Chapter Eight - Existential Crisis

"Professor Colbert. As the Deputy Headmaster I believe it's right for you to take charge here at this time. I would only give you one direct order for now. I would like you to ensure that anyone here who was supporting Osmond in his activities is brought to justice." commanded the Princess as she stood up from behind Osmond's desk and gestured to the seat for Colbert to take his rightful place.

"Thank you your Highness. I assure you. It shall be done." he bowed deeply to the young princess before taking the seat.

"So what's first on your agenda?" she asked.

"I believe things should continue as normal. There is the exhibition after tomorrow. Rumors will be flying and we need to show that daily life will remain unaffected by these events." he stated professionally.

The Princess nodded in approval. "I agree wholeheartedly Lord Colbert. I'll leave it in your capable hands. Now, while I am here, how can I assist you in getting things running smoothly?"

Colbert thought carefully for a long while before answering that question. "Honestly. I'm not even sure where to begin. So much here has been lackluster. Particularly with your friend, Miss Valliere."

The Princess blinked, "Louise? You'll have to elaborate if you don't mind."

Colbert chose his words carefully, "Things have happened in her life. Her familiar high among them. This woman has been teaching her things. Things I don't understand. Things not of this world."

The Princess turned to her guards, "Please excuse us. This conversation will need to be private." the two musketeers bowed and exited the room, closing the door behind them. Once they were gone Henrietta seated herself across the desk. "Please speak candidly with me. Tell me your concerns."

"The day after her arrival. There was an incident. One of the other students had an altercation with Louise's friend, the maid Siesta. Louise stood up to defend her friend, and things escalated to violence. Louise was injured by one of Mr. Gramont's golems. Then I'm told, Miss Zarkot, the familiar of Miss Valliere, jumped into the fray and overpowered Guiche with a... frightening... display of power. Mr. Gramont's injuries were… severe. He was not expected to survive. But one of the other students, his girlfriend I believe, Miss Montmorency, devised a healing method with Miss Zarkot's assistance and implemented it with the aid of some of the other students. Because of this, a search of her room revealed several dozen illegal potions that she'd been selling to the other students and using her earnings to fund her tuition. We presently have her confined in her room pending a hearing into her activities. Which I honestly don't know when we'll ever get around to actually conducting."

The Princess nodded that she was following along.

"Coming back to Miss Valliere. My concern for her is in what Miss Zarkot is teaching her. We have no idea what it involves, and that has me gravely concerned. From what little I know of her power, it's simply frighteningly unnatural. A familiar is suppose to serve the Master. But in this case, it seems the Familiar has actually become the Master. I don't like the idea of her going about unchecked."

Henrietta shook her head, "I understand your concerns. But I've spent a bit of time with Lord Zarkot. I found her to be a very polite, well educated, and brilliant young woman who seems to be a good influence on Louise. Now, I appreciate that I may have a certain bias towards her and so for that reason I'll authorize you to keep tabs on them. I'm confident that in time you'll see them as I do. As for this Montmorency girl. I'd like to pardon her for any crimes. But, I'd like you to give her a stern warning that she should seek some legitimate means of securing her tuition fees."

Colbert widened his eyes, "But your Highness. You can't just-"

The Princess held up her hand to silence him, "I can, and I just did. I have my reasons, and I don't owe an explanation."

Colbert sighed in resignation. "As you command, your Highness."

Calista and Matilda were in the forest clearing training together in unarmed combat. Calista decided at her request to start teaching Matilda some of the Echani arts. Calista had left her robe neatly folded on a nearby tree stump and Matilda had opted for a loose fitting cloth shirt and trousers. She wore more practical soft boots instead of her usual dressy shoes. Both were drenched in sweat and had happy expressions on their faces as they went through the movements.

The art was almost like a dance. A dance in which you could easily kill your partner with nothing more than a finger. Though Matilda wasn't near that level yet, Calista found that like Louise, Matilda was a fast learner and picked up the basic sequences like a sponge.

"The Echani Arts are as much a language of communication as they are a means of inflicting harm. That's why it's taught like one would teach a child to read and write. You start with letters, then form the words, then sentences. It has structure like prose and grammar."

"It's beautiful. Ever since I met you I've felt so much more alive. Every day is just something new and mind expanding compared to the mundane routine of secretarial work and the lowly life of a common thief."

"Let's see what you've learned now. Come at me." said Calista with a smile as she assumed a defensive stance.

Matilda rushed her and attempted the sequence of punches she'd just learned this morning but Calista was blocking too quickly for her, even without the Force augmenting her agility and body strength. She then gracefully caught the taller woman and threw her over her back onto the floor.

"You are particularly brutal, you know that Cali?" stated a gleeful Matilda as Calista offered her a hand to help her up. Matilda graciously accepted and pulled herself up.

"If you think I'm brutal, you should come meet my mother's people. If I were fully Echani, I'd have us fighting naked."

Matilda widened her eyes at the thought, "What? Why?!"

Calista laughed, "First, Echani don't have our sense of modesty. Second, they believe that fighting should be done free of the restrictions on movement imposed by clothing. Or something like that. I find it silly, but, they find me silly. So damn them. Damn them, and damn the Empire! Everywhere I go, I end up with the powers that be making me feel unwanted. Sorry, I suppose I just needed to vent a little."

Matilda sighed, "You mean about Colbert wanting to keep tabs on you?"

Calista nodded, "Worthless priss is concerned that I'm corrupting Louise."

Matilda sighed, "I'm honestly a little worried now. This could throw our plans into chaos. If they ask for the Staff of Destruction soon, getting it back out could be a lot harder now with the Musketeers all over the place."

Calista shook her head, "Leave that to me. You're not the only one capable of impressive feats of stealth. No. I'm more worried about this nagging feeling I have. It's not a disturbance in the Force, but I sense something out there watching me. It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up."

