrin’s lips, and Cal realized she was asleep. He leaned his cheek onto the top of her head, letting out his own satisfied sigh.