23 / A New Threat
The Rogue Mercenary touched down in the swamp, and Kata, Teelo and BD-1 made their way off the ship cautiously, gas masks on. The air immediately felt thicker and smelled of blood and death. They could hear the nearby growls of the nydaks and the chittering of the bane back spiders as they fought over territory. The fog down here was so thick that they couldn't see the Mantis nestled within it until they were a mere twenty feet away. They hadn't even been able to see it from the air as they were landing.
"Perfect place to hide it," Teelo remarked. "Empire's sensors wouldn't see shit through this fog."
"I can't see shit through this fog." Kata retorted.
"frrtrrt!"
Teelo chuckled at them and the two of them made their way up the boarding ramp and onto the ship, where Cal, Merrin and Greez were already waiting for them.
"There you are." Cal greeted.
"bwoo!"
"This everyone?" Teelo asked as they removed their mask.
"Just waiting on a couple more."
Kata found her eyes wandering, feeling strange at being back on the Mantis again. In a way, it felt like being home, but so much had changed since she was last on this ship. Looking around, you wouldn't have known anything was different – everything looked exactly as she remembered. Every scratch in every surface, the smell of the spices from the kitchen, even the broken cushion in the sofa. It made her head spin to think that only days had passed since Tanalorr was invaded; it felt like years.
All six of their heads turned towards the open door as the whirring and clanking sounds of a very old droid approached.
"Oh! It seems we've kept you all waiting!" Zee exclaimed as she made her way into the ship with Mosey in tow.
"Thanks for coming, you two." Cal smiled.
"Sure thing, Cal," Mosey nodded. "But why're we here?"
"Because I trust you both as much as anyone else here, and what we're about to discuss does not leave this ship."
He reached out and used the Force to close the door behind them, then he turned to the group and addressed them all sternly.
"Is that understood?"
Everyone in the room nodded in response and Kata felt the air in the room buzzing with the sudden tension.
"Good. Zee, can you tell us what happened at the Reach?"
"It was just terrible, Cal," The droid's demeanour sank as she prepared to recount the tale. "The Empire came out of nowhere and before we knew what was happening, they were all over us! Doma Dendra and I ferried as many people onto the ship as we could, but when they broke into the Saloon, they just started firing, and…"
She looked down at Greez sadly.
"...I am so sorry, Greez, but Monk did not survive."
"wooo..."
All of them hung their heads in sorrow, having all been affected by Monk in some way over the years. Whether it was a strong drink, a listening ear, some sage advice, or a welcoming place to come back to, Monk had done more for them than they could ever quantify with words. Cal sighed deeply, feeling the weight of all the loss they had endured.
"He was one of a kind, that old bucket o' bolts," Greez's voice was thick with emotion. "I'll miss 'im."
Merrin and Cal each placed a hand on Greez's shoulders in comfort.
"You mentioned you didn't know if anyone else survived…" Cal looked up at Zee. "...do you know who else didn't?"
The droid hesitated before answering.
"Gulu went with some of the others to try and hold the invaders back. I don't know if he or Gido made it out. Pili was helping us to move people onto the ships and the Stormtroopers tried to stop us from leaving. She sacrificed herself so that we could escape."
"No..." Kata whimpered, covering her mouth with her hand.
She shut her eyes tightly, trying desperately to hold back tears. Pili had been something of a caretaker for her when she'd first arrived on Koboh. She'd spent so many hours with her on Pyloon's rooftop, learning about the plants that she had cultivated there with love and care. Kata had just lost everything and was still adjusting to her new life and Pili had been there to show her that life was a cycle of loss and new beginnings. Hearing of her death, her sacrifice, threatened to crush Kata's already shattered heart into dust. She felt Teelo's hand around her shoulders in comfort and she tried to compose herself.
"I'm afraid that's all I know," Zee continued sadly. "But it's possible the others may have seen things I did not."
"It's alright, Zee, thank you." Cal replied.
"Judging by what they did on Tanalorr," Mosey chimed in. "I'd say it's unlikely anyone else made it out."