Matilda looked at her with concern, "You're not still talking about Colbert... are you?"

Calista shook her head. "No. Colbert is the least of my problems. Him I can deal with. This is something else. Something further away. No matter how hard I try to see it I feel my vision being intentionally blocked."

Matilda narrowed her eyes, "From what I've managed to learn about your power... I gather only someone like you could do that. Does that means there's another Sith out there?"

Calista shook her head. "No. Not another Sith. They would want to be known to me. No, this is someone who fears me, and wishes to remain out of my sight. I have my suspicions but I don't want to speculate without facts. But anyway all these things will be revealed to me in the proper time. Shall we resume our training?"

Matilda nodded eagerly. "Oh yes. I never imagined hand to hand combat could be so, artistic."

Calista smiled, "The Echani arts are elegant if nothing else."

"Mind if I asked where you learned all this? You said your mother was Echani but that your father took you away when you were very small. Did you find your mother again and learn all this from her?"

Calista shook her head. "My mother didn't just let him take me. He murdered her."

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. To answer your question. After I passed my Trials I returned to my homeworld. I wasn't made welcome there but I did learn a great deal. After I left I brought… teaching materials with me and taught myself. You see my mother was an instructor. Things like this just make me feel closer to her. It's as much a part of my heritage as being Sith. So rather than reject these parts of myself, I embrace them. I decided that I would define myself rather than be defined by the world around me. I am Sith, but I am also Echani."

"I think my respect for you just went up by a few orders of magnitude Cali. If that's even possible. Every time you open your mouth you make me rethink my life. I'm really starting to believe in this Force stuff of your's. Like being here and meeting you was my destiny."

"I feel the same. But rather than use words to express these feelings…" Calista assumed a more balanced stance and with the fingers of her open hands gestured for Matilda to come at her. "Show me!"

Louise considered going to class instead of her morning training after breakfast. But she decided against it. The purple robed professor who teaches the class had wished her dead only days ago. If she went in there, there would be conflict, and Louise wasn't in the mood to take anything dished out at her today. If anything she'd be the one to dish out! Especially now that she had the power to enforce her will. She took a moment to wonder what that might be like...

"Miss Valliere. So good of you to join us. Have you finally deemed this class worthy of your illustrious presence?" asked the large purple cloaked Professor.

"No ma'am. I find it, and you, to be beneath me. But I'm bored, so I figured you could entertain me for an hour." she said as she took a seat at an empty desk. Kirche widened her eye and covered her mouth in horror, the rest of the class all looked at her in a similar fashion.

"Where did the Zero get the guts to talk to a Professor like that?!" asked one of the students in a hushed whisper.

"I don't know. Something really different about her today. Really don't wanna piss her off right now."

The Professor glared at Louise contemptuously, "Where do you get off talking to me like that young Lady?"

Louise waved her off nonchalantly, "Just the other day you wished me dead in front of my face. Pardon me if I choose not to waste anymore words on you. So will you get on with the class or do we get a free period?"

The Professor glared at Louise incredulously, "How dare you. I demand you leave my classroom! Now!"

Louise shook her head, "I demand you teach something interesting, or leave. I wonder which one of us will get their way?"

Kirche covered her mouth and laughed in excitement, this was turning out better than she expected.

The Professor pulled out her wand and directed it to Louise who in turn held out her hand and used the Force to rip it out of her grasp and pulled it into her own hand. "Do you want another explosion Professor? Because this is how you get explosions out of explosion girl." said Louise as she drew out her own wand causing the Professor to duck under the podium.

Louise pulled herself out of her fantasy and took a look up at the bright blue sky. She was laying on the grass in the courtyard of the ancient academy, surrounded by towers, and massive gray stone walls. Suddenly, they all seemed so bland to her. They felt more like a prison than a place of higher learning.

Whatever they had to teach inside those classrooms, how much of it really applied to her anymore? Perhaps that's why she felt like lashing out? Perhaps the professor was just a symbol of what she wanted to rebel against.

No, that wasn't who she was. It wasn't who she wanted to be. But the idea of it excited her, and that was what frightened her. She never had power of her own, would she really abuse her new power so frivolously if given the opportunity? Where could she go for guidance now? She'd gotten so used to being able to go to Siesta with anything at all. But right now she felt that Siesta didn't need to be bothered with something so heavy.

Marteau would only encourage her to lash out against everything that's ever caused her grief because he wanted to see the nobility crushed. She didn't want encouragement, she wanted a pragmatic point of view from someone experienced. Someone who wasn't Calista because she honestly wanted the day off to sort her feelings about everything Calista was telling her. Then, it hit her, she knew exactly who she could talk to who was experienced enough to guide her.

"Derf?"

The sword laying next to her in the grass popped out of the scabbard just enough to speak to her.

"What's up Louise?"

"What does it mean to have power? How are you suppose to know what to do with it?"

Derflinger didn't answer for a long moment, but then he started "Whoa. Ya sure don't ask small questions. A girl your age is suppose to be wondering if a dress makes her look fat, or if the boy she's got a crush on is going to ask her out."

Louise sighed heavily, "I wish those things were my biggest worries in life. Everything would be so much simpler."

Derflinger chuckled at her, "But it'd be boring wouldn't it? People who live a life like that dream of a life of adventure and excitement. But the people who live that life dream of the simple life. Nobody is ever completely satisfied with their lot in life. Ya just gotta play the cards you've been dealt."

Louise turned on her side to face the sword, "But I don't know how to play this hand…"

"It's like this. Power or no power. You need direction in your life. You need something to strive for. Something of your own. Not what other people expect of you. What do you expect of yourself Louise?"

"I don't want to be Louise the Zero. But I'm not sure if the Force is really the right path for me. I don't feel like I'm being given a choice. I don't feel like I'm living my own life anymore. It's like I've become a casual observer in my own body."

"Ahh, existential crisis."

"Something like that. But I don't know what I need to figure this out."

