Chapter 12
When Callista returned to the healing hut an hour later, she was greeted by a worried Emna.
"Where were you?" she demanded sharply, sounding more relieved than angry. "I was worried sick about you. For a while, I thought you might have gone out to find your daughter..."
As she spoke, she looked at the clothes Callista was wearing. "Are those my clothes?"
"I just borrowed them," Callista said, trying to sound convincing, feeling slightly guilty than her mysterious disapperance had genuinely frightened the former Nightsister. "I just..." "Are you okay?" Emna asked.
Callista shook her head. "I'm fine. I just...went out for a walk," she finished lamely. The stone tablet was hidden in one large pocket, away from Emna's demanding eyes. "Just wanted to...you know...let out some steam."
Emna nodded, and, judging from the look on her face, Callista knew that she wasn't buying any of it. "Well, don't do that again. You're still not up to your full strength, and if anyone--especially Armenia--caught you outside the healing hut, it would've been both our necks."
Callista sighed, as she headed for her bed. With the adrenaline wearing out, she was starting to feel a little tired. Emna turned to leave. "I'll get you some fresh clothes." "Wait!" Callista called out after her, causing the young woman to stop. "I have something to ask you." Emna turned her head back, giving Callista a suspicious look. "What?"
"Do you know what 'calthazar' means?"
"Calthazar?" There was a blank look on her face. Callista nodded.
"When Sonya--that old woman--came to visit me earlier today, she said something about a 'calthazar', or something. I was just wondering what that meant in Anasazi. I was hoping you'd know."
Emna thought about it for a moment--hopefully, she was as well-versed in the Anasazi language was Callista thought--and shrugged. "I'm not sure," she said. "I'm pretty fluent in Anasazi, but I've never heard of that term before."
"Are you sure?"
Emna nodded, and began to leave, but stopped. "Why do you ask?" she asked, casting a final glance at the other woman.
Callista shrugged, trying not to look too obvious. "I was just...curious, that's all. That woman just...she kinda gives me the creeps." In more ways than you know, she added silently to herself, recalling how the old crone had just vanished in the cave...
Emna apparently didn't want to argue, so she accepted Callista's answer and headed out of the hut, making very little sound as she left. Callista sighed, the tension she had been keeping in finally getting loose, and sank to her bed. She took the tablet out of her pocket and traced one finger over the strangely-written words spread across the old stone. Small cracks blemished the tablet. In another few years, it would probably break into little pieces.
If only she knew what they were saying.
Calthazar...
Callista finally decided to save it for tomorrow. Everything that had transpired since her arrival on Ansazi was finally getting to her. What she needed now was a good, long rest. She rested her head on the hay-stuffed pillow, wishing that Luke was laying by her side, his strong arms gathered around her in a comforting embrace. And she thought back to their last encounter. How she had snapped at him, accused him of not loving Hope as much as she did, of her hand striking Leia across the face, of how she had snapped at Han. It all seemed like it had happened so long ago. Luke, my love...I'm so sorry for everything I've done...I hope, that when this is all over, you and Leia and everyone can forgive me...
She fell asleep.
*
The temple was larger than Llia remembered. Of course, the last time she had seen it, she had been a mere three-year-old apprentice, still learning the ways of the Kerash, under the tutelage of Armenia. She had just arrived on Anasazi back then, a year after her family's death...
Nonetheless, every time Llia laid her eyes upon the magnificent structure-- built hundreds of years ago by Armenia's ancestors--she felt her breath leave her body, every muscle tense up. A sensation of pride, actually, pride in her ancestors for having accomplished a task that must have taken many grueling years. And yet, she was fully aware of the evil that lay within the temple walls. She knew of what the Kerash intended to do. Hope and Anakin were the Bond, the Bond needed to bring Arak from Raximidaj... Llia shook her head and tried to focus on her purpose at hand. She was exhausted, more so than she had ever felt before. She must have been running for over twenty-four hours, with little food and water, and she felt ready to drop. And then she thought of little Hope, and Anakin...that was enough to press her on.
She remembered how she had once decided to play a game with Armenia, by hiding in one of the underground chambers of the temple. She had been outside, and crept through a small hole that had been made into the wall by some animal, which led into the temple. Armenia had spent at least two hours looking for her, while Llia, giggling, managed to successfully evade her for a good amount of time. Of course, Armenia gave her a severe beating after she finally found her... After a moment of resting, Llia sprinted across the clearing--which was far easier than having to run through the jungle--toward the temple. Hopefully, that hole in the wall was still in place...
The Kerash had put Hope and Anakin in a dark room with very little light. They hadn't chained them up to the walls, though--thank the Force for small favors--but they were still locked in. Hope looked around the smelly place, wondering, Why is it that all bad guys have to have dark, smelly dungeons?
She heard Anakin gasp in pain, and she turned to see her older cousin, who was sitting next to her, trying to nurse a cut on his arm, one of the many wounds he had sustained in his sojourn through the jungle.
