Chapter Four - Mixology

Montmorency was very carefully adding a few drops of Kolto to her newest mixture. She quickly discovered how potent its healing powers were, and that she would indeed never be able to make more of it. But, she could make something close with what was available, and use a small amount of Kolto as a catalyst to increase its healing potency. The principal of the substance was simple enough, with a few elixirs, and a few spells, she could create a healing bath capable of regenerating Guiche's wounds, at least in theory. She had yet to actually put it to the test.

While she was carefully recording her findings like a good scientist there was a knock at the door which pulled the mixer of elixirs out of her deep concentration and caused her to groan in annoyance.

It was the time of night for customers to come and make their requests, even if she wasn't in the mood to fill any orders she needed to start making money since she'd gone deep into her savings to purchase the ingredients she needed for her chemical experiments.

When she opened the door she found it was indeed a client, she whispered for them to wait while she retrieved what they requested, she checked carefully among the potions she'd brewed until she found the one labeled for this client.

"Here." she said while holding it out to the student through the crack in the door.

"Will it be good?"

Montmorency nodded, "It'll make you feel like you're flying. If you're lucky, you could even have an out of body experience. Just, please, please, have a friend you trust watch you while you're using. There's a small risk of unpleasant side effects like nausea and dizziness. So please be safe. It should last an hour or two, so plan for at least three hours."

The elixir and money changed hands and the business was concluded.

"Oh. Montmorency. I'm sorry about Guiche. I hope he pulls through. I'll pray for him. And thank you for this," he said before he left.

Finally alone with her thoughts, Montmorency got back to work. But she needed a test subject. She looked at her familiar, a palm sized frog named Robin, but quickly shook that thought of out her head. She couldn't bring herself to deliberately harm her familiar just to test an unproven healing mixture. Then an alternative idea crossed her mind, she could try a test on one of Guiche's more minor injuries, but that thought was quickly drowned out by a plethora of ethical conundrums that forced the girl to sit down while her head started spinning. What if it failed? What if it made the wound worse? Maybe she could test it on her self? She stood up and picked up a letter opener, but then she froze up completely, if it failed and for some reason she was unable to continue her work, what would happen to Guiche? As it stood, she was the one keeping the staff from getting him euthanized.

She needed advice, she needed someone with experience dealing with moral dilemmas. It was too late to disturb any of the professors, and she really didn't want to call undue attention to herself, she still had to be discreet with her Apothecary business. She knew where to go, but she did wonder why her instincts constantly lead her back to the same scary woman.

Louise and Calista were in their room that evening, Louise was sitting on the carpet using materials she bought from the store to polish Derflinger and was doing her best to work the rust out. The sword was giving her directions which she did her best to follow but being a young girl who's never had to dirty her hands with cleaning anything in her life, she was like a fish out of water. Calista observed with great amusement.

"Instead of staring at me with that stupid smirk, you could help me you know! A Familiar is suppose to help with these things," said a petulant Louise.

Calista laughed, "I could. But I won't. You decided to buy that rusty old sword, now you have to take care of it. Think of it as a lesson in accepting the consequences of your actions."

Louise nodded, "I don't mind. I just wish Siesta were around to help me right now. Speaking of which, I wonder where she is? She's normally here around now."

"No. You just want to let her do the whole thing for you, and you know it."

Louise glared at Calista who simply shrugged.

Calista lay back on the bed and made herself comfortable. "Once you've restored that stupid sword I'll start teaching you how to use it," she said dryly.

Derflinger's mouthpiece started moving furiously, "Hey! I have a name ya know!"

Calista groaned in irritation, "No wonder they gave you away for free."

Louise smiled at the sword reassuringly, "Don't mind her Derf, she's just in a permanent bad mood."

Derflinger chuckled with clangs of his metallic mouthpiece.

Calista was debating whether or not this was worth getting into when a knock pulled her out of her internal dialogue. Louise started getting up but Calista beat her to it and waved to her to remain seated, when the Sith opened the door she found Montmorency standing outside.

"Monmon? How unexpected. Please come in," she said as she opened the door fully and allowed her.

"You know, this is still my room, shouldn't you ask me for permission?"

Calista shook a finger at Louise while Montmorency hesitated to enter, Calista then reached out and pulled her in while redressing Louise's comment, "This is our room now. And I sense she's here to see me and not you. So keep doing what you're doing and don't mind us."

Montmorency stood shyly inside the room with Calista's hand on her arm, the Sith motioned her to have a seat at the table and she complied.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you. I can come back another time if-"

Calista interrupted her, "I sense you've come seeking my council. Shall we dispense with the social niceties and cut to the chase my dear?"

Montmorency looked at the Sith with a puzzled expression, "How do you know so much about why I'm here?"

Calista smiled, "The Force grants me insights into many things. Now go ahead and talk to me," she said with a pleasant tone.

The blonde girl took a breath and gathered her thoughts, "I think I've figured out a way to use the Kolto you gave me to increase the potency of one of my most powerful healing elixirs, but, I'm not sure how to go about testing it. Guiche isn't in a position to give informed consent, and if I test on myself, and something goes wrong, I might not be able to continue my work and they'll end up…"

Montmorency was becoming increasingly distressed as she spoke but was cut off by Calista who had enough to figure the rest out. "I see your problem. Medical and Scientific ethics are difficult grounds to tread for even the most learned of researchers. Personally, I'd suggest we beat someone to a pulp and test it on them, but I don't foresee you finding that acceptable."