"If you have it, you don't need it. If you need it, you don't have it. If you have it, you need more of it. If you have more of it, you don't need less of it. You need it, to get it. And you certainly need it to get more of it. But if you don't already have any of it to begin with, you can't get any to get started with… which means you-"

"What are you on about Derf?"

"Power Louise. It's an endless circle. An addiction. I've seen people get drunk on it. I've seen people throw it away. I've seen them abuse it. Take it for granted. And I've seen them lose it all. The thing is, you can't appreciate power until you don't have it anymore. Until recently, you were totally powerless, right?"

"Yes."

"You had no say in your own life?"

"Yes."

"How'd you feel about that?"

"I hated it!"

"Did you wish for more power to change it?"

"Of course!"

"What did you want to change?"

"I wanted respect! I wanted to be treated with dignity!"

"Is that all?"

"Yes. Is that bad?"

"No. It isn't. It's only Human to want to be treated right. Look at Calista, I'll bet she's never had bad service at a restaurant. But something like that is a byproduct Louise. You need to figure out your own destiny."

"I keep hearing that word. And how I should take control of it. But I don't know what I want to become."

"You won't find that answer here Louise. You need to get up, and you need to go and start livin' because life ain't gonna wait for ya. Life keeps going. If you don't get up and take a look around, you'll miss it. Then you got nothing but regrets. You need to get out there, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. It's normal to fuck up. You're still young, it's what you're suppose to do. Live, laugh, love, fight, and go where your heart tells you."

"What my heart tells me…"

"Yeah. Listen to your heart Louise. What does it want more than anything right now?"

"Right now. In my heart. I feel like…"

"Feel like what?" asked Kirche as she stepped into Louise's field of vision.

"Like I hate you." Louise stated nonchalantly.

"That's a fine... because I detest you." answered Kirche in an equally dismissive tone.

"Why though? It's so pointless Kirche. Why do we hate each other so much?" asked Louise in a tone that sounded intellectually curious.

"Because you're a Valliere, and I'm a Zerbst." Kirche stated matter of factly.

"My family doesn't give a damn about me. I never gave a damn about our family fued before I met you. And I honestly still don't give a damn. My only problem is with you."

"And my only problem is with you too. Zero."

"But why? What did I ever do to you?"

Kirche sighed deeply and sat herself down on the grass beside Louise. "You know… I think about it. But I've really got nothing. Besides you blowing up the classrooms and making my ears bleed. I don't know why I hate you so much. I just do. You disgust me. With your pretty pink hair, your pretty pink eyes. Your pretty petite frame. It makes me sick to look at you."

Louise sat up and blinked at Kirche. "Is that what it is? You can't stand to look at me? Maybe I should just poke your eyes out. Then you won't have to look at me anymore and maybe then we can bury this stupid hatchet?!"

Kirche shook her head. "No, that's not the solution. That's not even the real problem. You know what the real problem is? It's how much you whine. You whine about everything. You're a child Louise. You look for the bad in everything. That's what really gets me going. You have no idea what real pain is. What real misery is. What it means to suffer. And you never will. Whatever you think people have put you through here, it's nothing compared to what others have been through. But you think everyone has to feel sorry for you. That's what annoys me. You have things that everyone else has to spend every waking moment working their hands to the bone to get a small fraction of. But somehow, you take those blessings and make them into more curses. And that is what I spit on you for Louise the Zero."

"What are you even saying Kirche?!" spat Louise.

Kirche in turn sighed, "You lay here angsting over power and purpose. You're dodging the real question Louise. What are you living for? Because if you can't answer that simple question, the rest is meaningless. And you may as well use that big stupid sword on yourself and stop wasting everyone's time."

"Hey! Cut the poor girl some slack she's-"

Kirche raised her voice at the sword, cutting him off, "Stop fighting her battles for her! This is between me and her! Stay out!"

Derflinger raised his voice as well, "Hey! Fuck you! That's my job! I'm her sword! I'm suppose to be her weapon! Especially against people who seem to only exist to put her down and keep her down! I'll be damned if I'm going to let you kick her while she's down!"

Louise shook her head, "Thank you Derf. I appreciate it. But she's right. This is between us, and it's been a long time coming. This is my fight."

Derflinger chuckled softly, "Heh, alright Louise. It's your show. I'm here if ya need me." he said with finality before sheathing himself back inside his scabbard securely.

"So what do you know about it Kirche? What are you living for?"

Kirche glared with her one visible eye at Louise intensely "I don't have to explain myself to you, or to anyone. I don't have justify my actions to anyone. I only answer to one person, and that's me. I only have to please one person, me. But if you really must know why I go on living, it's because I have a score to settle!"

Louise looked into her eye and saw the fire coming back into it that she seemed to lose before.

"What are you talking about? You can't honestly be that passionate about our stupid family feud?! Nobody even knows what it started over anymore!"

Kirche shook her head firmly. "Nein! Nein! Nein!" she spat. It was mildly amusing to Louise how Kirche suddenly reverted to her native tongue in her anger.

After a moment to recompose herself and gather her wits she elaborated; "Not everything is about you Louise! Learn to see past your own nose!" with that she got up and walked away, leaving Louise with no answers, and still more questions.

No. Louise wouldn't accept that. Kirche wanted to resolve things, she could sense it. She didn't know how, but she knew it. She stood up and threw Derflinger around her back and started after the redhead, she ran until she was in front of her and stopped her in her tracks by blocking her path with her arms held out.

"Get the hell out of my way Zero! Or I'll give you a taste of hell's flames before I send you there!"

Louise was resolute. "No Kirche! If you want to fight me. Then let's fight this out. But one way or another, this thing between us, it ends today!"

Kirche narrowed her eye and pulled her wand while Louise drew Derflinger, Kirche started running backwards to gain distance while Louise assumed the Shii-cho opening stance.

