"Hey! Hey kid!"
Cal's eyes slowly opened as the familiar voice drew him back into consciousness. For a moment all he saw was white, but after a few seconds of blinking the whiteness gave way to Greez's face. When his battered brain finally shook the last bit of white from his perception Cal remembered just why he was in so much pain and why he was lying down. He remembered the assault on the Fortress Inquisitorius, his battle with Trilla, his encounter with that black armored monster, and Cere…
"Cere." Cal said.
"She's alright. She's alright." Greez said as a hopeful smile spread across his grizzled face.
"Boooooop! Boooooop!" BD-1 chirped as he hopped off Greez's shoulder and onto the cot.
"You too." Cal said patting the trusty little droid on the head.
"Cal." Greez said putting his hand on Cal's shoulder. "You did it."
"We did it?" Cal asked, a smile to match Greez as he sat up and winced. "We did it."
"Oh, be careful." Greez said as Cal winced again.
"Where are they?" Cal asked.
"Well, they're out there." Greez said almost being knocked aside as Cal rushed past him. "Whoa! Hold on, wait a minute!"
His protest fell on death ears as Cal limped his way into the common room and down the steps. Cere sat before the lounge table staring at the holocron and Merrin...rushed him and to his surprise wrapped him in a hug. Cal didn't know what he should react to first, the hug or the pain caused by it. When she let him go and stepped back Merrin avoided eye contact and awkwardly said:
"Sorry." The nightsister said apparently not able to decide between looking into his eyes or away from them.
"That was you in the water, wasn't it?" Cal asked.
Merrin nodded.
"I'm glad you're okay." Merrin said holding eye contact for a long moment before awkwardly gesturing to Greez. "This one wouldn't leave your side from the moment I hauled the three of you aboard."
"Well, how could I, uh, let my favorite botanist alone after all that?" Greez said slapping Cal in the arm.
"Thanks Merrin." Cal said laughing a little before he processed the word "three". "Trilla."
Cal looked around the space for a moment and locked eyes with Trilla, dressed in a mix of her inquisitor uniform and bandages, over the Holo table. They looked at each other for a long moment before Cal's gaze flicked to the stump of her left arm, where the Armored Force user had sliced it clean off above the elbow as Cal pulled Trilla away from being impaled, and back to her face. There was a lot to be said between them, both resented the other in many ways, but there was a sense of cautious respect and gratitude mixed in with that resentment.
"Kestis." Trilla said offering him a polite nod before looking back down at some navigation data.
"Trilla." Cal said as he turned to look at Cere.
"Hey." Cal said as he took a step forward.
"Hey." Cere said as Cal took a seat at the couch.
They looked at each other for a long moment. After all they'd been through together and all that had been said neither really needed anymore. What had almost driven them apart was in the past now and the both of them seemed to understand that together they had done and will do great things. Not a word passed between them for a solid few seconds before Greez cleared his throat.
"So, now what?" Greez asked.
"Well Captain." Cere said looking the Latero in the eyes. "This is the end of my charter, you've fulfilled your contract and surpassed all of my expectations and hopes. Thank you Greez."
"Well, if it's all the same to you." Greez said taking a seat on the couch. "I was thinking that maybe...I could stick around here and take you where ever you need to go. Besides uh..."
Greez leaned in and fake whispered:
"The kid kind of looks up to me."
"What about that?" Merrin said as she pointed to the holocron.
"We need to use it." Cere said looking at the green cube. "With it we can rebuild the Jedi Order."
"Dozens of Force sensitive children." Cal said as he reached forward and activated the Holocron watching it open into a star map.
"The next generation of the Jedi Order." Merrin said as she took in the star map.
"The Empire will be after them." Greez said. "Just like they're after us."
"The Empire will find them." Trilla said her tired eyes an earrie blue as the light of the holocron reflected in them. "If you...if we gather these children then we must be prepared to fight off armies."
"The lives of every child on that list will be forever changed." Cere said, equal parts awe and apprehension in her voice.
Cal stared at the map for a long moment. They were right, for better or worse the children on this list would never know their old lives if they collected them. When their journey started Cal had thought this list would be the spark of hope that could one day burn down the Empire. By restoring the order he thought the tide could be turned against the darkness gripping the galaxy, but was that chance worth risking the lives of so many young ones? Was it fair to subject them to what he went through?
"Not by us." Cal said drawing his light saber. "Their destiny is in the Force 's hands now."
