Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Another day, another scrap."

She mumbled as the train doors finally slid open with a loud hiss.

It was a race into the passenger compartments.

She found an open spot among the chairs and stole it before anybody else could.

It was always nice to have a seat on the way to the yards.

She didn't mind the ways back considering she worked the longer shifts than others, leaving more space in the carriages, but mornings were mornings.

Nobody sane likes mornings.

Her seat-snatch earned a glare of daggers from one of the other scrappers but she brushed it off as always.

The commotion of everyone else toned out the sounds of the train as the doors slid shut and began rumbling on.

You could barely hear the whine of the train engines and the notorious rocking side to side.

She leaned back against the rusty walls and fixed up her hair lazily.

Her red hair was pulled in a loose braid just over her shoulder. She's had this style for as long as she can remember.

She then sat there and waited, unable to keep her eyes shut and catch a bit of extra sleep.

Her mind was nearly blank, the only thoughts of the Empire already beginning to take apart the ships and out of their hands.

The foremen are probably going to rush everyone so that they could make more credits, with the "promise" that they will earn more credits.

She didn't realize how much time had passed until she nearly fell out of her seat and lost it.

The train came to a sudden stop and everyone stood up.

Finally she could hear the different noise of water droplets pattering on the exterior of the carriage.

She could see through the slits of the window the cloudy skies and light rain.

When was it NOT raining and thundering over Bracca?

The doors finally slid open and everyone was exiting as slow as ever.

How come people exit slower than entering a transport?

Finally she felt the "fresh" air hit her face and tiny water droplets lightly raining on her.

She straightened out her work-issued poncho and followed the crowd into line.

Nearly everyone fashioned the dark navy-blue garment with orange details.

Some people actually went out of their way and paid for the overalls or chest plate.

Who in their right mind would ever not wear the awesome ponchos? Sure the colors could be something else... but PONCHOS.

The Scrapper Guild of Bracca slowly made their way through the checkpoint zone.

In the distance and above the rocky plains were the Imperial starships.

She could see Imperial troop transports and TIE fighters already making their way to the junkyards. The VTOLs are also already making their way, hopefully they don't start on taking the one she's been working on for the past few days.

Or at the very least, leave them alone entirely.

Why are they even still deploying guards and damn probe droids? Nothing has happened for the last few years. Sure this is a Mid Rim world and they're our buyers- and I guess we are just a bunch of scrappers overworking once again for our buyers- but we're not like posing a threat to them!

At least I don't plan on revolting anytime soon...

"Next," the droid's head shifted toward her.

She stood in the gate and raised her hands.

"Callista Kestis," the droid identified, "Section: Venator-class. Zone Seven-Gamma."

"For the last time, it's just Cal-"

"Move it!"

Before she- Callista- or rather Cal- could even say anything, she was bumped by another scrapper into the work zone, she didn't even bother to turn around and talk back.

She just fixed her hair lazily once again and set off, snatching up a small tool kit.

The ship cutters were already being piloted up in the air as she began climbing up her way on the old Star Destroyer.

Hope your shift section is the same as mine, she wished for her friend as she continued ascending.

~

The skies had darkened and the storms were brewing up even more.

More lightning was striking the scrapyard as rain continued to heavily fall.

The late evenings were always worse.

The Empire's presence was even larger.

More probe droids buzzing around and even more stormtroopers patrolling.

Heck, there were even extra AT-STs marching the grounds.

But despite the extra personnel, she just plopped on her headphones and worked away on the salvage.

At least the pay is more.

She was casually jamming to the drum beats and vocals several thousands of meters high off the ground.

The only protection she had was her welding mask for her torch.

She could sense a friendly presence behind her before even feeling the floor plates thudding toward her direction.

She finally turned her head when a meaty hand tapped her shoulder, her free hand then removing a headphone cup.

"Listen, I don’t want to upset your rhythm Cal, but the boss wants a word," her Abednedo friend said.

She looked over his shoulder and saw their zone's foreman droid and sighed, tapping her friend's shoulder in agreement.

"Could be good for us," he offered a smile.

She returned a smile with her eyes before removing her mask, breathing in the unfiltered smell of metal and oil.

"Here she is, chief," her friend turned the droid around.

"An error has been detected on line Ten-A. Hauler clamps are jammed. I need two workers to climb up and secure the cables."

She eyed the droid, "That's not an easy maneuver."

"The guild will double your pay for this shift."

She nearly scoffed out loud, she was wondering when they would bring up the double credits, but this situation was different.

Her friend patted her shoulder, "Come on, Cal. Little extra score, that couldn’t hurt. Huh?"

She took a glance out the engine and at the heavy rain before returning to her friend.

He probably needs it more than I do at the moment, she then reluctantly agreed and he gave a happy smile.

The droid made an annoying comment at them getting to work like as if they didn't agree just mere seconds ago.

"I'm right behind you, Prauf!" she chased after her friend, Prauf, through the Star Destroyer, mantling up scaffolding, internals, and makeshift ladders and bridges.

Cal passed by fellow scrappers conversing about the high risk and high reward, if it was worth it at all.

She shared some feelings with them occasionally, but in the end it was all worth it for her.

Even if it was a higher risk than necessary since some workers didn't even bother to reinforce their own platforms as she watched her friend nearly fall into the abyss on a platform.

"Don't worry about it," she effortlessly jumped the larger gap and continued after her friend.

Cal even heard one of the scrappers mention the Clone Wars. If it wasn't the cold rain that gave her the shivers, it was hearing that word again.

They reached an open deck that gave a wider view of their shipyard.

The Imperials had a bigger presence than before, but at least it seemed the other zones were able to handle what they could before they were sent off. It wasn't until moments later when she realized a mass impending from above the clouds.

Her friend gave a hearty laugh and exclaimed, "Will you look at that? A Separatist ship! Haven’t seen a lucrehulk in ages!"

She humbly agreed, Five years. Five long years.

"Breaking her will be big money!" the Abednedo awed.

The two shared and enjoyed the view a few seconds longer, letting the wind- that was probably a bit radioactive and filled with tiny metals- blow into their face, before returning to their side quest. That's when she realized she was staring out at the junk for a bit too long, her friend was already on the upper deck but their ladder had already collapsed because once again- the scrappers don't mind their own safety.

She made sure her friend was okay before deciding to go for some fun that didn't involve credits. She took in a breath and held in a smile as she leaped into the air and slid down a slick ramp.

Her eyes widened when she saw one of the supervising droids.

"Debark this barge immediately. You are not approved trash."

She finally came to a stop and immediately turned around, "I'm trash, just not approved trash," she spat.

Cal clambered more obstacles and more of the unreinforced stabilizers of the scrappers. It seemed like these workers had a bit more sense than the upper levels, they were getting into some heated arguments about fixing their work platforms.

She approached practically a tightrope, I read a story that they have an organization in their world called OSHA or something like that. Do we even have anything similar?

"Reckless, Cal," a scrapper smiled in disbelief, she was attempting to fix some wires in a panel.

"Good to see ya!" she returned a smile as well.

"You too! Don't get yourself killed."

Cal just chuckled, "That's the idea," she casually walked along the thin planks connecting the two halls of practically a chasm, She's cute.

Cal squeezed herself through some pipes and vents, "Sounds like scrap rats, creepy-" she hoped she was wrong, but the world just LOVES her. She tried not to gag at the pitter-patter sounds and squeaking of scrap rats. She couldn't see them, but she could sense and hear them EVERYWHERE in this section, Oh gosh- oh gosh- "Juuust passing through, g-guys. No need to come out and say 'hi' this time."

The poncho she currently was wearing is unfortunately not the same one she got when she first joined the Scrappers Guild years ago, I still miss you, Poncho the First... you will always be my number one-

Finally, she escaped that nightmare and climbed even more hazardous ledges.

Prauf checked in and he was thankfully unscathed and well up above.

He disappeared from sight and she continued on, thanking her luck when she barely missed a vent falling when she was about to climb across it. She found the opening and dropped down-

"How'd you get here?!"

Another scrapper nearly startled her.

She stared back, "How'd you get here?"

And just like that, the worker was left in confusion.

She walked it off and hid a smirk, And I didn't even need the old mind tricks to confuse her.

Cal finally reached the deck below the hauler clamps, she stood by some fellow scrappers and together they saw in the distance a ship cutter already taking a wing off another Venator-class. It looked barely touched, she hoped the scrappers in that zone were able to get some work done though. And just below the now-taken wing were the Imperial AT-STs marching around.

Among the working AT-STs were defunct AT-TEs and LAATs. The sight of them always twists her guts. No matter how many times she sees those old walkers and ships, it still haunts her. She was snapped out of her trance when the workers beside her were packing their things. Which reminds her, she also needs to get this work done before they begin cutting this wing with them still on it, otherwise literally the whole rest of the Star Destroyer gets ruined and their possible work goes to waste.

She climbed up the rope and some more ramps, passing by more hurried workers trying to finish up, and finally found the familiar friendly face, "Cal! Use the manual override below!"

"Got it! Your turn!" she casually said, hanging off the edge with one hand.

There were loud sounds of gears grinding and hydraulics as the clamps started releasing one-by-one.

Even the most vital parts of the systems were falling apart, she barely dodged a panel this time.

"You okay?!"

"Still hanging!"

"Phew! Gave me a fright there, pal!"

She pulled one more lever and the beams were finally all back in order.

"We're done, Cal! Get on up here," Prauf waved her up.

When Cal reached the top of the clamp, she nearly froze on the ledge there when saw what stood before her friend.

Or rather, what was crashed and wedged halfway into the hull.

"Cal! Come take a look at this!" he was so excited.

It was always nice to see him happy, but this... she felt uneasy.

"It’s a Jedi fighter. What a score! It’s a real scrapper’s payday. I mean, this heap’s been here, what, four years?"

"Five," she corrected and stood by his side. She looked down at the rusted hull, doing her best at staying calm.

"Whoever flew this went down in a blaze of glory. Those Jedi… a real tragedy. Ah, I’ve always said they couldn’t all be traitors."

Cal looked up at her friend in sincerity. He had a solemn expression.

She nearly jumped when she heard the howl of a TIE fighter fly by.

"Y-yeah, maybe."

Her green eyes were locked on the symbol of the vertical stabilizer. She hesitantly raised her hand and wiped the dirt and dust from it. Did she want to see more of the emblem of the old horrors? Why did she want to make sure?

The situation was uncomfortable. She felt like more TIE fighters were waiting around the corner, probe droids were just watching her from afar, and squads of stormtroopers were ready to flood the wing.

"I guess it’s just our lucky day. Empire’s gonna get a lot of good material out of it. Yep. Here we are scrapping these ships from the war just so they can turn around and make new ones. What a racket, huh?"

She continued staring at the betrayed emblem before spotting something poking out of a slot.

Prauf continued on meanwhile, "All of us risking our necks for the bosses."

She realized it was an astromech droid, it probably shut down and disabled entirely from the impact itself and now it's just... sitting there. Dead.

"And the pay was better during the Republic too!" he scoffed.

Cal finally caught onto what Prauf was blabbing about and hurried over to him, "Hey, you really should watch what you say," her head was on a swivel, eyeing every corner for an Imperial presence.

Prauf scanned around and saw nothing, "Wha...? Cal, listen to me. A finder’s fee like this could be your ticket off this soggy rock."

"What makes you think I want outta here?"

That made the Abednedo laugh.

Did he think she was joking?

"Come on, Callista. You’re a young gal."

She huffed.

"Yeah I know, sorry Cal, but you don’t wanna end up like me!"

She stared at him, mind-boggled.

"I'm serious!"

"Prauf-"

"Eventually you gotta move on and live your life. Find your destiny."

Her eyes moved down to the rusty plate, rain falling upon her as she contemplated, "Prauf, I-" before she could even begin she heard a familiar sound and looked up into the sky. A ship cutter.

"Whatever- whatever you say. Hey, we should get back down," she wanted to move on and change the subjects.

"Hey, you're not listening to me though-"

She didn't want this conversation right now.

"Prauf, again I-"

"What was that?!"

They spun around to the sounds of cables snapping and whipping around, not even a second later the whole wing was shaking. The cables supporting the platform were failing! WHAT ISN'T FAILING?!

She saw the previously-connected ships above flying off from the sudden weight-loss and then saw the whole horizon disappear as she began rolling down the wing.

"Prauf!" she saw him falling first and she managed to push herself up to slide down the wing to catch up.

A blast of orange and heat happened before her eyes when one of the supporting ships lost its stabilizer and began descending. Sparks and debris were flying everywhere, and fire was beginning to overtake the piece of metal. She gasped when saw that the wing was ending and there was nothing more to slide on. She nearly lost her breath when she saw Prauf go over but saw a hand grab onto a ledge.

Cal then remembered... they were stationed ABOVE the MOUTH of the IBDIS MAW- a MASSIVE SARLACC- a SUPER ORGANISM THAT EATS EVERYTHING-

Her foot caught onto several wires and she nearly flung into that stinking mouth.

She quickly collected her breath and looked downward- or upward? And found her friend hanging on, "Prauf! You okay?!"

Cal could barely hear him with the heavy rain, thunder, debris, stupidly-massive monster roaring, and ships exploding! And hey, a dumb probe droid-

"Cal! I- I can't climb up!"

"Prauf! Just hang on!" she tried to reach up to her foot to let loose from the wire but the wing rocked again and caused them both to slip even more downward.

"I'm SLIPPING!" he panted.

"NO! Don't let go!" she tried reaching out for him.

"I-" he yelled for a moment when the wing rumbled again, causing him to fall onto another pipe.

"Prauf!"

"I... I can't hold on-"

"PRAUF! NO!"

The slick pipe caused him to slip from the wing. He fell down at a great speed, "CAL-"

She gritted her teeth and extended her hand out, reaching far far away and into the depths of the air toward him.

Her eyes were clenched and she felt it run through her.

And then... she opened them and saw the blurred area of effect.

It was as if the whole world slowed down.

Prauf... the debris...

But it wasn't.

The raindrops were still falling first upon her, and sarlacc was still wailing its tentacles around.

She let out a sigh of relief when she saw a strangely-moving ship catch the Abednedo, causing "his world" to resume normal speed.

I can't believe this.

She finally reached up and pulled herself out from the wire, letting her fall toward the ship that caught her friend. 

She followed a metal beam down to the ship, which unfortunately landed on top of him.

"You okay, Prauf?!"

"I- I'm alright! Just pinned! down!" he wheezed.

She noticed the ship was halfway going down and saw the useless droid on the controls, "Pilot's gone!" she tossed it into the mouth of the sarlacc and tried with her might to control this ship outta the way of the teeth and claws.

It all happened in a flash of a second. It went by so fast: the tentacles barely missing Prauf and her, knocking the side of their ship constantly, the ship stupidly spinning for absolutely no reason, and then crashing without bursting into a ball of flames.

Finally she took in a breath and saw they were on the mud, far AWAY from that damned tentacled-creature.

"Prauf, you alright?!" she ran toward her friend and immediately started lifting the beam, 

He was loose at least and pushed himself out free.

But before he could even collect his breath, Cal was already pulling and hurrying him away from the crash site, "We gotta move. Come on."

"Hell happened?" Prauf panted as she threw his arm around her shoulder.

Despite her petite frame, she stood an impressive height with muscle and helped him with his limp.

The rain continued falling hard and the thunder was booming, they made all other noises faint; Cal couldn't tell if there were even Imperials nearby or their own scrappers guild.

"Wh- what... what was that back there?" the Abednedo was finally starting to breathe at a pace, "Was it... was that you?"

Cal swallowed hard.

Suddenly his head snapped toward him, "Wh- what- that- that was the Force, wasn’t it?!"

"Just forget what you saw, okay?" she gritted her teeth, eyeing around to see any silhouettes, "Please, trust me-"

"No but I – I’ve seen them. I’ve – I’ve seen the stories. I’ve heard it! There's-"

Cal moved in front of him and grabbed his head, worry striking in her green eyes, "I know!"