"In… ex… bet… Fireball!" yelled Kirche as she hurled said fireball towards Louise who in turn just knew to bring Derflinger out in front of her to intercept the spell. It was absorbed almost instantly by the sword.

"Good one Louise! Now hop to it!" declared Derflinger.

Louise didn't need to be told, she held Derflinger behind her and charged forward, Kirche launched additional Fireballs at her but all Louise had to do was swing her sword as if to cut the fireballs and they were absorbed by the sword.

Kirche needed to strategize, and to do that she needed to buy time. "Flame!" she chanted and a stream of fire emerged from her wand directed at Louise who could now only stop and hold Derflinger out into the flames to absorb it. It was a stalemate, neither could do anything. Louise tried to step out of the flame's path, but Kirche tracked her easily with her wand.

Louise closed her eyes and crouched down, then leapt up into the air towards Kirche faster than she could follow with her stream of fire. She ran forward letting Louise land where she was standing and ended up behind her. This battle wasn't going to be decided by her skill with Magic. Not while Louise had that sword. Kirche held her wand up near her face and chanted a new spell...

"Nyd... Gyfu… Sigel!"

Her wand seemed to vanish from her hand to be replaced by an orb of flame. She put her hands in the orb and pulled it apart, the flames morphed into a vicious looking red hot ax and a flaming shield.

Louise widened her eyes in surprise, this didn't seem like Kirche at all. But she really didn't know her at all. Louise readied herself as Kirche came at her swinging the ax wildly. Louise just didn't have an answer to this, it was unpredictable and she had no real experience fighting blade to blade. She parried what she could, and ran from others strikes, or ducked them. When she attempted to counter attack, Kirche just put up her shield and blocked Derflinger with ease. Louise was at a total loss for how to deal with this situation. She simply did whatever she could to stay alive under this relentless blitzkrieg of Kirche's.

Colbert and Herietta were busy going over the details of changes Colbert wanted to make around the academy when a loud knocking at the door interrupted them, followed by the door slamming open. Colbert and Henrietta stood up furiously at the intrusion.

"Headmaster! You must come quickly! Miss Valliere and Miss Zerbst, they're fighting! And it isn't a friendly sparring match!" yelled one of the Professors.

Colbert picked up his staff, jumped over the desk, and started running for the door. The Princess picked up the front of her dress and started running after him.

A student burst into the dining hall and yelled at the top of his lungs "Fight! Louise the Zero versus Kirche the Ardent! Outside in the courtyard!"

The students all jumped out of the seats, the chairs screeching across the stone floor as they slid back almost deafened the room but nobody seemed to care, it was their eyes they needed for this, not their ears.

"Derf! Can't you eat her weapons? They're magic!" demanded Louise.

"No! I can only eat what I can cut! Focus Louise! You can do this!" he replied while she used him to intercept one of her more vicious blows and then stepped out of her attempt to slam her with the flaming shield. Derflinger was a long sword, but the ax was a short weapon. Kirche had the advantage because Louise just couldn't maneuver effectively with her up close and personal like this, and her shield just made her defense impregnable.

Louise finally gave in and drew on the power inside her. She had the tools from her training, she just needed the final piece to make them work. If she didn't give this her all, Kirche would kill her, she had no illusions about that, she could feel it in the Force.

Louise set her mind on all the horrible things Kirche had said and done to her since they met. Anger turned to hatred, hatred turned to fury, and she felt the Force flowing through her. Suddenly it was if she could see what Kirche was going to do before she did it, and parried each attack easily.

Kirche's eye was fire, she channeled her power all around her, bathing herself in flames and became as the living embodiment of perdition's flames!

Louise's eyes were cold as the void, her pupils vanished and her eyes seemed to glow purple as the Force fueled her.

Kirche responded with even more vicious strikes, it was like hell's fury trying to conquer the cold abyss.

The combatants didn't even realize they had a growing audience for their duel. Nor did they care, they were too focused on what had become a battle to the death. The student body watched solemnly, there was no shameless betting on this fight. Nobody dared to try and stop it, nobody had any illusions that any interruption could result in their mutual bloodlust being turned on them. The heat of Kirche's flames could be felt all around them, and Louise's Dark Side aura began to swell around them making the small pink haired girl a suddenly very imposing figure. It was as if she was staring back at everyone with utter contempt without them even seeing her eyes.

Calista and Matilda arrived in time to see the two at their most intense. Matilda was horrified while Calista smiled proudly.

"What're you smiling about! We have to stop this!"

Calista shook her head. "No. We will do no such thing. This has to reach its conclusion."

Calista observed her apprentice and was pleased to note that she was using everything she'd been taught.

"The Force is so strong with her. She can not escape her destiny."

Matilda turned to Calista and shoved her roughly, "Stop being so damned ominous! This is barbaric!"

Calista shook her head again, "No. It's beautiful. I wish you could see it like I do. The expression of utter contempt they have for one another. The mutual respect they both suppress but desperately wish to express. I can see it clearly. So much more than words could ever convey. It's so beautiful."

Matilda was about to storm off to stop the fight but Calista held her back.

"Oh fine… I'll stop them. Just stay back. We don't need you drawing attention to yourself."

Calista walked out towards the pair and reached out to them with both of her hands. She closed her eyes and used the Force to pull them apart and levitated them into the air. Louise tried to lash out at Calista with the Force but felt her powers fail her for some inexplicable reason. It was the same with Kirche, her flames were suddenly snuffed out and her weapons dissolved back into her wand and fell away from her.

"Now… I do not care who started it. But I am ending it. If either of you think to cross me on this…" Calista said and didn't finish it. When both girls gathered their proper wits they comprehended her meaning, and neither had any doubt she could put them back in their places.