With a flick of his thumb his light saber activated and a solid blade of yellow light slashed into the holocron destroying the map and snuffing out a spark of what could have been. They stared at the space where the holocron had floated for a long moment. All of them recognized the gravity of what Cal had just done, but none of them had a good counter to it. Not even Cere could fault him for it.
"So, where to now?" Cal asked his crew mates.
One week later….
"Cal."
Cal opened his eyes and his mind slipped from the calm sea of the Force around him and back into the physical world. Cere was standing at the end opening to the small workshop with her arms crossed and a smile on her lips. This had been there usual training spot since coming back to Bogano and trying to retake and fortify Cordova's old work spaces. Trilla had assured them all that she'd wiped the Inquisition's logs of the planet to prevent the other inquisitors from stealing any of the artifacts there before she could claim them for herself.
"I see the new meditation technique is doing you some good." Cere said as she walked closer.
"It is." Cal said, wincing slightly as he stood. His wounds still ached and it was only thanks to the bacta injections and the stims from BD-1 that Cal could walk around as much as he had been. "It's really helped wile away the time while my wounds heal. Plus I feel a deeper connection to the Force than I've had in a long time."
"That's the goal." Cere said eyeing the Zeffo orb humming above them. "It was one of the last things Cordova taught me before I left him. Said it was a technique forgotten by the council and only practiced by an off shoot of Force users on an ice world no one's ever heard of. Also raved about their soups if I recall."
"Hm, I could go for a bowl of soup." Cal said as his stomach growled at the prospect of lunch. "Any luck in figuring out if we're truly secure here?"
"We're safe as far as I can tell." Cere said looking away from the orb and back to Cal. "Imperial chatter is still on the rise after our breach into the Fortress Inquisitorius, but Trilla seems to be telling the truth because I'm not picking up any mentions of Bogano."
"That's good." Cal said eyeing his friend. "How are you and Trilla doing?"
"As well as can be expected." Cere sighed and looked out into the entry way of the work shop. "She's the Trilla I once trained, deep down I can sense both her and the light she still carries, but there is so much pain and turmoil within her Cal. Even if we have pulled her back into the light, her scars run deep and I have no idea how to help her with them."
"We can start by being there for her." Cal said putting a hand on her shoulder. "Be there for her like you were for me. What ever the empire turned her into is irrelevant now, just like me she was stripped of everything she was, but now she doesn't have to be. It'll take time, but we've got her with us now and maybe that'll be enough to help her heal."
"We can hope." Cere said before shaking her head. "All we can do is trust in her and the Force."
"Boooop!"
They looked up to see BD-1 come flying down a zipline to land at their feet.
"Hey BD, where have you been?" Cal asked the bouncy little droid.
"Booop! Beedepp!" BD-1 answered.
"How many times I've told you to leave the terrarium alone?" Cal asked before raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean Greez said you could?"
"Beep! Boooop!" BD-1 protested.
"He's been on the comms station all morning?" Cal asked looking to Cere.
"Apparently he's reaching out to some old friends, thankfully ones he doesn't owe any money to." Cere said smiling down at the droid before turning back to Cal. "Lunch should be ready soon, why don't you collect Merrin and I'll go see what's got Greez so distracted."
"Can do." Cal said reaching down to allow BD-1 to hop up his arm and onto his shoulders.
Merrin sat on a rock overlooking a chunk of the Boganoan landscape that intrigued her. It was an isolated plateau in the distance with dozens of small ponds and what looked like muddy quagmires coating almost every inch of space. That in of itself wasn't what intrigued her even though it was certainly alien compared to her native Dathomir. No, what intrigued her was the strange shimmer passing over the ponds and rocks and the strange feeling she felt in her chest as she watched the plateau's inhabitants, two warring types of amphibian barely tolerating each other, mill about in their ponds.
The shattered sphere in her hands glowed with a deep green light as she felt the strange energies of this planet flow around her. Like the energies on Dathomir, Bagano's native spirits and power "tasted" a certain way. Cautiously, Merrin reached out through the sphere and as she did on Dathomir attempted to draw the energies towards her. A strangely electric feeling flowed into her muscles and the orb in her hand glowed with a softer green light as she channeled the energies around.
"Sisters..." She whispered. "Feel this power, different from our home but alike in a way."
Merrin closed her eyes and allowed the powers around her to flow through the crystal and mix with the ichor in her blood. For a moment it hurt, every cell in her body stung as the divergent energies fought a battle cell to cell, but just as quickly as the pain came it went away. She raised the shattered orb and without opening her eyes she saw it shining with a swirling green energy, equal parts the strong dark emerald of Dathomir and the glittering hourbour green of Bogano.
