Chapter 11

Leanna Kai heard the Jedi Master fall almost immediately. Without wasting time or words, she stood from her hiding spot and dashed quickly into the abandoned Imperial base. The Jedi students who had accompanied them hesitated for a mere fraction of a second, then followed suit, sensing that something was wrong.
As soon as Leanna entered the corridor, the musty air penetrating her nostrils, she saw that her fears were confirmed. Skywalker was lying comatose on the floor, blood streaming endlessly through deep wounds on his hands. The Jedi Master had just lost consciousness, most likely due to the blood loss. Leanna had no idea what had happened to him, but she knew that it was serious.
"In the name of the Force!" Streen explained as he rushed to Skywalker's side. "What happened to him?"
"Look at his hands," Cilghal said as she examined her Master's wounds. Cilghal apparently must have been the healer of the group, Leanna thought. "The wounds he got from his crucifixion must have opened up. We have to get him to the Falcon, fast."
"Master Skywalker," Kirana Ti, the reptilian-clad warrior, said softly, as she lightly shook the unconscious Jedi. "Master Skywalker, can you hear me?" But Skywalker did not respond.
"He's out cold," Kam observed. "It must have been the blood loss."
"How serious is it?" Leanna asked. She barely knew Skywalker, but she did not want him to die.
He should be fine, once we get him to wake, Cilghal explained. "I need help carrying him." Streen and Kirana Ti helped Cilghal pick the Jedi Master up, while Leanna quietly inspected what remained of the Imperial base. Apparently, she had been misguided. This base had not been used by the Imperials for quite some time. This had been her best shot at finding Boba Fett. And all she had found was nothing.
The group of Jedi began to leave, and Leanna followed after them, keeping her thoughts and feelings to herself. Fett may have eluded her for know, but she knew that it would only be a matter of time before she would cross paths with the Mandalorian-masked bounty hunter again.
Revenge would come very soon.

Tionne froze in terror at the sound of the man's voice. At least, she thought it was a man. It was hard to tell, for it was cold and dull and frightening. And it was not friendly at all. Trying to gather up her courage, Tionne said, her voice shaking, "What do you want?" "Skywalker," the voice simply said. "I am aware that he is on Garkonis as of this moment. I plan on making sure that he never leaves."
Tionne thought fast, considering her options. The blaster pressed harder against her spine, causing her to almost cry out in pain. If she dared to make a move, he would most likely kill her. Maybe if she used the Force to--
No, she decided. It was too risky. Force or not, her attacker had a great advantage over her. No, she couldn't getting herself killed. But what could she do?
"Tionne!" a voice suddenly cried out, surprising both her and the attacker. From the corner of her mother-of-pearl eye, she saw Kyp emerge from the Falcon. "Get away from her!"
Her attacker cried out as something slammed into him, driving him off his feet. The tip of his blaster rifle left Tionne's back, and the Jedi historian sighed in relief. She turned to see what had happened, and saw that Kyp had knocked the man down with an invisible Force blow. Tionne's eyes scoured the area, trying to get a good look at her attacker. She saw a figure dressed in armor, his face hidden by a mask with a T- shaped visor. Mandalorian armor...
As Kyp rushed to attack, the man brought his gloved wrist up. Tionne saw some type of white wire erupt from his arm, slashing through the warm air and coiling tightly around the young man's neck. As Kyp struggled with the coil, the man tugged to the right, throwing the Jedi off his feet and onto the grassy knoll. The back of his head bounced off a large rock, leaving Kyp writhing in pain. The armored man strode over to the downed Jedi--
"No!" Tionne shouted as she ran to help him. As Kyp started to get up, his face met the butt of the man's blaster rifle, knocking him out cold. With one Jedi down, he turned to face the other-- As Tionne prepared to fight him--her fingers about to touch the hilt of her deactivated lightsaber--a blue-white arc of light lanced from her weapon, smashing into her face and bringing forth darkness.

Leanna led the way as the small group headed back for the hill, three of the Jedi carrying Skywalker's limp form.
"How far are we now?" Kam asked, grunting as he held Skywalker by both legs. "Not far now," Leanna said. She could see the Falcon perched upon the hilltop, right where they had left it before leaving for the Imperial outpost. Just a few more minutes, and-
--Even as her eyes set upon the Corellian ship, Leanna and the Jedi watched as the Falcon suddenly exploded in a dazzling, blinding hail of fire and light.

When Callista awoke, it was almost morning. Despite the black coverings that blocked the windows in the healing hut, small rays of sunlight managed to penetrate through, providing her with just enough to light to see.
"About time you're awake," a voice said.
Callista turned to see Emna knelt over her, administering a cold cloth to her forehead. "I thought you'd never wake up."
Callista groaned as she started to get up, a searing flash of pain cascading down her back. Emna gently shoved her back down, careful not to hurt her. "Calm down," she said. "You're still not up to your full strength."