That evening, Montmorency was finally free of her confinement. She knew exactly where she wanted to go, and who she wanted to see. But when she found Guiche, she saw him sitting on a bench with that first year girl. She didn't even want to look at him, she turned around and ran away as fast as her legs would carry her. When she stopped to get her bearings she found herself somewhere she least expected, the summoning square. She found Calista there, leaning against her droid. She decided to go and sit with her, Calista always had wisdom to get her onto the right path, and she knew she could use some.

"Do you mind if I join you?" she asked.

Calista gestured to the ground with her hand. "I see they finally let you out."

Montmorency nodded as she seated herself. "Yes. Apparently, the Princess gave me a pardon. I'm not sure why though. And to be honest, I don't even want to know. It was my battle to fight and I feel so… cheated."

Calista shook her head. "I'm sure she had her reasons. But I can appreciate the desire to fight one's own battles. And I can certainly appreciate how you must be feeling right now."

Montmorency sighed, "You always have good advice for me Cali. Do you mind if I ask you for some now?"

Calista tucked her hand back into her sleeve, her face hidden behind her hair and her hood. "I'm not sure if I'm in the right frame of mind to offer you good council Monmon. But for you… I'll try."

The blonde girl took a breath and started in earnest, "After all I did for Guiche. He didn't even wait for me. I just saw him with that first year girl. Katie. I feel so betrayed."

Calista gave a short sagely nod. "Focus on that feeling. It'll lead you to an answer. You feel betrayed. So what do your instincts tell you to do?"

Montmorency took her time to consider that. "To win him back. No matter what it takes."

Calista didn't make a move as she spoke. "And how would you accomplish that?"

The younger girl considered her options carefully, "I could brew a potion that would make him loyal to me."

Calista chuckled softly, "I know something about mind tricks Monmon. So let me ask you. Would you really be content knowing that his love for you was artificial? Would that really be preferable to the real thing?"

Montmorency shook her head. "No. I suppose that was a stupid idea. Besides, they took away my lab and my reagents. I couldn't even if I wanted to."

Calista nodded, "Then your only option is to fight for him. But that's a longer, more difficult path. Examine the reward versus the effort."

"It shouldn't have to be this hard." she stated dejectedly.

"Nothing worth doing is easy. You have to find your goal, and obliterate the obstacles in your path to the goal. That is the Sith way. But even someone who isn't Sith can benefit from that bit of philosophy."

Montmorency smiled, "You're right. You're absolutely right. If I want Guiche. I have to get Katie out of the way."

Calista shook her head. "Be cautious Monmon. Remember that your eyes can deceive you. Nothing is ever as it appears. Arm yourself with knowledge. Find out what's really between them. Decide from there."

Montmorency was stunned, "That... didn't occur to me..."

Calista snickered to herself. "It's why I keep my eyes closed Monmon. Sight is all an illusion. Even a Force blind can learn to perceive with her mind rather than her eyes. All it requires is that you be open to all possibilities, and have the willingness to gather evidence. As a woman of science, this should be second nature to you."

Montmorency chuckled at that, "Nothing blinds like love."

Calista nodded sagely. "Indeed."

The mage looked at Calista and considered her present state. "You don't seem yourself. Are you alright?"

Calista shook her head. "No my dear Monmon. I am not alright. Like you, I have feelings I need to sort through. I never really took the time to sit with myself and sort through what's happened to me."

Montmorency scooted herself over until she was sitting shoulder to shoulder with the Sith with her back against the Droid. "Would you like to think aloud with me then?"

Calista considered that. "I'm not sure how much help you could be. These matters are far over your head. I'm sorry. Please don't take offense. I didn't mean to suggest you're somehow ignorant. It's just that, you don't have the life experience yet to help me with my conflicts."

Montmorency sighed dejectedly. "You've helped me so much. I'd like to try. If you'll let me?"

"It's just… I'm feeling out of sorts because I don't know where I belong anymore. Part of me feels strongly that once I get this fighter here repaired, I should be on my way and never look back. But there's another part of me with a voice that's growing louder with each passing day that tells me that… whatever's waiting for me where I came from, isn't meant for me anymore."

"Could you elaborate on that?"

"I'm not sure how. It's such a subtle thing. All my life... all my life… I've never really felt like I fit in anywhere. You see, I'm half Human. My mother is Echani. And when I was very young, I lived with her on her homeworld and everything felt like it was as it should be. Then my father came for me. He stole me away… brought me to his world… forgive me if I don't go into too much detail, but suffice it to say, I never really felt like I truly belonged in that world. When I tried to go back to my mother's world, I wasn't accepted there at all, I realized my mother had been shielding me from the realities of life there, and how people thought of me. In the worlds of both of my parents… I was never truly accepted. I had my friends and my comrades, but they were the exceptions. I had to fight literally every... single... day… for what little I had."

"I can relate to that. My parents both died. I don't know how. And they left me with nothing but some debt. The family home and lands were taken to repay it and now I'm all alone with nothing but what I can earn for myself. Whatever I have, I have to work for, fight for… nobody ever gave me anything, and I don't want them to."

"I've sensed that in you. I think that's why I like you so much Monmon. You have an appreciation for what it means to have only yourself to rely on."

"You know what? Pardon my vulgarity, but fuck Guiche. Maybe what you need, what we need. Is some time to ourselves to sort our minds out? It's the weekend, so why don't we go into town? Just the two of us? Girls day out?"

Calista scoffed at the notion, "Now that's something that is truly beneath me."

Montmorency wouldn't take no for an answer. "You won't find the answers to your problems sitting here and thinking about them. Life throws solutions at you in the most unexpected places. Sometimes, you need to get out of your comfort zone and let life throw new possibilities at you. You might find something you never considered before."

Calista turned her head slightly towards the girl beside her, "And what pray tell... could life possibly have to show me that I'll find in a primitive town? On a primitive planet? Among primitive shops? And primitive people?"

Montmorency shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm feeling lucky. We might find out. At the very least, it could get you out of your bad space and help you approach these problems more positively?"