"Are you okay, Annie?" she asked, concerned.
Anakin nodded, biting his tongue to keep from screaming. "My arm hurts. I think...it's cut really deep..." There was so much pain in his voice that it broke Hope's heart. The little girl scooted closer to him and took his arm gingerly in her hands, careful not to harm his cut any more than it already was. She looked down at the wound, and then at Anakin.
"I need your help, Annie. Together, we can make it all better."
Anakin seemed a little scared, worried that they might do something wrong, but Hope sent a soothing thought to him, clearing him of his doubts and fears. The little boy nodded, and smiled--and for the first time, Hope saw how beautiful his blue eyes were. He had Daddy's eyes...
Together, the two closed their eyes and began to concentrate. In her mind, Hope saw the cut, magnified by ten times, as though she was viewing it through a microscope. She saw the torn skin, the tiny red blood cells, the thick red river that oozed out of the injury. Then she saw herself, so tiny compared to the gigantic cut. Saw herself touch the skin with her hands...and begin to mend it. Anakin was there too, on the other side, the broken skin pulling back together, stopping the flow of blood. Slowly, but steadily, they were healing the cut, relieving it of the pain, making it all better.
After five minutes or so, Anakin's cut had completely disappeared, faded away as if it had never been. Hope smiled as she opened her eyes and saw that Anakin's arm was unscathed.
Thank you, Force, her mind whispered, as she shook Anakin, waking him from his trance. He looked around the dark room, dazed, and then at his arm. "Look, all better now," Hope chirped, kissing his arm.
Anakin smiled, amazed that he and his cousin were able to pull such a feat. "We make a really good team, you know that?" he said.
"Darn straight," Hope said. But the joy of healing Anakin's wound was quickly replaced with fear of what was going to happen to them. "Anakin...I wish Mommy was here."
The little boy nodded, and gathered Hope in a loving hug. She rested her head upon his shoulder, resisting the urge to cry. She had already done enough of that for one lifetime...
"Don't worry, Hope," he said, sounding so strong and brave...and yet, as frightened as she was. "We'll get through this. I won't let anyone hurt you."
The two remained locked in their hug, neither speaking. There was nothing else needed to say. All that was left was to wait for the Kerash...
Suddenly, Hope heard a noise. The two broke away from their embrace, exchanging frightened glances. "Did you hear that?" Anakin asked, his voice slightly trembling.
Hope nodded. "There's someone in here." The two stood up as one, and looked around the room, neither daring to make a sound. But the dungeon so dark, Hope could barely see anything.
She felt someone grab her by the hand, and she almost jumped ten feet into the air. "Anakin," she said, practically tasting her heartbeat. "You scared me. Don't grab my hand like that again."
There was a pause. "Uh...Hope?"
"What?"
"That's not my hand you're holding."
Realization dawned on Hope's face, as she discovered that if Anakin was standing to her left, how could his hand grab her from the right? Without realizing it, she began to scream.
A voice broke through the darkness. "Hey, munchkin, calm down! Do you want the Kerash to know I'm here?"
Hope stopped screaming, and looked to her right. She couldn't see anyone-- although the person was still holding her by the hand--but she knew that voice from anywhere.
"Llia?"
"No, it's Dengar the bounty hunter. Of course it's Llia!"
"What are you doing here?" Hope asked.
"What do you think? I'm getting you guys out of here."
"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Hope asked as she and Anakin crawled through the small, dark passageway that led out of the dungeons, with Llia leading the way.
"Of course, munchkin," Llia replied. "I've been here before. I know this entire temple like the back of my hand."
Hope nodded, and pressed on. Thank the Force she wasn't claustrophobic, or else crawling through this would have been a nightmare. It was dark, smelly, and gross, not to mention extremely hot. It reminded her of the ventilator shafts she and Anakin played in on Coruscant whenever they would play hide-and-seek with Jacen and Jaina. The little girl sighed. Those had been happier times. At this point, she was even wishing to see the twins again, no matter how annoying they were. And Chewie, and Mr. Threepio and Mr. Artoo, and Uncle Lando, and Winter, and Uncle Han, and Aunt Leia, and Daddy...
...and Mommy.
Hope almost started to cry again as she recalled the last time she had seen Mommy. Lying on the sandy ground, nearly crippled from her fight with Armenia, her arms reaching out to hug Hope as the Kerash took her away... Please, Mommy, be alive, Hope thought out, the faintest trickle of a warm tear sliding down one pale, dirt-caked cheek. Please...
Hope shared a glance back at Anakin, and she could sense his thoughts as well. He longed to see his family again as much as she did. She offered him a loving smile, and turned back to continue her crawl.
"We're almost out," Llia said, breaking into Hope's thoughts. "Now, once we're outside, you need to be as quiet as possible. There are Kerash guards outside."