"What did happen on Tanalorr, Cal?" Zee asked gently.
"That's what we're here to discuss."
He started towards the holo-projector at the front of the ship and they all gathered around it. He leaned his hands on it, preparing himself for the conversation they were about to have.
"Here's what we know," He began. "Nadirr Maven, or Master Maven as we knew her, was the orchestrator of the Empire's attack on both Tanalorr and Koboh."
"So Maven was the traitor." Greez confirmed, looking over at Merrin.
"You know this for certain?" Merrin clarified, looking at Cal.
"She confessed it right after she tried to kill me. Kata stopped her."
"How did you know?" Teelo asked her.
"I saw her reaching for her saber." Kata explained.
"She led the Empire and Vader to Tanalorr," Cal continued. "But she wasn't acting alone, she had help."
"Someone on the inside?" Mosey asked.
"That's what we thought, at first. But once Teelo and I rescued Kata on Ferrix, we went back to Tanalorr after the Imperial forces cleared out, to see what we could learn."
"What were you doing on Ferrix?" Merrin asked Kata.
"Getting kidnapped by the Haxion Brood," She rolled her eyes. "It's a long story, but the short of it is my ship's hyperdrive failed mid-jump and I crashed on the planet."
"We're inclined to believe it was sabotage," Teelo said. "We had similar trouble with the Rogue on our way here."
"Did the Mantis have any hyperdrive trouble?" Cal asked Greez.
"Now you mention it, we did have some trouble on our way to pick up these guys from Mygeeto," Greez gestured towards Zee. "The limiter looked like it'd been messed with, I had to fix it before we could get goin' again."
"So it was definitely sabotage, then." Teelo concluded.
"brrrleet."
"But why go to the trouble of sabotaging the ships?" Greez wondered.
"They were targeting us," Kata stated. "They wanted to make sure that on the off chance we escaped Tanalorr alive, we'd be stranded in space, or ripped apart."
"It's clear whoever was involved wanted to make sure we didn't survive." Cal agreed.
"And we still do not know who this accomplice was?" Merrin asked.
"We don't know who they are, but I think I know what they are..."
He reached into his pocket and produced Teelo's silver pendant, their eyes widening as he handed it to them.
"Holy shit," They exclaimed in disbelief. "Where did you find it?"
"One guess."
Their brows pushed together and their lip twitched in anger.
"Chatte conne traîtresse."
Kata knew enough Mirialan to guess what that meant.
"What else did you find?" She asked Cal.
"I saw several visions of Maven with a stranger in brown robes and a silver mask. But the memories were shrouded, almost like someone was trying to conceal them deliberately."
"Is that even possible?" Greez wondered.
"I hadn't thought so, but after what I saw, I'm starting to doubt what's possible."
"What did you see?" Merrin inquired.
He glanced at her, hesitating before he explained.
"When I touched that pendant—" He nodded towards the object in Teelo's hand. "—I saw Maven hand it to this stranger... and then they became you."
He looked directly at Teelo and they blinked twice, obviously not comprehending what he'd just said, because it sounded insane out loud.
"Wait… w-what d'you mean they became me?"
"I mean they turned into you, literally. Right before my eyes. They had your face, they spoke in your voice. If I hadn't known better, I would've thought I was looking at you."
"What, like a Changeling?"
"No, not a Changeling," He shook his head. "This was some kind of dark, powerful illusion conjured through the Force."
"Like Magick." Kata realised.
Cal nodded once at her, then everyone's eyes were suddenly on Merrin. The Nightsister was looking down at the holo-projector, an expression on her face that Kata had never seen before. It was somewhere between disbelief and horror.
"Merrin?" Cal asked softly.
Her eyes flicked up to his, then back down again as she hesitated for a long moment.
"When I was a child, I heard stories of the Nardithi Nightsisters. It was rumoured they could use Magick to trick others into believing things that were not real – objects, places, even feelings and people…" She looked back up at Cal. "I never saw these Sisters perform such illusions myself, but our Mother told us of how they used these Magicks to deceive and steal secrets from other clans."
