The following morning dawned clear and cool as Callista prepared to depart. Steffan had already been up hours before the sun. She had felt him working through a kata, but she did not disturb him. She was working through the preflight when he found her.
Looking up from the controls, she smiled at him. "Good Morning, Master Karrde."
Smiling in return, he settled himself on the arm of the copilot's chair. "It was a pleasure to have you visit, I hope you can come again." He paused, "Andrea told me of your plans to return to Corellia. I feel that something big is going to happen there, so stay alert."
Nodding, she turned to look at him. "Should I be worried?"
"No, I believe that you can handle this, just stay alert."
"Yes, Master Karrde." He rose and bowed to her before departing. "Safe journey, Callista. May the Force be with you."
The ship rose gently on repulsors as Callista guided it onto the tarmac, and into the bright sunlight. The sky was a brilliant blue, suffused with the bright sunlight. Setting course for her return to Corellia, she rose into the bright blue sky. Breaking through the clouds, she punched out of the atmosphere and into hyperspace.
Reverting to normal space, Callista raised the hospital, and requested an update. One of the doctors she had worked with appeared. "Ah, Healer Gseran. We are doing well. We have been able to treat everyone and release them, thanks to your help and contribution."
Callista smiled. "All in a day's work, doctor."
He nodded, cutting the connection as she guided the ship to the landing area behind her master's residence. She felt his familiar presence, as well as his joy at her arrival. There was something else there, but he was hiding it. She felt someone else in the house as well, but couldn't quite place them...
The mood shifted, and Callista narrowed her eyes. I better get in there, she thought. This could get ugly. She stepped inside, and then took a step back, surprised at who was there. The mood was tense.
Mephisto stood facing her old Master, his face set in a look of outraged determination. Held tightly in his left hand was that curved Sith lighsaber, now active and casting an ominous red light upon his face.
Callista looked from one to the other in confusion, her hand hovering near her own saber. "Master...?"
Mephisto glanced at Callista quickly, and a brief smile flickered across his face. "Ah, the young Jedi Callista. I should have known you were connected to this old one." He raised his saber from the low guard and circled around the older Jedi slowly, lowering his body almost as if he were tensing up to attack.
"What's going on here?" Callista asked, drawing her saber. "What business have you here?"
"This... filth... Took it upon himself to start following me. I took it upon myself to spare him the trouble." Mephisto continued his slow circling of the old Jedi.
Callista sighed. She was torn. She still harbored loyalty to her old master, yet she had helped Mephisto before...She pulled both sabers, activating them. I guess I have to do this the hard way, she thought as she stepped between them.
Her master looked at her. "Callista, do you know this man?" Nodding, she replied, "I fixed his leg for him..."
Mephisto nodded. "And for that, I am grateful, Callista. But the matter at present does not concern you."
"I think it does..." she challenged.
"Oh? Then you have a part in this man stalking me as well? Still trapped on the decrepit cliches of your Order?"
"I had no part in that," she ground out. "I am simply protecting one of my own..."
Mephisto snorted. "Protecting him? As open as I am to your philosophy, young Jedi, your penchant for protecting in these circumstances is something I have never quite understood. It falls to the individual to accept the consequences of their own actions; otherwise, they are like children running to their Jedi parents when the going gets tough. What ever happened to trial under fire?"
She sighed. He was right. Stepping aside, she lowered her blades.
Her Master did a double take. "What's going on?" She gazed calmly at him. "This is your fight, you brought it on yourself. I have no part in it." She moved away to give them room.
"A wise choice, young Jedi." Mephisto took a moment to salute the old Jedi with his lightsaber. "Anything to say before we get to the main event?"
He shook his head, then looked hard at Callista before turning his back. "Let's get on with it."
"Very well." Before he had stopped speaking Mephisto was already in the air, thrusting his saber towards the old Jedi's heart.
His blade came up, blocking the strike, and pushing it aside. It was difficult to fight in such a small space. Twisting his body at the hips to add force to the strike, Mephisto flicked his wrist to bring the blade streaking back at the old Jedi.
Mark ducked, whipping his leg out to catch Mephisto's ankles, while his blade connected with Mephito's leg. Mephisto let out a hiss as he bent his leg to avoid the worst of the blow, but the flesh on his leg still sizzled under the heat of the blow. Flowing into a roll, he kicked his uninjured leg out to catch his opponent in the back of the knee.
