Chapter 14

It was an odd situation when they got back to the capital. Everyone was relieved, and happy, when the cybermen left, but of course there were people to morn for dying or being 'upgraded'. So there was a weird cross between a celebration and a funeral everywhere.

Caelix watched Carrie run to another Padwan, giving him a tight hug. Carrie, neither apparently put out by the lack of music. Caelix smiled slightly. Those two were so close. Carrie was still upset, but for the moment her friend had put it out of her mind.

"Hey Caelix, guess what?"

Caelix turned around. Solo was standing behind him. He didn't wait for Caelix to answer.

"They're thinking of giving me an apprentice."

Caelix blinked in surprise and got a confused look. "Really?"

Solo had only just been recently knighted after all.

Solo nodded rapidly. "Yeah, I heard two of the Masters talking about it. Since we're a little short on Jedi now and all. . ."

"Oh right."

Caelix quickly nodded, looking over Solo's shoulder instead of at him. That was why he saw the Doctor. Ever since they'd got back the Doctor had been standing the corner. He'd confirmed the cybermen wouldn't be attacking again, not for a while anyway, and that Oswin was dead, and then he'd just stood there detracting attention. Now he was turning and walking away in totality. It seemed like Caelix was the only who noticed.

"Excuse me a moment," Caelix said, stepping around Solo.

"See you," Solo called after him.

He sounded a little confused, but he didn't question anything so Caelix didn't explain himself. He followed the Doctor as the other man left the temple.

Carrie meanwhile, was holding the Padwan a little tighter than she probably should, but she was trying to figure out her situation, and wasn't paying much attention to what was going on around her. She was hoping to talk to Oswin about the Dark Side of the Force. She couldn't risk using it again, because she'd obviously done so earlier, she'd shredded someone's heart. Now Carrie couldn't talk to Oswin about anything. She could go to Caelix, he'd be supportive. But he wouldn't be able to help, he barely had more training than her. Anyone who did know enough about the Force to help her would be too busy being suspicious of her to actually help her. As she thought her grip got tighter.

"Um, Carrie, I can't feel my arms."

The voice broke her out of her thoughts. She jumped back slightly.

"Sorry," she apologized. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Doctor and Caelix heading out. "Gotta go."

Caelix meanwhile, had followed the Doctor out to a space ship R2 was already sitting in.

"Are you going somewhere?" Caelix asked, looking the Doctor up and down.

"Yes actually," the Doctor answered casually. "I would've left sooner, but I didn't want to take your ship, so I had to get R2 moved. Well, he moved himself technically."

Caelix put one hand on his forehead and waved the other in a stop motion in response to all the talking.

"So, one word answer, you're going back to your ship?"

"Yep."

"And how are we supposed to get that back?" Caelix waved his hand at the single person ship the Doctor was standing in front of.

"What do you think I'm here for?" R2 asked indignantly. Caelix jumped. "I can fly it back once the Doctor goes back to his ship."

Caelix nodded slowly. He smiled despite himself. He could get used to understanding R2. Then he turned to the Doctor. He wasn't quite sure what to say, and the Doctor's facial expression wasn't leaving much room for questions. For a while the two just stood there, having a staring contest of sorts.

Caelix broken eye contact first. He shifted his gaze to over the Doctor's shoulder and twitched his fingers a lot like how Carrie had done earlier.

"Well good bye Doctor," he said. "Good luck."

"To you too Caelix," the Doctor said.

He gave a bow. It was a more a dramatic farewell bow than the type they used here, but it made Caelix smile slightly and that was probably the point. The Doctor hopped into the ship and he and R2 took off.

The ship was out of sight by the time Caelix heard footsteps behind him. He turned around. Carrie was there. Her face was unnaturally white. Well, she'd been through a lot recently, same as him. She was probably just in shock.

"You let him leave," she said.

Caelix nodded. "Yeah."

"Didn't you want to go with him?" she asked. There was a bit of longing in her eyes. Obviously she wanted to go with him even if he didn't.

"I did, but he didn't want me to. If he's forever mad at me for coming with him it's not worth it."

Carrie crossed her arms and scowled. "There's a difference between wanting, and needing."

Never the less she turned around and strode back into the temple. Caelix stood there a little longer, but in the end he followed her.