"I carry you within my soul sisters." She whispered again bringing the shattered sphere almost to her lips. "Within my blood I carry Dathomir and all of her teachings, but Dathomir no longer contains us. Let our power grow as I have."
She pressed the crystal to her lips and drank deep from that swirling well. It flowed down her throat, equal parts boiling and ice cold, and when the energy hit her stomach it bloomed into a thrumming warmth that spread across her body. As the energies bloomed across every cell Merrin felt the tug of a thousand new ideas, unknowingly waking echoes of forgotten rituals of the other tribes of Dathomir calling to her from oblivion. A name appeared in Merrin's memory, be it a half forgotten memory or the work of the magick she didn't know. What she did know was that the name was connected to her very blood as it was connected to all the witches of Dathomir.
"Hm." Merrin said as she opened her eyes to watch the energies dispersed off her body like steam. "Allya..."
Merrin was so lost in thought that she almost didn't detect Cal sneaking up on her from behind. Almost.
"Hello Cal." She said calmly as she stowed away the crystal. "Time for lunch already?"
"One day you'll have to tell me how you always manage to know where I am." Cal said standing up from his crouch and walked up to her.
"Not likely." Merrin said allowing herself a smile as BD-1 hopped down at her feet.
"Beep! Booop!" The BD droid chirped at her.
"I still don't know what you're saying." Merrin said raising an eyebrow at the droid. "But, I will assume that was a greeting?"
"Boop! Beeep!" BD-1 chirped as he nodded vigorously.
"Well then, good afternoon." Merrin said before turning to look at Cal. "How are your injuries?"
"Still hurt but I'm not bleeding through bacta patches left and right." Cal said rubbing his side. "Plus I can jump more than an inch off the ground without puking, so that's an improvement."
"It is good to hear that." Merrin said catching her gaze as it slid up and down Cal's form. "If you would like, I think I might be able to help with that."
"Um, sure." Cal said taking a seat on the rock next to her. "Your Magick can heal?"
"The Magick can do many things." Merrin said as placed the shattered sphere between them. "I'm beginning to think that my sisters path was not the only way to correctly use the Magicks."
Merrin muttered a small incantation, simple words that bound together into an incantation she'd never tried before. The swirling energies of Bogano flowed around them and into her mixing with the lingering essence of Dathomir in her blood to dance on her words like emerald fire. She reached forward and placed one hand Cal's side and the other on his cheek. They looked into each other's eyes as her words commanded the energy to go to work within his body. Binding torn flesh by invigorating cells with new strength and soothing agitated nerves as their breathing synced.
There was a special energy within Cal, it was like standing near a comforting fire during a wind storm. A persistent presence burning against the swirling energies around them as her energies slipped into his wounds. She looked into his eyes, they were filled with a cautious hope and a curiosity that sparked something in her. Merrin was reminded why she followed him off Dathomir in the first place after defeating the dark Jedi who had deceived her. Here was a man who had handed her his only weapon and trusted her to understand his purpose and intentions. Because they were the same in many ways, survivors of the worst of the galaxy.
As the wounds knitted themselves back together their energies flowed together. A connection deeper than the physical formed and for a moment Merrin could feel Cal sitting across from her more than she could see him. Static flowed over her skin raising goosebumps across every inch of her body as she unconsciously leaned into Cal. She could feel every thing about him through their connection from the slight blush on his cheeks to the slowly quickening pace of his breathing. The final words of the incantation died on her lips as the energies completed their work, but she did not pull back as they stared into each other's eyes instead she slid her hand down to his neck and…
"Hate to interrupt." some one said a few yards away.
Both Merrin and Cal jumped as if lightning had struck them. Cal practically flipped backward and Merrin had to fight the urge to teleport a mile away. Instead she looked to see Trilla standing beneath the zip line connection to the rock segment they all stood on. The former inquisitor looked at the duo with what could have been called wicked amusement as her gaze moved from a flustered Cal to a stiff Merrin.
"As I said, I hate to interrupt you two, but lunch is ready." Trilla said raising an eyebrow as she looked Cal up and down. "And the Latero has some news."
"What kind of news?" Cal asked.
"News is all I was told." Trilla said turning around to head back to the ship. "Whether it's good or bad is a matter of perspective."