Callista barely nodded. Hope...I have to find Hope...and Anakin. "How...How long do you think..."
Emna hesitated at the question. "Well, if you're lucky, a week, at the very least. You're still pretty badly hurt. Armenia almost killed you...as did the purification." Callista had to agree with her on that. She had no idea how many hours--or even days--had passed by, and yet very little of the pain seemed to have gone away. She still felt every cut, every bruise, every sore, as if it had all happened five minutes ago.
"I guess you're right," she said softly, resting her head back against the pillow, the faces of Hope and Anakin hovering hauntingly over her.
"Would you like something to eat?" Emna asked. "As long as you don't pass out on me this time?"
Callista chuckled, and nodded. "Please, yes." Emna went over to the pot--it was still on the primitive stove--and dipped a cupful of it into a small wooden bowl with carvings of an exotic bird Callista had never seen before. The soup smelled so good, and she didn't even realize her mouth was watering. Emna handed the bowl of steaming soup to her, and Callista hungrily devoured it. The soup tasted warm and spicy, with vegetables and some type of meat. It tasted so good, and helped restore some of the energy she had lost over the past few days. It wasn't nearly enough for her...but it would do for now.
Emna whistled as Callista ate the soup within minutes. "Boy, you must have been hungry," she observed. "Want seconds?"
Callista nodded, and Emna took the bowl from her. "I really appreciate all this," she said as the younger woman provided her with a second helping of soup. "But...I wasn't expecting such hospitality from the Kerash."
Emna laughed as she handed the bowl, now filled to almost the rim, to her. "Oh, believe me, the Kerash are anything but hospitable," she said, watching as Callista ate. "I've been with them long enough to realize that."
Callista looked up from her bowl, small droplets of soup spilling from the corner of her lips. "You mean...you're not from here?" Emna shook her head. "I've only lived here for three years. My birthplace was on Dathomir."
Her answer took Callista by surprise. She almost dropped her soup. "Dathomir?" she said, looking over at the young woman. "I've been to Dathomir before. Were you part of the Singing Mountain Clan?" Callista had spent enough time with the Singing Mountain Clan to know almost all the warriors. But, up until a few days--or hours, it was hard to tell--ago, she had never met Emna before...
She sadly shook her head. "No. Not Singing Mountain...the Nightsisters." The room suddenly grew very cold.
Callista's eyes locked onto Emna's, a chill coursing through her blood. A Nightsister. This woman had once been a Nightsister. The people who had almost killed her and Luke. "A Nightsister?" That was all Callista could say. She felt so many emotions at once: anger, confusion, shock...and yet, this woman helped save her life.
Emna nodded. "I originally came from the Northern Lakes Clan. When Gabriela rose to power, she converted me--and many others from my clan--to the ways of the dark side. I went against everything I had ever believed in, fought against the people I had once called best friends...even family." She looked away from Callista. "I know who you are, Skywalker. Gabriela--and later, Anya--wanted your daughter. They wanted to make her a Nightsister."
Callista nodded, memories of the nightmare she had endured during Hope's birth returning to her...along with her crucifixion. "I remember," she whispered. "When the clans combined and defeated Anya in the mountains," Emna continued, "I was the only one who had survived. With the Nightsisters dead, I had no purpose in life, no meaning. I couldn't return to my clan, for I knew that they would hang me for my crimes. And I didn't want to become forsaken...and just when I was about to lose hope, a woman came to me."
"A woman?" Kara, Callista thought.
"Her name was Cray Mingla," Emna said. "She told me about the Kerash, and Black Sun, and how they had joined together to destroy the Republic. Seeing that I had nowhere else to go, I agreed to join her cause. She took me to Anasazi, and began training me in their ways. Because I was the only one who was Force-sensitive, I became their healer. I would care for those who were wounded in battle, for the sick, for the dying. I was able to learn how to speak their native language--well, most of it, at least--and I made many new friends, something I had never had when I was with the Nightsisters. I finally had found my purpose...and for the first time since I left my clan, I was happy."
Callista listened thoughtfully as Emna talked, the anger slowly going away. She felt nothing but sympathy for the poor girl. She had no idea of how evil the Kerash truly were. And she seemed so innocent about it.
"But I heard the tragic news about Cray's death," Emna suddenly said.
Callista almost jumped at what she said. "Dead?" She thought back to how Armenia had threatened to melt her into scrap...
Emna nodded. "Yes. Armenia told us all. Cray died a noble and heroic death while bringing your daughter and nephew from Coruscant. Our entire village mourns her now." Emna didn't seem to notice the surprised look on Callista's face. "I suppose I've bored you enough already. I'll go get some more water."
Without waiting for a reply, Emna stood and walked out of the hut. She pulled up the curtain that hung over the doorway and shut off the sunlight, briefly illuminating her in its yellow-white warmth, and left. Leaving Callista along with her thoughts. More pieces began to fit into the puzzle that was forming in her head.
