Author's note: This story is a work three years in the making. The original was written by at least fifteen authors, and this, the "Special Edition" if you will, was done by Jedi15 and myself. It's also the starting point for our trilogy, which also includes Maternal Instincts and Shadowlight. We hope you enjoy it!
Forever Home
A Luke and Callista Story
Edited by Jedi15 and Ambassador Cara Jade
Part 1
The Force existed in all things; at least, that was what the Masters of the Jedi taughttheir students. They never thought to consider the possibility that something would cease to exist in its light, because even after death, everything was present and "Force-full". They never thought that someone could fall from its graces, be blind to it. As far as the records told, it had only happened once, during the Great Sith War, to a Knight named Ulic Qel-Droma, because he had murdered his brother in cold blood.
And what have I done? Callista Galexi Nogati thought bitterly. I did not steal this body; it was given to me. Surely that could not be a crime, to accept such a selfless gift.
It had been two weeks since the Eye of Palpatine had been destroyed. Two weeks since Cray Mingla, ready to die and cross over to the Other Side, bequeathed her body to Callista so that they could both be with the men they had loved.
But something had gone wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.
Callista had never existed outside the Force. Indeed, it had been her only companion for thirty years, when she herself had not even had a body in which she could walk, speak, fight, or love. Yes, it was wonderful to be alive again, but exactly how alive she was remained in question.
Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Master she loved, and the man who had freed her from her prison of circuits and wire, had assured her that an answer could be found, that she would one day feel the Force flow through her. But every day, the orange giant of Yavin disappeared beneath the horizon, and Callista found herself in the darkness of night and the darkness of her own living nightmare. Every time she curled up in the arms of her beloved Luke, she could not connect with him and share dreams with him, as they had done on the Eye.
Callista was alone in her room; the hour of midnight had come and gone. Fatigue was finally beginning to wash over her, and she readied for bed. She moved with an awkward grace, mired by exhaustion and disappointment, making her motions seem like a peaceful waltz.
Luke was still in the library, poring over manuscripts and Holocrons, searching for an answer to her blindness. She had told him to stop for the night, but he had shaken his head and sent her to bed. The warmth and love of his goodnight kiss still tingled on her lips, and she smiled in spite of herself.
He would be up soon enough.
Callista was asleep before she had even finished pulling the covers over her thin frame, and the blankets pooled around her knees, but she barely noticed.
Like every other night before, Callista dreamed. She saw faces that haunted her memory from a life left behind many years ago. She saw a young man with blond hair and green eyes, a woman with long brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, and pale lips, and wished she could remember their names. They had been good friends, and their lives had ended unexpectedly and tragically. Even now, the sight of their faces brought a bittersweet smile to her face.
She saw her Master, Djinn Altis, whom she could never forget, even if she had wanted to. He stared at her, his eyes piercing beneath level, black brows. He did not speak, but a terrible sadness plagued his wizened features.
What do you know, Master? Callista thought. Can you help me? Can you save me?
He did not answer, but faded away in blue light that intensified, brightened, became violet and then crimson red, like blood. In her dream, someone screamed, and Callista sat up, completely awake, gasping in shock.
Something shattered, breaking the stillness and drawing a tiny gasp from Callista. She looked at the windowsill, where light was just beginning to seep into the room. Luke kept a vase of Massassi irises there, but where the vase had once been, there were only a few wet flowers, a puddle of water that dripped to the floor, splashing shards of the Ithorian pottery.
Callista sighed, expelling the breath that had been collecting in her lungs. Moments later, though, she drew it all back in, this time in realization and shock.
As if it had always been there, she felt the Force winding through her veins, imbuing her with power and a sense that she had almost given up on ever feeling again.
She half-laughed, half-sobbed as she climbed out of bed and fell to her knees. It was wonderful, like diving into a cool, clear ocean after walking across the desert for many years. She felt everything...everything that existed around her. She shuddered as she felt the residual presence of someone in her room, someone who had left very recently.
She turned away from it, forgetting to wonder who it had been or what they had wanted. Instead, she rested her head in her hands and wept tears of relief and unspeakable joy.
It turned out to be a beautiful day on Yavin 4.
Callista stood on the rooftop of the Great Temple, viewing the broad green vista of the Massassi jungle with a joyous smile on her face. The morning wind was cool and welcome on her face, lightly brushing at her malt-brown hair, the slowly rising sun shedding its warmth on her skin.
She could hear the many sounds of the jungle animals as the morning overtook the night. The barely heard chirps of whisper birds, the buzzes of the predatory piranha-beetles and spider-anglers as they hunted their prey, the soft mating sounds of runyips and woolamanders. There were so many creatures of all shapes and sizes—thousands, perhaps even more—on this small jungle moon that Callista was overwhelmed. Yavin 4 was plentiful in life.
And with life came the Force.
The Force was created by all living things, as Master Djinn had taught her so long ago, in another lifetime. Without them, the Force could not exist. And indeed, as Callista stood in silence atop the ancient ziggurat, she could feel the thousands upon thousands of animal life forms that crawled, flew, and slithered on this moon. The Force was alive in the plants as well, in the twisted, enormous Massassi trees that rose high into the sky like natural skyscrapers. From the largest creature to the tiniest cell, the Force was alive within them all.
And Callista was finally able to connect to them again.
She could literally feel the Force surrounding her, penetrating her, binding her to the enormous web of life that made up the universe. It was a wonderful and thrilling feeling...and also a staggering and overwhelming one as well.