After she left, Merrin and Cal stood alone both thinking about what had just happened between them. BD-1 looked between the two and made soft whirring noises at them both waiting for one to move or look at the other. Merrin looked at Cal and the moment their eyes met she looked away and awkwardly gestured towards the ship.
"Ahem." Merrin cleared her throat and awkwardly nodded towards the Mantis. "I will see you on the Mantis."
"Uh yeah." Cal said as he ran his hand down his injured side. "Thanks for the help. I'm feeling...better."
"Of course." Merrin said not looking him the eye.
In a blast of green and black flame Merrin teleported away leaving Cal alone with BD-1.
"Beep?" BD-1 asked.
"I...I've got no idea buddy." Cal said as he tried to shake some of the redness out of his cheeks.
By the time Cal made it back to the Mantis all of her passengers were gathered around the holo table. No one looked particularly happy as he approached especially not Cere who stared at the display grimly. It depicted a gas giant with eight mid sized moons in orbit around it and despite it looking innocuous enough Cal got the feeling that Cere wasn't considering it as a vacation spot.
"What's going on?" Cal asked as he stepped into the room.
"Five minutes ago Greez was contacted by an old associate." Cere explained looking up from the display. "They opened the communication by detailing our exact location and the specifications of the Mantis."
"How do they know that?" Cal asked. "And why haven't we left yet?"
"So far they haven't threatened to reveal our location." Trilla said looking at the Holo table as the display zoomed in on a forested moon. "All they've done is make it aware that they know we're here and made a request."
"What request?" Cal asked.
"Their employer wishes to meet with Cal Kestis as soon as possible." Cere answered. "The good news is that we think I know who we're dealing with..."
"Bad news is we think we know who we're dealing with." Greez said shaking his head.
"What do you mean?" Cal asked.
"We've been sent coordinates for a small asteroid closely orbiting the gas giant Hellara near the borders of wild space." Cere explained as she adjusted the view past the forest moon to an asteroid hidden behind it. "The Hellaran system is technically under Empire control but the noble families of each planet cut a deal with the Empire that as long as they supply liquid tyranite from the gas giant they can get away with limited self rule."
"From what I recall of the Inquisitorial records the Hellaran syndicate, as the nobility of the planets style themselves, is so self involved that they hardly noticed the Empire's rise until they had storm troopers knocking on their door." Trilla said as she examined the asteroid. "If I'm not mistaken it was the Blackfires of Karro that united them and negotiated their terms with the Empire. The very same Blackfires who own that asteroid if I'm not mistaken."
"You're right." Greez said shaking his head as if agreeing with Trilla disturbed him. "That asteroid is Kathis station, named after a Blackfire son who died in a fire a few years back. It was supposed to be a stop off for the gas and metal miners coming home from the harvesters on the gas giant, but after some unsavory types took residence it's more a lawless hive for mercenaries these days."
"Been there recently?" Cal asked.
"I've been there on occasion yeah." Greez said shaking his head. "Used to have some great gambling parlors and you would not believe the spread on the buffets. Now the only good spread it offers is the selection of spice and bounty hunters."
"Despite what the Blackfires would like people to think they're very much aware of what goes on on Kathis Station." Cere said. "They've been funneling millions of credits in illegal goods long before the Empire rose and are rumored to be the shadow backers of the local Mercenary guild."
"So it's the Blackfires requesting I meet them?" Cal asked.
"We think so." Cere said as she stared at the asteroid. "I've heard their claws were deep, but the fact that they know your name and our exact location doesn't sit right with me."
"Well, look on the bright side." Greez said with a dark chuckle. "If they wanted us dead we'd already be dead. The Blackfires don't tolerate so much as a ten credit gambling debt let alone an enemy of the Empire within their cross hairs."
"Okay, so we have a very powerful and very deadly family requesting to meet with me specifically." Cal considered the situation as he spoke and shook his head. "Any idea why?"
"No, all the message says is that if you don't show up for the meeting they'll broadcast our location to the proper authorities and keep doing so until we're either captured or meet with them." Cere explained with an exasperated sigh. "I'd have liked a few more weeks to give us time to lick our wounds, but it looks like our hand's being forced. What do you want to do Cal?"
Cal considered their options. Even after Merrin's...healing he was still sore and was in no condition to flee across the galaxy. If these Blackfires had a beat on the Mantis somehow then they could run themselves ragged trying to give them the slip and still be found out. He looked at the people standing around the holo table. They were his crew, his family, and Cal didn't know if he could submit them to months of playing cat and mouse across the galaxy.