She took a deep breath, "I know," fear was everywhere in her face.

Prauf took a moment to try to calm himself down and let Cal be composed, "Y- yeah, alright."

Cal raised a finger to her lips and pleaded with her eyes. Concern still in them.

"W- we need to be careful," he patted her shoulder and resumed limping away. Nothing in sight. Just more debris and rocks. But even a probe droid themself can blend in the shadows. There was not a single chance anymore she could take staying here. All her plans went flying out the window. Off the wing more like.

Ironic.

Isn't that what Prauf wants for her? The whole reason that conversation even happened?

It's too much of a risk to make a run for it through the plains or return to work.

But... how would it work out for him? The one who's been looking out for her these past several years? And suddenly SHE'S gone and he has to seem like he has NO clue?

Oh how she wished this never happened, Oh I just HAD to open my big stupid brain and wish for that, if only his shift or even her shift changed last minute and they weren't assigned together, this would've never happened!

Things just got a lot tougher. A LOT tougher. For both of us, she glanced at him as she helped him to safety. She hopes her actions don't breach Prauf's well-being.

Chapter Text

She never did end up working the long shift 'til late night.

The train was more crowded than the late workers shift's, making it harder for her to be aware of her surroundings and not look suspicious.

Things seemed ordinary, passing through the exit checkpoint went fine.

Cal never had to utilize the excuse that she was feeling sick- considering it was unusual for her to leave the day early.

Still, she kept observant.

The train had passed by a few stations already and dropped off a number of the passengers. With Prauf by her side, they managed to find seats. He could finally give his leg a rest as well from that injury. The remaining scrappers talked amongst themselves while Cal and Prauf sat in silence for a bit.

He turned her way, "You... uh... holdin' up okay?"

She pulled her eyes away from the doors and up to her friend, "G-good, yeah. You?" she asked and he agreed.

There was another small moment of silence, a bit awkward she might add but she couldn't blame him.

"Cal..." he spoke up again, "I've known you for a long time now. I've never seen you do anything like that before."

Please don't-

"We've been through some hell together," Prauf chuckled, trying to lighten up the mood but quickly went sincere: "I know the risk that you took for me. I just... I don't know how to repay you."

"Don't mention it," the redhead scanned her surroundings once more, "I mean it."

"O- oh, you don’t have to worry about me. But, this place…it’s not safe. Maybe you should- you know... disappear?"

For once he spoke in a hushed whisper.

"I'm just gonna head back to my place, grab my bag. Tabbers owes me a favor."

The Abednedo looked surprised, remembering he took off to Nar Shaddaa, Cal only reassured him, ending with: "You won’t be seeing me for a while, Prauf."

He accepted it and finally let her be.

Cal tried to keep wary but she wanted to close her eyes for just a moment. It was no place to meditate, but with the cover-life she had crumbling down and everything that's happened in the last few hours, she needed to sit in peace for a few seconds and let some of the stress out.

Did I let too much stress out? she felt a shift in the world. The presence next to her had gone. She thought she had accidentally dozed off and quickly sat up. Her head swiveled around and realized the empty space.

Prauf was gone.

She immediately got up and started walking around the cabin, calling out his name. She slipped between a few groups of workers, he wasn't seen anywhere among them- but in all honesty, he would've stuck out several meters away.

This doesn't feel right, the world wasn't flowing like usual. She walked into the next cabin, the feelings were still off. Only more groups of ordinary scrappers, old storage crates of bits and pieces, and gonk droids.

She headed into the next one and finally found him at the end of the carriage. His back to her.

"Prauf! Wait up-"

He disappeared behind doors.

She made haste after him, still trying to grab his attention.

Carriage after carriage, cabin after cabin, she followed him on and on until-

The faces of the workers she passed by were beginning to replicate.

The gonk droids had the same serial numbers.

And the crates started having the same junk in them.

She blinked a few times in confusion, her hand centimeters away from the open button.

The redhead spun on her heels and realized-

It's empty.

Everyone had disappeared, even the same droids and boxes.

She blinked even more and tried rubbing her eyes, but it was still the same. The world feels like an even more unusual flow.

She swallowed nervously and pressed on, trying to see where Prauf had gone and if he knew anything about this.

"Where you going?" she somehow found herself getting closer and closer to him every time they changed carriages.

This time though, the lights were all out and it was near pitch black, save for the outside nightlight.

"Prauf, what's going on?" she pressed the button to open the door, but nothing happened, "Huh?"

She stared at the control panel and pressed it. She pressed it again and again. There was no sign of malfunction, lock, or it being manually disabled. And all of the sudden she felt dizzy.

What is happening? she did a 180 and felt even more dizzier. Her heart started picking up and the temperatures started rising.

The once dark and rustic carriage had lightened up. It was now a polished and clean compartment.

Bright lights on the walls and blast doors at each section.

It was a hallway. Nothing Bracca like.

What? she turned back to the unopened door and found it opened- but as an elevator now.

Her head flipped back to the other side when she heard beeping from something she hadn't heard in years, as well as the sounds of tiny motors and wheels moving.

Her green eyes widened at the sight of an astromech droid.

"H-hey, little buddy? I-" before she could even continue, the droid had rolled away through the hall, causing a blast door to open and shut.

She was about to open the door controls, but her mind started complexing. The cabin somehow had turned several kilometers long, so long that the end- if there was even one- was farther than the eye could see. Her heart was racing, she felt herself getting hotter and hotter by the second.

And if that didn't help, the bright white lights started flashing an emergency red, and now an intercom was blaring alarming noises. She began hyperventilating, memories that she tried to forget were flooding her mind.

The blast doors now started slamming shut. She stopped herself in the middle of a section, hoping to not get crushed or sliced in half. And then she was sealed shut. The flow of the world was all over the place except for one singular door.

Cal hesitantly approached it, trying her best to calm down. She wiped the small beads of sweat from her forehead and attempted to take in a deep breath. There was an attraction in the door, like a magnet pulling her toward it.

Slowly, her hand raised and extended toward it. For the first time in her dizzy mind, the flow was smooth.

The doors hissed open and she was taken aback by the sight.

She slipped backward and tried crawling away at the nightmare until she was lifted into the air by a strong force.

"Apprentice. Mark well and listen," came the deep voice.

"M-Master?!" she cried out.

She tried to look down at his figure but her head remained stuck.

"Trust... only... in the Force."

"Master-" she gasped when she felt the pull send her flying down to the ground.

The blaring alarm and blinking red lights had disappeared, along with the military hallway.

Cal nearly shook herself out of her own seat before Prauf grabbed her.

"Cal?"

She never felt so thankful until she saw her friend by her side again.

She nearly was sent flying again when the train came to a sudden stop. Everyone had confused faces and were questioning.

She was questioning everything.

"Train is stopped?" she asked.

"Yeah, something's going on," he stood up and extended her hand in which she took.

Prauf was about to ask her what happened in her dream, until the doors opened revealing white-plastoid armored figures.

Her eyes widened and she turned her face away, What are stormtroopers doing on this train?

"Everybody up. Identification ready," one of them said and started marching down the hall.

The other workers seemed calm, she tried her very best to especially after noticing the switch on the trooper's E-11 blaster were NOT set to stun.

"Move out and line up."

The main doors hissed open and everyone started piling out.

"It's probably just another contraband inspection," Prauf suggested but she eyed him carefully. Contraband inspections didn't call for any Imperial presence, just the local security corpos- even then, they were just droids.

But no, stormtroopers were here- not droids, not the Imperial Army troopers, the actual elite-trained soldiers of the Empire. She needs to think of a plan quick!

She followed everyone else out into the dark rain and sticky mud.

And if things didn't get any worse or more confusing, there were soldiers she had never seen before.

Equipped with specialized blasters and staffs, they were fitted in nearly all black with maroon markings and blood-red visors. They didn't speak a single word but with a single stare at Cal, she felt like all the cold daggers were thrown at her.

She continued following after the others nervously, examining around the middle of nowhere.

Can things stop GETTING MORE CONFUSING? she saw two uniquely designed ships descending- once again never seen them before. They sported the same looks the dark troopers had- all black with red markings.

The one that nearly looked like a TIE fighter was the first pilot to exit. A long cape flapping in the wind behind her slim frame, a helmet somewhat similar to the dark troopers earlier but smoother and pointier.

A larger and brute-like build walked out of the other shuttle, judging from the features under the helmet, she figured it was a Dowutin.

Cal wished the stormtroopers were here and just checking their IDs rather, because it was now a whole assembly of unfamiliar dark troopers surrounding the group of scrappers. They looked even more menacing and it looked like it was going to be more than an ID check, Are they even Imperial?

"Is this all of them?" the thin-framed caped-pilot asked. She had an accent.

One of the troopers turned toward her, "Yes, Second Sister," his voice was filtered and nearly sounded robotic. Deep and intimidating.

Cal felt even more worried now, judging how none of the other train cabins had their passengers, they tracked down hers only. And she was proven right.

"We seek a dangerous fugitive."

She took deep breaths in silence, thinking of a plan while her hand subtly started reaching toward her back under her poncho.

"This is no common anarchist, but a devotee... of the treasonous... Jedi Order. Failure to turn over this traitor will result in a charge of sedition! Turn yourself in... or everyone present shall face summary... execution."

The redhead's eyes widened when all the dark troopers aimed their weapons and charged their staffs- which turned out to be electrical. She looked around and saw all the innocent workers in panic. She doesn't want her secret to take everyone down! They have done nothing!

She quickly looked at the shuttles around them, if she could take out the troopers on the right and command the heavily-armed one, she can-

Oh, but she's never seen these kinds of soldiers before! What is their combat style like? How do they fight?

What if she goes straight for the so-called "Second Sister" and takedown-

"I THINK... it's time someone came forward," all of the sudden, Prauf stepped.

Cal reached out for him but froze, Prauf no!

"I, uh..." he turned and looked around their group, "I- I’ve been working on this heap a long time. Way before the war. We refit and rebuild ships. Best in the galaxy."

She was not going to let him sacrifice himself for her! She needs to wait for the right opportunity to strike!

Prauf continued, "Best in the galaxy. Then came the Empire. And engineers…became scrappers. The workers- just started getting worked," he spat.

"Prauf," she called out quietly. She was finally able to pull out her hilt, Please, get my hint!

"We all know the truth. We’re just…too afraid to say it."

He pointed at the Second Sister, looking back at their fellow workers, "To the Empire, we’re all just expendable!"

"Yes," the Second Sister held a strange object up, "you are..."

Suddenly the sounds of crackling energy sparked with the sound of Prauf shouting out, the smell of burning flesh already filling the air.

"NO!" she saw the red blade piercing through his chest, her fist raised and she went to strike at the murderer.

A bright blue was now shining before her eyes, but it was nowhere near the murderer.

The Second Sister had a double bladed hilt, activating it effortlessly to block Cal's strike.

She let out a gasp of pain when she saw Prauf fall to the ground, a great hole in his heart.

"Look at this. A lightsaber," the cold-blooded woman observed and pushed Cal off, sending her flying with a Force push.

She was held up from her poncho's hood, the brute held above a cliff and laughed: "I found the Jedi!"

Strike- NOW- she ignited her lightsaber and attempted to strike backward, only to be dropped down into the abyss below.

She let out a howling scream as she fell, only to hit a bunch of metal plates and find herself at the bottom of a train carriage.

"What's that?!" a voice was startled.

She held herself and rolled around the floor, grunting in pain.

"Checking out the disturbance."

The redhead pushed herself off the floor, "Argh, that hurts..." she groaned and realized there were two stormtroopers pointing their blasters at her.

Bad timing fellas, she slowly stood up.

"Hold it! Don't move."

She raised one hand, the other behind her back.

"How'd you get here?!"

How'd YOU get here- she then realized the stupidity and brushed off her "mind trick" attempt. Her gaze went to the ceiling with a gaping hole, Are you serious?

"Easy now," she said calmly.

"Got a stowaway," the stormtrooper informed his battle buddy.

"Hey, you don't need to call this in."

"Quiet-"

"INTRUDER!"

Within two seconds, the pair of stormtroopers fell to the ground as she stood before them.

She stood there for a moment, ignoring the smell of crackling flesh and armor.

Her eyes were locked onto her lightsaber that hummed gently in her hands. She tried to take a deep breath but started shaking halfway through. She never wanted this to happen, Prauf... she let out a pained sigh, remember your training... trust in the Force.

Slowly the skills will return to her. Hopefully. Hope. She sheathed her lightsaber and jogged on. The doors slid open revealing more stormtroopers ahead.

"Did you hear that over the comm?"

"A Jedi. Stay sharp."

Cal approached them, reigniting her lightsaber.

"It's the traitor! Blast 'em!"

Traitor, the word struck her deep, but alas she needed to get out of here.

Blaster bolts flew all over the place as she swung her lightsaber.

The stormtroopers were taken out from either her attacks or their own heat. She faced several more troopers as she passed through the cabins- one of them she had to climb the outside of.

Scout troopers even started appearing, specialized with electro riot batons. She remembered seeing some patrols with these. These guys were probably going to be a bigger problem than the regular storm troopers.

Her lightsaber and their weapons clashed, sending both of them back a step and having to re-swing. Eventually she was able to bring them all to the ground, hoping no more reinforcements would come.

The redhead clenched her empty hand at a rotary vent, slowing it down to a near-stop. Still a bit rusty but at least a bit more of an effect now. It was the same Force maneuver she did to save Prauf.

Prauf, she climbed up onto the top of the cabin, I'm sorry.

The Empire doesn't rest, not even allowing her one moment to think of her friend as she faced several more squads of scout and stormtroopers. The train exited a tunnel and revealed a gunship on their tail, Could things get any worse?

She had to sprint from cover to cover between the gunship's blaster bursts. It looks like it didn't even hold back when some scout troopers tried to chase after her, and were cut down into smoke.

"Do me a favor and blast all your other guys too, will ya-" blasts of fire and debris flew everywhere as the carriage right before her eyes blew into pieces, "WOAH-"

She had to climb onto the tiniest railings and falling-apart grates to not fall to her death.

Even a whole other platform fell from the train, nearly knocking her over.

And the gunship was still after her!

She stood atop of a ruined deck and stared down the face of the gunship's barrels, the spotlight nearly blinding her, Nothing's going to lose that-

Once again, another huge spark of flames and ship pieces happened as the gunship was hit by a projectile.

"Huh?!"

Another ship flew in, one that looked like it belonged to civilians rather than military. Its class was supposed to be in no shape for combat and yet it was outfitted with cannons and boost engines.

"What the...?"

The ramp opened with the door, "We're here to help!"

"Who are you?!" Cal saw the woman wave out to her.

"No time! Keep moving!" the woman directed Cal's attention toward the front of the train, "We'll pick you up when we can!"

Urgh, more climbing this fiery-death trap, she continued pressing on through the train. More falling-apart pieces and more flames she had to avoid.

The Imperials called in more reinforcements as several squads of them awaited above on platforms, and even more on a moving train parallel to them. Cal was still getting used to her stance and lightsaber technique again, but was thankfully left unwounded from a direct blaster bolt, only maybe a few scratches and baton trauma.

She was on the homestretch now, she could see the front of the train just ahead. But she froze in her steps when a familiar fighter came into view.

The shuttle made a bombing run on the tracks, causing the WHOLE train to send right down into the abyss. But right on time, the civilian-ship returned right before she could slip and fall off with the rest of the cabins.

Or so she thought.

Cal was barely hanging on the ramp, she could feel the other person trying to grab her until the fighter made another fly-by, causing the ship to rock back and forth and flinging her down.

The redhead fell for so long with the rain, and out of nowhere and through the fog, a rigging platform appeared below her and several droid workers were traversing the air. She caught onto one after nearly being knocked out by a mechanical transport, her fall was slowed down significantly and she managed to reach a landing pad safe and sound.

Until she heard the fighter again.

