Chapter 3: Fading Memories

19 BBY

The rain had let up, the clouds above Coruscant trickling open to reveal orange and blue hues of the early morning hours. Multiple lanes of traffic miles above the ground backed up the skies as the morning commute had begun. Her boot tracked through a puddle as she crossed the street to the distinctive oval building on the main drag of CoCo Town. The worn and dull red metal accents on the roof glinted in the sun's reflection off the taller, industrial buildings nearby.

Thankfully, while the traffic loomed in droves overhead, the streets were void of most pedestrians. These were very paths she loved to walk in her youth, running to catch breakfast before the rush of regular patrons—just to have something less exotic than what the Temple mess typically offered.

Approaching the steps to the entrance of the diner, Kade peered back over her shoulder. Scraps was slowly making his way towards her, limping, his metal arms swinging loosely at his sides. An expensive pile of scraps, indeed. She frowned and hoped that she hadn't made a mistake by risking to purchase him.

When he finally hobbled near enough to her, Kade rapped her knuckles against the door three times and traced her eyes over the boarded windows and the darkened fluorescent sign. Other than this last week, these were windows that had never been closed off. The once vibrant diner now looked abandoned and decrepit, but she wasn't sure if that was simply because they were closed for business, or because of the dreary circumstances surrounding that choice.

"We're closed, honey!" A cheery robotic voice came through the door, interrupting her thoughts.

"It's me," Kade clarified, sending a reassuring wave of energy through the door to announce herself to a more familiar presence—one who had not spoken up at her knock.

The door half-opened, and unique, silver Mon Calamari eyes blinked at her. Bant Eerin's nostrils flared, and she moved aside, ushering Kade and the BX droid inside. Her skin was beginning to look quite dry, not at all having the usual, healthy sheen it had just days before. Kade thought maybe it was because the diner was not equipped with the environmental controls necessary to keep Bant comfortable. A slight pang of guilt shot through her, and she hoped that Bant wasn't terribly miserable staying here.

"Kade," A large Besalisk with four arms and a tan-brown sagging neck, was squeezed into one of the many empty booths along the outer wall. Dexter Jettster had been wringing two of his four hands and staring out of a small hole in the boarded window. He looked up when she entered his diner, his wide lips parting to greet her. FLO, his waitress droid, rolled from the door to stand beside him.

Kade nodded to Dex, acknowledging him. Dex was a gentle soul and a good friend. He had a colorful background, not exactly one of a model citizen, but under normal circumstances, very little shook up his nerves. They were clearly shaken now, however.

She appreciated that he had taken them in on virtually a last-minute basis, taking the initiative to close up his diner to keep them all hidden and safe. It was truly above and beyond any favor that he could have possibly owed to her—or to any jedi for that matter.

"We were starting to worry about you," Bant whispered after she closed the door behind them. She then sauntered over to glance at the three younglings on the floor behind the counter that were still sleeping soundly.

She knew she had been gone for longer than she had promised, but it wasn't for nothing. "I got us a ship," Kade replied.

"And a droid apparently…" Bant cautiously scrutinized the BX droid who was standing quietly in the far corner near the door. The look on her face clearly indicative of someone who also had a few close encounters with these types of war droids during her time as a General in the War. "Are you sure about this?"

With a nod, Kade made her way to the booth Dex was sitting at and plopped down opposite of him, on the far edge, not placing her legs under the table so that she could address both Dex and Bant with only a turn of the head. "We need all the help we can get. BX droids are superior at tracking jedi; he can help us find others."

Her face scrunched as she considered what Kade was saying.

Kade shifted her elbow onto the table and let her fingers play with the rounded, metal corner edge. She knew it was going to be necessary for them to take the next steps in their plan and get as far from Coruscant as possible, but a big part of her had hoped it wouldn't have even come to this—that maybe the Senate would step in and correct their wrongdoing. Or maybe that Kade would finally wake up from this nightmare and find herself safe in her bed.