"Greez." Cal asked. "Can you get us to this asteroid safely?"
"As long as Cere is scrambling our signature I can coast right into the docks." Greez said proudly. "The Hellaran system is one the edges of wild space, so we can avoid Imperial blockades and patrols all the way there."
"Alright, We go to Kathis Station and see what these Blackfires want with me." Cal said looking around the room. "Is everyone okay with that?"
"Like I said, I'm with you guys all the way." Greez said patting his chest.
"I'd follow you anywhere Cal." Cere said nodding.
Trilla just nodded and adjusted the bandage on her stump.
"I will come to." Merrin said only meeting Cal's gaze for a moment. "You might need my assistance."
"Alright." Cal said nodding to Greez. "Let's head out."
Two days later...
A rumble passed the through the Mantis as docking clamps secured the ship to the docking pad and Cal got up from his chair on the bridge. They'd made decent time from Bogano dipping in and out of wild space to avoid Imperial patrols, but had to spend most of a day sneaking through the Imperial presence at the edges of the system. Once they had passed a thick asteroid belt mid way through the system though the Imperial presence turned into the local system's security forces which paid no mind to the Mantis as it glided towards Kathis station.
"Stinger Mantis, this is Kathis station control you're clearance has been accepted and you are cleared to enter the station." A grizzled voice said over the ship's comms. "Welcome and enjoy your stay."
"Enjoy our stay he says." Greez muttered as he watched several dinghy looking storm troopers milling around the docks. "Easy for him to say, the Empire's not trying to kill him."
"Calm down Greez." Cere said as she watched the four or so storm troopers group together and enter a security booth. "Those obviously aren't regulars, probably the worst troops get sent here to wile away the hours as a token force here on the station. The real power's concentrated on the rim of the system or planet side."
"Token force or not we need to be careful." Cal said pulling the hood of his poncho up. "I don't think more than two or three should go to this meeting."
"Agreed." Cere said looking past Cal to Merrin and Trilla. "I'll stay here and monitor chatter as well as try to access the station's systems."
"I'll go with Cal." Merrin said stepping forward. "There is a feel to this place, it's not safe to walk alone here."
"I agree." Trilla said stepping forward as she pulled a thick black poncho over her shoulders. "I'll be going too. If you do run into any Imperial trouble I can help you prevent it from escalating."
"Are you sure Trilla?" Cere asked her former apprentice. "Your arm isn't quite healed and...'
"I'm fine Cere." Trilla said cutting her former master off. "I need to do something of use before I go insane, and this is just the opportunity."
They stared at each other for a long moment. Cere's face shadowed with worry and guilt. Trilla's defined by regret and need. The others could feel the tension in the air as that long moment passed until Cere sighed and pulled a small blaster out from a nook on her console before tossing it to Trilla.
"Take this and be safe." Cere looked at the trio and shook her head. "All of you."
"We will." Cal said patting her on the shoulder as they made for the bulkhead.
The first thing Trill noticed as they stepped off the gang plank and onto Kathis Station was the smell. During her years hunting down Jedi and other force users Trilla had seen her fill of stations like this one, places where the criminal element of Imperial society had learned to congregate out of the sight of the "proper" authorities. Usually, stations like this one had the same smell, a mix of unwashed bodies, waste, and spice residue, but as she breathed in the recycled air of Trilla didn't smell sweat nor spice. Instead, the only scents Trilla could smell on the air was caf and industrial cleaner.
"This is not the hive of villainy it was made out to be." Trill said as Cal and Merrin joined her.
"I agree." Merrin said flipping a hood over her head. "This place feels...controlled."
"Looks dirty enough to me." Cal said making note of the layer of grime on nearly everything in the docks. "But you're right, I've got a bad feeling about this."
Trilla was about to reply when a hooded figure appeared in the gap between two support pillars. Two white pupils swimming in pitch black eyes regarded the trio from the shadows. On instinct Trilla's hand went to her hip and sighed when her fingers found a holstered blaster instead of her light saber. The woman cocked her head, allowing her hood to fall revealing an unnervingly pretty dark grey face and white hair. She placed her hands together as if gripping a phantom saber and took a few mock swings through the air.
"Beep! Booooop!" BD-1 chirped in Trilla's ear as he hopped onto her shoulder.
"Yes." Trilla answered as her shoulders tensed and looked at the droid. "I do suppose that's who we're looking for."