So, Armenia was lying, even to her own people. They obviously didn't know that Cray was a droid, thought that she was still their leader, and that she had been killed in action. And for the first time, Callista began to think that the Kerash didn't even know about the coming of Arak. This time, she did get up, ignoring the avalanche of pain that shot through her body. She looked down and saw that she was naked, and she quickly threw her blanket over her. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but knew that she wasn't going to accomplish anything by just sitting here, waiting for Emna to return. She headed for the entrance to the healing hut, the dirt ground rough and unfriendly under her bare feet--and gasped as someone threw open the curtain, bathing her in the sun. Callista tensed, afraid that it was Emna again. But after her eyes got used to the sunlight--which she had not seen in days--she realized that it was not Emna, but the old woman she had seen near the village council building. The same woman who had spoken to her in that strange language.
The woman smiled kindly at her, reminding Callista of her grandmother Ariel. "Fyorga," she said, in a dry, whispering voice. Callista saw that she held a basket in her withered hands. "Fyorga." She pushed the basket forward, offering it to her.
Callista, still a bit cautious--perhaps this was a trap, set by Armenia-- and took the basket away from her.
"Thank you," she said softly, knowing that the old woman would most likely not understand her. The woman nodded, and waited patiently for her to remove the cloth that covered the basket. Callista did so, revealing a basket of rolls and fruit. The bread smelled warm and moist, a sure sign that it had just been made. The fruit closely resembled that of an apple, with purplish-blue skin covering it, along with some grapes, and a odd-shaped, almost like a star, ruby-red fruit that Callista had never seen before. It all looked delicious, and she was still ravenous. Her eyes looked up at the old woman, and Callista smiled, a genuine, grateful smile that suggested more than words ever could.
"Thank you very much," she said.
The old woman nodded, and inched closer to Callista, her voice barely heard. Callista could only make out one word: "Calthazar."
Suddenly, another figure burst into the room, flooding the two women with more sunlight. It was Emna, carrying a bucketful of water. Her eyes fell upon the old woman, and a scowl escaped her lips. "Yiu ghria buriand hjseo areina ghjeieia proeatn!"
The old woman turned to Emna, and said something in her own language. Apparently, Emna would have none of it. She took the old crone by the arm and shoved her out of the hut, all the while cursing in Ansazi. Callista couldn't understand a word of it, but she basically knew what was going on. Emna didn't like the old woman, and wanted her out as quickly as possible. No sooner was the old woman out did Emna close the door behind her, and sighed.
"Stupid woman," she muttered under her breath. She turned to Callista. "And you shouldn't even be up."
"What was that all about?" Callista asked. "She seemed so nice..."
"That woman's name is Sonya, and she's insane," Emna explained, as she led Callista back to bed. "A few years ago, her husband was found murdered in their bedroom. Sonya was found, covered in his blood, a large club held in her hands. She insisted that someone had killed him while they were sleeping, but no one believed her. They cast her out of the village almost immediately thereafter. She still comes occasionally to Semaj, muttering her crazy, nonsensical ramblings." She pulled the blanket over Callista, acting like a worried mother. "Believe me, you do not want to get to know her."
Callista didn't feel like arguing at that point, so she nodded. "Now, let's see what I can do about that nasty back wound of yours," Emna said as she dipped a fresh rag into the bucket. Callista turned over on her stomach and let Emna do her job, all the while thinking of the old crone, and her final parting words to her. Calthazar...

"Let me go!" Hope screamed, for perhaps the zillionth time today, as Armenia dragged her by one arm, carrying her through the jungle. Tree branches and leaves slapped Hope in the face, leaving small cuts on her skin. But she did not cry out in pain, for fear that the Kerash would hurt her if she screamed again.
"Shut up!" the white-skinned woman snapped angrily, casting a glance to one of her fellow warriors, who had a squirming Anakin in both hands. "I swear, if it wasn't for you two being the Bond, I would have snapped your scrawny little necks a long time ago."
"You're not gonna get away with this!" Hope said defiantly. At this point, she no longer cared what these bad people did to her. "My Mommy's gonna kill you when she finds us!" Armenia and the Kerash that followed burst into laughter. "Unless you have forgotten, little girl, I managed to pound your poor Mommy into the dirt. She can't take me...or anyone else, here."
"You got lucky, that's all!" Hope shot back. "When she gets better, she'll..."
"She'll do nothing," Armenia interrupted, her emerald eyes blazing with uncontrollable fury. "I doubt she even survived the purification. She's most likely dead now, a mere corpse among hundreds of others in the dungeons."
That stopped Hope. She looked up at her captor in the eyes, unable to speak a word. Was it true...Was Mommy really...?
