15 / Family

Tanalorr

5 BBY

The soft rays of the early evening sun streamed in through the natural skylight at the top of the cave. The air inside Santari's Peak was calm and still, save for the low shimmer of the strong Force energy and the whirring of lightsabers, flashes of orange and blue as they connected. Cal and Kata were training one-on-one as they did most evenings, once everyone else had cleared out of the Temple. The aqua pools of water on the cave floor splashed up as they were disturbed by the two Jedi's feet. BD-1 observed from the sidelines, offering the occasional encouraging "bwoop".

"Keep your stance wide and low, Kata." Cal reminded.

Kata adjusted her stance so her right foot was further back and she held Cere's saber up in front of her, prepared for Cal's attack. His saber clashed with hers and she knew he was holding back his strength. It annoyed her, but she also knew she was still small and weak in comparison to him. If he were to actually meet her with his full strength, it would probably put her flat on her back pretty fast. He always reminded her that strength isn't all that makes a Jedi and wanted her to focus on her technique.

"Move your feet." He instructed mid-strike.

Kata stumbled backwards as he pushed her saber away, but at least she managed to hold onto it this time. She got it back up in time to defend herself, but then Cal shut off his saber and disappeared behind her. She turned just in time to deflect a bolt from his blaster, seeing him grin smugly.

"That was a cheap shot." She accused.

"Just making sure you were paying attention. When you face the Empire someday, they won't fight fair, either."

He twirled his blaster before holstering it, noticing that Kata was panting.

"That's enough for today."

Kata nodded and deactivated Cere's saber, reattaching it to her belt. She watched Cal as he wandered over to where BD-1 was wiggling excitedly. She could see he'd lowered his guard and his back was turned to her, so she decided she would take the opportunity to show him she was, in fact, paying attention. She drew her Papa's blaster and fired in his direction, not at him, but close to him. He was quick, as always, pulling his saber from his belt, igniting it and deflecting her shot, Kata hearing the splash as it ricocheted into the ground. He narrowed his eyes at her, but he couldn't help the small grin on his face showing that he was also just a little bit proud.

"That was a cheap shot," He said. "Now you're getting it."

"bwa-woo!"

"I learned from the best." She replied with a shrug.

Kata mirrored the smug smile he'd given her earlier and he chuckled, both of them stowing their weapons once more as she walked over to join him. She pulled her water bottle to her hand and drank from it eagerly, realising how thirsty she was. It had been a warm day on Tanalorr and the humidity of the cave was making her thick curls stick to the back of her neck. She poured some of the water into her hand and rubbed it onto the damp skin.

Cal billowed his shirt a bit, also feeling the humidity. He watched Kata as she sat down on the Temple steps, BD-1 hopping up to sit beside her looking for pets, which she gave him happily. He smiled fondly at the two of them, briefly reflecting on how quickly the last four years had passed. People weren't kidding when they said that kids grew up fast - it felt like he'd blinked and suddenly Kata was a teenager. Cal still remembered when she'd first showed signs of her Force-sensitivity, though he had been expecting it, given her heritage. She'd made good progress in these four years since, but there was still much for her to learn.

Kata sighed to herself as she looked up at Cal. There was something she wanted to talk to him about, but the last time she'd brought it up, it hadn't exactly gone well. Still, she felt as though she should try to address it again. He seemed in high spirits that day – maybe he would be more receptive, more open this time.

"So, speaking of fighting the Empire," She began, causing him to look at her as he was mid-drink. "Any idea when I'm gonna be able to actually put all this training to good use?"

"Soon, Kata." He replied.

"Yeah, that's what you said last time I asked." She muttered loud enough for him to hear.

Cal sighed and gave her a look, which she returned with an expectant gaze of her own.

"We've been over this already," He said brusquely. "It's not safe out there, you know that."

"Yeah, I know, Cal, but—"

"You don't know what's happening out there," He interrupted before she could argue. "How strong the Empire has become."

"Because you won't let me!"

She hadn't meant to raise her voice and she saw Cal narrow his eyes at her slightly in warning. She sighed and lowered her tone.

"You and Merrin promised to show me the Galaxy, but since the Hidden Path came here, we've hardly left Tanalorr. I understand it's not safe, but there's only so much I can learn here."

"I know, Kata, and we will take you with us someday, when you're ready."

"What makes you think I'm not ready now?" She demanded.

