Chapter Text
It has been about a week since Cal had destroyed the holocron containing the names of force-sensitive children. So far he didn’t have any regrets about his decision. He occasionally had nightmares of his vision that he’d had in the Vault on Bogano. He’d wake up disoriented, his body drenched with sweat, and the wound from Darth Vader throbbing angrily. Though the bacta patches had done a decent job healing the damage, there was still a long road to recovery both physically and emotionally.
The Mantis crew had yet to figure out what to do with their time. Cere had suggested searching out Jedi in hiding. Cal was skeptical about the safety of doing so since he himself was now on the Empire’s ‘Wanted Criminal Database’. Greez was keeping track of any static within the bounty hunter guild to make sure nothing unsavory picked up on their trail. Merrin spent a lot of time on her own, either outside the ship on whatever planet they were on, or in her quarters.
They’d set up ‘camp’ on Bogano after figuring out that the Empire had no reach there nor any interest. They had all concluded that anybody who had been with Trilla when she’d ambushed them there were more than likely dead.
The weather was always pleasant, at least while they hid. Merrin and Cere set up several canopies on the Mantis so that they could have shade outside. Cere talked at length with Cal about her time in the Jedi Order, and made sure to teach him about things he hadn’t had a chance to learn yet before the Purge. He wanted her to teach him more fighting, but she wouldn’t allow it until he was fully healed.
The day finally came when they were at the end of their supplies. Bogano had no actual inhabitants except themselves, and food and other necessities were therefore scarce. They could only eat so many bitter roots and feral creatures. The most important thing that they were low on were medical supplies. Cal was going through bacta patches constantly, looking for relief from the ache in his side. His other wounds were long gone save for a few small scars, but the stab wound stayed actively painful.
Cal and Merrin were seated at the table in the small kitchenette. “I think our safest bet is to head to Takodana,” Greez said as he took his seat. “There’s next to no Empire anything out there, and I know they will have the supplies we need. I wouldn’t recommend we stay long, though. It’s where a lot of rough characters go to hide.
Cere finished pouring drinks for their small crew. “It sounds like that’s really all we can do then,” she said calmly. “I’ll go start bringing in our setup so that we can head out as soon as possible.”
“I’ll help,” Cal offered. “Should we come back here?”
“I think that would be wise,” Merrin offered. “We are safe here.”
Cere gave her a sideways look, then she looked to Greez. “Captain, you don’t have to keep doing this,” she said.
Greez didn’t meet her gaze. “I think… I’d like to keep our little unit… together,” he said quietly. He then looked up. “I know I keep saying it, but you’re all the only family I really have left.”
Cal smiled warmly. “As long as you’ll have us, we’ll stick around,” he said happily. Merrin and Cere nodded in agreement.
Once they were finished with their small meal, Cal and Cere set to work tidying things up outside.
“Cal, I want you to be prepared for what we might find out in the galaxy,” Cere said as they rolled up a large tarp together. “There are all manner of beings, some with good intentions, but most with bad. There are bounty hunters, slavers, murderers, you name it.”
Cal cocked his head, looking at her. “Thanks for worrying, Cere, but I think we’ll be fine. I can stay on the ship when we go, if that helps.”
Cere laughed. “I don’t want you to feel stifled, I just want you to be on your guard,” she said. .
“When am I not on my guard?” Cal replied, hands in the air. “I told you some of the lovely things I dealt with on Bracca, slavers included.”
“I’m worried about your injury, too,” Cere admitted. She raised her eyebrows.
“Ah, the truth comes out.” Cal folded his arms, then unfolded them when he realized he was touching the stabwound.
“See what I mean?” Cere insisted. “It shouldn’t be taking this long to heal. I’m not saying you’re weak, Cal, but you have to let your body do what it can to get back to its ideal state.”
“Are you two done arguing out there?” Greez called from the doorway of the ship. “I’m about to get the engines running, let’s go!”
The journey to Takodana was uneventful. Cal was feeling restless, and he wished he hadn’t promised Cere that he’d stay on the ship when they landed. Merrin had volunteered to go get the supplies once they arrived while Cere and Greez plotted their next move.
“I think I should go with you,” Cal mumbled once they had come out of hyperspace. He and Merrin were tending to Greez’s small garden on the ship.
Merrin gave him a pointed look, one eyebrow raised. “You wish to be seized and sold as bounty to the Empire?” she said flatly.
Cal felt his face flush. “No, I want to help you!”
Merrin laughed, tossing a pinch of dirt at him. “You think I can’t protect myself, Cal Kestis?”
“I didn’t say that, you’re the strongest person I know,” Cal retorted. He knew he had no actual grounds here. “Okay, I really want to see Takodana, and I want to help bring back supplies. BD-1 wants to help, too.” The small droid peered out around Cal’s shoulder at Merrin. The two of them still weren’t quite friends.