"No!" Anakin said to their left. "Don't listen to her, Hope. Aunt Callista's gonna be just fine!" Armenia apparently had had enough of this, and she reached over with one hand to strike Anakin firmly in the jaw. The little boy screamed in pain, as blood spurted from his lips. Hope squirmed and struggled as hard as she could in Armenia's iron grip.
"Leave him alone!" she said.
Armenia turned on her, pulling her roughly by the hair. Hope felt her sour breath touch her face, invading her eyes and nose, and she almost choked on the rancid smell. "What does it take to shut you up?" she growled. "If I hear another word out of either of you, I'm going to give you a beating you will never forget."
Neither child spoke for the rest of the journey, as the group pushed through the endless forest, not stopping to rest for even a minute. The merciless heat from Anasazi's sun beat down upon them, showering Hope in a fresh stream of sweat. She had not had anything to eat or drink for days now. The last time she could remember having eaten a good meal was in Xizor's dining room on Coruscant, the day before she had escaped.
In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she would have been better off with Xizor than with these horrible Kerash. Her stomach growled so much that it hurt. Her throat was parched, her skin covered with blisters and sunburns from having exposed to the sun's rays for so long. Her clothing was almost in tatters, both shoes long gone, and her hair was unkempt and soaked in perspiration. The sweat did little to cool her off. She had never felt this miserable before in her life.
She risked a glance over at Anakin, and saw that he was no better off than she was. And yet, he managed to give her a confident smile. Don't worry, Hope, he thought out to her, speaking to her in a way that the Kerash could never hope to do. We'll be okay. Aunt Callista will save us. Just you wait...
Hope smiled back, her dried lips cracking as she did so, opening fresh new cuts. I know...I just wish I could go home... Anakin nodded, understanding her pain. After hours of walking, the group came to a halt as they burst through a large clearing. Hope, almost on the verge of collapsing--she couldn't collapse, for she was terrified that the Kerash would leave her behind to rot in the sun--managed to bring her head up to see why they had stopped. And gasped. The group had stopped at the entrance to a very large temple, the largest Hope had ever seen. Bigger than even the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. It had been built in the shape of a cone, and out of limestone. Statues of frightening creatures with wings stood proudly around the temple, like guard dogs that kept away trespassers. A tall gate surrounded the foot of the temple, with four large pillars of torches mounted on all four corners. Hope squinted her eyes, and saw shapes in black cloaks milling around the entrance, obviously waiting for Armenia.
"At last, we have arrived at the Temple of Arak," Armenia said breathlessly. She tugged Hope by the arm. "Come, we must present the Bond before the High Priest." Hope was still awestruck by the grand augustness of the temple when Armenia yanked her forth. The group moved as a single unit, passing through the open gate--as they approached the temple, Hope saw with horror that the gate was made out of human bones--and into the crowd of Kerash waiting for them. Almost immediately, they swarmed around Hope and Anakin, touching them on the hair, the arms, the legs, the face. Hope hissed in pain as several of them touched the blisters she had sustained, and wished they would just go away. The Kerash were speaking in a language she didn't understand--Hope was fluent in four different languages, but she sure couldn't speak Anasazi- -and from the sound of it, they seemed...skeptical about the two children.
The mob headed up the steps that led up to the enormous double doors that led into the Temple of Arak, with Armenia leading the way, still holding Hope by one hand. "Don't move," Armenia said in a threatening tone to the little girl as she banged upon one of the doors with one fist. "Open the door! I come bearing the Bond for the great Arak!" Almost immediately, the doors opened, as if they had a life of their own. Armenia waited until they has completely opened, and stepped inside the waiting maw of the temple. The rest of the mob followed suit, muttering quietly in both Basic and Anasazi. The corridor they were in was dark and scary-looking, with only a few torches bolted in the walls providing light. Hope could see the outlining of shapes drawn into the limestone walls, shapes of half-moons, birds, fish, and three-headed dragons. What did all these symbols mean?
Hope cried out as Armenia yanked hard on her arm, almost dislodging her shoulder, and they walked briskly down the hallway, heading for the trio of cloaked men waiting for them at the end. One of them was probably the High Priest, Hope reasoned. The leader of the group stepped forth, and watched as Armenia stopped within three feet of him, and knelt down on one knee, forcing Hope to do the same.
"Lord Tsin," she said. "I have come with the Bond." Tsin, the High Priest, nodded. "The girl?"
"And the boy." Armenia waited as the Kerash shoved Anakin to his knees, leaving both children between her. "They share the Bond that cannot be broken. The Bond that we have been seeking for centuries. The Bond that will free Arak from Raximidaj and bring Her into our world."
Tsin nodded again, and grabbed Hope's chin by one hand, forcing her to look up at him. His eyes were like deep, black pools that led into oblivion. Hope stared calmly into them, as if suddenly entranced. The High Priest closed his eyes, and began humming, still keeping his hold on Hope. The two priests flanking him began humming as well. This lasted for over a minute or two, before Tsin's eyes snapped open, wide with horror. He stepped back, one hand clutching his throat, as if something was choking him. He gasped something in Anasazi, and the Kerash waited breathlessly, awaiting the final confirmation.