But the nightmare had yet to end.

The inside of her cheek was starting to bleed from the constant chewing on it, and she tried to ignore the taste of the blood and the sting from the sore skin. Jedi weren't supposed to have anxiety in difficult times, but she hadn't had a lot of extra time, lately, to dedicate to her mediations to redirect that energy.

"The droid can lead you and the younglings to the ship. We moved it to a spot not far from here." Kade finally said. She saw the immediate shift on Bant's face and knew exactly what she was going to ask. Before Bant could pose the question, Kade continued, "I think I should take one last sweep through the temple to make sure we haven't missed anyone."

Dex let out a breath, "You sure that's wise?"

She thought about the three younglings behind the bar that Bant and her had managed to smuggle out of the Temple during the purge. The thought of more younglings frightened and hiding pained her. Perhaps there were other older jedi, in a similar situation to Bant and her, who were able to go back for survivors, but she didn't want to count on it.

And there was the matter of being without her saber. Kade's eyes trailed to the empty clip on her utility belt. While she was confident that she could probably get by fine without a blade in their exile, this would be her last chance to grab a civilized weapon. Kyber crystals were difficult to come by nowadays and building a lightsaber from scratch was a task she didn't relish.

Nodding, Kade turned her head towards Dex, "I want to be extra sure before we leave,"

"In that case, we should leave soon, and let Dexter return back to his business. We have far overstayed our welcome already," Bant offered quietly, resting her hips back against the bar top and gifting Dex with a thankful smile.

The five of them had been there for several days since the evening of the purge, using his diner as a home base, eating his food, and sleeping on his floor. The illegality of hiding fugitives aside, he was losing a lot of income protecting them.

"Nonsense!" He grumbled, shaking his head, his long chin wiggling with the movement. "Where are you going to go?"

Kade stared down at her hand that gripped the edge of the table, "I don't know, but we've got to get off Coruscant."

"That's not much of a plan," He replied, leaning forward on the table.

He wasn't wrong. It wasn't a plan at all. But it wasn't as if there was much of a choice—Clones were patrolling the city-planet and swarming around the temple, instructed to terminate any jedi they encountered. For right now, any place but Coruscant was going to be safer. Kade resisted the urge to speculate with Dex about their next move. She feared what might happen if someone breathed that Dex had been harboring jedi—at least he wouldn't be lying if he told the authorities that he didn't know where they went from here.

"It's a start, though," Bant offered, softly.

"We'll be alright," Kade added, tossing him a half-smile, trying to reassure him. "We really appreciate everything, Dex. You've risked your neck keeping us holed up here."

His lips nearly disappeared as he pursed them, his mustache twitching. His gaze fell to his wrung hands. One of his lower hands wiped itself on his knee. "You and Obi have done a lot for me, through the years, I owed you."

Other than spending a ton of credits for his delicious meals, Kade wasn't exactly sure to what he was referring. She guessed it didn't matter. Reaching out, Kade placed her hand over the top of his, giving it a gentle squeeze, and tried to smile at him when he looked up at her. She was going to miss him.

Kade turned her head to Bant and got a confirming nod. They really shouldn't wait any longer. It was time.

Pushing herself gently off the bar, Bant turned around and regarded the supplies on the bar top. They must have been in the process of organizing provisions into packs before Kade had arrived, as two rucksacks sat half-packed among the supplies on the bar.

With one last squeeze to Dex's hand, Kade stood from the booth and made her way to the back of the bar where the three younglings were curled on the floor. Crouching down, she gently woke the larger two, who were huddled together: a Humanoid boy and a Rodian girl. "Liam. Chir. It's time to go," she whispered to them as they wiped the sleep from their eyes.