"If you have to ask me that, then I know you're not ready."

His condescending answer irritated her greatly and she frowned.

"You know, keeping me here on Tanalorr is exactly how Papa thought he would keep me safe."

She could tell as soon as she'd finished her sentence that she'd struck a nerve. Cal looked at her with the exact expression one would expect from a disapproving mentor.

"You lack patience." Cal stated.

"That's rich, coming from you."

She felt like she definitely overstepped with that one, as Cal practically glared at her, which she returned, refusing to back down.

"And discipline," He added sternly. "But these are things you'll learn with time and experience."

"How am I supposed to get experience if you won't let me go out there and experience anything?" She disputed, gesturing towards the cave entrance with her arm.

"I know your powers make you feel like you're invincible, but you're not," He reminded. "You're still young - don't be so eager to throw yourself into the fight."

"You were my age when you went off to war!"

"And it was wrong of the Jedi to do that to me," Cal was beginning to raise his voice, now. "I won't do the same to you. I promised your father I would keep you safe—"

"And then you killed him!"

As soon as the words left Kata's mouth, she regretted them. She saw the way Cal's face instantly fell, his shoulders slumped and his eyes dropped to the ground, and she felt terrible.

"I'm sorry, I-I shouldn't've—"

"No, it's fine," Cal held up a hand to stop her. "I deserved that."

His tone was sorrowful and Kata's brow furrowed. She wished she could take the words back, knowing how much Cal regretted his part in her Papa's death. She hadn't meant to say something so cruel, but her frustration had gotten the better of her. There was a long, uncomfortable silence between them before Cal sighed deeply.

"You're right," He said eventually. "I'm just doing exactly what he would've done."

Kata looked up at him in surprise, not having expected him to relent. She softened her voice before she spoke again.

"I know you want to protect me, Cal, but you can't protect me from everything. What kind of a Jedi would I be if I wasn't willing to fight for what was right and protect people, like you do?"

Cal met her gaze, her soft brown eyes and still childlike face looking back at him with remorse. He'd be lying if he said her words hadn't hurt, but he knew they had been a long time coming. They had never spoken much about Bode since that first day on Tanalorr, Cal never quite having the courage to raise the issue with her. He supposed it was only natural that she would resent him for what happened in some way, though he knew she tried not to. He had killed her father, after all – it would've been unreasonable of him to expect her not to hold that against him.

But he knew she was right – that the whole reason Bode had taken the compass for himself was to keep Kata safe on Tanalorr, presumably forever. It was a short-sighted solution, as Cal had known even then that one day Kata would grow and would want to decide what to do with her own life, as was her right. He'd even raised the issue with Bode once after they'd defeated Dagan Gera at the top of the Observatory, asking him if he wanted Kata to spend her whole life in hiding, and his response was ringing in Cal's mind now:

"If she's safe, Cal? Then yeah... yeah I'll take that."

Cal sighed again and walked over to kneel in front of Kata where she was seated on the stairs, taking both of her small hands in his gently.

"You're right, and I'm sorry," He apologised. "I'm letting my feelings cloud my judgement, again."

He laughed once humourlessly, looking away at the ground.

"It's a lesson I keep failing to learn. You're already better at it than me."

"I'm not." She assured him with a shake of her head.

Cal smiled weakly at her, then he moved to sit on the steps beside her, stretching out his left leg that was still a little worse for wear after their excursion to Dallenor, and resting his right forearm on his bent knee.

"Kata..." He hesitated as he thought about what he wanted to say. "I know that what I took from you can never be replaced. You had to grow up too fast, losing your home, your mother, then your father... I know what that's like. I wanted to give you a chance to just... be a kid, for a little while longer. Maybe that was arrogant of me."

Kata's face softened as she looked up at him, sitting to her right, looking down at her with regret. She placed her hand on his left arm in comfort.

"I understand, Cal," She said softly. "But I'm not a kid; I haven't been since my Mama died."

Cal's brow furrowed and he sighed again, deeply saddened at the truth of her words. He hated that this was the Galaxy she'd been forced to grow up in – a Galaxy where pain and suffering were more common than joy. He wished more than anything that she could've had a normal life, a normal childhood. She deserved that; she deserved better than what he was currently giving her.

"I know," He nodded in response. "And as much as it scares me, it's your life, and it's your choice what to do with it. And I promise not to let my promise to Bode interfere with your life anymore."