Cal's eyes didn't move from Merrin's face as she spoke. He'd expected her to confirm his fears, knowing full well what he'd seen in that vision was unmistakable, but he still couldn't quite believe it.
"I saw this illusion with my own eyes, Merrin. I know it's hard to believe, but I've known you long enough to recognise Magick when I see it."
"So you are saying you believe this accomplice of Maven's to be a Nightsister."
"That's what I'm saying." Cal confirmed.
He knew Merrin better than anyone and he saw every emotion that subtly crossed her face in that moment: shock, disbelief, sorrow, anger. He could feel them emanating from her. He knew how much this news would have thrown her - the idea that one of her Sisters had not only survived, but that she had been actively involved in the destruction of their home and attempted murder of her family would be a lot to process for her.
"Of course," Kata said suddenly, eyes turning to her. "It makes perfect sense - that's how she got to Tanalorr, that's how she got access to Teelo's compass and got it to the Empire, that's how she made it look like they had betrayed us. It was her the whole time."
"She could've looked like anyone," Cal agreed. "Could've gone anywhere on Tanalorr unquestioned, we never would've even known it was her."
"Son of a gundark…" Teelo seemed to realise something. "That's why Maven told me to meet her, the night of the celebration. So that I'd be with her while this Nightsister used my likeness to frame me for Brother Kline's murder."
"So you wouldn't be seen in two places at once." Cal nodded.
"Whoa, back up a sec," Mosey interjected. "She framed you for murder?"
"The day of the invasion, one of the Anchorites, Brother Kline, was reported missing. When I found his body, I saw a vision of Teelo killing him," He explained. "I thought they'd collaborated with Maven, but I was wrong, and now I know what really happened."
"But why do all of this," Zee asked. "Why go to such lengths to make it seem as though Teelo were responsible?"
"Maven was trying to divide us," Teelo stated. "Turn us against each other so we'd never see her coming."
"And unfortunately, it worked – I was completely blindsided by her betrayal," Cal lamented. "If it wasn't for Kata's quick thinking and Teelo saving my ass from Vader, I wouldn't even be here now."
He looked up at the Mirialukan apologetically.
"Teelo, I can't even begin to—"
"Then don't," They interrupted. "You already apologised, and it's already forgotten."
He smiled at them appreciatively. The room was silent for a moment as everyone processed.
"There's somethin' that still don't make sense to me," Mosey was the first to break it. "Why did Maven do all o' this in the first place? Why try to kill you and bring the Empire to Tanalorr? What'd she stand to gain?"
"It wasn't about what she stood to gain, it was about what she'd lost," Cal explained. "Her sister, Gabs, was a member of my crew years ago. She was killed in action on Coruscant protecting me, Maven held me responsible and wanted revenge for her death."
A heavy silence hung in the air as everyone took in his words.
"All of this, Tanalorr, the Reach... so many lives lost because her sister died on my watch. I didn't know who she was; she lived among us on Tanalorr for years, gaining our trust, worming her way into our circle, biding her time. I never saw what she really was, never suspected her. I trusted the wrong person, again, and more than a thousand people paid the price. I'm sorry."
Cal didn't know what else to say. He hung his head in shame, feeling so completely responsible for everything that had happened. Rationally he knew there was nothing he could have done to predict or prevent it, but those people had depended on him, relied on him, trusted him to lead them, and now they were gone. He felt personally accountable for each and every one of their deaths. His head lifted as he felt a firm hand on his right shoulder and he saw Teelo's face looking down at him with compassion.
"It wasn't your fault, Cal," They assured him. "You did everything you could to stop it."
"Teelo is right, Cal," Zee echoed. "You went as far as destroying the arrays and cutting Tanalorr off from the outside completely to prevent invasion. You did what any good leader should to ensure the safety of your people."
"bwoow."
"It wasn't enough." Cal lamented.