Stumbling, Mark caught himself and rolled away from Mephisto. Regaining his feet, he leaped at Mephisto, his blade aimed for a killing blow.
Mephisto launched himself into the air, twisting off above and to the side of Mark as he struck the blow aside. Landing slightly behind his foe, he stumbled again under the pain in his leg, but after a moment he smiled and resumed a ready posture. Mark whirled, his blade ready, as he glared at his opponent. "Let's end this.."
Mephisto cocked his head to the side. "So soon, old Jedi? Are you growing tired? I was beginning to enjoy myself." Mark shook his head at the flippant tone, settling into a high guard.
"Ah, very well, then." Mephisto brough his blade in low, angled so as to attack and offer himself some protection from a counterstrike. Mark moved without conscious thought, whirling away from the crimson blade, and came around striking for Mephisto's back.
Curving his whole body, Mephisto swung to intercept the blow. His saber arrived a second too late, and for the second time he received a glancing blow. Using the pain to fuel his battle-lust, he used the momentum he already had to drive his knee into Mark's side. Mark doubled over, coughing hard. he barely brought his blade up in time to fend off another blow.
Pressing the attack, Mephisto twisted his wrist as he slid over to the side of the fallen Jedi, stopping with his blade centimeters away from connecting with Mark's throat. Mark looked at him. "What are you waiting for?"
"You think I am so cruel as to decapitate a fallen foe? No, Jedi, if I take your life it will be when you are at your prime and not kneeling before me." Mephisto backed up, still holding his lightsaber in the ready position yet more relaxed now. "Why did you follow me, Jedi? What advantage can you derive from stalking a Sith?"
Mark sighed as he stood up, still eyeing Mephisto. "I was curious as to why you were travelling with Callista...I knew she was here on business, but I did not recognize the connection between you." Stepping up to them, Callista inserted herself into the conversation. "I ran into him when I had to stop for repairs and offered my help. He accepted, and in return, I took him where he asked me to."
"She still has much to learn, old Jedi, but I'd venture so far as to say she has more than her share of wisdom to compensate for what knowledge she lacks. I was as much interested in this as I was the assistance she offered me."
Mark glanced between them, still suspicious. "But why?"
Callista sighed. "Because he needed it, I wasn't about to refuse him..."
Mephisto nodded to her, and allowed his saber to drop further. "Can you not feel the ripples of what is to come, old Jedi? The universe is not so peaceful as some of us may hope at times. I for one am not about to let these other circumstances interfere with my own agendas. Making connections with what exceptional individuals I can will offer nothing but good fortune in the future."
Mark sighed at that. "I have...but I feel that I lack the strength to face it..." Callista stared. He had just said what she had felt from him...he wasn't usually so forward, especially in the present company. She knew that he was getting on in years; it was close to his time.
Mephisto flicked off the blade of his saber and returned it to his belt. "For everyone's sake, I hope you find that strength, Jedi. We need people who are ready to do what is necessary to preserve this universe. Even if that calls for actions that would be seen as... unconventional... in the eyes of their peers."
Callista hid a smile at that comment. I wonder...she thought as she gazed at Mephisto.
Mephisto turned to Callista. "Well, young Jedi, I hope you have gleaned something of value from this all. Shall we see to placing my debts in order?"
"I have, thank you." She nodded. She cleared her throat nervously. "I was wondering..."
"Yes?"
"Would it be possible to spar?" She flushed crimson as she caught Mark's emotions at the question.
Mephisto broke out into a smile, glancing at Mark as he did so. "I could think of no better way to repay your service." Mark looked like he wanted to protest, but remained silent, and led them down to the training room. "I trust this is satisfactory?"
"Certainly, old Jedi. It will do fine." Mephisto went about some quick stretches, and activating his lightsaber again, moved through a quick and brutal routine. "Ready, Callista?"
She nodded, and drawing her own, she set herself. Twin violet blades sprang into existence. Surrendering everything, she existed only in that moment.
"Ah, excellent. But surrender alone isn't enough to win." Mephisto lunged forward, aiming in tight arcs to strike Callista.
She felt him coming, and moving into the strike, she sidestepped and caught his blade between both of hers, she shoved it wide.