Merrin’s face softened. “You have to lie low, Cal. I… we don’t want to lose you,” she said. “You stick out like a sore thumb, and we caused a lot of chaos on Nur.”
Cal put his hands on his hips like a defiant child. “Then I’ll wear a hat, okay? It’s not my fault my hair is so red.”
“You’re more trouble than you’re worth.” Cal jumped when Cere appeared. She didn’t look too pleased. “You can go if you promise to keep your head wrapped and your goggles on.”
Cal grinned. “Great, then it’s settled.”
“Hang tight folks, we’re coming in for a landing,” Greez’s voice sounded over the speakers in the ship.
The planet was green and lush, and the weather was mild, almost summer-like. Cal and Merrin opted for coverup so that they could roam freely and not be stared at. Cal donned his scarf and goggles, Merrin her headwrap and kerchief. She tried in vain to cover her face tattoos.
“Here’s the list of supplies. The local market should have everything at a half-way decent price, and they shouldn’t give you any trouble,” Greez handed Merrin a datapad.
“Keep in touch while you are out there. There’s still a lot of static on Imperial channels, though it doesn’t seem like they’ve reached this planet yet. Also, take this blaster” Cere added, giving Merrin a small pistol. She then handed Cal a commlink and some credits. “BD-1, watch over both of them.” The small droid chirped happily.
It was still morning on Takodana. The sun warmed Cal and Merrin immediately as they walked, and they both made sure to take it in.
“I’ve never seen this much green. Bogano is green of course, but this is something entirely new with so many trees and bushes,” Merrin commented. Cal looked over at her. Her nose and mouth were hidden under the kerchief, but her eyes were full of wonder. He couldn’t help but watch her as she took in their surroundings.
“I haven’t been on many planets like this either,” Cal said finally. “Or if I did, I didn’t have time to look around.”
“Where did you train as a Jedi?” Merrin asked.
Cal put his hands in his pockets. “Mainly on a cruiser hovering over Bracca. I started out on Coruscant, that’s where the Jedi council is… was headquartered. We had orders for Bracca, my master and I, during the war, and that’s where I was when the Purge happened.” He could feel Merrin’s eyes on him. He swallowed. “I uh… crashed landed on Bracca in an escape pod. I didn’t leave the planet until Cere and Greez found me. I didn’t have a way to, or even a reason. I sort of… gave up.”
Merrin didn’t say anything for a while. Cal was embarrassed about the sudden outburst of information.
“Thank you for telling me,” she finally said. “I know it is hard for you.”
Cal looked at her again. “Well, thank you for listening. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
“No no,” she cut him off. She stopped walking, causing Cal to trip over his own feet when he tried to stop as well. Merrin faced him, her eyes serious. “Never apologize for your past,” she said sincerely.
Cal avoided her gaze. When she didn’t move, he finally looked back up at her. There were tears starting to form in her eyes. “Thank you, Merrin,” Cal stuttered. “How… how did you get to be so… understanding?”
Merrin let out a slight laugh. “Life is full of choices. While, yes I did spend most of my time wishing for revenge for my dead sisters, I also realized that hatred can bring pain and suffering. I tried to focus on the good, though there wasn’t much of it on Dathomir.” She sighed. “You are the first kindness that I’ve met since I lost everything, and I knew I wanted to be like you.”
Cal grinned, causing Merrin to blush slightly. “Glad I could help,” he said, trying not to make her feel any more awkward than she already did. He put a hand on her shoulder briefly. “It’s been great getting to know you, Merrin.”
The two resumed their journey to the nearby settlement. The town was quaint, but still well populated. There were sights and smells that neither Cal nor Merrin had ever experienced. They inquired with a few locals about where to find their needed supplies. The shopping trip ended up being a lot simpler than Cal had thought it would be. Finally they had their packs loaded on their backs. It was midday, and they were both starting to feel hungry.
“I think we have enough credits for some lunch,” Cal commented, gesturing to a group of nearby food stalls. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
Merrin nodded. “I will reach out to Cere if you would go get us some food,” she said. She leaned in close to Cal and fished around under his poncho for his belt. The momentary closeness caused him to shudder, and he was sad when she pulled away. She smirked at his sudden shyness. “Remember, I like my meat rare,” she said.
Cal nodded, willing his red cheeks to calm down, then went to the merchant. They were selling smoked bantha meat on a stick. It smelled absolutely amazing. Cal paid for their food, then turned around to give Merrin hers. However, she was nowhere to be found.
“Merrin?” Cal said while trying not to draw too much attention. He felt panic creeping in as his eyes darted around. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Merrin seized Cal by the arm and dragged him to a nearby shop entrance.
“Something’s wrong,” Merrin said quietly. She was panting. “Cere isn’t answering, all I can get is static, and I overheard two off-worlders talking about a ‘force user’… Cal, I think they know you are here. They must have heard us talking.”