Montmorency shook her head at that.

Louise stopped what she was doing and spoke up with a suggestion, "Montmorency, I know you're a good person, and that you don't want to cause anyone any harm, but I think you'll have to take a few risks with something like this. I don't know everything about his situation, but I heard the medical staff have asked for permis-"

Montmorency slammed her fists onto the table, "Don't say it! I know what's happening, I don't want to hear it though, please!"

Calista nodded, "Monmon. She's right. You won't be able to help him if you're unwilling to take risks."

Montmorency was getting agitated, "But, I can't just use it on him, what if it kills him?"

Louise spoke up again, "He doesn't have a lot of time anyway. So what's the difference? Personally, I think he'd want it this way. He wouldn't want you risking your own life."

Calista nodded, "Listen to Louise. She's right."

Montmorency nodded at Louise and then looked to the Sith. "What would you do Cali?"

Calista chuckled heartily, "Ohh, if only you could appreciate the irony of asking a Sith to be your moral compass. If I were in your place I wouldn't waste my time on him. But I'm not. So you have to trust your feelings. You already know what you want to do. I think you're just looking for permission."

The blonde stood up and nodded, her decision was made. "I'm going to try it. I just need to prepare a tub to immerse him in."

Louise stood up as well. "If I can help. I'd like to," she said with a serious tone.

Montmorency widened her eyes at Louise, "But why? Guiche was so horrible to you last year. And he hurt your friend, and you!"

Louise shook her head, "I'm not helping Guiche. I'm helping you. You're a good person and I want to help you if I can."

Montmorency closed her eyes tightly for a long moment before she rushed forward to hug Louise. "Thank you Louise. Your help means so much to me."

Louise awkwardly hugged her back, "It's not that big of a deal Montmorency."

Montmorency wouldn't hear of it. "I wish we could have been friends. But I know Guiche put himself in the way of that. But he won't anymore."

Calista cleared her throat, "As much as I enjoy these overt displays of affection, perhaps you can tell us what you need us to do?"

"I had to open my big mouth…" said Louise as she and Calista worked together to push an enormous old cauldron out of the Kitchen's store room and out onto the field.

Siesta followed them out directing where and how they should move the cauldron.

"Grr, Cali, don't you have some Force trick to get this done easier," grumbled Louise.

Calista laughed, "Of course I do, but I'd rather not use the Force so frivolously."

Siesta laughed and told them to turn the cauldron and roll it forward while Louise was getting more irritated. "How would this be frivolous?"

Calista grumbled back to the pinkette, "Using the Force for a simple task such as this would be the equivalent of using siege weaponry to kill a small insect. Besides you need the exercise, so stop complaining!"

"We're just lucky Marteau let us have this," Siesta pointed out as she directed their movements.

Calista and Louise rolled the massive cauldron over to a fountain near the dormitories where Montmorency was busy preparing her elixirs and spells. "This was the biggest and cleanest cauldron we could get Miss Montmorency, I hope it's satisfactory." said Siesta.

Montmorency went over to inspect the cauldron and nodded in satisfaction. "It'll do just fine. I'm almost ready here. We just need to go get Guiche. Could you help with that Cali?"

Calsita nodded. "I can, but you should come with me. I don't foresee him being comfortable with me just yet."

"What's going on here? And what is that thing for," asked Kirche as she and Tabitha emerged from the dormitory tower.

"Cauldron. For cooking," answered Tabitha.

Calista turned to regard the small bluenette, "Very astute," she said sarcastically.

Tabitha only gave a small shrug and started reading from a book in her hand.

"Alright, now that we've established that you've got a cauldron. What are you planning to cook with it," asked Kirche.

"We're going to cook Guiche, would you like to help," asked Calista as she turned to head off to the central tower.

Kirche shrugged, "I've got nothing better to do and I am a little hungry."

Montmorency nodded, "That's fine. You two can bring Guiche while I prepare the healing bath."

"So Cali, you've been here long enough now, have any of the boys caught your eye?"

Calista turned her head to Kirche as they walked towards the central tower, "Kirche. Can you even hear yourself?"

Kirche shrugged, "It's a fair question. I'm curious about your tastes."

The Sith sighed and tucked her hands into her sleeves and crossed her arms under her breasts sagely. "I'm not a cradle snatcher Kirche. These boys are all too young for me."

Kirche blinked her eye, "Wait, how old are you?"

"Hmmm, what is time," Calista asked cryptically.

Kirche blinked again, "Huh?"

The Sith smiled slightly, "What is time? How do you measure it?"

Kirche scratched her head while composing an answer, "You really aren't from this world are you? Well a full calendar day, sunrise to sunrise, is twenty-seven hours. There are eight days in a week, thirty-two days in a month, and twelve months."

Calista nodded her understanding and pulled one hand out of her sleeve to hold it up to her chin, "Hmm, that's close enough to the timekeeping system my people use, though our year is sixteen days shorter, and our day is four hours shorter. We'll go with mine since I'm not in the mood to do the math. I'm nineteen."

The two entered the tower and proceeded up the stairs to to the third floor with the infirmary.

"You're not that much older than we are. You could have your pick of the litter from the third years, they're between seventeen and eighteen."

Calista sighed, "Kirche. I'm just not interested in boys."

Kirche gave her a very broad grin, "Are you into girls then maybe? I could introduce you to a few who are too!"