The deflection threw him off balance, but instead of fighting the motion Mephisto used it to launch his shin into the side of Callista's leg.
She stumbled slightly from the impact, but quickly recovered and whirled away, but not before she returned the favor. Her left foot snapped out, and caught him behind the knee, throwing him off balance.
Arching his back, Mephisto touched his hand to the ground and pivoted on it, managing to bring his feet back under himself. Steadying himself again, he resumed a flurry of blows against Callista's twin sabers.
She was surprised at his recovery, and concentrated on repelling his attack.
"Have passion, Callista. The strength the Force provides from without is admirable, but you must let it combine with the Force within if you wish to succeed." Mephisto stepped up the speed of his attack a notch, seeing if she could handle the intensity.
She rose to the challenge, her blades moving faster than the eye could follow. She fell deeper into herself, and reached into the Force at the same time.
"Much better, Callista. Fight with a meaning." Mephisto broke off the attack for a second, then, with a bounding roll, aimed a strike to her legs.
She jumped over it, striking for his shoulder as her rolled under her. Swinging his attempted strike wide, Mephisto barely knocked aside the attack and leaped to his feet. "Still deeper, Callista. No holding back."
She fell still deeper, slipping into the river of the Force, riding the current of it as she fought. She moved faster than ever before, her sabers flashing in the dimness as she pushed him back.
Mephisto smiled and followed suit, sinking into the rush of the battle as he searched for an opening in her offense.
She sensed a shift in his tactics, and changed hers as well. Her saber snapped out, crashing against his as her other one struck for his legs.
Mephisto hopped briefly into the air, and whipping his hand out, grabbed onto the hilt of Callista's saber. As he continued to assault her other saber with his own, he began to bend the violet blade toward her throat.
She wisely dropped the blade, and attempted to step away from him. Their sabers tangled, and Callista went down in a heap, but rebounded quickly. Mephisto nodded and dived in with his blade again, aiming a punch at her face as he did so.
She caught his hand in her own and twisted it away from her, which sent him flying. She kicked his blade wide, her foot connecting with the curved handle.
Mephisto landed unceremoniously on the ground, but managed to roll himself back up after a second. He assumed an empty-handed fighting stance, but after considering for a second, he relaxed and bowed to his opponent. "We could continue, but it would be pointless. Combine the inner power with the outer, and you have all the strength you'll ever need."
She bowed in return, her breath still coming fast from the speed of the fight. Her leg felt weak where he had kicked it, but it would heal. "My thanks, Mephisto."
Moving to retrieve his lightsaber, he smiled. "It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to spar with someone." He hooked the saber onto his belt and made to exit the training room. "Unless you have further need of me, I think I'll take my leave."
She smiled at him. "I will be alright. If you ever need me, you know how to find me." She chuckled as she picked up on Mark's emotions once again.
Mephisto nodded. "I'm sure we'll meet again. As for you, Jedi," he said, turning to Mark, "As much as I can understand your reasons for following me, I prefer to keep my activities to myself. Unless you wish to finish our duel at some point, I suggest you steer clear of me in the future. From the feelings I can glean from you at the moment, I'm sure that won't be so hard to accomplish."
Mark looked back at him calmly, then nodded. "You can be sure of that." Callista just stood there, silent, as she thought back over the fight. She had been part of the Force like never before. What did it mean?
She paused in her musing to call out to Mephisto as he departed. He stopped, and turned to look at her. "Mephisto, one question..." He nodded, and then waited.
"You said earlier that you were open to my philosophy...what did you mean?" She saw Mark pause as well. Mephisto considered that. "While most Sith feel that Jedi are wasting their energy on helping those around them-" Mark bristled at the comment, but restrained himself. "-I do not. I have come to understand much of the Jedi philosophy, and while I do not ascribe to all of it, there are portions that I do."
He glanced at Mark, and then continued. "Mercy is part of it. I do not feel that it is honorable to strike down someone who is injured and defenseless." He smiled at Callista. "You showed me kindness, when most would have avoided me, I thank you for that."
Mephisto bowed, and departed, leaving only Mark and Callista in the training room. She could sense him as he left, and his sense changed to one of gleeful satisfaction. Then it hit her...My god, what have I done?!
