Forever Home: A Luke and Callista Story
Part 5
She was in the water again.
Waves swirled around her, almost overtaking her as she struggled to keep her head above the angry waters.
It's a hurricane...
She had seen so many of them as a child, and barely survived some of them, and now she was caught in the middle of one vicious storm.
"Papa? Uncle Claine?"
There was no answer, but of course, there wouldn't be. Their ark was nowhere in sight, and as Callista fought the raging sea, choking on the gulp-fulls of saltwater, she saw that she was in the middle of the vast ocean-with no rescue in sight.
Oh stars...where am I? she thought, feeling her lungs burning inside her as she gasped for air.
"Papa? Papa???"
"That's right, call for your father again," came a thin, faint voice.
Callista held her breath and looked around her to see where it had come from, but nothing. There was nothing.
"M-Mama?" she called out tentatively.
Just beyond her, in the hazy distance, through the avalanche of rain and waves, she thought she saw a misty figure surrounded by singing cy'eens. And soon, she felt the chill of the haunting melody the ocean creatures sang, almost like...a death march.
"Mama?" she said again. She blinked and tried to focus on the dim image, but it didn't go away. The phantom woman stood, as if floating on the surface of the water, and Callista's eyes grew wide as she watched the figure skim effortlessly towards her.
"What's the matter, pretty girl, your father has abandoned you?"
It was her-the woman who had tried to kill Callista in her nightmare, the dark, evil presence she had felt in the Holocron library. Callista knew it, felt it in the vicious chill of her bones. Up close, she did not look anything like Callista's mother at all-nothing like the kind, gentle woman who sang her to sleep as a little girl. Nothing like the sad woman whose spirit had visited Callista on her wedding night.
No...this was an impostor. And Callista shuddered to think what it wanted with her.
The figure smiled, a horrific smile of pure evil. "You can wake up and make me disappear from your nightmares, Callista, but in your waking hour, you will see me again. You cannot run away from me, I promise you. You and your new husband will die."
"No!!!!" she screamed with such a force that she shook awake, feeling thousands of tremors overtake her body.
"Callista? Callie, I'm here...I'm right here, sweetheart."
She felt his arms encircle her, and she latched onto him as if he was the only sturdy tree in a windstorm. As she pressed her naked body close to his, warming herself against his flesh, she looked around. It was safe, she was home, in their bed.
But still, the chill of Chad's oceans numbed her skin, even as Luke pulled her close to him.
"You're fine now, you're fine...It's over."
She slipped her arms around his neck and breathed deep, exhaling shakily as if the one breath could rid her of the fright.
"I..." The words would not come out. "Luke, I'm...I'm just so glad I'm here."
He pulled away from her to look in her eyes. "What was it? You're shaking." He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, making her goosebumps go away.
"I just...I had a nightmare." She shut her eyes and shook her head. "I don't even want to think about it, Luke. I just want to forget it. I want to forget everything outside this room."
He smiled and her and drew her close again. "That can be arranged," he whispered, kissing her half-closed eyes.
She returned his smile and snuggled close to him. "I don't want anything to spoil this night."
"Nothing could ever spoil it, my love." He cupped her face and gave her a long kiss, full of promise and love. "The first night of many."
The next day, in the early morning, Kyp and Tionne trekked through the humid Massassi jungle, each carrying their lightsabers and a bottle of water in case they ever got thirsty. They had been traveling for over two and a half hours now, and would reach their destination momentarily.
"I'm glad to see you're feeling better," Tionne said to Kyp as he led the way.
Kyp turned to her and smiled. After the battle with Admiral Daala's fleet, Kyp had returned to the infirmary to have his wounds treated-many of the injuries he had sustained from the HRD had reopened in the battle-and spent several hours in a bacta tank to finish, just when Tionne had finally come to. They had both recovered just in time for Luke and Callista's wedding.
"Thanks. You seem to be much better as well."
"I am, trust me," Tionne said, wiping beads of sweat from her pale forehead. "Force, it's hot as hell out here."
"You need the tan," Kyp joked, and then laughed as the silver-haired Jedi playfully punched him in the shoulder.
"Master Altis was kind of a rebel," Callista said, buttoning Luke's shirt. "He taught his students differently than the other Masters. The Council was okay with that, as long as he checked in with them once a year."
"What did he teach differently?"
"Well, for starters, he never believed any of that midichlorian stuff."
"Midichlorians?" Luke looked at her strangely, and she stopped buttoning his shirt and looked up in surprise.
"The supposed microscopic beings that live inside us and connect us to the Force? Supposedly, the more midichlorians, the stronger you were. It was rumored that your father had over twenty thousand."
He met her eyes in surprise. "My father?" Callista bent in front of the mirror and raked her fingers haphazardly through her hair.
"More than Yoda himself. I don't believe it either. Why must there be a scientific explanation to everything?"
Luke shrugged. "I guess it made someone feel better."
"Yeah, and that's why they killed us all. Anyway, he did teach us about the living Force versus the unifying Force."
"What?"
She looked at him with a hint of a smile. "How things have changed," she said. "In my day, you'd never become a Jedi with how little you know."
He shrugged. "Desperate times, darling," he said, pulling her close for a kiss.
Tionne sighed. "So, how close are we to that temple?"
"We should be getting there," Kyp said as he sliced through a vine blocking their way. "Me, Dorsk 81, and Tereias had been looking for it, but we were interrupted by the HRD."
Tionne shuddered. "I still can't believe what she did to poor Tereias."
"I know," Kyp said solemnly, images of the HRD ripping her hand into the young man's chest replaying in his mind. "Thank the Force she's dead now."
"Hey, is that the path you were telling me about?" She pointed up ahead.
Kyp squinted his eyes and nodded. "Sure is. Come on, we're almost there." They walked on, careful to avoid a swarm of piranha-beetles chasing after an injured woolamander.
As they followed the natural pathway and reached the end, they found it.
The temple, twice as small as the Great Temple, was dome-shaped, unlike the flat ziggurats of the Massassi pyramids. It had been built from limestone and wood, and most of it was in surprisingly good condition. A series of stone steps led up to the entrance, where two large humanoid statues worn and withered with age stood on either side of the yawning doorway, brandishing double-bladed staffs. Vines had caved in through the walls and roof, and the flora and fauna of Yavin 4 had made their homes in it for centuries. The walls of the temple were inscribed with hieroglyphics from a language long forgotten. They seemed to glow with their own inner light, as if whatever had built this temple had never completely gone away.
"This is it," Kyp said.
"It looks so...different," Tionne commented, her eyes widened with awe. "The design is different from the Massassi."
"Well, come on," Kyp said as he headed for the ancient ruins.