"I'm not interested in girls either Kirche. Romance is something that just doesn't appeal to me."

Kirche shrugged, "Doesn't appeal to me either. I usually skip the romance and get straight to business. Seems like you should try it too."

Calista scoffed at the notion, "Flesh doesn't tempt me."

Kirche adjusted her shirt to make sure her cleavage was being properly displayed, "Not even a little," she asked while leaning forward slightly for emphasis.

"Are you coming onto me," asked Calista with a curious brow raised.

"Maybe a little," she answered with a wink. "Still not tempted?"

Calista didn't answer, she just turned her head forward and kept walking.

"Oh come on! Not even an answer?"

Calista shook her head and started to walk faster, "...and that was when it occurred to me just how bad my reality had become. My life had gone from being an exciting action-adventure of galactic proportions, to a stupid school comedy..." she declared as if narrating her own autobiography while she entered the infirmary and marched up to Guiche's bed.

Just before she could pull away the privacy screen a nurse started yelling, "Hey! Visiting hours are long past! Get out of here!"

Calista sighed and walked up to the nurse while Kirche pulled away the screen and got out her wand.

"Hey! Get out of here both of you! Let the poor boy have some dignity!"

The Nurse tried to rush over to Kirche but her path was blocked by Calista. "There's no dignity in death," she said while holding her hand out slightly to the nurse, with a slight wave the woman fell unconscious and hit the floor with a thud.

"What did you just do?"

"This really isn't the time. Can you move the boy?"

Kirche nodded and chanted a levitation spell, with her wand directing the actions she floated him along in front of them as they made their way back.

When Kirche and Calista arrived, the giant cauldron was prepared for use, all she needed was Guiche's permission. She went over to him and positioned herself to be able to look into his eyes.

"Guiche. Blink twice if you can understand me."

Twice he blinked with tearful eyes.

"I promised you I'd find a way to save you, and I have. We need to put you into this big cauldron here, it's full of a healing elixir I made, but you need to understand that it might not work. Blink twice again if you follow me, blink once if you didn't understand something."

Twice again he blinked at her.

"Good. It might heal you, but it also might make you worse, or kill you. I can't put you in without your permission. Blink twice for yes, blink once for no."

Guiche blinked twice again.

Montmorency then looked up at Kirche and nodded. "You can put him in. Keep his head above the water line please. I need to channel my healing spells into the mix to control the effect."

Kirche gently lowered Guiche into the cauldron while posing a question to Montmorency, "You know. I never asked. But why are you so eager to help this sluty manwhore?"

Louise, Montmorency, Tabitha, and Siesta all deadpanned in unison, "Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."

Montmorency chuckled as the tension started lifting, "You wouldn't understand. I don't even understand. I just love him. No matter how stupid he is, I love him. Now I need to concentrate, so everyone shush!"

Calista, Louise, and Siesta had turned in for the night, their usefulness was at an end. Montmorency worked until dawn. Kirche and Tabitha took turns using their magic to hold Guiche in place during the process but her elixir was successful in restoring Guiche. He needed to rest and recuperate but he would live. His regenerated skin was weak and tender and there would be scars, but he would live. Montmorency was thrilled, not only at Guiche's recovery, but at her own skill. She'd developed the single most powerful healing solution in the world. Though it was severely limited by the availability of the Kolto, she was confident that she was on the right track to developing a similar solution using only Halkeginian ingredients. At least she was, until the nurse Calista knocked out woke up and got Professor Colbert.

She later found herself standing in the corner of her room with her hands held neatly in front of her while the staff cataloged everything in her room. Professor Colbert approached the young water mage and looked down at her with disappointment. "Miss Montmorency, I hope you can appreciate the severity of the situation." the young girl made no comment, she just looked up at the Deputy Headmaster and suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "Not only did you and your friends kidnap a patient from the infirmary, you also used said patient in a medical experiment. I know you above all other students here can appreciate how appalling that it."

Montmorency's eyes hardened and glared into Colbert's, "Professor. With all due respect. The medical staff wanted to kill him. If you want me to apologize for what I did, it isn't going to happen. I'm happy, even proud, to accept any consequences for my actions."

Colbert sighed, "Does that include expulsion? Because experimenting on a fellow student is bad enough, but there's enough contraband this room to have you sent to prison."

Montmorency balled her fists and started staring daggers into the floor, through clenched teeth she gave her response; "I stand by my actions Professor. You won't make me regret anything. Not my lab, my work, and certainly not Guiche. I did what I had to do to stay in school, to save Guiche's life. You also have to do what you have to do. No matter how stupid the law is."

Colbert looked at her with sad eyes, "You are your father's daughter. I wish it didn't have to be this way but my hands are tied now. The law is the law. You're one of our best and brightest students. I don't want to lose you from this school. But there has to be a board of inquiry into this matter, actions will be taken based on the findings. For the time being, I have to confine you to this room."

"That's stupid! She saved his life, why would they want to expel her," yelled Kirche across the table at breakfast.

"They also confiscated her entire Lab… school's really gonna be lame without some of our resident Apothecary's specials to take the edge off," said one of the third year students from behind Kirche while rubbing her shoulders.

Kirche's visible eye widened at that realization, she then held a hand over the hair covering the right side of her face, while her left eye darted from side of side rapidly.

"Kirche, I can feel your anxiety. What's the matter?" asked Calista with a calm tone.