Cal realized it was the same TIE-fighter-like shuttle that was piloted by her friend's murderer.

"Going somewhere," she descended down and ignited her red saber.

Remember your training... trust in the Force, she repeated it like a mantra in her head and made her lightsaber ready.

"I recognize that stance. Perhaps you had some training after all," amusement was attached to her cold words, "who was your master, Padawan?"

Cal swallowed nervously.

"Someone I killed, perhaps?" the Second Sister stepped closer and closer, her voice boomed: "What Jedi gave their life so that you might live?"

The scrapper dodged to the side as the murderer struck down her weapon. She brought her lightsaber up and clashed with the Second Sister several times, sparks of energy flying dangerously close to her.

Every time their sabers clashed, it was a confetti of colors and sounds, and she felt herself getting weaker and weaker every block. She couldn't even attack the Second Sister, before she could even get the chance- she was already being sent back on her heels on the defense. Cal was hopelessly outclassed in this duel. There were several close calls, she could feel small burns as the Second Sister barely nicks her with her lightsaber.

Then a bright spotlight shined upon them, causing them both to turn and watch as explosive laser bolts zoomed just before their feet, sending them flying away from each other.

Cal's head became dizzy as she tried to get up on her feet, she winced in pain from the small scratches and bruises on her body. She quickly whipped around and saw the same civilian-ship right next to her.

"GET ON BOARD!" the woman called out to her.

She hurriedly limped onto the ramp, already feeling the Second Sister catching up behind her- without a scratch or sweat. Looking over her shoulder, Cal saw the dark red blade shining in the smoke and ominously approaching them.

The redhead was yanked into the interior as the woman extended a blaster and opened fire on the Second Sister, only to miss or have the bolts be deflected.

"Captain!"

The ship began to lift off.

Captain?! her head swiveled to the cockpit, but was reeled back as she saw the Second Sister leap toward the door, slicing at it and leaving a scorch mark.

She can hear noises of the murderer climbing around the ship, so she ignited her lightsaber and ran for the cockpit with her savior, as well as finding an unusual four-armed pilot in the front seat.

A Latero is the CAPTAIN?

The small lifeform hit a bunch of buttons and started pulling on the yoke.

Everyone let out a gasp when the dark Second Sister appeared in front of the window, attempting to Force pull the controls. The ship started spinning and spinning in circles. Cal pointed her lightsaber toward her, getting ready to strike through but the woman pulled her hand back and yanked the yoke from the Captain. This sent the Second Sister flying off, but Cal figured the fight wasn't over.

She paced around the interior panting, waiting for the Second Sister to breach through until she felt the ship blast into space from the planet.

Her eyes widened at the visuals outside the window.

It was a bright vortex of blues and whites.

The ship was in hyperspace.

When was the last time she got to see such a sight?

She didn't realize she even still had her lightsaber activated until the pilot gestured to her, "Okay, shut that thing off and grab some seat."

The scrapper nodded and sheathed it, hooking it onto her belt and now examining her new surroundings.

"Thanks for the help," she collected her breath, "who are you people?" she worriedly looked at the other woman across from the holo table.

"My name is Cere Junda," the woman introduced herself and pointed to the small pilot who now joined them, "and this is my captain, Greez Dritus."

Cal kept looking back and forth between the ship's interiors and the pair.

"How ya doin'?" Greez offered a smirk, "Yeah, the Mantis is my ship but YOU better pay attention to this lady here."

"So... who are you?" Cere asked.

The redhead hesitantly paused, "Cal. C-Callista Kestis- who- who was that back there?"

"An Imperial Inquisitor. She’s a Force user hunting Jedi survivors. And now that she knows who you are… she will not stop until she destroys you."

"How do you know so much? And why’d you help me?"

"We track Imperial communications. We heard the Inquisitors were heading to Bracca. So we made our move."

Cal raised a brow and looked between the two, "Oh, yeah? What’s the bounty on Jedi these days anyway?"

The Latero clearly didn't take it well, he pointed a finger at him, "That’s gratitude for ya-"

The other woman intervened, "Look, I get it. You’ve been surviving on your own for so long that it’s impossible to trust anyone. And it’s what’s kept you alive. But this is about something bigger… than just surviving."

There was a pause.

"Like what?" Cal asked cautiously.

"Like rebuilding the Jedi Order."

Cal's eyes widened, "Y-you two? Any- anybody else?"

Greez sarcastically shrugged, "Oh, we’re not good enough for ya?"

Cal ignored him and asked Cere of the Jedi Council, but she had a long-pained look. They're gone. She let out a shaky sigh, "So I'm all you got."

"Captain. Set a course for Bogano."

"Aye, aye," he said, uneasy.

Cere took a small trip to some compartments, returning with a bundle of things, "In the meantime, try and relax. Go. You’re safe. For now."

Cal didn't like that last thought, but she gave a nod with a smile as she took the bundle.

She watches the two disappear into the cockpit. She was still mesmerized by the swirling blue and whites of hyperspace.

The redheaded scrapper finally took a long scan of the ship. It was apparently a luxury yacht S-161 "Stinger" XL. A few subtle crests and emblems calling it the: "Mantis."

She wandered the vessel, leaving the holotable map, passing the galley, the common area, and the kitchen. Several ingredients were stocked in the kitchen and even the dining table. Off to the right was just... Dirt?

Cal shrugged and waltzed through the door and into the corridor.

Refresher... and I'm assuming their rooms... she glanced between the closed doors. The only open door was the engine room.

It had two levels to it, connected by a ladder. The upper level contained railings, diagnostic controls, and a workbench. And a cot for her quarters, she judges from the empty space.

Cal opened her bundle and rolled it down. It wasn't home... but at least she was safe and warm.

She suspiciously looked at the hyperdrive which was literally a few feet away. Very warm.

The scrapper sat down, tiredly kicking her boots off and hanging her poncho up to dry. She laid down on the cot, wondering if it was really comfy just because of the amount of stress she just went through and she finally can rest, or the two new people: Greez and Cere, actually gave her a comfy bed.

She didn't even bother to go for the refresher.

She actually didn't care...

She didn't care about the hyperdrive being inches from her head, or bothering to turn the lights off.

She finally could lay down and was speeding away from... Bracca...

The "home" she knew for the last five years... more if she counted orbiting-

Cal gritted her teeth, memories flooding her mind of the death she witnessed. Death. So much- and why?

Her green eyes slightly opened, peering at the work-issued poncho she hung on the wall.

Prauf.

She tried to process the events all of today. And all that came to her were echoes of his final sincere words... all she could do was cry herself silently to sleep.

Chapter Text

"Eventually you gotta move on..."

Out of the darkness of the night and through the rain, a large hand extended toward her.

"And live your life..."

She remembered her small hand shaking nonstop, hesitantly reaching out.

"Find your destiny..."

The warm hand held hers, gently but firm enough to pull her out of the mud.

"Cal, look out!"

The darkness fade to bright lights and she shook awake when a figure stood before her.

It was the short Latero, "You were talkin’ in your sleep," he scoffed, "a bunch of jumbled words."

Cal rubbed her eyes.

"Weirdo," and Greez just strolled out of the room.

Right. No DOOR, she glanced at the doorway and sat up in her bed. At least she wasn't caught crying.

She stood up from her bed slowly, trying to reawaken her body after what felt like a short rest, Rude. She felt nearly comfortable sleeping for the first time in a while. She's never had a purely restful night. Not since... before scrapping on Bracca.

Cal double checked her belongings were with her... but it's not like she even had anything else besides her saber and her poncho. The said-poncho was still a bit damp so she left the engine room- her new cot- and found herself in the refresher. She finally cleaned herself up for once, and was now staring at her image in the mirror.

Her fingers traced the few light scars across her face, the lighting in the small refresher nearly made them invisible, but she could still feel them under her fingertips: the scars that were too deep to physically feel: the haunted memories...

She stared at herself one more time after splashing cold water into her face, her green eyes blinking as she lazily fixed her braid and straightened her clothes a bit. She left and was halted in the common area as her eyes were fixed on an instrument lying against the sofa.

A historical flow of echoes was drawing her toward the instrument. The scrapper could feel the echoes moving into different lines that made an old melody. Cal looked around the empty area and saw the silhouette of the pilot up in the cockpit. She sat down, gently rested her hand on the neck of the instrument, and felt it run through her.

The seven-string hallikset. Cere must still be asleep.

Cal's eyes shut and her fingers arranged themselves on the neck and over the sound hole, and then she solemnly played the chords. Deep sensation ran through her as the song slowly played. This wasn't hers and she felt wrong for this, but the Force said otherwise and was flowing smoothly now.

She opened her eyes when she felt someone next to her. She looked over her shoulder to find Cere with a subtle smile.

"That song... I wrote it," she descended the stairs and stood before Cal, "years ago."

Cal swallowed nervously.

"You touch an object and witness events connected to it. You feel its history."

The redhead set the hallisket down, clearing her throat, "It’s an…echo in the Force from the object."

"Not many Jedi have that skill," Cere sat herself down next to her.

Surprise and confusion sprawled over Cal's face, "H-how would you know that?"

There was a brief pause from Cere until she sighed: "I was once a Jedi. But not anymore."

Cal stared deeply into Cere's face, searching her past and memories for the familiarity but found none, "Do I know you?"

The former-Jedi shook her head with a smile, "No. But I knew your Master. Jaro Tapal."

Cal could feel the throb in her heart.

"He was a true guardian of the Republic."

"He was a hero," Cal nearly let her voice slip and crack, she tried to maintain calmness, "l-listen... something happened to me during the Purge. I- I survived. But… but my connection to the Force... was damaged. When I m- meditate- if I let my guard down… I lose control. It’s like I’m back in that moment w-when- when-"

"You survived. Cal," Cere took Cal's hand into her own, softly rubbing her thumb on it, "and you're not alone. Not anymore," she whispered sincerely.

The two shared a sorrowful look until the ship's intercom buzzed on, Greez announcing they were arriving at their destination and they should come up front in the cockpit.

Cal gave a small nod of appreciation to the former-Jedi and hurriedly walked to the front with her.

The three of them watched the hyperspace vortex of lights slow down into the image of a planet. In the void of scattered stars, the large green and blue planet of nature amassed in front of them and started getting closer and closer. The descent into the atmosphere and on the surface was short and quick, a smooth landing onto strangely tall formations covered in life. Above the green green grass was the peaceful blue sky with flying creatures soaring through it. This change of scenery was... unusual to Cal.

The pilot awed at his own landing skills for some reason before wishing her good luck as they left the cockpit and through the doors. She's never felt fresh air like this before, nor smelt or felt the peace in the world. For once in her life since the Purge, she felt a sense of calmness on a planet she stood on.

"This is Bogano."

She followed after Cere down the ramp. The grass crunched beneath her boots, once again a strangeness- one that made her feel like this type of feeling shouldn't exist in the reign of the Empire.

"A Jedi I knew discovered it before the Purge. You won’t find it on any maps," Cere continued.

Cal scoffed, "The Empire doesn’t know this place exists?"

Cere shook her head.

She scoffed again and looked over at the former-Jedi, "So? What’s the plan? Hide out here?"

Cere crossed her arms with a raised brow, "We’re done hiding, Cal. See that structure over there?" she pointed to a massive cylindrical structure in the distance, covered in vines and dirt, "I believe that Vault holds the key to rebuilding the Jedi Order. But... it requires someone strong in the Force to pass its test."

The redhead observed the distant structure afar, chewing her lip, "And since you’re not a Jedi anymore, that’s why you need me."

"I know you don’t trust me…and I’m not really sure I trust you. But we have a common enemy. And a common cause. I’ll share more of my plan after you reach the Vault. But, until then, there’s someone here I think you should meet."

Cere then returned inside the Mantis, but not before leaving words that Cal hadn't heard in years: words of hope: "May the Force be with you."

The scrapper stared out at the horizon, taking in the landscape one more time. It's so green... full of life... so fresh.

She kneeled to the soft ground, plucking a strand of grass, taking in its scent before letting it fall to the ground.

The sun was warm.

"Someone here I should meet?" she questioned Cere's words to herself and began running off through the grass and puddles of water, "Guess I’m looking for a Jedi then. But if there’s already one here, why does Cere need me?" she shrugged and just pressed forward.

The wildlife and fauna were so different from the ones she saw before. Strange, fluffy, bouncing creatures were popping in and out of holes in the ground.

She crossed over some unnatural metal plating that felt like were ancient, probably centuries old.

What did this planet have in store for her?

Cal continued on, traversing the land and jumping over vast gaps.

She found herself a clearing at a lower-elevation, surrounded by tall stone walls and vines. The sounds of nature seemed to have died down a little but the flow felt smooth.

"This looks like a safe place to meditate. Just need to focus my mind..." she whispered to herself and slowed down.

She kneeled down and allowed the peaceful air run through her. The road in her mind seemed to have cleared up; the fog had pulled back. She could feel the power run through her hands. She's remembering... she's remembering her training! The memories that she wanted to forget were still there, just covered by darkness.

Is there even enough light for this shadow to disappear? she felt like it was taking a toll on her, the pain was deep down in her heart.

Just remembering the posture she learnt alone was difficult, The fog disappearing just lets more light shine onto what haunts me, her hand curled into a fist, is it worth for this-

BEEP?

Her eyes opened wide and she remembered to breathe.

Beep? she curiously looked to the origin of the sound and found a little curious red and white droid.

BEEP-BE-BE-BEEP, its ears looked like antennas and the head looked like a set of binoculars.

Cal's head cocked to the side interestingly, "Heyyy... BD-1?"

BEEP!

"I'm... I'm Cal."

BOO-BEEP!

"Uh, yeah, I'm okay. I'm just... I'm looking for someone."

BEEP?

"N-no. Not you. I'm searching for... uh... a Jedi... I think-"

Suddenly, the little droid bounced up in excitement and was scurrying away, beeping back at her.

"H-hold on, you know the J-Jedi?!"

The droid nearly disappeared in the grass.

"W-what do you know?! Wait- hold on!"

She chased after the little bugger until it jumped out of the grass and onto an old control panel. The droid probed the system and a rusty bridge extended, surprising Cal.

"Did you just slice that? Hmm... thanks," the scrapper followed after the droid the best she could. Whilst BD-1 used his little boosters up the whole wall, she had to carefully climb a bunch of overgrown vines onto the top. There, the droid was patiently waiting for her.

The large pillar was closer and much clearer now, "That’s the Vault Cere mentioned. Whoever I’m supposed to find must be waiting there."

BD-1 turned and called for her, when he got her attention, a laser spanned out from his sensors and projected a holomap, telling her the routes and blocked ways. Cal gave her thanks and began traversing the obstacles- the wrong way.

BOO-BEE-BOOP!

She heard the droid behind her call out, "I sense something over here," she dramatically told herself.

"Woah! What are these things?!" she nearly stumbled over when a bunch of crabs skittered out from the tall grass, clamping their sharp claws at her.

One even began rolling to try to knock her over!

She ignited her lightsaber and swung at them. They all fell apart into pieces, "Guess everything's not so peaceful," she remarked.

Cal continued looking around the trough until she jumped into a trench, she turned the corner and a large worm-with-legs-like creature nearly caught her off guard.

She took it down with a swift strike before it could sink its teeth into her.

Cal sighed and sheathed her lightsaber and found herself being drawn to the corner that creature was in.

It was a half-eaten but already-dead crab thing.

The flow was calling to her and so she reached toward it and felt the Force move through, "It was after bogling eggs and the pack fought back. Hmm, boglings, huh?" she connected the name to the fluffy bouncing animals up top, the ones that actually looked cute.

The redhead left the trench and tried looking around the terrain for a path farther, but came to no avail, "No way through here. Guess that's why BD-1 warned me."

BE-BEEP!

The little droid was watching from the edge, clearly giving a 'I-told-you-so' attitude.

"Yeah, yeah, alright... I'll listen to you next time," she scoffed in amusement. 