"We're going inside?" Tionne asked.
"Of course, silly," Kyp said. "Why else would we have come here? Don't worry, we're Jedi. We can handle anything that's in there."
Tionne looked up at the temple. Despite Kyp's assurances, she could not help but feel afraid. She cast her eyes upon the gargoyle statues, which seemed to stare at her back with empty, lifeless stone eyes. Something was not right.
"Come on, Tionne!"
She sighed, and followed her friend.
From the highest tower of the ancient temple, she stood, hidden from the sunlight, watching silently as the two Jedi Knights entered the ruins. The dark-haired young man was the first in-probably to check for anything dangerous. The silver-haired woman stood near the cavernous entrance, obviously uneasy about going inside. A moment later, she gathered up her courage and followed in.
She slowly nodded. These two would do for now.
"Come in, young Jedi," she whispered, her voice thick with hatred and anticipation. "Please, do come in."
"Tell me about Tatooine," Callista said. She laced her arm through his as they walked down to the mess hall.
"It's hot," Luke said. "That's all there really is to say about it."
She laughed. "But what about your family, your friends?"
Luke smiled as the memories flooded back to him. "They called me Wormie," he said.
"Your family?"
"No," he said with a laugh. "My friends."
"Why?"
He thought for a moment. "You know, I don't know."
"Good morning, Master Skywalker!" Cilghal greeted the two of them as she came into the hall. "Did you sleep well?"
Luke and Callista exchanged a secretive glance.
Cilghal stopped beside Luke and looked closer. "Master, you have something on your neck."
Luke slapped his neck and felt the tingling spot. Then he remembered Callista, last night, kissing his neck, leaving love bites on his skin. He glanced at her beside him. She was stifling a giggle, and mouthed, "Sorry."
Luke smiled at her and looked back at Cilghal, who, if it were possible, looked pinker than usual.
Tionne gaped in awe as she and Kyp stared at the interior of the ancient temple. Unlike the Massassi structures, which bore large, vast halls reflecting a proud, cultural civilization long gone, this one, much like the outside of the temple, seemed smaller, more comfortable, perhaps even the tiniest bit claustrophobic. The main hall was still large and spacious, true, but not stretching endlessly like the Grand Audience Chamber. Compared to the Massassi temples, it was as large as the command tower of a Corellian gunship. If the exterior of the temple wasn't enough to prove that it was not Massassi in origin, then the inside most definitely was. It was so different from its Massassi counterparts.beautiful in a strange kind of way.
A large fountain stood in the center of the chamber, with a stone statue of a woman with beautiful wings and four outstretched hands, most likely a shrine dedicated to a deity of some kind. From the looks of it, Tionne guessed that water would come out of the statue's open mouth and pool into the fountain. However, the fountain had not been used in centuries, and all that was left was greenish-black muck.
Torn purple-black drapes covered the large, stained-glass windows of the temple, and Tionne gazed up at the stretching ceiling. Despite the vast holes caused by vines smashing in, she could discern numerous painting on the ceiling, most of which seemed to resemble large, muscular feline creatures, with grayish-white skin and eyes without pupils, giving them a ghostly and frightening appearance. The painted figures were dressed in red and black and carried scythes, and seemed to be slaughtering unarmed beings.
The Massassi, perhaps?
As she stared transfixed at the paintings, they seemed to come alive before her, glowing with a deep, inner fire. For a brief, terrifying second, Tionne could see herself standing amidst a landscape streaked with fire, screams echoing all around her, accompanied by the familiar sound of tearing flesh, and a deep, low-throated laugh that seemed to resound in her mind-
"I wonder who could've built this temple," Kyp said, cutting through Tionne's trance. As if it had never happened, the vision dissipated into oblivion. "According to our records, it was built centuries before the Massassi ever set foot on Yavin 4."
Tionne looked at her friend, surprised. "Are you saying that someone else built this temple other than the Massassi? Then.that means the Massassi weren't the first race to live on Yavin 4."
Kyp nodded. "The question is, what ever happened to these people? Do you think they died out? Or were they conquered by Exar Kun the same time the Massassi were?"
Tionne looked around the room, a cold shiver running up her back. "I don't know," she said. "But I really don't want to find out." She glanced back up at the ceiling, at the paintings that stared silently down at her. "I doubt they were still around in Exar Kun's time. Force, I think they were gone long before the Massassi showed up. The Holocrons would have mentioned something about them otherwise." She turned back to Kyp. "Are there any other temples of the same design in the area?"
Kyp shook his head. "This was the only one we could find. We searched pretty much every nook and cranny of the jungle, and came up with nothing." He gestured with his hands. "This is it. The only evidence of this race's existence."
"Can we go now?" Tionne pleaded, hugging her arms. "This place is giving me the creeps."
"No way, we just got here. Let's take a look around," Kyp suggested, heading toward a flight of stairs that led upwards to the higher levels of the temple.
"Kyp, I don't think-"
"Oh, don't worry," her companion said quickly. "What could possibly happen?"
A lot of things, Tionne thought, but didn't voice out loud. Most of them bad. Before she could object, he was already running up the stairs.
"I don't understand, though," Luke said, swallowing a mouthful of fried bread. "Why would Master Yoda have said I was too old to begin the training?"
Callista sipped her water. "Well, in the old order, candidates were taken when they were born, as infants. They didn't have much contact with their families, and most of them had none at all. The Jedi were our families. Master Altis, though, he didn't like that idea any more than he liked the idea of midichlorians. He knew that there were any number of teenaged candidates living on backwater planets, out of the jurisdiction of the Republic. He didn't think we should be shunned our birthright just because we were too old."
"How old were you?"
"Seventeen," she replied, propping her chin in one hand. "but I came in at a very hectic time. The Jedi were about to be extinct. That's why my training was so abbreviated."
"And yet, you still know more than I do," Luke said.
Callista shrugged. "Master Altis told me once that a Jedi never stops learning. You learn while you teach your own students."
Luke nodded. "Do you think you'd be interested in teaching here?"
Callista paused, considering. "Perhaps. When all this dies down, sure."
"When all what dies down?" Luke asked, frowning.
"There's something else here," she said, distractedly. "I don't think we're safe yet."
"Callista, don't worry so much. The droid's been destroyed. Daala's dead." He grabbed her hand. "And we're married. Nothing could go wrong now."
Something changed in Callista's eyes. That is quite possibly the greatest of all famous last words, she muttered, shaking her head, as if distracted by something else. She turned sharply, and looked over her shoulder, but there was no one there.
Now alone, the silver-haired Jedi began wandering around the temple's entrance, wondering what to do now. Something did not quite feel right for her, but she couldn't pinpoint the uneasiness.