Hope and Anakin nodded, and the trio moved on. It was unbearably quiet, the only sounds their own breathing and the occasional whimper from Hope. She could distinctly hear the sounds of guards speaking from outside the limestone tunnel walls, in that funny-sounding language of theirs. Her breathing left her body in short, hushed gasps. She was trying so hard not to cry out in fear... Be brave, Hope, a voice whispered, brushing against Hope's ears like the cool wind, sweet and silken, like her Mommy's voice. Be brave... Hope nodded, to no one in particular, and stopped when Llia did. A bright wave of sunlight poured through the tunnel as the three children found themselves at the small entrance.
"Here we are!" Llia whispered, as she squeezed through the opening--which was barely small enough for a child as young as her to fit through--and landed on the sea-green grass. Hope was next. As she tried to fit through the hole, Llia reached in and helped her out. Within seconds, she was finally out, and Llia helped the little girl stand up, both taking a deep breath of fresh air. Free! Hope's little mind screamed with joy. We're free! She waited as Llia helped Anakin out, and she pulled the two close to her, her voice not even above a whisper. Off to their left, Hope could hear the Kerash guards talking, oblivious to their presence.
"Okay, here's the plan," Llia quietly explained. "We sneak away from the temple as quietly and quickly as possible. When we're near the edges of the jungle, we take off and head for Semaj. Your mother's still there, I believe."
Hope felt an unspeakable surge of relief at the news. "Mommy?" she asked. "You mean...she's okay?"
Llia nodded. "She took a pretty bad beating from Armenia, and the purification ritual didn't help, either. But she managed to live through it. She's in the healing hut, where our healer is tending to her wounds."
Hope did not even bother hiding the enormous smile that slowly stretched across her face. Mommy was still alive! She imagined the look on her face when she and Anakin would burst through the door of the healing hut--
"What is the meaning of this?" The loud, booming voice startled all the three children. In unison, they turned to see one of the Kerash priests looming menacingly over them. His eyes slightly widened when he saw Llia. "Llia, why are you here? And with the Bond? Why aren't they in the dungeon?"
"Busted," Anakin muttered under his breath.
Llia leaned in to whisper in Hope's ear. "Don't say a word. Let me handle this, okay?" She turned back to the priest, her hands on her hips. "You are such an idiot, Gershon! Armenia asked for me to fetch the Bond and bring them to the Main Hall at once!" Gershon didn't seem entirely convinced by this. "Why would she require their presence in the Main Hall?" he demanded. Llia shook her head in disgust. "Were you born yesterday, you worthless monkey-lizard? Armenia and Tsin need the Bond in order to begin the Ritual of the Coming."
"But, the eclipse--"
"Eclipse, schmeclipse!" Llia interrupted rudely, taking a step closer to the tall man. "Tsin figures that we bring them to the Main Hall now instead of having to wait until the eclipse. By then, it may have been too late. Better safe than sorry."
Gershon listened to Llia's convincing lie, and finally nodded. "Very well, then. Get to it, Llia." He raised one large fist into the air. "For Arak."
Llia nodded, and mirrored the priest's gesture. "For Arak." Gershon turned and headed back into the temple, leaving the three alone once again. Hope and Anakin shared impressed glances, then turned to Llia.
"That was good," Anakin commented. "You almost had me fooled myself."
Llia grinned. "One of the advantages of living with Armenia for all these years is learning how to lie well." She looked over her shoulder to make sure that Gershon was truly gone, then back at the two kids. "Come on, we don't have much time. I doubt Gershon will be fooled for very long."
"Llia, wait," Hope said. She hesitated, not sure of what to say. "About what I said to you earlier, I'm s..."
Llia shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'm the one who got you two into this mess. And now, I'm gonna help you get out of it. Now, let's get going. We can still make it to Semaj before dusk."
Hope nodded, and they ran.
"Are you sure no one in Semaj knows about the Ritual of the Coming?" Tsin asked Armenia, pacing around the foot of the golden altar in the Main Hall. Except for him and the white-skinned warrior, they were alone. Kinshur remained on the altar, sleeping, his newly-inflicted wounds barely beginning to heal.
Armenia, standing off to the side, nodded. "I am positive, my Lord," she said, her voice exuding confident arrogance. "The only ones aware of our plan is the Semaj Council. The rest of the villagers are as blind as hawk- bats. Their blood will do well when the baptizing begins." She rubbed her hands together, mimicking the High Priest's own gesture. "Although...I have uncovered some disturbing news."
Tsin turned to her, his purplish-blue robes swirling around him like a pair of bird-like wings. "What?" he asked.
"The Council has reported a rebel uprising in the Southern Valley," Armenia replied. "Apparently, they have a spy amongst them, who learned of the Ritual of the Coming. They're not too happy of what we're planning to do."
She hesiated. "If word spreads to Semaj, the blood of the villagers will be tainted with knowledge...and it will be useless." Tsin nodded, barely fazed by the revelation. "It shouldn't be a problem. Send our best warriors to the Southern Valley and dispose of these rebels. Are they aware that we know of their intent?"