She took a moment to glance them over. The common clothes she had gone out to find for them looked a little big on their tiny bodies, but it would do the job to keep them inconspicuous and hidden in plain sight. Standing, she offered the younglings one hand each to help them to their feet. Chir, with her deep yellow skin, was a little older than the brown-haired Liam, but they both had concern and fright seemingly permanently etched into their little faces. They were being forced to grow up much faster than the creche guardians would have wanted and had already seen more than a lifetime's worth of death.

At the direction of Kade, the two younglings shuffled over to Bant, both barely as tall as the Mon Calamari's hips. On his way, Liam turned to stare, uneasily, at Scraps in the corner.

Kade crouched down to the floor once more, this time, however, focusing on a bundle of cloth that was carefully nestled on top of Bant's neatly folded cloak.

The child in the bundle stirred when Kade slid her arm under him and carefully lifted him into the nook of her elbow. With her free hand, she moved the blanket from his face. Large, black, sleepy eyes blinked back at her. She smiled down at the green, wrinkled face. "You too, little one. Time for us to fly." She whispered, watching his long ears move with her words.

Dex moved from the booth, using one of his hands as a brace on the table to help him rise from the tight seat. He barked an order to FLO to get something from the kitchen, while Kade walked back from around the bar, freeing up the small space.

"Do you remember where we parked?" Kade asked, turning to Scraps. He hadn't moved a gear since they had entered the diner, instead, choosing to stand in the far corner, out of the way, and observing the situation unfolding before him.

"Yes." He replied, simply, his head following her movements.

Rocking the infant gently in her arms, Kade reiterated instructions for him to lead Bant and the younglings to the ship. "Avoid Clones and take an alternate route if you must, but make sure they all get there."

"Yes,"

His minimal replies gave her an eerie vibe and she realized she had been expecting the canonical "Roger Roger" confirmation from him. Never had she met a BX droid that had any ability to bypass that original programming, sliced or not, it was an integral piece to their encoding. A chill ran down her spine. His former master must have been uniquely talented.

Before she could ponder on it further, Dex wandered up beside her, sticking his finger in the infant's face and clicking his tongue. "He's a cute little fella," Dex smiled, his eyes glinting, "Big appetite, too."

Kade furrowed her brow and considered the little creature in her arms. He was undeniably adorable, but he didn't look like he could eat a ton.

"Here you go, honey." FLO made her way back from the kitchen, her wheel gliding easily across the linoleum floor. She passed a small, brown paper bag to Dex.

Having placed her pack securely on her back, Bant came forward and gently took the infant in Kade's arms.

"Before you go," Dex interrupted, as Kade reached for her pack on the bar top. He handed her the brown bag that FLO had retrieved. It had a firm, but squishy mass inside.

Kade looked down at it curiously, turning it over in her hands.

"I made sure the others were fed. That's for you." He attempted a smile and gave her a little shrug, "Now, I know it's not Namana custard, but at least it won't melt on you, on the way out of the galaxy."

All these years, and through all his customers, he had never forgotten that Namana custard was her favorite. Kade trailed her eyes to him as a warmth spread through her chest. His diner was the closest thing to home she had next to the Temple. "Oh, Dex. Thank you."

He shuffled and pulled up his pants with a lower hand. "I'll see you again, won't I, kid?"

Carefully placing the brown bag at the top of her pack, she pulled the drawstrings of the rucksack closed and swung it onto her back. She swallowed, not wanting to truthfully answer his question. "Of course, Dex." She whispered, knowing it was a lie.

He stepped forward and wrapped his four arms around her, holding her tightly. "Well, you know where to find me, if you ever need a hot meal and a good cup of caf," He replied solemnly as if he had known she was not being honest with him.

Weaving her hands between his upper and lower arms, she hugged him back, for the last time.

They all left out of the back of the diner, keeping to the early morning shadows in the alleyways. Kade stopped to watch as Scraps headed off in the direction of the ship, Bant and the younglings following in his stead.

Then, offering a final thankful glance back to the gray and red diner that harbored many precious memories and years of comfort, she pulled her cloak's hood over the crown of her head and hurried off in the opposite direction.