"It is!" Tsin finally shouted. "They are the Bond! They are the Bond!"
The Kerash began to cheer, their cackles sending trembles down Hope's spine. Tsin continued to speak, shouting over the din, "Take them to the dungeon below! We shall baptize them in twenty-four hours. And on the next eclipse, we shall begin the Ritual of the Coming. Arak shall finally be reborn!" He held one hand, balled into a fist, in the air. "Arak!"
Together, the Kerash began chanting after him, "ARAK! ARAK! ARAK!" as Armenia and another led Hope and Anakin, who kicked and screamed fruitlessly, their voices almost drowned out by the chanting, down toward the dungeons.

Llia ran feverishly through the tropical forest, her breath leaving her lungs in quick, shallow gasps. She had been running for hours, and wanted to rest--just for a little while--but she pushed on, ignoring the stitch burning in her side. There was no time for rest. The lives of both Hope and Anakin hung in the balance.
Llia's throat burned, and she realized she was thirsty. She wished she had brought a bottle of water before she had left Semaj. But she knew she could make it. Her sister could have easily done this with no problem at all...
The little girl ground her teeth together. Why was she thinking of her sister now? This wasn't the time to bring her back into her memories now. As far as she was concerned, Leanna was gone, and was never coming back... She had gotten Hope and Anakin into this mess. And she was going to get them out. No matter what Armenia--or anyone else--would do to her. Her resolve strengthened, Llia continued running.

As Callista slept that night, she dreamed, and her dreams were nightmares, dark, terrifying images that screamed with the blood of the dead and dying. The images seemed so familiar...and yet, she couldn't recognize them... Her dreams were twisted and vivid. She was standing amidst a circle of fire, battling a fierce three-headed dragon, her only weapon her lightsaber, as lava bubbled through cracks in the ground. The dragon's middle head shot down toward her, its malevolent roar coursing through her eardrums, as it prepared to swallow her whole...
Other images circled in her mind. She was standing at the top of a white mountain, her arms outstretched like wings, and she jumped down into the dark abyss below.
Then she was on the ground, covered in mud and dried blood, crawling down a trench, explosions ripping around her left and right, the screams of the dying soldiers humming beautifully in her ear...
And then she was in the jungles of Anasazi, calmly striding through the massive gnarltrees that made even the mighy Massassi trees look diminutive and weak in comparison. She giggled quietly to herself as she brushed aside a branch that would have struck her in the face if she hadn't seen it. Up ahead, she could hear her daughter and son laughing.
"Come on, Hope!" she called out, weary of this little game they were playing. It reminded her of how Hope always hid out in the lower floors of the Great Temple and had her mother search endlessly for her. "Hope! Ben! Come out now! Mommy can't see you." She heard Hope giggle, followed by Ben, and she heard their voices cry out to her from the bushes not far off to her right, teasingly beckoning her like sweet honey.
"We're over here! Catch us if you can!"
Callista sighed and headed off in the direction of the voices. "Hope, you know how much I don't like this game," she said. "Come out, right now!"
"No!" her daughter protested, the bushes slightly ruffling, followed by the sound of tiny footsteps running away. "You can't catch us! Neener neener neener!"
Kids these days, Callista thought irritably to herself, her patience wearing extremely thin. "Hope, Ben, this is your last warning. If you don't come out where I can see you, you both are going to be in a lot of trouble!" There was a barely hidden layer of anger in her voice as she spoke. "Don't make me kill you like I had to kill Kara."
"You're never gonna find us!" Hope shouted back.
"We're everywhere!" Ben added from his hiding place--wherever that was. Callista finally reached the bush, and pushed the leaves aside--and found nothing. The two had run off again. Callista gritted her teeth, trying not to let her anger envelop her, and stepped over the bush, following the small path through the jungle.
"The jungle is a very dangerous place, Hope," Callista said in a low voice, not caring whether her daughter heard her or not. "You could get lost forever. There are lots of scary animals that love to eat little children...especially little girls..."
As she followed the path--Where was it going? Where would it lead her to?-- Callista could hear the taunting calls of Hope and Ben. They were coming at her from all directions, from the trees, from the sky, from the ground, from the river that flowed loudly past the trees. Their voices swirled invisibly around Callista's head, trying to find a way in, trying to tear her apart...
Callista slowly laughed to herself. "You'll never get into my head!" she snarled, not sounding at all human. Like a fiery demon risen from the ashes of...
"Callista."
The voice stopped her strides, stopped her thoughts, and she craned her neck. Where had that voice come from? Behind...
"Hope?" Callista called out hopefully, her frenzied eyes scouring the jungle. But she saw no one. "Ben?" "Over here..." Callista followed the voice, which led away from the path. Something inside her told her to ignore it, run away, remain on the path, for it was safer...she needed to find Hope and Ben...