She could also feel the students beginning to awake from their sleep, ready to start another day of learning the ways of the Jedi. She felt Kyp Durron, a man with a tragic past who had once fallen victim to the dark side, and eventually won his way back to the light. She felt Tionne, a silver-haired young woman who loved to sing and was fascinated with the lore and history of the ancient Jedi Knights. Cilghal, an ambassador from the ocean world of Calamari and Jedi healer. Streen, an old hermit from Bespin who rarely talked, even to his closest friends, and had a special ability in manipulating and controlling the weather. Kirana Ti, a Clan Sister from Dathomir, a true warrior, even without the Force. Kam Solusar, a quiet and often ill-tempered Jedi who had also once been an agent of evil, but was redeemed before the dark side could destroy him from within. Dorsk 81, a clone from Khomm, uncertain, and even frightened, of his newly discovered powers, but slowly growing in self-confidence and reliance.
And then there was Luke Skywalker.
Callista smiled as she saw Luke awaken in her mind's eye. She felt his connection to the Force, strong and powerful enough to rival her own. There were so many things she wanted to say to him, so much that not even a lifetime could do. She considered speaking to him through the Force—which would be quite an unexpected surprise for him!—but chose to wait until after morning meal. Luke would no doubt be shocked by the good news, and Callista herself still could not believe that it had truly happened. She kept expecting to wake up, to realize that this was all just a dream...
As she watched the magnificence of the gas giant Yavin dwarf the sky, Callista felt the joy within her grow. Just the night before, she had been consumed with hopelessness and despair, resigned to the fact that she would never regain her lost powers, that she would have to live out the rest of her new life incomplete. Her hopes of reclaiming her powers had become a distant wish, one that would never come to pass.
And now...it had come true.
Callista traced the fingers of her hand through her curly brown hair, the memories of the Eye of Palpatine and Cray still fresh in her mind. No trace of Cray's blond remained in her hair, a sure testament that the woman who had once lived in this body was now gone, joined with her lover Nichos on the Other Side. Her death had been an act of nobility and courage, and Callista would never forget her for it.
And still...she could not help but feel slightly guilty for what had happened. Although Cray had willingly chosen to die—and perhaps had even been a bit suicidal—and had given her body up for another...deep down inside, Callista wished that her friend had not died. She could still remember her first day on Yavin 4, when she and Luke had told the students that Cray and Nichos had died, and that Callista now inhabited her body. She could still remember the shock, disgust, and horror on the faces of the students, particularly Kyp and Tionne, as they realized what had happened to their friend.
For all we know, she killed Cray and stole her body!
Callista cringed as Kyp's angry words returned in her mind. Of course, she had told the students the truth of what had happened, and everyone had eventually accepted her. She and Kyp were now good friends, with Kyp even looking up to her as a surrogate mother, much how he considered Luke his surrogate father. Tionne, though, remained distant, obviously still mourning the death of Cray. She and Cray had been very good friends before the Eye of Palpatine, and the silver-haired minstrel was still hurting from her death. Callista could not sense any anger or hostility from the younger woman anymore, but she knew it would take some time for Tionne to finally begin trusting her.
A quick succession of beeps and chirps from behind startled her out of her reverie, and Callista turned to see Artoo-Detoo rolling on his little wheels to stand beside her, inquiring in his mechanical language if she was all right.
"I'm fine," she said, patting the astromech droid's round head. "Thank you, Artoo. I'll be down in a few more minutes."
Artoo bleeped in acknowledgment and left Callista alone with her thoughts.
I can't wait until everyone finds out! she thought with excitement, imagining the looks on the Jedi's faces when she toldthem the good news. They're all going to be so happy! And Luke...
But the happiness receded as the images from Callista's dream resurfaced. The faces she had seen...especially Djinn's. She remembered the somber melancholy look in his eyes, as if the old Master had been trying to tell her something she did not know...
But what? she thought, a small knot of concern in her gut.
Callista pushed the images of Djinn far back in her mind. This was not a time for worrying about something as trivial as a dream. She had finally regained her Force powers, which was what she and Luke wanted to most. This was a time for celebrating!
And as she turned and left the Massassi rooftop, she was going to do just that.
The Jedi Academy was alive with activity, as the young students awoke and got ready for another day of classes. Callista wandered down the halls of the ancient temple, the sunlight streaming from the windows lighting up the dark halls, as the students rushed from their quarters and headed downstairs for the cafeteria. Already, Callista could smell fried Corellian potato-pancakes and runyip patties, and she realized for the first time how hungry she was. She had not eaten much in the past few weeks, and a good meal was just what she needed.
After I tell Luke, she decided, feeling a sudden burst of anxious anticipation. She could already imagine the look on Luke's face...
As she nodded to several students who rushed past her—smelling breakfast, too, no doubt—she watched as Luke stepped out of his room, already dressed for the morning classes. He wore his brown Jedi robe, which was worn with use and age, his lightsaber attached to his belt. He used his fingers to comb back his sandy-blond hair, and smiled when he saw Callista approach him.
"Good morning, beauty. Sleep well?" Luke greeted her, kissing her gently.
Callista smiled, and nodded. "Better than usual." The tears came again, and she took Luke's hand in her own, gripping it tightly, and said, "Feel this, Luke. You will never believe it."
Luke smiled, slight confusion shining in his beautiful blue eyes. ""What is it, Callista?"
"You'll see." She smiled as she closed her eyes, and pressed her forehead to his, opening herself to the Force, Do you hear me?
Callista? She could feel his surprise hitting her like a wave... as well as his hope. Is that you?
It is, my love. She opened her eyes again and, stepping back, saw that Luke was staring at her in shock. All the words in the galaxy could not have described the flood of emotions that crossed his face as the realization finally got to him. He looked at his love, and Callista could see tears running down his cheeks.
"Callista," he said, his voice choking. His hands touched her shoulders, as if testing to see that this was really happening. For a long time, neither of them could speak, the sheer shock of it all rendering them incapable of speech. "How—"
He did not even get a chance to finish, because Callista kissed him with all the strength and love she could muster. At first, Luke was unprepared for it, but soon began to relax, slowly wrapping his arms around her back, as he returned to kiss with equal passion. A thousand conversations passed silently between them in the space of a few seconds, as their connection to each other through the Force—something they had not felt since the Eye of Palpatine—returned and strengthened and grew.