She walked closer to the statue of the four-armed woman at the fountain, her steps thudding quietly in the chamber. The wind whispered lightly against her back, wiping away the perspiration that had been on her neck since early morning, causing her to shiver. She would have rather been out in the jungle again in the blazing weather, enduring poisonous insects and piranha-beetles, than be in here.
The statue seemed to be looking away from her, gazing up at the sky, as if deep in thought. She was so beautiful, barely scathed by the centuries of erosion that plagued the rest of the temple. Tionne reached up to touch her, her curiosity getting the better of her, closing her eyes, trying to reach out through the Force-
She was standing in the same fiery plain as before, the heat overwhelming on her skin. Gigantic red fingers of lightning rained from the reddish-purple sky, accompanied by strokes of fames that touched the arid ground, causing it to sizzle, rip open great gashes through the dirt, spilling lava through the cracks. The ground began to shake, causing her to fall to her knees, gasping at the pain that shuddered through her bones.
A figure stood before her, silent and draped in flowing purple robes. She looked up and saw the woman, her wings extended tall and proud in the air, her four hands clasping four double-bladed swords. Her pupil-less eyes glowed a bright red amber, her flowing auburn hair cascading down her shoulders, moving as though it possessed a life of its own. Two other figures flanked her from both sides, although she could not discern their features. The woman said something in a language she was not familiar with.
A shadow loomed over her, and she turned to see another figure standing behind her, hidden in a black shroud. She could not see its face, only its eyes, radiating a deep blue-white. She could feel the evil emanating from this being, more so than anyone she had encountered in her life, and it staggered her. The being spoke, its inflection indicating that it was female. She only said one word.
"Sheherhera."
A sudden burst of bright, blue light enveloped them, and she screamed as an endless wave of agony threw itself over her body, propelling her out of the fiery world and into-
Tionne screamed as her eyes snapped open, her arms going up to shield her face as if warding off a blow. She looked around, breathless, and found herself back in the ancient temple, still near the statue of the woman she had seen in her vision.
Tionne slowly backed away from the fountain, every nerve in her body screaming. The evil she had felt earlier soaked the walls of the temple, dark and powerful. She looked around and saw no one, but deep down in her gut, she knew she was being watched.
Not wasting a breath, Tionne began heading for the stairs. She was going to get Kyp and get the hell out of there as soon as possible.
"Hello, Tionne."
"I know it sounds crazy, Luke, and I know I probably sound paranoid. I just-I have a feeling that there's something wrong. I can feel something, something familiar."
"Familiar?" Luke was beginning to be alarmed. Her hand was getting clammy under his.
"I don't know. I've felt it before." Callista closed her eyes. Her breath was growing shallow. "I just-I can't place where--"
Anticipating her faint, Luke caught her as she slumped out of her chair. "Callie? Callie, talk to me. What wrong?"
She moaned and trembled in his arms. Luke looked around at the startled students gathering around him. "Somebody go and get Cilghal," he said, and looked down at Callista in the crook of his arm. Her lips were moving like a fish gasping for water, her voice escaping through them in thready whispers.
"What?" He leaned his ear closer to her mouth.
"She is coming...she is coming..."
The voice took her by surprise, and Tionne whirled around to see someone standing behind her, draped completely in black. Her knees nearly buckled and collapsed as her eyes set upon the face hidden by the darkness of the hood. It was the same being in her vision. The one that had spoke that one, indecipherable word, the one seething with unimaginable evil.
She was here for her.
"Who are you?" Tionne demanded, taking a few steps back.
The figure hesitated. "You know who I am," she replied in an ominous voice. "I am your past.your present.your future. I created this universe, and I can destroy if I so choose. Soon, you and all forms of life will worship me."
"I don't understand," Tionne said, tempted to just run. But something held her back. "What do you want from me?"
The woman reached her pale hand out towards her. "You'll see."
With that, she disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
Tionne watched, aghast, as the black smoke rose from the air and began to surround her, cutting her off from the sunlight, from the temple, from Yavin 4 itself. Tionne tried to fight it, tried to push it away with the Force, but was she wasn't strong enough to perform such a trick.
The woman's laugh-that same, deep-throated laugh she had heard earlier-echoed in her ears as the smoke began entering her body, seeping through her pores, her ears, her nose, her mouth, everything it could crawl into. Tionne screamed and struggled, but no matter how hard she resisted, she could not fight it back.
Before she knew it, Tionne was already slipping into blackness.
A year had passed since Kyp had succumbed to the dark side and Exar Kun's teachings. Even after all this time, his dreams were still plagued with the Sith Lord's tattooed face, his attack on Master Skywalker, the destruction of the Caridan System and death of his own brother, of all the unspeakable crimes he had committed and had just recently only begun to heal from.
But most of all, he still remembered the ancient Sith temple. The obsidian statue of Exar Kun ominously looming over the quicksilver lake that surrounded the Massassi structure, the vague sense of evil it emanated. Kyp could still remember it all with vivid clarity, and he doubted he would ever forget it.
Now, as he crept up the narrow, twisting stairway of the ancient temple-one so old that it made the Massassi ones seem recent in comparison- those same feelings came back to him. This temple, everywhere around him- the cracks in the walls, the ceiling, the stairs-seemed to seethe with an ancient evil, one long since gone.
Or, was it?
Kyp's hand instinctively went to his lightsaber, and he silently chided himself for his paranoia. Now he was starting to act like Tionne. There's nothing in here besides the two of us, he kept repeating to himself logically, although deep down in his gut, he wasn't so sure about that.
The stairway was almost pitch-black, even in the morning hours. A few faint streaks of sunlight managed to slither through the ceiling cracks, but that was it. A faint, musty smell crept up into Kyp's nostrils, causing him to cough several times. It was the smell of decay, as well as the familiar scent of ozone.
It was coming from upstairs.
His curiosity aroused, Kyp doubled his speed, careful not to walk too fast or too hard. The stairs, though amazingly well preserved considering the age of the temple, still contained weak spots, ones that could cause the steps to cave in should Kyp apply too much pressure upon them. A slight breeze ran through the air, causing his skin to prickle.
For a moment, it sounded like someone whispering through the wind.
It did not take long for him to reach the top of the stairs. A single door awaited him, slightly ajar. Kyp noticed a great deal of sunlight pouring from the cracks. And for the briefest of seconds, he thought he detected movement.
Calm down! he told himself. He slowly pushed open the wooden door, cringing at the heavy creaking that followed. Almost immediately, he was hit with a burst of sunlight, and he felt a great deal of relief when he saw that no one else was in the room.