Kata smiled at him, grateful for his ever-present humility. He wasn't afraid to admit when he was wrong, and she always admired that about him.

"You really think you're ready?" He asked her.

"I know I'll never be ready if I don't try."

Cal gave her a crooked smile.

"A wise answer," He praised. "If you think you're ready, then I'll trust your judgement. But you have to trust mine, too – I'm not going to take you somewhere you won't stand a chance of surviving, you understand?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Ok."

Cal stood and BD-1 clamboured down the steps to scale his back. Kata stood as well, looking up at him expectantly.

"Tomorrow we're leaving for Bogano," He rested his hands on his hips. "It's a place I went to a long time ago. It's not safe, but it's a good starting point. We'll all go together."

Kata beamed up at him, relieved that despite the unpleasantness of their argument, he had at least finally heard her and listened.

"Ok."

Kata was raring to go the next morning, practically skipping down the steps and across the square to meet her family at Haven's Edge. Her head was in the clouds, as usual, and she almost ran into several people busying about their days as she went, Haven being such a bustling and ever-growing town. Finally she made it through the security gate and down the path, the Mantis coming into view. Cal was waiting for her at the end of the path, BD-1 perched on his back, the little droid wiggling as she approached them.

"bwa-boop!"

"You ready?" Cal asked.

"Yep!" Kata replied enthusiastically.

"Got your saber?"

"Right here."

"Blaster?"

"Check."

"What about your motto?"

Kata gave him a confused look.

"What's a motto?"

"Nothin', what's a motto with you?"

It took her a second – and a stupid grin spreading across his face – to realise he was making a joke. She sighed exasperatedly as he laughed.

"You stole that joke from Rion." She accused.

"Maybe."

"bwoo-woo!"

The three of them made their way onto the Mantis where Merrin and Greez were already waiting for them.

"Ah, there you are." Merrin greeted.

"'Bout time," Greez added. "The old man slowin' ya down, Kata?"

"Always." She replied.

"Who are you callin' old?" Cal demanded.

"You." She grinned up at him cheekily.

"mrrt mrrt mrrt!"

Greez joined in BD-1's laughter.

"So, we ready to go finally?" He asked.

"Let's do it." Cal nodded.

"Ok, c'mon up here, Kata, I need a co-pilot."

"Coming!"

"bwee-oop!"

Kata followed Greez as he waddled off toward the cockpit and BD-1 leapt from Cal's shoulder to follow them. Cal watched them as they prepared to launch the ship and Merrin noticed his distracted expression.

"Are you still sure about this?" She asked.

"Yeah," He shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "She says she's ready and I trust her."

"Very convincing," Merrin's tone indicated she was, in fact, not convinced. "But I'm proud of you, Cal. If we do not allow her to spread her wings, she will never learn to fly."

"What if it's too soon?" He wondered aloud.

"Then we will know today. We have trained her well; she is much better equipped for this than either of us were at her age. She will do fine, you will see."

Cal smiled warmly at her.

"You're right."

"I am always right."

Cal grinned and stepped closer to her, pulling her towards him by her waist and leaning in to kiss her tenderly.

"Hey, lovebirds," Greez called from the cockpit. "Knock it off and get ready to jump to hyperspace!"

Cal chuckled against Merrin's lips and they separated to grab some seat. Once they were safely travelling through hyperspace on the other side of the Abyss, Cal made his way up to the cockpit and leaned casually in the doorway, crossing his arms.

"How's our co-pilot doing?"

"Oh, she's doin' great," Greez replied. "Better company than you, too."

"What is this, Roast Cal Day?"

"That is every day, Cal." Merrin interjected from the kitchen.

Greez and Kata had a good chuckle at his expense and he rolled his eyes, sitting down in the passenger seat.

"So this planet we're going to, Bogano," Kata began, spinning her chair around to face him. "What's it like there?"

"It's peaceful. No one lives there anymore, but there are lots of nasty critters around. Last time we were there, the Empire followed us, but that was a long time ago, now. So to be honest, I'm not really sure what we're walkin' into."

Kata nodded thoughtfully.

"It's also where I met BD-1." Cal gestured to the droid behind her.

"boop-bweep!"

Kata turned around to face him as he jigged on the control panel.

"Really? So Bogano was your home?" She asked him.

"boo-doop!"

"Were you all alone there?"

"bwoo..."