She sank to the floor under the weight of her horror as her saber clattered from her lax grip and bounced across the room. Mark came over and sat near her. This was something she had to deal with, but he was there for her.
Tears splashed down her cheeks, pooling on the floor. Why did I listen to him, he is not my teacher. Mark could feel the anguish rolling off of her in waves. Tilting her face up so she was looking at him, he looked directly into her eyes, speaking over that connection they had always had.
Callista, we all make mistakes. No one is perfect. I commend your giving spirit, but it could prove to be your downfall one day. Don't let that happen. I was saddened when you stepped away from that fight. I know you felt you owed him something, but you don't. He played on your kindness. I needed you, and you let me down... He paused. What's done is done, and all we can do now is learn from it and move on.
Nodding, she used the hem of her robe to dry her tears. Mark pulled her into a hug. "Remember what I said to you all those years ago?" She nodded. "You said that if I ever needed you, you would be there..." He smiled sadly. "I only wish you had done the same for me, but you still can."
"How?"
"Next time you meet him, remember this: you owe him nothing, he owes you nothing. He has his own agenda, which obviously includes manipulating people to his own ends." She nodded, and shifted to a meditation posture. Just sitting in that pose helped clear her mind. It was if someone had flipped a switch.
Where her thoughts had been clouded before, they were sharp. She could clearly see what Mark meant. She had betrayed his trust, a realization that hurt him deeply. In spite of what had happened, she did not blame Mephisto for what he did. She was the one who should have been more aware.
Callista remained with her master for several days. Her guilt remained, but it had diminished somewhat. Meditation came much easier to her now, as her thoughts were clear concerning Mephisto.
Reaching into the Force, she felt anger and purpose; directed at her. She burst to her feet, racing up the stairs. She could feel him tangling with her master again, and his anger radiated through the Force, making her skin crawl.
Skidding around the corner, her heart stopped. He was back, with a vengeance. Just seeing him again was enough to make her guilt rear its ugly head once more. Pushing it aside, she focused on the fight. He turned to look at her, his lip curling with contempt. "We meet again, Jedi..." His momentary distraction cost him. Mark struck his back hard, causing him to stumble. Mephisto caught himself and spun, striking towards Mark's knees. His saber flicked out, deflecting the strike.
Callista pulled both sabers, activating them as she launched herself at him. Focus, Callista, don't let him mess with your mind. He grinned as he saw her leap at him. "Back for more?" he snarled, as they met in the center of the room.
Mephisto wasted no time warming up with Callista. Raining down a wave of lightsaber strikes towards her, he also lashed out with his feet, using his entire body to attack her.
She wasn't surprised at his attack, but she found herself hard pressed to defend against it. Her blades spun and slashed, weaving a continuous web of light around her as she fought to keep him off her. Spinning, her left foot snapped out, and connected hard with his kneecap.
Mephisto, submerging himself in the fury of the battle, collapsed his leg and went down into a kneeling stance. He continued his furious assault against her, using his new position to strike at her from awkward angles.
Callista changed her stance somewhat, crouching slightly as she fought. Dodging a strike to her side, she whirled away from him. She was so deep now, she wasn't even thinking, just acting.
Mephisto broke off his attack for a moment, glancing at Mark. This won't do at all, he thought. As he moved to engage Callista again, he hit a button on the comlink attached to his belt. It let out a beep, and, apparently satisfied, he thrust his lightsaber towards Callista's neck.
She whipped her head aside. That was too close she thought. Batting his blade aside, she moved in with an attack of her own. Her twin blades flashed as she struck at him from both sides.
Mephisto arched back until his head practically touched the ground, his clothes singed by the near contact of the blades. Bringing his blade across his body to ward off an attack, he launched his leg out and caught Callista in the shin.
She whipped the leg away, lessening the strength of the blow, then jumped, spinning to catch him in the ribs. She heard one of his ribs crack as she landed in a crouch.
Mephisto hissed from the impact, clutching his side as he held up his saber to continue the attack. As he moved to strike towards her midsection, however, he hesitated, and from behind Callista a second blade hummed to life, spilling more red light into the room.
She whirled, facing the new arrival while still keeping Mephisto in sight. So, it begins... she thought, sparing a glance towards Mark. The new arrival moved around them to confront her Master.