Calista considered that, "You may have a point there. I've advised Louise that she needs to spend more time living life rather than letting it pass her by. Perhaps I should practice what I preach. Very well. I will accompany you."

Montmorency smiled radiantly at the Sith. "That's great! Come meet me in my room tomorrow morning before breakfast and then we'll head out together."

Calista wondered why she'd want her to come to her room but dismissed it, it wasn't an insufferable request.

The next morning Calista was up at the crack of dawn. She looked over at the other bed and saw Louise sleeping peacefully. She looked around the room and sighed, she really didn't feel like going out today but she gave her word, and she never broke it.

The room wasn't hard to find. Calista followed her senses one floor down and knocked at what she felt was the right room. "Come in Cali!" she heard from the other end. She opened the door, walked in, and closed it behind her.

"Good morning Monmon."

Montmorency smiled at Calista. "Good morning Cali. Sleep well?"

Calista nodded, "Well enough I suppose. I'd rather still be sleeping, but, I did say I'd go with you."

The blonde smiled at her. It was the first time Calista saw the young girl in anything but her school uniform, she wore a light weight, light green dress and had her hair undone from the usual tubes she styled it in and it was flowing freely for the most part but some of her hair at the back was tied up with the same red ribbon she always wore. She didn't dress like someone who came from money. Had Calista seen her in the street, she'd be very unassuming. With a humble elegance.

"I appreciate it Cali. I just need you to wear this." Montmorency said as she laid an outfit on her bed for Calista.

"Wait… what? Are you serious?"

"Very. I don't want you being recognized by anyone unfriendly after what happened last time. Let's be honest, the way you dress, you stand out."

Calista sighed, the girl made a very persuasive argument. She really wasn't in the mood have to deal with thugs if it could be helped.

Calista disrobed and started putting on the cloths offered. A white button shirt, a knee length black skirt and a white jacket with four buttons and black lapels. The two were of similar height and body type so the clothes fit her well enough. The only real difference between the two was that Calista had a little more in the chest so the jacket was a little tight there but it wasn't uncomfortable..

Calista had to give Montmorency some credit, the ensemble was elegant and she felt surprisingly comfortable in it. Short white socks and simple black shoes completed the look. Calista looked at herself in the mirror while Montmorency came up behind her with a blue ribbon in her hand.

"May I just do something with you hair?"

Calista shook her head. "No. My boyfriend was a stylist, and I never let him touch my hair. I keep it this way because it's how my mother kept her hair. Nobody, touches my hair except for me." she said politely, but firmly.

Montmorency nodded. "I apologize. I didn't realize it was a touchy subject for you."

Calista shook her head again. "No need to be sorry. You didn't know. But anyway. My compliments on this outfit. You have good taste. I could probably get used to this. Now I just need to figure out where to keep my Lightsaber. I don't think my belt will work with this outfit."

Montmorency looked at the bulky stealth generator laying neatly on the bed with the rest of her Sith apparel. "No. I don't think so either. But if you must carry it, maybe keep it in a handbag? No, it's too big. Let me think..."

Calista went over to her Lightsaber and unclipped it from the stealth generator, she decoupled the staff into two separate hilts. "Perhaps if I kept it this way?"

Montmorency picked out a an appropriate handbag from her collection and offered it to the Sith. "Perfect." she she said with a bright smile.

Louise awoke to a knocking on her door. She looked over to the other bed and saw it made up, but Calista was nowhere to be found. No welcome visitors to Louise's room ever needed to knock, so the persistent and irritating rapping on the door was starting to annoy her. She opened her door with an angry scowl on her face to see one of the Princess' Musketeers waiting on the other side and quickly blanked her expression.

"Yes?"

The woman gave a curt bow to Louise and spoke, "Lady Valliere. The Princess requests that you attend her in her chambers. Immediately."

Louise nodded courteously in response. "I'll get dressed." she said and shut the door.

When Louise came out, she was escorted past all the security by the Musketeer all the way to the Princess' room where she found Kirche waiting outside escorted by another of the Musketeers.

"Kirche? What are you doing here? And don't tell me it sounded fun!"

Kirche shook her head. "I probably know as much as you do…" she replied with a hint of venom in her voice.

One of the guards knocked on the door to the Princess' room, "The two her Highness asked for are here." she said to the door.

"Let them in." came a voice on the other side before the door opened. The guards stood aside to allow Louise and Kirche to enter.

The Princess was seated and was giving the two of them a stern glare causing both to audibly gulp as they knelt down before her. There was no more doubt as to what this was going to be about.

"The two of you. Have... disappointed me. When I first saw the two of you together, it filled me with hope. If a Valliere and a Zerbst could be friends then I was confident I could bring peace and stability back to this nation. And then I had to witness the two of you fighting like rabid dogs… no. I'm going to say it like it is, like rabid bitches! You've really let me down."

Louise piped up, "Your Highness, please let me expl-"

The Princess raised her voice, "I don't want to hear it! I can't force the two of you to set aside your issues and start getting along. But what I can do is give you the opportunity. I'm ordering the both of you, with my authority as heir to the throne of Tristain. To undertake a mission on my behalf."

Kirche looked up and started to protest, "Your highness. I'm not from this nation. You can't order me to do any-"

The Princess raised her hand and raised her voice again, "Yes I can! You study here, you live here under our law. You'll obey me or suffer the consequences!"

Kirche immediately bowed her head once again. Louise might have enjoyed that moment were she not in the same boat with Kirche.

"I want you both to go to the Capital. I have it on good authority that my Tax Collectors are running amok. I want you both to investigate and handle the situation as you deem appropriate. I've prepared a special permit which grants you both the authority to act as my executors in this matter. Meaning you have my sanction to dispense justice as you see fit."

Louise had to ask, "Your highness. Do you really think we're capable of handling such an important matter?"