"He wasn't always," Cal explained. "Master Cordova used to live there. He left BD behind for me to follow his path when we were looking for the Holocron."

"Master Cordova was your friend, right? Did you come here with Cere, too?"

Kata noticed Cal's eyes drop to the floor and the way he always hesitated when he talked about his friend and former mentor.

"Yeah, she was here too," His eyes flicked back up to Kata's. "Bogano was the first place we went to at the start of our journey together."

"So this place is pretty significant to you all, then." She observed.

"Yeah, you could say that." Cal nodded.

"Why are we going there now?"

"There are some things of Cordova's that I left behind last time I was there. I never got the chance to retrieve them, so..."

"So this is another supply run, technically?" Kata questioned flatly.

"This is just the first stop on our trip, Kata," Cal assured. "After Bogano, we head to Zeffo."

"Yeah, and Zeffo is controlled by the Empire," Greez chimed in. "And its fauna aren't exactly cute and cuddly either. Which reminds me, Cal, why are we going on this greatest hits trip down memory lane?"

"Yes, I am wondering that myself." Merrin added as she entered the cockpit, standing in the doorway.

Everyone looked at Cal expectantly and he sat forward in his seat, his eyes on his hands as he fidgeted.

"I can't really say for sure, but... for a little while now I've felt something – or someone – pulling me towards Zeffo. Almost like I missed something there, or maybe it's something new?"

He didn't seem entirely sure and Kata's brow furrowed.

"You mean, like, the Force is calling you there?" She asked.

"Yeah, something like that." Cal nodded slowly.

"Look, I dunno anything about the Force, but I trust that kid's instincts over any Jedi hokum any day," Greez said. "Cal says we go to Zeffo, we go to Zeffo."

"I suppose we will find out what it is when we get there," Merrin agreed. "We'll follow your lead, Cal."

Cal smiled gratefully at her. Kata had noticed how much faith everyone seemed to have in him, and in his leadership. They followed him without question, trusting that he would guide them on the right path. Kata trusted him, too – after all, he had yet to let her down. She just wished sometimes that he would show the same faith in her.

Bogano

The green planet pulled rapidly into view and the Mantis touched down in a familiar place for most of its passengers. Kata was a little distracted by the scenery, but tried to keep her eyes on the scanners, though she couldn't see any signs of hostile forces.

"Well whaddaya know," Greez began. "Guess this is still the one rock in the whole Galaxy apart from Tanalorr that isn't crawling with Imperials."

"I guess they figured after the Holocron was taken from the vault that there was nothing else of value here." Cal added.

Cal, Kata and Merrin set about preparing themselves to disembark, checking over their weapons and gear, making sure everything was copacetic.

"Ok, Kata, just because this place is relatively quiet, that doesn't mean it's safe," Cal instructed. "Stay close to us and don't go looking for trouble."

"Got it." She nodded.

BD-1 scuttled towards Cal and hopped aboard as the three of them made their way down the ramp and onto the grass. Greez waddled out after them and Kata stopped and turned back to him.

"Greez, are you coming with us?"

"Nah, I'm not built for acrobatics," He waved his right hands. "I just thought I'd get some fresh air and stretch my legs a little. You kids have fun."

Kata smiled at him and waved goodbye and the group started to make their way forward. She looked up and saw what she guessed to be the vault, looming tall and imposing at the far side. She had to shield her eyes against the sun as it peeked out from behind the enormous structure. She heard a sound and looked to their left to see some familiar two-legged creatures bounding away from them as they approached.

"Are those boglings?" She asked.

"Yep," Cal replied. "This is their home world."

"How did they get to Koboh?" She wondered.

"Uhhh, you'll have to ask Greez. I had nothing to do with it."

"Of course you didn't, Cal." Merrin teased.

"brrllrrt!"

Kata giggled, watching the fluffy creatures disappear into their burrows. They weren't as tame as the ones she was used to on Koboh – those little guys would hop right up to you looking for a good ear scratch. She found it interesting how different their home planet seemed from Koboh, too. The terrain here was almost swamp-like in nature; grassy, damp and muddy. She could already see her boots getting coated in grime and it made her screw up her nose – she would have to be sure to scrub them when they got back to the ship.

Cal led her and Merrin around to the west, climbing some vines up to another platform. Kata could see better from here and the place was littered with these plateaus. She peeked over the edge at the bottomless nothing and tried not to fall off from the vertigo. Her head whipped around as she heard chittering sounds and she saw three bug-like creatures approaching that looked like they were some kind of weird crossbreed between a crab and a spider. Cal and Merrin stopped and turned toward her.

