Chapter 4

He must be saved! The voice was practically screaming at her and the words echoed throughout Callista's mind. It had been some time since Tahiri had bound her hands and feet to the small cot—hours or days, Callista couldn't tell because she continued to fade in and out of consciousness. The voice had been accosting her since she had last awakened and it was about to drive her mad. You must save him!

But why? Callista mentally cried back. You ask the impossible—you must at least explain why you think it can be done. She didn't speak out loud because Jacen was in the room. He was sitting at his desk a few meters away, with a datapad, a computer, and several datachips arranged in front of him. Callista had gathered that this room served as Jacen's office, where he took care of the business of running his mini-empire. Callista guessed he spent time in here almost every day, sometimes furiously typing at the computer, other times just staring out at the nothingness of space through the veiwport above his desk. Presently Jacen pushed the datachips to one side and stood up. He started pacing around the room, his path circling near Callista's cot.

Because he cannot be killed, the voice offered.

Callista was going to persist with the argument, but Jacen had stopped beside her. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, hoping he would continue to ignore her as he usually did.

And because . . . the voice continued. Suddenly Callista felt something building deep in her chest. She felt the adrenaline rising in her veins as something akin to panic took over. Her heart beat faster, so fast she was sure it would burst. Her whole body felt hot and her skin prickled. Yet deep in her stomach she felt nothing but cold dread. She couldn't focus her eyes on anything and she lost all sense of the room. There was just one shape that she could make out—Jacen's silhouette standing beside her cot. She felt so much pressure building in her chest she couldn't stand it. She had to move, had to do something. All at once she did. She struck outward with all her limbs kicking and hitting, trying to release the pressure. She felt her legs tear loose from the restraints and her foot landed solidly against something. Against the silhouette. Against Jacen.

Surprised, Jacen whirled around towards her, unhooking his lightsaber from his belt and igniting it in one smooth motion. He held the lightsaber high and in the glow from the blade his hair looked red. No, it wasn't the glow—his hair was red. Dark red. And his features were no longer those of Jacen Solo, but of a younger child. One with a sprinkling of freckles and a striking resemblance to Luke Skywalker.

Callista didn't move, didn't even flinch. The idea of being struck down by someone who looked so much like her beloved Luke was unbearable, her mind could scarcely even fathom it, much less react to it.

Callista must have blinked, because suddenly everything was different. Jacen was once again Jacen, right down to the brown hair and yellow eyes. His unignited lightsaber handle was lowered at his side and he stared unblinking at her for several long seconds.

When Jacen finally spoke his voice trembled, as though he was as disturbed by what just happened as Callista. "Your eyes—they were—" Jacen broke off. "What happened?" he demanded. When Callista didn't respond, he backed quickly away slipped out of the room, muttering to himself as he went. "It couldn't have been. She's dead. Dead. Callista's eyes are grey, not green . . ." He slammed the door closed and then Callista heard him engaging a series of locks she hadn't realized were on the door.

Callista was still petrified. She was trying to make sense of things when the voice returned.

I can't let that happen to my son. That won't happen to my son. That's why you have to save Jacen.

And with that Callista finally knew the voice was real. It belonged to Mara Jade Skywalker, the late mother of red-haired, freckle-faced Ben, who looked so much like his father. Mara was afraid if Jacen wasn't redeemed then her son would be corrupted. Luke's son would be corrupted. Callista agreed with Mara about at least one thing—there were few thoughts more intolerable than that.

"Alright," Callista said, still trying to calm her nerves. "How do you suggest we go about redeeming a Sith Lord?"