"Excuse me," she said with a forced calm as she pushed the third year student away from her, stood up, and left in a hurry.

"What's her problem?" he asked while returning to the third year's table.

"Umm, Miss Calista? How do you eat so much?" asked a blushing obese boy sitting across the table from her.

"Don't call me miss, I'm not that much older than you," she scolded.

The boy looked down in shame, "I'm sorry."

Calista considered his expression and his question for a long moment before answering, "The reason why I eat so much is because I burn up more energy than most people. I lead a very... active lifestyle. The reason why you for example get so big, is because of what you eat, compared to what you use."

The boy listened intently and nodded along with her. "Now, consider what I'm eating. Most of it is eggs for the proteins. Because of my personal training regimen, I burn this stuff up like there's no tomorrow. Because you don't use yours, it's simply wasted, and stored as fat in your body, hence why you get so big."

The boy looked offended for a moment, even more so when he looked around at how fit everyone else seemed to be. "Not everyone here is very active, so why don't they get big like me?"

Calista chuckled, "Because you got the short end of the stick with your metabolism. You have your parents to blame for passing on poor genetic material."

The boy blinked at her, "Genetic material?"

Calista sighed. "It's too early in the day to be giving a lecture on biology. To keep it simple, if you don't want to be an obnoxious fat slob, eat balanced meals and do three laps around this academy twice a day, every day, for eight weeks. After you get thin, you'll just be obnoxious, which I can't help you with." Calista drew a fair share of snickers after she finished explaining to the big kid.

"So, what's a balanced meal?" he asked ignoring the snickering at his expense.

Calista groaned in annoyance and held out her hand to the boy's plate, a mess of pancakes drowned in butter and syrup. She used the Force to pull it into her grasp and then she set the plate down on top of one of her empty ones and waved everyone who was listening over to pay attention. Anyone who really saw what she'd just done with the plate dropped their jaws in shock and awe.

"A balanced meal, means you take one plate, and divide it into three parts. For this breakfast for example, one part, you should have your eggs, or other animal products," she dished eggs into an empty plate from the center of the table, and followed that by picking up fruits from a bowl next to her as well. "The second part, vegetables, or fruits. Finally, you get some bread to eat with all of it," she concluded while adding a roll of bread to the plate, she then floated it across the table and set it down in front of the fat boy. "Three food groups, divided equally, make a balanced meal. Everything the body needs to survive and be healthy."

The boy was impressed, not just with her knowledge of food, but with how she moved the plate around. "How did you do that just now? Without a wand?"

Calista shrugged, "My power is different from yours. That's all the explanation I'll give."

The boy nodded, "So how do you know all this stuff about food?"

Calista shrugged, "I learned it in school. One of the first things we learned in the Sith Academy is that a strong body, leads to a strong mind. Through strength, you gain power, and through power, victory."

The students, including Louise looked at their plates and cleaned off whatever sweet tasting junk they'd picked up to eat and started combining the healthier alternatives the petite snowy haired woman suggested.

Calista looked around at everyone as they started eating again with gusto. She wondered why she even bothered, but it felt oddly good to be correcting so many young minds. She wondered if this was why people became teachers. She smiled at herself as the mental image of a happy Sith Overseer getting pleasure from seeing the Acolytes under their charge make progress. Perhaps it really was that way? For all their cruelty they had to have a reason for choosing to teach. Perhaps this was why? The feeling of passing on knowledge was, strangely fulfilling.

Then she looked over at her new Apprentice as she ate and all doubt was gone from her mind, it does feel good to teach. To give someone the tools they need to overcome life's challenges, to show them how to use those tools, and to see them make use of those tools.

She decided it was time to get on with it. While she was here, she'd use her time.

After breakfast Calista brought Louise outside of the school's walls and into the clearing in the forest she'd discovered to use for her personal training and meditation. "From now on Louise, every single day, without exception, we're going to come here, and you're going to train with me."

Louise held up her hands in shock, "Whoa, wait, every day? But what about my classes?"

Calista put her hand on her chin to consider that, "Hmm, what classes do they give you in the morning?"

"The first class is all about alchemy. Then we have history."

"That's a problem. But thankfully, it isn't one I have to solve. You figure it out."

"But Calista I can't jus-"

"Silence! This isn't a game Louise. Sith training requires the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. If you can't do something as simple as arrange your time, then this is going to be pointless."

"How much time do you want per day?"

"That's better. Arrange for two hours in the morning after breakfast, and one hour after dinner."

"I'll work something out. But I can't just cut classes all the time."

"I'm not asking you to. You need an education, and you're going to get one. I'd also like for you to arrange to let me attend classes with you. I'm curious to learn more about this world, and what they teach you here."

"I can do that."

"Excellent. Now sit with me."

Calista sat down on the ground with her legs crossed and pat the ground in front of her. Louise sat herself down and gave her undivided attention.

"The first thing you have to learn, is control. There are three groups of control abilities to learn that you'll be spending the rest of your life working to master. The first is Curato Salva, it is your gateway to all the higher abilities granted by the Force. The focus in Curato Salva is self discipline. Through these techniques you will increase your stamina and endurance. Over time, you'll even be able to flush poisons and toxins from your system. Total commitment to the practice of these techniques leads to healthier, and considerably longer life spans."

"Longer life spans? Seriously?

"Yes. Tell me, how long does the average person live on this world?"

"I don't know, fifty, sixty? A few live to eighty maybe. It's rare to get beyond that but it happens."