Armenia shook her head, her confidence returning. "Not a clue, my Lord. They will be pushka lambs to the slaughter."
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Gershon. "My Lord," he said to Tsin, and nodded in Armenia's direction.
"Gershon," Tsin addressed. "Armenia has just uncovered some very intriguing news about a group of Kerash rebels rising in the Southern Valley. I want you to accompany Armenia and her warriors when they go to slaughter them." Gershon nodded, and looked around the Main Hall, as if expecting someone else to be with them.
"Where is the Bond?" he asked.
Armenia's eyes flashed as she locked onto the priest. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"The Bond," Gershon explained. "Llia said that she was bringing the Bond to the Main Hall to prepare for the Coming. She said it was your orders, Armenia."
A snarl hissed from Armenia's mouth, as she stepped closer to the Kerash priest. "Llia is here?" she demanded.
Gershon nodded, uncertainty--and even fear--in his green eyes. "Was...she not supposed to be here?" Armenia and Tsin exchanged a brief glance, then back at Gerson. Silence reigned in the Main Hall, as thick and tangible as a blanket. Which was soon broken by a simultaneous yell from both Tsin and Armenia.
"GUARDS!"
The Hapan shuttle carrying Isolder docked in the bay of the Dantooine. Already, an escort of Republic guards had arrived to surround the ship, welcoming the Prince of Hapes. The ramp extended, and Isolder was the first to step out, flanked by two of his Amazon-like bodyguards. Astarta had remained on the Song of War to keep things under control in his absence. The Prince was greeted by a tall, dark- haired man, whom he recognized as Wedge Antilles.
"Prince Isolder," Wedge said with a small bow. "I'm glad to have you with us." Isolder nodded in reply. "It looks like I arrived too late, though," he said gravely, the images of the ruined Republic ships still haunting his mind. "Xizor's handiwork, I presume?" Wedge nodded. "You got it. We never even saw it coming."
Isolder could see the despair and rage in the man's eyes. "How...How could he have managed to accomplish such a thing?"
"Xizor must have been planning this for some time," Isolder pointed out, remembering his conversation with Han. "He managed to stay hidden from Republic eyes on Coruscant for years now. I have no doubts that he spent his time wisely. My guess is, he must have had spies amongst the Republic who implanted the explosives on the ships." The general sighed, rubbing some sweat off his cheek. "I still can't believe I didn't see this coming." His tired, worn-out eyes met Isolder's. "Do you have any idea how many people died? Millions. Most of them were civilians, people who had no experience in battle. Men, women...even children." His voice slightly cracked, and Isolder wished he could do something to take some of the guilt off his shoulders.
"Xizor has been able to do something no other enemy had ever done. It'll take years for the Republic to recover from this." Isolder laid a strong hand on Wedge's shoulder. "But the Republic is strong, my friend. It has thousands of allies, many races who will be willing to help you rebuild. I know how hard this must be for you, and I am terribly sorry for all those who died today. But I know you can get through this."
His words seemed to get through Wedge's rough exterior. He shook his head. "But...I don't see how we're going to win this war. I mean, Black Sun has been able to drive us away from Coruscant."
"The cloned Emperor did that as well," Isolder reminded him. "And you managed to defeat him in the end."
"This is different, though. Xizor..."
"...can be defeated, my friend," Isolder said calmly. "Just like every other foe the Republic has encountered. And you won't be alone in this fight."
Wedge nodded, and for the first time, he seemed more in control of his feelings. "Anyways, I do appreciate you being here," he said. "We need all the help we can get." "How many ships do you have left?" Isolder asked.
"At least seventy or eighty battleships," the general replied. "I've sent the remaining civilian transports to Calamari, where they'll be safe from Black Sun. I've received word that the Calamarians will be sending all the fighters they have here as soon as possible." "Good," Isolder nodded. "I need to speak with the Chief of State."
"She's not here," Wedge said. "She and General Solo went to settle the dispute between the Verpines and the Barabels. Hopefully, she'll be able to forge a treaty between the two races, and they can help us fight Black Sun."
Isolder had to smile at that. "There's Leia for you," he said. "Even in times of crisis, she's always willing to help others. Has she been successful?"
Wedge shrugged. "No word since they left."
"Then we'll have to act fast," Isolder said. "I want to meet with the rest of the Republic generals and plan our next move--"
A cacophony of alarms resounded throughout the chamber, causing everyone present to look around in shock and confusion. A frightened officer's voice poured through the speakers.
"Warning! Enemy battleships have come out of hyperspace! Repeat, enemy battleships have come out of hyperspace!"
Wedge looked over at Isolder, horrified. "Black Sun," he said.
The entire Black Sun fleet--consisting of over a hundred battleships-- emerged from hyperspace, like a pack of hungry krayt dragons searching for their prey, and opened fire on the Republic and Hapan ships.