When they finally broke from the kiss, Luke's tears had increased, and he was smiling through them, barely able to speak, pure joy lighting the smile on his handsome face. "Callista, this is wonderful! I was beginning to think it was hopeless! How did it happen? What did you do?"
"I don't know!" Callista said, as she kissed him again. She could feel Luke's thoughts, a million questions he wanted to ask her all at once, and impossible for her to answer them all. "I can't explain what happened...I was sleeping, and I had this strange dream. I thought I saw...my old Master."
"Djinn Altis?"
Callista nodded, joy and giddiness etched on her beautiful face. "He just...stared at me. He looked sad, as if he knew something I didn't."
Luke took a deep breath, the joy slowly giving away to concern. Djinn Altis...what did that mean? He had had visions of his old Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, several times before in the past, and each time, they had meant something significant to him, something that would change his life forever. "What do you think he wanted?" he asked her. "You don't think he was the one who restored your powers, do you?"
Callista shrugged. "I suppose that's possible. I woke up then, and I could feel the presence of someone else in the room...somebody familiar. Somebody I knew."
The fact that there had been someone in Callista's room gave him a moment's apprehensive pause, but then he shook the thought away and waited for her to continue. "And then what?"
"I heard something shatter. I think the energy that converged when the Force returned to me smashed the Ithorian vase you kept near the window."
The concern Luke had been feeling was now gone, replaced by the earlier sense of delight. He looked at Callista, and could feel that she was happier right now than she had been for decades. It did not matter to him how she had gotten her powers back. As far as they were both concerned, Callista was now whole, and they could both now live the rest of their lives together in happiness.
"Callista, this is so amazing," he said. "I mean, from a Master's view, this is the kind of event that happens once every never. It's a wonderful learning experience. And from a personal standpoint...well, I think you know how I feel about that. I couldn't be happier about this, or anything else, my love." He hugged Callista and kissed her gently before looking at her again. When he did, there was a mischievous glint in his eye. "But did you have to break that vase?"
Callista laughed and slapped him playfully on the shoulder.
That afternoon, Luke did not see Callista at lunch.
He wandered into the hallway after most of the students had finished eating, and heard the sound of a lightsaber and remote blasts. He smiled to himself, and knew instantly who was in the training room. As he leaned against the door, he saw that he was right.
Callista stood amid three remotes, topaz lightsaber drawn and poised. For the first time since before she had awakened on the Hunter's Luck, he could sense her presence radiating in the Force.
It was a presence he relished.
Luke smiled as he watched his lover practice, remembering the look on everyone's faces when they had gathered in the Grand Audience Chamber after the morning meal, and watched as Callista—who just a day before had been shut off from the Force—effortlessly conjuring a fireball in the center of the room without even breaking a sweat. The students had been shocked, which slowly progressed into relief and joy, as Callista proudly displayed her newly regained powers.
It had been one of the happiest moments of his life.
Luke knew that she knew he was watching her, but she did not turn around until she had done a sufficient amount of showing off. She danced back and forth, successfully intercepting every shot fired from any of the three remotes.
After a moment, she shut them off and turned to Luke. Despite the sweat that covered her face, she was so unbelievably beautiful, her face and body perfectly sculpted, that Luke found himself breathless every time he looked into her eyes. "That was fun," she said with a broad grin. He had never seen her smile so widely.
He smiled back as he hugged her, and presented her with a deep kiss. "You want a living opponent?"
She looked at him with a gleam in her gray eyes. "If you're up for it. I feel like I can take on every Dark Jedi at once."
As Luke unhooked his lightsaber from his belt, he gave her a warning look. "The higher you build yourself, the farther you'll fall. Be careful."
She chuckled. "I know, I know. But it's still a great feeling, huh?"
Luke ignited his lightsaber and crossed it with hers. "It sure is."
Callista sat on her bed in her room, cleaning a small cut she had sustained on her lip from her practice spar with Luke. It wasn't grievous—she had endured far worse in her days as a Jedi before the Eye of Palpatine—but it still stung.
She wiped the cut with an antiseptic, wincing as a small twinge seized her lips. He sure does like to play rough, doesn't he?
It had been a good exercise for them both, but in the end, Callista had triumphed. Of course, both had walked away with a couple of very minor wounds, which was to be expected in a lightsaber duel, even a practice one. Callista had lost count of all the times she had accidentally got hurt whenever she had sparred with Master Djinn, or one of the other students during her training on the Chu'unthor.
Through the Force, Callista could hear the other students in the Great Temple preparing for the evening meal. She would join them as soon as she was finished.
She could also feel Luke in their fresher, taking care of his own injuries. She allowed herself a quick smirk when she heard Luke gasp at the throbbing pain in his head from one of Callista's kicks. The spar had left them both sore, and a bit wiser. The next practice duel would be even more difficult to win for her, because Luke would be more wary of her and defend himself better against her attacks, having memorized most of her moves.
Callista's grin returned. Of course, I'm not gonna make it any easier for him either, she thought, already looking forward to the next spar.
A cool draft blew through her bedroom window, causing goosebumps to spread across her naked arms. Callista shivered, and looked out the twelfth-story window, which gave her an excellent view of the jungle below. For some reason, that same familiar presence she had felt last night came back, stronger than before, and for a few seconds, Callista had a strange sensation that someone she could not see was watching her...
As she turned to look at herself in the mirror to check on her wound, trying not to think any further of it, she stared right into the eyes of Djinn Altis.
Callista gasped and stood up, shocked speechless. Almost immediately, the image was gone right before her eyes, as if it had never been.
Shaking her head in disbelief, Callista stared at the mirror. She saw her image bearing the same shocked expression, but nothing else.
She looked around her room, her mind on alert. It suddenly became very cold, as if she was standing atop a tall, snow-encrusted mountain. Her breath came in short gasps
What in the name of Chad is going on?
