I finally beat the game and was thinking, what if Trilla wasn't killed by Vader in the end? What if Cal managed to save her in time? Thus, the birth of this story came about XD (I blame my muse once again)
Summary: Cal Kestis managed to escape Fortress Inquisitorius with Cere and a redeemed Trilla. With the Holocron destroyed to prevent the Empire from tracking down the Force-sensitive children, Cal and his crew begin searching for alternate ways to weaken the Empire. Yet Cal is not safe, for Emperor Palpatine has tasked Darth Vader with bringing him back...with the intention of turning him into his new Inquisitor.
Rating: T
Setting: AU (divergence from main storyline in the game)
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Star Wars franchise aside from my own plot.
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Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order: Redemption
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Chapter XVI
Growing up as a Padawan Cal had often heard stories of Tatooine, the planet were Master Qui-Gon and Master Kenobi first discovered Anakin Skywalker. Everyone within the Order knew of the tale, and to actually set foot on Tatooine himself brought a sort of giddy feeling to the Knight. The mysterious ship landed at a hangar at the de facto capital of Mos Espa. Greez gently set the Mantis down and shooed everyone off the ship so he could assess the damage done to the engine. Their mysterious savior hopped off his own ship and Cere took the chance to thank him in person.
"Hey, thanks for your help back there."
The Mandalorian bounty hunter regarded her briefly, then gave a quick nod of his nod. He reached inside his cockpit and gently picked up a small bundle, then set it on the floor. Cere's eyes were drawn to the creature as a miniature version of Master Yoda popped its head out to stare at her.
"Unbelievable..." she breathed.
Cal and Trilla went over to where Cere was standing and noticed the little alien on the ground.
"He looks like a younger version of Master Yoda," the ginger-haired Knight commented.
"So...adorable..." Trilla said, then quickly looked away while blushing furiously.
The little alien reached a hand out towards the three of them and blinked its round eyes. The Mandalorian quickly scooped up the little alien in his arms as if to hide him from the three, his body language clearly radiating hostility and distrust.
"Easy there. We're not here to hurt him," Cal said.
The bounty hunter noticed the lightsaber hanging on Cal's belt.
"You're Jedi," he said through his helmet.
"We are. Please don't kill us or anything," the ginger-haired Knight pleaded.
"I am not after you. I was worried the Haxion Brood were after him," the Mandalorian indicated to the alien in his arms.
The three exchanged looks.
"Anyways, thanks again for the help."
The Mandalorian inclined his head and started walking away. The little alien peeked over his shoulder and gave the group a wave, a sight which melted Cal's heart as he waved back to it.
"If I hadn't know Master Yoda was actually a lot older than that alien child...you'd think that was actually Master Yoda."
"The resemblance is uncanny," Cere agreed.
Greez came over to the group at that moment and asked them to pick up several replacement parts in Mos Espa. The Lateron was adamant they find every part needed, otherwise they'll never be getting off of Tatooine. Cere opted to stay behind and monitor communications in case Imperial troops were on their way to the planet, and she asked Trilla to lend her a hand at slicing encrypted messages. Cal was about to go into town by himself when Merrin offered to go with him.
"Cal, make sure you hide your lightsaber from view. The Hutts and Tusken Raiders who lurk outside the city don't take too kindly to Jedi in their midst. Merrin, you should try and cover your tattoos as well. It makes you an easy target for kidnapping if they see your exotic features, and you definitely don't want to draw the attention of Jabba the Hutt."
Cal yanked the Bracca poncho over his head and adjusted it so it hid his lightsaber from view. Merrin produced the cloak she once wore on Dathomir and covered herself with it, pulling the cowl over her head to obscure her tattoos from view. Together the two headed down the ramp and trekked towards the dwellings in the distance. The merciless sun of Tatooine beat down on the two from above, thankfully Cal had a hood on his poncho he could pull up to cover his head from baking in the sun.
Beep-beep!
"Hop on in Buddy," Cal pulled the front of his poncho open and the little droid jumped in to get out of the sun.
"Better?"
Boop!
The ginger-haired Knight gave a small chuckle of amusement and the two continued onward.
"Is this place always this hot?" Merrin asked, clearly uncomfortable under the rays.
"This is my first time here so I can't really answer that. I can't imagine the people living here going through this every single day," Cal replied.
It seemed the town was still so far away no matter how far they walked.
"The bounty hunter from earlier also headed this way right? I can't imagine him making it to Mos Espa this fast with that armor of his!"
Merrin frowned and wished there was magick she could use that could hasten this journey. Cal continued walking until his feet kicked something up under the desert sand. Piqued by his curiosity, the Jedi Knight knelt to brush away the sand with a hand. The item revealed itself to be some sort of tattered robe which was once red. Upon closer inspection, it resembled the robe Merrin was wearing.
"This looks to be of Dathomiran origin," Merrin knelt beside Cal.