"My master, was two hundred and eighty at the time of his death. And he didn't die of any natural causes."

"Two hundred and eighty? How healthy was he really by that time?" asked a skeptical Louise.

"Healthy enough to fight armies on the front lines. Virile enough to father bastards everywhere he went. Stupid enough to try with me and get himself killed in the attempt."

"Your Master tried-"

"Let's not discuss it. Close your eyes and clear your mind. I'm going to guide you through one of the meditations I practice."

"Meditation? How will that help me learn to use the Force?"

"Can you build a castle without first laying a foundation?"

"I suppose you may have a point."

For two hours, Calista lead Louise through exercises in mindful meditation, teaching her about self awareness, awareness of her body, and her mind. At the end of the second hour Louise stood up and dusted her skirt off. "That was intensely boring! I need to go to class, I hope next time we can do something more interesting."

Calista chuckled, "Life isn't all fun and games, action, excitement, and adventure. Without self discipline, you will achieve nothing, neither in the Force, nor in life. With enough practice, you can even suspend your awareness of the passage of time. I myself have achieved a state of mind where I can make an entire day feel as if it's passed in the blink of an eye."

Louise glared at Calista, "That sounds even more boring, do you expect me to do that?"

Calista pulled up her hood and smiled, "By the time you're ready Louise, you'll want to do it just because you can. From now on, we're going to do this meditation daily, first thing before breakfast."

"But what's the point?" asked Louise.

"The point. My apprentice. Is to learn to control your own mind. To open yourself up to the Force. Have faith and trust in me. I will not misguide you. With time and training, you will learn to feel the Force. When that happens, things will come at an accelerated pace. Just be patient."

"I'm sorry Calista. I know you probably know what you're doing. It's just that all my life I've been powerless. Now I can almost taste it and the feeling of spending time and not actually accomplishing anything for it, I don't like it."

Calista walked up to her and put her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Patience Louise. Patience and mindfulness. These are the foundations of all power in the Force. Remember that if you build a shoddy foundation, the structure you build upon it will crumble. Be aware of yourself, mind your feelings."

Calista sat in the clearing after her student left to meditate and reflect on what's happened to her since her arrival. She considered the power in her hand, felt its addictive qualities. The knowledge it granted her. The power it granted her. She considered the Force bond between her and Louise and used to to sense her pupil, she was in class, anxious. She was also considering the things that had happened to her. Calista wondered if that was a result of the Force bond reflecting her thoughts into Louise, or Louise's mind on her own. That was a question to which the answer would only come with experimentation and time.

She examined her motivations for teaching Louise. If she came to harm, Calista knew that harm would pass onto her, and weaken her. She didn't let doubts enter her mind though, she was Sith. She took a weakness, and turned it into a strength. By empowering Louise, she would empower herself. Secure herself against attack from that angle. But there was more to it than that. Louise was so much like her younger self it brought fear to her mind to consider. Perhaps training her was a way to help this girl evade the hardships she herself endured. But who was she to take away this girl's burdens? Who was she to impose her will upon her. She was a Sith. She trusted her feelings, and this... Felt right.

Korriban, Tomb of Ajunta Pall
Three years years ago

Calista meditated beside a Sith Lord deep inside one of the tombs on the planet Korriban. He was a bearded old man dressed in old brown robes. "I can sense your frustration Acolyte. Be mindful of your feelings. Control them, or they will control you."

"This just feel so pointless! How is this suppose to make me stronger with the Force?"

"On the surface, you were taught that the only way to use your power was to use it or die. I often tell them that one's ability to use the Force can not only be built on fear. But they laughed. Called me a crazy old fool. But the Force continues to guide young Acolytes like you to me here now, and those Acolytes have gone on to become powerful Sith."

"They laugh at me too. Make fun of me. Beat me. Try to rape me…"

"Your trials are coming soon Calista. Remain focused on that. It doesn't matter if they laugh at you now, as long as you have the last laugh. Soon they will be dead, and you will be Sith."

"But how is this meditation suppose to help me pass my trials?"

"The foundation the Overseers set for you has been shoddy. You must unlearn what you have learned and learn to control your emotions. They are your weapons as much as your lightsaber. Just as you must learn the Forms of combat, so must you learn to harness and focus your feelings."

"Now it all makes sense. Thank you, Spindrall."

"Save your thanks. Just go on to do great things. The Force will let me know of your achievements, and that will be thanks enough."

"No my Lord. You say to trust my feelings. My feelings compel me to thank you. You've been like a father to me. You showed me how to be strong. I wish it was you who could be my Master after my trials."

"And you my dear, have been like a daughter to me. But your place is not here with me. I'm just a tired old man. Youth and quick wits belong where they can be rewarded. Your journey is just beginning. I foresee you will go on to accomplish great things. I am certain you will make me proud."

She wondered what her old teacher would think of her now when she was pulled from her thoughts by a strange voice emanating from all around her.

"Your life certainly has taken some interesting turns. Sith."

Calista heard a feminine voice and looked around but saw no one, but she felt a presence in the Force. "I can sense your presence. Show yourself!" she said while taking her Lightsaber hilt into her hand and held it ready.

"I cannot do that. It takes a greater effort than you can possibly comprehend just to speak with you like this."

"Who are you?"

"Who I am is not important right now. What is important however, is you."

"Me? What's so important about me?"