"Deal with the target," Mephisto said, nodding towards her master with his head. "I'll finish off this little one." Having brought the pain of his wound under control, Mephisto whipped out his blade towards Callista's throat again.
Ducking the strike, she barely avoided the glowing blade. She slipped, barely bringing her blade up in time. Their blades crashed together, mere inches from her face as she gazed up at him.
As Mephisto sneered and continued his onslaught, the other Sith began his assault. Less acrobatic than Mephisto, he assumed a solid stance and began to steadily bash away at Mark.
Mark easily kept him at bay at first, almost lazily batting aside the strikes, but he was not as young as he used to be, and he began to tire. Callista backed away from Mephisto and sprang to her feet, setting herself again.
Mephisto continued, as always, to barrage Callista with a range of lightsaber blows, but the injury to his ribs prevented him from doing any fancy maneuvers. Hoping to end the confrontation all at once, he kicked for her knee as he aimed a punch upwards at her jaw.
Backing up, she tripped, and crumpled as his foot smashed into her kneecap. Slamming up her pain block, she rose shakily to her feet, balancing carefully as she used the Force to steady herself.
Mephisto launched out another kick, and at the same time the other Sith pressed the attack against Mark even harder, throwing in random punches to overwhelm the aging Jedi.
She scooted out of the way of the second kick, expecting it. Spinning, she backhanded her saber towards his neck, while the other struck in for his knees. Mark stumbled as he caught a punch to the stomach once more. The Sith's blade sliced into his shoulder, forcing Mark to switch his saber to the other hand.
Mephisto twirled his blade down to block the lower attack, but as he bent to avoid the upper blow his ribs limited his mobility. Too late he began to turn his head to the side, and with a sizzle his right cheek was grazed by the violet blade. An ugly burn covered the right side of his face.
The other Sith, meanwhile, was having far better luck with his adversary. He drove his fist into Mark's damaged shoulder, before backing up and gesturing for his opponent to attack. Mark's face crumpled as he fought the pain. Clenching his jaw, he raised his saber in front of him, the green glow reflecting from his gray eyes. He charged his opponent, sweeping his blade around to strike at his legs.
Surprised by the vigor of the attack, the Sith didn't have time to fully dodge the strike. A deep cut into his left leg sent him to the ground, in pain but still holding his blade high to continue the attack. Sensing his partner's agony, Mephisto disengaged Callista to attack Mark from behind.
Callista sprang at him, attempting to hold him back. Mephisto spun and grunted again from the pain of the movement, but as he met Callista's attack he hooked his foot around Mark's leg, knocking the old Jedi off balance. The other Sith wasted no time seizing this opportunity, and thrust his blade directly towards Mark's chest.
The speed of Callista's leap worked against her as she leaped at Mephisto. He whipped around, backhanding her across the face with the butt of his saber. She went flying across the room, landing in a heap. Struggling to her feet, she wavered slightly.
Mark whipped his blade around, but he was too slow. The Sith sank his blade into Mark's chest. Callista crumpled again as Mark's agony rippled through their connection. NO! she cried out in her mind. She could feel Mark in her mind. Be careful, Padawan, do not fall into their trap. Be strong for me... His voice faded as she saw him lay still.
The triumphant Sith slowly rose himself to stand above his fallen foe. Examining the body to make sure the wound was nothing less than fatal, he gave a satisfied nod and turned to face Callista.
Mephisto, sensing the young Jedi's pain, stepped off from his attack. "Loss is never like what they try to teach you, is it, young Jedi? It cuts deep, exposes the nerves of your soul. It spreads like a virus through your body, poisoning you, blinding you." He began to circle her. "You want to kill me, yes? You want revenge? Exult in it. Cross the line into rage and free yourself of your restraints. You know you want to. Don't deny your passion."
Callista shook her head, falling into the Force, she felt her grief wash away, to be replaced with determination as she faced off against her opponent once more. "You'll have to try much harder than that..." she growled at him.
"Ah, still stuck on the clichés, then. Pity." Holding his hand out to his wounded partner, he gestured for him to hand over the other lightsaber. "We'll even the odds," he said, raising the blades in an X before swinging them down at Callista. She lashed out with both sabers, knocking his aside as she spun and kicked out at him.