When Emna left to go to the evening devotional--as was required of all the village, even those who did not follow the Kerash--Callista slipped out of the healing tent again. She slunk through the camp, inspecting every inch for an escape route. Of course, before she could make any attept at an escape, she had to find Hope and Anakin.
Callista closed her eyes. The memory of her daughter before all this had happened swam to the surface of her memory, as clear and focused as if it had been yesterday. But a lot of yesterdays had passed by since things had been simple.
A distant buzzing rang in her ears...a disturbance in the Force, and one she hadn't felt for a long time... Callista turned her head to the hills in the north, and knew in an instant that there was something not right there. And as a Jedi, she had to go check it out.
Prince Xizor watched calmly as his men carefully lowered a dozen cloning tanks to the cavern floor. He knew that, of course, nothing could harm him on Coruscant... ...but that didn't mean he couldn't be prepared. He wanted to make absolutely sure that no one would interfere with his plans to take over the galaxy. And if that meant hiding some of his own clones on a forsaken, forgotten planet, well...so be it.
A threatening creak reverberated in the dank chamber. Xizor looked up with alarm to see one of his tanks, holding the most developed clone yet wobble precariously on its lowering platform.
"Watch it, you infidel!" He yelled to the crane operator. "Are you trying to kill me?" "I'm sorry my lord, but in this cavern, it's difficult to maneuv--"
"Then you should be a bit more careful, shouldn't you?" Xizor hissed through his teeth.
The operator nodded. "Yes, my lord." He quietly went back to work.
Xizor smiled. It was good that his subordinates feared him.
The buzzing grew louder in Callista's ears as she neared the hills. Squinting, she saw a crack in the hillside. "There," she whispered, and broke into a limping run. She recognized the buzzing now; it was the indication of the presence of clones. It was something she hadn't felt for over thirty years. And now...
...what were clones doing here on Anasazi? Luke had told her about the destruction of the Spaarti cloning cylindars...they had been the only working facilities after the destruction of the Empire...hadn't they? She squeezed through the narrow opening, moved through the dark tunnels, wondered where she was going to end up...
"That's all of them, my lord," Guri said with a bow of obeisance.
Xizor nodded. "Good. Let's get out of here. My robes are getting wet."
The workers left their equipment sitting where they had deactivated it, and headed for one of the two openings in the cavern. Xizor looked over his shoulder as he left, swearing he'd heard footsteps behind him. But no, he thought. Who would think to look down here...for anything?
When Callista reached the clearing, she froze. It was a cloning chamber, all right. There were a dozen cylindars lining the walls, each holding a clone in different stages of development. She gasped.
These were Falleen.
These were Xizor. Anger and hatred welled in her heart. Xizor...the man that had taken her daughter...the man who had murdered her son... Her hand grazed the healing sore on her stomach, the place where he'd dictated the fatal stab that had killed Ben inside her. Her eyes squeezed shut as she remembered the feeling of his hands on her, and her own hands-- not wanting to do anything that she had done. This was too much. With a cry of fury, she called a windstorm of the Force, sent it whirling around her. She fell to her knees, clasping her hands to the side of her head, releasing all the dark, hateful feelings inside her at once.
The cloning cylindars exploded, one by one, their contents spilling out in masses of underdeveloped flesh. She didn't care that the dark side was penetrating her to her core...she just want to kill, kill him as he had killed her son. She didn't notice until her storm had ended that she had caused the cavern ceiling to crumble over the entrances.
She was trapped by her own anger.
Xizor watched as Guri and his minions boarded the shuttle that had brought them to Anasazi. With the job done, they would be heading back to Coruscant. By now, his fleet must have arrived.
Xizor smiled inwardly, imagining the horrified looks on the Republic officer's faces as they saw the dozens upon dozens of Black Sun battleships appear out of nowhere. It was going to be a spectacular battle, one that would be remembered for all time...
Guri turned back to the Dark Prince, confused. "You're not coming back with us, my Lord?" she asked.
Xizor shook his head. "I still have...unattended business to attend to."
Guri easily saw through his facade and said, "It's about Skywalker's woman, isn't it? My Lord, why do you continue to do this? It's fruitless." There was anger--and perhaps the barest hint of jealousy, much to Xizor's amusement--in the HRD's voice as she spoke.
Xizor held up one clawed finger. "That's where your wrong, my dear. You must have greater faith in my abilities. Callista will become my wife. You can count on that."
Guri sighed, as if aware that she was not capable of changing his mind, and nodded in resignation. "Very well. I'll make sure the Republic fleet is thoroughly wiped out." Without another word, she turned and headed up the ramp, which closed behind her.
Xizor waited until the shuttle had disappeared into the night sky, and headed back to the Fallen Moon. Where he would wait for Callista.
I sense much darkness in you...
The words of her master repeated in Callista's mind as she stood in the midst of the endless cavern, shrouded in pure darkness. Not a single shred of light shone, rendering her incapable of seeing anything. It barely registered, though. She kept listening to Djinn's old voice, silently chiding her for what she had done. If you continue down the road you've already taken, you will become its slave...