Trying to shrug it off, and not entirely succeeding, Callista stood up as Luke came out of the fresher.
"Much better," Luke said as he kissed her. "How's your lip?"
"Hmm...it'd be better if it had another kiss on it," Callista said, rubbing her swollen lip. Luke chuckled, and obliged.
He noticed the look in her eyes, and the smile on his face dropped, overtaken with concern. "Callista, is something wrong?"
"I'll tell you later," she muttered, a shudder running down her spine. Then she looked up at Luke with a smile, taking his hand in hers. "Let's eat."
In the kitchen, far from the din in the cafeteria, where the Jedi students talked, ate, and practiced their Force tricks, one of the cooks, a Bothan named Neeja, finished preparing a pot of cheese soup and set it on the counter.
It had been last month that representatives of the Empire had come to Neeja on her homeworld of Kothlis, offering her a handsome sum to "dispose of the Jedi problem". Her cooking skills had quickly come to light, and the Republic had hired her to work at the Yavin Academy.
I never thought I'd sell my loyalties to the highest bidder, she thought. I'll have to remember this!
With a sly glance over each shoulder to make sure none of the other cooks were getting too curious, she withdrew a vial of arsenic from her apron and dumped it into the pot, mixing it quickly with the cheese and vegetables.
The arsenic was very special. Extremely lethal and untraceable after death—thus making it the perfect murder weapon—it was one of the deadliest poisons that existed in the galaxy. When ingested, the acids would eat at the walls of the stomach, and then proceed to the other organs from there, feeding on the other tissues and increasing in volume. It was a slow, painful death that Neeja did not envy.
But it was, of course, perfect.
My own special recipe, she thought wickedly, and could not hold back a malevolent chuckle.
"Luke," Callista began, "I need to tell you something."
Finishing his mouthful of woolamander, Luke looked at her with concern. "What? What is it?"
She looked around carefully. "Not here. Come on."
She stood up and led Luke out into the hallway. Luke glanced over his shoulder to see Kyp give him another wink.
"Luke, I saw Djinn this morning."
The statement knocked Luke out of the thought Kyp's wink had led him into. "What?"
"I saw Djinn. It's like...I don't know, like he's trying to warn me about something. I saw him in the mirror, I got this chill...I can't explain it." Her eyes widened. "Luke, what if..."
"What if what?" he asked.
She broke away from him and started pacing, rubbing her hands together, fidgeting as her thoughts tumbled out all at once. "What if I wasn't supposed to get my powers back? At least, not yet?"
Luke shook his head. "That's crazy."
"It's not, though. Djinn told me once that I shouldn't rush the Force...what if that's what we've done? Rushed the Force?"
"How much sleep did you get last night?"
"Luke." She looked at him with a baleful stare. "I'm being serious here."
"And so am I. A lot's happened in the past few days. You're excited, on top of anxiety. Don't worry, baby. Everything is going to turn out the way it's supposed to be." He hugged her and gave her a gentle kiss.
She sighed and touched his chest with her finger, feeling some of the worry slip away. But a small part of it always remained, to remind her that something was indeed wrong, and that she had to find out what it was quickly. "Okay...but I'm going to check out the databases, just to make sure."
Luke nodded. "Okay."
One of the cooks—the Bothan one, Neeja, Luke noticed—walked by then. She cast a small, curious glance at the two Jedi before continuing past them, humming a soft tune to herself.
Luke glanced at the pot of stew she carried, and then into her shifty eyes. "Neeja?"
The cook stopped. "Yes, Master Skywalker?"
"What is that?"
Neeja glanced at the pot. "Stew. For the students. And you and the lady, if you'd like some."
Callista lifted the lid and sniffed it. "It smells nice," she said as she tasted a fingerdip, spat it out, and replaced the lid. "For poison."
Neeja's eyes widened in horror. "My lady, I..."
"Callista? What are you talking about?" Luke said with a confused frown.
She glanced at him. "Disgruntled cook, Luke?"
Without another word, Neeja tossed the soup and ran, her cover blown. Luke and Callista took off after her. Luke tackled the Bothan before she could get very far, knocking her out instantly.
"How did you know?" he asked Callista, as he held the unconscious assassin down.
"My mother committed suicide with the same poison. I'd know it anywhere, disguised in anything."
The Core Systems glowed with intense heat and light, reflecting off the hull of one lone, leviathan ship.
Imperial Admiral Daala stood in the bridge of her new Super Star Destroyer, the Knight Hammer, straight and still, doing her best to appear impregnably and admirable. The officers below her worked diligently and silently, careful not to disturb the obviously impatient and displeased admiral.
In just the space of a few weeks, Daala had risen from an unheard-of commander of four Star Destroyers hidden within the black holes of the Maw Cluster to the new leader of the entire Imperial fleet, even gaining the obedience and respect of the late Grand Admiral Thrawn's former second-in-command, Vice Admiral Pellaeon. The feuding warlords were all dead, every last one of them, executed for their crimes against the Empire, leaving Daala's command over the remaining Imperial forces unquestionable.
It had not been an easy road for her, however. From the moment she had aspired to join the Empire as a child, Daala had been persecuted left and right by her superiors, given the most thankless and filthy jobs—including kitchen work, janitorial work, and a job as a lowly clerk—merely because of her sex. The Emperor had long had a distaste for women, and rarely—if ever—promoted them to high status. To him, Daala was just an inferior creature, unable to contribute anything of worth to the Empire's cause.
Things changed when she met Grand Moff Tarkin. Realizing the potential Daala had, he secretly promoted her to the rank of admiral and gave her command of four mighty Star Destroyers. He put her in charge of the Maw Installation, a secret base where brainwashed Imperial scientists worked day and night constructing various superweapons for the Emperor. Among the ones that were put to use were the original Death Star, the World Devastators, and, most recently, the Sun Crusher. Tarkin had left her in charge of the secret base, which was hidden deep within the core of the Maw Cluster, and returned to annihilate the pitiful band of Rebels who dared to go up against the New Order.