"Here you go, Kata," Cal gestured toward the critters. "They're all yours."

"Wait, what?"

"You got this." He encouraged.

"Yeah, sure, I got this..."

Kata wasn't entirely convinced as she walked toward the creatures, igniting Cere's blue saber. But she took a deep breath and readied herself, keeping her stance wide and her head on a swivel, as Cal had taught her to. The one on her left attacked first, coming at her with its mandibles flared. She dodged to the side and swung her saber upward, cutting it in half. She heard the next one coming and turned to slice it mid-strike. The third one reared back, looking like it was going to charge her. She reached out with her left hand and held it in place with her Magick, then she stepped forward and swung her saber overhand to slice it clean through the middle.

She exhaled in relief and deactivated her weapon, turning as she heard clapping behind her.

"See? Good work." Cal praised.

"Yes, well done, Kata." Merrin echoed.

"wooow!"

"Thanks," Kata panted. "It was easier than I thought."

"You did well," Cal nodded. "Just be careful not to get overconfident."

"Right."

"Let us continue." Merrin prompted.

Cal took the lead again, dropping down to a platform in the crevasse below. Kata could already see that the path forward was going to require some of those acrobatics Greez had mentioned earlier. Merrin disappeared from where she stood and reappeared on the other side.

"Hey, Merrin," Kata called. "When are you gonna teach me to do that?"

"When you master this first." She called back, gesturing to their path below.

"Ok, Kata, follow me."

Kata watched Cal as he jumped, flipped and wall ran his way to the other side below where Merrin stood. He stopped at the other end and waited for her to follow. She breathed in and followed his movements exactly, having to jump a little earlier at the end, as she couldn't wall-run as far as him. She flipped and mud splashed around her feet as she landed safely at the end.

"Nailed it." She said triumphantly.

Cal shrugged.

"You could've stuck the landing a little better." He teased.

"Ugh."

"boo-woop-prrtat!"

"What do you mean I'm getting slow?" Cal demanded of the droid.

Kata and BD-1 both laughed and they heard Merrin chuckling from above. They climbed up to where she was waiting for them and the four of them continued on together.

"Have you ever been here before, Merrin?" Kata asked.

"Once, though this is my first time exploring," She replied. "It's peaceful here."

"If you had told me back then that one day I would be bringing my family here," Cal said. "I wouldn't have believed it."

"Life is funny that way." Merrin observed.

"Yeah, it is." Cal agreed.

They kept moving until Cal came to a sudden stop at the edge of a plateau, scrutinising the empty space before him with his hands on his hips, perplexed.

"Problem?" Merrin inquired.

"Yeah, this gap wasn't here before." Cal replied.

"So we go around?" Kata asked.

"I think there's a path this way."

They took the scenic route around to the right and Kata became lost in her surroundings. The sky here was so different to the sky on Tanalorr: so vast and open. The sun reflected brightly off of the white clouds and she could see another planet – either very large or very close – on the horizon. She could see birds flying overhead and hear the insects as they chirped in the grass. She sucked a deep breath in through her nose and smelled the damp, mossy air. It reminded her of the rainforest near her house on Birren, the smell being one of the few things she remembered about her homeworld.

A loud sound snapped Kata from her daydreaming and her head whipped around to see a giant frog-like creature leaping up from one of the holes in front of them.

"Look out!" Merrin warned.

Cal immediately drew his saber and Kata followed suit. Her eyes widened at the creature before them, its bumpy amphibious skin, webbed feet, sharp teeth and its three eyes seeming to pierce right through her.

"What is that thing?!" She asked.

"Nothing good," Cal replied, shifting his stance. "Don't let its tongue get you!"

"Its what?!"

As if to answer her question, the creature pulled back, blowing out its cheeks and shot its ridiculously long tongue right at them. Cal and Kata rolled out of the way in opposite directions to avoid it, a surprised shriek leaving Kata's mouth.

"I'll distract it, you attack it from behind!" Cal instructed.

"Ok!" Kata replied.

"Merrin!"

"Yes!"

The creature was enveloped in a green web of Magick holding it down and Kata lunged forward with her saber, managing to sever one of its back legs. It broke free with a cry and she saw Cal trying to keep it distracted by shooting it with his blaster. It turned toward her quickly with its jaws wide.