The Princess sat back in her chair. "Yes I do. After the way I saw the two of you fight, I know you can handle yourselves if it comes to that. Personally I'd rather it didn't. But... I've thought about it long and hard. I decided that Lord Zarkot was right. I can't always be nice. I have to show my people that I can and will protect them... by any means necessary. Right now, besides my own Musketeers, you're the only ones I can trust to act on my behalf. I don't care how you get it done, my only condition is that the two of you handle this on your own. I want you to work together. And maybe, if we're all lucky, learn to respect one another. Now go get started!"

Kirche and Louise both stood up and bowed deeply to the Princess. "Yes, your Highness." they each said in unison before turning to leave.

After they were long out of earshot of the Musketeers, Kirche put a hand on Louise's shoulder and stopped her walking. "Just so we're clear Zero, what we started... we're going to finish once this is done with."

Louise narrowed her eyes and glared into Kirche's eye. "I'm not a Zero anymore."

Kirche scoffed. "Yes you are. If you don't already know why then you're less than nothing."

Calista was on the verge of losing her mind. "Do all teenagers shop his much? Or only you?"

Montmorency shrugged, "I think we all do. Didn't you ever?"

Calista shook her head. "No. Everything I needed, I could simply take from the Empire. As a Sith, there isn't much in the way of the mundane that I require. For clothing, all I needed was my battle armor, and simple clothing. Trinkets, souvenirs, jewelry, these things have no value to me. They're simply distractions. Besides, should you really be spending your money so frivolously? How do you intend to pay for you tuition without your little business?"

Montmorency shrugged. "I don't intend to. I'm leaving the school."

Calista blinked at the young mage. "You can't be serious? Without an education, how do you intend to make your way in the world?"

Montmorency shrugged. "I'd always planned to be an Apothecary. So I hope to find an apprenticeship. Without an income, I just can't afford to pay for that school."

Calista took a very long moment to think. "Suppose I could help you secure the funds you need? Would you consider staying then?"

Montmorency blinked at Calista. "And how would you accomplish that?"

Calista shrugged, "Let me worry about that. I just need a yes or a no."

Montmorency shook her head. "No. I won't accept charity. If I can't earn it myself, I won't accept it."

Calista smirked at her, "I wasn't offering you charity. But I suppose that's why I find you to be tolerable company Monmon. You take charge of your own life. You're more Sith than you probably realize."

Montmorency smiled proudly, she knew this was probably the highest praise anyone could get out of Calista. "So then what do you propose?"

Calista reconsidered her ideas once more before presenting her best solution. "They won't let you keep a lab in the school. Suppose I helped you build one outside the school? I'm sure we can manage it in the clearing where I train Louise. It's out of sight. Out of sight is out of mind."

Montmorency thought about it. "Alright. But I have to help build it."

Calista nodded, "Of course."

"Right. I just need to pick something up… Cali, I'm sorry about this, but could you meet me at that restaurant there in fifteen minutes?"

Calista narrowed her eyes at her companion. "What are you up to?"

Montmorency sighed, she suppose she did owe an explanation. "I need to visit one of my suppliers and see if he has something I need for Kirche. Her supply must be gone by now and I need to make sure she has more. Just, don't tell her I told you about this."

"Very well. But I'm going with you. I'm not comfortable leaving you on your own. Knowing what I know about this place."

"Cali, I'll be fine on my own. I've been coming here on my own for over a year now."

"Yes. But now you have an over protective friend with you who doesn't take no for an answer."

Montmorency smiled at Calista and gave her a curt nod. They then walked up the street and turned into the back ways off the main street. It reeked of Human waste, and as Calista suspected, she saw someone empty a chamber pot from a window on the second floor of one of the buildings ahead of them and did what she could to contain her disgust.

"How has your civilization not been destroyed by disease if this is what people here do with their excrements?" asked Calista as she covered her nose.

"I really try not to think about it. Sad fact of the matter is small people like these don't give any thought to the consequences of things like this. They just rely on people like me to make them cures to whatever diseases they cause." said Montmorency as she knocked on the door to an older looking building.

The door was opened by an older man who peered down at Montmorency with vacant looking eyes. The look of him vividly reminded Calista of all the spice heads on Nar Shaddaa she'd seen the one time she allowed herself to be talked into taking shore leave with some of her squadron.

"What do you need?" he asked her surprisingly coherent sounding considering the look in his eyes suggested his brain was probably off to one of this planet's two moons.

"Elixir of Papaver. The good stuff. Don't try and sell me any of that watered down junk you'd pass off to the riff raff or I'll really fuck up your day!" said Montmorency in a very stern tone.

The man gave her a quick nod and closed the door.

"What's Papaver?" asked Calista.

"It's a plant. The extract is a potent pain reliever. But it's illegal. They said it was because it's very addictive. The Church also says it's a sin to take anything mind altering. But that's a load of hypocrisy! Alcohol is still perfectly legal, and that stuff actually kills people! Everyone knows that it's all just an excuse. Romalia's wine industry doesn't suffer, but people in real pain do. It was actually legal in Tristain for many generations until the previous King in his infinite wisdom decided to ban its use and fall in line with the Church. Since then the people who really needed it can't get it except through scum like this. It's why I usually make my own and just get the raw plants from another supplier."

"You're very passionate about this aren't you?"

"Yes. I don't see the harm in giving people a little something or other to take their worries away for a little while. A little something extra to relieve pain, emotional or physical. It's nobody else's damned business what I or anyone put in their body!"

Calista smiled at the girl. "Truly you are a young woman who was born into this world ahead of her time."

"I wish I had your kind of power Cali. Then I could actually change this world and bring it a little freedom."

"There are many kinds of power. Don't underestimate yourself. If you have passion, you have strength. If you have strength… then you have power. So you see, you're not at all powerless. Fight for what you believe in."

Montmorency looked at Calista for a very long moment and felt a blush form on her cheeks. "I will. Thank you for that. I never thought of it that way."

