Chapter Eleven: Deep Inside The Tomb

"Kairi, get down!" Cal responded as Kairi was swinging back and forth on some kind of chandelier that held a giant sphere inside. The younger Jedi Padawan was having fun before she started to laugh at how Cal couldn't get her down once it reached him where the strong wind kept pushing her and the chandelier back.

But once Cal turned it off, Kairi looked at him with a pouting face.

"Just why? I wanna know." Kairi asked, before she managed to jump down.

"We're here to find clues on how to unlock the vault. Not have fun, Kairi." Cal explained as Kairi started climbing up the wall before standing next to the ginger haired Jedi. "Being a Jedi is serious business." He stated.

Crossing her arms, Kairi looked up at Cal before speaking what was on her mind.

"When was the last time you've actually had fun, Cal? Huh? Your birthday when you've got drunk for the first time? Or was it when you started becoming friends with me?" Kairi asked as she started to become angry at Cal, before calming down, knowing it can lead her down a path to the dark side. "Cal… I have to tell you something." She stated as she looked away.

Cal's green eyes widened once he had heard those words coming from Kairi's mouth. He was thinking that Kairi was going to tell her about the Force Ghost he had seen when the younger Jedi Padawan was touching him. Or was it something related to this mission which could lead Kairi into quitting on her hope of becoming free.

He waited as Kairi was trying to find the right words to tell him, until she finally did.

"I never got to explore new planets and such. Even though I'm supposed to be Master Sotah's Padawan, he kept me inside of his ship while he went and did some missions with his clone troopers." Kairi confessed as she was looking down at her feet. "Beside being on Coruscant and Ilum with him, I'm okay to walk on, but planets like Bracca, Zeffo… I never got to do as a Youngling or his Padawan."

"So you've been… isolated?" Cal asked.

Kairi nodded before speaking once again.

"I was still able to train. But I don't know why he kept me inside the ship. All he ever told me was to stay inside, don't let anyone else but him and the clone troopers in and also do not engage in combat when it's necessary." Kairi responded, as she remembered those exact words that Rin Sotah told her every time when he leaves. "Every Padawan is lucky but not me. I don't know why chosen me as his own Padawan. I once heard he had one of his own before he turned into a quiet and strict Jedi Master." She explained, before sitting down over the climbing ledge.

"Maybe Cere knows about him." Cal suggested, as he sat down next to her, but she moved away from him to avoid contact.

"Cal, speaking of Cere… I think she's hiding something. When I'm around her, she'd like… had this aura that I can't explain… but it's like she's changed. She's not the same Jedi who rescued me years back." Kairi explained as she was looking back at her feet.

"That's because she cut herself off from the Force." Cal stated.

"What? Why? Why would she do that?" Kairi asked as she was in shock to hear that while looking back up at the ginger haired Jedi Padawan.

"I don't know either. But we'll ask her later when we get back. And Kairi… sorry about what happened earlier." Cal apologized, before Kairi smiled at him.

"Cal and Kairi… sitting in a tree…"

Iris' voice was heard as Kairi turned around to face the Force Ghost before pulling out her lightsaber in a threatening way, until Iris disappeared.

"What's wrong?" Cal asked after noticing Kairi's lightsaber was in her right hand, ready to switch on.

"Nothing…" Kairi whispered, before it back on her belt bag. "Let's hurry up and solve this so we can go back. I'm already starving." She responded as she and Cal stood back up.

"Then eat some skungus, Jabami." Cal responded, in a joking way.

"Eww, that's disgusting, Kestis!" Kairi responded before pushing Cal's shoulder in a playful way.

"You were going to eat a Spazz Rat raw earlier." Cal stated, as a smile appeared on his face.

"I never said that! BD-1, help me out!" Kairi responded as she wanted to defend herself.

BD-1 beeped and chripped as he was laughing at Kairi's reaction, before Cal started chuckling.

"You two are idiots!" Kairi retorted as Cal and BD-1 laughed at her, before she stuck her tongue out and pulled her left eyelid down with her index finger.

As Cal and BD-1 continue laughing at the seething dark haired Jedi Padawan, the ginger haired Jedi saw something walking towards Kairi from behind while the black haired Jedi was unaware of the enemy getting closer.

"Kairi!" Cal shouted, before he immediately leaped into action by catching Kairi as they rolled over a few times when nearly kicked the 16 year old's back.