And then the unthinkable happened. Just on the verge of complete success, the Death Star was destroyed, and Tarkin was killed. Daala herself was discovered by the Rebels nearly a decade later by the smuggler Han Solo, and she engaged in her own private war against the New Republic, losing three of her four ships in the process. After seeing the destruction of Maw Installation, Daala limped back to the Core Systems, hoping to unite the warring Imperial leaders in hopes of defeating the Republic once and for all.
It had been a long and harrying task, resulting in the unfortunate death of Commander Kratas, one of her best men, but in the end, Daala had emerged victorious. The warlords had been eliminated, and she was in command of over dozens of powerful Imperial battleships. The Super Star Destroyer, in particular, pleased her the most, possessing enough firepower to single-handedly lay waste to an entire fleet.
And now, it was time to exact her long-awaited revenge on the Republic.
Starting with the Jedi Academy.
Daala was fully aware of the newly established praxeum on Yavin 4, where the Death Star had been destroyed eleven years ago. She knew that Luke Skywalker was in charge of all the Jedi students, the same man who had caused the death of Tarkin. For that reason alone, the Jedi would be the first to be crushed under Daala's iron fist...followed by the rest of the New Republic.
Believing that an all-out attack would attract too much attention to the Imperials, Daala had personally hired a Bothan cook to infiltrate the ranks of the Jedi Academy. It had been a calculated risk, but she had blended in perfectly, unsuspected among the vaunted Jedi. If everything had gone according to plan, the entire populace of Yavin 4 would be dead by now. It would be done quickly and efficiently.
Unfortunately, the assassin had not responded in hours.
Daala fidgeted uncomfortably as she continued gazing at the enormous viewscreen that displayed the fiery stars and worlds that made up the Core Systems. Her patience was starting to wear very thin. What was taking so long? The blasted Bothan was way overdue for her report. The Jedi were supposed to be dead by now.
What was taking so long?
As if in answer to her unvoiced question, two holographic images flared to life before her, taking the shapes of two black-uniformed Imperial officers. "Admiral, I have bad news," one of them said.
"Yes, Lieutenant, what is it?" Daala pressed.
"The Bothan has been apprehended," the officer reported gravely, avoiding eye contact with the Imperial commander. "Our informant on Yavin 4 has just verified this. The Jedi discovered her plan and now have her imprisoned in the brig."
"Blast it all!" Daala started pacing around the platform, dozens of thoughts screaming in her mind all at once. "Ah, well, I should have known they would discover her. These Jedi are not stupid, no matter how much I wish they were. And the Bothan's mentality did leave much to be desired.
"Nevertheless," she added, turning back to the holograms, "they will get what they're asking for. We'll have to resort to Plan B."
The Imperial officer gave her a hardened look. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Daala said sternly. "See to it."
The two Imperials saluted, and the holograms shattered into a thousand pieces that quickly blossomed into nothingness.
In the bowels of the Knight Hammer, the same two Imperial officers who had reported of the Bothan's capture stood before the assassin who stood ominously before them, silent and unmoving.
Plan B.
"You know what to do," Lieutenant Berin said to the assassin.
"Yes," the assassin replied in a soft, mechanical voice. "Find Luke Skywalker, and kill him on sight. Any and all Jedi who stand in my way will be eliminated."
The officer nodded. "Excellent. Do your job."
The assassin nodded, a smile twisting her pale lips. She was a droid, a perfect replica of Luke Skywalker's young lover, according to the droid's designers. Same hair color and length, same eye color, same facial features, same build, everything. Its target would never realize the difference...until it was too late.
"I will find Luke Skywalker," the droid said.
Kyp and Dorsk 81 trudged through the jungle, accompanied by one of the Academy's new students, brushing aside weeds, branches, and pests as they headed for their destination. It was early in the morning now, and the sun was just beginning to make its presence known, the first signs of its yellow, hot rays of light beginning to awaken from its slumber.
"How close are we?" the new student, Tereias, asked.
"Not far," Kyp said hopefully. "Master Skywalker said that it was around here in this area. He and Callista discovered it a week ago."
"I hope this temple doesn't turn out to be as bad as the other one," Dorsk 81 said gravely.
Kyp nodded, memories of the Sith temple and Exar Kun replaying in his head. His folly had nearly killed all of the other students. Even now, a year later, the Sith Lord's tattooed face and evil countenance still plagued his dreams. "That will never happen again," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "You can be sure of that." Quickly, he changed the subject,and raised his voice to a normal, conversational tone. "No, I think this particular temple has been around before Kun...before the Massassi."
That caught his cloned companion's attention. "Before the Massassi? But...how is that possible? The Massassi were here on Yavin 4 long before any other race."
"Maybe," Kyp said doubtfully. "But Callista told me that the design of this temple is far different from those of the others. Not to mention that it's located far from the boundaries of the old Massassi area. Someone else built them...and I want to know who."
"Hey, I heard something about an assassination attempt from one of the cooks yesterday," Tereias piped up, more excited than frightened, in typical teenager fashion. "What was that all about?"
Kyp and Dorsk 81 exchanged a brief, worried glance, and the clone answered the young man's query. "I'm not sure, Tereias. But we have to be careful. I can sense that this threat is not over yet..."
Kyp suddenly stopped. He heard footsteps, coming...
...from behind.
"What?" Tereias said, coming up behind him. When the pale youth heard the sounds of their follower, he looked around nervously.
"It must be one of the others," Kyp said.
"Or maybe not," Tereias whimpered.
Before Kyp could answer him, Callista stepped out of the brush, a faraway look in her eyes, as if she was searching for something. "Hey, guys. Have you seen Luke anyplace?"
"Callista!" Kyp called out, relieved. He and his two friends ran over to her. "Hey! We were on our way to that temple you guys found earlier."