"You cannot blame yourself," Merrin placed her hand on his other shoulder. "None of us saw Maven for what she truly was. There was nothing more we could have done."
"Cal, you went toe to toe with Vader himself to protect your people." Teelo pointed out.
"And he certainly would've killed me if it wasn't for you. Even after we ostracised you and suspected you of betrayal, you still defended us."
"You people are my family and Tanalorr was my home, I would've died defending it."
Cal smiled gratefully at his fellow Jedi, patting them once on the back.
"Besides, this wasn't just about revenge, Cal," Kata reminded. "You heard what she said about the Hidden Jedi, what she said about me."
He looked over at her, remembering all too well what Maven had said that day, every word still ringing in his mind.
"What did she say?" Merrin asked.
Cal glanced at her, his face steely.
"She said that we were a 'perversion of the Jedi Order' and that she wanted to destroy me and everything I loved."
"She called me an 'abomination' and said she wanted to lay waste to your legacy." Kata added.
Hearing Maven's words made Merrin angry, though she tried to keep her composure.
"Maybe it'd started as revenge for her, but by the end, that was only an excuse – a justification for her to commit genocide." Kata concluded.
"brr-doop."
"She was insane," Teelo spat. "She condemned hundreds of innocent people to death because of her hatred and spite, just like the Empire does."
Kata agreed with them – Maven allied herself with the Empire because they shared the same goal, in the end. Exterminating people like them who dared to do things differently.
"But she's dead now, reduced to nothing," She pointed out. "What she thought doesn't matter – she failed, we're still here."
Teelo nodded at her, their eyes narrowed and their face hard. She knew how they felt about what Maven had done and how she'd used them to do it.
"Zee mentioned that you tried to cut Tanalorr off from the outside," Mosey interjected. "Did y'all know the attack was comin'?"
"We had some forewarning," Cal admitted. "We tried to prevent it, but we never discovered who the traitor was until she revealed herself. She'd been planning this for a long time."
"Then how did y'all know it was gonna happen?"
"I knew it was gonna happen." Kata interjected.
"Kata," Cal warned before she could say any more. "Are you sure?"
He was looking at her very seriously, his eyes warning her to think carefully before she spoke. She nodded at him, her resolve clear.
"They deserve the whole truth, Cal."
He nodded once in approval and Mosey and Zee turned toward the Padawan expectantly.
"I had a vision through the Force that the Empire would invade Tanalorr several days before it happened."
"Oh, my..." Zee said quietly.
"Is that a common thing for Jedi?" Mosey clarified.
"No, definitely not," Cal shook his head. "And it was a warning we couldn't afford to ignore."
"You are strong in the Force indeed, young Jedi, to have witnessed such a thing." Zee's voice was full of awe.
"bwa-boop."
"Have you seen anything else since then, Kata?" Merrin asked.
"No, nothing."
"Guess we count that as a good sign." Teelo remarked.
Kata raised her brows and hummed in agreement. But in truth, the longer she went without having another vision, the more anxious she grew. She hoped against hope that her premonition was just a freak, one-time thing, but somehow she doubted it.
"This stranger you believe to be a Nightsister," Merrin looked at Cal. "Did you notice anything distinctive about her?"
"Her voice was harsh with a Dathomiri accent, her hair was white and her skin was pale. She had red nails and tattoos crawling up her fingers, like tendrils. Sound familiar at all?"
"No." Merrin shook her head.
She seemed sure, and Cal knew she wouldn't soon forget much about her late Sisters, so it must not have been anyone she knew.
"So we got a former Jedi turned Imperial puppet, a rogue Nightsister on the loose, Koboh and Tanalorr are in ruins and Teelo's compass is still in the hands of the Empire," Greez summarised. "So what's our next move?"
Everyone turned to Cal expectantly, and luckily for him, he was already prepared with an answer.
"We track down the compass and take it back from the Empire."
"Ha! You make it sound so easy!" Greez retorted sarcastically.
"They can't be allowed to keep that compass," Cal pressed. "They're probably studying it as we speak, trying to replicate the technology."