"What was that?!" Kairi asked, after Cal got off of her as they stood up.

"I've never seen that before." Cal answered as he and Kairi pulled out their lightsabers before switching them on.

"At least there is something we agree on." Kairi responded, before running towards the enemy who was twice as tall. Slashing the taller enemy with her lightsaber, Kairi was thrown off by a stomp attack causing her to be launched back near Cal's feet.

"Oww… your turn… It's coming towards you!" Kairi managed to say, as she tried to get up before seeing the taller enemy heading towards Cal's direction.

BD-1 alarmed Cal with a loud trill as Kairi managed to jump back and Cal rolled away from the taller enemy.

"Kairi, can you use that connection ability on him?" Cal asked, as he slowly backed away from it.

"Two things. I don't know how to use it. And I think it works on certain creatures." Kairi explained, before she finally stood up and used the Force to slow down the taller enemy's stomp attack.

Cal and Kairi were taking turns on taking down the taller enemy by avoiding each one of its stomps, kicks, punches and its laser which caught them by surprise until it fell onto its knees and onto the ground.

"That was hard work." Kairi stated as BD-1 started scanning the dead taller enemy, before he announced the name of it.

"A tomb guardian? We have to be more careful and we have to find a way to stop him from attacking us first. " Cal explained, before the two put away their lightsabers after switching them off.

Finding another way to make it off to the closed room on the other side, Cal was leading the way as usual while Kairi was tailing behind him, before he started asking the younger Jedi Padawan a question.

"Hey, Kairi. You're not hiding anything from me, aren't you?" Cal asked.

"Of course, Kestis. I'm not. And besides, if I had a secret, I would have told you. You know everything about me like an open book." Kairi responded as she had her arms behind her head, while smiling at the ginger haired Jedi Padawan.

"Uh-huh. One more thing. How did you reconnect with the Force that quickly? You've only meditated twice so far." Cal asked as he turned around to face her.

"Hmm… I'm a fast learner, Cal. Like here… I'll show you." Kairi responded, before sitting down on the floor with her legs criss crossed. "The way I was trained was different. Master Sotah wants me to focus on the good thoughts of the Force. Block out all negatives. And somehow… I was taken to my mediation training grounds." She explained as Cal got down on his knees in front of Kairi, before BD-1 climbed off and stood next to the two Jedi Padawans.

"How do you do that?" Cal asked.

"I'm guessing Master Tapal never taught you that. But let's make a deal… if I take you to the meditation training grounds and if you reconnect with the Force, I want you to train me to be a stronger Jedi and I'll tell you a secret about me." Kairi suggested as she had her hands on her legs.

"I thought you didn't hide secrets." Cal stated.

"Still… I don't know much about myself. But you have trust me. Just like you did… 5 years ago when we nearly died." Kairi responded as she was looking away from Cal.

BD-1 beeped in a comforting tone as he nuzzled his head on Kairi's left hand.

"You're so sweet, BD." Kairi responded as a small smile appeared on her face, before looking up at Cal. "Okay. Are you ready?" She asked.

Cal nodded before Kairi gently took his hands into her smaller ones.

'Her hands are so small. And they're soft. Last time I held her hand was when the Purge happened. She's always so gentle and sweet in her own way.' Cal thought to himself as he and Kairi had their eyes closed.

"Focus on the positive stuff. Not the negative thoughts. As a Jedi must confront your fears, feelings, to grow the courage that is building inside of you. You must rise up and be one with the Force." Kairi whispered as Cal heard them before they could feel the Force around them… until they started flowing up when their feet were not touching the ground along with the rocks and pottery around them.

Cal only opened one of his eyes as he was in shock to see that he was floating up in the air while holding Kairi's hands.

"Focus, Cal Kestis. You must remember to focus."

A strange voice with an accent was heard from Kairi's mouth as Cal turned to look at the dark haired Jedi Padawan.

Kairi's purple forehead symbol glowed as a greenish aura glowed around her, before it dissappeared until her eyes snapped open to show that her silver eyes were glowing green.

"Remain focus, Jedi. I can sense an ability that you will unlock from your past training. And it begins now." The voice responded.

As Kairi removed one of her hands from Cal's grip, she placed her hand on Cal's chest before his emerald green eyes were rolled back and the training meditation was broken off once Cal's other hand slipped out of the smaller right hand.