"Follow me..." She followed, the voice so familiar. And she couldn't quite place where she had heard it before. It was young, and male, and about five or six years old... She had no idea how long she walked, but the landscape around her kept changing. First the trees were green, then they were purple. It began to rain, the raindrops falling from the sky not water...but blood.
Whose blood? Is it mine...? Callista stopped when she had reached the yawning entrance to a mammoth cave. The entrance had been carved into the shape of a cat-like creature's head, with its gaping mouth the doorway into what was inside the dark cavern. Callista's lightsaber slicing through one of the cat-like beasts on Yavin 4... The original nomads of Kerash...
You're never gonna find us...
We're everywhere...
Forever... She is forever... What were these strange voices dancing around in her head? Was this some kind of joke? Callista looked into the entrance to the cave, then at her hands. Blood was seeping from the scars on her palms. She had been crucified...
And yet, she felt no pain.
"It hurts, Mommy," Hope said from behind. Callista turned and saw her little girl, standing by her side, tears pooling in her eyes. "It still hurts..."
Callista nodded, and crept inside the cave. She heard the screeching of bats as her presence startled them from their slumber, and they burst from the yawning mouth in unison, screeching into the moonlight.
But, it had been daytime only seconds ago...
She is coming... I can see you... No matter where you are, I will find you! You'll never be able to escape me! I'll rip your head off, and make it my personal trophy! I'll kill your daughter... I'll kill your husband... I know where you live, Callista! What's the matter? Are you gonna cry? Are you going to go crying home to your Mommy? Oh, wait, you don't have a Mommy... Because you KILLED her!
Darkness closed in around Callista, shutting out the light from the moon. She couldn't see anything ahead of her, but the voice continued calling out to her.
"I'm right here, Callista..."
"Where?" she called out. "What...is this place?"
"Over here...you'll find me..."
Your corpse will be displayed for all to see...
No one will be able to stop me...
...for I know all. I see all. I am forever. You cannot see me, but I can see you. You'll never find me...until it is too late...
Suddenly, a light shining from a torch illuminated the cave, washing away the darkness. Washing away Callista's soul... As her eyes adjusted to the newborn light, she saw frightening pictures carved into the walls. Pictures of people dressed in black, ripping the hearts out of their victims. Pictures of skeletons dangling from chains... Pictures of Anasazi's sun, a greenish-blue light shining within as it exploded...
She looked down and saw Ben's body, covered in his own blood. His light brown eyes were wide open in lifeless terror and agony.
Who did this..?
 "Where are you?" Callista asked in a hushed whisper.
"Here..." The voice trailed off, and Callista saw Josef, her little brother--as if he handn't been dead for over thirty years--standing on a pile of rocks, a flaming torch in his slim, pale hands. He smiled, a cold, frightening smile that was more terrifying than anything Callista had seen in her entire life. The smile of a corpse. "You always liked playing in the caves, Callista..."
Callista awoke with a scream. The nightmare immediately vanished into oblivion as she returned to the inside of the healing hut, lying safe and comfortable on her bed. Callista sat in bed, her body trembling like an inner earthquake, trying to remember what had happened in her dream.
The cave...
Callista couldn't explain it, but she had gone into that cave for a reason. She had found it in the middle of the Anasazi jungle. But did that mean it was real? Was it the key to defeating the Kerash? Callista looked around the hut, and saw that Emna was gone. This gave her the perfect opportunity. If her hunch was correct, she knew exactly where the cave was...
Quickly dressing in a black tunic and pants lying in a pile of clothes in the corner--Emna's laundry, no doubt--Callista crept out of the healing hut and vanished into the starless night.

The group quickened their speed as soon as the flames erupted from the Falcon, Leanna leading the way. Up ahead, the afternoon sun was slowly being enveloped by large, grayish-black clouds, the first sign that it would soon be raining. Leanna's heart raced wildly in her throat, and she almost tripped over her own feet as she ran. What had happened to the Falcon? She could see smoke still rising from the remains of the YT-1300, seeping into the sky. She briefly wondered if perhaps Fett was on Garkonis after all... An indecipherable growl escaped her lips as she thought of the masked bounty hunter. If that was true, then she would finally have her long- awaited revenge. But that would have to wait.
First, they had to get to the Falcon.
The group dashed up the Jrinjan Plateau and reached the top within seconds. The Falcon was lying in ruin, flames spreading across the grass, only inches away from touching Leanna's feet. A fresh cloud of smoke rose from its wrecked body, mixing in with the storm clouds forming in the darkening sky. Apparently, someone had planted an explosive near the engines of the Falcon, rendering it incapable of leaving the planet. The ship was not ruined beyond repair--thank the Force--but it would be a while before it would be able to fly again.