"Is it a Nightsister?"
"It could be...can you sense any echoes?"
Cal closed his eyes and reached out through the Force. There was indeed a Force echo left within the piece of cloth, and vivid images flashed through Cal's mind. Merrin waited patiently for the Knight's vision to pass, only asking when his eyes opened back up.
"What did you see?"
"Do you know a Nightsister by the name of Asajj Ventress?"
Trilla and Cere were busy monitoring the comms back on board the Mantis while Greez was outside working on the engines. The two were slicing into encrypted channels that the former Second Sister knew of when she was an Inquisitor under the Empire. So far there was no particularly suspicious activities that required their immediate attention. They did hear about several Inquisitors being sent to other planets to oversee the activities there, but no alerts on the emergence of a new Force-sensitive user.
"Are you still mad at me?" Cere asked, lowering her headset to look at Trilla.
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't," Trilla responded without looking up.
"I'm sorry Trilla. I know you tried your best in protecting us from the Sixth Brother back on Kashyyk."
The latter's hands stilled momentarily on the panel.
"The next time I run into Entiran again, he will be the one to go down."
Cere furrowed her brows together at this. Clearly she could sense some sort of animosity between the her and the current Inquisitor.
"Was there something going on between the two of you when you were the Second Sister?"
"He was my subordinate. Rather aggressive in his methods and was always searching for ways to get promoted as an Inquisitor. I guess he got what he wanted with his rank as Sixth Brother."
"Sounds like you two often butt heads then," Cere switched to another comms line and listened carefully.
"Asajj Ventress? She was part of my coven and the only Nightsister who became the apprentice of Count Dooku. Mother Talzin tried to help her assassinate Dooku but I heard it ended in failure. I haven't seen her since she left Dathomir shortly after...is that who the cloth belongs to?" Merrin reached a hand out to gently touch the strip of cloth.
"Yea. I think she's injured or something in the vision, and there was someone else with her as well."
Cal suddenly straightened up and stood protectively in front of Merrin when he sensed a powerful presence through the Force approaching. Thankfully they were in the middle of nowhere, so the Knight pulled out his lightsaber and ignited it, keeping his eyes alert and body in a defensive position. A figure approached from the back and Cal whirled around in time, blocking the blow as the green hum of a lightsaber clashed with his.
"A lightsaber!" the mysterious stranger said in shock, jumping backwards to draw distance.
"Who are you?" Cal demanded, still standing in front of Merrin.
"I thought the Jedi were wiped out by the Emperor. Hard to believe someone else actually survived..." the stranger switched off his weapon.
The ginger-haired Knight remained suspicious of the stranger.
"I'm Quinlan Vos," the stranger revealed, lowering his hood for Cal and Merrin to see.
Cal's eyes enlarged in shock as he switched off his own lightsaber.
"Master Vos? How can this be?" he breathed, wondering if he was dreaming.
The Kiffar Jedi Master was the one who adopted Master Secura as his own Padawan after discovering her potential. Like Cal, Vos could also use Force Psychometry to see the memories of others, which made him an excellent tracker. Cal had heard stories of his adventures with Master Kenobi, but there were rumors that Vos had succumbed to the dark side after falling in love with Asajj Ventress. Was he the person he saw in the vision?
"What is your name Jedi?" Vos asked, snapping Cal out of his thoughts.
"Cal. Cal Kestis, and this is Merrin."
Vos looked at the hooded female standing beside Cal.
"You are not a Jedi...but I sense something familiar with you."
"I am a Nightsister of Dathomir," Merrin said, sticking close to Cal.
"A Nightsister!? Then perhaps you can help me!" Vos said, his voice hopeful as he began walking towards a certain direction.
The two traded looks of hesitation, since they were supposed to be running an errand for Greez so they could leave the planet as soon as possible. Yet Cal couldn't very much ignore another Jedi in need, especially a Master like Quinlan Vos.
"I hope Greez isn't going to murder us for being late," he muttered.
Quinlan Vos led them through the area towards a cave in one of the hills near Mos Espa. Cal and Merrin were on the verge of passing out from the brutal heat and lack of hydration until the Jedi Master handed them a can of water. The ginger-haired Knight passed the container to Merrin first, the Nightsister greedily taking in gulps of the cool liquid to soothe her parched throat. Once she was done drinking, she gave the remaining to Cal and he downed the remains in two gulps.
"Tatooine's environment is harsh on the unprepared," Vos said with a small chuckle upon noticing how thirsty the two were.
"You can say that again," Cal said with a satisfied sigh.
"Come. This way," Vos went inside the cave, using his lightsaber to illuminate the dark cave.
Cal mirrored the Master's movements and ignited his own weapon, the glow of the blade made it easier for the two to walk and follow after Vos. A myriad of questions floated through Cal's head as they continued walking, such as why the Master would bring them inside a cave of all places. Was he perhaps planning to ambush them once they were deep enough within?