"Kata, watch out!" Cal warned.

The Padawan barely flipped backward in time to avoid becoming its lunch, landing a bit too close to the edge of the plateau and starting to lose her balance. Cal saw this and reached out with the Force to pull her back onto the ground. The momentary distraction meant he didn't see the frog's leaping strike in time to avoid it, and he was thrown back as it slammed into the ground before him. He rolled and righted himself, but he could feel pain in his left knee.

"Cal!" Kata called.

"I'm good!"

"Get up, Kata," Merrin instructed. "Keep your focus!"

Kata got back to her feet just as the creature turned towards her and shot out its wet, slimy tongue, grabbing hold of her. She screamed, desperately trying to wiggle out of its grasp as it started to pull her towards its mouth. The tension went slack as Cal's thrown saber cut straight through its outstretched tongue and Kata fell backwards from the momentum. She scrambled to free herself from the appendage, making disgusted noises. The injured creature's cries suddenly fell silent as Merrin jumped onto its head and stabbed it through the brain with her spear, rolling off of it as it hit the ground dead. Kata finally wriggled her way out of the dead tongue as Cal jogged toward her and helped her up.

"You ok?" He asked.

"Yeah," She replied, feeling anything but. "That was disgusting."

"boo-loop?"

"Yeah, toss me one."

Cal held up his hand and BD-1 ejected a stim from his head, which Cal caught and injected into his left leg.

"Are you alright?" Kata asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," He exhaled. "Good as new."

"I'm sorry, that was my fault."

"Don't be sorry, Kata," Merrin joined them. "That could have gone worse."

"It's not your fault," Cal laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You're still learning. Just remember to be mindful of your surroundings."

"Yeah," Kata nodded. "What are those things?"

"Oggdos. Not my favourite."

"Oggdo, got it."

"You ever come across an even bigger one, run the other way. Trust me, it's never worth the trouble."

Kata nodded and the four of them walked around the oggdo's carcass and continued on their way. They dropped down a few more ledges and suddenly Kata could see what looked like it could be a workshop before them. The only problem was, there were several very rapidly spinning fans blocking their way in, and the only path over there appeared to be a very rusted-looking pipe over a bottomless pit. Great.

"Uhh, do we need to go over this to get in there?" Kata asked nervously.

"Yep," Cal replied casually. "Just don't look down, it helps."

"I will meet you both inside." Merrin said before disappearing.

Cal started to walk along the pipe and Kata followed very tentatively behind him. He swung down to grip it with his hands, making Kata's heart drop for a second, before he dropped to another pipe below it. She hesitated and he looked back up toward her.

"You got this, kiddo." He encouraged.

"It's alright for you," She refuted. "You do this all the time."

"Thought you weren't scared of heights."

"I'm not, it's the bottomless pit that concerns me."

"You know I actually am a little scared of heights?" Cal admitted.

"Seriously," Kata's tone was disbelieving. "You?"

"Hate them."

"But you're always climbing everywhere."

"I know. Weird, right?"

Admittedly, it did make Kata feel strangely better knowing that even though he was afraid, this was still something he could do, and even thoroughly enjoyed. She exhaled and dropped to the pipe below, following him as he approached the fan. She saw him reach out and slow the fan with the Force, proceed through it and stop on the other side as it sped up again, turning to face her.

"Ok, your turn." He raised his voice over the noise.

"I'm not so sure about this, Cal."

"Well, here's some good motivation for you: if you don't stop the fan, it'll shred you into a million pieces."

"Thanks, that's very encouraging." She responded sarcastically.

"wrrt wrrt wrrt!"

She focused on the swiftly spinning fan and reached out, using her Magick to anchor the blades to the walls around it. The fan stopped long enough for her to rush quickly through, and she started to lose her balance a little, but Cal supported her as she reached him.

"woo-woooo!"

"See? You can do it." Cal encouraged.

"That was scary."

"It's ok to be afraid, but don't let your fear control you."

The two of them dropped down into the workshop below, the noise of the fans the only thing Kata could focus on until Cal shut them off with a nearby switch. She looked up at his smug face and realised he knew that was there the whole time.

"You're the worst." She stated flatly.

Cal chuckled and Merrin appeared next to them.

"You're both in one piece, still."

Kata sighed in a most exasperated manner.