Forgive me, Master, Callista whispered back, knowing that Djinn would not respond. I had to do it. This madman must be stopped once and for all. I had to do it, for me...and for Ben... One hand instinctively went to the scar on her belly. She still felt the dull void where her son had once grown in, now long gone...
Everything you have learned will be for naught...
You're scaring me, you're scaring everyone else around you. Do you have any idea how close to the dark side you are...
Leia's words mixed in with Djinn's, and in Callista's mind, she saw herself strike Leia in the MedCenter. Her frightened eyes, as she looked up at Callista, shocked at what she had done...
Callista looked at the black blanket that surrounded her. Although she couldn't see them, she knew that pieces of the cloning cylinders lay scattered on the ground, along with pieces of newborn reptilian flesh. She had destroyed every last one of them, in revenge for her children. She had hoped it would make her feel better.
And instead...she felt nothing. Absolutely nothing.
The clones were destroyed--not that it really mattered to Xizor, anyway, he probably had more hidden on Coruscant--and Ben was still dead. No amount of revenge would bring him back, no matter how hard she tried. Ben's corpse in my dream... He's dead... It was that tiny bit of brutal truth that finally hit her--My son is dead, and there is nothing I can do about it. He's never coming back. I'll never get to hold him, never get to kiss him, to tell how proud I am to be his mother. Never...
--and everything that had happened to her in the past few weeks culminated within her, striking at her from all sides--
--and finally released. Callista curled into a ball on the sticky ground, and began to cry. She cried for hours, her sobs mingled with shrieks, unable to stop the endless flow of tears that flowed down her grimy face. For perhaps the first time since her entrapment on the Eye of Palpatine, she had no hope left in her.
And she no longer cared.
"Fyorga?"
A sweet, kindly voice--an old woman's voice--jerked Callista from her sobs. She turned her head, still remaining on her knees, to see Sonya standing behind her, clutching a flaming torch in one hand, bringing some much- welcome light in the chamber, illuminating the jagged glass pieces strewn on the ground.
Her eyes looked down at Callista, shining with concern and love. "Fouyrhah gheuai, Fyorga?" the old crone asked.
Callista nodded. She couldn't understand her, but her instincts said that Sonya was asking if she was all right. "I'm fine," she choked out, tears still running freely down her cheeks. "I'm just...tired, right now."
Sonya nodded, and offered her a hand. "Kamaiya," she said.
Callista hesitated, unsure of what the other was intending to do. What if it was a trap...
"Kamaiya," she repeated, smiling.
Come with me...
A small flicker of hope blossomed in Callista's heart as she took the old woman's hand. They walked through the tunnel, Sonya's torch guiding them. Her hand remained clasped with Callista's, as if the old woman was afraid that she would lose her if she let go. Neither spoke, but Callista felt no tension between them. Emna had said that this woman was crazy, and had murdered her husband. The villagers of Semaj practically shunned her. No one seemed to care about her...
Still, despite all that, Callista knew she could trust this woman. But where was she taking her?
Calthazar...
They reached a stairway that led down, and Sonya went first. Callista followed suit, bewildered that a stairway actually existed in these dark, uninhabited caves. She wondered if Xizor was aware of this before he brought his clones to Anasazi.
As they walked down the crooked stone steps--they must have been centuries old, judging by the amount of cobwebs painting the ceiling and floor-- Callista could hear voices coming from the end of the stairway. Once they had reached the end, she understood why. A group of men and women--all clad in rough-looking brown robes that looked worn out with age and use, and indicating that they were not Armenia's lackeys--sat in a semi-circle, their whispers, both in Basic and Anasazi, wafting through the cold, stale cavern air. There must have been at least a hundred of them, and Callista wondered who they were. Sonya cleared her throat, and gestured toward Callista. "Theuroa tysah kuiea Fyorga," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. One of the men--handsome and in his early thirties--stood up and went over to the two women. His dark brown eyes seemed to look past Callista as he stared at her.
"So, you are the Fyorga," he said, in perfect Basic. "The Angel of Light the heavens have sent from the stars to lead us."
Callista was taken aback by his words. "L-Lead you? I don't understand..."
"Surely, you know of the ancient prophecy foretold by the Shamars," the handsome man said. "She who comes from the stars will lead us when the Dark One returns from Raximidaj."
"The Dark One?" Arak... she silently realized.
"Allow me to introduce myself," the man said. "My name is Kieran. I am the leader of the Kerash underground movement."
Slowly, things began to make more sense. "A rebellion," she said.
Kieran nodded. "Sonya has told us about you, and we asked her to bring you here." He looked into Callista's eyes and nodded. "Yes...you are the Fyorga...the Angel of Light. Sonya was right."
The old woman nodded, as if satisified by his statement. "I still don't completely understand," Callista said. Kieran smiled. "Please, sit down. We will explain everything."