Other than a few Clones posted at the entrance of the Temple, who were easily snuck past, the Temple was void of movement. Instead, it was full of the quiet smell of death. Bodies that littered the floors of the once vibrant Temple were beginning to decompose, thickening the air along with the residual smoke of the fires the Clones had started in the Temple library. She had seen the carnage as it happened, but it was another thing entirely to walk back through the massive academy, the clicking of her boots the only sound that echoed through the halls as she tiptoed around the dead.

As her eyes traced over a thousand different swollen faces, lifeless eyes, and torn limbs, she opened herself to the force, reaching out like a beacon, searching for any potential life. Though her calls went unanswered, she trudged on through the corridors.

She placed a hand over her nose and mouth, feeling suffocated in the heavy stench. A profound feeling of sadness continued to wash over her with every step. So many lives had been wasted that day—and all for what?

No one had seen it coming. The Clones that had been loyal to the jedi, their friends and comrades, turned without a single warning, shooting down the very jedi they were once sworn to protect. It was difficult to swallow with the knot in her chest. She had done everything she could to save her fellow jedi but took no pride in killing the Clones that had been fighting at her side just days prior. She had once trusted the Clones with her life—as all the jedi had.

Kade approached the Temple Sparing Arena and stopped at the double-doored threshold. The vast training room spanned several floors, allowing for equipment of all kinds to be installed from the ceiling or upon the floor—challenges, and obstacles to enhance combat skills. The lights were often dimmed in the large, open gym, forcing those practicing to rely on any senses other than simply their sight.

Stadium seating resided on one side, and large viewing windows above that, permitting entrance to anyone who wished to observe those who utilized the space. Many tournaments were held here, including the annual Apprentice Tournament, where the initiates could demonstrate their skills in the hopes of attracting the attention of a potential master. But more often than not, it was used for Master jedi's instructing their learners or classes of younglings beginning their journey into initiation.

As a padawan, Kade had spent far more time in this arena than what she had originally thought a padawan should. Mace had been firm on her perfecting the many different lightsaber forms, regardless of whether she preferred one over the other. Often, he would use practice as both a punishment and as a reward—depending on his mood. While she had loathed the repetitive practice at the time, it had turned out to be incredibly useful in her Masterhood.

Kade leaned against the doorframe and regarded the wide, open, empty space with sad eyes.

39 BBY

After a careful reach with her senses, she stepped onto the next pillar. It was wide enough only for one foot, and she swayed to keep her balance. Her yellow lightsaber lit up the dark area, but not enough to clearly catch the movement of the training droid that whirred around her. Straightening, she waited patiently, moving the saber in slow, deliberate swings in her left hand.

She could feel the sweat on her brow bead down the side of her face. Her tunic stuck, uncomfortably, to her damp back—she had lost track of how long the two of them had been training for, but it felt an eternity.

The training droid suddenly fired two shots, but she deflected them and jumped back onto the previous pillar, swinging her blade down and catching the training droid on the top of the head. The round ball droid fell to the floor, a small burn mark on its shiny metal crown. It beeped and blinked red, signifying a hit.

"Good, Kade. Good." Mace Windu complimented, using his hand to guide the force to raise the lights in the arena.

Kade hopped down from the pillar and grabbed the small droid from the floor. Using the sleeve of her tunic, she wiped at the burn mark. He would be alright—good as new with a little polishing. She had tuned her lightsaber down to a training mode so as not to damage any of the Temple equipment, but her last strike had been a little rough.

Jogging over to the benches, where Mace lounged, she set the droid beside him and bowed low.

"You get stronger with every practice."

"Thank you, Master." She beamed. Compliments from Mace were scarce, so she relished in it. Wiping her face with a towel, she could feel her body was going to be sore tonight. Her muscles were already trembling now that she was resting.

Mace took a deep breath and patted his thighs. "Let's wrap up for the day, I have a council meeting scheduled for this evening. Work on your meditating and rest, we'll work again tomorrow."