She finally followed the droid down the path he wanted her to go and came to a stop at the chasm, a long wire connected structures across, "Any ideas? Gotta get across this gap somehow."

BO-BEEP!

"A zipline?" she stared at him in confusion

BO-BE-BO-BEEP!

BD-1 climbed the structure and sat on top of the wire, signaling her to grab his feet.

"I never got to start my will but what- EVERRRRRRR-" she let out a yelp as she began sliding down the wire. A loud scraping motor was sounding off from BD-1, she nearly slipped out of his grasp.

BEEP-BEEP!

She jumped onto the safe ground across and slowed down her momentum, laughing as she looked at the droid hopping up and down in joy, "How'd you know that would work?"

BEE BO-BOOP.

Suddenly the cheerful chirp went to a serious tone.

Cal nervously laughed, "Wait, you didn't?"

BD-1 was already gone from her view and disappeared on a pole connecting the two chasms.

The redhead stared blankly and nervously chuckled again, "Guess I really should make my will now. Cere can have my saber and Greez can take my boots. If they ever find me," she leaned over the edge and at the fog below, no sign or mark of the ground. She was not even sure how high up she was.

Cal continued walking and jogging around the structures, more old man-made buildings and doors were blocking her way but she eventually went down where BD-1 was last seen. She balanced herself and saw BD-1 casually running down the line, "Careful over there! That doesn't look safe."

BE-BOOP!

"Just like back at the scrapyard," she sighed and dropped down, now holding the beam with her hands and clambering across. She found herself in a large room with industrial tech and tools. What also appeared in the room was that large legged-worm creature again but trying to chase down the fluffy bogling.

The creature nearly caught its tail until BD-1 jumped down, intervening.

"Hold on, BD-1! I'm coming!"

Clearly the creature did not take that well with its lunch being interrupted. It gnarled and swiped at BD-1, somehow taking the whole droid into its mouth and swinging him around violently.

"Let him go!" Cal swung and brought the hammer down, her lightsaber chopping the mean creature into halves, "BD-1?" she was interrupted when another creature crawled out of the ground and tried chomping at her, "Ew- gross!" she stabbed it through its singular eye and finally found the area to be safe.

She looked around for the droid and saw him limping into the room with a giant spinning fan. After slowing it down, she approached him carefully and kneeled down, "Hey, that was pretty brave. You okay?"

BD-1 beeped at her sadly and continued limping around like an injured vulptex she once saw on a broadcast showing off-world material and life.

"W-wait," she pointed to his leg, "I can help you with that. Will you let me?"

BD-1 hopped into her arms. Charmed, she smiled and brought him to a table.

She went through her pack and took out a collapsible welding tool and used what she could with some material and junk around the work station.

"Your scomp link is busted, but this... should help you get moving for now."

After a few sparks and attaching parts, Cal set her tool aside and smiled, "Okay. Try that."

The droid stood up testing himself with scans, projecting a little map, and then spinning around, before beeping happily.

"The Vault? Yeah, that's where I was headed too."

He beeped in joy.

"Okay, well... first we gotta figure out a way out of this place- AND there you go- great, thanks, buddy," she sighed and watched him disappear into a hole, "uh, BD? That's a little small for me."

She stared at the giant fan that's oh-so-clearly-wanting-her-to-walk-through-and-get-sliced-into-deli-meat.

"Dooon't worry, I'll find my own way out," she slowed it down and walked on out and then found an opening through the large doors. She squeezed through and lit her lightsaber to wander the dark room.

A bunch of vines were overgrowing from the top and she began climbing them to the upper level and found BD.

Several heavy-duty cables were in her way and so she sliced them down to make her way through the tunnel. But once again, she muttered something about her will when she laid on the ground, completely forgetting what happened just seconds ago.

All she remembered were bright white and blue lights flashing before her eyes and a HUGE spike of pain jolting through her body.

"Hey, when did I start laying on the ground?" she grunted in agony and collapsed again after trying to sit up.

She felt the droid beeping worriedly and even trying to lift her up with his small head.

Cal finally sat up, wincing even more, "Yeah, I'm alright!" that's a lie- "huh?"

Suddenly BD-1 stood before her and shot a projectile out from a slot in his head, a bright blue-green canister flew into the air and toward the redhead. She caught it and stared at it.

The droid beeped in concern.

"A healing stim? You're full of surprises," she smiled with a groan. She looked at the chemical-bacta-filled canister before injecting it into herself, feeling energy and a small amount of adrenaline running through her.

The pain had subsided and she felt her limbs again, "That's... better... thanks, little droid," she got up and started heading through the tunnel now without danger, "okayyy, let's try this agai-" she stopped when she felt a small weight around her ankle.

The scrapper looked down and found BD-1 hugging her leg. He looked at her in curiosity... and so she laughed and brought him onto her shoulder, "Hop on board!"

The two pressed on through the corridor, "So, how'd you get here?" she asked.

BEE? BEEP BOO BEE.

"Don't remember? I've never known a forgetful droid."

BEE-BEEP BEE!

"Can't argue with that."

They were back on the main level outside, Cal wandered around the terrain trying to find a way to the large structure. She then found herself in a pitch-black tunnel AGAIN that might lead them toward the Vault.

BD shined his small flashlight while Cal lit her saber. As they ventured farther down the tunnel, Cal's footsteps slowed down and she covered her nose, "That is one hell of a stench," she clicked her tongue and froze.

A large groaning burp made her eyes widened.

"What... is... that?"

A HUMONGOUS creature with slimy and scaly skin, huge eyes, and a large mouth was crawling toward Cal.

"BD-" she gasped and dodged out of the way when a HUMONGOUS TONGUE stuck to the wall, stretching all the way from the creature!

"That is actually disgusting-"

The huge creature was flopping around, it leaped high into the air and slammed into the ground, even its step shook the cavern.

Cal took her lightsaber and rusty skills to the test.

Three stims and ten minutes later... she sat on an abandoned crate, panting.

The huge creature laid on its side, its tongue severed and probably somewhere else, and its limbs scattered around. Even though she had fought it for so long and was sitting there trying to collect her breath, the horrible smell still made her nearing the point of gagging.

She sighed and stared at her hands covered in light bruises, cuts, and mud... and also the revolting saliva from the creature's mouth.

Twice. TWICE. TWICE that repulsive tongue grabbed her and she nearly was chomped into pieces in that creature's mouth save if it weren't for her lightsaber.

BD-1 walked up to her from the creature and beeped.

Apparently he had scanned it and revealed it to be the LEGENDARY Oggdo Bogdo and she somehow had stumbled into its sinkhole.

"Well, thank goodness it's dead," she stood up, wiping down dust and bits from her clothes.

BD beeped, telling her he can scan the critters and lifeforms and provide a simple study of them. Cal smiled and thought BD was like her, they collect a past or information from specific things.

The droid beeped again at Cal and she turned around, "Hey, BD. What's this?"

She realized there was an opening and she lifted the flap up, revealing a bunch of junk, but then the droid hopped off her shoulder and into the crate, "W-woah, hey, get back here. Where are you going?"

The chest rumbled around until suddenly BD popped up, "Huh, what is it, BD? Was there something in there?"

BD kicked the flap, saying he left it on top of everything else, "Let's see what you found- OH MY GOSH!"

Her eyes were widened and her lips curled into the biggest smile ever.

"Look at this!" she grabbed it and held it up, admiring the colors of it.

A bright... pink... poncho...

A little dirty but she did NOT care!

Another bright side was that it did not smell either! R-right?

Whatever-

Cal quickly threw it over her head and fashioned herself in bright pink, her heart racing in joy, "Eh, whaddya think?"

BD beeped saying it looks okay... but somehow in the binary there was a sense of... regret.

Cal thought there was something wrong with the droid's programming because it sounded like he wished he never opened this crate, but this was the best thing ever!

This sumi pink poncho!

But then she stopped and wondered, "Why is this AWESOME poncho... here... of all places?" she looked at BD but shrugged before he could even answer.

The pair walked out of the dark, revealing Cal in her pink poncho under the sun. 

Such a bright and easy target... one might say... but to Cal?

Well it looks awesome!

The pink-poncho scrapper and her droid continued adventuring Bogano, going on another zipline, fighting more creatures that are actually supposedly called bog rats, and then a dead end.

Two large statues stood before her, they looked somewhat humanoid but at the same time not. She could sense the ancient life forms that walked this very land more than centuries ago, but it was difficult because of its age. There were several walls with ridges that she knew even she couldn't climb, so she looked for alternate routes. She passed by some doors and an old elevator before stumbling upon a bog rat and that disgusting enormous creature again.

"More of those bugs too," she saw the giant crabs on the upper level.

This oggdo looked smaller and different compared to the one she saw in that sinkhole, maybe because this was just a regular one that didn't thrive for many years? Still, that didn't make it any less disgusting and dangerous.

Cal took her lightsaber and fought her way through, a much easier fight but still not without difficulty. There was a peaceful cliffside that faced the sun and far away from the harmful creatures, she took a moment and meditated there the best she could.

She tried to tell herself again that she was one with the Force but she still found it straining and the fog still haunting. She felt a bit stronger with her saber though at the very least and a bit more control of the Force she had.

"How're you feeling, BD?" Cal asked as they came into a tall structure, he just chimed happily.

Pools of water were at the bottom along with more bog rats which she killed off. BD continued scanning around and even the seed that Cal picked up. She remembered the Mantis had an empty terrarium and maybe she could start putting some life in it.

She continued climbing around the best she could, only to find more strangely-rigged walls.

The redhead followed some "slippery" creatures into a gorge, identified as zours. Their body anatomy was able to stick to the walls just fine and they can skitter across them.

Her green eyes squinted into staring across the gorge. From afar, there was a hill of mud, but many of the zours were coming from there.

She felt them "calling" to her. 

She felt the Force.

Cal climbed and ran across a few more rocks and stopped before the hill of mud.

Zours were flooding out and running across the wall, and Cal could feel the wall ITSELF pull her toward it. Her hand raised and touched it softly, feeling it run through her roughly.

She was in a long tunnel of darkness and fog, lights stretching from near the end. Where was she?

Her eyes suddenly were tracking every moment of the creatures running on the walls, she somehow couldn't stop her legs from running after them and before she knew it, she was leaping to the wall.

And then... the flow of the Force spiked.

Cal found herself on the ground, she was apparently whining.

A deep, strict, commanding voice called her to try again, only to be replied with her words that it was difficult. All of the sudden, her voice sounded higher... and... younger.

She was in her small training robes, her hair was styled differently with a padawan braid and...

There was someone else here-

She looked up but was surprised when she saw her former Master standing on a platform. Everything around her was clean and formal and... this was her old training room.

Her Master told her to make the Force her ally... these were just obstacles she had to get over in her mind... only with the Force and will could she get through.

The platforms rearranged themselves leading up to her Master.

She stood and took in deep breaths, reaching out to the Force and that these paths are nothing hard to master.

And then her feet took off, she was now running along the walls and jumping from platform to platform, from wall to wall, and then to her Master-

The flow of the Force became smooth now, and her eyes opened back to the green life and waters of the rocky gorge.

"I... I did it!" she panted and chuckled in amusement, "With persistence and the Force as my ally."

BOOP-BEEP?

"Just... remembering old tricks," she smiled tathim.

She looked ahead and was able to run across the walls perfectly. It felt strange, the Force was pulling her feet toward the walls and guiding her along it. And with this connection remembered, she could feel the fog lighten... was it entirely lifted? No. But she felt stronger and reconnected herself back to her old skills that she had forgotten.

Cal could feel more of the Force pulling her around areas, she could sense old spots of meditations and even more of the wildlife. It was unbelievable she was doing this again. The redhead followed the way to the Vault, going up the old lift, a few more ziplines, and then finally traversing the many walls leading up to it beyond the two statues.

She stood on the foot of the Vault, looking up at its vast size, a smirk appeared on her lips, "Race you there?"

BD chirped and was already zooming off.

"Whoaa! It's on!" she sprinted after him. She started climbing up the hill in slow big steps, panting nearly.

BD was casually standing there, waiting for her. He beeped at his slowness.

We're not finished yet!" she sighed and nearly slipped on the smooth part of the mud.

BOO BEE BOO.

"O-okay, okay! You probably would've won," Cal had to get on her fours and start climbing the hill, but once she stepped inside she stopped and gazed at the sight before her eyes, "probably."

BD beeped and immediately started scanning around as the pink-poncho scrapper examined the structure. Surrounded by ancient pots and scrolls, Cal was attracted to the door of the rocks.

Patterns were etched on it, several symbols she didn't quite understand but knew they were ancient and everything on the planet so far seemed to have revolved around it.

"How can there be a door when there's nothing through the other side?" she examined how the only way to some physical place of a "Vault" was to go directly down. Was whatever that was special just sitting right there directly behind the door?

She placed her hand on the door and felt the Force flow through her.

The whole structure rumbled and she stepped back, watching the ancient door slide out of view revealing pitch black inside.

BD hopped onto her back and she took in a deep breath, "Here we go..." she reached in and found an opening that she had to squeeze in. She wedged herself into the narrow entrance and pushed herself through.

"This doesn't make anyyy sense," she grunted.

Surely a while ago she would've made it to the other side of the tall rock.

Out of the darkness, a lit hall appeared filled with water, massive circular doors, designs reminiscent of the etchings on the door, and statues similar to the pair she saw outside. She nearly lost her breath, "Amazing," she followed BD to the center panel. Where was this? She didn't feel any elevation change, she didn't go up or down- just straight through. The light seemed natural from above and it felt like the walls were the same somehow.

The droid scanned the center and froze.

"You alright, BD?" she crouched down to his level but BD-1 suddenly projected an image from his sensors.

It was a hologram of an elderly-man in Jedi robes.

"Well done, whoever you are," the hologram spoke.

Her eyes widened at the sight.

"You have passed the test I left behind, and gained access to the Vault and this recording. One of many encrypted logs stored in the droid. I am Master Eno Cordova. I may not know your name, but I know your purpose."

Know my purpose?

"The fate of the Jedi Order lies in your hands. This…place. This…Vault is a sacred temple. Built by a vanished civilization known as the Zeffo."

The Zeffo... that's what those patterns actually meant! she recalled all the etchings.

"Meditating here I was granted a premonition through the Force. A vision of doom. I have placed inside this vault a Jedi holocron, containing a list of the names and locations of young Force-sensitives throughout the galaxy. Ahead you will find the inner chamber of the Vault but…also another test. I can only trust this holocron to someone who has followed my path and understands."

The hologram continued: "Seek out the hidden tombs of the Three Sages. And learn to perceive the mysteries of the Force as the Zeffo once did. In this droid you will find everything you need to succeed on this journey. Go to the Zeffo homeworld. There you will find peace in the eye of the storm. Good luck, Jedi."

"And may the Force be with you."

Cal felt hope surge through her from those final words. The hologram projection shut off and Cal looked down at BD with a small smile, "I guess you were the someone I was supposed to meet."

BEEP!

He agreed.

Cal chuckled dryly and sat down in front of BD, hugging her knees as she thought of what she just learnt.

She was in deep contemplation, thinking about how sudden her life changed- again.

BD was just staring back up at her, wondering what her move would be.

After a long moment of silence, not meditation but peace, Cal sighed and looked back at the little droid, "You know, I’ve been alone for…a while now. Without any purpose. Just hiding. It’s no way to live. Not for a Jedi. Or a droid."

BD's antennas raised.

Cute, he was definitely like a canine or like that vulptex-like creature again.

"Maybe Cere was right. Maybe we’re done hiding."

A small smile crept onto her lips, "Hey. You... you wanna meet some... uh... friends of mine?" she stood up and BD trilled in pure excitement.

Thrilled, BD-1 jumped onto her shoulder and they quickly made their way out. They passed through the dark entrance again, now back in the entrance of the Vault which didn't seem physically possible unless you understood the Force. She still didn't, but she was sure anyone else Force-sensitive would.