The room was extremely small, slightly larger than his living quarters in the Great Temple. It was completely bare, save for a small pile of ashes in the center, suggesting that someone had once built a fire in this room eons ago.
As Kyp entered the room, shielding his eyes from the sunlight streaming in through the large, open window, he noticed that the ozone smell he had detected earlier was coming from the ashes.this was a recent fire.
Feeling a slight twinge of fear, Kyp knelt closer, and placed his hand just above the ashes. Sure enough, they were still warm. Someone had started this fire no more than twenty minutes ago at the most.
A cold chill ran through his body as he realized that someone had been in this room, not too long ago.
Behind you.
Without even thinking, Kyp spun around, and of course, nothing was there.
Stupid! He thought to himself. Now, I'm jumping at voices in my head.
Then he felt it again...that same evil he had sensed in the stairway. It was recent, and fresh, and very, very powerful. Not as powerful as Exar Kun had been, maybe, but it was close.
And it seemed to be everywhere.
Kyp stood up immediately, backing away from the ashes. His eyes scanned the tiny room. He had to find Tionne and get the hell out of there and inform Master Skywalker about this.
They never should have come. Kyp heard Tionne's scream seconds later, and he quickly rushed out of the room, down the stairs, his heart jumping into his throat. "Tionne!" he shouted, freeing his lightsaber from his belt. His friend did not answer. He finally reached the main entrance to the temple, and saw Tionne curled up on the floor, her body convulsing in pain. Something must have attacked her.
"Tionne!" Kyp exclaimed as he ran over to the young woman. Tionne was already starting to get up. "Are you-?" Tionne's fist suddenly came out of nowhere, smashing right into Kyp's face. The young man reeled back from the force of the blow, blood rushing from the corner of his mouth. Kyp's hand went up to his wound. When he looked up, Tionne was gone. He looked around the chamber, instantly alert. He had no idea what had gone through Tionne, but he was not going to take any chances. He switched on his lightsaber, his Force senses flaring to life.
Kyp.
He cried out as someone's foot struck him in the small of his back, knocking him against the old fountain. Kyp landed in a puddle of ooze, his lightsaber flying out of his reach. He staggered out of the fountain, the front of his shirt drenched in green- black ichor. He looked up and saw Tionne a few feet away. She was staring at him through new eyes, no longer a gleaming mother-of- pearl, but a dark, endless black. Her curved smile sent a shudder down his spine, and her hands hooked out into sharp claws.
"Surprised, friend?" Kyp stood straight and tall, meeting his opponent face-to-face.
"You're not Tionne."
Tionne nodded. "You're right. I'm not." She then came forth. Kyp was unprepared. Tionne moved too fast for his eyes to lock onto her. Seconds later, she was standing right in front of him. Before he could recover from his shock, Tionne sent an uppercut into his jaw, spinning him around. Kyp spat out two teeth that had been knocked loose. His entire mouth burned with pain. Tionne grabbed him by the arm and spun him back around. When he was facing her, she hit him again, even harder than before. Kyp reeled from the blow, and then gasped as Tionne punched him right in the spinal cord, nearly breaking it in half. Each blow seemed to grow even more painful. As Kyp slumped to one knee, Tionne grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and stood him back up. Her breath felt hot and unwelcome on his face. "Having fun yet, Kyp?" she snarled, as she ground her fist into his solar plexus. Kyp nearly passed out from the blow, and he fell down, vomiting blood. Tionne stepped away as his blood splattered, and grabbed a handful of his black hair and yanked upwards, forcing Kyp to look up at her. She punched him again. Kyp was sent reeling back against the fountain. His vision became engulfed in white; his mind began to spin.
He barely had a chance to recover when Tionne sent a right hook into his jaw. The blow-the hardest one of all- smashed Kyp's jawbone, and he collapsed.
"I want you to deliver a message to Callista," Tionne said, her voice deep and demonic now. Not human. "Tell her that I am watching her, and I know her little secret." Kyp managed to get up to his hands and knees, his face meeting Tionne's. The woman stared down at him. "Tell her that death is coming for her." Her foot smashed into his face, and Kyp knew no more.
After several refreshing sips of water, Callista felt more like herself. Luke held her hand tightly, never leaving her side. Her fainting spell had terrified him, bringing back fresh memories of nearly losing her to the Sith Witch. Even more puzzling was what she had said. "Honestly, Luke, I feel fine. I was just a little dizzy."
"You said someone was coming," he said. "Someone you knew.
"I don't know who that would be." She shook her head. "It was just rambling." She leaned forward and kissed him. "You don't need to worry about me so, darling."
"You say that too much."
Callista looked at him, but didn't say anything. She was thinking.
She walked out of the temple, her eyes taking in the jungle that surrounded her. She took a deep breath, savoring the fresh morning air of Yavin 4. This new body was different and unusual. The woman's Force powers were almost nonexistent that it was pathetic. But it would do for now.
She focused her oily black eyes past the dense foliage, where she knew the Great Temple awaited. Where Callista awaited.
You thought you were rid of me forever, didn't you? You'll never be rid of me. I'll always haunt your dreams, your thoughts, in every waking day of your life. Soon, I'll have my revenge on you for what you did to my father and me.
She then felt a presence in the Force. She closed her eyes and saw, in her mind, one of the Jedi students, Kirana Ti, going for a little swim in the Massassi Lake.
She opened her eyes and smiled. "I'm going to enjoy this," she said as she strode toward the lake.
Kirana Ti slipped out of her green reptilian hides-the typical clothing for women of Dathomir-and leaped into the deep, crystal-blue lake. She plunged into the cold water with a splash and swam down toward the bottom of the lake.
As a child growing up on Dathomir, Kirana Ti loved swimming. Every day, she would go to a small pond that was near her parents' hut and play in the water with her brothers and sisters. Those were the happiest times of her life, she remembered.
Although she loved Yavin 4 and loved her Jedi training, Kirana Ti still missed Dathomir with a passion. She missed her home, her fellow Sisters, her mother, father, grandmother, and especially her young daughter, Arian. She was reaching her eighth lifeday in three months, and Kirana Ti would be unable to attend. The knowledge saddened her, but Kirana Ti continued to look forward to the day when she would complete her training and return to Dathomir, a Jedi Knight. Her family would be so proud of her when that day would come.
Kirana Ti went to the Massassi Lake at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Others would sometimes accompany her, but Kirana Ti preferred to be alone.
As she swam along the floor of the lake, a school of rainbow-fish scurried past her, their group breaking up in alarm when they saw her. Kirana Ti smiled and plowed into the small school. None of the fish were harmed, but they were easily scared off.