The grey woman stopped her faux sword fight and gestured for the trio to follow as she stepped backward into the shadow and disappeared. Trilla's fingers twitched and she felt the urge to pull the woman back from the shadow with the Force. A hunting instinct singed into her brain bubbled to the surface and her lips curled back into a snarl for a moment before she caught her self. She shut her eyes and took in a deep breath through her nose pushing back against the flashes of red and black pulsing there in the darkness of her mind.
When she opened her eyes Cal and Merrin stood in front of her looking at her. Cal looked concerned and perhaps a little afraid while Merrin just examined her with her usual cool bemusement. Trilla looked to BD-1 and sighed as the little droid beeped at her curiously. She looked back to her two companions and for a moment considered smashing the BD droid into Cal's face before she shook her head.
"Are you alright?" Cal asked stepping over to transfer BD-1 off her.
"I'm fine." Trilla said as the droid hopped off her shoulder. "Our shady friend over there seems to be beckoning for us to follow, so I'd advise doing just that before we're questioned as to why we're standing here like some slack jawed moisture farmers."
"Alright." Cal said eyeing her for a moment. "Let's head out then."
They made there way over to where the woman had been and found that the shadows obscured a maintenance door half plastered over with Imperial propaganda posters. Cal reached forward and pressed his hand against the grimy metal and with a quiet hiss the door sunk away from his touch before sliding into the wall. A blast of chilly air flowed over them and kicked up a small cloud of dust that forced the trio to shield their eyes. When the dust settled, Trilla saw the grey woman was standing just back from the door.
As her full form came into view Trilla noted that she stood at least a foot taller than Cal and her entire body seemed to be built to carry unnerving grace. Beneath her cloak, Trilla saw that the woman's thin elongated body was wrapped in what looked like a single black garment folded over and over until it snugly hugged her form. Lithe muscles flexed beneath scarred grey skin as the woman regarded them with the bored curiosity of a feline. Her long fingers were at her side spread wide, but each hand was barely an inch from a dark blue blade on each hip. Something in Trilla's gut told her that those blades weren't just for show.
"Cal Kestis." The woman said in a voice that was somehow equal parts warm and chilly as she considered them. "And friends."
"Yes, I'm Cal Kestis." Cal said as he looked the woman up and down.
"Good, we've been expecting you." The grey woman said patting Cal on the head and pivoting on one foot before starting down a maintenance hall. "My name is Acela Eaton, and I'm so happy you made it here without trouble."
"Thank you." Cal said eyeing the grey woman. "It's ,uh, a pleasure to meet you Acela."
"Good to see that the Empire hasn't robbed you of your manners." Acela said with a smile as she looked over the trio. "We'll be taking this old maintenance hall to the meeting, before we head off are any of you hungry? I can send a message ahead to have some food ready, our Veirhorn stew is to die for when it's fresh."
"Um." Cal said as he looked back to Trilla and Merrin who both shook their heads at him. "I think we're good, thank you."
"Oh pity, we just got a shipment of Veirhorns in from Northtier this morning and we have enough stew to kill a rancor." Acela said sighing dramatically before pivoting on one foot. "Thought I'm sure you'll change your mind once you smell some. Follow me please."
Cal watched the grey woman start walking before he looked at Merrin and then Trilla. Both shrugged and with a shared sigh the trio slipped into the maintenance tunnel. As soon as Trilla stepped through the door it slid shut silently leaving behind a near flush panel of polished steel. A sense of foreboding slipped down her spine as Trilla turned to follow her companions. Her thoughts wandered back to a dozen situations just like this one, only before now she was usually on the other side of the door, her trap sprung.
"So, lure Jedi into maintenance tunnels often?" Cal asked as the grey woman led them through the chilly tunnel.
"Only the living ones." The Grey woman said as they turned at an intersection. "I'll be honest with you Cal, my mother in law was not very keen on the Jedi before the purge. It wasn't often that Jedi found their way to this system even during the worst days of the independence wars. Though a few did make their way here on occasion on Republic business."
"What was the independence war?" Merrin asked. "Did that happen before your "Clone Wars" Cal?"
"No, I think the Clone Wars and the Independence wars are the same thing." Cal said eyeing the back of the grey woman's head. "Isn't that right?"
"Correct, though the Hellaran system remained mostly loyal to the Republic forces during the worst years of the war let's just say we tolerated the Republic rather than favored it." Acela said as they turned a corner into a wider hall lined with glowing power conduits. "But that is all in the past now, long live the Empire and all that."
"Ah." Cal said as his hand came down to rest on his light saber. "Changing the subject, you mentioned your mother in law, she wouldn't happen to be the person you're taking us to see would she?"