"I guess it's time to embark and rebuild the Jedi Order, huh?" she looked at the Mantis in the distance, taking in the fresh air again.

"I think I found what you wanted me to see," she spoke into her comlink on her wrist.

Cere replied on the other end, "Sounds like you did. We’ll be waiting."

The redhead slid down the mud and into a puddle of water, dodging an oggdo's tongue as it appeared out of the water. Ever slowly, she felt her connection to the Force becoming stronger and stronger, she was able to take it down within a few strikes. It was still tough but she managed without needing to call BD for a stim. She continued backtracking her way but stopped before a set of doors though when something familiar pulled her to some symbols and etchings in the walls.

BD recognized the familiarity too and all of the sudden, another hologram appeared from his projector. The Jedi Master Eno Cordova was gesturing to the same mural they were looking at, "My friend. It appears the Zeffo had some interest…in Dathomir."

"It’s strange. For such a peaceful culture to have any fascination with a place so…dark."

The hologram shuts off and Cal is shocked, Dathomir? she's heard of the name probably only once before in her life. She took off again and finally made her way back, she approached the ramp and the doors slid open, revealing Cere with a knowing smirk, "You passed the test."

"So you knew about BD-1?"

"Come on board. We’ll talk inside."

"Oh, BD-1, this is Greez. Hey, Greez!" she gestured to him walking out the kitchen.

The little droid hopped off of her shoulder and ran across the table in the common area, this made Greez hurry out of the kitchen and chase after him, "What is that?! Get off my sofa! Get…get off my sofa! Get outta there, get out!"

It was funny watching the short Latero chase around the little droid that simply zipped around just out of his reach.

"That is BD-1," Cal shielded the little droid, "he's with us-"

"I don’t care who he’s with! Do you have any idea how hard it is to get oil stains out of potalli-weave fabric?" it almost sounded like he was CRYING, he petted the sofa material like they were an innocent baby.

Cal shrugged and just walked away, "Not really-"

Greez cried out in pain clutching the sofa in his hands and shoving a finger at the droid who was now hiding behind Cal's back, "I hope you found something better out there than this droid!"

"Oh, calm down Greez, he did. Tell us Cal," Cere chuckled and followed Cal to the steps.

Cal revealed the Vault being built by the ancient civilization, Zeffo, and that Jedi Master Eno Cordova secured something inside. Once she brought up the holocron from the Archives, Cere's eyes widened. She was filled with even more surprise when a list of Force-sensitive children was supposedly in it.

A next generation of Jedi!

Cere couldn't believe it!

Hidden away in that Vault for these many years since the Purge.

She laughed, "Ah, Cordova, you old fool."

The redhead raised a brow, "You knew him?"

The former-Jedi excitedly nodded, "Yes! A long time ago. I was his apprentice. Cordova was a loner. That little droid and I are probably the only ones that know about Bogano."

Greez meanwhile was still trying to catch up on Cal's first words, "Hold on, wait a minute, wait a minute. A holo – what?"

"A holocron. It stores information but only accessible to Jedi. Hang on, I think I have one around here," she rushed up to the storage compartments and pulled out a small box. She explained the palm-sized being made of glowing polyhedrons of crystalline material and hardware. Cere then placed it into Cal's hands, "Use the Force."

Cal closes her eyes and concentrates. She feels the flow of the Force in her grasp and lets it guide the object. Suddenly, the object began to float and come apart into pieces. The pieces shifted from a cube into a sort of octagon, with its old corners floating around it.

It projected a hologram of a noble, senior, bearded Jedi Master in his robes, "This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen."

She blinked and stopped the recording, the holocron returning to its original shape.

"With that list of Force-sensitives, we could rebuild the Jedi Order and defeat the Empire," Cere explained.

"Okay, no problem. Let’s get it!" Greez shrugged.

Cal turned to Greez and shook his head explaining how it's not so easy. They would have to follow Master Cordova's path who mentioned a Zeffo homeworld and Dathomir.

Greez shrugged again, "Alright, well, where are we going? I’m just asking ‘cause I was thinking of maybe making some food."

The pink-poncho scrapper sighed and turned to Cere with a deep look in her eyes, "Look, before we do anything, I need to know something."

The former-Jedi returned a sincere look, thinking for a moment, "I had an experience that…changed my perspective. So, I…cut myself off from the Force."

Cal questioned her motives for rebuilding the Order.

"I believe that rebuilding the Order is the best chance we have against the Empire. What do you believe?"

Cal then took a moment to pause for herself, "I believe... I believe I can’t keep hiding from the Empire, so I... I don’t really have a choice."

"Cal, as long as you’re alive you will always have a choice. Are you with us?"

She looked amongst her new crew, rethinking how this was a sudden life changer again. It didn't take long for her agreement though after a quick glance at an excited BD, "We're in."

"Dathomir or Zeffo? It’s your choice! Just set it up in the holotable and I'll get us moving! AFTER some good ol' cooking!" Greez returned to the kitchen while Cere headed toward the cockpit.

Cal smiled and gave one big look around the Mantis, The Jedi Order. Rebuilt?

Before she walked away from her original spot though, she remembered she had some seeds in her pocket from one of the structures. She looked over at the terrarium. Is it actually a terrarium? she wondered if it even was a place for plants or if it's just... a Greez thing. "Hey, Greez, what's this thing?"

The pilot took his head out of the kitchen cabinet, "What? You've never seen a terrarium."

Oh, "Sure but don't they usually have plants in them?"

"Well I've been busy hauling you around the galaxy. But you know, you could pay me back with some seeds."

"I thought you hated nature."

"When it's out there, you betcha. But when it's behind a comfortably thick wall of Umbaran glass? That's perfection."

"Alright. Well here you are," Cal casually dropped the seeds from her hand onto the dining table, "you can get started," she smirked.

Greez furrowed his eyebrows frustratedly, returning to his pots and pans, "What hey! Imma 'bout to start cooking here ya know? Don't dump those dirty seeds there! You know what? I'm giving you a quarter portion of my famous cooking! This just happens to the best recipe my grandm-"

Cal walked off, letting the Latero pilot go on about the "disrespect."

Chapter Text

"Setting course for... wait... wait a minute... you wanna go to Dathomir?!" Greez exclaimed.

Cal furrowed her eyebrows, carrying empty bowls and cups, "I thought you said 'my choice!' And besides, Dathomir is along the way to Zeffo. If we took the hyperspace lane to Zeffo, we would've passed it."

Greez let out a whine, "Just make sure you clean the dishes," and slowly walked into the cockpit, hesitantly adjusting the flight controls.

The Mantis shook as the engines roared, lifting the yacht ship off of the surface and into the air.

"I'm surprised Cordova went there. He must have had good reason," Cere remarked, following Greez into the cockpit.

The Latero pilot let out a shudder this time, "I am staying PUT on the Mantis once we arrive. Red sunlight cannot be good for your skin!"

"Are you sure it's just the sunlight?" Cal snickered, she returned and leaned against the doorway of the cockpit.

"The place used to be home to a powerful cabal of Force wielders known as the Nightsisters."

"They used the Force?" both Greez and Cal were befuddled and stared at each other angrily.

"What, like Jedi?" Greez added.

The former-Jedi shook her head, "No. These witches served only themselves."

Cal watched the starry sky transform into the vortex of flying lights. The ship smoothly settled into hyperspace as they made their way.

"Their powers focused on deception, illusion, manipulation," Cere continued.

"Yikes. Used to be a home to the Nightsisters?" Cal asked.

Greez chuckled, "Sounds like someone I used to know."

Both of them ignored the Latero, "During the Clone Wars, the Nightsisters made a deal with a Sith Lord who betrayed their trust. In the end, they were wiped out in a massacre," Cere elaborated.

Cal let out a sorrowful sigh, "All the Nightsisters, killed."

"It's tragic. Although it is said the Nightbrothers are still active. Dathomir is still a deadly place because of the environment and life. We should be careful."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Greez sang to himself.

The scrapper looked over at Cere, "I never knew much about Dathomir. I thought the broadcasts I watched back on Bracca showed me all of it."

"Not surprising, very few did. Most of what I know is from Cordova. He had his reasons for going there."

"Seems like it," Cal left the cockpit and headed into the common room, BD hopped along.

She sat down, burying her head into her hands, "Clone Wars... massacre... Force..." she sighed, "some theme. A whole generation of Nightsisters, gone? Just like the Jedi."

BD hopped around and probed a computer system.

BEE-BOOP!

He returned.

Cal looked at her friend curiously and realized he was projecting information, her eyes widening at the information, "A matriarchal coven, they ruled the lower Nightbrother class? Civilization destroyed at the behest of a vengeful Count Dooku after a high-value target: Asajj Ventress and her sisters tried to assassinate him?"

The scrapper couldn't believe it. She recalls the name, Count Dooku, being involved with the orchestration of the Clone Wars. 

Clone Wars.

She repeated those two words over and over in her head.

"Do... um... did you happen to find any information on the Clone Wars? The... end of it?"

BEEP-BEE-BOO.

BD projected a hologram of information, only revealing the rise of the Empire and that all Jedi were labeled as... traitors... and... terrorists.

The clone troopers were all phased out. Her beloved brothers-in-arms, they-

BEE?

"Huh?" Cal didn't realize tears were in her eyes, "Oh, it's... n-nothing," she attempted to wipe them away, let out a shaky breath, "just remembering things."

"Hard to believe the Clone Wars were only three years long. And that ended five years ago."

BD comforted Cal in binary. She rubbed his head in return with a smile, "Thanks, buddy."

~

"My tip is you angle the torch and let gravity do the work."

Sparks flew around and thankfully the burning odor was shielded by the mask.

"There, you see, kid? You'll tire yourself out more if you hold it straight."

His large hand pointed to the row next to them, "Doing it straight you'll probably need a break every five latches, but with the angle you can pretty much do it with your eyes closed and just waltz by!" he gave a hearty laugh.

"Really?" came the small and soft voice.

He gave a wry chuckle, "No, I'm just kidding, kid. But it's definitely easier."

Despite the cold rain and loud thunder, she always felt safe with Prauf.

"I know I seem like a big and scary guy, Callista, but please remember it's just to keep you moving and living, yeah? I'm just trying to find the best ways so that you're not stuck here so long!"

"Y- yeah."

There was a long pause, sounds of static and fuzz filled the air and the fog surrounded them.

"Ah, I got myself there again," he chortled, "sorry, Callista- I mean- Cal- I mean- kid- Callista- k-"

"It's okay, Prauf."

"Prauf."

"Prauf."

A red saber struck out from the shadows.

"PRAUF! NO!"

She shook awake and nearly bumped her head on the ceiling of her cot.

Cal collected her breath and snatched her bottle from the workbench, chugging water out of it.

She gasped and swallowed, trying to recollect herself, "Prauf," she muttered.

Cal looked at the doorway- STILL NO DOOR- and rubbed her eyes.

She didn't cry as much this time, she hoped.

She looked over at the Bracca-work poncho and sighed sadly. She didn't want it to get ruined out in the world, she wanted to keep it in its best condition.

The scrapper checked the flight status and realized they were approaching soon, so she readied herself in the refresher, leaving the room with the pink poncho in her hand.

She cleaned up herself and grabbed a quick snack. She saw Greez look back from the cockpit and pulled on the intercom, "Coming up on our creepy destination. Grab some seat, kid."

"Comin'."

She sat in her dedicated chair and watched as the streaming lights slowed down within a second, and a blood red planet covered in dark clouds.

With BD's calculations and records of Cordova's information, the coordinates brought them to a hill just to the side of a mountain that seemed to have a temple built into it.

It looked ancient. Rubble and ruined buildings were scattered everywhere and overgrown with the lifeform. It was interesting, the nature here was all red instead of green.

A very inverse mirror to Bogano, Cal thought. She already missed the freshness and warmth of Bogano, despite the carnivorous creatures and those damned oggdos.

The landing gears initiated and hissed, and soon the ship was at a full stop.

The redhead made sure she had everything ready, her mini tool kit, her water bottle, her poncho, her lightsaber, and of course BD-1 on her shoulder.

"Cal, be careful here," Cere said from the sofa.

She turned around and nodded.

"This is a deadly, dangerous place."

Cal glanced at the door before approaching the former-Jedi, "Do you know anything else about the Nightsisters of Dathomir?"

"I know just a little. Many Jedi weren't even aware of their existence, but being Cordova's apprentice came with some unique insight. He always thought they were interesting- as he did with most ancient cultures."

"And what did YOU think?" she wondered, raising a brow.

"I never came here, I never wanted to. As I recall, that was about the time the two of us began going our separate ways. The darkness always has an effect, one way or another," her eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.

"Don't you worry, Cere, I got this."

"I'd say Cordova's reason for coming here was extremely important to risk his life, but risks were second nature to him," she sighed.

"After what I've seen so far, even if it's so little, I can imagine."

"There's more to come and I'm not sure either our imaginations could conjure up what we might face."

"Have you talked to our Captain? I bet he could."

"That one is stronger than he realizes," she chuckled and looked over at the little droid on Cal's shoulder, "BD-1, keep an eye on Cal for us."

He trilled in confidence, earning another head pat from Cal.

She returned to the door again, this time though Greez passed her and was now pacing around in the kitchen, "On the ship. Indoors. I got walls. I got Jedi. I'm fine. Yeah," geez, it sounded like Greez was hyperventilating. Cal swore she saw he was already sweating despite them just touching ground a few minutes ago... and the ship was still very well air-conditioned... and the door wasn't even open yet.

"Good luck," she was told and she walked out onto the ramp.

It was an unusual warm, nothing like Bogano. The red sun of Domir shined like impending death on them, the whole atmosphere was vastly different. The colors alone made her a little nervous.

Everything looked sharp and deadly, even the branches were wrangled into claw-like shapes that would try to grab you and kill you.

There was a sort of path leading to the main foundation of the area. She followed it down, but nearly fell when the end of the ramp collapsed into pieces and descended down into the canyon.

"Good thing we weren't standing there! Remind me of my wills, BD."

BEEP-BEE-BEEP.

"Oh, right. I need to get them done. Oh well- a later time!" she leaped forward and grabbed onto a bunch of roots on the wall. Cal started climbing across to a way up, but in the middle of it, something large was just above her.

She could sense a creature approaching the edge, and then the thumps of its footsteps shaking the ground. A few pieces of rocks and roots fell down from the shaking, but she managed to cling on.

She looked up and saw the creature prowling over the edge, growling menacingly at the landscape behind her.

"What is that thing?" she whispered to her droid friend.

Two large tusks sprouted out from the creature's mouth and very-very sharp claws protruded from its paws.

BEE-BEEP BOO?

"I wouldn't count on him being friendly-" she held on tight when it let out a ferocious roar and roamed around the surface.

Cal finally made her way up on the same said-surface as the creature.

It crawled around on all fours and was viciously slamming the environment around them.

With her ignited saber, she attempted her best to fight back.

Her swift strikes only injured or barely scraped the fast-moving creature, which nearly took her into its claws.

Its long lanky arms made it hard for her to hit a vital point in its body, but after jumping over one and rolling under its entire body, she struck the critical point.

She flipped herself around and watched the huge creature make one last attack with its last bit of life, nearly collapsing onto her entirely.

The pink-poncho scrapper requested a stim from BD, taking in a breath of relief as the pain decreased. She left the scene with scrapes and bruises, a bit more than usual after a creature encounter. This one she learnt was a nydak thanks to her droid friend.

Cal traversed the structures and found herself being pulled to a room filled with pottery and offerings. Murals were designed on all the walls. She managed to get over the obstacles and make her way to the attraction. The torches lit the room ominously as she reached down to the strange flow.

Her eyes closed when she felt the echo run through her, and it turned out to be... A girl chanting?

'Choono slalem denni tay'lori olee-ay...'

The voice wasn't mature of an elder, yet didn't sound that young of a kid either.