The kick caught Mephisto in the side, and gasping from the pain he stumbled for a second. Falling deeper into the battle fury, setting everything else aside, he attempted a stab at Callista's gut as he swung the other blade around at her arm.
The blade grazed her stomach, and she dropped her arm, barely avoiding the other blade. She rose and kicked out again, her feet catching him in the chest this time.
The force of the blow rippled through his body, putting pressure on his ribs again. Impervious to the pain, he swung both blades up from below, aiming to cleave her in half.
She flipped over them, landing hard on her bad knee. Shifting her weight, she brought both blades up in a midguard, the hilts held level with her hips. Her breath came fast as she fought for balance.
Mephisto swung both blades low as he sunk down, throwing the whole weight of his body into a strike to her legs.
She struck out with both sabers, catching him across the shoulders before she rolled clear of his blades.
Though he could barely feel the pain, his arms spasming from instinct, and his grip on the sabers loosened. It was evident that his injuries were taking a toll on him. Twirling out the blades in wild arcs, he came at Callista with a fierce but exhausted resolve. She set herself as he came towards her once more, his sabers spinning. She backhanded her blade, knocking one aside, while she fought to block the other and keep her balance.
Mephisto's blades continued to swirl towards Callista's vulnerable areas, but they were slowing down. With each blow his strikes grew a hair more inaccurate, less focused.
She could feel him slowing, and she stepped up the speed of her defense, her blades crashing against his at incredible speed. One of his blades slipped through her defense, grazing her shin.
Encouraged by the glancing blow, Mephisto put all his effort into overcoming what seemed like the wall of violet light was Callista's sabers. He was growing desperate, feeling the reserves of his energy slipping away.
Callista backed up a step, her movements a blur as she dodged his blades, her violet one snapping out to deflect a strike to her shoulder. He seemed to be moving in slow motion compared to the speed of her movements.
Mephisto's strikes were getting steadily clumsier. He overcommitted to a downward slash and lost his balance. In a last, desperate attempt, he swung both blades toward Callista's waist. Her blades snapped down, but not fast enough. The crimson blades bit into her skin, leaving a wide burn mark. Her blades wavered, the pain threatening to overwhelm her.
Mephisto, breathing hard, smiled in triumph. "This is the end, Callista. All things must die in there own time, and like your Master, your time has come." He seemed to have trouble focusing his eyes on one spot, but still he managed to raise his blades in preparation for a finishing blow.
Callista pulled strength from she knew not where; steadying herself, she raised her blades once more. Mephisto's strike came down with what little force was left in his body, aimed at Callista's head. He feinted a kick at the same time, hoping to trick her into moving into his attack.
She managed to catch his blades on one of her own, straining to hold him off. His foot struck out for her side once more, and she reacted without thought, her second blade whipping out. It sank it his leg, and the stench of burned flesh rose in the air.
Mephisto fell back, the pain washing over him. His partner, motionless until now, moved to help him, but Mephisto glared at him. "Stay out of it!" He roared, holding his sabers up to defend himself. She approached him; her sabers steady as she pointed them at his throat. "Any last requests?" she asked, her voice ragged as her pulse pounded in her ears.
At last, a faint glimmer of fear could be seen in Mephisto's eyes. "Don't forget what is to come, Callista. This is only the beginning. Neither should you forget the fury within yourself. In time, all emotions must have their outlet." He closed his eyes, grasping his sabers tightly. "Finish it. Send me on to the next great mystery."
She closed her eyes and nodded, her saber stabbing cleanly through his heart. His passing washed over her like a tidal wave in the Force, and left her staring into the face of his partner.
The man gazed at her for a moment, as if he was trying to make up his mind. Finally, with a nod, he held out his hands and called the Sith sabers back to himself. Hooking them onto his belt, he spared Callista another long stare, before turning and making his exit as fast as his wounded leg permitted.
As he departed, she made her way over to her master's body, falling to her knees beside it. His robes began sinking into themselves as his body faded. She closed her eyes for a moment before gathering his robes and saber.
Rising to her feet, she made her way unsteadily to her ship, almost collapsing. She stumbled into the cabin, leaning on the pilot's chair for support. She set Mark's robes gently on the seat, and reached out to activate the distress beacon. Stumbling away, she settled shakily onto one of the bunks and sank immediately into a healing trance.