Oh, how she loved it here! Even though Yavin 4 could never replace Dathomir, it was still a wonderful world in its own right. And this lake was Kirana Ti's favorite place to go. Swimming always helped take her mind off things that troubled her.
But today was different. Admiral Daala was finally defeated, the Imperial fleet routed by the Jedi Knights and the New Republic. Callista now had her Force powers back, and she and Luke were finally married. There was nothing to worry about anymore.
Kirana Ti swam back up and broke through the surface, taking several deep breaths. She looked up at the sky and saw the sun starting to rise. It was now morning, and the other Jedi trainees would soon be waking up.
She still had a few hours before classes.
Kirana Ti laughed with joy and went back underwater.
She finally reached the shore of the Massassi Lake, her black eyes taking in the gorgeous scenery that greeted her. In the middle of the lake, she watched as the warrior woman Kirana Ti plunged back into the cold water.
She smiled, a plan forming in her head.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on the lake itself. In her mind, she could see the tiny molecules that made up the body of water, swirling around in constant motion. She called upon the Force, stretching her arms high into the air. With her powers, she halted the movement of the molecules, forcing them to stop in their tracks. Slowly, the water began to freeze as well.
Within seconds, a thick layer of ice had covered the entire lake.
She smiled. Kirana Ti was trapped.
Kirana Ti, now needing another breath of air, swam back up to the surface, her arms making small waves in the water.
But as she headed to the surface, her head bumped against a layer of ice.
Kirana Ti looked up in shock and tried to push the ice away. But it would not budge. The woman, panic beginning to overwhelm her, began pounding furiously on the frozen water, trying to break free.
What had happened? Why was this ice here?
The entire surface of the lake was now frozen, and there was no way for Kirana Ti to get out. She was trapped.
And she was running out of air.
She watched, amused, as Kirana Ti tried to break through the ice.
"It's no use, Jedi," she said, knowing that the warrior would not hear her. "You'll never break free."
Kirana Ti was on the verge of screaming. Never before had she felt such fear. She continued banging her fists against the solid ice, but it did no good.
She looked up and vaguely saw someone standing on the other side of the icy surface, just above her. Was it Master Skywalker? Callista? One of the Jedi trainees? She tried to make out whom it was, but the ice was too thick for her to see.
The figure continued staring down at her, unmoving.
Whoever it was, it obviously was not going to help her.
What am I going to do?
She stopped struggling and allowed herself to drift down to the bottom of the lake. Finally relaxing her body, Kirana Ti, trying to conserve the little oxygen she had left, closed her eyes and felt the Force flow through her. The ice was indeed strong, but with the Force on Kirana Ti's side, she could do anything. Size matters not...
She then shot up as fast as a proton torpedo, heading directly for the ice. She struck with the Force, and the frozen water started cracking open. Faster and faster, Kirana Ti watched as the ice shattered and fell into the water. She leaped out of the water, and performed a flip through the air, landing safely on the shore.
Kirana Ti breathed in several deep breaths of air, her body flooded with relief. She had made it.
But who had that figure been?
"Took you long enough," a voice from behind said.
Kirana Ti stood up in surprise and turned around to see Tionne, her lightsaber drawn out.
"Tionne?" she said. "Why did you not help me? You saw that I was trapped beneath the ice."
Tionne laughed, glaring daggers at the Dathomirian warrior. "Look into my eyes, Jedi. Do you see your friend Tionne anywhere?"
Kirana Ti gasped when she realized that something was amiss. Tionne's mother-of-pearl eyes were absent, replaced with a dark, oily black.
She looked up at the woman. No...not Tionne. That woman was not Tionne. "Who are you?" she asked dangerously.
Tionne shrugged and stepped forward. "An old friend of Callista's."
She then rushed forth and attacked.
Kirana Ti moved fast, leaping high over Tionne's head, boosted by the Force, and landed right beside her pile of clothes. Quickly, she fished for her lightsaber, as Tionne turned to face her.
The two women now stood, lightsabers humming, ready to begin the battle. Kirana Ti knew that she probably looked ridiculous with no clothes on, but she doubted Tionne would give her a chance to get dressed. Kirana Ti's eyes locked with Tionne's, waiting for the first move.
It came a second later.
They both moved in and smashed their blades together, sending sparks flying. Tionne struck again, and Kirana defended herself. The possessed woman responded with quicker speed, sending several blows Kirana Ti's way. The women parried each other's blows and tried to bring the other down. They fought for minutes on end.
Kirana Ti felt the Force flow through her as she fought. She was a good, strong fighter, but Tionne-or whoever she was-seemed to have practiced more with a lightsaber than she. Eventually, one of them would tire, and the other would be able to cut her down. Kirana Ti had a pretty good idea which one of them fit in the former category.
Kirana Ti spun and slashed down toward Tionne's thigh, but she met the warrior woman's blade with her own, sneering. Her fist came a second later, sending Kirana Ti spinning to the ground. She cried out in pain and surprise, feeling blood run from her nose.
Tionne then rushed forth and slashed her silver blade toward the woman's knees. Reacting quickly, Kirana Ti leaped over the blade and rolled, landing right behind her opponent.
Tionne spun around and chopped the blade down toward the Jedi's head. Kirana Ti brought her saber back, deflecting the killing blow. She then threw one of her own, sweeping her lightsaber sideways toward Tionne's hip. The woman saw it coming and leaped into the air, avoiding the attack, and flipped to the ground in front of Kirana Ti.
They crossed blades again, a sizzle of sparks erupting in their faces. Kirana Ti yelled out when Tionne knocked her weapon out of her hands.
Kirana Ti faced her enemy, and kicked Tionne's lightsaber from her grip, leaving both women unarmed. Before Tionne could recover from the surprise, Kirana Ti came at her with a kick to the gut, connecting solidly.
Tionne doubled over, stumbling back a few steps. Kirana Ti moved forth to finish the job, but she recovered faster than expected. Their blades intersected again, leaving them at a standstill.
"What have you done with Tionne?" Kirana Ti demanded.
Tionne smiled. "You don't want to know," she hissed. "But you'll find out in due time.once I'm finished eliminating the rest of your puny Jedi friends."
Kirana Ti gnashed her teeth, trying to control her anger. She tried pressing both blades down upon her opponent's throat, but was countered by equal strength. "What do you want with Callista?" she asked.
Tionne hesitated. "She hasn't told you?"
Kirana Ti shook her head.
Tionne sighed. "Oh, well. I shouldn't be surprised. I guess Callista doesn't want to remember the daughter she left behind."
Kirana Ti gasped. "Her...daughter?" Her grip on her lightsaber loosened.