Leanna heard someone groan off to her left. Her eyes searched the area until they found the two Jedi students who had remained behind--Kyp and Tionne--sprawled on the grassy ground, unconscious. Durron was bleeding from the back of his head. Cilghal helped sit Skywalker down, careful not to drop him, and ran over to check on the two students. "Kyp! Tionne!" she said. "Are you all right?"
Tionne groaned again, and her eyes slowly flew open, staring off into the sky. "Man...he attacked...mask..."
"What man?" Cilghal pressed, positioning the historian's head on her lap.
Tionne shook her head. "Mask...Mandalorian. He attacked us...Kyp needs help..."
At the mention of "Mandalorian", Leanna's hands balled into tight fists. So, it was true. Fett was on Garkonis. And apparently, he meant business.
As Cilghal tended to their wounds, Leanna turned back to the desecrated Falcon. Fett must have sabotaged the YT-1300, knowing that Skywalker was on the planet. That way, no one save for the bounty hunter himself would be able to leave Garkonis. Leanna's lips curled into a frightening grimace, and she gripped her blaster tighter. That's the last mistake Fett will ever make...
She looked down at the Calamarian. "You take care of them," she said. "I'm going to go find Fett."
Cilghal looked up, concern welling in her large, amphibian eyes. "Are you sure it's Boba Fett who did this?" she asked.
Leanna scowled. "She said something about her attacker wearing Mandalorian armor. No impersonator is this good." Her eyes left the Falcon and Cilghal, and focused on the jungle that stretched over the horizon. "I think I know where he is. He's waiting for us...out in the jungle."
"You're not going out there alone, Leanna," Cilghal said firmly. "Kam, go with her!" But Leanna was already gone.

She ran, tearing through the thick underbrush with her machete in one hand, a vibroblade in another. Up above, raindrops began to fall from the black clouds, showering Leanna in a fresh river of water.
But she was not perturbed. She continued her mad dash through the jungle, hacking and slashing at any obstacle barring her way. I know where you are, Fett...I know where you're hiding...
Images of that fateful day flashed before her eyes: her brother's body, her little sister's frightful face, her emerald eyes, her own terror at seeing her family die at the hands of that murderer--
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Leanna screamed at the top of her lungs, a tree branch slicing across her face. Blood seeped from a long cut next to her eye, and dripped into her mouth. It tasted warm and coppery, mixed in with the rain. It was invigorating.
"Fett!" she shouted, followed by a powerful crash of thunder. Long, deadly fingers of lightning danced across the cloudy sky, and the rain fell to the earth with greater force. "Fett, show yourself! I know you're out here! I've got a little present for you..."
Quickly, she rechecked the weaponry she had at her disposal. The machete, three vibroblades, a blaster rifle, a laser cutter, and a wrist blaster. Would it be enough to take him down...?
A laser bolt crackled from the trees. Leanna tasted burnt ozone, and leaped aside, narrowly missing the killing shot by a hair. She tucked her body into a roll and landed behind the trunk of a tree, arming her blaster rifle.
He was here.
"Finally decided to show your ugly face?" Leanna shouted, as she fired several volleys into the trees. She had no idea where her enemy was hiding, but if she was lucky... Fett responded in kind, more bolts heading in her direction. Leanna ducked, and they exploded into the tree just above her head.
"Come on! You can do better than that!" Leanna said, leaping away from her hiding spot. "I'm not afraid of you, Fett! Are you afraid of me? Is that why you're hiding?"
"I am not hiding," a voice said, directly behind her. Leanna smiled--a large, white-toothed smile that would send the bravest soul running--and spun around in a heartbeat, her rifle ready. Fett stood before her in all his shining glory, his face hidden from the Mandalorian mask.
"I remember you, Leanna," he said, his voice barely audible under the heavy rainfall and chorus of thunder. "I remember you very well..." The hunter and the hunted faced each other in the heart of the raging storm.

The cave...
Callista ran, knocking aside branches hanging lifelessly from the gnarltrees, surrounded by darkness, her only light the moon hovering ominously in the sky. A cold wind tore through the jungle, sending a shiver through her body. Her bare feet were numb, and covered in mud--or was it blood?
Blood like in my dream... Catch us if you can!
The cave was around here somewhere; she could feel it. An animal's long, mournful howl pierced the night. Callista's head looked up, her eyes frenzied and bloodshot. The howl echoed over and over again, slowly growing fainter. Whatever made that sound was, hopefully, far, far away from here. Callista cried out as the toes of her left foot struck against a rock. A tremble of pain shot through her leg, and she fell, landing flat on her chin. The hard ground slashed open a fresh cut on her skin, mixing in with mud and sweat, and she hissed in pain. She still had not fully recovered from her fight with Armenia and the purification. She knew that it was possible she would collapse and not wake up for a long time... Groaning, she managed to stand back up, feeling some of her strength return. Blood trickled slowly down her chin, falling to the ground. She ignored it, and sprinted through the tangle of trees and vines, harder than ever before. The cave. She had to get to the cave.