She frowned. "Temple?" Her face changed, with sudden recognition. "Yes, the temple, that's right. Very interesting." She looked up at the jungle canopy again and asked, "So, where's Luke?"
"Uh...I saw you with him just before we left the Great Temple," Kyp said, a knot twisting in his gut. Something seemed very wrong about all this.
Callista cast a glance at the three students—then turned and started to leave.
"Wait!" Tereias said, rushing up to block Callista's path. "Is something wrong, Callista? You don't seem like yourself today."
Callista glared at the young man—just as her fist came out, punching through the Jedi's chest.
A sickening crunch echoed in the jungle as the blow connected, and Tereias screamed in pain. Blood flowed from his chest, and Callista withdrew her hand, holding Tereias's still-beating heart. The young student slumped to the ground.
Kyp and Dorsk 81 stepped back, struck with horror at the slaughter. Callista looked at them, her lips curving upward in a ghastly smile.
"Who's next?" she said, as she threw the heart in Kyp's direction. The young man stiffened as the bloodied organ bounced off his knee and flopped lifelessly to the ground.
"Run!" he said without a moment's hesitation, and he and Dorsk 81 ran off in the opposite direction. He took one last look into Callista's cold gray eyes and saw no trace of humanity in them. He had no idea what had happened to her, or what was going on...all he wanted to do was get out of there, before someone else died.
The Human Replica Droid nodded and called out after them, "Go ahead and run, you cowards! If you won't tell me where Skywalker is...then I'll have to go find him myself." She smiled. "You can't hide from me."
Giving the corpse of Tereias a good, solid kick, she began following the two fleeing Jedi.
Luke brought his lightsaber down over his opponent's head, and Kam Solusar barely had a chance to parry the attack with his own weapon. Their blades pressed together; Luke met Kam's gaze, holding it for just a moment before stepping back and deactivating the blade, ending the mock duel that had lasted the past half hour. "Well done, Kam. You're getting better with that. Keep up your practicing, and you'll master it one day."
Kam nodded. "Thank you, Master."
Luke nodded, and turned away. He had had this nagging feeling that something was wrong ever since the incident with the Bothan. Although Neeja was being kept in the brig until the New Republic could send authorities to take her to Coruscant, Luke doubted that she was acting alone.
He wanted to know who had sent her.
He dismissed Kam, and walked through the corridors to the upper levels of the temple to call Leia and see if she knew how long it would be before someone would be there to take Neeja away.
But on his way there, he caught sight of a figure sitting on the balcony railing overlooking the jungle. It was Callista. She sat silently on the railing, her legs dangling, teasing the hundred-meter drop to the ground. She stared out at the jungle, not turning as he came up behind her.
Luke wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Callista, what's wrong?"
"Do you feel it, too?" she asked in return, her eyes not meeting his.
"Actually, yes."
"Luke, something bad is going to happen. I mean, really bad."
"Like what?"
She hesitated. "I don't know," she replied, and lowered her head.
Luke remembered what she had said earlier about her mother, an aspect of her life they had never addressed, except to acknowledge the similarity between them, both having grown up without a mother. Now that it had surfaced again, he knew it was not a topic they could ignore anymore.
He turned her around to face him, looking her squarely in the eyes. When he looked at her this way, Callista always felt that he could read her mind. Even when she had felt the emptiness in the Force, it could not prevent him from knowing her every thought.
"Tell me about your mother, Callista," he whispered, taking her hands in his and gently pulling her closer to him. "You've never talked about her much...I can tell how much it hurts you."
For a while, Callista was able to keep the tears from forming in her eyes, but now they stung them, and she shut her eyes in a vain attempt to keep them from spilling. But she was tired of fighting them. His arms—they felt so strong and comforting, and she surrendered to his touch and pressed herself against him, feeling his warmth and love radiating within her.
"I was so young," she said. The rawness she heard in her own voice scared her, and she felt Luke squeeze her just a little bit tighter against him. "I...barely even remember her, Luke..."
"I know," he murmured. She felt his soft breath on her cheek. "I know..."
Of course he knew. He, too, had known the pain of growing up motherless. Growing up in a world where no one understood the strange gift of the Force that they possessed at a young age, the very people they loved unable to reach out to them completely.
"I saw it happening all over again with my stepmother," she continued. "I saw how sad and withdrawn she was, too. We never got along, she and I. I...feel like I pushed all of them away."
"No." Luke brought her face to his and cupped it in his hands. "No, don't you believe that, Callie. What happened was not your fault. It's time you stopped blaming yourself."
"But—"
"No."
The tears trickled down her cheeks, despite all the energy she mustered to keep them hidden. "I was so alone," she said at last. "Papa tried, he really did. And I loved him more than anything. But without her...my family was never complete, and it tore us apart." She looked up at him, his blue eyes glistening with tears of sympathy. "There was always a piece of me missing, Luke."
He touched his lips to her temple and said once again, "I know."
Kyp and Dorsk 81 ran full speed toward the Jedi Academy, panting and nearly out of breath. Kyp's legs were sore and threatened to give up under the pressure, but the young man forced himself to keep going.
With a lump in his throat, he reached out with the Force, calling out to anyone who might be listening, warning of the approaching danger.
He hoped they would beat her there. It would take them longer before they had circled around Callista, but no matter what, they would beat her.
The horror of seeing his friend kill Tereias in such a cruel and brutal manner remained emblazoned in his thoughts. Kyp was still not sure that it had been her, and he kept trying to convince himself that it had not been.
I hope it wasn't her, he thought. For Master Skywalker's sake, for all our sakes.
The HRD kept a steady pace toward the Jedi Academy.
This is going to be fun, she thought. Very fun.
After several moments, Callista laughed shakily. "I got your shirt all wet," she said, touching his shoulder with her hand. She leaned in to place a soft kiss on his lips. "What a gentleman you are."
He flashed his boyish grin. "Aunt Beru taught me that I should always treat a lady right." He brushed aside the malt-brown curls from her eyes and kissed her forehead. "Are you feeling any better? Did this help at all?"