She found the connection run through her chest, "A... a Nightsister, practicing her craft?" she opened her eyes. This felt somewhat recent, maybe a few years old but not ancient. This campfire was of the dark side of the Force...

Cal continued exploring the ruins and found an unusual crate. It looked familiar, like the one she saw back in that horrible sinkhole, but it held a precious colored poncho.

"Wait, are these left behind by Master Cordova or something?" she let BD jump and scourge around, popping out with ANOTHER poncho, "Master Cordova must FULLY trust his follower! These are awesome!"

BD questioned in binary about wearing this but Cal shook her head, "I think I'll keep this pink one on, and save whatever we find!" she folded it up and stored it into her pack.

He had never felt so disappointed, nevertheless he followed after the pink-target called Cal.

She continued exploring, being either amazed or freaked out by hanging burial pods, flowers(?) the size of an escape pod, and even more ruins.

Cal nearly freaked out when a large spider jumped right in front of her.

It screeched and attempted to claw at her before it was sliced into pieces.

The redhead panted, "Spiders, really?!" she shook her head with a shiver but then yelped, jumping back when the spider's "butt" burst into acid spray.

A pool of acid lingered for a few seconds before evaporating.

"Are you kidding me? ACID spiders?" she felt a disturbance in the Force behind her, thankfully BD confirmed with a warning beep. A projectile filled with the toxic acid flew by her and she spun on her heels, facing down several more spiders.

"Can we be a planet with tiny-sized creatures for once? I liked those boglings back on Bogano! They were fluffy and cute, and didn't try to KILL you! I wish there was a planet of JUST them!"

After a few minutes and one stim later, she began ascending the stairs into the mouth of the ruins of what might be a temple. Thankfully the acid sprayed by the spiders didn't seem to dissolve any of her clothes, maybe only leaving a burn on her skin but was healed thanks to the bacta from the stim.

Probably the only "cute" thing she found so far were mushlings, but even those were abnormally shaped.

She looked around the murals and lit torches, minding for the pottery and offerings around the ground until suddenly BD was gone from her shoulder.

"Hey, wait up!" she chased down BD-1 to a pillar and kneeled by him.

Something familiar for once! she let out a relieved sigh and studied the symbols. They were similar to the ones she saw back on Bogano, Zeffo!

The little droid began scanning them as Cal looked around, "Looks like the Zeffo were here."

BOOOOO.

She blinked in confusion as something felt strange run through her chest.

"Strange."

The scrapper spun around, observing the tiniest details of the ruins. Lit torches and... "This place seems abandoned but..."

"But there's someone here," she whispered to herself. She could feel a presence. A unique flow in the Force.

Suddenly a weird complexity of sounds emerged behind her with bright flashes of green.

Cal turned around and held out her lightsaber, but not igniting it once she saw what emerged from the green smoke.

A slim figure in...

Dark red robes...

Dark grey sleeves...

Dark brown belts...

And a juxtaposing bright gold headpiece, under a dark red hood...

Under the entirety of the hood and headpiece framed a pale face with gray markings. She had chocolate brown eyes and-

She?

She.

A woman! her green eyes widened at the sight.

"You trespass, Jedi," a thick-accent came from her.

Cal lowered her lightsaber hilt, her jaw nearly dropped.

"Y- you must be a Nightsister!" 

The red-fashioned Nightsister tilted her head.

"I... I had heard you were all... d- dead," Cal never thought she would stutter so much in her life. Her heart was picking up. It was racing. What was the Nightsister about to do? What did Cere say that they could do?

"Not all," the Nightsister menacingly said, her eyes squinting in intimidation. Her hand swung and the bright green smoke formed from her hand. She clenched her fingers, causing the same green smoke to form behind her, revealing two Zabraks: Nightbrothers!

Cal gasped when she saw their large weapons at the ready, does the Nightsister only fight with her green Force smoke?

"Dathomir is forbidden to you. LEAVE at once!" she pointed threateningly.

"Woah- woah- woah!" Cal started backing away.

"I’m afraid I can’t do that, but listen! Per- perhaps we could h- help each other. You see, I-"

The Nightbrothers took a step forward, pointing their weapons at her.

"Easy! I'm not your enemy!" Cal begged her.

"Your actions say otherwise," the Nightsister's voice boomed, raising her hands with the green mist.

"Wait! Hold on. I’m not here to-"

The green sparked into the Nightbrothers, seemingly giving them extra strength as they wielded their weapons. They began to grunt and growl in fury at Cal.

"Vashe!" the Nightsister disappeared in the green smoke, leaving the three of them to fight.

Cal finally ignited her lightsaber and prepared to fight back.

The Zabrak warriors shouted in anger as they swung their primitive weapons, Cal's weapon barely deflecting them away. Their weapons were quickly clashing and they were equivalent as her in parrying.

Sparks flew everywhere until eventually she was able to find weak spots in their stances and use them to her advantage.

The dark magic used to fuel their bodies didn't seem like wasn't enough. After breaking a few beads of sweat, Cal remained the last one standing as they fell to the ground. Scorch marks and stab wounds all over their body.

She collected her breath and sheathed her weapon. Thankfully she only needed a single stim during the fight, "That Nightsister," she panted.

BEE-BOO?

"Yeah, I thought Cere said they were all wiped out. But it doesn't matter. She's still here and clearly doesn't appreciate us being nosy."

She looked upward to a deck and found herself drawn to it. It was another Force echo, pulling her toward it.

The redhead looked around for a way to reach that spot and found a rope. She climbed it and elegantly swung onto the platform where the flow was pulling her. Cal kneeled down and reached a hand out, closing her eyes and awaiting the memories of something to hit her.

She flinched all of the sudden when a cry came through her senses.

The sobs of a little girl...

Her eyes opened and went straight to where the Nightsister previously stood.

She let out a gasp, "A... a Nightsister survived. That Nightsister survived. S- something about her is... familiar."

The little droid on her shoulder made a series of sad beeps.

"The Nightsister survived a great massacre... she was alone and... h- her sisters were all gone. She was afraid," she swallowed in the guilt. She didn't mean to intrude here but... this was for the greater good.

Cal returned to the ground and continued traversing the ruins, finding a spot in the shade but viewing the open canyon. Hopefully the Nightsister realizes she was here for peace and not violence.

She let her eyes rest, and saw the shadows lift little by little. The control of her Force was getting more powerful, and the strength of her hands with the lightsaber were returning. Little by little, she was remembering her skills, that's all that mattered.

Cal opened her eyes when the shadows started to become too dense to venture through. With nothing else to gain from the fog, she stood up and started walking on.

"What did she mean by my actions say otherwise? How come we are forbidden? Isn't this where Master Cordova was?"

BEEP-BEE-BOO!

BD-1 was as puzzled as Cal.

It still seemed like they were treated as trespassers, as when they approached a giant set of doors, more Nightbrothers arrived, some even with primitive energy bows.

They continued to shout threats at her.

Blocking and deflecting the projectiles, she made her way up and dispatched the Nightbrothers who attempted to kill her with their maces.

She went through more of the ruins and campfires, everything was filled with the dark side of the Force. She made sure not to desecrate the statues and offerings at least.

The scrapper found herself in the open air again and realized the temple she was in was just a sub-building of the main structure. A MUCH LARGER temple was ahead of her, just across a half-broken bridge.

She climbed a set of vines but stopped when she realized there was a gap too far for her to jump, and with no climbable wall for her fingers.

"Great-" she froze once again when she realized... she wasn't alone.

"Oh, fellow wanderer!" came a manly voice this time. Elderly and... tired.

How did I not sense him there? Cal turned toward the man, hidden under long dark robes, she already felt uneasy.

"I see you met the resident Nightsister but, uh- unlike most, you’re alive!" he had a slight accent.

She looked at him even more suspiciously. She then noticed his gaze going toward her hip, My lightsaber- she began reaching toward it but he held up a hand.

"Ooh, a lightsaber! No, no, don’t hide it. That would explain your survival."

"Who are you?" she questioned him, backing a step away.

"You don’t... no, no one to fear. No. Just a traveler. Studying the nature of extinct cultures and dead philosophies."

"You studying the Nightbrothers? The Nightsisters?" Cal placed her hands on her hips, Strange.

"Ooh…I study many things. But yes, THAT Nightsister. Oh. She was only a child… when the war came to this world. She had to wash her whole family perish."

"What do you know about those ruins?" she pointed to the main temple structure ahead in the mountain.

The wanderer laughed, "Oh! Ancient beyond belief. The Nightsister and her warrior kin…were seduced by the power that lurks within. A-avoid the ruin. Or suffer the same fate."

"How do you know so much about the Nightsister?"

"Observation. I’ve seen many things since coming here."

"What does that mean?"

"Must it mean something? Too many great minds have gone astray in pursuit of…order."

Even more weird, she slowly started walking back the way she came, "How long have you been here?" she eyed the torn robe.

"Long enough. This world provided a sanctum when I was in need. Shelter when I was weak. Enlightenment when I was lost in the dark."

"Right… I gotta get going."

"Beware! Dathomir’s mysteries are many."

Cal quickly got out of his sight and started jogging off, down a different path than before, she shuddered at just thinking about him, "Thoughts?"

BEE-BEEP-BEE!

"I agree," she chuckled, "strange. Weird. Don't want to see him again," she mumbled to herself, "why was he hiding himself under the robes?"

She slowed down her jog when she found a workstation, unusual for a place like this.

The decorations and murals were clearly Dathomirian, but the parts looked... familiar?

A bit of pain struck her inside when she remembered the work stage of her academy days. Building her first lightsaber... some time ago... gone...

The pieces here looked similar to the ones she started with, but had been modified.

The pink-poncho scrapper stared at her lighter- or... Master Tapal's lightsaber and then back at the parts. The lightsaber was damaged and was missing the other half, and it looked like all the components were here.

BD questioned Cal's thoughts and she responded with hope.

It felt like she was moving on instinct, like it was all muscle memory and the Flow was guiding her through all the steps. She finished her tinkering and set aside her mini tool kit, raising the lightsaber which had extended.

She ignited the lightsaber, the blue blade zooming out of the upper end... and then she moved the other switch... igniting the bottom end.

A second blade emerged!

A double-bladed lightsaber!

Cal twirls it around, careful to not harm herself or the surroundings. She then held it firmly and took in a few deep breaths, remembering her Master's way with the double blade.

It was still blurry, but she felt a strong connection in the hilt. Like... completion? And so she sheathed the lightsaber and set off with a smile on her lips.

Cal backtracked her way through the smaller temple and found herself in view of the Mantis, giving her a large sense of relief.

"It's like a maze in there, even with your map, BD," she fanned herself. Somehow even more spiders were dropping from the ceilings and more Zabrak warriors came out of hiding. A few more stims had to be used.

BOO-BEE-BEEP!

Cal chuckled, "Well, BD?"

BEEP-BEEP?

"I'm glad I found you."

BEE-BEEP!

They both gave each other a little fistbump, or more of a footbump because of BD-1's foot.

She laughed and they returned to the Mantis. Safe and sound.

The doors slid shut and she managed to sit down with a relaxing sigh.

"Cal, what'd you find?" Cere appeared and sat next to her.

Cal unscrewed her water bottle and took a long drink from it, "Nothing good. Everything that moves here is trying to kill me."

"There's a reason why no one wants to visit this desolate planet."

"Not everyone. I ran into this... w- wanderer. He called himself a scholar. Said he came to study Dathomir. Quite creepy, I might add," she explained.

"I would be very careful, Cal. You need to be on guard against anyone seeking out the darkness of Dathomir," Cere took Cal's water bottle and refilled it for her.

In walked Greez, "Finally! Glad you could bake it back in one piece!"

She gave a simple shrug, "There were some close calls out there."

He double checked the doors to make sure they were locked, "Please tell me nothing followed you home, kid."

"I hope not."

"Look, kid. Be straight with me-"

"How can I?"

The Latero pilot did a double take, "What?" he shook his head, "Hey, are we just marching to our deaths, because I'd like to know now!"

"I'm not sure. It's something I'm used to, I guess. During the Clone Wars, every battle was risky."

"I don't like where this is going," he rushed over to the cockpit, looking out the windows and scanning for anything scary looking that wasn't the world.

"Look, if we succeed, then you have nothing to worry about," Cal took a small sip from her water bottle.

"Great answer. Good to know. And if we don't?"

Cal shrugged again, and turned back to Cere.

"Wha- hey, kid!"

"What? Do you need something?" Cal looked over her shoulder.

"Oh yeah, sure. I'm really in the mood for a slow and painful death. You think you can find that sorta thing on this death planet?! OR... maybe just bring me back something that will haunt me for the rest of my dreadful LIFE?! Any of that work... you weirdo?!"

"We'll be okay, Greez. We're all here to protect each other. Even BD will protect you."

Greez gave an uneasy look to the little droid, still not forgiving him for trampling his sofa, "Kid, I don't know if you're messing around with me or not... but I'm fully expecting you to do just that and if you don't... I'LL haunt you."

Cal just stares.

"Kid, you know what? Don't bug me until you give me the go ahead to get us off this planet. I'm going to hide in the kitchen and protect all the food we have in case any of those pests outside come in and take them!"

Cal shakes her head and turns back to Cere, finally returning to their conversation before being interrupted.

"I... um... I also ran into a Nightsister."

The former-Jedi was shocked, "What happened? Are you okay? I thought they had all gone from the massacre."

Cal nodded in answer, "I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting-" she swallowed, remembering the dark red robes the Nightsister wore, "that. Although she made it clear we're not welcome. She wasn't alone."

"The Nightbrothers?"

Cal recalled the mace wielders and energy bows, all of them calling her an outsider and invader, "I think so."

Greez cried out, "Oh no! There's more of them?!"

Cere completely ignored him, "I don't know much, but Cordova told me the Nightbrothers serve the Witches of Dathomir. You're lucky to be alive, Cal."

Greez continued crying anyway, "Please tell me we're leaving!"

"I guess so. It was strange seeing the Force being used like that," the scrapper sighed.

"Cere! Cal! Please tell me we're leaving!" he sobbed and looked over at BD, nearly grabbing him, "Droid! Tell the kid we HAVE to go!"

BD-1 just remained silent, ignoring him just like everyone else was doing.

Cere finally gave in and took his side, "We can always come back here later if you're not ready, Cal. Nightsisters are very powerful. You have to be ready for anything out there."

Cal nodded and looked over to Greez, still shivering in fear, "Let's plot a course."

He leaped into the air in celebration, "Yes! Pick anywhere except here! Hate this place."

Chapter Text

Cal tucked away her several new ponchos that she found into the compartments around her cot. She made a mental note to eventually check her droid friend's programming because he still kept going on about how finding the pink poncho was his biggest regret.

Surely he meant that he regrets they hadn't found the pink poncho sooner? Right?

Cal shut the compartments and stood up, holding the bright pink poncho in her hands as she prepared to leave the engine room. She turned to face the Bracca work poncho still hanging up, allowing a moment of silence to herself before exiting.

She still wishes a door would be implemented to her room but it was not a big deal. The redhead spent most of her time in refresher staring at her own scars, still trying to grasp the whole idea that this was happening.

From Bracca to Bogano to Dathomir, all in the matter of days.

Dathomir.

Cal closed her eyes and remembered witnessing first-hand the use of the dark side of the Force. It wasn't what she expected. She recalled the murderous Inquisitorius and tales that her Master once told her long ago. But the Nightsister on Dathomir? The green smoke and flames?

The Nightsister...

Dressed in long dark red and gray robes, but a golden headpiece framing the pale features of her face, What a contrast...

The scrapper remained deep in thought until she heard her droid friend in the middle of a conversation with the former-Jedi. She finally left the section and came up to them.

BEEP-BOP-BOO.

"You remember me? I came to Bogano looking for my former Master, Eno Cordova," Cere smiled.

BOP BOOOP!

"Hi to you too! You two must have spent a lot of time together alone on that planet."