Leanna and Fett stood a mere ten feet apart from each other, eyes locked onto each other--one pair hidden from a Mandalorian mask--as the rain continued pouring from the darkened sky. A bright crackle of lightning illuminated the grayish-blackness, shrouding the two hunters in white. Leanna couldn't find the words that would justify what she saw. Fett was here, standing right in front of her. The man she had hunted for so long had finally shown his face. This can't be happening...
"So, Fett," she finally said, making her voice sound as rough and cold as possible. A great rumble of thunder accompanied her words, giving it a more menacing edge. "Looks like I finally caught up with you." She studied the man for a moment, taking note of his battle-scarred armor, the mask that concealed his true identity--what did he look like under that mask?--the blaster at his holster, the one he was holding right now in both hands. A GK-765 blaster rifle, she saw, capable of shooting a hole through a building.
This was not going to be an easy fight.
"I see that the stories of you surviving the Sarlacc were true," she observed. "Impressive. Not many people who have been swallowed by Sarlacc escape and live to tell the tale."
Fett's fingers tightened on his powerful weapon. "I am the only one to have escaped Sarlacc, old friend," he said, with no emotion at all in his voice. Just pure, calculated coldness. It sent a tremble down Leanna's spine. For the first time, she began to believe that maybe this man really deserved his reputation.
"You know why I'm after you," Leanna said, taking two steps closer, clutching her blaster rifle as if it were the most important thing in her life. In a few seconds, it would be. Fett merely nodded. "I know," he said.
"Where is she?" Leanna demanded sharply. Her mind returned to the past, Fett dragging her sister away, Llia's terrified wails... LET MY SISTER GO!
The bounty hunter shrugged. "Don't know. Probably dead, for all I know. She was a little girl, Leanna, unable to survive two minutes alone in the real galaxy. That was years ago. Did you honestly think I still had her?"
A cold chill coursed through Leanna's blood. All hopes of seeing her sister again and regaining the last vestiges of her family that had been lost to her quickly evaporated, crushed by Boba Fett's cruel words.
Llia was gone. LLIA! A fury she had not felt for years arose within her, shutting out every other emotion in her body. She looked the bounty hunter in the eyes, who looked back in return. She couldn't see his face, but she knew he was smiling under the mask.
"You know I'm going to kill you, Fett," Leanna said coldly, setting her blaster rifle to the KILL setting. "But before I do that, I want to ask one favor of you."
Fett paused. "What?"
"Remove your mask."
More lightning appeared in the sky, almost striking one of the jungle trees. Fett shifted uncomfortably in his armor, his blaster rifle aimed squarely at Leanna's chest. If he wanted to, he could have fired right then and there and killed her. She wouldn't have had enough time to react...
"Why?" he asked.
"I've been after your for years," Leanna said. "And now that I have finally found you, I want to see your true face. I want to look into the eyes of my sister's murderer before I rip your throat out."
Fett considered, rain pelting his armor, and nodded. Slowly, one hand--the other remaining on the rifle--went up to grasp the bottom of his Mandalorian helmet, never keeping his eyes off Leanna. The woman waited patiently, her body tensing. At last, she would finally see what this man truly looked like...
The mask easily came off, clattering to the mud near Fett's feet. His eyes followed the mask's plummet...and then back to Leanna.
He was ugly, like a deformed human--although not as bad as the mad scientist Dr. Evazan, whom Leanna had once met while on one of her bounty hunting missions. His nose was too large, his lips almost nonexistant. His face was scarred, as if a pot of acid had been thrown onto his skin (no doubt, the digestive acid of the Sarlacc). His eyes--a clear, shady blue-- were the only thing attractive about his face.
Leanna merely nodded, easily hiding her disgust. "Very nice," she said.
"Satisified?" Fett demanded, his voice vastly different without the mask on. More...human.
Leanna Kai nodded, her finger slowly pressing against the trigger of her weapon. "Yep. Now it's time to die."
A volley of red fire burst from the nozzle. Fett leaped and rolled, landing in the mud, the bolts sailing past him, one lightly singeing his bald head. The hunter cursed in his native tongue--which Leanna recognized as the language of Concord Dawn--and returned fire. Leanna's lightning-fast reflexes kicked in at the last minute, and she leaped backwards, twisting through the rain-drenched air. Lightning flashed spectacularly in the sky, almost touching her, and she landed on her feet, giving her opponent a grin that said, "Nice try."
Fett stood, and pointed his left wrist in Leanna's direction. Nothing happened for a brief second, and Leanna paused, uncertain of what he was trying to do. A long extension of wire lanced from his gauntleted wrist, wrapping itself around her right leg. Fett tugged with all his strength, and Leanna felt her feet leave the ground. The world danced crazily around her as she struck the mud. Her vision blacked out, not helped by the raindrops flooding into her eyes. Suddenly, she felt a powerful lurch as Fett yanked her forth, bringing her closer to him.