Water from her bottle streamed from the side of her mouth as took a deep drink. Gasping from the large swing, she wiped at her face and nodded to him. "Yes, Master" She answered, thankful that the training for the day was finally complete. The idea of flopping down onto the couch with a good holo-novel and the apartment to herself for a few hours sounded downright amazing.

"Ah yes, one more thing." He tilted his head and quirked a rare smile at her, as she wrapped the towel around her neck, dabbing at the sweat under her hairline. "I heard there is a ship landing in bay five."

Kade furrowed her brows at him, unsure of what his eerie smile and statement meant. "Oh?" She really hoped this wasn't a way to rope her into an errand. But even through her suspicions, gentle energy rolled off of him and his hard eyes softened at her scrutiny.

"If you hurry, you might still be able to catch Jinn and Kenobi before they retire for the day."

Her breath caught in her throat, and her body froze where she stood. Mace didn't appear to be joking with her. The pair had been gone for over a year on a mission to Mandalore. Kade had been asking him about a progress update nearly every week since they had left. Mace was on the council, and he would be the first to know of their homecoming. But every time she would ask, he would unenthusiastically reply 'no news is good news' or 'patience, young one'. Both were the most infuriating of answers, that she had finally given up asking.

Kade excitedly bowed to Mace. It was a half-assed bow, but she was far too eager to get on the move, rather than perfecting her formalities. "Thank you, Master!" She turned and sprinted for the door before Mace could change his mind.

"Walk, Kade!" He rebuked, his large, booming voice echoing throughout the arena.

Admittedly, she should have seen the scold coming, Mace hated it when she rushed. His idea of being in a hurry was a moderately steady walk. Nearly tripping over her own feet at his command, Kade skidded to a stop. Her arms went out to balance her and keep her from falling forward at the sudden change in momentum. Then, regaining herself, she attempted to keep her cool and took slow deliberate steps towards the door.

But as soon as she was sure she was out of Mace's sight, she darted.

Kade ignored the pain in her calves and thighs as she sprinted through the expansive levels of the Temple. She could feel the confused and vexed stares from the other jedi in her wake as she surged past them, but she didn't care.

Obi-wan was one of her best friends, and while most of their friend group would come and go on missions, never had one of them been away as long as he had. She refused to miss the opportunity to meet him the moment he stepped off the shuttle.

Kade was already out of breath by the time she was halfway to the docking bay, and she pleaded with the force to propel her just a little further, as she twisted around the sharp corridors and dodged around those who were in her path.

Finally, she glided around the corner to the docking bay, her boots making an awful squeak as she slid on the slick tiled floor. As she recovered, Kade's eyes scanned down the long hall of incoming and outgoing ships. Coolly adjusting her tunic, and sucking down air to regain her composure, she stood a little straighter and pursed her lips into a smile at the curious gazes from others who had seen her unceremonious entry.

There they were!

Master Qui-gon Jinn, in a light tan poncho, appeared to be politely conversing with someone unloading one of the shuttles, while a similarly dressed Obi-wan focused on lifting a small amount of luggage over his shoulder.

Naturally, others were arriving in the busy docks, and she worked to peer around them as they walked in front of her, keeping her eyes on her targets. "Obi!" She tried to call out, but her lungs were stubborn about releasing the needed air, and her voice came out as no more than a whisper.

Instead, she reached out through the force and let her presence connect with his. The gentle caress into his energy sent a chill down her spine. It had been far too long since she'd felt his comforting lifeforce in the same room.

He looked up suddenly, feeling the touch of her from afar, and a small smile grew on his lips when they locked eyes.

"Obi!" She called out again, this time with more power behind her voice. Warmth spread in her chest and a renewed vigor passed through her tired body.

Dropping the bag that he had just hiked over his shoulder, Obi-wan's smile widened as she headed towards him.

