*Note: This chapter was written after the news of Carrie Fisher's passing. Carrie Fisher was an amazing woman and her loss will be felt for years to come. Be with the force now, Princess. We will love you from here for all eternity.
Chapter 6: Impatience
Caelum stood in front of the lockers on the Ebon Hawk. He stared at the locker he had not touched for years. He had given up hope, but now there was a chance.
"You should never lose hope."
Caelum did not turn around to speak, "You are very wise, Princess. You have a deep connection to the force, even when it is untrained." He took a deep breath, pulled open the locker, and picked up the three singular items inside. He shut it as he turned. His new team stood before him. It took nearly a day, but they were packed and ready. The Princess gave him supplies and rank to support him. She was a light in the darkness of the current wars. He did something he never does. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, "I have known many legends over my years, but I am pleased to have met you. No one has welcomed me and cared for me as you have done, Princess."
She hugged him back with a smile, "I'm sure that can't be true. It is a pleasure to help you and I hope you will help us in turn."
Caelum released her, "My mate will ensure I do whatever I can to assist you." He looked to his crew, "Let's go save her." He tossed one saber to T7 that, in turn, sucked it into a hole. Placing his own on his belt, he walked to the ex-trooper, "You."
"Finn," interjected Poe.
He ignored the pilot, "You have handled a lightsaber before, correct?"
He hesitantly nodded, looking at Poe and the Princess, "Yes… how did you know?"
"Do not insult me. Now take this before I regret it."
"But," he began to stutter, "I'm not a Jedi."
Caelum sighed, "No, you are not nor will you be. The force is the essence of life. It is in every living thing. That, sadly, includes you. Make yourself useful and use this. It is my mate's so do not lose it. The past tradition was to make your own lightsaber. If you break it, lose it, forget it – then I will kill you."
He tried to push it back to Caelum, "Then I rather not use it."
Caelum gritted his teeth, "Use it. She would want you to use it. The button extends it into a bo staff. Hit the button again and try not to cut yourself."
He hit the button once and nearly hit himself in the face. Extending it out, "I am not much of a staff person." Caelum twisted the bottom and one end retracted, "Okay then."
"Good luck to all of you. May the force be with you," the Princess waved and she left with her droid. Caelum felt her essence. There is a chance that she would not be there if he returned, but that would not be their last goodbye. It would be their first. The force will ensure that.
Caelum turned on his heel, "T7, engine room please." He looked to the pilot, trooper, and wookie, "I prefer to fly alone." He entered the cockpit and began flipping switches.
"You should turn off the compressor," the wannabe pilot sat beside him.
"Excuse me, but what did you not understand?"
After he spoke, the wookie and trooper sat in the back seats. "What does the compressor do?"
He growled, "If you are all going to sit here, then shut the fuck up and let me drive. The compressor is needed for the way I drive." Before the pilot could give any more unwanted advice, he called down to the engine room, "T7, let's get our path charted." With that, they pulled out of the planet's atmosphere and into the expanse.
They were quiet for a while and Caelum leaned back and closed his eyes.
"Are we there yet?" The trooper asked. Caelum got up and stomped away while the pilot laughed with the trooper.
He leaned onto a wall in the common room. He forgot how annoying people were, but something inside him did not long for the loneliness of empty space again. The wookie came up behind him and rested a hand on his shoulder. Caelum looked over his shoulder and nodded, "I'm sorry for your loss. I hope the force will guide you in your grief. I am not as well-spoken as Master Yoda, but he is one with the force and the force is always with you." He responded in his wookie way before walking off towards the engine room.
He stood up straighter, "Trooper, you need to practice with that lightsaber if you are going to save my mate." Poe stopped explaining the controls of the ship and nodded for Finn to leave. "A staff is a great weapon. It has no sharp edges and thus is less likely to kill anyone. With enough strength, it can do blunt damage, but it is mostly for knocking out an opponent instead of killing them. The staff also has many other applied uses. You have to think outside the box and work impulsively. Get used to the expanding and retracting aspects of that lightsaber in your free time. Right now, I want you to extend only one end and try to hit me."
Poe got out from his seat, "Oh, I need to watch this."
Caelum crossed his arms and snickered, "Don't let down your cheerleader."