"Cal's right," Teelo backed him up. "It's only a matter of time before they're able to replicate it and send forces to Tanalorr en masse."
"At which point they'll begin stripping the planet of all its natural resources," He continued. "The gold, the dolovite... the kyber crystals."
"They'll do to Tanalorr what they did to Ilum." Kata looked at Cal seriously.
"I won't let that happen," He promised, returning her gaze intensely before he turned back to the others. "Tanalorr is our home, Koboh is yours. The Empire thinks they can use force to drive us from our planets and take what they want. We're gonna show them we don't scare that easy."
"And what of the Nightsister?" Merrin asked.
Cal looked at her, hesitating for a moment.
"We track her down as well, and we deal with her. I know she's your kin, Merrin, but she knows about Tanalorr, she's been there, she can't be allowed to roam free with that information."
"She may be of Dathomir, but she is no Sister of mine," She spat with vitriol. "She tried to harm my family, she destroyed our home and murdered our people. She will die screaming."
Cal couldn't help the very small smirk that pulled at his lips. He suddenly pitied that Nightsister, as he did anyone who faced Merrin's wrath. He caught Teelo also smirking out of the corner of his eye.
"Ok, sure, but do we have any idea where to start lookin' for either?" Greez asked.
"We start with the Rebel Alliance," Cal continued. "The Empire launching a full-scale assault on an Outer-Rim world like Koboh wouldn't've escaped their notice. If anyone might know something about the whereabouts of our compass, it'll be Saw Gerrera, though I don't know where he is."
"I might," Teelo interjected. "On Nar Shaddaa, I heard a rumour there's been some trouble with the Geonosians. Word is they've gone missing and Saw went to investigate. He might still be there."
"Worth a shot." Cal nodded.
"What about this Nightsister, how do we find her?" Mosey asked.
"Either she or Maven were the ones to hand the compass over to the Empire. We track down the compass, good chance it'll lead us to her, too."
"Makes sense," She agreed. "Whaddaya need from us?"
"Right now, I need you both to keep the others safe. The longer we all stay here, the higher the risk the Empire will come here searching for us. We can't afford to let our guards down."
"Understood." Zee nodded once.
"What about the other survivors?" Kata inquired.
"Until they activate their beacons, there isn't much we can do," Cal reminded gently. "We don't have time to search every system for them. Protecting the people here and getting the compass back should be our priorities."
Kata nodded sadly, knowing he was right, that they could search the whole Galaxy and not find anyone. But she couldn't help but think about the three ships still unaccounted for, and the people on them. She remembered how it felt to be alone and scared on Ferrix, and she hoped they were safe.
"Geonosis, then?" Greez asked.
"Yeah, if we're all in agreement?" Cal addressed the room.
Everyone nodded at him in response, all of them still placing their unwavering faith in him. It was a faith he didn't know if he deserved after all that had happened, but he was grateful nonetheless.
"We'll head back up to the ruins, leave y'all to hash out the plan." Mosey offered.
"Thank you," Cal nodded. "People up there are getting restless and they'll be looking to you for answers, for hope. Let them know we're not giving up."
"We will do our best," Zee assured. "Good luck, Cal Kestis. May the Force be with you all."
"And you, Zee."
With that, the two of them left the ship to return to the ruins and the Mantis Crew were left exchanging anxious looks with one another.
"So, what is the plan, then?" Greez eventually asked.
"If Saw Gerrera is on Geonosis, I need to go there myself," Cal decided. "He knows me, he trusts me, he'll talk to me."
"I'll go with you." Kata offered.
"boop-bweep."
Cal nodded at them both in approval, then he looked towards the Nightsister on his left, who was already frowning at him.
"Merrin—"
"If you are about to ask me to stay here, Cal Kestis, you would be wise to save your breath," She warned. "I am pregnant, not helpless."
"I know you're not, it's not about that," He assured, stepping closer to her. "None of us know Dathomir like you do. I need you here to protect the others."