"This way, careful of the blades." Cal gestured to the now stopped fans on the floor.

Kata and Merrin followed him to the far side of the circular room and Kata mused to herself that at least her boots were getting cleaned in the knee-deep water. Cal was already sorting through things on one of the workbenches, BD-1 rummaging in a toolbox near him. Merrin joined them and Kata examined some drawings on the other table. She could see diagrams of fans, circuitry and some kind of orb-like device. They looked like designs and she realised they were the designs for the incredibly elaborate booby-trap system that protected this room. She supposed it must be effective, since Cal was the only one able to get in before.

"boo-doop."

BD-1 shuffled over to her to see what she was looking at and she saw his little antenna fall as he scanned the pages.

"You miss him, don't you?" She asked the droid.

"bwee-dee."

She nodded at him knowingly, catching Cal looking over at them from her peripheral vision.

"These are incredible," She gestured to the designs. "Seems like he was very clever."

"Master Cordova was as clever as it gets," Cal interjected. "That man could fix anything."

"And he would never ask for anything in return for his efforts," Merrin added. "Except perhaps that you would indulge him in what he referred to as 'the ramblings of an old man'. He had so many stories to tell, I grew fond of drinking tea with him and listening to his tales late into the night."

Kata saw Merrin's face fall as she recounted her memories of the Jedi Master. Cal turned toward them both, his expression mirroring Merrin's.

"He was a good man," Cal lamented. "He deserved better."

"What happened to him?" Kata asked.

"bwoo..."

Cal and Merrin looked at her, then at each other and Kata saw them having an entire conversation with just their eyes. Cal sighed and Merrin turned back to her.

"He was killed when the Archive on Jedha was attacked, child." She explained.

"He didn't deserve to go like that," Cal's voice had turned somewhat dark and he returned his attention to the items on the bench behind him. "He was a peaceful man."

"wooo..."

Merrin looked at Cal's back with a sadness Kata couldn't quite decipher. She had a feeling there was more to the story than that, but she knew better than to press the matter further. She decided to busy herself by sticky-beaking at the various gadgets and gizmos lining the workbenches in the small space. Most of them were foreign to her and most of them also seemed like junk. From what little she knew of Master Cordova, and if his workspace was anything to judge by, it seemed like he'd had a particularly chaotic, but brilliant mind.

She was examining one of the strange objects when the smallest movement caught her eye. She leaned forward to peer behind a stack of boxes in the corner and could see something, but it was too dark back there to make out what. She squeezed herself through the gap between the benches and got down on her knees, squinting into the darkness in the very corner of the room. She wasn't sure what it was, but there was definitely some kind of small creature cowering in the darkness – she could see the lights reflecting off of its eyes.

"Hey, there, are you all alone?" She murmured gently.

"What'd you find, Kata?" Cal's voice asked from across the room.

She lifted her head to look at him over the benches.

"There's something alive back here, but it's scared, it won't come out."

"boo-bweep?"

Cal abandoned what he was doing and walked over, Merrin following. He leaned over the workbench as Kata had, trying to see.

"What is that?" He wondered.

"I dunno."

Cal grabbed the edge of one of the benches and shifted it back a bit.

"Gimme some room, Kata."

Kata stood and pulled herself up to sit on the end of the other workbench and Merrin stood beside her, also looking down into the corner curiously. BD-1 hopped up on the bench Cal had just moved as the Jedi knelt down in the gap by the crates. He could just see the creature now and reached out towards it slowly, at which it immediately recoiled in fear.

"It's ok, it's ok," Cal soothed. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

He reached out with the Force and calmed the small creature and it started to inch towards him, reaching its little head into his hand.

"There you go."

"What is it?" Kata asked.

Cal reached into the corner and picked the creature up carefully, pulling it out into the light and turning towards the others.

"It's a baby bogling."

The tiny bogling was nestled in Cal's hands, swishing its bushy tail, its big eyes blinking curiously. Both Kata and Merrin smiled at the little creature.

"Awww, it's so cute." Kata cooed.

"It must've gotten separated from the others." Cal observed.

"But how did it make its way in here with the fans running?" Merrin wondered.

Cal instinctively looked up at the ceiling far above them and noticed a small hole that was definitely big enough for a little fellow like that to fall through.

"Up there, maybe?"

"You think it fell," Kata asked, her tone suddenly concerned. "Is it hurt?"

Cal examined the bogling and noticed one of its legs did seem lame.