"Have you ever considered the power that brought you to this place?"

"No. I haven't. I only care about getting back to where I came from."

"Then why bother to take an Apprentice? Why bother making friends?"

"Who are you to question me?! I don't answer to you. I only answer to myself!"

"Temper, temper. I suggest you spend some time learning about how you were brought here. Once you've done that. I shall return, and help you understand why you've been chosen."

"Chosen? Chosen for what?! Answer me!" there was no response. Calista felt the presence fade and then vanish as quickly as it came, leaving her only with more questions. "I suppose I've procrastinated enough. If nothing else, I do need to start getting answers."

Calista returned to the academy and set her sights on a small cabin on the side, near the tower where the Academy staff have their quarters. She gently knocked on the door. There was no response but she could sense the presence on the other side. She opened the door and walked in. "All the students should know by now that if I don't answer, I'm not taking visitors," yelled the professor without looking up from his desk.

"Then I suppose it's a good thing I'm not a student," she replied.

"Ahh, Miss Calista Zarkot, was it? Louise's familiar. I still don't appreciate the interruption, but I suppose I can give you a minute of my time. I have been meaning to talk to you anyway."

Calista closed her eyes and approached the man, with the Force she could see into him, and through him. She was curious to see into his past, and her vision was drawn to the summoning ritual. She could hear his voice echoing through time...

"She's unconscious. Miss Valliere, please finish the summoning ritual, it might be what's needed to bring her out of her present state."

"But Professor? She a human being! It'd be like making her my slave! Are we sure she's my- I mean- I don't know if-"

"Miss Valliere, whatever is summoned, is your familiar, human woman notwithstanding. It is divine law, and it is absolute, if you don't bind this woman, she could die, and I'll be forced to expel you from this institute. Now hurry up!"

"So it was you. You're the reason for this. Louise found the idea questionable, but you compelled her," she said while holding up her left hand for him to see the runes in her flesh.

"Yes I did. The summoning ritual is divine. Given to us by the Founder himself. You can't possibly comprehend the odds of it being random selection. Every familiar, without fail, is the perfect familiar for the summoner. You were chosen to be Miss Valiere's familiar."

Calista chuckled at that, "Chosen? Heh. I'm hearing that a lot recently."

Colbert stood up from his seat to face her, "Well, it's a fact."

Calista smiled at him from under her hood, "You know about the young boy I maimed. You saw for yourself what I did to him, and his slight against me was far less than yours. But right now, I have questions that you're going to answer."

Colbert took up his staff and glared at Calista. "I don't care who you are or what you think you're capable of, you don't come into my office and make veiled threats."

Calista still had her left hand raised to show off the runes, she turned her palm to face Colbert who started struggling to keep his staff in his grip, eventually, it was ripped from his grasp and flew into Calista's hand, she then used it to lean on while she addressed him, "I wasn't making a threat. I was stating a fact. I have questions, and you're going to answer them. Now tell me about this summoning ritual. I want to know everything."

Colbert was stunned, he blinked his eyes at her before asking, "How di-" but he was cut off.

"I've been asked that question enough times to be wise to the fact that your magic is useless without a channeling focus. As for how, my power is different from yours. That should be enough for now. So start answering my questions, before I decide to further your education on the nature of my power."

"Very well, the summoning ritual."

Calista nodded while Colbert sat back down, he gestured to a seat in front of his desk, which Calista went to seat herself at while returning the man's staff. She was content that she'd made her point with it, he knew she could take it back at any moment, so he took no comfort in the security it offered him.

"The ritual was handed down to us from Brimir, the Founder of our way of life. It allows a mage to summon a Familiar to be their lifelong friend and companion. We don't know how or why the spell works exactly, but after thousands of years of recorded summonings and observations of the various Familiars we've learned that no Familiar is summoned by chance or accident. Every single one, without fail, is the perfect one for the mage."

Calista pulled back her hood and opened her eyes, she then nodded her understanding to Colbert. Colbert in turn, looked into her eyes and was made visibly uncomfortable by the sight of them. In all other aspects, the young woman sitting across from him could rank among the most beautiful he'd ever encountered in his life, but those sulfuric eyes warned him off that line of thinking before he could think anything more of her other good features.

"Could you stop staring so hard at me and get back to your explanation please?"

Colbert cleared his throat at having been caught out. "My apologies Miss. It's just that, you're unlike anyone I've ever met before."

Calista sighed, "Will you just get on with it?"

Colbert nodded, "Yes of course. The summoning spell seems to ignore time as well as distance. It's been postulated that many Familiars are beings from other worlds since some mages have called creatures that have never been seen before in our world. Others have summoned creatures long thought to have been extinct. Like in the case of Miss Tabitha, she summoned a Rhyme Dragon, the first one ever recorded to have been summoned, they've been gone for more than three generations."

Calista chuckled at his explanation, "It's been 'postulated' that there are other worlds? Professor, I can assure you, that theory is quite correct. Your world is only one of an incalculable number of others worlds. Just look up at the night sky and be secure in that knowledge that each and every star has another world like this one floating around it. Well, most of them anyway."

Colbert blinked at her, "Truly? Have you been to many?"

Calista laughed, "More than I care to think about."

Colbert's jaw was agape, "I thought you might be from another world! That flying machine you arrived in, there's never been anything like it seen on this one."

Calista chuckled at his enthusiasm, "I can one up that. I'm not human."