"Merrin, if anything happens, get out of here and alert the others on the Mantis."
Her fingers curled around his upper arm.
"Are you insane Cal Kestis? If anything happens, both of us are getting out of here!" she said in a low voice.
"I can't risk it. Take BD and run if Master Vos tries anything funny."
"Cal!"
"Trust me please!" Cal whispered urgently, his fingers moving down to grip hers tightly.
The Nightsister reluctantly gave a nod of her head.
Quinlan Vos led them to what appeared to be the living area of the cave and stopped. The center contained a small fire which crackled and danced, sending sparks flying out of the twigs at regular intervals. Switching off their lightsabers so that only the campfire gave off light, Vos knelt beside a figure lying on the ground whom Cal previously didn't spot.
"Vos? Is that you?" a female voice called out.
"It's me. I brought someone who might be able to help," Vos replied.
Merrin carefully approached Vos from behind and knelt beside him to get a better look at who was lying on the floor. A small gasp escaped her lips when the Nightsister realized who it was she was staring at.
"Sister Ventress?...is...is it really you?" she asked in disbelief.
"That voice...Merrin? Are you Merrin?" Ventress tilted her head and saw her fellow Nightsister kneeling beside her.
"Sister, it's me!" Merrin grasped Ventress's hands and gripped them tightly, tears streaming down her face the whole time.
"Why are you here? I thought...I thought you all died on Dathomir after what General Grievious did..."
The Nightsister wiped her eyes with the back of one hand. "I survived because Mother Talzin hid me away, but the others...our other sisters weren't so lucky. I watched as this General Grievious cut them down...and for the longest time I believed the Jedi were responsible..."
Ventress slowly sat up with the aid of Vos and Merrin, and the latter could finally see the damage Ventress sustained to her body. Whoever she fought did a number, Merrin could see lacerations, bruises and cuts on her fellow sister's limbs and abdomen area.
"Who did this to you?" Merrin's voice was tinged with anger.
"We managed to kill Count Dooku but Ventress suffered the most as she fought her former master," Vos explained.
"Give me some space and privacy so I can heal her," Merrin ordered, ushering the two males out of the area.
With nothing else better to do now that Merrin forbid them from entering until Ventress was fully recovered and healed, Cal found himself walking back out of the cave with Quinlan Vos right beside him. It felt awkward for the Knight to be beside another Master whom he thought perished under Order 66, but Vos was rather willing in speaking with him as they walked.
"Who was your master when you were still a Padawan?" the Kiffar Master asked as they rounded a corner.
"Jaro Tapal was my master before Order 66," Cal answered a bit quietly, the memories still haunting him.
"He was a good master, always righteous and kind, especially to his Padawans. I'm sorry for your loss," Vos said.
Cal gave a stiff smile in return.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you survive the Purge for so long?"
Cal never knew Jedi Masters were this nosy in wanting to know about other's lives. On another note, perhaps Master Vos had been surviving on his own with Ventress for so long, he craved the attention of another Jedi who also escaped the Purge like himself.
"I escaped to Bracca and hid my identity while I was there. I worked as a rigger for the Scrapper's Guild for five years until I had to use the Force to save a dear friend of mine from danger. I didn't realize an Imperial Probe Droid had recorded me doing that and sent it to the Empire. They sent two Inquisitors to hunt me and I ended up being saved by...certain people I've been traveling with since."
Vos was silent for a while as he listened to Cal's tale of survival.
"I noticed you were able to perceive Ventress's memories from that scrap of cloth you found, how are you able to do so?"
Cal lifted his hands to flex his fingers several times repeatedly.
"Force Psychometry, I was born with it."
"So you and I have the same ability," Vos said, resting a hand on Cal's shoulder.
"I guess we do don't we?" Cal replied with another stiff smile.
This detour was going to take a while to get out of. Greez will have to wait a long time to get his parts at this rate.
Let's hope the Lateron has really good patience.
"Do you have any plans for what you're going to do?"
"We were supposed to buy spare parts for the ship's engines..."
Quinlan Vos stopped in front of Cal abruptly and placed both hands on the latter's shoulders. Cal was briefly startled by this sudden act for no one has ever touched him this way, not even Merrin or his master. It made him slightly uncomfortable to be grabbed in this manner.
"I can sense your connection to the Force is strong, but there is unbridled power behind your abilities as well. If you're willing, I can train you for a bit to help you hone your skills better," Vos offered.
Perhaps Cal could use this chance to ask Vos how to prevent Vader from invading his dreams.
"I need some time to think about it," he said after deliberating internally with himself.
He'll have to get in touch with the Mantis later to let them know what was going on.
To be continued...
I don't know how or why I keep adding all these characters into the story, but maybe having Cal train under Vos for a chapter or two might not be such a bad idea.
See you all next chapter.
Celsius Fate~