"Yeah, looks like it."

"Aw, poor thing." Kata said sadly.

"Can you help it?" Merrin asked.

"I can try." Cal replied.

He shifted the creature into his right hand and held his left over its wounded leg, closing his eyes and concentrating. He breathed deeply and focused his energy, and when he pulled his hand away, the bogling's leg had straightened and it shifted its weight back onto it. Cal exhaled from the effort his energy transference had taken, opening his eyes to see the baby bogling looking up at him.

"You're welcome." He smiled at the creature.

"Well done, Cal," Merrin smiled at him. "We should see him back to his family."

"My thoughts exactly," Cal agreed with a nod, then he stepped forward, holding the bogling out to Kata. "You're responsible for him until we find his parents, ok?"

Kata smiled and held out her hands for the baby to jump into.

"Leave it to me."

She lifted the bogling up to her shoulder and he perched there happily, and Cal smiled as it reminded him of BD-1.

"boo-woo!"

"C'mon, let's head back to the Mantis." Cal suggested.

BD-1 hopped from the desk onto his back and the four of them plus their new bogling companion headed back out of the workshop. Once they were outside, the baby bogling started to sniff the air with its little nose and Kata reached up to scratch it under its chin, which it seemed to very much enjoy.

"Would you like to give him a name?" Merrin suddenly asked, looking back at her.

"Hmm..." Kata thought for a moment. "I think I'll call him... Bob."

"Bob?" Cal queried, looking back at her.

"Yeah, Bob the bogling."

"Oh, I see. Cute." Cal remarked.

"A fitting name, Kata." Merrin agreed with a smile.

"brrrleep!"

It didn't take them long to reach the landing pad once more and they approached the burrows where the wild boglings lived slowly, being careful not to spook them. Bob started to jig excitedly and the action made her giggle, reminding her of BD.

"Ok, his parents should be around here, somewhere." Cal said, looking around.

Kata also searched through the group of boglings, noticing there were quite a few babies amongst them and thinking it must have been that season for the little critters. She spied a pair of adult boglings that were eyeing her strangely and even starting to approach her. Bob danced on her shoulder happily and she reached up to offer him her hands, kneeling on the mossy floor and slowly lowering him to the ground. She watched as he bounded his way over to his parents and they nestled into him affectionately. Kata smiled widely as her mentors joined her, watching the trio reunited.

"Look at that." Cal whispered.

"Together again," Merrin praised. "Well done, Kata."

"brrloop."

Kata watched the little furry family as they regarded the four of them before bounding away to follow the others and she was filled with a bittersweet melancholy. She stood, brushing the moss from her knees and sighed deeply.

"You ok?" Cal asked.

"Yeah," She replied with a nod. "I'm glad we could get him back to his family."

She smiled up at Cal and he returned it a little sadly, understanding what she must have been feeling.

"You did well today, Kata," He praised. "C'mon, Zeffo's a long way from here."

He and Merrin started to head towards the Mantis when Kata reached out and grabbed his arm gently to stop him.

"Hey, Cal?"

He turned, looking at Merrin briefly as she hesitated before continuing towards the ship, deciding to give them a moment, then he looked down at Kata expectantly.

"About what I said in the Temple yesterday..."

He waved his hand dismissively.

"We don't need to talk about it."

"Sure, but I still need to apologise."

He gripped his belt with his left hand and nodded once at her. Kata had noticed he had a habit of standing like that.

"I shouldn't have said what I said, I didn't mean it and I'm sorry. I know that you're just trying to keep me safe because you promised Papa that you would. I don't blame you for what happened to him, Cal. I know you wouldn't have done it if he'd given you another choice."

The corner of Cal's mouth pulled up and he looked at the ground before meeting her gaze again.

"Thank you, Kata. I appreciate that."

She smiled sweetly at him and he touched his right hand to her cheek affectionately. The young Padawan walked ahead of him towards the ship, but Cal stopped for a moment. He took one last look around him at Bogano – the world where it all began. His whole journey up until now, everything he had seen and done, everyone he'd known, everything that he had now; it had all started right here. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, drinking in the smell, the calm, the sunlight, the gentle breeze, the peace of it all. He turned his head to the stars, wondering if Cere and Master Cordova were looking down on them now, and if they were, he hoped he'd made them proud.

The Jedi's mouth pulled up in a smile as he turned back to face the next part of his journey.