We're everywhere!
Everywhere... The giggling of small children poured into her ears, sound so real.
My mind, Callista thought, her teeth ground together so hard that she almost scratched the enamel off. Ignore it. It's all in my mind... Luke...Luke...I need you...
She crashed through a crowd of gnarltrees, snapping dozens of vines in half, scaring off the animals that made their homes in the trees. She felt her body lift into the air for a brief second, as if she had suddenly turned into a mighty bird--
And fell. She fell, and hit the ground hard, and began rolling down she had not seen. Her head bounced off against several rocks as she fell, and many times, her vision blacked out. It was only through the Force that she managed to avoid the dark, quiet realm of unconsciousness. But there was nothing she could do to stop her plummet down the hill. After an eternity, she felt her body slide to a halt as she hit the ground once again. She remained like that for a long time, before she realized that she was no longer moving. She had come to the end of the hill. Callista's eyes were the first to move. They looked around, first at the endless black shroud that ate away at the sky, then at the twisted trees that surrounded her, and finally turned to her right, still slightly blurry from her fall down the hill- And rested upon the cave in her dream. No sooner did she see the enormous, feline head carved from stone that signified the entrance to the cavern was Callista on her feet, disregarding the pain she felt. There it stood, exactly as it had in her nightmare. With the face of the original Kerash nomads.
They must have carved the sculpture themselves, Callista thought.
Perhaps they kept written records about themselves and their culture. Maybe there's something in there that will tell me how to defeat Arak and the Kerash.
That's why I was brought here...
Calthazar...
Hope...
Finally finding the courage she needed--and also wishing she had her lightsaber with her, which had been taken away by the Kerash--Callista stepped toward the entrance. The cat-like mouth was frozen open, not looking warm and inviting at all. For a brief moment, Callista was afraid that if she set a foot inside the cave, the mouth would close up behind her, trapping her inside forever.
You always liked playing in the caves, Callista...
Callista swallowed, and entered the cave. Almost immediately, a swarm of bats shrieked, startled by the unexpected intruder, and dove out of the cave, into the moonlit sky.
Callista continued inward, and the light streaming from Anasazi's moon was swallowed in blackness. Her feet stepped into something cold and slimy, but she couldn't see what it was. Perhaps that was for the best...
As she walked, she looked over her shoulder, and saw that the entrance remained still and unmoving. Just as she had hoped it would. Calm down, Callista. It's all in your head...
A light from the end of the dark tunnel caught her eyes. She stopped dead in her tracks, recognizing it as torchlight.
You always liked playing in the caves, Callista...
Josef?
Was he here? His pale skin, his cold, frightening smile...
There was only one way to find out. Callista strode stealthily down the tunnel, the light growing slightly brighter with each successive step she took. As she approached closer, she could hear the sound of a woman humming...
The tunnel ended in a turn to the right, the flames from the torch almost blinding now. Callista followed the path, every living cell in her body screaming as she turned, terrified of what she would find--
And stopped. She was in the room again, the same room in her dream. The same hieroglyphics carved into the cavern walls, reflecting off the torchlight. She saw the torch moments later...and the person holding it.
Not Josef.
Sonya.
The old woman was sitting in the middle of the small chamber, on her knees, praying in Anasazi. Her back was turned to Callista, oblivious to her presence. In one hand, she held the torch. In the other...
"Sonya."
The old crone turned at the sound of her name. She smiled as her eyes rested upon Callista. "Fyorga," she said in greeting, standing up, her old knees wobbling, looking as frail as twigs fallen from a tree. "Ghirasha hruial rumana."
Callista nodded, wishing she could understand what the woman was saying. Her eyes trailed down toward Sonya's hand, and she saw that she was holding a tablet of some sort. "What's that?" she asked instinctively, despite the fact that Sonya wouldn't understand her.
Sonya gave her a quizzical look. "Kupa?"
Callista pointed at the stone tablet she held. "That," she insisted. "What is that?" Finally understanding, Sonya looked down at the tablet, and handed it over to her. It shook and quivered under her frail hand. "Calthazar," she said. Callista hesitated, unsure of what to do. It seemed that Sonya wanted her to take the stone tablet from her. But why? What was on the tablet that was so important...?
Callista snatched the tablet from Sonya before she ended up dropping it, and turned away from her, her gray eyes gazing down upon the words inscribed upon it. The tablet seemed to be over thousands of years old, and almost on the verge of falling apart. It was written in some language Callista couldn't understand--Anasazi, perhaps?--and covered the entire front of the tablet.
What does this mean? Is this what I was looking for? Is this the key to defeating the Kerash? This must have been why I came here. The dream was trying to tell me something.
You always liked playing in the caves, Callista...
"Thank you," Callista found herself saying as she turned to face the old woman. But Sonya had vanished.