Her eyes fell to the floor, conflicted. She knew he was right, that she should stay and keep the others safe, but she did not want to part from him. She had just gotten him back, just gotten them all back. She couldn't bear for them to part ways again so soon, even for a moment. Cal saw her thoughts clear in her face and he cupped it in his rough hands.
"Look at me," He requested and she met his gaze. "I don't want to leave you, either, but I have to do this. We have to stay focused; everyone up there is counting on us. Do you still have faith in me?"
Merrin's eyes softened and she sighed as she rested a hand on his left arm. His green eyes were so intense as they looked into hers that she forgot about the others in the room.
"Of course I do."
"We won't be gone long." He promised.
"You had better not. If you leave me to raise our child alone, I will bring you back from the dead just to kill you myself."
Cal chuckled at her threat, knowing it was probably not empty.
"Don't worry, Mer," Kata piped up. "We'll keep him out of trouble."
"myam-wam!"
"I trust you, Kata," Merrin smiled as she turned away from Cal. "It is BD-1 that concerns me."
"bwee-woo-brrrrt!"
Everyone laughed at the droid's protests as he stomped his little foot on Kata's shoulder.
"I'll stay as well." Teelo offered.
"You sure?" Kata asked.
"Yeah, you three can handle Saw. We'll hold down the fort until you get back."
"Alright," Cal agreed. "How many people can the Rogue hold?"
"How many of the sixty-seven up there are children?" They asked Merrin.
"Eighteen."
They did the math in their head quickly.
"Then including them, fifty at the most."
"In that case, we'll take the Mantis," Cal said. "If you run into any trouble, get as many people on the Rogue as you can and get them to Bogano. It might be the only other place in the Galaxy remote enough that it'll take the Empire a while to catch up."
"Got it." Teelo nodded.
Merrin reached up to grasp Cal's neck and pulled him into a tender kiss. His hands found her waist, holding her close for a brief moment until she broke away.
"Do not keep me waiting, Jedi."
He gave her that crooked smile she so loved.
"I won't."
Cal saw Kata hug both Teelo and Greez farewell and Merrin left him to also pull her into an embrace. He lamented that they were being forced to say goodbye to one another again so soon, but he knew it wouldn't be for long. They couldn't stay on Dathomir and do nothing forever, the Empire would find them eventually, and he wasn't going to gamble with any more lives.
"You kids come back in one piece, ya hear?" Greez instructed.
"boo-bweep."
"We'll be back soon." Cal promised.
Merrin gave one last worried look at them both before she and Greez reluctantly filed off the ship. Cal saw Teelo look down at the pendant they still held in their hand, then they fastened the chain back around their neck, sighing with relief as they touched their fingers to the metal. They looked at Cal gratefully as he approached.
"Thank you for this, I thought I'd lost it for good."
"You're welcome." Cal smiled.
He knew what that pendant meant to Teelo – it had belonged to Amai, and apart from his lightsaber, it was the only thing they had left of his. He remembered how devastated they'd been when they'd lost it, or rather when Maven stole it, as they now knew to be the case. Now that it was back around their neck, he realised how strange they'd looked without it; incomplete, in a way. Their mouth pulled up in a smile and they started to leave when Cal grabbed their arm to stop them, looking up at them very pointedly.
"Merrin..."
"I won't let her out of my sight, Cal."
He smiled at them again thankfully and released their arm. They gave him one last nod and reassuring pat on the shoulder before they followed the others and Cal closed the door behind them. Kata watched him for a moment before she spoke.
"You sure about this?"
Cal huffed a laugh and looked at her, shaking his head.
"No, but honestly I don't know what else we can do."
"Yeah."
"bwoo..."
He sighed deeply and headed for the cockpit.
"C'mon, let's go find Saw."