"Yes, Arch Duchess of Karro and mother to all the children of Karro." Acela said with faux reverence. "I'm married to her youngest daughter."
"It seems you're moving up in the galaxy, Cal." Trilla said a bitter chuckle on her lips. "A private audience with the leader of an entire planet, how honored you must feel."
"Yeah..." Cal said shaking his head. "I hope it's not too much to ask, but has your mother in law's opinion on the Jedi improved?"
"Not at all." Acela chuckled as they emerged into a spacious oxygen garden manned by several small ramshackle agriculture droids. "But you Cal Kestis are unlike any Jedi still alive, well, in Granny's eyes at least."
"Why is that?" Merrin asked.
"Unlike the Jedi, Cal here seems to actually be useful." The grey woman said as they passed through a low arch way and into a narrow hall leading towards a heavy blast door.
When they arrived at the door, Acela knocked on the door and waited for a reply. A series of clicks and bangs came from the door as the internal mechanisms switched on and with a clunk a small view port at the top of the door opened and an umber skinned human looked out at them. His brown eyes considered them for a long moment before he spoke in a voice so posh that it rivaled most Imperial officer's:
"What is the password?"
"Lobe, my rancid little pond lilly it's me." Acela said rolling her eyes. "Let us in, I have Granny's queries."
"Sorry Acela, but rules are rules." The man, Lobe presumably, said closing the opening.
Acela's back muscles twitched for a moment and Trilla eyed the woman's hands as her fingers ran up the dark blue blades on her hips. Trilla sensed something from the woman, not quite anger, but most definitely annoyance tempered by an ice cold control. For a long moment the grey woman stared at the door and her fingers lingered on the hilts of her blade for a solid ten seconds. With a sigh, Acela released her grasp and knocked on the door again. When the view hatch opened she spat:
"The womp rats are handled and the cubbard's clean."
"Now was that so hard?" Lobe's said satisfied as the door's lock released and slid into the wall.
"No it wasn't." Acela said as she plucked something from a pocket and slammed it into the man's throat sending him sprawling to the floor. "And neither was that."
Acela stepped over the coughing man, who had been downed by a small bean bag Trilla realized, and led the trio into a cozy bar built into the interior of a massive gas storage container. More humans sat around drinking or smoking as they murmured to each other. Each was dressed in a crisp red trimmed black uniform bearing the insignia of a red fist clutching a burning black ember. Almost everyone of them had a heavy side arm strapped to their thighs.
A red spray painted K1 droid stood behind the bar mixing a drink while several servers, all apparently the same species as Acela, milled about delivering drinks and food. Soft music played from somewhere in one of the shadowy corners of the make shift bar. As they walked through the bar a delicious smell filled their noses and Trilla spotted what had to be a massive pot of the fore mentioned Veirhorn stew simmering over a re purposed imperial field cooking stove.
"Nice place you've got here." Cal said never removing his grip on his saber.
"Thank you, it belongs to my wife to my wife and I." Acela said proudly. "Though we hardly ever get to visit with how busy we are."
"Busy?" Merrin asked as she ignored several of the uniformed people eyeing her.
"We're servants to a vast monolithic empire my sweet." Acela said leading them to a curtained off doorway at the back of the bar. "Even under the boot heel of the Empire there's is still work to be done."
Acela pulled the curtain aside and ushered the trip in. They stepped through and into a small office filled with beat up furniture and dozens of holo screens connected by a maze of cables. Sitting behind a huge desk that looked like it had survived direct blaster fire was an ancient looking human woman. She had the same umber skin as the door man in the bar, but hers was pulled tight to her skull and her eyes were sunken. Thin bone white hair was woven into a bun atop her head and giving her features an almost skeletal look to them.
To either side of the old woman stood two similar looking women, probably siblings by Trilla's estimate. The older sister was well put together, immaculate hair and an expertly tailored dress that hugged her form in all the right ways. In contrast, the younger looking sister wore a set of worker's clothing smudged and aged by chemicals, dirt, and time. Streams of smoke rolled off the younger sister's pipe adding to a haze that hung in the air.
"Cal Kestis and entourage, I presume." The old woman's voice was dripping with predatory amusement as she spoke. "What a pleasure it is to see that not all of the Jedi are gone. I'm sure the council rests in peace knowing that you're out continuing their legacy."
"I'm continuing the legacy of the Jedi, not the council." Cal said stepping forward.