It was all Tionne needed. She broke away from the battle and ran off into the jungle, moving with a speed Kirana Ti had never witnessed before, her laugh echoing across the Massassi Lake.
Kirana Ti shut off her lightsaber, still numb with shock. She considered going after Tionne when she suddenly realized something.
Kyp!
Kyp had been with Tionne earlier. They had told Kirana Ti that they were going to take a look at the new temple Master Skywalker had discovered. Whoever had possessed Tionne's body must have did something to Kyp as well...
She suddenly had a bad feeling about this.
Without wasting any time, Kirana Ti threw her clothes and ran off to find Kyp.
Kirana Ti entered the temple and looked around her. In a few moments, she spotted Kyp lying unconscious on the floor of the temple, blood dripping from his head and nose. She hurried over and tried to wake him.
Kyp's eyes slowly fluttered open but didn't focus on her.
"Come on," she said, recognizing the signs of concussion and hauling him to his feet. "I've got to get you out of here."
You're too late.
She turned around.
Tionne snatched her by the throat and forced her against the temple wall, forcing her to let go of Kyp. She squeezed, choking the warrior woman, the nails almost digging into the skin. Kirana Ti gasped for air as she began raising her lightsaber, but it was knocked from her grip, controlled by the Force. It sailed across the other side of the temple, now useless.
The blade flashed in the dim light, stabbing cleanly through her chest. Kirana Ti stared disbelievingly at the fake Tionne, then down at the silver blade that burned through her heart. She staggered back and sank to her knees. It seemed to take an eternity to hit the ground.
Tionne nodded. "The dark side is stronger."
The blade flashed again in a single horizontal sweep, and Kirana Ti's headless body fell sideways to the floor.
Without sparing a glance at the body, Tionne turned to Kyp. She stared down at him, and then brought the lightsaber down through his chest, disintegrating his heart. Kyp jerked once and then lay still.
Tionne smiled. "Excellent. Two of Skywalker's Jedi gone, and strong ones at that."
She turned and strode from the temple on her way to the Great Temple, leaving the broken and lifeless bodies of the two Jedi behind.
She stopped and concentrated as she approached the Great Temple. Slowly, her eyes began to revert from black back to her normal mother-of-pearl.
She nodded in satisfaction once she had done that. She would now have a much better chance of passing undetected inside the Temple.
She started to walk on, only to come to an abrupt halt. Inside, the real Tionne was fighting desperately to regain control of her body. The battle was short, though, and she soon strode on. Tionne, with her weak control of the Force, was no match for her.
She walked into the clearing in front of the Temple. She would pick the Jedi off one by one. No one was likely to suspect the peaceful Jedi historian. Once she had eliminated them, she would be free to settle her score with Callista.
Luke watched as the Jedi students entered the Grand Audience Chamber, ready for their morning classes. He saw Callista, Streen, Cilghal, Kam, and Dorsk 81, standing at the edge of the stage, where Luke always stood to teach.
But where were Tionne, Kyp, and Kirana Ti?
He knew that Kirana Ti was on one of her morning exercises, and Kyp and Tionne had gone exploring in the jungle to find the ancient temple Luke had discovered two week ago. But they knew when classes started, so why were they late?
As everyone settled in their seats, Luke addressed the students. "Has anyone here seen Kyp, Tionne, or Kirana Ti?"
The students mumbled amongst them, then shook their heads no.
"Not since they left," Dorsk 81 said.
"I can't feel them," Streen said ominously, his eyes closed, as if he was trying to sense his companions through the Force. "All I feel is a dark emptiness."
At that moment, Tionne burst into the chamber, harried and disheveled. "Master Skywalker!" she shouted.
Luke looked up in surprise. "Tionne? Where's Kyp?"
"We were attacked," Tionne explained breathlessly. "A monster...when we were in the jungle. I tried to help him, but...it took him away."
Everyone began talking at once. Luke tried to quell the Jedi down, then asked, "What kind of monster?"
Tionne shook her head. "I don't know. One of the inhabitants of the jungle. But it was so big, and...I don't know."
"What about Kirana Ti?" Callista asked.
"I'm not sure. I haven't seen her," Tionne answered. "Maybe the monster took her too."
"Okay, this is what we're going to do," Luke said to his students. "Break up into groups of five. We're going out into the jungle to find Kyp and Kirana Ti. If they're in the jungle, we'll be sure to find them. Bring your lightsabers with you. We're probably gonna need them."
The students rose from their benches and began their mission.
"May the Force be with you," Luke whispered as he ran over to Callista.
She ran out of the chamber and watched from the shadows as the Jedi students began heading for their private quarters to get their lightsabers and provisions for the mission.
One of them-a young Rodian male-walked past her. Making sure no one else was around, she snatched the Jedi trainee from behind and snapped his neck. Checking that the Rodian was dead, she dragged him to the refresher room and dumped him into one of the toilets.
Quietly, she watched the Jedi through the dark shadows.
Luke, Callista, Cilghal, and Dorsk 81 hurried down one of the long passageways in the Great Temple. All four had their lightsabers held ready.
"Where did Kirana Ti go?" Luke asked.
"I don't know, Master Skywalker," Cilghal answered. "Tionne said she and Kyp were heading out to one of the temples in the jungle, though." Callista nodded. "We'd better find her, then. She actually keeps the activity logs, so Kirana Ti might have told her where she was going. Did anyone see where she went after we left the Grand Audience Chamber?"
Luke, Cilghal, and Dorsk 81 all shook their heads.
"Right, we'll split up," Luke decided. "Dorsk 81 and Cilghal, check the Temple. We'll search outside. Contact us if you find Tionne."
The two of them nodded and hurried away.
"Come on," Luke said to Callista, but she stayed put, apparently concentrating. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Callista blinked and shook her head. "I don't know. I thought I sensed something there for a moment, that same feeling I got earlier."
Luke hesitated for a moment. "We have to concentrate on the here and now," he reminded her, coming to a decision.
Callista bit her lip, and then nodded and hurried after him.
As the two of them vanished down the corridor, she appeared at its far end. She watched them turn a corner and disappear, her eyes glittering. They had turned back into an oily black color, and she held a new lightsaber, taken from the Rodian student she had killed. She was eager to acquire a second and demonstrate her skill in fighting to Callista.
Sensed me, didn't you? she thought with a sneer, gazing intently at the corner where they had been standing earlier. Don't worry, I'll reveal myself in due time.
Luke and Callista emerged from the Temple, just as an unexpected visitor appeared. A small Z-95 Headhunter circled the landing field once, and then touched down. The canopy opened, and a lithe, redheaded woman climbed out and jumped to the ground.