GEONOSIS
Kata had never seen a planet like Geonosis before. Her eyes had widened in wonder at the sight of the giant red rock with its impressive asteroid rings and orbited by multiple moons. Its surface was arid like most desert planets, but all around them were impossibly tall rock formations that reminded her of stalagmites. As they flew low over the ground, she also started to see the remains of the Clone Wars littered in the desert; wrecked troop carriers, droids and even a few Lucrehulk Federation ships, like the one on Koboh. She was surprised they were still here after so long – almost like the conflict had been frozen in time.
They had arrived on Geonosis at just the right moment, as it turned out, as Saw and his Partisans were preparing to depart the planet. They hadn't been easy to find on the enormous and now desolate rock, but Cal had let his instincts and the Force guide them. They hurried through the Rebel encampment, people doing double-takes at them as they went, but no one questioning their presence. Cal had fought with the Rebels enough times now that most of them knew who he was. At last, they spotted Saw, the old General looking none the worse for wear. His face betrayed his confusion when he saw the three of them approaching.
"Cal Kestis," He greeted the Jedi. "I must say I'm surprised to see you – what brings you to Geonosis, my friend?"
"Lookin' for you, heard you might be around these parts," Cal gestured towards Kata. "This is my Apprentice, Kata Akuna."
Saw regarded Kata with scrutiny, looking her up and down before his eyes rested on her face. She'd noticed a lot of people did that the first time they met her, and it always made her feel small, inadequate. Most of them very quickly changed their tune when they saw her in action, though.
"Cal's told me a lot about you. Good to finally meet you, young Jedi."
"Likewise." She returned politely.
"bwoow."
"Heard you ran into some trouble with the Empire out on Koboh."
"Yeah, that's why we're here, actually," Cal confirmed. "We need to talk, alone."
He could tell that Saw could see the intensity in his face and knew it was important. He nodded and the Jedi gestured for him to follow, leading the way to the Mantis. He wouldn't risk having this conversation anywhere else. Once they were safely on the ship, Cal sealed the door.
"What's happened?" Saw asked.
Cal hesitated a moment, his face grave, before he got straight to the point.
"The Empire attacked Tanalorr. We don't have the exact numbers yet, but it looks like at least a thousand of our people are dead. The rest are either still missing or in hiding. The Hidden Path is scattered and so far, including Kata and myself, only four Jedi have survived."
Kata watched Saw's eyes grow wider and his jaw drop further as Cal spoke, the shock clear on his face. Apart from the few on Koboh, Saw was the only other outsider who knew about the existence of Tanalorr, him being the only one Cal trusted with that information. He had managed to connect many people seeking refuge to them over the years. Losing that refuge was not only a devastating blow for them, but for the Rebellion as well, and all those the Empire sought to persecute.
"Merrin? Your crew?" Saw immediately asked.
"They're fine, they're safe for now. We were betrayed by one of our own, the compass she stole is still in the hands of the Empire. We need to get it back before they work out how to create more. I came here to find out if you've heard anything that might help us find it."
Saw still seemed to be reeling from all Cal had just told him, but he thought for a moment.
"Not sure about a compass, but we received word from the Alliance not two days ago that a package had been delivered to an independent research facility on Onderon. Communication said the package was 'of great importance to the Empire',"
"Then why take it to a non-Imperial research base?" Cal wondered aloud.
"That's what I was wondering myself, but there's more," Saw stepped closer to Cal. "Reports indicated that this package was hand-delivered by an individual wielding an Inquisitor's saber."
Both Cal and Kata's eyes widened.
"I thought the Inquisitors were supposed to be dead?" Kata questioned.
"Supposed to be," Saw nodded once at her. "But it seems like one might've slipped through Vader's fingers."
Cal looked up at Saw, his expression hard, feeling his anger rise at the mention of Vader and the Inquisitors.
"Timing's probably not a coincidence," Saw continued. "Could be your compass."
Cal nodded, something inside of him telling him that Saw was right. But he was confused... if their compass was stolen and delivered to the Empire by a Nightsister, how had it ended up at an independent research facility delivered by a former Inquisitor? Something about this wasn't adding up.
"Either way, it's the only lead we have," He pointed out. "We have to check it out."