Cal lost his appetite in an instant. “Do you… think they ambushed the ship?”
“I don’t know. We need to get back to the Mantis to see if things are alright, but we also must be cautious. Those travelers may have larger numbers than we think.” Merrin took her food from Cal and began to eat. “Come, eat, then we will go.”
Cal nodded, then took a few bites of the smoked meat. Once they were both finished, Merrin checked if the area was clear of enemies. She didn’t see any alarming activity, so they set out. Cal pulled his scarf from his neck, then wrapped it over his red hair. Merrin adjusted her headpiece and kerchief. They made their way to the edge of the small settlement in silence.
BD-1 had his scope out, making sure there wasn’t any interference causing problems for their comm. Before they reached their needed path to the ship, Cal felt a sudden sharp pain in his arm, like a slight prick.
“What the…” he gasped. He pulled a small vial with needle-like teeth from his skin. It looked to be some sort of dart.
“Oh no,” Merrin groaned, taking the small device from Cal. “This... is this poison?”
Cal wasn’t sure, but he started to feel weak and jittery. “Merrin something’s wrong. We need to get back, I… feel like… I need to…” He couldn’t finish. He leaned over and vomited into another doorway. Merrin kept watch while Cal tried to gather himself.
“What was that?” Merrin asked. She pulled the blaster that Cere had given her and scanned the people around them. She didn’t recognize any of them… yet.
Cal shakily stood. “I don’t… know… what they did to me…” Cal said between gasps.
“Your eyes…” Merrin yelped. “You have black… coming from them, like spiderwebs on your skin, and the blue in your eyes is... fading.” She sounded panicked. She dropped her pack of supplies and grabbed Cal’s hand. They began to run.
Cal felt awful, sweat running down his brow. His body didn’t feel like his own anymore and his vision was clouded. He kept one steady hand on his lightsaber, the other safely tucked into Merrin’s firm grip while she guided them back to the Mantis.
“Stop them!” came a booming voice from the crowds.
Merrin steered Cal down another street in the town, trying to lose their pursuers. Cal was breathing harder and harder, and could no longer see past his nose.
“Cere, Cere!” Merrin yelled into the commlink. The only response was static.
“They must… be… blocking…” Cal stammered. He was stumbling, slowing them down.
Merrin cursed under her breath. She pushed Cal behind a small archway, then frantically searched the area. A small speeder was nearby, just waiting to be stolen. Merrin jumped on the machine, bringing it to life with her Magick.
“Cal, come on!” Merrin called. Cal regained his footing and scrambled on board behind her, wrapping his arms around the Nightsister, BD-1 holding on for dear life. They sped off, searching for a way out of the city to where Greez had landed the ship.
Blaster fire rang out behind them. They sounded like stunshots, not actual attacks. “They want you alive,” Merrin yelled. She took a sharp turn, sending them down a deserted street. Ahead of them, two large speeders were waiting with several trandoshan piloting them. They had their large rifles raised.
Cal was losing his grip. Whatever he had been injected with was messing with his nervous system. “Merrin,” he said, his face buried in her back. “I can’t… hold on…”
Merrin lifted one hand from the steering and locked them to Cal’s interlocked fingers, holding him to her. “I’m not losing you, Cal Kestis,” she said.
Cal had a rush of gratitude for his friend. He was filled to the brim with fear, fear of being captured, of being turned into an inquisitor, or even of turning his friends over to the Empire for execution.
They rounded another corner to avoid the waiting convoy. Cal thought they might make it, but then an explosion feet behind them knocked them both off the speeder bike. Merrin kept her grip on Cal’s hands, keeping him secured to her back as they rolled in the dirt and mud, BD-1 flying off Cal’s back.
Cal opened his eyes, hardly able to see still due to whatever toxic substance had been injected into him. His face was right in front of Merrin’s, and her eyes were closed, her hands slack against his. She was breathing, but she was out cold. Cal could hear shouts of their pursuers, ready to collect their prey. BD-1 had found his way back, and Cal shakily put a bloody and muddy hand on his droid.
“Beedee, record this,” Cal said quickly. He relayed a quick message through BD-1, then turned his attention back to the unconscious Merrin. With his last bit of strength, he reached out with the force and gently lifted her from the ground. Using the force was causing him immense pain, but he pushed through it. He then placed Merrin gently behind some bins and scrap metal, out of sight. “Take… this…” Cal handed his lightsaber to BD-1. “Go with.... her, BD,” Cal then instructed his faithful droid, closing his eyes. “I’ll be... okay.”
BD-1 made a woeful sound, then did as he was told. Cal winced at the sound of approaching boots. He was losing control of his limbs, almost like his nerves had been attacked and were shutting down. He was going to be taken, and he desperately hoped Merrin and BD-1 would not be discovered. They were his last hope.