The little droid took a long pause and stared down, his antennas lowered.

BOOO...

"Oh, he must have left right after you were activated. Do you remember the last thing Cordova said to you?"

BD-1 looked up at the former-Jedi, now responding in Cordova's pre-recorded voice: "Good luck... Jedi. May the Force be with you."

"The log left for Cal... nothing else?" Cere had a pained look.

BOOOO...

"I'm sorry," she reached over and patted BD's head.

Greez reached for the intercom but noticed Cal standing in the back, "We’re droppin' out of hyperspace soon. Sit down."

Cal obliged and sat in her dedicated seat, admiring the swirling lights spiraling outside the windows.

"What the...? Cere, are you getting that?" he pushed some buttons and some strange fuzzing and static came on the intercom.

"Today, our great military is dedicated to enforcing the laws of the Empire, yielding to no one who seeks to destroy our galactic harmony," a commanding voice came.

Everyone rolled their eyes, Imperial propaganda.

"You hear that garbage?" the Latero pilot punched the board, shutting it off, "Lying imps! You think anyone buys this junk?"

Cere shook her head and began going through the data frequencies at her panel, "Too many on Core Worlds. Their daily lives haven't changed much since the Empire took over."

Greez scoffed, "Oh, come on, some of them are even richer than before! Not like the expendable worlds. Not like Lateron."

"As long as the Emperor keeps the right people happy, it'll never stop."

Cal looked back at them, "That's why we need the Jedi."

Greez smirked confidently, "Then we better get this holo-thing fast."

Cal and Cere together sighed: "Holocron!"

"Holo- whatever!" Greez grunted and the ship pulled out of hyperspace. A planet covered in heavy clouds was presented below them. The state of the clouds looked concerning from its density and the way it all whirled, "Heck of a storm brewing down there. This might not be the best time to land."

The former-Jedi gritted her teeth and turned to the rest of the crew, "Something strange... those winds are interfering with our comms."

The ship remained hovering above the atmosphere, the captain was scanning for alternate routes and Cere was going through the frequencies.

Cal gasped and sat up in her chair, "Hey, Cordova mentioned something about peace in the eye of the storm?" on her side, she scanned the terrain directly in the center of the whirlpool of clouds, "I can... juuust make out a settlement in the middle of it."

"Then we have to get there," Cere agreed.

Greez clearly did not agree, with a gruff voice he flipped the switches, "Copy that," and began piloting the Mantis in.

They traveled through the clouds for what felt like minutes. The ship was shaking heavily and it seemed like the scrapper was holding on her chair as tight as ever, "Couple bumps ain’t gonna kill ya, kid. Unless the wind picks up."

BEEP BEEP BO-BEEP!

There was clear worry in his language of binary, but the pilot told the "bucket-of-bolts" to keep his "opinions" to himself. Cal really did not like the situation even when Cere tried to reassure everything was in control.

Suddenly, the Mantis made a break through the surface, the clouds had gone and revealed the topography of Zeffo. Snow peaked mountain ranges and wide lakes were everywhere. Underneath the layers of cold white was a luscious green.

A landing pad was found on the edge of one of the mountains which had several tall structures towering over. The signal of Cordova's information was strongest here.

"Okay. Hold on, hold on, hold on!" with a loud and vicious thud, the Mantis stopped moving, nearly taking everyone out of their seats, but Greez just gave a big happy grin, " Perfect landing. Heh. Greezy money, baby," he laughed, hiding his nervousness.

Cere shook her head and returned to her systems, "I’m still getting a lot of interference on the comms. It’s gonna take me a minute to get them back up."

Cal took her leave, readying her lightsaber and her poncho, "I’ll search for signs of Cordova in the meantime."

"Cal... you did good work on Bogano. AND Dathomir with what you could. The more information we gather on Cordova and the Zeffo, the closer we'll get to stopping the Empire."

The doors slid open, letting in a chill wind. It was colder than the air she felt from Bracca, "I've heard of ancient cultures, but don't know much about them."

"I only knew that Cordova was obsessed with the Zeffo. Believing their teachings to be important. I, too, was intrigued by the mysteries of our galaxy... well, you better get moving. There's a lot to learn here. Good luck."

Cal gave a nod and one last smile before heading to the door. She glanced over and saw the seeds she had found had grown into a small plant, "Maybe I should actually take up gardening?" and so she made a small mental side quest to find more seeds throughout her journey.

She jogged down the ramp but froze when she heard a voice.

"Greez?" she didn't realize the captain was already outside- for once.

Maybe because of his small size she didn't notice him running out the ship.

She came up to him, immediately regretting it when she realized Greez was petting the landing gear, "Good work. We did it, we did it... hope you're not hurt." finally notices Cal staring, "What are you looking at?"

"Who... um... who are you talking to?"

The Latero instantly pulled away and tried brushing his hair casually, "Ah... just my- my ship! The Mantis. Good name, right? Intimidating-" he scoffs, "oh what do you know? You've probably never even flown a ship. Maybe I'll teach you one day, when you're done with your Jedi stuff. I'll even give you a discount!"

"Nice landing though, Greez," clearly uncomfortable, she tried walking away but was reeled back.

"Me? Oh yeah. Not a problem. It's easy for a skilled pilot like myself, especially with flying a ship like this," he chuckles, "this baby was a steal. Well, I didn't steal it... I bought it. Well, sort of... almost... I mean I took out a small loan... a big loan actually. NO, it's fine. We're all fine. Don't worry about it. We're not on Dathomir anymore. Wait- wait... don't you have Jedi stuff to do? Get to it, kid.

Cal stares with a deadpan.

"Sometimes, you creep me out, kid."

"Speak for yourself," she muttered and ran off.

She explored the industrial landing zone, old supply crates and containers were scattered and left in the dust. Buuut, one of them had a poncho! BD made a string of binary wondering about her wearing it, but she said it was fine.

After storing it into her pack, she continued around and headed up near a settlement. She stopped when she saw two large creatures gnawing at some white plastoid-armor. They looked like large scrap rats!

"Creepy-" she then realized what the thing they were chewing on, "stormtroopers? Here?"

BEE-BEEP!

"Watch out, BD. They don’t look friendly," she ignited her lightsaber and sliced them into pieces, dodging out of the way when they tried leaping at her face.

"Scazz?" she asked after her droid friend scanned them, "Thought I heard that name before. It's like Greez's favorite meat," she crouched down and poked their dismembered carcasses, "should I bring some back?"

"Cal? Can you hear me?"

The redhead held her comlink, "Cere? The Empire, they found Zeffo," she looked at BD and told him another time for scazz steaks.

"If they were following the Mantis we would’ve been swarmed already," Cere answered back.

"Could they be looking for the tombs?" Cal asked as she ran down the path, managing to take out more scazz as they crawled out of their holes.

"Let’s hope not. Just got our comms working. I’ll try the same workaround to crack into theirs."

Cal continued up the settlement and followed the sounds of blaster fire.

A squad of stormtroopers were trying to defend their post until they all spotted the pink-poncho Jedi running up to them with her lightsaber. With her newly remembered skills, there was less difficulty in taking them down. Cal only found more squads of stormtroopers dispatched in the abandoned village, with detachments of stun-baton equipped scout troopers.

It took her some time, but she made her way through with just minor injuries and a single stim. It was a much larger force than she was expecting to patrol this area, but they were handled just fine.

She passed by the dusty buildings, gritting her teeth and shaking her head constantly. Several posters were hung up with propaganda demanding the settlers eviction and exile. There were even several echoes that she painfully "experienced" of the villagers being chased by the Empire, some even shot.

"It’s all lies. The Empire just wanted this land," she sighed.

BOOO.

"It's hard to believe they're dead," she looked around the settlement. Emptiness. Except for the dead Imperials.

She was supposed to grow up and protect these villages from such cases. But that whole life plan went all to hell. She stood before a cold waterfall, sitting and reflecting on the lives of the village.

She tried meditating but kept looking back at her lightsaber.

Keepers of the peace.

Not soldiers.

And yet she had to eliminate all these Imperial forces for their cruel actions on the innocent.

Some sick joke.

She stood up and bitterly pressed on.

Cal continued her way through the land and stumbled into a cave when BD found a familiar point of interest. When she asked him what his findings were, he projected a hologram: "My friend, in the rotations since I left Bogano I’ve uncovered more about the Zeffo than I once believed possible."

The redhead was amazed by how BD was finding these memories all over, just like how she was finding the echoes again.

"This means we're getting closer."

She exited the dark cave systems and had to take down a large horned beast. A phillak. It was like a broadcast she had seen back on Bracca. Entertainers found amusement in using colors to make a large animal chase it down and try to jump out of the way. Only in this scenario this beast was looking to kill her. She had to chop it down and continue her journey.

She only found more industrialization of the Empire, filled with more Imperials.

With her lightsaber, she struck down the scout troopers, when she turned to face the distant stormtroopers however, a large explosion threw her off her feet and onto her back. Her ears were ringing and smoke filled the battleground. 

"BD? Stim!" she rolled behind cover, letting out a sigh of relief as she was injected with the chemical bacta solution.

She peeked around the corner and saw a stormtrooper armed with a rocket launcher.

"They're heavily armed!" she exclaimed and ducked back into cover when a rocket flew her way. The whole wall shattered into pieces with flames everywhere. Thankfully she found a route that could let her flank the stormtroopers who had the high ground.

With them finally dispatched, she set off farther into the Imperialized village. Thankfully there were still some remnants of the settlers before the Empire. In the distance was a massive carving in the mountain, it looked familiar to the things she saw back on Bogano and Dathomir.

Cal unfortunately ran into more heavily armed troops though. This time she faced down the gun BARRELS of a single trooper. His minigun was fitted with an energy shield, and was spraying blaster bolts down her direction.

She left the cave of dead stormtroopers and finds a an actual Imperial base.

The scrapper checked her comlink, "Cere, there's a whole base that the Empire set up, and transport ships are leaving it at the moment."

"I heard. They plan to bring Zeffo artifacts to Coruscant."

Cal's eyebrows furrowed, "Does that mean-"

"That the Emperor is interested in Zeffo? Maybe."

The Emperor? Cal chewed her lip in disgust when she heard several stormtroopers carelessly digging around the land. She couldn't let them disrespect and desecrate the Zeffo so she faced them down.

After she cut them down, she stopped on her feet when BD found a log of their commander, "In accordance with the Emperor’s will, we’ve occupied Zeffo, redistributing its inhabitants. This planet has failed to yield significant data or relics for Project Augur. Its electromagnetic winds have rendered the bulk of our mining technology useless. Meanwhile, more stormtroopers lose their lives to dangerous fauna."

Project Augur?

"We will not be able to fulfill our directive here. It is my recommendation that we disband the project and leave a token outpost to keep scavengers from stealing our technology."

She scoffed, "Scavengers? More like people trying to take back their property."

Cal continued on through the Imperial base, several more machines destroying the culture of Zeffo until she heard a warning from Cere, "Cal, the Empire’s pinpointed your location. You need to move fast."

"On it. Thanks," she called back when she emerged from the Imperial base caves and at the foot of some temple ruins. Horned phillaks roamed the tall structures. It wasn't like anything she had seen before.

Above- or in- the tall ruins was a whirlwind of clouds. A storm somehow contained and spiraling inside of it.

"Cere? There’s a storm up ahead. Something about it crippled the Empire’s equipment. I can feel something pulling me there, beyond the storm."

"Follow it. Let the Force sharpen your instincts."

"All right, I’ll do my best."

She looked around the environment. Patches of green grass and white snow were mixed with the rocky mountain.

"BD?"

BOO-BEEP?

"Just checking in," she flashed him a smile, her lightsaber flying to her hand and igniting to take down the phillaks.

One after another, they collapsed with dying roars.

They did not go down easy though. One of them Cal thought she had the upper hand by coming up from behind, but all it did was slightly swivel its head and catch her in the corner of its eye. It lifted its back hoof and landed a swift kick into Cal's face.

She was lucky she didn't catch a black eye, BD berated her recklessness. The pink-poncho scrapper's excuse was she wanted to tame and ride the phillak. Clearly not with the lightsaber lit in her hand.

Cal let out a long sigh of relief as the adrenaline rush of the stim finished. She stepped over some of the ruins and headed into an opening. She wandered through the cave and stopped when she felt a pull in the tunnel.

The whistling of the air was getting stronger and stronger.

"We're getting closer," she watched as small rocks flew from behind her right by her face.

Cal squeezed through the rocks and stopped, her mouth agape as she saw a whirlwind of rocks and stone.

Within the tornado of debris was a small unnatural structure with a large sphere within.

"Never seen a storm do that before," she gasped.

BEEE! her friend looked around the area.

Cal smiled in agreement, "Yeah, it's incredible."

She slowly approached the structure within but came to another halt. The high speed of the flying rocks were striking against her body.

She raised her hand and took a deep breath, this should be possible...

Her eyes shut and her mind wandered through the open air, reaching for-

Cal let out a satisfied gasp when she felt the force run through her hand and freeze the whirlwind of debris.

BD gave a beeping string of congrats as Cal made her way to the center.

There were strange markings everywhere. It definitely was of Zeffo presence. Cal believed she made the right "accident" by stepping on a pressure plate.

The whole structure shook and began descending underground.

BD scanned the sphere and then began playing a message in Master Cordova's voice: "My Friend, I believe this to be the earliest Zeffo site we’ve uncovered yet. Despite my reservations, I cannot chase the Bogano Vault from my mind. Its visions shaped the direction of an entire culture. I must understand why."

BD-1 beeped more and gestured to the symbols.

"The Tomb of Eilram," she whispered in awe, "how deep is this temple? Geez!" she looked up above the walls and saw the light of the blue sky fading away.

The structure shook deeply and one of the gates clacked open. The other gate behind was hiding away a massive hall with several more shapes. Cal activated her comlink, "I'm in the tomb. It's... massive."

"And the Empire?" Cal asked.

"No sign of them down here."

"What about Cordova?"

Cal climbed up some stairs, "Still not sure what I’m supposed to find. He’s a little... um..."

"Eccentric? Tell me about it. But he wouldn’t send us here for his amusement. Keep an open mind."

Cal already didn't like this, "Did you see that?" she nearly gagged at the smell of this thing.

BE-BEEP, BD beeped cautiously.

Some strange fungus pods were overgrowing from the rock, expanding and then releasing a bunch of spores, a revolting squelching sound from inside.

Thankfully, it seemed her path was going the opposite direction so she headed away from the mutation of gas and mold.

There was an even stronger presence of wind here than above.

"Incredible," Cal was even more amazed, even if it was blowing heavily into her face, nearly knocking her over.

But of course, when there was something good, there was something bad. These wind tunnels were FILLED with even more of those disgusting plant things. These ones were actually in her way.

She carefully crept around them, BD was scanning them as she did.

"Skungus. Figures," she scoffed, making sure not to breathe in their horrible smell.

She saw a ramp just ahead of the toxic fungus pods, and managed to maneuver through.

Cal leapt onto the ramp and slid down into a chamber filled with scazz. They were cut down with ease and Cal was finally able to get a better look at the room she was in. Wind tunnel vaults surrounded the chamber of plates and a large sphere similar to the one in the entrance lift.

She noticed the divot in the center of the room and immediately figured out it was a heavy-weighted pressure plate, and the sphere was the perfect fit. Buuut... even with her "strong girl" muscles, she could barely move the sphere an inch!

That's when BD-1 pointed over at a gear in the wall next to the vault doors.

The smell of burnt scazz flesh didn't linger for long when Cal released a wind tunnel vault. Her hair blew all over the place, nearly undoing her braid and sending BD flying off her shoulder.

She watched the sphere roll around slowly and knew there was a pattern in the wind tunnel vaults.

Cal pushed through the piercing wind, making her way to the other side to help guide the sphere to the center. There was so much force that when the sphere rolled perfectly into a corner, it was sent into a wall and smashed it down.