Kairi landed on her feet as she shaken off the feeling of being controlled by Iris, before looking back at Cal who had his eyes closed and was breathing normally while he was meditating.

"It's working… You're doing great, Cal." Kairi whispered.

As she waited, Kairi had the urge to touch Cal's face knowing that it was an unusual feeling that she wanted to try and do when he wasn't looking.

"Maybe just one time. He touches my face when I sometimes cry or feels my forehead if I'm sick…" Kairi thought to herself as she quietly snapping her fingers, before she slowly lifted them up.

Moving closer to Cal's face, before she slowly gently rested her hands on his cheeks while looking down at his closed eyes.

"Hes… He's so beautiful. Like his face is sculptured like a God himself. The fiery red hair… so amazing…" Kairi thought herself as BD-1 climbed onto her back.

BD-1 beeped as he was wondering what Kairi was doing with Cal while he watched.

Kairi's heart began to beat fast, before putting one hand on her chest to where her own heart is, as she started breathing quietly in and out her mouth while she hid it by covering her mouth.

"Please forgive me for this, Cal." Kairi thought to herself before staring at his forehead.

Kairi decided to do something unexpected as Cal was still meditating.

She slowly lowered her head and gently placed a kiss on his forehead.

Once her soft lips touched his forehead, Kairi felt the whole world around her going silent as her eyes remained close until a tear ran down her face.

"Cal… I… I don't know what this feeling is… but… I think it's love." Kairi thought to herself, before resting her forehead against his own once she kissed him.

When she opened her eyes, Cal's green eyes were staring back at her.

Her cheeks started turning red as she removed her hands from Cal's face, before scrambling away from him while screaming.

"Cal! I didn't know you were done meditating and I thought it was going to take a long time. So I decided to rest my head against yours to make sure that you were staying calm and not being scared by the darkness or the past or anything. Nothing was going on while you were meditating or such! Me and BD-1 were talking while you were doing that, that's all!" Kairi rambled on as she was looking away from Cal while hiding her blushing face, before looking at him who was gently touching his forehead.

"If you say so, Kairi." Cal responded calmly.

"Okay! So, what did you learn?" Kairi responded as she had her hands on her hips as she brushed it off.

Cal walked away from Kairi as she turned confused before following him, before they stood in front of a door which was blocking them from the other side.

"What stands in the way becomes the way." Cal instructed, before surprising Kairi when he lifted up his left hand in a quick pushing manner which caused the wall to break. "I did it." He responded as he was shocked to see that reconnected with his training once again, thanks to the help of Kairi's meditation.

"Woo-hoo! Score one for Kestis!" Kairi cheered as she smiled at him.

As the two walked into the room, they saw more Zeffo statues and even a large tomb where it was underneath them before seeing BD-1 jumping off of Kairi's back and quickly ran towards a wall.

Scanning the wall scriptures, Cal and Kairi saw Eno Cordova appear when BD-1 finished the scan.

"My friend, take a look at the details on this bark. The distinctive striations. It can only be a wroshyr tree from Kashyyyk. It's time to call out on an old friend. If the Zeffo had contacted Kashyyyk… There is a good chance Chieftain Tarttful will know about it." Eno Cordova explained before the hologram recording of him ended.

"Kashyyyk, huh? Have you ever been to Kashyyyk before, Kai?" Cal asked, as he waited on Kairi's answer. But he turned to his right to see that the 16 year old wasn't next to him once again. "Kairi?" He called out once more, before seeing a Tomb Guardian who had grabbed her by the back collar of her long sleeve shirt.

"Cal? I wasn't doing anything! I was just studying him, until he saw me!" Kairi explained before the Tomb Guardian threw her across the room after booting her bottom to get away from him. "Yep! Definite bruise!" He cried while rubbing her behind while her chin was still on the floor.

Far away from Zeffo on another planet, an older man who was meditating quietly while he wore a black cloak, before Iris appeared in front of him.

"I have returned." Iris responded.

He slowly open his left blue to see that the Force Ghost has came back to him after a while now.

Sighing quietly before rubbing the bridge of his nose, as he stood up from his meditating circle and decided to make himself a cup of tea which was left on a small table.

"How is her progress?" He asked.

"Slowly learning. How long do we have until the Empire finds her and Cal?" Iris asked.

"She must learn quickly, Iris. Even though I can't get to her or him. It's best not to know. Plus, I sense something off. It's a feeling that is forbidden." The man responded after he finished pouring his tea.