She nodded and slipped her arms around his neck. "Yes," she said. "Thank you, Luke."
"Anytime, my love."
She broke from his hold and walked over to lean over the balcony railing. "I...still have a bad feeling about the cook," she said, her back to him, her gaze set on the rising Yavin sun.
"Me, too," he admitted. "Why would anyone try to poison you?"
She turned to face him again and shook her head, and the faint tremor she had felt in her bones earlier now escalated to an insistent rumble, demanding her attention. "We don't know if it was just for me," she said, knowing that he too could feel the growing threat that permeated the air between them, "but I don't think the Bothan was acting independently. I think someone else was behind this. If that's true, then...you're in danger just as much as I am, as much as any student here...And Luke, I can't bear that. We have to figure out what this is, right away."
At that moment, Luke caught a sense of impending terror. His head snapped up, and he looked over the railing toward the jungle.
Callista did the same. "Luke, did you feel that?"
Luke nodded. They both concentrated with the Force, searching for the identity of who was calling to them.
"It's Kyp!"
Kyp burst out of the jungle as Luke and Callista reached the opening of the temple and sprinted outside.
"Master Skywalker!!!!" Kyp called, his voice stricken with fear. He sprinted to the landing pad, where Luke and Callista met him, Dorsk 81 not far behind. They both ran to Luke.
"Luke, it's Callista! She..." He stopped when he saw Callista standing there, and backed up. "She beat us here."
"What?" Callista said, stepping closer to Kyp.
Kyp whipped out his lightsaber, igniting it and pointing it at Callista in one fluid motion."Get away from me, you murderer!"
Callista ripped her own weapon from her belt, pulling up her defenses out of relfex. In the same instant, Luke's lightsaber was out, crossing Kyp's and preventing him from harming Callista. "Kyp!" he snapped. "Stop this!"
Just then, to the surprise and horror of everyone gathered at the landing pad, a woman stepped out of the jungle, turning to face the small group. Luke got one good look at her face, and his blood went completely cold.
It was Callista's face.
"I don't understand! You were..." Kyp pointed to the jungle, and the woman coming ever closer. "There...how—" He looked at Luke. "Master, Calli...I mean—that thing—" He pointed at the new arrival. "—killed Tereias. It was the most gruesome thing—pulled out his heart. Tereias is dead...he's dead..."
Kyp was shaking. Luke could tell that his efforts to control it were failing. Dorsk 81 finally caught up and rested his hands on his knees, panting, and every bit as shaken as his companion.
Luke exchanged glances with Callista, then turned to Kyp and Dorsk 81.
"All of you...get inside. I'll deal with this."
"What are you going to do?" whispered Callista.
"I'll think of something. Don't worry," he added with a reassuring grin. "I'll be fine."
"Master Skywalker, please let us help!" Kyp insisted
Luke shook his head, and turned from his student, facing the jungle. "This is not your fight."
"Of course it is! She killed Tereias."
"Kyp, please. There will be another fight. I do not think this battle will end the war." He lowered his head a little, and added, "Now please, get inside. All three of you."
Hesitantly, Kyp and Dorsk 81 took shelter in the temple, but Callista didn't budge. "Luke, I don't want to leave you here alone!"
Luke kissed her on the lips, managing with very little success to reassure her. "I'll be fine."
Callista turned and walked inside without another word, looking back over her shoulder.
"I hope," Luke whispered.
The sound of heavy footsteps startled him, and he turned to face the woman who had killed Tereias...the woman who was an exact mirror image of Callista. He stood face-to-face with her, unnerved by how much she really did look like her.
As he calmly faced the woman, Luke came to another frightening realization as he saw that he could not feel this woman's presence through the Force. No matter how hard he tried, he could sense no life at all within her. He could hear a heartbeat, could feel blood flow through her veins...but all of it was artificial.
And in that moment, he realized that he was standing face-to-face with a Human Replica Droid.
As he looked into her hard, lifeless eyes, Luke knew that there was be no reasoning with her, no negotiating. Whoever had sent this droid had programmed her with a special mission—and he had a pretty good idea what that "mission" was—and she would not stop until it was carried out.
Which meant that he would have to fight.
As she came closer, she said in what could only be a low snarl, "Skywalker?"
Luke spread his hands, open palms up. His lightsaber remained at his belt, but he had a feeling that it would not last that way for much longer. "Yes?"
The HRD walked toward Luke, her hands balling into fists that had enough power to shatter durasteel. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Now, it's time to die."
"Maybe later," he said. "Who sent you?"
The HRD noticed the movement, and came forth with blinding speed before he could activate the weapon. She threw herself toward him in a full body-slam, nearly knocking him off his feet and causing him to drop his weapon. Had Luke not been attuned to the Force at that moment, he would have been knocked out cold—or worse. As it was, he was able to absorb most of the blow...not that it helped the raging pain in his body any.
Luke took several steps back, trying to recollect himself. Nothing seemed to be broken, but it sure didn't feel that way. He looked around and saw his lightsaber lying several feet away, just out of reach.
The droid continued onward, not even fazed by the attack. Luke threw a backhand that connected sharply with her face, twisting her head to the side. The droid did not even hesitate as she turned back and delivered her own backhand. It hit Luke firmly in the jaw; the pain that followed was so unexpected and severe that Luke could not even use the Force to absorb the blow. He just stood there, stunned, as the HRD punched him again.
Luke dropped to one knee, his entire face one large mass of pain. He tasted blood on his lips, and spat it out, staining the green morning grass red. He reached out with one hand, and his lightsaber rose into the air and landed neatly in his outstretched hand. He thumbed the switch, and the electric green blade hissed to life.
The HRD stepped back at the sight of the weapon. Her eyes remained cold and fearless, as if even the threat of a lightsaber did not frighten or intimidate her in the slightest.