"Oh? Well it seems you might have more potential than I initially thought." The old woman cackled. "Are you hungry? I'd be remiss if I called you all the way here and didn't offer you something to fill your belly."
"I think we're fine." Cal said. "Let's cut to the chase. Who are you, why are you tracking us, and why did you call us here?"
"Oh girls, such a forceful young man our new friend is." The old woman cooed as she leaned back in her chair. "I am Moira Blackfire, Arch Duchess of Karro, to my left is my eldest daughter Valla and to my right is my youngest daughter Verona. As to why we're tracking you young Cal, it should be quite obvious. You're an enemy to the Empire, one of, if not the, last remnant of the Jedi Order. Turning you over to Imperial forces would go a long way to solidifying our loyalty in the eyes of our new overlord on Coruscant, don't you think?"
"Then why not just turn us in?" Cal asked. "Why all the subterfuge?"
"Subterfuge is far more enriching in the long term than licking Imperial boots in the short term my boy." Moira said. "It's my personal belief that we can help each other Cal. I have in my possession something you very much need, and you have a particular set of skills that can provide a service I want you to provide."
"What service could one who owns a planet possibly need from us?" Merrin asked.
"A simple task that I suspect will require people of a certain skill set to see through." Moira said. "What we want from you my young friends is to find my grandson, Kathis Eaton, and bring him back to Karro, alive of course. In exchange you will receive this."
A holographic display of an imperial freighter lit up above the desk.
"Your very own Gozanti class freighter registered as a diplomatic vessel in all Imperial databases." Moira said as the ship slowly rotated between them. "Though considering you've already got quite the luxury ship resting in my dock the ship alone won't be enough to tempt you. Am I correct?"
"Yes, a second ship would be about as helpful as the latest gossip from Coruscant." Trilla said as she watched the ship rotate. "Though the diplomatic registration might be useful in getting us into a party or two."
"What she said?" Cal said gesturing to Trilla.
"Ah, such pragmatic children you are." Moira cooed as she pressed a button on the desk changing the holo display to show a cargo manifest. "The Blackfire family has a long history and several generations of Blackfires dedicated themselves to collecting antiques, relics, and tomes pertaining to all aspects of history. Throughout our long and storied history the family has collected quite a hoard of relics and tomes pertaining to the Jedi and others who sought to unravel the mysteries of what do you call it?"
"The Force." Cal said bluntly.
"Ah yes, the Force, what a quaint little name." Moira's lips pulled back into a smile showing off her too white teeth. "Regardless of the terminology, what's packed into almost every square inch of that ship is quite possibly the largest collection of Force user relics outside of Imperial control. Texts contemplating the nature of the Force, by Jedi and rogue force user alike, dating back centuries with some dating back millennia, relics of by gone ages when the Jedi were at the height of their power, and a selection of ancient knick knacks carved from kyber crystal. All of it is yours if you bring me my grandson."
Trilla blinked as she read the list over Cal's shoulder. If the information wasn't a lie then it indeed was the largest collection of Force relics in existence outside the Inquisition's vaults. She licked her lips without thinking and once again she reached for her light saber that wasn't there. An urge beaten into her by the inquisition tickled her brain with cold needles. A dark thought started to take shape in the back of her mind, how easy would it be to take that collection and turn it into the Empire? Surely her missteps could be forgiven if she…
No. She hissed into her mind.
She stepped back and took a deep breath. Slowly, the urge lessened and eventually slipped back into the darkness at the back of her mind. Yet even in retreat the darkness was still there, waiting in the void where a mental scar laid open angry and raw. Still whispering it's dark musings and waiting for her to once again step away from the light.
"Why would you offer these treasures?" Merrin asked breaking Trilla's trance. "Such artifacts would certainly fetch you good will from your "overlord", would they not?"
"They would, yes." Moira said cackling. "But the Empire's power is ultimately fleeting in the scale of history my girl. They seek to destroy history, wipe the Jedi and other Force users away as if they never existed. Though I was never fond of the Jedi, I cannot stand idly by while something so...potent is simply erased as if it never existed. Besides, I need a job done that only a Jedi can do, so why not protect history and bring my grandson home at the same time?"
"Okay, say we decide we believe and you do have a collection of Jedi artifacts." Cal said his voice still a bit distant. "Why can this job only be done by a Jedi?"
'Oh my dear Cal, the answer to that is quite simple." Moira cackled as she sneered at Cal. "My Grandson is hunting after a Jedi, so who better than to send a Jedi after him?"