She found her strength again and sprinted at him, "I missed you!" Kade laughed, jumping to wrap her arms tightly around his neck.

Obi-wan staggered backward at the momentum of her hug, his own laugh forced out of him.

He smelled exactly like she remembered, vanilla and musk. Kade closed her eyes and breathed him in, holding him tightly in her arms. Of all of her friends, she was closest to Obi-wan, and she had dearly missed him. She fought back the tears that threatened to come up and instead cherished the moment where her face was pressed against his ear and his laugh reverberated into her chest. She felt like she hadn't smiled this much since he'd initially left.

Qui-gon finished his conversation with the pilot and turned to watch the giggling teenagers, his arms crossing in front of his body and a curious expression lining his face.

She could feel Qui-gon's eyes studying their embrace, so she loosened her grip on Obi-wan and planted her feet back on the ground. She resisted the urge to take Obi-wan's face in her hands or to continue touching him, and instead, she reached for the luggage back that Obi-wan had abandoned to catch her.

With the bag tossed over her shoulder, she bowed, respectfully, to Qui-gon. He lightly nodded back in reply.

"Oh, you were sweaty!" Obi-wan commented, making a face at her, and wiping his hands on the front of his poncho. "Where did you even come from?!" He grinned; his eyebrows knitted in a slight confusion over her unexpected appearance.

She waved him off, and walked with them out of the docking bay, "I was at the arena. Mace told me you two were getting back, just a few minutes ago."

"It's not every day that we are graced with a welcoming committee," Qui-gon remarked, glancing down at her with a grin.

Kade's eyes moved between Obi-wan and Qui-gon as they ambled down the corridors. It was incredible the difference that a year had made on Obi-wan appearance. He maintained the same haircut and long padawan braid, of course, but he looked older. His cheekbones seemed more defined and his chest broader. She swore he'd even grown a few inches taller. He was… handsome.

"Well, I couldn't let you come back from a year-long vacation without one!" Kade had meant it as a joke, but she watched as Obi-wan's face immediately dropped and he suddenly took an interest in the cuffs of his sleeves.

She immediately regretted the quip—it had clearly hit a sore spot. Guilt shot through her, and she kicked herself for not thinking before she spoke. Quickly, Kade tried to salvage the conversation, "I can't wait to hear about Mandalore!" She gushed, "I've been reading about Mandalorians and their honor code, it sounds so fascinating!" It was the truth, she had taken up a few holo-novels on the topic while they were away.

A blush rose from Obi-wan's collar, and his jaw clenched tight.

Kade opened her mouth again, but Qui-gon slowed to a stop a placed a hand on her shoulder to get her to pause with him. The two of them stood in the hallway as Obi-wan continued walking—whether he was aware they weren't beside him any longer, Kade couldn't tell, but she could feel the uneasy energy radiate from him.

"Perhaps another time, little one." Qui-gon offered her a small smile. His words, like always, were silky smooth and calm. He never seemed to raise his voice like Mace sometimes did, and yet, he maintained a similar capacity of allure and wisdom. For that reason, and several others, Kade admired him.

"Yeah… yeah, of course," She replied softly, embarrassed.

Qui-gon gently reached for the bag from her shoulder and tucked it easily under his arm. Giving her a farewell nod, he turned to follow after Obi-wan.

"Master Jinn," Before she could think, she stepped forward, her hand shooting out to touch the elbow of his tunic. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you two were—"

Eyebrows raised, he turned and stopped her short of finishing her apology. While he looked at the hand that had grabbed at him before she quickly yanked it behind her back, he appeared unbothered by her act. Shifting to face her, he tilted his head down towards her, and explained, sympathetically, "I know. Give him a few days, it was a tough mission. He'll be back to normal in no time." Offering one last tender smile, which Kade did her best to return, Qui-gon hesitated for a moment, then continued down the wide hallway.

Kade sighed and crossed her arms, watching him walk away as she wondered about what exactly had happened on Mandalore.