Colbert's jaw practically hit the floor. "The possibility had occurred to me, your eyes are completely unlike any human's!"

Calista shook her head in response, "My eyes are the result of something else entirely. My hair's the usual give away. My mother is Echani. My father was Human."

Colbert immediately got out his notebook and started writing this down, "Echani, tell me more about these people!"

Calista nodded, "I can. But you in turn have to give me more information about these summonings, familiars, and magics your people use."

Colbert nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, with pleasure!"

Calista smiled, this was going to be easier than she thought.

Hours later, Colbert had a notebook full of information about the Echani and their homeworld that read to Calista like a tourist guide, but she thought the Professor was as happy as a Gamorrean in a pile of manure and might more amiable to helping her in turn.

"So every single Echani looks the same as you?"

Calista shook her head, "No. Because my father is human I stand out in the crowd, and as a result of that I'm not exactly welcome among them. Echani tend to be xenophobic. So does the Sith Empire… Pfft, go figure I'd end up being disliked in the worlds of both my parents… but I'm ranting now..."

Colbert nodded and made notes, "Xenophobic? I don't know that word."

Calista sighed. Force communication left much to be desired. "It means 'fear of something alien' they don't like outsiders."

Colbert nodded while Calista continued, "Echani tell each other apart by body language. They have an exceptionally complex set of body movements and gestures, each unique to an individual. To the Echani, physical combat is the ultimate form of communication and self expression. When two Echani fight, there's a dialogue between them that can't be comprehended by outsiders, a dialogue that goes far deeper than spoken words could ever hope to convey."

"This is utterly fascinating. I could make a new career trying to study everything you've just told me here. Could you tell me about this Sith Empire you mentioned?"

Calista smiled, she had him wrapped around her finger now. "Perhaps next time. You still have to tell me about the summonings."

Colbert nodded, "Right. Right. May I see the runes on your hand more closely? I never got to record them during the ritual and it might offer some insights."

Calista shrugged, she saw no harm in it and held out her left hand for him, he took it politely and adjusted his glasses while he read them, "Gebo, uruz, naudiz, dagaz, othalan, laukaz, fehu… gundolf… Gandálfr?!" Colbert sat back into his chair roughly, Calista's hand slipped out of his as he fell away.

"I gather from your reaction this has some significance?"

Colbert nodded, "For you and Louise. I have to inform the Headmaster about this."

Calista narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a stern glare. "Care to inform me first?"

Colbert shifted his eyes from left to right as he considered it, "Well-"

There was a loud scream that interrupted his explanation, much to Calista's annoyance, but she recognized the voice and it surprised her. "That was Louise!" followed by a loud crash.

Calista ran outside and saw an enormous stone monstrosity twice the size of the biggest Rancor she'd ever seen smashing its fist against the wall of the central tower. Colbert followed close behind her as she ran towards it, it had a screaming Louise in its other hand while it smashed away at the wall.

"It's a Golem!" yelled Colbert.

"I don't care what it is! I'm going to destroy it!"

Colbert yelled again, "You can't, it's too big and powerful! You have to find the mage that created it and destroy their wand!"

Calista closed her eyes and let the Force guide her to her new objective. She sensed the Golem's master riding upon it's right shoulder. She looked up and saw a person standing upon the golem's shoulder wearing a black cloak with a hood that obscured the rider's features. If the rider was not a full head and shoulders taller than Calista someone could easily have mistaken them for the Sith. Her approach wasn't unnoticed though, the rider saw her coming and got ready for her. They drew out their wand and used it to conjure a sword from the shoulder of the golem and held it at the ready as Calista channeled the Force to allow her to leap up to meet the rider head on, mid flight, Calista activated one end of her lightsaber staff and brought it down over the rider's head, the red beam left a streak of light behind it as it cut through the air and met the rider's blade. Calista fully expected it to go right through the metal sword but instead it was a full block, and the blade showed no signs of melting under the Lightsaber's intensive heat.

"I was expecting you to show up and interrupt me. I'm not some pathetic student, I'm Fouquet the Crumbling Earth, and my blade is not made of Brass," the rider's female voice said as she pushed Calista away and returned the blow with one of her own which Calista easily managed to block.

"Have we met before? You're stealing my fashion sense," said Calista as the two exchanged a few sword blows and parries.

Calista wasn't accustomed to dealing with this particular style of fencing, but it reminded her of Makashi, a form she'd always had difficulty countering. Thankfully the runes on her hand supplied her with an answer to the fencing style. She switched her posture from her usual Form Seven to Form Five. The Djem-so style wasn't her first pick since she lacked the physical strength for brute force attacks, but since her opponent was more or less equal to her in physical prowess despite her height advantage, it made for a more even match.

The two traded blows on the shoulder of the golem while it was smashing into the tower trying to get in. Calista could have used her Force powers, Lightning, even simple Telekinetics would have sufficed for this opponent. But she was skilled with the blade, and Calista was thirsting for battle, her hunger for it grew more with each blow.

"You could have finished me by now with your freaky powers. Why aren't you," asked Fouquet.

"I was just wondering that myself. The truth is... A Sith lives for the excitement... And the thrill, of battle. And fighting you... is thrilling!"

Fouquet smiled under her hood. "Truely? It's been a long while since I've found anyone who was my equal in swordsmanship!"