Cal looked down at Kata and BD-1 and they both nodded at him.
"One other thing," Saw got his attention again. "Reports also indicated that this Inquisitor is being hosted in Iziz Palace as a personal guest of Val Arkin, the current Vice Director of the Imperial Department of Military Research on Onderon."
Cal furrowed his brows in utter perplexity. This situation was getting weirder and weirder.
"So we have a former Inquisitor delivering an Imperial package to an independent research facility and being hosted by the IDMR Vice Director on a planet in open rebellion against the Empire?"
"I'm as confused as you are," Saw admitted. "Seems to me that somethin' shady's goin' on, even by the Empire's standards."
"She double-crossed them," Kata suddenly deduced, drawing the attention of both men. "The Inquisitor, she double-crossed the Empire and sold the compass to an independent third party."
Cal's brows shot up as he realised she was right.
"How d'you know the Inquisitor's a she?" Saw questioned.
"Just a hunch." Kata said flatly.
Cal nodded once at her with a slight smile, secretly proud that she'd figured that out before either of them had.
"If you're right, then this Vice Director has double-crossed the Empire as well." He pointed out.
"Makes sense," Saw agreed. "We're seein' this kinda thing more and more lately – desperate times."
"I think we should go have a chat with this Val Arkin." Cal suggested, looking at Kata.
"I'd go to Onderon to investigate this myself, but I don't have the people to spare." Saw said.
"I'll let you know what we find." Cal offered.
"I'd appreciate it. And Cal..." Saw stepped closer, looking at the Jedi very seriously. "I'm sorry to hear about Tanalorr. What you and Merrin built there was invaluable to the Path and the Alliance. If you or your people need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
Cal smiled at him appreciatively.
"Thanks, but we're survivors, every one of us," He looked down at Kata affectionately and she gave him a small smile. "We won't let the Empire keep our home for long."
"I respect that. Good luck on Onderon, don't get killed."
"You either, old friend."
The two men gripped hands and pulled each other into a quick embrace, then Saw left the ship. Cal immediately looked at Kata and he could practically see her about to burst.
"Alright, lay it on me." He invited.
"Seems to me like our Nightsister and this 'Inquisitor' are the same person." She explained.
"I think you might be right," He nodded. "But there's only one way to be sure. We need to head back to Dathomir and fill the others in, then we're going to Onderon to find this Val Arkin, and our compass."
Kata couldn't help the smirk that spread across her face, feeling an undeniable sense of excitement that they finally had a lead, a direction to follow. They hastily flew the Mantis away from the planet's surface, a restless energy in the air between them. Once they were safely travelling through Hyperspace, Kata excused herself to get some rest and hopefully kill some time for the six hour journey back to Dathomir.
BD-1 followed her, leaving Cal alone in the cockpit, and they headed to her room in the back of the ship. She pulled off her boots, removed her belts and weapons and peeled off her bomber jacket, wincing a bit as she felt a dull pain in her left shoulder. She rubbed the blaster wound that was almost healed now thanks to Teelo dutifully helping her to take care of it every day.
She lay down on her bunk and pulled the blanket over herself, curling up in an effort to banish the cold of space. BD settled in by her side and she bid him goodnight. She sighed deeply as she closed her eyes, feeling a sense of peace overtake her. She drifted swiftly off to sleep, as for the first time since Tanalorr had fallen, she started to feel the smallest spark of hope.
But that feeling would not last as she awoke a few hours later to BD-1's panicked beeps. She immediately shot upright, sobbing, sweating as the images she'd seen in her sleep flashed vividly back through her mind. Her chest felt tight, she felt like she couldn't breathe, couldn't think through the panic and the shock. Her hand flew to her mouth as a strangled whimper barely escaped her.
"No..."
This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be real. She couldn't believe it, she refused to believe it. There was no way that what she'd seen was going to happen. She buried her head in her knees and sobbed in despair as BD desperately tried to comfort her. She couldn't bear the thought that it was real. She couldn't let this happen.
She had to do something. She had to stop it.