"I'm sure it's nothing. I'll keep an eye on her. We must not let her know about her true origins yet. Or why he wants her alive." Iris explained.

"I just wish I was there on that horrid day to help you. Even though I can't go back to my body. Her body will have to do… if she sacrifices everything. All she knows is that I am dead and haunting her to make her find the truth." Iris explained.

"Iris… The Force will lead her down the right path and into the truth. That's what makes her very special. Do not give up on her. She may be the future's hope while her and her team find the holocron. Once the mission is done, I will show myself." He responded

"Okay. Be careful out there. The Empire is still searching for more Jedi." Iris stated before she started turning away.

"I will. Iris… May the Force be with you." He responded, as Iris stopped walking and heard those words.

Nodding gently, Iris disappeared as she headed back to Kairi's location.

After going up through the lift, Cal and Kairi had their next objective to follow the steps to unlocking the vault. When informing Cere about the next step, the two decide to head back and start finding their next clue on Kashyyyk.

Feeling shivers running down her spine, Kairi saw Iris appearing next to the 16 year old.

"Iris, where have you been?" Kairi thought to herself as she was speaking to her without Cal noticing.

"Just taking a small break. That's all." Iris replied.

"Well, don't do that again. I got my butt kicked by a Tomb Guardian." Kairi responded, as Iris saw a faint dirt patch of a Tomb Guardian's metal foot on the back of her white skirt.

"Well, that's no good." Cal stated after he saw multiple Stormtroopers who had taken over the Windswept Ruins after killing leftover Phillaks that Cal ignored earlier. "How are we gonna get past them now? If we take them head on, one of us will be killed." He asked, as he and Kairi stayed behind cover to keep themselves hidden.

Kairi was counting how many Stormtroopers were in the area, before Iris appeared while the 16 year old's forehead symbol glowed when she saw two Phillaks who were hidden away from the enemies.

"How about some extra muscle?" Kairi suggested, before motioning the two Phillaks to come towards them quickly.

"What are you talking about?" Cal asked quietly, before hearing hoofs lightly touching the concrete until he saw the Phillaks next to Kairi. "What are you doing?" He asked, as Kairi got onto one of them.

With her forehead symbol glowed and her hands on the neck of the Phillak, Kairi's eyes were closed as she reminded focus before snapping her eyes back open.

"Let's go." Kairi whispered, before the Phillak jumped over the concrete as she pulled out her lightsaber.

"What?!" One of the Stormtroopers started to say in confusion, before Kairi swung her lightsaber at his chest and took out another one after when the Phillak she rode one jumped down and headed to another one.

"It's her! Where's the other one?" The Stormtrooper with the rocket launcher announced after shooting the rocket, but he ended up missing. Turning towards his right, Cal was barely hanging onto the Phillak that was left with him as he was trying to kick the ginger haired Jedi off of him. "Got him!" He shouted, before an arrow from Kairi met his chest.

"Hang on!" Cal announced loudly, after gripping onto the Phillak's neck as BD-1 trilled in shock while holding onto Cal's back.

"Well… what took you so long?" Kairi asked, after coming back with her Phillak.

"This one doesn't like me." Cal responded as Kairi can tell that has quietly breathing in and out through his mouth, knowing he was tired.

"It takes time. I took them out for once instead of being the helpless Jedi calling out for help." Kairi explained, while putting away her bow and arrows. "Whoa, easy there…" She responded while petting it's horns.

BD-1 jumped onto the Phillak's horns as he was getting a better view from being attached to Cal's back, before beeping a question for Kairi about riding on the Phillak's head.

"I'm sure you will be okay. But I think you should stay on Cal's back or mine's just to be safe." Kairi answered.

BD-1 beeped lowly, before Cal chuckled lightly once the bi pedal droid was attached to his back.

"It's better to be safe, BD-1. We don't want to lose you on the way back." Cal explained, before he petted his head.

BD-1 beeped happily before resting his head on Cal's shoulder.

"We should be heading back… And hey." Cal responded, before he lightly kicked the side of the Phillak's stomach as he started moving, until the ginger haired Jedi Padawan stopped his Phillak. "You did great out there. Keep that up and you won't need me by your side." He stated as he complimented Kairi.

Her cheeks started to turn red as she gently smiled at Cal.

"Thanks." Kairi responded quietly, before following Cal and his Phillak back to the Mantis...