Luke rose to his feet, holding his weapon in a defensive stance. His face still ached, but he managed to quell the worst of it. He cleared his mind, his eyes intent on the awaiting droid. Every muscle in his body was alive, his nerves tingling. He would be ready for anything.
The droid came.
Luke waited until she was upon him, and swung the lightsaber toward her head. But he had miscalculated his move, and the droid was able to duck beneath the humming blade. Her speed was incredible, far surpassing that of a human. The sheer momentum of the failed attack caused Luke to stumble forth, giving the HRD the advantage she needed.
As Luke reeled, the droid bent over, grabbing at Luke's legs for support. Her right foot came up in the air in a reverse kick. The world seemed to slow down for Luke as his descent continued, with the droid's foot approaching closer and closer until he could see nothing else. It seemed that he had all the time in the universe to evade the incoming blow—
Her foot caught him in the side of the head. For one horrific moment, Luke thought she had fractured his skull. His vision started to blur, as pain exploded in a blinding white light in his head. He felt himself stagger back, feeling his grip on his lightsaber loosen, one hand going up to his throbbing head.
He felt rather than saw the droid move to his side, felt her powerful hand grab his shoulder. A split second later, a searing pain tore through the back of his left knee, dropping him to the ground. It took him several precious seconds to realize that she had savagely kicked him in the back of the knee, almost popping out the joint. A pained cry escaped his still-bleeding mouth, and he could not even resist as the droid grabbed him by the back of his brown robe and threw him into the air.
Luke screamed as he sailed through the air and hit the ground. He felt one of the muscles in his neck tear, further increasing the agony tenfold. He remained writhing on the ground in pain, fire burning in his knee, neck, and face. He wasn't even sure which wound to cradle first.
A shadow loomed over him, and Luke looked up to see the HRD standing over him, armed for the first time. A lightsaber was clutched in both hands, the ruby-red beam humming with deadly power.
Things were about to get worse.
"Drop the weapon."
The voice was even, calm, unwavering. Luke craned his head a few centimeters—it hurt like hell to do so—and though he could only make out a shadow behind the droid, every fiber of his being told him it was Callista.
His lover stepped out of the shadows. "I said drop it," she repeated, not a hint of fear or trepidation in her voice.
"Callista, I told you to stay inside!"
"Come on, Luke. You know how great a listener I—"
The droid pivoted toward Callista without warning and unleashed a ferocious swing at her, but she managed to block it with her own topaz blade.
"—AM!" Energy sparks dispersed in all directions as their blades met with fury again and again, the wicked humming ringing in Luke's ears.
Block and counter-block. Parry and counter-parry. Callista fought the droid with precision and control, and as Luke watched the two women sparring, he drew on the Force to expel the raging pain from his body.
The HRD swung a high blow for Callista's head, an infuriated snarl on her face. Callista blocked it with her own blade, producing a spectacular array of sparks, and surprised the droid with a kick to the stomach. The HRD doubled over, giving Callista time to ram her elbow into the other's back, knocking her to her knees.
Without wasting a second, Callista knocked the droid back with a powerful Force blow. Her mirror image was torn off her feet and into the wall of the Great Temple. She fell to the ground, winded.
Got to help her, Luke thought, using every bit of his effort to will the pain away. It obeyed him, and soon he felt the throbbing in his torn ligaments and bruises ease. Within a few seconds, he called his lightsaber back into his hand and ignited it in an emerald blaze.
The droid leaped quickly to her feet, already recovered, and was coming toward Callista, lightsaber extended. They crossed blades again.
"Callie!" he called out, as he lunged at the droid.
The droid was not expecting Luke's attack. She fell to the ground in a stunned heap, her blood-red saber flying out of her hand. Before she could reach forth to retrieve it, Luke beat her to it, and it leaped into his palm.
The droid twisted around to face him, horror in her eyes. Callista ran to both of them, and along with Luke stood over the trembling body of the stranger. Stripped of her weapon and her confidence, she stared back at the couple with fear etched on her face.
"Now," said Callista, "we'll find out what's really going on."
The fear on the droid's face suddenly evaporated, changing into defiance. "I'm nottelling you anything," she spat out.
Callista frowned, then shrugged in mock-acceptance and nodded. "Oh. Okay." She kicked her mirror image in the jaw, sending her head reeling backwards. "You and your friends have made our lives quite interesting for the past few days. And Luke and I want to find out why."
Luke put a hand on her arm, restraining her gently. "Calm, Callista," he whispered. Callista pulled her arm away, lifting a hand to keep Luke from trying to stop her again.
The droid swallowed hard, the smallest trickle of blood running down one nostril, and came up on her elbows. Luke squeezed the lightsaber in his hand instinctively, ready to activate it at a moment's notice. When he saw that the droid would make no sudden moves, he eased his grip on the metal handle.
"Who sent you?" he demanded. He tasted more blood on his lip, and wiped it away with the sleeve of his Jedi robe.
"You think I'm going to tell—"
"Listen," Luke said, leaning in close to her. "I don't know what your mission is...but it stops right here and now. You've already killed one of my students. And if you think I'm going to let you come near anyone else—"
The droid laughed indignantly. "The all-powerful Jedi Master...I'm so impressed, Skywalker. Don't forget I almost beat you at your own game just now."
Luke smiled back. "Almost," he said coolly, showing her that he would not be easily intimidated, and he waved her saber in his hand. "But not quite."
She snarled and attempted to get up, but stumbled back to all fours within a few seconds, automatically reaching for her shin. "Blast it!" she hissed. "You broke my leg!"
Luke rubbed a finger at his still-sore jaw. "And you just about broke my face," he countered.
Callista stepped closer to the droid. It must have been strange for her, Luke thought, to look at her mirror image, a reminder of what could have been if she had chosen a dark path instead of the light.
"Who sent you?" she said calmly.
The droid smiled a wicked smile and leaned in towards Callista. "You'll have to work just a little bit harder to find that out."