Which she could not allow. Thinking quickly, her mind whirring for ideas, she snatched her machete-- which had fallen beside her--and sliced into the steel wire as hard as she could. At first, it didn't cut through, but a second try hacked halfway throught the steel. She tried a third time, and this time was successful. Leanna rolled to her feet, and faced the bounty hunter. Fett was not taken aback at all by her escape, and was already moving on to the next plan. Orange-red fire shot from a flame projector he held in both hands. With a cry of surprise, Leanna jumped aside to avoid the fire, but managed to get burned in the thigh. A pained hiss escaped her lips, and she bit her tongue to stifle another cry. The flames had burned a hole in her gray pants and blackened her flesh. Mud mixed in with the wound, causing it to hurt even more.
As Fett closed in on her, prepared to fire again, images burned into her mind: her brother, falling to the ground after being hit by shrapnel and debris falling from the air... Her little sister, and the tears that fell from her eyes as Leanna ran to save their brother.
I'll be back for you.
Promise?
Promise... Leanna found herself snarling, and turned on Fett, just as he prepared to fry her. Her fist smashed into his jaw, throwing him back. She heard a loud crack resound in the jungle, accompanied by a new wave of thunder.
"Enjoy that, you sick, twisted bastard?" she shouted over the din, not even bothering to hide her smile of satisfaction. It wasn't nearly as satisfying as ripping his throat out, but it would do for now.
Fett spat a tooth that had broken loose, one gloved hand going up to his jaw. A second later, he fired more flames in her direction. Leanna ducked, and the tree behind her fell victim to the fire. Slowly, it began spreading throughout the entire tree, and proceeded to engulf the one next to it. Leanna turned back to her opponent, glaring with as much anger as she could muster.
"What are you trying to do, start a forest fire?"
Fett smiled. "Something like that." He prepared to fire again, and Leanna made her next move. She ran for him, and kicked the fire projector out of Fett's hands. She followed with a second cuff to the face. Followed quickly by a third. And then a fourth. Fett stumbled against the trunk of a tree, bleeding from nose and mouth. His eyes went up to Leanna, full of pain and rage. Leanna saw the grenade launcher on his shoulder come to life. She began to run, knowing what was about to come--
A single grenade fired from the launcher, aiming mercilessly toward the fleeing hunter. It exploded in mid-air, throwing Leanna into the air--and then a tree. All the air she had in her body left her in a rush as she smashed into the hard trunk. Her body fell, and she didn't even feel it as she hit the mud. Her limbs flopped almost lifelessly on her sides, unable to help her up. By the time she had regained some of her equilibrium back and looked up, Fett was towering over her, his blaster rifle pointed between her eyes.
"I should have killed you a long time ago," the bounty hunter proclaimed. "Goodbye, Leanna."
"Fett!"
The new voice startled both hunters. Leanna's eyes looked behind her opponent to see Kam Solusar and Kirana Ti, both armed with their lightsabers. It was Kam who had spoken. "Get away from her!" the Jedi demanded. "Back away...nice and slowly."
Fett turned to face the Jedi, unintimidated. Apparently, not even two Jedi Knights were enough to frighten off the most famous bounty hunter in the galaxy. "And who's going to make me, Jedi?" he asked.
Leanna, who had found enough strength to stand herself up--groaning in pain as she did so--tapped the man on the shoulder. He turned to face her, eyes widening.
"Me," Leanna said, as she sent her fist into Fett's already-shattered nose. He staggered, and she slammed the palms of her hands into his breastplate, throwing him off balance. Suddenly, just as he prepared to fall, an invisible force hammered into Fett, causing him to fly off his feet and sail uncontrollably through the air. Leanna cringed in sympathetic pain as he smacked into one of the burning trees and met the ground facefirst, knocked out cold. Leanna smiled at seeing the bounty hunter defeated, and withdrew one of her vibroblades. This gave her the perfect opportunity. She may never get a second chance...
Kam must have sensed her intent, for he reached out and grabbed her by the arm. "No, Leanna!" he said. "Don't do it."
"Why?" she snapped. "He's a murderer and a coward. He deserved to die!"
"But not while he's unconscious," Kirana Ti said. "If you kill Boba Fett in cold blood, it will make you no worse than he is. To murder someone like that is the way of the dark side." "Well, I'm not a Jedi!" Leanna said. "And I don't care if killing him is bad or not, I'm going to do it."
"Not while we're around," Kam said, a tone of threat in his voice, causing Leanna to hesitate. "Besides, we need him to tell us where Xizor is. If you kill him now, then you'll render this entire mission pointless."
Leanna looked over at Fett's comatose body--oh, how she wished she could wring his neck for what he had done to her!--and sighed. The Jedi did have a point. Skywalker had come to Garkonis looking for information that would lead him to Xizor.
"All right," she conceded. "I'll let him live...for now." But trust me, she thought, when I say for now, because I plan on fulfilling my promise...
Kirana Ti nodded. "Then let's bring him back to the Falcon. Fett has some answering to do."