"That's what friends are for." said Calista with a kind smile.

A friend. Sure she had a few. But this was different. There was something about this girl before her that made something deep inside her seem to come to life. She felt oddly at ease, comfortable… accepted. Montmorency didn't fear her, she trusted her. This was unconditional trust she felt. She'd just brought her into her world. Normally, Calista would never, ever, be seen anywhere like this. But with Montmorency she followed. She felt fear for her being alone without her company in this place. There was nothing in it for her to protect this girl, so why would she care what fate awaited her? No. That wasn't true at all. This girl did something no one else ever did in her life. She accepted her unconditionally.

Her squadron feared her because she was Sith. Even though they later gave her the acceptance she wanted, she was still Sith and they were still ultimately subservient to her. They couldn't reject her even if they wanted to.

She was stuck with Louise because of the bond between them. Kirche was just along for the ride, Tabitha was just joined at the hip with her. Matilda had to be bribed into their relationship. As much as she enjoyed their time together, that string was still attached.

Montmorency and Calista were building a real friendship based on mutual respect. Even after what she did to her boyfriend, she had no malice towards her. She understood and accepted that the boy's fate was entirely of his own making.

After she received the goods and found it satisfactory she tucked it into her purse discreetly and the two returned to the main street. They walked together, and Calista opened up to her about so many things, about the Empire, about the Echani, the Sith. The ate together and Calista struggled with the menu. Montmorency was incredibly patient with her and helped her choose good food. Then she offered to teach her the language proper, which Calista eagerly accepted. Force based communication left much to be desired and it would be helpful for her to be able to read so she could learn more about this world.

That evening after they returned to the Academy, Calista brought X2-C3 up to the top of the central tower to give the Droid's sensors the most unobstructed view of the stars it could get. It was the clearest night they'd had so far and it was time to figure out just where in the galaxy they were. Montmorency had accompanied them to the top and watched the little droid perform its duty with curiosity.

"So what's he doing?"

"It." she corrected.

"It?" asked Montmorency.

"Yes. Extwo doesn't have a gender. I've thought about programming it with one, but I decided against it. I'd rather it stay the way it was when I first met it. It's been my constant loyal companion for almost ten years now. Rather not risk damaging it with new programming. Rather let it develop on its own."

"I think I understand. Not all that talk about 'programming' but letting it develop on its own. That I do get."

"Extwo is looking at the stars to try and find out where in the galaxy we are. Once we have that, I can find my way back to my people once we've repaired my fighter."

"Your fighter?"

Calista pointed down at the crashed Bloodmark.

"Oh, that thing. Right. So you'll be able to use that to get back to where you came from?"

"Hopefully. I have enough fuel to make one or two hyperspace jumps. The Empire is so vast I should easily be able to make it back to one of our worlds."

The techno babble was going right over her head and she decided not to ask but just accept it.

"Are you really going to just leave us? Just like that?"

Calista turned to her and gave her a small smile. "I have to. There's a war going on out there among those stars that I have to be part of. Besides. This is your world. It's not mine. My place is out there, with my own kind."

"I thought your own kind didn't care for you much because of your heritage?"

"That's true. But like you Monmon, I'm a woman ahead of her time. The Empire changes, it adapts. I'll use my power to help push that change. Open and expand minds."

"I hope that. Maybe. You'd consider staying? I think this world needs someone like you. I know Louise surely needs you. I need you…"

"I'm going to ask Louise to come with me. I won't put her in the Academy, but, I've started to like having her as an Apprentice. I can just imagine the look on her face the first time she sees this world from beyond the moons..."

Calista smiled up at the night sky as she pictured flying again and smiled happily at the image of sharing the experience with her Apprentice.

"I wish I could see that."

"Before I leave. I could take you up. It wouldn't be a problem. We can fly around this world in a few hours. I could even let you be the first person from this world to ever see the other planets in your system."

"Other planets? You mean there's more than just this one around our sun?"

"I'm sure there are. Most star systems have a few planets around them."

"Would they be like this one?"

"Heh, I doubt it. More than one habitable planet in a system is exceedingly rare. But… it's not impossible."

"What if I wanted to come with you? To your world, to your Empire?"

"I'd say… I couldn't take more than one other person in my fighter. But. If you're dead serious about it. I could come back for you. Or if Louise decides she doesn't want to go, you could have her spot."

"I'll think about it then. I mean, there's really nothing for me here. But out there. I can't even begin to imagine all the possibilities."

"It's a very big galaxy Monmon. If your destiny is out there, you'll get there."

Then X2 started beeping and chirping in what sounded like a very confused tone.

"What is it Extwo?"

"X2 = Unable to detect known astronomical references. / Approximate Position = Thirty thousand light years from galactic core. / Star References = Zero / Analysis = ERROR / X2 = Unable to compute coordinates"

Calista gawked at the droid. "That's impossible. We can't be that close to the core and be unable to fix our position!"

"What's it saying?" asked Montmorency.

"One moment Monmon. Extwo, rescan. Be sure you're compensating for atmospheric interference. There has to be some references!"

"X2 = Scanned twice. / Matches = Zero"

Calista stepped onto the ledge and gazed up at the sky longingly. She didn't say anything, she didn't need to, Montmorency just knew she was in pain by the look on her face as the moonlight fell upon it.

"What is it Cali?"

"I might be further from home than I realized. Incomprehensibly further."

"Does that mean you can't get back?"

"I don't know. But if I got here, there has to be a way back. I'm sure in time the solution will present itself. I just have to be patient..." she stated stoically and then tried to tuck her arms into her sleeves like she always does but realized she was still wearing the clothes her new friend gave her and simply put her hands behind her back and held them there.

"For what it's worth. You'll always have a home here. As far as I'm concerned, you're one of us now."

Calista turned her head to Montmorency and smiled at her sincerely, "That… actually means a lot to me."