"Skywalker," she said to Luke by way of greeting, and nodded to Callista. "Just here for one of my quick visits. I heard I missed all the activity with Admiral Daala."
"You might have arrived just in time for some more," Luke said. "Kirana Ti and Kyp have gone missing, and I could always use someone else experienced with the Force."
Mara Jade nodded, her red-gold hair glinting in the sun. "Well, things are never exactly dull with you around, Skywalker," she said dryly. "I don't suppose Corran's here?"
Luke shook his head. "Back with the Rogues."
Mara shrugged. "Whatever. So, what are you doing?"
"Looking for Tionne," Callista said. "She might know where Kyp and Kirana Ti are."
Mara nodded. "I'll come with you, then. Let's see if we can find any of them."
In the shadows of the entrance to the Great Temple, she watched the three of them head out into the jungle.
Another Force-strong enemy was a setback, but only a minor one. All she needed were some reinforcements.and she knew just where to find them.
Igniting her lightsaber, she moved back into the jungle, heading for the ancient temple. Skywalker, Callista, and Jade could be dealt with later.
Luke, Mara, and Callista met up with the other Jedi students in the jungle. Almost everyone was there-Streen, Kam Solusar, and several students. Save for one person. Tionne was gone. Luke frowned. She had never missed a meeting as serious as this. Could it be that.
He shook his head. "Here's what we'll do," he began. "We'll all move in pairs and comb the jungle for Kyp and Kirana Ti. Streen, you're with me. Callista, go with Mara. Kam, I want you to lead the students.
"Now, if anyone sees Kyp and Kirana Ti, report back here immediately, or contact me through the Force. They may be in need of medical help, so bring them here as soon as possible. If we don't succeed in finding them, I'll contact the New Republic for reinforcements. Understood?"
The students cheered, anxious to get started.
"Then let's go."
As the group began separating, Callista gave Mara Jade a small nod. "Well, here we go."
Deep in the jungle of Yavin 4, the ancient ruins remained deathly silent. No animal dared to disturb it. No runyips or woolamanders came to make their homes in it, no salmon-birds came to chirp noisily at each other, no piranha-beetles came to hunt for their prey.
It was as if an invisible barrier, preventing anything-or anyone-from entering, surrounded the temple.
Inside the chamber-where the mutilated bodies of the two Jedi now hung from hooks on the walls-she knelt before the ancient fountain, her eyes closed deep in thought. Words in a language long since extinct crawled out of her mouth in hushed whispers, as she called upon the spirits of the dead.
She could feel the power seething within the walls of the temple, power that she herself now controlled. Power that no Jedi could ever hope to have. Reaching with the Force, she grasped the core of that power- shivering at the pure evil that crawled along her skin-and squeezed.
A moan of pleasure escaped her lips.
A clawed hand burst from the ground off to her right, grunting and roaring. Her eyes flew open, and she smiled, knowing that the spirits of the dead had heard her call. They answered only to her; only she had the power to call the spirits from their graves. She was Her greatest disciple, and when the day of the Coming arrived, she would be rewarded beyond her wildest dreams.
She was more powerful than Skywalker.more powerful than Callista.
"Nach nerath," she whispered, her eyes like empty, endless dark whirlpools. "Nach nerath, nach nerath, nach nerath."
Soon, dozens of others were breaking through the ancient floor as well, released from their dark tomb, hearing her call. They were her servants; they had no choice but to obey her will.
"SEENAHK!"
The feline creatures-the same creatures painted on the temple ceiling- crawled from beneath the ground and stood as one, controlled by her, and the dark side of the Force. Awakened by their Master, and ready to carry out her wishes.
Without speaking a single word, they ran off into the jungle.
Callista and Mara decided to check out the Massassi Lake first.
The two women ignited their lightsabers, then cast glances at each other. "Sometimes I wonder if us Jedi will ever stay out of trouble," Callista said with a shake of her head.
Mara grinned her eyes focused on the jungle that lay before them. "But if there never was any trouble, then we wouldn't need the Jedi."
"Point taken." Callista scanned the trees warily. "I just hope Kyp and Kirana Ti are all right." Callista tossed her hair back. "Let's get moving."
They started off into the Yavin jungle, hacking away at vines and branches that barred their path. The sun was shining high overhead, casting a bright orange light over their heads. Callista could feel perspiration streaming down her forehead, but she wiped it away and continued on.
Callista could hear the buzzing wings of a pack of piranha-beetles up ahead. She stopped Mara, all her senses on alert. As the buzzing grew louder, the two women went over and hid behind a tangle of vines, away from sight. Seconds later, a petrified woolamander burst from the bushes, squealing in terror as the piranha-beetles chased after it in hot pursuit.
Callista watched, both amazed and frightened, as the flesh-eating insects closed in on the helpless animal, tearing it apart with their razor- sharp fangs. As they feasted, Callista and Mara slowly crept away, trying not to draw attention to themselves.
As they moved away from the onslaught, Callista was tempted to start up a conversation with Mara. The two women had met only once-when Callista had been rescued from the Eye of Palpatine. But Mara seemed to prefer silence, as if she felt uneasy being around Callista.
Callista knew about Mara's past with Luke. She had once been the Emperor's Hand, his most trusted assassin. She had been obsessed with killing Luke, blaming him for Palpatine's death. Eventually, thought, they reconciled and teamed together to defeat Thrawn and C'baoth.
Callista wished to ask Mara so many questions about her past, but she kept to herself. She doubted Mara would be willing to share her secrets, and Callista respected that. She had a dark past of her own, one that she could barely remember, one she had not revealed to anybody. Not even to Luke...
Lying in a bed, wrapped in sweat-dampened sheets.Searching, feeling deep within...and finding nothing...Fingers brushing her thigh.
"We can try again."
After another half hour of walking, they finally reached the lake. Callista moved to the shore. "I've come swimming with Kirana Ti here before. Early. Perhaps she's been here."
The two women split up and circled the lake, checking for any signs of Kirana Ti or Kyp. Callista saw something shining in the crystal-blue water, and she bent forth to pick it up. When she realized what it was, she dropped it in shock.
Ice.
What the hell is ice doing here in a lake in the middle of a jungle?
Callista looked around, a feeling of trepidation forming in her gut. The feeling she had sensed earlier came back. So familiar...and yet so evil.
Mother...
"Hey!"
Callista cried out and turned around, her lightsaber held in front of her.
Mara took a step back, holding her hands out. "Whoa, whoa, whoa...calm down. It's just me. Calm down."
Callista sighed, visibly relaxed, and shook her head. "Sorry. I thought you were someone else."