Cal turned the gear in the wall and watched as the sphere rolled just past it, she quickly made her mind and had to time it just right.

Just as the sphere was about to pass her, Cal shut the wind tunnel next to her so it would only push the sphere to the center with a smaller amount of force.

And just like that... the wind doors all shut, sealing off the howling wind, and raised the center of the chamber.

The pink-poncho Jedi smiled at herself for her "intelligent" thinking, "See? Redheads are smart."

BD-1 just beeped in confusion.

But before Cal strolled to the center of the secret vault, she felt herself being pulled toward a force echo. It was where the wall was knocked down by the sphere. She kneeled down and allowed the force to guide her hand toward the rubble.

Her eyes shut as she felt a string of distant echoes of the past go through her. A hushed choir of whispers.

"There's not just wind ripping through these chimes. Voices... from the past?" she observed the wind tunnels once more, "The Zeffo are something else for sure..."

She finally made her way to the center of the raised socket.

This echo was a much stronger force than other ones... as if the distant memory was reaching to the force themselves. Cal felt it run through her whole body and images appeared of the ancient Zeffo, "These were used in Zeffo meditation rituals. I believe they were training Force users!"

The history was amazing... but she didn't have all the time in the world to dive deeper unfortunately.

Cal walked out of the chamber and deeper into the tomb, passing by more Zeffo symbols and pottery. The scazz were crawling out of holes trying to get at her, but she managed to fend them off.

After swinging on a hanging sphere into a large hall where she could meditate, Cal found out there were more sockets and spheres.

"The Zeffo really like these large balls, huh?" she chuckled and hopped her way down to the large door, an interesting metallic statue in front of it.

BE-BEEP! BD-1 said in alarm.

"What? Was it something I said-" Cal nearly fell over when the statue suddenly moved!

It stepped forward with a massive stomp, arms raising with intent to do harm.

"Woah! What the-"

The massive humanoid statue turned out to be some sort of droid golem, animated with ancient Zeffo technology!

The core within the golem lit a bright blue, a heart of pure energy that suddenly released into a burst of concentrated energy, blasting the ground just beneath Cal's feet. She barely managed to dodge it.

The entire ground shook when the golem stomped toward her. She quickly rolled backward and ignited her lightsaber, swinging it at the golem. The Zeffo must've used a dense and strong metal to build this thing! Her lightsaber barely chipped it!

Again, she was barely able to block its arms that swung nearly at lightning speed. She had to roll out of the way when it suddenly slammed its fists onto the ground. Dust flew everywhere and into her face.

The scrapper let out more battle yells as she swung her lightsaber even more. She knew she was doing at least some damage since the golem began to move slower and was starting to shake more.

With one final strike, she stabbed the golem through its core. It collapsed onto its knees with a mighty metallic grinding clack before slamming their body fully. While Cal collected her breath, BD-1 scanned the electronic golem, revealing it was a tomb guardian.

"Creepy," she muttered between breaths. She put it together and realized it resembled the Zeffo from the etchings and symbols. She turned to her droid friend, "Holding up okay?"

BEEP BEEP! he hopped onto her shoulder and raised his... fist? Foot?

"Good to hear," she returned the fist bump. Foot bump? 

Cal continued her investigation by following down some ice ramp and some hanging ropes, more scazz showed up alongside the disgusting overgrown skungus.

She had to counter her jumps from the wind tunnels blowing her around, thankfully, she did not land on the toxic spore plants. Cal then reached the top of a pillar that had a gear to open a wind tunnel. Why not? she thought to herself and twisted it open.

She watched as the whistling air blew right past her. It pulled the skungus off of their roots- ew- and smashing against some wall structures.

Her eyes squinted at the scene of skungus bits and pieces flying everywhere, "Urgh! Guess you don't need a lightsaber to solve everything."

She approached the new found opening and figured the wind could carry her across. She made a leap of faith- REALLY OF FAITH because her head JUST BARELY missed the top of the arch where all the dead skungus slime and bits were stuck at- and landed safely on the ground.

Are the skungus even alive or dead? Urgh, she didn't want to think about that.

Cal ran through the temple until she realized another tomb guardian was ahead of her.

"Great. I thought there was only gonna be one of those things... you ready, BD?" she took in a deep breath as she ignited her lightsaber.

The tomb guardian gave an intimidating blast of powerful energy, disintegrating the skungus around them- thank you.

She left the battle nearly unscathed. Cal had caught one of its fists to her chest, and needed a stim to help pump her breath. Nevertheless, she pressed on.

She passed by several more ancient statues- thankfully they were not metallic and a tomb guardian- and pottery with even more etchings and symbols. But then... Cal found herself being reeled to a large door.

It was a familiar sense. One she felt before on the planet of Bogano.

A force in the cracks of the door... calling to her.

She felt the Force.

Cal could feel the door itself pull her toward it. She raised her hand and touched it softly, feeling it run through her. A familiar sensation.

The world flashed before her eyes. She had found herself in a long tunnel of darkness and fog, lights stretching from near the end. It felt similar to when she remembered wall running, only now there was the piercing wind.

The door she thought was in front of her had slid far away, crumbling apart.

The debris was all flying toward her and then it was all white.

Cal found trying to stand straight, whining again. It was her old training room.

A deep, strict, commanding voice called her like before, asking her to focus.

She was in her training robes once again, she had her padawan braid...

She looked up and saw her former Master standing on a platform.

Her Master performed the training drill with a giant ball-

Okay WHAT IS IT with the balls?!

And he continued on standing against the aggression, the Force being there to shield us, the obstacles in her path would define the path.

What stands in the way becomes the way, she remembered.

Her master distanced himself from her and used the Force to send a ball her way.

She concentrated on the ball and felt her hand track it and send a push of Force its way, sending the ball away from her.

More balls followed after and more successful ball returns followed.

The flow of the Force became smooth once again, and her eyes opened back up to the ruins of the tomb. She was in front of the cracked door once again.

"What stands in the way becomes-" her hand raised and sent a powerful push, collapsing the door and making a clearway, "the way!"

"I did it," she chuckled and followed BD-1 through the door and into the inner sanctum of the tomb.

Her droid friend approached the wall and said he found a memory!

He projected a hologram of Master Cordova who was in awe.

"My Friend, take a look at the detail on this bark! The distinctive striations. It can only be a wroshyr tree from Kashyyyk."

"It’s time to call on an old friend. If the Zeffo had contact with Kashyyyk, there is a good chance Chieftain Tarfful will know about it."

The hologram deactivated and BD-1 hurriedly hopped onto Cal's shoulder.

"Kashyyyk, huh?" Cal turned and saw another tomb guardian, ominously waiting, "Great..."

This time however, Cal is prepared. Whenever the tomb guardian performed a powerful attack, the core within it became loosened. That's the opportunity to strike! Right then and there!

So after dodging and blocking off a few swings, Cal backed up when the tomb guardian charged its energy burst.

The beam shot out and Cal used the Force and pushed it all directly into the core. She watched as the energy core burst out, stopping the powerful beam, but the energy was still trying to suck it back in.

The pink-poncho scrapper wasted no time rushing in however, dismembering its large arm and then full on slicing through the waist.

The tomb guardian fell apart into pieces.

"Job well done, wouldn't you say?" Cal smiled proudly, sheathing her lightsaber.

BD-1 beeped in amazement.

"Hopefully I am not disrespecting the... um... occupant..." Cal took her feet off the glass that held a figure. Beneath them was Eilram's sarcophagus, according to BD.

Cal realized how many of the great doors were cracked; with a simple Force push, they all fell down and she made her way through with ease. She returned to the lift with the sphere inside, using it to make her way back up by pushing the sphere into the other socket.

The structure rumbled and began ascending.

Cere must've picked up her signal rising from underground, "What did you find?" her voice came on the comlink.

"The Zeffo went to Kashyyyk. Cordova mentioned someone named Tarfful," Cal answered.

"A Wookiee chieftain. They were old friends."

"Think he’s still around?"

"There’s only one way to find out. We have to go to Kashyyyk."

She exited the structure and immediately took out her lightsaber.

The white-plastoid armored figures were scattered around the ruins and grass, standing by open tunnels that were sending out strong winds.

She made haste, doing her best to prevent them from ruining the temples. She cut down the squads of storm troopers and scout troopers.

"Hope those Imperials don't break into the tomb," she muttered under her breath.

She used the wind to her advantage to gain ground, breaking through ice walls that seemed to lead the way back to the Mantis. On the bright side of everything, someone was so kind and left behind a poncho of theirs!

The poncho-lover folded it away into her pack quickly and hurried off. Some of the doors were closed off, so she had to take an alternate route through the ice caves below.

And luckily, she had the poncho to help keep her warm as she ventured through the cold-

"WHAT THE-" she exclaimed as a huge beast shattered through the walls.

Ice shards flew everywhere and within the frosty smoke revealed the form.

Massive.

Hideous.

And foul-smelling.

Geez, why does nearly every fauna she faces have to stink?!

Thankfully, since she remembered her control of using the Force to push, she rekindled some of her old abilities that were slowly uncovered by the fog of her mind. She would finally get to use them to its fullest now.

Her mind was still clouded... but she was slowly remembering all her training, bit by bit.

She was able to dodge the beast's massive claws and fangs. It fought more unconventionally than the other creatures, but she had grown stronger. With her Force pushing it away when it got too close, or a sudden reflex being slowed down, she was able to cause heavy damage.

Her lightsaber flawlessly chopped off its arms and then struck right through its chest.

It fell with a heavy thud, dust picked up in the air as BD-1 scanned the foul creature, a jotaz.

"Let's get going."

She found some operational elevators that were poorly guarded by some Imperial troops.

They were no big deal until suddenly a dark trooper appeared among them.

Her eyes widened and a gasp left her lips.

The trooper wore the same attire as the night that she was discovered...

When Prauf was...

They're here?!

At least one of them was here. He was armed with a pair of energy weapons and his blood-red visor clearly presented his sanity.

"FIGHT ME, JEDI!" he growled.

While the other regular Imperials fell, this dark trooper was able to block off some of Cal's attacks!

"YES! FALL!"

He even was pushing against Cal and she needed to quickly be on the defensive!

"HA! SCARED?"

She received a few blunt trauma and zaps from the dark trooper's weapons, needing to call for a stim from BD-1.

"FINALLY!"

After what felt like forever, the scrapper finally took the dark trooper down after catching him off guard from one of his charges.

She panted and took another stim from BD, standing over the body.

"Cere..." she activated her comlink, "I just took down a trooper wearing black and red armor. The same type from... from Bracca... the night where those Inquisitorious sisters were after me and k-killed Pr... Pra..." she couldn't finish her sentence.

Cere sighed on the other side of the call, "A Purge Trooper. Their only purpose is to hunt Jedi."

Cal looked around before heading into the elevator, "Are the Inquisitors coming?"

"It’s possible, but we’re far from Bracca. They might think Purge Troopers are enough. Or they could be stalling you on purpose. Stay... wary."

The Jedi padawan entered the elevator. Still collecting her breath.

BD-1 asked if she was okay, for which she gave a hesitant nod.

"I just... can't really believe how far I've come. It still doesn't feel real. It still feels like a dream. Since... Prauf," she sighed.

The elevator rumbled and Cal observed her surroundings. Used and torn down equipment, and then she realized she saw large machinery and excavation saws down below.

"Hey Cere, I was in an Imperial dig site. They got a lot further than we thought."

"We can’t worry about that now – the Empire’s identified you as the Jedi from Bracca. They’re searching for the Mantis as we speak."

Cal's fist clenched. From Bracca? "Can't you move the Mantis?"

"It’s too risky to start the engine. Its power discharge will draw their attention immediately."

The pink-poncho scrapper sighed, "I’ll be back as fast as I can," the elevator doors slid open and she quickly set off. She traced her way back to the Mantis, it definitely seemed like the Empire deployed more reinforcements as well.

Fortunately no purge trooper was found among them.

Yet.

The storm troopers and scout troopers were nearly overwhelming, but Cal was able to handle them just fine until-

"Cal, we’ve got a walker firing on us, and our weapons are down!" Cere grunted.

Suddenly, Greez was exclaiming: "Is that her? Tell her she better get her butt-"

Their voices were interrupted by the sounds of blaster impacts on the hull.

"Hold on! I’m on my way!" she sprinted her way through a hanger, she could hear its heavy mechanical steps on the other side of the door.

Blaster fire erupted along with small explosions.

Finally, she made it to the landing bay and immediately the AT-ST directed its attention away from the ship.

After all these years of watching the AT-ST patrol the Bracca scrapyards, she finally gets to take one down and send it right there!

Her lightsaber ignited and swiftly deflected the blaster bolts back at the walker.

She quickly got under its feet, dodging the salvo of missiles it tried launching at her. Counter-measure bombs were deployed but were too slow as Cal took care of the weakest point: the legs.

The AT-ST crashes to the ground in a flurry of explosions and debris, and Cal was glad to not sheath her lightsaber just yet. The hatch snapped open from the top of the walker, within the smoke was the pilot who immediately aimed his blaster and tried to take her down.

Cal walked off the scene, her lightsaber deactivating and leaving a smoking walker and a body.

The Mantis finally opened its door and Cal headed in, letting out a long sigh of relief.

"Nice work out there, kid. Hey, you got some real moves on ya. Ha! Just tell me that this visit wasn’t for nothing."

Cal sat down in the cockpit with the crew, she was definitely pleased with herself, "I found the tomb of a Zeffo sage. They definitely used the Force."

Cere noted in, "An advanced civilization of Force wielders who mysteriously vanished…no wonder Master Cordova became so obsessed with them. What else did you find?"

She turned to the former Jedi, "Before they disappeared, the Zeffo journeyed to the planet Kashyyyk. Cordova had a Wookiee friend named Tarfful. Maybe we can find him?"

The Latero pilot clearly was not interested, "Kashyyyk, I– look, things are really bad down there. The– the- the Empire’s muscling in on those Wookiees big time."

There was a pause until Cal rose from her chair with a smirk, "Then we better get ready for a fight," she gave a light shoulder tap before waltzing off into the kitchen area, ignoring Greez's after comments.

Cere had followed after her, "I think this lifestyle suits you," she chuckled, "fighting that walker seems to have made you more confident. So… how are you holding up?"

The scrapper took a sip of her water bottle, "You mean with the Force?"

"Yes, with the Force. I know you said it could… be overwhelming."

Cal gave a sheepish smile, "Haven’t gotten myself killed yet. Rather not talk about it."

"Yeah, well, I understand. More than you realize."

Cal joined Cere around the table, sitting down across from her. She let out a slightly nervous sigh, "W- why’d you choose to stop using the Force?"

There was a long pause. Cal thought she asked the wrong question... or that she asked it too soon. Maybe-

The former Jedi sighed, "When the Purge started... and our… clone troops... turned against us, my Padawan and I took several Younglings and went into hiding. But... we didn’t last long."

Cal's eyes widened in shock.

"Imperial patrol was about to discover our location, so... I tried to lure them away from my Padawan, Trilla. She stayed behind with the Younglings. But... they caught me."

Cere shook her head, "And they... tortured me. They wanted to know about the others and…how many were left, but mostly they wanted to know about Cordova. And where he went-"

"But you escaped," Cal gave her a reassuring nod.

"Yeah," Cere's gaze still turned away, "it was a prison riot. I saw my opportunity and I took it. But they almost broke me. And I am not the same as I was, Cal," her eyes looked distant... sorrowful...

"Your... Padawan… did she survive?" Cal asked quietly.

The former Jedi stood up from her seat, pacing away, "No. But that’s why we can’t give up-" she turned to Cal, "we can’t let the sacrifice of those closest to us… be for nothing," she gave one last tense look before letting Cal be.

The scrapper sat there, now deep in her own thoughts. Cere... being captured and tortured by the Imperials? Horrifying. Unbelievable.

Maybe- hopefully- they can stop more of this madness. Kashyyyk must help them toward their goal.