Fouquet and Calista found themselves on top of the Golem's head as they traded blow after blow, neither able to breach the other's defenses. Calista activated her second blade and went full on into Fouquet with her saber staff. She also switched back to the Ferocity Form. She wanted to test herself, she wanted to test Fouquet. The power of her runes screamed at her to use another style more suited to the fight, but with her fury and excitement swelling inside her, she managed to override its power with her own will.

Fouquet was impressed, the attacks were utterly relentless. The sequences would flow from one the other like the most serene rivers. But Fouquet knew there was nothing serene about the raging currents flowing under that false calm. Calista was like a volcano ready to explode at any moment. Everything about her may have seemed calm, but it was a false calm. Fouquet found it to be the most beautiful thing she'd ever experienced. As an Echani, Calista knew enough about body language to understand all these feelings inside of Fouquet. The compliment only encouraged to hold nothing back.

From the ground, Colbert assessed his options. He knew that even if he could, he'd never want to get anywhere near that melee. Calista's spinning staff left a trail of light behind each blade unlike anything he'd ever seen before, and Fouquet was meeting her blow for blow. He couldn't imagine there was a swordsman anywhere who could be a match for the two of them, they were in a league unto themselves.

Fouquet knew that her goal wouldn't be accomplished, she command the Golem to turn around and leave the academy.

Meanwhile Louise struggled to slip her arm out of the golem's grasp, then she pulled her wand out of her sleeve and directed it at the Golem's head and cast the first spell that came to mind, "In ex bet… fireball!" and then there was only a puff of smoke next to Fouquet while the two had their blades locked.

"What part of that was a fireball," the two combatants asked loudly and in unison.

Suddenly there was a loud explosion from behind them and they were forced to stop fighting and duck down as debris flew past them. Colbert had to turn and run away as fast as he could lest he be pelted by the tower's massive stone blocks.

"What the? That magic she used? How?" asked Fouquet as she stood up. The Golem meanwhile turned around and placed it's hand inside the tower. Fouquet then looked at Calista and smiled. "As much as I've enjoyed our fight, it looks like I have business to attend to. So If you'll be so kind as to excuse me." she said as she got out her wand and cast a very quick spell. The rock under Calista morphed and as if she were standing on a catapult, she was thrown from the Golem and sent flying away.

"Not fair…" Calista muttered as for the second time since her arrival, gravity made her its plaything. She knew she'd have the last laugh as she foresaw what was about to happen. She was intercepted by Tabitha riding her dragon.

Calista then found herself seated on the beast's neck in front of Tabitha and wrapped her arms around the small bluenette. "My hero," she said teasingly.

Tabitha simply nodded.

"Can you get me back over to that thing? I need to get Louise out of its hand."

Tabitha nodded once again, "Already on the way."

Calista nodded in response, "See what you can do about that schutta after I get Louise out of there."

Calista let go of Tabitha and let herself fall back down to the Golem.

Calista used a mighty Force push on the Golem's enormous arm to slow her fall and landed nimbly on her feet, then ran towards Louise, Lightsaber at the ready. "Hang on, I'll get you out of there," said Calista.

She closed her eyes and held out her hand, she used the Force to push open the Golem's finger. Louise felt the pressure around her lighten and started trying to pull herself out, but the golem suddenly decided to open its hand and drop her. Calista jumped off after her, she used the Force to levitate the screaming girl while she overtook her then released her once she passed her, she used another push to stop her own fall and then levitated Louise (who was once again screaming her lungs out) to the ground gently. "Louise. I get that you're at the age where you're wanting to experiment. But isn't that guy a little too big for you?" asked Calista, the sarcasm coming out of her mouth like drool.

"What? That's absurd! Why would you even-"

Calista interrupted Louise by picking her up over her shoulder and started running, she drew upon the Force to greatly increase her speed and narrowly missed the Golem's foot as it tried to stomp on them while turning around to leave the academy once again.

Tabitha tried to destroy the golem by creating a tunnel of fast moving air which she sent at it like a lance, but it had no effect on it. The Golem simply kept moving while Fouquet waved at them, a large box held in her other arm. "Thank you for this! I'll see you around," she taunted as the Golem stepped over the Academy's wall and started moving away.

Tabitha landed beside Calista and Louise while the Sith was putting her apprentice down.

"Shall we chase?" asked Tabitha.

Calista nodded furiously, "Oh yes! We shall indeed!" she said.

"No!" came a yell from behind.

Calista sighed and turned around to see Colbert coming up to them. "I can't allow that. I can't have my students chasing after that thing. I'll make a report to the Headmaster. The staff should be the ones dealing with this. Not the students!"

Calista dropped her calm facade and glared at Colbert with killing intent, "She's getting away, and you want to go make a report about it?!"

Colbert wasn't going to back down, "That's right! I'm not letting you take my students out on some fool's errand! You will stand down!"

Calista wouldn't back down either, "The students in question are more than capable! One is my apprentice, and the other is someone I'd seriously consider backing down from in a fair fight! Come on Louise, let's go!"

Colbert had enough. He stomped his foot down and pointed at Tabithia and then at Louise as he spoke, "If you two go, don't come back, because you'll be expelled!"

Calista sighed while Tabitha pulled out a book to read and Louise's sudden burst of self confidence from her Master deflated like a popped balloon.

"Fine… you win this round. I'm not getting these two kicked out of school for some thief." Calista turned to face the wall the Golem had just stepped over and smiled at it. "I'll meet her again. Soon."

A/N: 6/6/15

Edited for mechanical errors.