Mara gave her a quizzical look. Callista ignored her and looked at their surroundings. Something out there was watching them, staring at them with bloodthirsty, vengeful eyes. Watching with a feral, animal intensity that Callista could reach out and touch, like a predator watching injured prey.
"Kirana Ti was here before," Mara said. "I can feel it."
Callista nodded. "Look at this," she said, tossing the ice chuck to Mara. "I found it in the water."
"Ice?" Mara glanced at her, confused. "Ice, in the middle of a jungle? It doesn't make sense."
Callista nodded absently, and an uncomfortable silence followed afterwards. She looked out past the lake, into the jungle, feeling those same pair of invisible eyes watching her, waiting for her.
Who are you?
You know who I am.
"So, I hear Skywalker and you are hitched now?" Mara said, cutting through Callista's thoughts.
Callista recoiled in surprise, then nodded uneasily, her eyes still searching.
Mara sighed. "He's a good man," she said, eying Callista suspiciously.
"Yes, he is," Callista agreed. She looked up at her companion. Something about the direction this conversation was heading didn't seem right."And what about you? I heard you and Lando have something going on."
Mara laughed. "Lando?"
"Well, don't you?" Callista asked.
"No," the red-haired smuggler replied coldly. The look she gave Callista was not a friendly one at all. "Luke is a good man. He has the greatest heart I have ever seen in a person. I would be extremely upset if anyone hurt him." There was no subtext behind Mara's words as she spoke. It was obvious to both of them whom she was directing those words toward.
"I agree. That's why he's with me." The moment she spat those words out, she instantly regretted them, as she looked at the pain that flared behind Mara's eyes. She almost apologized, but her pride-and her anger at Mara's words-caused her to refrain from doing so.
Mara immediately shielded the pain in her eyes with a sarcastic façade, the one she was normally good at. It almost worked.almost. "I'm happy for you two; really, I am. And I don't give a dewback's ass whether he's with me or you."
"That's not what I saw a second ago," Callista said. "Come on, Mara. I may not look it, but I'm a hell of a lot older than you. I know a lie when I see one. I've seen the way you've treated Luke since I've been here, the rude remarks, the condescension. And yet, for some odd reason, it hurts you deep down when you see Luke and me together."
"You're right, it does," Mara admitted, the first traces of anger in her voice. "Because, quite frankly, I don't know what he sees in you at all. All I see is a self-righteous, body-snatching woman."
"How dare you!" Callista seethed. "You don't know the first thing about me, Mara! I love Luke with all my heart."
"You certainly don't show it," she retorted. "The first few days together, all you did was bitch and moan about how you would never feel 'complete' without the Force. Excuse me while I go retch." She leaned forward into Callista's face. "By the way, I heard you got your powers back. Congratulations. I have no doubts you would have left him sooner or later otherwise."
The fury Callista felt blossoming in her core was staggering. It was all she could do to not kill Mara where she stood. "I guess the stories about you are true. You really are cold-hearted and insensitive. It was true when you were the Emperor's servant, and it's true now. I guess some things never change."
An infuriated sneer crossed her face. "And petty, too. Luke must be really proud."
"I know all about your past, Mara. I know about all the innocent people you murdered in cold blood. The Emperor wanted you to kill Luke. And you almost succeeded in doing that, until Luke finally knocked some sense into you."
Mara's face contorted with vehemence. "He ruined my life. I wanted him to pay."
"Ruined your life? What about all the lives you ruined during Palpatine's reign? All the people who died at your hand, simply because the Emperor wished it? I was there, Mara, remember? I've seen the atrocities he committed firsthand. Tell me, do you sleep well at night? Do you still hear their screams?"
Mara's left hand balled into a tight fist. "You really got some nerve, throwing up my past in my face like that. At least I never willingly stole someone's body like you did."
"And you consider yourself any better?" Callista shot back.
"So, that's what this is all about, isn't it? You just don't trust me with him?"
"More than that. Luke saved your life, although I don't see why he bothered. Even after all he's done for you, even after he offered you a chance to redeem your past, you still can't respect him for everything he's done! You treat him like absolute dirt. And then you have the nerve to accuse me of hurting him!"
Mara glared at her. "And you think you're perfect? Do yourself a favor, Callista, and take a good look in the mirror. You think you're such a goddess, don't you? Everyone else is beneath you. You're all knowing, all perfect, the center of the entire universe. I really hate to burst your bubble-actually, I don't, but still-but I think you're one of the most self- centered, egotistical, irritating beings I've ever encountered. And that's putting it nicely.
"And another thing," she added vehemently, "do not bring up my past again. Ever. You know nothing of what I've been through, got that? It wasn't like killing Luke was my own choice. The Emperor had me brainwashed from the very beginning. I could do nothing about it. You don't know what it's like to have been under the control of an evil man who used you for his own purposes, who took you away from your family, never to see them again."
"I suppose I should feel sorry for you," Callista said angrily. "Listen to yourself! All you're doing is trying to absolve yourself from your crimes." She affected an imitation of Mara's stance. "'Oh, poor me. It was all the Emperor's fault; I'm blameless'." Then, dropping the imitation, continued: "What the hell is your problem?"
"Your face is my problem," Mara snapped. She stepped closer, her face nearly touching Callista's. "Do you think you can take me?"
"Let's find out, shall we?" Callista said, rising up to the challenge.
A dark, looming shape appeared behind Mara-
"Look out!" she shouted, Force-shoving Mara aside, causing her to fall to the ground. The cat-creature sprang at Callista, aiming for her throat, only to meet the sun-yellow blade of her lightsaber. The two halves of the creature dropped to the ground, cut cleanly from crotch to nose.
Low snarls marked the appearance of another six from the trees. Green saliva dripped from their jaws as they advanced, their eyes fixed on Callista. Mara scrambled to her feet, igniting her own lightsaber, and the two of them stood back to back as the creatures moved forward. "Come on, come on," Callista muttered. "Get what's coming to you!"
This last she yelled, and it was like a trigger, as, in perfect tandem, each of the creatures leapt from the ground faster even than vornskrs. Callista cut apart the two on her side with a single horizontal sweep of her lightsaber, and Mara slashed the head off another. The second succeeded in knocking her lightsaber from her hand and sending her sprawling. It turned for another attack, only to collapse as Mara dumped her holdout sleeve blaster into her hand and shot it right between the eyes.
"I never leave home without it," she said, standing up. Callista then cried out as the remaining two creatures seized her and brought her down to the ground, hissing in her ear. The creatures stared down at her with white, pupil-less eyes.
One of them whispered in her ear, "Kara sends her best." Callista hesitated, paralyzed with shock. Kara? Just then, the two monsters pounced.